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Wonderfully Fit

Juicing for Weight Loss

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Juicing is a popular diet fad that has picked up popularity, especially after being featured on a number of documentaries about losing weight. The concept behind juicing is that you can drink your way to good health, whether by fasting on juices alone or simply by adding them into your diet.

It is not generally advised to start any extreme dietary changes without the consultation of a doctor or nutritionist first. If you find that you are dealing with serious health issues, juice fasts and other cleanses can have vast side effects. Rather than jumping blindly on the bandwagon, it is good to make smart and informed choices that take your specific body and health into consideration.

juicing

If you are cleared for a juice fast or simply want to use juices as a way to get the vital vitamins and nutrients from vegetables and fruits without having to eat a whole lot of them, there is an option for you. However, make sure to remember that without the fibers that juicing removes from said fruits and vegetables, you are not consuming any of the healthy fibers that make fruits and vegetables so good for us and so effective at aiding in weight loss.

If juicing is something you are considering in order to trim down your body fat, don’t remove the pulp completely. Add in some of the excess fibers from your fruits and vegetables so you are getting the nourishment that nature intended.

Another thing to be aware of is that juicing can actually put on the pounds if you aren’t careful.

Consuming nothing but fruit juices can be very bad; just ask a diabetic! Fruits are full of natural sugars, and when fruits are juiced these sugars are concentrated. Especially if you are making a juice out of several large fruits. The best way to make a healthy juice is to create a recipe that contains two parts vegetable to one part fruit. That way you will get the natural sweetness of the fruit and the vitamins and minerals of the vegetables without having to worry about concentrated natural sugars.

A juice fast can be a very fast way to lose weight, but you should always make sure you are embarking upon fasts with a qualified professional on your side. Fasting can be dangerous, but juices are a delicious way to help recharge your body and mind and get yourself motivated to continue making great changes in your life.

There is no faster way to start feeling a natural buzz than to consume a good amount of vitamins and nutrients at once. Juices allow you to do just that! Not only is it a good way to help you flush out toxins, but it will keep you regular and give you energy unlike anything you have experienced since childhood.

Juicing can be a great tool in aiding your weight loss. As long as you keep the basics in mind, you will be well on your way toward creating the body you have always wanted.

Wonderfully Fit Personal Training

5 Tips to Help You Lose Weight in the New Year

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Many people worry about putting on weight over the Christmas period. If you find yourself weighing more than you did after the festive season, then getting back in shape is probably going to be your new years resolution. This year, losing those excess lbs does not have to be an uphill battle with our tips on new year weight loss.

We will try to help you discover how to lose the Christmas weight and stay in control of your weight loss goals all year round.

weight

Below you will find some weight loss tips that can be used for all occasions and will help you achieve your new year weight loss goals.

New Year Weight Loss Tips:

1. Eat small and often

We are often led to believe that eating 3 meals a day is a good way to break up your daily meals. In reality, studies show that by eating 5-6 small meals a day, we keep our metabolism fired up which promotes effective weight loss and stops sugar levels from dropping. Try to spread your calorie intake out evenly over these meals and you will find that you will feel fuller for longer and avoid snacking.

Make sure you are eating a balanced diet of 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbohydrates.

2. Vary your workout 

If you are hitting the gym, working hard and seeing little benefit, it might be time to change your workout. In order to successfully lose weight, you need to ensure that your whole body is being worked hard. Incorporate strength training into your routine. Many people believe that hours on a treadmill is the most effective way to burn calories. Your body will soon adapt to your workout so keep it on it’s toes by mixing it up.

3. Drink more fluids

Taking this simple, but effective step, will help you lose weight. Your body is composed of 70% water so it is important to keep yourself hydrated. Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day as this will help to prevent water retention and also help you feel fuller. Remember that tea, coffee, fruit drinks etc. all contain calories, so make sure you don’t exceed your daily intake.

4. Keep an eye on your meal portions

One of the easiest ways to cut down on calories is to eat smaller portions. It may sound obvious, but it is often overlooked. We often cook more than we need and end up eating more than we need. It takes a while for your body to feel full after eating so eating smaller portions slowly will give the body time to realize it has been fed. By cutting down on your portion sizes, you are cutting out huge amounts of calories that you do not need.

5. Eat only when you are hungry

Another tip that may sound obvious but this is easier said than done. It is easy to confuse the feeling of being thirsty for the felling of being hungry. More often than not, having a drink will hold these hunger pangs off until it is time for your next meal. The next time you feel hungry, have a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. A lot of the time, the feeling will subside. If not, have a healthy snack such as a piece of fruit.

Losing weight in the new year does not have to be hard. If you are fully prepared and fully committed to losing weight then you will find it is easy. Once the weight starts dropping off, you will feel motivated to continue with your healthy lifestyle. Try the tips above and you will find just how easy weight loss can be.

Make this New Year one to remember by taking control of your weight loss and achieving the body you have always wanted.

Resistance Bands Aid In Building Muscle

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Many people find resistance bands to be comfortable alternatives to heavy weights. This is because they are small, very easily handled and are compact. This is exactly why people question their ability to build muscle. They look weak and frail and so people often have doubts of their performance and its effects on the muscle.

Muscles will get stronger when they are trained with any item that makes them exceed their ability. Regardless of if the item is just a book or an elastic tube, the muscle gets strong if it is challenged and made to work hard.

resistance bands

The portability and inexpensive nature of resistance bands make them perfect options. Different muscles can be challenged at varying levels by the use of bands that come in different levels. The traditional dumbbells are heavy, occupy a lot of space and are not easily portable but the resistance tubes can just the opposite because they are everything the dumbbells are not.

Workouts done using a dumbbell can be done with resistance bands as well by just tweaking the exercise a little. In addition a lot of exercises are available to individuals using these bands. Dumbbells and resistance bands work the muscles in different ways. The bands create a recoil effect when they are stretched leading to storage of kinetic energy. This kind of negative energy works muscle perfectly both while going up and down. This effect is not produced when working with dumbbells.

The bands tighten as they are lengthened and so the load can feel much stronger. This creates a lot of tension which helps in challenging the muscles further. Resistance bands are very versatile and come in countless shapes and sizes. These also come with attachments for the door and handle sometimes. It is ideal to buy many bands with different loads if you intend to strength train. Talking to a representative at the store will help you decide on the type of band that will work for you. They are easily available in any fitness store. It is advisable to purchase a minimum of two loads to get an effective workout. You need to keep changing the pattern of workouts in order to test your muscle ability which ultimately leads to gaining strength. Fresh workouts can be formed by adding more repetitions and adding heavier loads.

Therefore it is clear that resistance bands are indeed a smoother and less expensive alternative to dumbbells without having to forgo the exercise benefits.

Resistance Bands For Building Muscles

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The use of kinetic bands or resistance bands has increased considerably in recent years. They can add a new way to your exercise sessions and also aids in getting leaner and stronger.

Many sports people like runners, athletic trainers use these bands and also people who are looking to reduce their weight or wanting to stay fit also use them. Resistance bands also make knees and thighs stronger which helps a runner great deal. There are several benefits associated with using resistance bands.

resistance bands

They make a proper alternative to lifting weights. They are small in size, compact and very easy to use. Many people are going for these bands today as they are portable and inexpensive. As they are easy to use and safe, it can be used by people of all age groups. They are available in different resistance levels.

Resistance bands are available in different shapes and sizes. The most versatile ones include bands with handle and door attachment. These can also be used for strength training and you can get bands with varying loads for the purpose.

Training using kinetic bands help improve body flexibility and also improve body balance. For athletes, they help in raising their stamina. They are a source for intensive exercise and therefore help to improve body postures and make it leaner and fitter. They also are cheaper than the other exercise equipment and buying more than one will not be a problem.

They are also easier to use than the other equipment. Only a few sessions and you can very well learn how to use them properly. If you are already following a workout routine, then adding resistance bands can add variety to your fitness regime and can help you get fitter easily and in less time.

These bands occupy lesser space and can easily fit on one’s pocket. Other machines take a lot of space and you can’t also carry them with you out. These bands can offer you the advantage of carrying on with your exercise even when you are out of city. They can be your companion when you are travelling.

You can use low, medium or high level of resistance bands. Selecting resistance band for exercise are a great way to build your muscles. They are light weight, inexpensive as well as flexible. You can easily find these bands at any sports or fitness shops and these can also be ordered online.

Can Resistance Bands Help You Build Muscle?

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Resistance bands are a comfortable alternative to lifting weights. They are compact, easy to use and less intimidating than iron. Because of their small size and weak appearance, many people wonder if and how exercise bands build muscle.

Weight training with any item that exceeds the muscle’s ability will create stronger muscle. One can use a book, an iron dumbbell or an elastic tube. As long as the muscle is being challenged, strength will come.

Resistance bands

Resistance tubes are a good choice for most because they are inexpensive and portable. Bands come in a different levels of resistance, so users can challenge different muscles at varying levels. Dumbbells can be intimidating, take up a lot of room and do no fit easily into a suitcase. Exercise bands are easy to use and very safe.

Any exercise that can be done with a dumbbell can be modified to perform with a resistance band. In fact, more exercises are available to those using resistance bands than to those using traditional iron weights.

Resistance bands work muscles differently than dumbbells. As one stretches the band taut, the band stores kinetic energy in the form of recoil. This recoil is negative energy which works the muscle on the way down as well as on the way up. Working out with dumbbells does not create a recoil effect.

Resistance bands also become tighter as they are lengthened, which means that a load of 15 pounds can feel more like 30 pounds as the band is stretched taut. This feature creates a building effect of tension and challenges muscles more than working with a dumbbell.

Bands come in many shapes and sizes. In general, bands with a handle and door attachment are the most versatile. When using bands for strength training, one should purchase several bands with varying loads. Resistance bands are available at most fitness stores. Store representatives can help one determine which bands will work best. In order to keep workouts challenging, at least two different loads should be purchased.

In order to gain strength, it is important to vary workouts and to keep testing your muscle’s ability. Adding more repetitions and a band with a heavier load are great ways to keep a workout fresh.

Resistance bands are a great way to build strength and are a viable alternative to using iron weights. Bands are safer to use, less expensive and easy to take with you.

Using Kinetic Bands To Workout

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Body strength is naturally associated with being an athlete, from the 98lb. high school wrestler to the 390 lb. offensive lineman, strength is key to success. The question of what method to use to workout, because strength can only be increased by building muscle, without becoming injured, is often hotly debated.

There is no one method to build strength, because the term strength itself is ambiguous. A well built gymnast, an incredibly strength dependent sport, will pale in size and muscle development of a professional body builder, a sprinter will be leaner than a football fullback, although they both run for a living.

kinetic

One method of exercise which has increased in recent years is the usage of kinetic or resistance bands, as a way to maximize workout results. This is not a new concept as isometrics, basically the same thing as far providing resistance, has been used for years. Springs and large elastic bands have been incorporated into workout routines since the 1900’s or earlier.

However, with today’s increased technology and the wide variety of synthetic materials available, the kinetic bands which can be utilized have been greatly increased to accommodate nearly every sport we play, baseball included.

The main advantage these bands provide is the ability to provide the benefits of resistance training, while performing the actual physical performance motions you are trying to improve. This serves to not only strengthen the targeted muscles, but re-enforces muscle and neurological memory, which further decreases reaction time, thus increasing performance.

Technique and strength training drills, utilizing kinetic bands, can be incorporated into a training regiment which will increase your speed. For this drill you would need resistance bands connected in such a way as to give resistance when you raise your knees towards your chest.

Sample Drill Procedure:

Concentrate more on technique than speed of your sprints. Your upper body should be erect, straight over your hips, do not lean forward. Lift your knees as high as you can towards your chest as you run.

Increasing Range

The first step is always critical in attaining maximum speed as quickly as possible, thus increasing your chances of reaching balls hit deep in the hole or behind the base. The speed and the explosive power of that first step can be enhanced by performing drills while bands are attached to your affected body part.

Sample Drill Procedure

Attach the bands to each ankle providing resistance while you attempt to open your legs wider. Standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder width, shuffle sideways extending your left leg sideways then bringing your right leg to meet it. When finished repeat using the opposite leg going the opposite direction.

This exercise will increase hip flexor strength, a major muscle for increasing lower body quickness, and when resistance is removed, the legs will react quicker, which will also affect the cross over step as it will become explosive allowing more ground to be covered in less time.

Strengthen Legs for Hitting & Pitching:

Sample Drill Procedure

Attach bands to both legs. Perform a normal wind up and delivery as well as a stretch and delivery. Hold at every stage for several seconds (example: leg lift, leg plant) building strength in every muscle required to perform each portion of the windup and delivery, enhancing performance.

Sample Drill Procedure

Attach bands to both ankles. Perform your normal hitting techniques, Starting Mechanism, Stride Forward, Open Hips and follow through with your swing. For maximum performance hit balls off a Tee while performing this drill.

Senior Fitness Weight Management

Healthy Diet For Seniors

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A healthy meal is a balanced meal. And it is required in old age as much as it is in any other phase of a person’s life. For senior citizens eating well can be the key to staying mentally sharp, emotionally balanced and energetic, with a strong immune system and a positive outlook.

A healthy diet in old age can:

healthy

1. Increase mental acuteness

2. Increase resistance to illness and disease

3. Lead to higher energy levels

4. Lead to a more robust immune system

5. Lead to faster recuperation times

6. And better management of chronic health problems.

Why people don’t eat properly in old age

1. Slow metabolism: the metabolism of the human body starts slowing down after the age of 40. So eating the same quantities and types of food that a person ate in his young age is not possible. And even if a person does he/she tends to gain weight.

2. Loss of taste and appetite: with age a person’s sense of taste diminishes. So the person either chooses to garnish his/her food more or doesn’t feel like eating. And the appetite is also lost with time because of the slow metabolism.

3. Improper digestion: in the process of getting an older a lot of changes take place in the digestive system. As a result of which a person produces less amount of saliva and digestive acids. This makes it difficult for the body to digest certain vitamins and minerals. And hence leading to digestive problems.

4. Health issues: sometimes medicines and illness also have a negative affect on the appetite. A person should talk to his physician to overcome this problem.

5. Low activity level: with old age physical activity level starts coming down. Seniors often cut back on activity for physical and medical reasons. And when the body doesn’t exercise it doesn’t feel hungry.

6. Emotional reasons: loneliness and depression can also affect a person’s appetite and the diet. Sometimes seniors don’t eat just because they don’t want to eat alone. Feeling depressed also leads to loss of appetite and sometimes it leads to overeating.

Senior citizens need to overcome all these problems to have a healthy and golden old age. Some help from the family members and a good physician can help the senior come out of these problems. These days even Elder day care companies arrange for services like cooking, taking out to meals and provide company.

The healthy diet of old age must have

1. Reduced amount of sodium (salt) to help prevent water retention and high blood pressure.

2. Reduced fat intake in order to maintain healthy cholesterol levels

3. More amount of calcium and vitamin D for bone health

4. More fiber-rich foods(roughage like fruits, salads etc) to prevent constipation

5. Reduced intake of sugar and dry foods

6. Must contain the recommended amount of important vitamins and minerals

7. Increased water intake

8. Regular physical activity

Kinetic Bands – Use and Benefits

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Kinetic bands add unique set of exercise to workout sessions. They help one to get leaner and stronger. They are mostly used by athletic trainers and also find application in the field of physiotherapy.

Runners use this type of resistance for improving their performance. They make thigh and knees stronger. There are some other benefits of using these bands.They improve agility as well as flexibility.

kinetic bands

Improves Flexibility and Agility

Kinetic bands like other resistance band exercises improve flexibility of the body. Exercising with these bands makes one more agile.

Better Balance and Stamina

Training with these equipment improves balance of the body. It also heightens stamina during intense athletic performance (not allowed in actual athletic events).

Leaner Body

Since they pose more difficulty to free movement of body, exercise is more intensive. It makes the body leaner and fitter. It also improves postures.

Inexpensive

The biggest advantage of these bands over traditional equipment is cost effectiveness. They come at a cheap rate and buying a pair or two is not a problem. They are usually available in all sports and fitness equipment shops.

Easy to Use

The bands are easy to use and could be easily learned to use. Few sessions can make you an expert in band training.

Use It With Other Traditional Exercises

You can use band training with some other traditional exercises. This will add variety to existing set of exercise that you are doing.

Take Less Storage Space

Bands are small and take less space for storing. Machines and free weights take more storing space. They are so small that it can be accommodated in one’s pocket.

Portable

Some people are diligently committed to their training program. They do not wish to miss their regular exercise. A pair of resistance bands will give the opportunity to do your workout wherever you want. They are portable and are a good exercising companion while you are travelling.

Using the Bands

Many athletes use kinetic bands for training themselves. It is an effective tool for improving their performance. Sprinters and jumpers predominantly use them.

The bands are attached to both the legs above the knee. Make sure the strap is tight enough to avoid sliding. You must remember that they should not be worn in athletic events like matches and games.

Choose the Right Level of Resistance Bands

Bands come in varying levels of resistance and are coded with different colors to denote different levels of resistance. Young athletes (men as well as women) use lower level of bands for training themselves. Bands with medium level of resistance are used in athletic drills. Higher resistance is not recommended for normal people. Athletes who have gained enough strength with intense exercising use them for further improvement of their performance.

Kinetic bands make leg and hip stronger. They also improve cardio endurance of the body.

Wonderfully Fit Personal Training

Healthy Holiday Eating Tips to Prevent Overindulgence

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Ahh The holiday seasons. Good food,good drink,good friends and oh those parties. No matter what the holiday occasion this is the most difficult time to lose or maintain your weight.However this time of year doesn’t have to be an unhealthy time of year for you and yours.

Let’s discuss some tips to help keep the diet under control.

holiday

Go Healthy not Fatty

It is always tempting to over indulge during the holidays. Pizza, wings, roast beef, fried foods all call to us with their song of happiness. Instead of a trip down empty calorie road try instead the high fiber foods like oats, carrots, apples, whole grains and more. If you find yourself at the buffet table try sampling a little bit of everything in small portions. When it comes to desert select your favorite (not by trying everyone first) and then share it with someone. This is also a good way to break the ice at a party

Small and Many not Few and Large

Simply put try eating 5-6 small meals instead of three huge meals a day. A little bit several times a day will help you feel fuller and won’t weigh you down with that “stuffed, bloated feeling” that makes everyone feel sluggish. Another tip would be to have a light snack (say an apple with some peanut butter) before going to a holiday meal. This will help you feel full and provide healthy nutrients in case you falter at the party.

Exercise before, during and after the holidays

Keep that metabolism up. Brisk walks before and after a meal will do wonders for the digestion and your muscles. Exercise is also a great way to relieve stress which has been known to occur around the holidays.

Control the Alcohol Intake

Granted the most difficult to attain during the holidays, however even though the temptations increase during any holiday season try this instead.

Drink one perhaps two glasses of wine or dark beer at dinner. For non-alcoholic substitutes try grape juice or tea. These actually help relax you and contain powerful antioxidants which will help build up your immune system.

OK there you have it, Four tips to help you through the holidays. By following these guidelines you will enjoy a happier healthier holiday season.Don’t forget to tell your friends about these healthy holiday eating tips.

Wonderfully Fit Personal Training

8 Rules Of Christmas: Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

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First of all, before anything else is said, let’s agree on a couple of things.

Sharing good times with friends and family is part of what the holiday season is all about. When these groups get together, it is often in the presence of delicious, scrumptious food. This food tends to be available for snacking all day.

holiday

Oh yeah! You’re going to sample Aunt Millie’s mincemeat pie, Uncle Bob’s specially prepared fried turkey, and probably a glass of Alka-Seltzer or something similar.

Unfortunately, I am here to remind you of a few things; you are on a diet, you want to lose weight, all that stuff that is so tempting is fattening, and this is the hardest time of the year to be good. So, let’s just pick up on a few rules to help you get through the season.

8 Rules For Healthy Holiday Eating:

Before we get started, I want you to get comfortable, so put some turkey on your plate, get some of that great dressing (don’t forget the cranberry sauce), fight Cousin Ed for some of that green bean casserole my niece, Sharon, makes so well, and tell Grandma to save a piece of pie for you. Have a seat, relax, enjoy your meal (while balancing a soggy paper plate on your knee) and I will give you the rules to help you survive the season.

1. Forgive yourself in advance and give yourself permission to have a good time:

Look, this stuff isn’t poison! You didn’t take 10 years off your life just because you ate more than you should have…and then went back for seconds. You are only human, and you are here to have a good time! One of the reasons you want to lose weight, or keep it down, is so that you can enjoy life, and this is one of the most enjoyable times of the year. So, as they say, live a little. Whatever happens over the next few days will not kill you, and whatever damage you do manage to do can be rectified.

2. It’s just a couple of days:

Okay, for some families, it may be a couple of weeks…twice…Thanksgiving and Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanza. Whatever it is for you, it is finite, it WILL end, and it is mainly limited to a certain time of the year. Who you are in terms of health, fitness, and weight loss is determined by the overall accomplishments of the year, not by a few weeks in the fall.

3. Stay with your program:

You will definitely minimize the effects of all the dinners, cookies, and snacks if you can still get in your walks, aerobics, weight training, or whatever else you have been doing. During the holiday season, it can be difficult to get everything done the same as in the rest of the year, but two days of exercise Thanksgiving week, while not as good as three or five, is still better than none. Simply knowing you have not abandoned your plan will help you get over any depression you might have because of your holiday eating, and will help reduce any negative effects from all the delicious, gooey calories you have “accidentally” consumed. If you cannot stay on a formal program, squeeze in a walk, even if it is a high-speed shopping trip through the mall. By the way, this is the reason I love yoga. When everything’s done, I can retire to my bedroom and not only get the physical benefits of the yoga session, but I relieve some of the stress I may have built up during the day. That helps with the eating too.

4. Remain in touch with reality:

You will hear people speak of “mindful eating”. Be aware of what you are doing. Have you ever heard someone say, “That is so good, I just have to have some more.”? Of course, YOU and I never say things like that! Well, the truth is that you DON’T have to have some more, and, if you do, it doesn’t need to be right now. Just because the food is there right now doesn’t mean it has to be eaten right now. You know what’s good for you and what isn’t. One piece of pie today is not going to kill you or destroy your weight loss resolution, but do you have to have that pie? Isn’t there a healthier treat you could have, or could you just wait until the meal has settled, or after you take a walk to rev up your metabolism and burn off some of what you already ate? Why not take a piece home with you and have it as a treat for later…when you aren’t as full as a tick?

5. Food is not love:

Many people tend to equate food and eating with love. You cannot change the others, but you can change your own attitude. Refusing seconds of Grandma’s turkey does not mean you don’t love her. If she is hurt because you normally stuff yourself and this year you’re not doing her food “justice”, just say that you are full right now but will have more later. Take control of YOUR life. Others will have to take control of their own.

6. If you are the cook:

Choose healthy dishes prepared in a healthy manner. If you have found a new diet-friendly food that you enjoy, share that with others. This will give you one more healthy dish on the groaning board to select your own meal from.

7. Alcohol:

If you enjoy wine, beer, egg nog like my Uncle Wilbur liked, or other drinks containing alcohol, just slow down and cut back. Try slipping in a glass of water between drinks. Drinks containing alcohol are sneaky calories. They do nothing for you nutritionally, but they do have a lot of calories. A few drinks with friends can give you more calories than a Big Mac…and you probably have these drinks while snacking or eating a meal! Oh well! At least if you are a beer drinker, you can try some light beers. It will give you an excuse to sample.

8. Be happy to be where you are, doing what you are doing, with the people you love:

If you fall head over heels off the diet wagon, have fun. What you do throughout the year will have more effect on your weight and health than what happens between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.