This is a guest post.

Pilates is a type of exercise that incorporates your entire body, stimulating seldom used muscles and optimizing blood flow. Although it is not traditionally thought of as a way to quickly shed the pounds, this kind of active training is highly effective in creating steady long-term weight loss as well as increasing your level of overall fitness.

Pilates and Fat Burning

In order to lose a pound of fat, your body must burn 3,500 calories more than it takes in on a given day, and Pilates is a low-impact exercise that can be tremendously effective in burning calories. A full-scale half hour mat workout can burn up to 300 calories alone, which can give a substantial boost to any improvements in diet, which are another central factor in weight loss.

The signature full-body movement of a Pilates workout works to strengthen your core muscles and improve your flexibility while increasing tone throughout your muscular system. Muscle burns calories much more efficiently than an equivalent weight of fat, and so even if your immediate weight loss returns from adding Pilates to your workout routine are less than impressive, the improvements to the way your burns calories are bound to deliver results in the longer term.

Reshaping Your Body

Extensive training with Pilates also has the benefit of sculpting your body to a trimmer appearance, so even the effect of moderate weight loss will be greatly enhanced. Unlike the bulk and mass added with a weight training program, Pilates creates lean muscle mass while burning fat in critical areas such as the torso and thighs.

Training with Pilates equipment from Vitality4life is also an outstanding way to improve your posture. Proper posture contributes to a taller and leaner appearance, and the techniques involved with the training will compel a strong stature that accentuates your weight loss. It promotes deep, efficient respiration as well, which is a potent ingredient in encouraging blood flow and resulting weight loss.

Lifestyle Awareness

Perhaps the most effective aspect of Pilates in weight loss involves the discipline’s encouragement of a healthy overall lifestyle. A central tenet of Pilates is to promote high energy levels throughout the day, and part of this is being aware of how lifestyle choices affect your body. A professional Pilates instructor will guide you through the proper dietary practices and rest schedule to maximize the benefits of Pilates as a concept, and these factors are an incredibly essential factor to achieving and maintaining weight loss.

Pilates primarily serves as an education in awareness of your body, but the training and physical exertion involved have the pleasant side effect of sustainable weight loss. Although more direct forms of aerobic activity such as biking of a dedicated gym workout will yield more immediate results, Pilates is a way to retrain your body to operate more efficiently in your everyday life.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

The Hidden Benefits of Pilates

This is a guest post.

All you need is love, right?

Well, it’s a good start, but you’ll need more than that. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease kills a staggering 616,067 each year.

Sorry, Beatles fans, you also need a healthy heart to keep your body moving and the love flowing. Here are 4 ways to keep your love machine in good shape.

Get Moving

Image by Flickr via Digo_Souza

As with all muscles, the best way to keep your heart strong is to exercise it. Just as crunches, sit-ups and leg-lifts work your abs, cardiovascular exercise works your heart, keeping it strong enough to continue pumping critical blood throughout your body into your golden years.

Combined with other key lifestyle decisions, routinely exercising 30 to 60 minutes a day, five or six days a week can drastically reduce your risk of heart disease. If that timeframe seems daunting, don’t despair. Even smaller amounts of daily cardio exercise as little as 10 minutes per day

Get Enough Sleep

Scientists have found that lack of sleep raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When you are sleep deprived, you’re less equipped to handle stress effectively. This added stress increases inflammation in your body, which increases your risk of heart-related problems problems even more.

Regularly getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night will help your heart stay healthy and will also bolster your immune system, which will of course help you fend off infection and illness that could affect your heart.

Maintain a Heart-Healthy Diet

Image by Flickr via Kara Michele

You’ve probably heard of people trying to eat certain foods to lower their cholesterol. In case you’re not exactly familiar with cholesterol and how it works, here’s a quick rundown. Cholesterol is a lipid (fat) that is produced by your liver, and is actually vital for your body to function normally. Some of the vital functions it contributes to are building and maintaining the outer layer (membrane) of cells, serving as a gatekeeper for cells by determining which molecules can pass into it (cell membrane permeability), it helping to produce sex hormones (androgens and estrogens). It also aids in the production of bile, among other things.

Your body carries cholesterol through your blood by molecules called lipoproteins. Low density lipoprotein (LPL) refers to “bad” cholesterol because when there is too much of it, it can build up, which increases the risk of arterial disease. Other types of cholesterol include high density lipoproteins (HDL), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), and triglycerides, which are another type of fat carried by HDL, VDL and LPLs.

It’s critical for your body to have healthy levels of cholesterol, but like many things, too much of a good thing is bad for you. Having too much cholesterol in your blood can cause arteries to narrow (atherosclerosis), heart attack, chest pain or discomfort (angina), and stroke, among other things.

Luckily you can reduce the probability of developing high cholesterol levels by limiting saturated and trans fat and focusing on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Focus your efforts on low cholesterol diets and LDL reduction, and you’ll be on your way to a healthy heart in no time.

Manage Stress Levels

Image by Flickr via RelaxingMusic

As it was mentioned earlier, consistently getting adequate sleep at night will drastically reduce your stress levels, but it won’t eliminate it entirely. External factors like family troubles, work woes, or anxiety all increase your body’s stress level.

Lots of people experience stress everyday, but why is it so bad for your heart?

Researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly how stress increases the risk of heart conditions, but they do know that they are directly correlated. Some say that higher stress levels make other risk factors more likely. For instance, when you’re stressed out, you may be more apt to overeat, stop exercising, and even take up smoking.

Others argue that stress itself is a risk factor because when it becomes chronic, stress causes your body to produce consistently accelerated amounts of adrenaline and cortisol over a period of time. Another argument is that stress causes blood to clot differently.

No matter what the exact reason, stress is undeniably a factor for heart disease. So take a chill pill already. Relax, spend time with friends, and enjoy the little things in life. Your health could depend on it.

Come to think of it, the Beatles may have been on to something. All we need IS love. We need to love each other, and ourselves —including our hearts.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Love Your Heart: 4 Things to Do to Keep it in Tip Top Shape

This is a guest post by Sadie.

It’s a sad fact of life, how common it is for people to feel dissatisfied with their careers, relationships or other personal matters every now and then. However, feeling this way is completely normal; even healthy, as only by realising the things that are holding us back is our lives can we begin to take the steps to revise our everyday and long-term goals and priorities.

However, if you’re finding yourself growing increasingly unhappy and unsettled with your general lot in life, there are a few things you can do to improve your experiences and feel more enjoyment. Contrary to popular belief, accomplishing this is quite simple.

There are three facets you should concentrate on in order to truly improve your enjoyment of life overall – the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

The Physical

We all know the basics of improving ourselves physically – eat better, get fit, exercise more. By improving your body, you’ll not only look better, you’ll feel much healthier as well, which will help you in the long run if you ever need to compare health insurance policies. While these aspects of physical health are important, however, there are other steps you can take to upgrade your physical quality of life.

The average person spends a lot of time indoors on a daily basis. This can have a negative effect on our health, both physically and emotionally. There is life outside of the artificial lighting of our work cubicles and homes. If you get outside more, you will find that the sun will revitalize you and give you a boost of energy. When you feel the middle of the day slump hit, and your energy level starts to go kaput, even a short trip outside on a break or at lunch can help you gain energy and make the rest of the day go smoother. Of course, you still want to be safe, so if you’re planning on spending any extended period of time outside, make sure to use sunblock, and take other necessary precautions.

The Mental

Focusing on your physical health is only one piece of the puzzle. Too often, we ignore the importance of our mental health, not fully realizing what a burden the mental pressures from work or study can be on our overall quality of life.

Never stop learning. Regardless of how much time is spent in school, we don’t know everything. Our brains are designed to continue learning throughout our lives, so make a habit of learning something new every day. This needn’t be a new science discipline or advanced mathematical system. Something as simple as a few trivia facts can help you to keep sharpening your mind, making it stronger. Plus, you’ll become a whiz at trivia games.

Keeping a journal is a great mental exercise as well. It’s a good way to organize your thoughts and will allow you to relive memories when you read over them again. You might also want to consider keeping an “ideas journal.” This is a separate journal where you can jot down any interesting inklings you might have. The business of our days can cause us to forget many of the good ideas we might have throughout the day, whether that’s a new creative endeavour, a potential holiday destination, or simply a few recipes you’d like to try out.

The Spiritual

Increasing your spiritual quality of life doesn’t necessarily mean adhering to a religion. While this is a great avenue for many people, there are other ways to make yourself spiritually happy.

Don’t listen to haters. Free yourself of the need to make everyone else happy. Listening to negative people who tell you that you aren’t good enough or that your taste in movies is bad can only lead to negative feelings about yourself. Don’t listen to these people; they’ll only bring you down.

Much of our days are planned, either by us or by someone else’s idea of what we should be doing and when we should be doing it. It can be freeing to embrace spontaneity and introduce a little chaos into the system. This doesn’t mean uprooting your entire life on a whim and moving to a different city, but why not take a road trip or go out without having any idea of what you want to do, letting your whims take control? Spontaneity can create the best memories.

An Overall Better Quality of Life

To truly better your quality of life and counteract unwanted feelings of imbalance, it is important to focus on equally improving the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of your life. By working to improve your short-term and long-term experiences, you’ll find yourself much healthier, happier and wiser.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

The Happy and Healthy Checklist: Tips For Improving Your Quality of Life

This is a guest post by Sadie.

For many of us, simply visiting the gym or going for a jog is a very boring task. It’s no wonder that we can’t muster the energy and excitement to go and ‘pound the pavements’ for an hour or so in the typically miserable British summer weather.

That’s why having an end goal is important; it gives us something to aim for and something to drive towards. For me, exercising should always be fun. If not, we tend to drift and lose focus. God knows, that pizza or kebab always looks more appealing than the rowing machine, right?

Due to this, we have to make exercising more fun and what better way to do so than taking part in some high octane sports? The thrill and excitement will make you fall in love with exercise again. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Triathlon: Triathlons are great if you have the physical fitness to do them as they work a number of different muscles, giving you an all body workout. If you aren’t fit enough just yet then you can either choose just one discipline, or do a triathlon over a short distance. By doing a short distance, it allows you to still do the full body workout, and means that you can gradually increase your workload until you can go the full distance.

• Skiing/Snowboarding: Skiing or snowboarding is a great way to relax and exercise and there are a number of ways you can do this. There are now loads of dry slopes in the UK that you can use to practice and the holiday destinations are numerous; it makes a great alternative summer break!

• Off-Road Cycling: Cycling at the roadside is often dangerous and can be a little scary. Off-road cycling, however, is much more thrilling and you can take in some great scenic views. Have a look for local cycling routes near you for some great ideas.

All of these sports make the idea of exercise sound a lot more appealing, particularly if you’re an adrenaline junkie like me! However, if you are taking part in these sports please make sure you have the appropriate gear and safety equipment. Visit High Octane Sport and see the range of clothes and gear available for your budget, as safety is always the most important part of sport.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

High Octane Sports: Putting the Thrill Back Into Exercise

This is a guest post by Julie.

Summer is finally here and there’s never been a better time to get out of the gym, embrace the beautiful weather and give golf a go. Not only is golf good for the soul it’s also a great way to build fitness, improve flexibility and strengthen muscles.

If you’re a total novice then there’s no need to worry or be put off trying your hand at golf. One of the great things about it is that no matter what your age you can start at the bottom and work your way up to whatever level you’re comfortable at.

The best place to start as a beginner is at a Driving range where you will be able to hire clubs, until you feel ready to buy your own and develop your game further.

Many people can be put off by the price of starting new sports and this seems to be particularly true when it comes to golf. However places like 118 golf store are looking to put an end to this. No matter what level you play at they have an affordable option that ensures as many people get into golf as possible. Golf also gives you the option of playing on your own just for fun or taking on one of your friends.

Golf courses are set in some of the most beautiful places across the globe whether it’s on a remote Scottish Island or a sun baked course on the Algarve. Golf is also unique in that you get to test your game on the same courses the professionals compete on. At most courses you will have to pay a non-members fee but it gives you the option to be able to play on some of the most famous courses around the world.

Perfecting your golf swing can be one of the most difficult things to learn in any sport as it requires coordinating a range of different muscle groups in the arms, shoulders and back. This is great for toning and will focus mainly on the abdominal muscles as well as the muscles of the upper arm. Golf can also develop your cardiovascular fitness. Walking from the 1st to the 18th hole, some courses can stretch up to 6 miles in distance.

So resist the urge to hop into a buggy and build up your fitness by giving golf a go.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Putt Your Foot on the Green

This is a guest post by Julie.

It is said that variety is the spice of life and this could not be truer when it comes to maintaining a fitness regime. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and simply stick to the same routine you feel comfortable with.

Sticking to the same routine and using the same pieces of equipment can also have an impact on the effectiveness of your fitness programme. Most personal trainers recommend a programme last around a period of four weeks for it to be most effective.

When looking to change your routine it can be hard to know where to start. Modern gym equipment can be confusing and slightly daunting. Even the most experience gym goers at one point have found themselves staring blankly at a piece of apparatus wondering where to start.

If your local gym has a personal trainer they will be able to advise on what each piece of equipment does, the muscles it works and the fitness benefits it provides. If you find it a bit daunting approaching the personal trainer all members of staff will have been trained in how to safely use their gym apparatus.

Fitness Warehouse provide some of the most modern fitness equipment in the industry and ensure that they give all fitness centre staff an induction on how to use the equipment safely and also how to ensure you get the best results. Cardiovascular exercise can become very repetitive and can lead to some people giving up on their fitness programme. To make sure you keep up the urge to tackle the gym on a daily basis you should try to make use of as many of the different Cardio machines available.

Treadmills and exercise bikes are the staple of most people’s cardio routines as they are easy to use and the benefits are clear to see. If you’re looking for something that offers a little more than just a cardio work out it’s worth giving either a cross-trainer or rowing machines a go. Not only do they give you a thorough cardio work out but they also help to build and tone muscle. More importantly they give you a great way to break up your routine and make sure you stick to your fitness programme and keep on track of your weight loss.

So get out of that fitness rut and try something new!

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Keeping Your Interest in Fitness

The demand for CrossFit trainers is growing by leaps and bounds since the last couple of years. According to a report by Every Last Rep, there are 480 CrossFit coaches entering the employment market every week. More gyms and fitness institutions are incorporating the idea as the calorie burning ratio is high compared to other forms of training exercises and multiple muscle groups can be targeted in a single exercise session.

CrossFit prep courses and other educational programs are required for a trainer to excel in this field. However, the cost of education for both certification programs and colleges are high. There are many individuals who have been looking for certification in personal training, many of whom are leaning towards CrossFit. It’s imperative to compare CrossFit certification programs to find out what best fits your budget.
Here are some of the benefits of being a CrossFit trainer:

1. Personal training

   More individuals are now demanding fitness trainers who know CrossFit exercises because many celebrities follow this style of training. There’s a current buzz around in Hollywood ‘superheroes are created with kettlebells’.

   After getting educated in CrossFit training, you can become a personal trainer. CrossFit personal trainers are able to charge very high from their clients. However, the client may expect you to bring the required equipment. You’ll have to buy equipment such as kettlebells, dumbbells, resistance bands etc, which will cost a good amount of money.

   However, you may be able to save a decent sum if you’re able to find the best credit deals to purchase your equipment. After buying the equipment, you can even set up a small personal gym. All you’ll require is a large enough space where you can train 4-5 clients simultaneously. Renting space will be feasible rather than buying it because in this career, you change locations frequently.
   After being able to profit from your training business, you can pay back the card used to buy your equipment in order to increase your credit.

2. Personal health

   A career in CrossFit training not only helps you earn an attractive salary, but it also improves personal health. KYTX covered a story on Ryan Younger, a college graduate who became a CrossFit trainer after graduating from college. He had been diagnosed with hypertension and high cholesterol.

   However, his CrossFit workouts along with the diet plan he followed led him to drop his cholesterol level by 100% and he was also able to reduce his waist size considerably. You can also expect a lot of personal health benefits while pursuing this career and you may not need to schedule workouts separately as training clients may turn out to be enough to keep you in tip top shape.

3. More clients

   A CrossFit training session doesn’t last as long as yoga, weight training and similar exercises. You can have 30 minute session with clients, which gives you ample time to schedule sessions with multiple clients throughout the day.

   Therefore, teaching or coaching this form of training gives you a greater opportunity to work with more clients during a month, which leads to greater earnings.

4. Off-job earnings

   Other than the income you make through training sessions with clients, you can also earn off-the-job. There are several ways to do this such as writing an e-book or having a chat session with offshore customers.

   This is where your CrossFit education and knowledge of related terms will come in handy. You can even develop a personal online program and sell it on the internet, or write an e-book that informs people about CrossFit training basics and how to go about it.

Apart from the perks mentioned above, you’ll also build personal relationships with clients that go beyond the training sessions and this networking will also help you in future in the form of referrals. Your body will act as your name card, and it’s not difficult for CrossFit trainers to attract customers with their physiques.

Certified CrossFit trainers have a bright future ahead as more people jump on the Hollywood physique bandwagon.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

The Perks of Being a CrossFit Trainer

This is a guest post by Victoria Ramos.

With the temptation of rotisserie pigs, sugary drinks with umbrellas in them, late night taco runs on the way home from the beach, and basically everything that has to do with the Fourth of July, it can be hard to stay on track with your weight loss routine, let alone focus on improving yourself overall! However, instead of spending time and money on spoiling yourself with junk food, and then extra time on the treadmill for how you spent your time and money, there are many constructive ways to spoil your body this summer inside and out that has nothing to do with food!

Here are some of my favorite ways to spoil myself that won’t make me spend an extra half hour on the elliptical:

Weekends Away

Even though the winter seemed exceptionally difficult, cold, and brutal this past year, you can even find yourself getting extra cabin feverish as the sun shines all summer. As someone who sits in a windowless cubical during the weekdays, I sympathize with those who think that getting away for the weekend seems like a mere dream that they’ll never have. If you’re trying to save all your vacation days for the Holiday months that seem way too far away, you can still spoil yourself with a weekend down to the beach, lake, or into the big city! Getting away for a little bit can give you the rest your body is craving and can even give you a new and exciting scenery to reboot your workout for a few days!

Skin is In

If you’re in the middle of your weight loss program and have plateaued a little, a great way to keep focused and revamp your mind and body is to make a big change and give your newly building muscles a clean slate to show off. While they may not be visible yet, a few visits to a permanent hair removal center will give you a smooth and clean surface and can help you refocus on what is really important for you: having a beautiful and healthy body. Being hairless will help you feel more and more confident as everyone at the pool will be staring at your tight legs and not your razor burned bikini line!

Have Your Dessert, and Drink it too!

While all your friends will be munching on sugary or fatty treats during all those summer parties, you can stay focused on your diet and enjoy a cool and refreshing drink that won’t make you feel greasy and hefty once you get home. By having your treat be a fancy drink, you can still feel like you’re spoiling yourself without consuming hundreds of empty calories. There are plenty of mixes and smoothies that can incorporate all the power foods like Greek yogurt, kale, spinach, and all the fruits you want!

So instead of killing yourself this summer making up for all the stress and overconsumption of your daily life, keep it simple, refreshing, and hairless as you work on getting into shape and having that body you’ve always wanted!

Victoria Ramos is an avid blogger, is obsessed with shoes, and enjoys writing all about health, beauty, and shopping!

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

3 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body this Summer

This is a guest post by David Dack.

When it comes to shedding the extra pounds and keeping them off for good, what is vital? This is no secret; you are what you eat. Falling victim to hunger pangs and unhealthy means of eating will only leave you fatter and disappointed.

Therefore, here are a couple of eating guidelines that can help you lose the extra weight for good.

Eat More Protein

Protein is vital for a healthy body: it aids muscle growth and preserves lean body mass, but it can also help you shed weight by preventing unhealthy snacking. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, dieters who opted for two eggs and a bagel for breakfast cut out about 1000 calories a day for eight weeks and reported shedding 65 percent more weight than those who ate a bagel with creams cheese.

Another joint study by the University of Sydney and the Cambridge University found that dieters who followed a daily diet consisting of fifteen percent protein consumed about 1000 fewer calories over a period of four days than those whose eating regiment was ten percent protein.

Bottom line: Protein intake leads to weight loss

Consume protein on a daily basis. Eat two eggs, two slices of bacon, or any other protein-rich food within an hour of waking up. Take more protein by adding it to your snacks. Many snacks are jam-packed with carbohydrates that get digested quickly, boosting appetite and leading to overeating.

Snack the Smart Way

It’s the middle of the evening, dinner is not to come yet, but your stomach is growling. Should you opt for a snack? Yes, as long as you’re snacking the smart way. If you snack strategically, you’ll meet the recommended guidelines for the amounts of vegetable, protein, calcium and other healthy nutrients. This helps keep your body full for longer and prevent the binge eating that leads to weight gain.

For a smart snack, aim for a combination of foods from the three major food groups with an emphasis on protein. Have two 200-calorie snacks a day—one midmorning, the other mid-afternoon.

For the midmorning, try fruit and yogurt salad, or hummus (protein-rich) with raw vegetables. To get an afternoon energy boost, combine protein (nuts, cheese or yogurt) with whole grains or fruits. Opting for this snacking strategy about 2 hours prior to mealtime will dramatically curb your appetite later on, thus keep you from falling to unhealthy calorie payloads at the vending machine or at dinner.

Keep track

When it comes to permanent weight loss, keep track really helps. Therefore, is you’re really serious about getting real results, you need to start keeping tags on every calorie you consume. Opting for this rigorous tracking method helps you pinpoint the blind spots in your eating habits, thus be able to fix them for good. Staying in the dark does not help you achieve much progress. Right on the contrary, clarity is key for success.

Here you have it! Now you need to go and implement the above guideline into your daily life. As you may know, it’s only with persistent action that results are produced. So don’t wait for the perfect moment, just go ahead and start the change process now, and good things will follow suit. Therefore, make sure to take action now. Start by taking small steps and build on that and in no-time, you’ll reach your fitness and health goals.

A fitness advocate, David Dack blogs at WeightLossTriumph, a diet blog that deals with the importance of eating right and exercising regularly. David enjoys researching and finding out about the latest trends in health and fitness and he’s passionate about sharing his findings with the rest of the world.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Fat loss Eating Secrets – How to eat for maximum weight loss results!

This is a guest post by Ashley Welter.

Losing weight and keeping it off is not an easy feat, but it’s 100% possible if you approach it the right way. There’s a vast amount of conflicting information out there, and we’re constantly bombarded with advertisements about new fad diets and quick fixes, so it’s hard to actually know what the right and what’s not. Well, to be honest, there’s not one single “right way” to lose weight because everyone’s body is different.

The fault in conventional diets lies in the fact that they are marketed towards everyone. However, weight loss depends on the individual and their specific goals. What’s right for one person may not be right for another. That’s the most important thing people need to know about losing weight and getting in shape. Weight loss is an individual journey and there is no one size fits all program, but there are certain tips that everyone can use to help reach their goals.

1. Be Realistic

Whatever your end goal is, you must understand and accept that it is not going to happen overnight. For healthy weight loss, you should lose a maximum of 2 pounds per week. If you aim for slow and steady weight loss, you can set mini-goals that are easily attainable. Following this process is also going to help you keep the weight off in the end.

2. Lose Fat, Not Water

You want to lose fat, and in order to lose one pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. Once you realize this, you’ll understand why crash diets don’t work. Sure, you can lose 10 pounds in two days, but what’s lost is simply water weight. You’re not losing any actual fat — which is why you gain those 10 pounds (or more) back right away.

3. Ditch the Scale

Traditional scales are misleading because they only read your body weight and that number fluctuates daily. They don’t tell you how much of your weight is fat, muscle, bone, etc. A better way to track your progress is to have your body fat percentage taken.

This is the most accurate tool in losing weight because it tests your body composition and that’s what really matters. I weigh 150 pounds, and my body looks much better than it did when I weighed 140 pounds. Even though my weight increased, I ended up losing body fat.

4. Know Your Individual BMR

Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate, which simply means the amount of calories an individual burns per day. BMR depends on many factors, such as height, weight, and activity level. If you don’t know your BMR, there’s no way to know how much you should be eating per day. There are many online resources that can help you determine your BMR, and once you have this start point, you can tailor your caloric intake based on your specific goals.

5. Don’t Go on a Diet

The word “diet” just has negative connotations. It’s not a positive word, and no one wants to have to constantly say they’re on a diet. A diet also implies something temporary, but in order to keep the weight off, you’ll have to change your eating habits permanently.

If you lose weight, and then go right back to poor eating, then the weight you worked so hard to lose will come right back. So be positive about your lifestyle change, and know that healthy eating will make you feel better inside and out.

6. Indulge a Little

Depriving yourself from certain food groups is the surest way to drive yourself crazy. The second you tell yourself that certain food groups are “off limits” or “not allowed,” you’ll start craving them. I once jumped on the no carb bandwagon, and all I could think about was bread, and I don’t even like bread that much! That’s just how the mind works, but if you keep everything in moderation, you’ll be less likely to have these wild cravings.

7. Exercise Won’t Cancel Out a Poor Eating

This is extremely important. A lot of people think they can eat whatever they want still lose weight as long as they exercise. Fitness depends on both eating habits and exercise. They both work together, and you can’t focus on one to cancel out the other.

No matter how much you exercise, you’re not going to see the results you want if you continue to eat poorly. If you have a strict diet and no exercise, you’ll lose muscle tone, which will decrease your BMR.

8. Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat

Healthy fats won’t make you fat. Conventional wisdom says to avoid fat, buy nonfat this or nonfat that, but your body needs dietary fat. Healthy fats like nuts, avocado and olive oil have many health benefits, and they can even help you lose weight because, like protein, they make you feel full longer. The only fat you should avoid like the plague is saturated fat.

9. If You’re Not Hungry, Don’t Eat

Many people eat when they think they’re supposed to eat. However, this could lead to overeating because what if you’re not really that hungry? This may sound unconventional, but if you’re not hungry — don’t eat. There aren’t any specific times of the day when you’re supposed to eat. Listen to your body’s hunger signals, and eat accordingly.

Use these unconventional tips to lose weight!

Ashley Welter is a health enthusiast and blogger from San Diego, California. When she’s not working to improve her fitness, she writes for her company blog.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

9 (Un)conventional Tips For Healthy Weight Loss

This is a guest post by Jordan.

Spring has finally sprung, and already the number of runners and power-walkers out on the street is increasing. While we’d all like to think we could brave the cold to go running, it’s rare that we look out at snow-covered England with any considerable degree of excitement first thing in the morning, so joggers everywhere must be breathing a sigh of relief at the milder April temperatures!

It’s now the perfect time to pick up running – it’s a fantastic hobby and a great way to keep fit, not just physically but mentally and emotionally, too. Studies have shown that a regular running pattern can raise your self-esteem, lift your mood and even help to combat the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Whether you’re hoping to become a dedicated morning runner or an after-work regular at the local gym, it’s as rewarding as it is healthy.

Beginner runners may be tempted to wear whatever’s most comfortable when they first start running, but this really isn’t ideal; running puts a huge amount of pressure on different parts of your body, including your feet, knees and back, so it’s important to ensure you have the right support. You can pick up a decent pair of trainers from Debenhams, which is a good option for beginners – to give you a headstart, here’s some advice from the experts.

How you run

The way your foot hits the ground as you run is called “pronation”, and is the single most important thing to take into consideration when choosing a pair of running shoes. This encompasses everything from when your heel hits the ground to when your toe lifts up again at the end of each step. Your best bet is to speak to an expert, who will be able to take a look at your feet and find the most supportive shape and size shoe for your running style.

If your feet aren’t properly cushioned at the areas where your foot hits the ground hardest, the resulting pressure can have a knock-on effect on other joints in the body. Shoes can be chosen to compensate for high or low arches as well as wide or narrow sizes, so there’s no excuse for making these a priority!

Getting measured

When you go to have your feet measured, there are certain things you’ll need to bear in mind to ensure you get the pair that’s right for you. I’ve put together a quick guide to the essentials – don’t be afraid to ask if there’s something you’re not sure about on the day!

Don’t be put off if you’re offered a shoe size that isn’t what you’re used to. It’s a myth that our shoe size stays the same as adults, and you may find it more comfortable to have a tighter fit or a roomier shoe, depending on the shape of your feet.

Feet swell throughout the day, so visit in the evening for a fit that will stay comfortable. Make sure you wear the socks you’re likely to be running in, too, so they can ensure shoes won’t be too restrictive.

Another popular myth is that shoes need “breaking in” – running shoes should be comfortable the moment you put them on, so don’t be afraid to have a little walk or jog around, to make sure they give you the movement and support you need.
Experts say you should replace your shoes once every 300-400 miles. That might sound like a lot to beginner runners, but if you’re running 5km a day three times a week, you’re looking at a new pair of shoes every 8-12 months.

Get yourself a great pair of running shoes and start to lose that weight!

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Running shoes: Where to start

This is a guest post by Ben Walker.

Tennis has been around for years and used to be seen as a sport for higher class society, but more people are picking up a racket and giving it a go as a way of keeping fit.

There are no limitations to playing with the opposite sex when it comes to tennis, and in terms of fitness it provides an excellent aerobic and anaerobic workout.

The professional game has never been better with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Andy Murray taking the sport to incredible new heights of skill and performance. And this interest has filtered down to local club level, where youngsters are being encouraged to play on a daily basis and more people of all ages are taking to the courts.

Fitness Benefits

How does tennis actually improve your fitness?

As you are constantly moving and running around the court, your cardiovascular fitness and your flexibility will increase as you are burning off fat and calories. Another improvement will be your hand to eye co-ordination with repetitive hitting of the ball.

Specific Tennis Fitness

There are a host of exercises or fitness drills that you can do on a tennis court depending on how serious you are training.

A great way of keeping on the move to burn off the calories on court is to play with just one ball. This will keep you running after the ball and should improve your accuracy, especially off your serve as you won’t want to keep running to the net if your serve is too short.

Ball machines are a good way to keep you on the move too. If you doctor the settings to fire balls at you from different angles, you can be running across the baseline all day if you want.

For the more adventurous, who are looking for some rigorous training there are many on-court drills to help you achieve peak fitness. Lots of these drills will involve running between lines in shuttle’s, such as from the base line to the service line, back to the base line and then to the net and back to the base line again. Another drill involves standing in the centre of a service box with your racket and touching the left or right service box line followed by the central service line in a left and right motion for 30 second stints. Be warned, this may sound easy but it is actually extremely tough. Murray has been known to use this drill in his training sessions.

Accessibility

A few years ago it was very difficult to play tennis without becoming a member of a club or paying excessive court fees. Although it is still a work in progress, there are many more free courts across the UK and there has also been a large increase in the number of accredited coaches.

If you want to significantly improve your fitness through tennis then there is no doubt that joining a club would be the best option. Most will provide club sessions, coaching opportunities and reduced court rates. And if you take to it like a duck to water, you may have the opportunity to play for a team or join a local league.

Tennis is a great way to get fit and is rapidly becoming one of the most socially enjoyable games on the planet. Not only will you improve your game, you will rapidly lose calories if you play on a regular basis and it is becoming easier to grab a game with more courts available up and down the country. So why not pop down to your local club this weekend to try it out for yourself.

Ben Walker is an SEO thought-leader at vouchercloud, who specialises in digital content, sports, relationship management and other SEO strategies.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

How tennis is becoming one of the most enjoyable ways to keep fit

This is a guest post by Devin Shrubb.

Foam rolling is a relatively new exercise that has hit the fitness scene by storm in the last few years. It is essentially applying your bodyweight to the roller to squish your muscles. This stimulates fibers in your fascia (stretchy bands that surround muscles) which in turn relaxes them. Professional athletes and physio-therapists have known about the benefits of myofascial release for years. It seems as though we’re about to go through a foam roller revolution as rolling is no longer just in gyms, but homes as well.

With any kind of exercise you should know what you’re really doing to your body. The primary focus of rolling is to release tension by breaking down knots that build up in deep muscle areas. If that is enough science that you need to know then skip the next section! Fitness geeks continue.

How It Works

Myofascial release is entirely possible because of your Golgi tendon organs’ autogenic inhibition response. These little mechanoreceptors are located in the areas where your tendon and muscle meet. Rolling applies pressure to these mechanoreceptors stimulating the fibers to relax the muscle you’re stretching.

Myo is the Latin word for “muscle”, whereas fascia is the Latin word for “band”. This is an accurate description for foam rolling as “muscle-band release” is exactly what it is doing. To expand on what I mentioned earlier, your fascia is like a tight/stretchy sweater that’s wrapped around pretty much every muscle, organ, bone, and artery in your body. However unlike a sweater it becomes tighter with use. These are the following benefits you can look forward to receiving from rolling:

Benefits

Relaxation – This is probably why most people roll, and perhaps the addictive quality about rolling which keeps people doing it. While it is true that rolling can be quite painful (for beginners and sore muscles) it is this unique feeling that comes with it which makes it totally worth it. The same principals are at play during a massage; in fact it is essentially the same thing.

Injury Prevention – Foam rollers are great for injury prevention as well as curing certain muscle problems (notably IT-Band syndrome, and shin splints). Rolling your soft tissue regularly eliminates physical imbalances that make you prone to injury. This should be straightforward as it is common knowledge that you stretch before any exercise to keep your muscles limber. Try rolling with your regular static stretches as it will result in a very comprehensive stretch, thus greatly reducing your chance of injury.

Flexibility – Flexibility is a component of fitness in the same way that endurance and strength are. Rolling is an easy way to improve your fitness and gain all those benefits at the same time. You will find many indirect benefits from rolling because of this. Day-to-day tasks become easier this improving the overall quality of your life.

Circulation – Rolling improves circulation because it is forcing blood through all the different vein systems essentially cleaning them. Think of it like using a tube of toothpaste that is almost done. Now that your veins have been cleaned your body can deal more efficiently with getting rid of lactic acid deposits. Your lymphatic system, responsible for cleansing your body of toxins will also work more efficiently.

Posture – There are a few exercises which focus on correcting your spines natural shape. People with desk jobs or anyone who feels sore appreciate this benefit. When I used to work manual labor jobs during summer while getting my degree, my back would ache after every day. The roller took a lot of pressure off my back and really helped me keep my back straight.

Try foam rolling for yourself and you’ll see how these benefits add up for you!

Devin Shrubb is a kinesiology student and health enthusiast. He works on a website that features everything foam rollers. You can find more information at myorollers.com

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Foam Rolling – 5 Benefits of Myofascial Release

This is a guest post by Bridget Sandorford.

You know that a whole-foods diet is the best way to lose weight by getting all the nutrients you need and none of the junk that you don’t. Sometimes, we tend to get off track or we hit a plateau and we need to give our diet a jump start. Juicing is a great way to supplement your diet to get more of the nutrients you need, or you can use it to jump start your diet to get your weight loss started or to get over a plateau.

Here are just a few ways that juicing can help you to lose weight and improve your fitness:

Delivers More Nutrients

Juicing concentrates the fruits and vegetables and helps you to get more nutrients in your diet. One glass of juice contains several pieces of fruits and vegetables, which you may not eat otherwise because it’s too time-consuming or too filling. Drinking a glass of juice with a meal or as a meal replacement can help you to get much more nutrients into your diet.

The more nutrients you get, the better every system in your body will operate, including your metabolism. More nutrients also means you’ll be stronger and will be less likely to experience injury, helping to improve your fitness.

Reduces Inflammation

Juicing helps you to neutralize the acidity in your body, which also helps you to reduce inflammation. A large number of health disorders and diseases are linked to unchecked inflammation in the body. By reducing inflammation, you can improve your digestion, which will also improve your metabolism and your ability to process foods for energy instead of storing them as fat. Reducing inflammation also helps you to reduce your risk of injury when you are exercising.

Helps to Balance Your Hormones

A lot of the things you eat can disrupt your hormonal balance, which can affect everything from your metabolism to your mood to your susceptibility to illness. Sugar, processed carbohydrates, even meats can cause your hormones to get out of balance. Juicing ensures that you only get pure fruits and vegetables, which can help you bring your hormones into balance. You’ll give your metabolism a boost and get the energy (and the motivation) you need to work out.

Improves Energy

With all the previous benefits of juicing, you will experience a big jump in energy. Your metabolism will be humming, your hormones will be balanced so you will be feeling good, and your digestion will be improved, all of which will give you steady levels of energy throughout the day. You’ll feel more motivated to work out, and you’ll actually have the energy to work out and to push yourself as far as you can go.

If you have hit a plateau with your weight loss, or you are starting your weight-loss journey, you may want to consider trying a juice fast or simply adding more juice to your diet to help you meet your goals. You can also swap out unhealthy drinks like soda for juice to give your diet a healthy boost.

Have you tried juicing? Tell us how it helped your weight loss or your fitness in the comments!

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching Austin culinary schools. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

How Juicing can Help You Lose Weight and Improve Fitness

This is a guest post by Natural Horizons Wellness Centers.

Colon cancer is a silent disease responsible for more than 50,000 deaths in the United States every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is the third most common cancer in both genders, and although men are slightly more likely to develop the disease than women, both men and women are at risk for developing the cancer. As with any cancer, early detection provides the greatest prognosis, though there are many ways of reducing the probability of developing the disease altogether. While you cannot change certain risk factors, such as your age or family history of cancer, you can take some matters into your own hands.

Lifestyle Changes

According to the National Cancer Institute, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity are leading contributors to elevated risk for developing colon cancer. To reduce risk, stop smoking and limit alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks per day. Introducing a healthy and balanced diet, as well as incorporating regular physical activity in to daily life can significantly reduce the chances of developing polyps and colon cancer.

Helpful Assets

Research has shown that consumption of fiber and aspirin can reduce the chances of developing colon cancer significantly. According to BMJ Publishing Group, increasing consumption of fiber from whole wheat and whole-grain sources can reduce the chances of developing colon cancer by as much as 10 percent for every 10 grams of fiber eaten per day. The National Cancer Institute also reports that ingesting aspirin daily for five years can reduce the chances of developing colon cancer as well. However, it is important to speak with your doctor before beginning any new health regimen — including increased consumption of aspirin.

Cancer Screenings

Colonoscopies are life-saving tools used to detect the earliest stages of cancer. The CDC reports that 60 percent of all colon cancer-related deaths could be avoided with routine colon cancer screenings. It is recommended that all men and women over the age of 50 begin undergoing regular colonoscopies once every 10 years to detect the presence of polyps, which form from abnormal cells within the colon. Although these polyps are non-cancerous, they may evolve into colon cancer over a 10 to 15-year period of time. Doctors can identify these polyps and remove them all within the same screening procedure. It is important to note that if you are not yet age 50, but have a family history of colon cancer, your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent screenings. Other colon cancer screenings include fecal occult blood testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy.

Considerations

Colon cancer is most easily treated before it ever exists. It is estimated that colon cancer-related deaths could drop to 20,000 per year if everyone undergoes routine colon cancer screenings beginning at age 50. These preventive measures combined with changes to lifestyle habits have the potential to minimize the prevalence of the disease within the U.S. If you are over the age of 50 or have a family history of colon cancer, take the opportunity to speak with your doctor about your risks during this year’s National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. It could save your life.

Natural Horizons Wellness Centers is an integrative medicine and wellness practice in Fairfax, Virginia. March is colorectal cancer awareness month, and Natural Horizons is trying to provide import facts to aid in colorectal cancer prevention.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Learn how to lower your risk

This is a guest post by Paul Winchester.

When you first start the Stone Age diet you really need to completely rethink your eating habits, shopping habits and even how and where you socialize. In fact I think it is fair to say that you almost need to forget everything that you knew about food and start all over again. Thankfully there is plenty of support out there for those that are embarking on the life changing experience of the Stone Age diet and amongst the community there are also loads of great recipes that make everyday life just that little bit easier and more exciting. Sauces are great for dipping your veggie snack and jazzing up your salads and meats so below are 3 of the best sauce recipes for Stone Age Diet from Thomas Rode (or as the Danes say “stenalderkost Thomas Rode”) that I have found so far.

Rossa Salsa

Ingredients: 1 handful of fresh basil and fresh mint finely chopped; 1 medium clove of garlic crushed; 1 large red pepper that has been roasted, peeled and chopped; 1 tsp capers; 1 small red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped; 2 anchovy fillets roughly chopped; 1 tomato, seeds removed and chopped; juice of 1 whole lemon; pinch of sea salt.

Combine all of the above ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. This is perfect as an addition to salads and great as a topping for meat and fish. You can also give the mixture a quick blast in the blender if you want a smoother sauce with a spicy kick to add to other Stone Age diet recipes.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients: 2 egg yolks (free range tend to give a richer flavor); ½ to ¾ of a cup of olive oil (tip – the less you add the thicker the finished mayonnaise will be); ¼ tsp mustard; 2 tsps of white balsamic vinegar.

Place the oil and the vinegar in a jug and give them a good stir to make sure that they are combined. In a mixing bowl place the egg yolks and then mix on a fast speed until they become creamy. Turn down the speed and then slowly add the oil and vinegar mixture (be careful that it does not separate. If it starts to, then lower the speed further). Finally add the mustard and salt and give everything a good stir. This should last for about a week in the fridge, but be careful not to leave it out in a warm room for too long because it contains raw egg. Perfect for dipping your Stone Age diet snacks into; yum!

Salsa Verde

Ingredients: 1 handful of tarragon, mint and basil; 1 and ½ handfuls of parsley; 1 medium sized clove of garlic; 4 anchovy fillets; 1 tbsp capers; 250ml extra virgin olive oil; juice of 1 whole lemon.

Place all of the ingredients into a blender with the exception of the lemon juice and the olive oil. Add just a few tablespoons of the olive oil to help the ingredients in the blender come together into a rough paste. Next stir in the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice and you are finished.

Try these recipes out if you are on the Stone Age Diet. Enjoy!

This article is written by Paul Winchester. He is a proffesional writer mostly interested in healthy lifestyle, weight loss programs and diets. You can find more tips for Stone Age Diet from Paul on his social profiles.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

3 Delicious Recipes for Stone Age Diet Sauces

This is a guest post by Macy.

In my early visits at the gym, I observed that the treadmill is a very popular choice for those who want a cardiovascular workout. I was not that surprised, since I knew that the treadmill is so simple to use and it can adapt to all fitness levels. Basically, the treadmill is a machine that is specifically designed to improve not only the heart and lungs, but also to tone the legs and other muscle groups. Its moving surface allows running or walking while being conveniently situated in one place.

Below are techniques I highly recommend for using the treadmill:

Familiarize Yourself with the Control Panel

Learn the basics before turning on the machine. If you are in the gym, make sure a trainer orients you about all the control buttons right in front of you. Treadmills usually have the same features, including manual workout selections, start and stop buttons, speed adjustments, as well as body weight input. It is also important to test some safety features like the emergency off switch, which is usually the large red button in the middle of the machine.

Get On It

Begin by placing your two feet on the side rails of the treadmill platform before turning on the machine. Start your workout by walking slowly for five minutes. This is a very good warm-up. Continue to walk at a slow pace if you wish to do a speed walking workout later on. Otherwise, jog lightly or walk at a fast pace if you are planning to do a steady running workout. Adjust the speed with the up and down arrows.

Be conscious of your posture. Walk or run with your back straight, shoulders aligned, and eyes looking forward. Remember to hydrate before, during, and after the training by drinking water every 10 to 15 minutes. When training longer than an hour on the treadmill, it is advisable to keep a sports drink handy. Most treadmills come equipped with bottle holders so there should be no problem with that. You can check some of the best Nordictrack® Treadmills – Buy a Treadmill from the #1 Brand Online.

Stop with Care

There are a few ways to halt a moving treadmill. First is to decrease the speed by means of the control panel until the belt stops. The second option is to hit the big red stop button so that the speed is reduced immediately. The last would be to hold on to the bars, step onto the sides, and finally turn off the machine. Note that the first two procedures are recommended for novice treadmill users, while the last method takes some practice and coordination.

I hope that you’ll enjoy running on a treadmill as much as I do. Over the years, I can say that my treadmill has been a very big factor in helping me to become fit and strong. Just keep in mind that you will see and feel the wonderful effects of exercise if you combine it with a healthy, balanced diet!

Macy is a girl who wants to look and feel her best all the time. For her, it is important to invest in long training hours in the gym and outdoors, rather than to just keep fit by watching what she eats.

References:
eHow Mom: How to Stop a Treadmill Belt from Slipping

Livestrong.com: Correct Way to Use a Treadmill

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

3 Ways to Use a Treadmill

This is a guest post by Helena.

Are you still sticking to your resolution to get fit?

Instead of becoming discouraged or giving up when it becomes clear just how much hard work and dedication that big goal is going to take, I’m going to outline how I’m setting myself up for success. By committing to a few small steps I hope to stay dedicated and reach my desired level of fitness even if I pause or reduce the frequency of my workouts.

Here are the three things from which prompted immediate improvements in how I felt during the day and eased me into a more intense fitness regime.

1. Sleep

Not only should we be getting enough hours of sleep nightly, research on sportsmen has shown that extending our sleep window can actually boost athletic performance the following day [1]. Alongside this, sleep can aid healing [2] and is important for the recovery processes that our bodies perform each night.

Scientific research supports the importance of sleep in allowing muscles to rebuild [2], which is particularly important after a strenuous workout. If you’re trying to lose weight, a lack of sleep may even increase your appetite, making you hungry [3], or encourage you to make poorer nutritional choices [4]. I definitely notice my resolution to eat healthily weakening when I’m suffering a bout of insomnia!

Research carried out on healthy “good sleepers” has indicated that poor sleep has the potential to impact negatively on mood, pain thresholds, immune functioning and glucose metabolism. In other words, both your mind and your body can be affected by fluctuations in the quality of your sleep.

2. Walk

I walk as much and as often as I can – it’s easier on your knees than running and a longer walk can burn a similar number of calories as a short run. If I can avoid taking public transport to my destination I will! Alternatively, I’ve also found a walk in the evening to be a great way to relax and unwind before going to bed.

A brisk walk is even better and they’ve even been shown to improve endurance [5]. I’ve found them to be a great way to stay in shape when taking a break from working out. Additionally, research has shown that they can be beneficial for the heart and blood pressure [6]. I’ll always try to get in some exercise during the day, even if it’s just a brisk 15-minute walk, as I’ve found it also helps me sleep better.

3. Stretch

I’ve found stretching before bed increases my chances of getting a good night’s sleep and, if I do it in the morning, it makes me feel energetic and kicks my day off nicely. Yogis believe that doing yoga releases the flow of energy in your body so you are more in tune with it – I’ve definitely found this to be true for my body.

A study has even shown that doing yoga twice a week can significantly increase flexibility and endurance after just 8 weeks [7]. Stretching and yoga are also a great choice for me during those times when I’m not at all motivated to get fit. Being able to take each stretch that bit further as the weeks go on gives me the encouragement I need to keep it up.

I hope these suggestions help you to keep going strong and make 2013 year your fittest year yet!

Helena is a writer for the Sleepio blog, bringing you the latest in sleep research, published by Sleepio, a CBT-based course teaching you how to fall asleep.

References
[1] Mah, C.D., Mah, K.E., Kezirian, E.J., Dement, W.C. (2011). The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. SLEEP 34(7):943-950.
[2] Adam, K., Oswald, L. (1984). Sleep helps healing. British Medical Journal 289(6456): 1400–1401.
[3] Prinz, P. (2004). Sleep, Appetite, and Obesity—What Is the Link? PLoS Med 1(3): e61. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0010061
[4] St Onge, M.P., McReynolds, A., Trivedi, Z.B., Roberts, A.L., Sy, Melissa, Hirsch, J. (2012). Sleep restriction leads to increased activation of brain regions sensitive to food stimuli. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 95(4), 818-824.
[5] Hardman, A.E., Jones, P.R.M., Norgan, N.G., Hudson, A. (1992). Brisk walking improves endurance fitness without changing body fatness in previously sedentary women. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 65 (4), pp 354-359.
[6] Murphy, M.L., Nevill, A.M., Murtagh, E.M., Holder, R.L. (2007). The effect of walking on fitness, fatness and resting blood pressure: A meta-analysis of randomised, controlled trials. Preventive Medicine 44 (5), 377-385.
[7] Tran, M.D., Holly, R.G., Lashbrook, J., Amsterdam, E.A. (2001). Effects of Hatha Yoga Practice on the Health-Related Aspects of Physical Fitness. Preventive Cardiology 4(4), 165-170.

Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

3 Ways to Improve Your Fitness Right Away

This is a guest post by Paul Taylor.

How often do you look in the mirror and wish that the person looking back at you was a great deal less, well, bulky? It happens to a lot of people and in this day and age, there are many commercialized ways that we can decrease our mass. However, isn’t there a simpler way to help our physical appearance and health without spending money on diet programs or severely altering our way of life? Yes. In fact, there are several small changes you can do to your diet that will begin to help your current health concerns.

1. Water – In nearly every diet, consuming more water is always preferable. Humans are mostly water and it stands to reason that our basic need for survival contributes to our health. Instead of a pop with lunch, drink more water. Some diets require up to 80 ounces of water per day. Not only will you remain saturated, which benefits all kinds of health issues including some headaches, but your body can flush out toxins and replenish lost liquids from things like sweat.
2. Spinach Salad – Instead of loading your plate with a huge bucketful of potatoes to go with your chicken, why not try a spinach salad instead. As opposed to salads made of lettuce, spinach has a great deal of vitamins and minerals that endorse weight loss and a healthier living. Try it with some mushrooms, shredded cheese, and topped with light ranch dressing and you won’t even realize it’s a healthy food.
3. Cheese Sticks – Why not replace sugar-loaded snacks with cheese sticks? Cheese contains a great deal of vitamins and high quality proteins that are far more beneficial to your health than frosting-covered chocolate cakes. Loaded with calcium for bone density, cheese is also a source of riboflavin which assists in metabolizing foods for energy and metabolizing fats in the body.
4. Coffee Additives – Millions of coffee drinkers adorn their cups with great amounts of sugar. Did you know that it is possible to lose weight simply from removing sugar from your coffee? Well, that is if you are one of those people who drink coffee all day long. Simply switching to an additive such as Splenda could sweeten your coffee and remove the excessive sugar intake. There have been people that lost up to 20 pounds by simply switching to these additives without altering their lifestyle.
5. Cereals – Another method of promoting anti-laziness and healthier eating is by removing sugar-loaded cereals and replace them with eggs and whole wheat toast in the morning. Add a V8 to the breakfast, and you will feel the difference in your attitude over a period of a few days. Your physical feelings aside, this form of a breakfast is far superior to eating a bowl of cereal in the morning and the increased proteins will give you far more energy.

Along with eating healthier, you should always endeavor to exercise more often. This could be in the form of walking to the corner store over driving. You could put the remote down and actually get up to change the channel. You could also make it a habit to walk up and down flights of stairs when possible. These may seem like small steps, but they could be the ones you take to promote a healthier person looking back at you from the mirror.

Paul Taylor started www.babysittingjobs.com which offers an aggregated look at those sites to help families find sitters and to help sitters find families easier than ever. He loves writing, with the help of his wife. He has contributed quality articles for different blogs & websites.

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Easy Edibles to Help Lose Weight and Live Healthier

This is a guest post by Paul.

Although numerous studies and mountains of anecdotal evidence have proven the positive health benefits of continual and dedicated use of the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine for people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) compliance continues to be an issue. However, continuing studies and research into the long-term potential health consequences are now showing a link to cancer.

A two-decade study shows that people with severe sleep apnea could be four times as likely to die of cancer as people without the condition.This is just one more level in the mounting evidence for reasons to keep using your CPAP machine.

A study in a recent issue of JAMA found a stronger benefit. Dr. José M. Marin, MD, a respiratory specialist at Hospital Universitario in Zaragoza, Spain led an observational 12-year study that followed 1,889 patients without hypertension. The study suggested that apnea patients who used a CPAP machine where less likely to develop hypertension than the study participants that refused treatment or otherwise did not wear a CPAP machine as prescribed. The study showed that the more the study participants adhered to the recommended CPAP machine use per night, the more protective the treatment.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) compliance guidelines set the standard for reimbursement under Medicare for patients with OSA that purchase and use a CPAP machine. The Medicare definition of compliance is using the CPAP machine at least four hours per night 70 percent of the time in a 30-day period, which is verified by physician verification of symptomatic improvement. This compliance guideline is also the baseline for most insurance carriers in the U.S.

Since most people that suffer from OSA go undiagnosed, it is always a good idea to reiterate what it is. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is when there are constantly repeated episodes of a complete (apnea) or partial blockage (hypoxia) of the upper airway during sleep.

With hundreds of these episodes happening a night, the individuals’ flow of oxygen to vital organs is diminished to the point where it can contribute to high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke and a growing amount of evidence for increased risk of various cancers among other long-term health conditions.

At the heart of all of these conditions is diminished oxygen. Our bodies and brains need oxygenation on a cellular level. While it is not yet universally agreed upon by all leading science and medical quarters, the leading hypothesis is that this disruption of oxygen intake, which robs cells of needed oxygen, a condition called hypoxia, is at the heart of the long-term complications of OSA when it comes to its possible link to Cancer. Some studies show sleep apnea induced hypoxemia as a critical factor in cognitive decline.

The current gold standard treatment for OSA is the CPAP machine, which delivers mild air pressure through a nasal mask to keep the person’s airways open throughout sleep. Those with OSA must remember that compliance rules at their core are about the patient getting the maximum health benefits from the use of a CPAP machine.

More research will surely be compiled to further the understanding of the link between the importance of sleep and the overall health of a person.Yet, even today, the evidence clearly points to CPAP therapy and the use of a CPAP machine as a critical factor in eliminating apnea incidents and reversing negative effects of sleep deprivation.

Paul is a freelance writer specializing in health and health technology with a strong interest in Sleep Disorder Breathing, OSA and by extension, the technology and use of a CPAP Machine. For more information visit The CPAP shop.

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Another Reason to Keep Using Your CPAP Machine