Health & Beauty

As we get older our skin and muscles tend to become more lax and whilst this increases the probability of us developing a double chin ? it doesn’t mean that a double chin is an inevitability. This article will cover the things you need to do to get rid of a double chin.

Firstly, I need to state the obvious. Fat deposits can build up anywhere on the body that we allow them to ? chin included. So your first step is make sure that you have a high fibre, low fat diet that contains a lot of fruit and vegetables. Reducing your overall body fat percentage will have a proportionate effect on your double-soon-to-be single chin.

Secondly, daily use of a skin toner will keep your skin firm and help prevent sagging. To complement the use of skin toner you can also practice a kind of facial yoga to maintain skin tone. Perform this routine twice weekly: with the first two fingers of each hand rub gently along the jawbone, starting from behind the ear lobes, finishing below the centre of the chin. Repeat five times. Then perform a full neck massage: lift your chin slightly upwards and with cupped hands, stroke firmly down the neck five times each side. Finish with some under-chin slaps: with the back of the first two fingers gently slap under the chin twenty times.

Thirdly, we need to talk about exercise. A general exercise regime will help you lose weight in the same manner as a high fibre low fat diet, however there are is also a specific “spot” exercises that you can perform which will target the chin area. The muscle in question here is called the platysma whose function is to pull down the corners of the mouth and pull down the jawbone. The exercise that we are talking about is called “the shovel” and it involves extending your lower law as far as you can in front and then bringing your bottom teeth up in front of your top lip ? as if your lower jaw was an earth mover scooping up debris. You will need to perform ten repetitions of this exercise, 2-3 times a day. The beauty about this exercise is that it can be practiced anywhere and whilst you’re engaged in other activities such as driving the car or watching television.

There is a fourth ? and last resort ? option of cosmetic surgery whereby the surgeon will make a small horizontal cut under the chin and then vacuum out the fat that has collected beneath the skin. Following this they will make a vertical incision between the layers of the neck and jaw muscle and sew the edges together, tightening the muscle layer. The procedure is relatively painless and requires two small bandages to hide. The bruising is minimal and has usually vanished within ten days. The procedure will cost upwards of $2000.

Of all the items mentioned above the most crucial is proper diet and exercise. To learn the most powerful methods for getting rid of your double chin and improving your overall fitness go to Get Rid Of My Double Chin

Tags: getting rid of a double chin, get rid of a double chin, how to get rid of a double chin

There is no easy or quick way to lose weight and it requires a lot of dedication and hard work. If you are serious about loosing weight, then consulting a doctor to create a low-calorie diet plan together with a healthy exercise regime could be your first starting point. Many people turn to diet pills like Meridia as their only solution to overcoming their excess weight. However, it is a well known and researched fact that Meridia is mostly effective in conjunction with a low-calorie diet and an exercise regime. By communicating a signal of fullness to the brain, Meridia helps to speed up the weight loss process but it is by no means an answer in itself. That been said, every person will respond differently to Meridia when used as part of a comprehensive weight-loss program.

Some people may be able to lose 4 or more pounds of body weight in the first month they start taking Meridia diet pills. Those that don’t achieve at least 4 pounds during the first month may find that they need to increase the dose or re-evaluate their weight-loss program.

Many people who start using Meridia as part of a low-calorie diet and exercise regime find that they loose weight in the first 6 months. A scientific study showed that more than 40% of people who use Meridia to assist them in loosing weight achieve the desired weight loss within the first 6 months. Moreover, those that achieve the desired weight loss and continue with Meridia therapy plus diet and exercise maintain their overall weight loss over time. To give yourself the best chance in loosing the excess weight and keeping it off, set yourself realistic weight loss goals, follow the diet-plan religiously and don’t give up on the exercise until you have reached your desired weight loss. Those people who go on to the end and reach their expected weight loss goals tend to be much better at keeping the weight off after the program is over. Patience is a virtue when it comes to many things including loosing weight. By loosing it slowly you give yourself a better chance to get used to the new eating habits and lifestyle which means that when your program is finally over, you are more comfortable with continuing to maintain healthy eating habits and active lifestyle.

For more information about Meridia, how and when it should be taken, where to buy Meridia as well as a collection of useful information about dieting, healthy living and exercise visit Meridia Weight Loss.

Mila Spivak writes various articles on healthy eating, exercise and dieting solutions including Meridia. Most of her articles are featured on Meridia Weight Loss.

Tags: meridia weight loss, meridia, diet, exercise, meridia online

For those of you who do have this skin condition, you know all too well the physical, emotional and mental problems that it creates. For those of you who don’t suffer from this condition and I do mean suffer, be glad that you don’t have it and protect yourself from receiving it. What am I talking about? I’m talking about Eczema.

Eczema is an irritating skin condition which is a form of dermatitis that affects millions of people in the United States. The features of Eczema are clearly seen for those who do have it.

The most common feature of Eczema is inflammation of the skin in the form of red or yellow patches. With the features that eczema creates, it provides no benefits; only irritations. The physical irritations associated with eczema are constant dryness of skin which leaves you always itching the area of the body where Eczema lies.

Next, your skin suffers a burning sensation when the affected area comes in contact with certain things such as air, cleaning astringents and other particles. Finally, Eczema leaves behind scars that are visible for years. The emotional and mental damage created from having the skin condition include shame at yourself for having the condition and embarrassment from others who look at your body and find you less attractive; this in turn leads to low self-esteem. For those of you who did feel this way because you have this horrible condition and even those who don’t have it, read below to see what relief there is for you and also how to protect yourself from Eczema.

What Triggers Eczema?

1) Dust mites: Did you know that dust mite excrement contains allergens that can trigger asthma, eczema, and allergic nasal mucous membrane inflammations. Also, a dust mite produces 20 waste particles per day, about 200 times its body weight.

2) Chemical irritants: Chemical irritants can include detergents, allergens such as nickel, and yeast growths.

3) Weather conditions: Weather conditions can cause the skin to become irritated and therefore trigger eczema. Most commonly hot and humid conditions or cold, dry weather conditions.

4) Stress. It is well known that stress can trigger an outbreak of eczema since stress lowers the performance of the human immune system and therefore lowers the skins healing levels.

What relief is there for you?

There are many prescription topical creams used to treat the growth and spread of Eczema. Eczema creams (also known as anti-inflammatory creams) contain topical steroids, called corticosteroids, which work by reducing and preventing inflammation in the skin.

Some anti-inflammatory creams are available over the counter, but most usually require a prescription. Oral antihistamines work by combating the bodies natural output of a substance called histamine, which causes inflammation in the skin. Histamines can cause rashes and allergic reactions, so using antihistamines can be a good choice for some. Some oral antihistamines are available over the counter, whereas some require a prescription and a medical consult. The problem with the prescription medicines is that they get quite expensive. Cheaper and better lines of defense against Eczema include moisturizers that help to re-moisturize the dry skin. Products that use Shea butter as an ingredient provide the moisturizing agent needed to treat eczema.

Final word of advice After reading this article, you now know the pain that Eczema brings. It is not something that you want, believe me. You also know what factors can trigger it. You now that there is finally a relief from the effects of this skin condition. I suffered from Eczema for 6 years. All six years occurred during my teens; for those of you in your teens you know how y your appearance, especially your facial appearance can either help or ruin your

image and self-esteem. It wasn’t until I discovered this product before my Eczema was controlled. Know the facts, look for opportunities and find a solution. Yes, there is a solution for you. Best of all, it doesn’t cost you an arm and leg to buy it.

Joseph Constant is the owner and founder of A.R. Skincare, a company devoted to the manufacturing, production, and community awareness of natural products using Premium Grade Shea Butter. Shea butter provides a relief and treatment for many problems associated with the skin. Please visit http://www.premium-grade-sheabutter.com/Benefits.html for more information regarding Africa’s Best Kept Beauty Secret and the lasting benefits that it creates for your skin and well-being. As an added bonus, please visit http://www.premium-grade-sheabutter.com/ARNewsletter.html to keep up to date with health and skincare tips.

Tags: Eczema, shea butter

The treadmill was one of the first pieces of home fitness equipment appealing to walkers, joggers, runners and a wide range of people. The home treadmill has experienced substantial growth over the past few years. Among other things the home exercise treadmill is the ultimate piece of equipment for a cardiovascular workout.

With treadmills you need to watch out for the impact involved when your feet hit the belt; your body absorbs up to two and a half times your body weight. AC motors that are found in some treadmill units run at one continuous speed and rely on a transmission to regulate speed whereas units powered by DC motors use variable voltage to regulate the speed at which the belt spins.

A well-constructed treadmill is a piece of home exercise equipment that every member of your family can enjoy.

A pre-programmed workout registers your heart rate without being connected to the treadmill by a cord or wire. The newest models of treadmills come with many extra features. One feature that is absolutely necessary in a home treadmill is an emergency stop button or a safety key that automatically shuts off the power if you should stumble, trip or fall.

Using a heart rate monitor enables a treadmill to automatically adjust the speed and/or the incline to keep your heart rate within the most optimum zone. One of the key things to remember is that the larger motors tend to run cooler and usually require less repair and maintenance. Display panels should be easy to read and straightforward to operate.

Notice that some treadmill heart rate monitors clip onto an ear or, for more accurate readings, strap on to the chest. The deck is the belt area on which actual running, jogging and walking take place.

A major consideration when buying a treadmill is the construction of the machine. You’ll want a treadmill with an aluminum or high alloy steel frame that’s strong enough to support the heaviest runner who’ll be using it. Probably the most important thing to look for in a treadmill is how sturdy it is.

Noise from the smallest repetitive sound can drive you nuts over a period of time and provide you with one more reason not to exercise. One indication of the likely longevity of any treadmill is to check out the length of the manufacturer’s warranty; the longer the better. If you can afford to buy a treadmill with a heart rate monitor, it’ll be a good investment in your health.

To make sure that your treadmill is sturdy and comfortable and doesn’t operate noisily, step on it and test it out before you buy. You’ll probably want to buy a unit with a motor that delivers 1.5 to 3 continuous horsepower. If you’re looking for a cheap treadmill be careful not to believe the marketing hype; the truth is you get what you pay for.

If there’s a treadmill you’ve enjoyed using regularly at your local gym or fitness center check to see if there’s a home version available in your price range. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty treadmill that can withstand running as well as walking, be prepared to spend more money.

Commercial club treadmills are reliable and well constructed; do look into a home version. If you plan to use a treadmill purely for walking you are not likely to need an expensive top-of-the-line machine.

Running or walking on a treadmill can be an effective way to workout compared to other complex cardiovascular exercises. Better quality treadmills provide excellent cushioning to limit the impact on knees, ankles, hips and lower backs.

Make sure to see your doctor or naturopathic doctor before you start any new fitness or exercise program. If you have severe leg conditions, a treadmill may not be the best choice of home exercise equipment for you.

For most people buying a home exercise treadmill is going to be a major investment. A treadmill is a good investment for anyone who has decided to make a conscious effort to become healthy and fit. Buying a treadmill over the Internet doesn’t have to be intimidating when you’ve done your homework.

For more information on saving money on treadmillsand best buy shopping for treadmills online and offline go to http://www.Best-Treadmill-Tips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in treadmill tips, advice and resources, including information on treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews

Tags: treadmill, treadmill rating, treadmill review, buy, exercise, shop, cheap, buy online, best, tips, fitness

While ab exercises for a 6-pack may seem to begin and end with crunches and sit ups there actually are a few other options to achieve your goal. Whether you are already in good shape or not it is important to remember to do ab exercises for a 6-pack in a consistent pattern to achieve the desired effect. Here are three simple steps to doing ab exercises for a 6-pack that will work for you and almost anybody!

1. Regardless of which ab exercises you are doing for a 6-pack it is important to remember to rotate them and do them at least three times per week. If you do more than three times you are obviously highly motivated, but don’t overdo it, just do five times per week at the most. Each session during the week should be right at or just above 20 minutes, giving you roughly one hour each week of time dedicated solely to your abs.

2. During each of these three or more sessions per week make sure that you are doing no less than 15 and no more than 20 repetitions per set. In other words, you should do ab exercises for a 6-pack for 20 minutes and fit as many sets of 15 to 20 repetitions as you can during that time. Don’t rush in between sets and risk pulling a muscle. Start out slow with your workouts and over time work your way up to a torrid pace.

3. Even though it has been mentioned in each of the preceding two points, remember that you should NOT overdo your ab exercises for a 6-pack regardless of your energy. Your ab muscles can cause severe discomfort if you don’t use them correctly so don’t burn them out in a hurry and find yourself in a transportation pickle. Use this process to get healthy, not get further injured or sick.

It is important to remember without ab exercises for a 6-pack that you can overdo it very easily if you get too into your workouts. This may sound redundant, but it is very important. If you insist on working out more just jump on the treadmill, it will do you good without the bad!

Track your progress and your habits effectively and never let yourself settle into a rhythm with only one ab exercise. Ab exercises for a 6-pack will not be easy to do everyday, but they will pay off and you will not regret doing them!

For a Limited Time, You Can Download a Copy of the Best Selling Book “Total Abs: Lose the Belly Fat” for Free at http://SixPackAbs.com-411.com/signup/

For More simple exercises for great abs, visit Six Pack Abs Today!

Tags: ab exercises, ab exercises for a six pack, ab exercises for a 6 pack, abs exercises, exercise abs

Unless you live in the middle of the jungle, you breathe only pure air, eat only organic foods when you’re hungry; and that those foods provide the exact nutritional needs of your body; that you never experience any stress, worry or anxiety and you exercise every single day… chances are that you need to detox.

Just like the dust and crud that accumulates in your house calls for a yearly house-cleaning ? “toxins”, extra weight and God knows what accumulate in your body.

We all need to do a regular house-cleaning ? and that means allowing your body a chance to heal itself, release the extra weight, release its toxins, and get a fresh new start.

Your body has an amazing self-healing mechanism built right in it, but in order to let it work, you have to give it the rest it needs.

That’s why fasting has been a tradition part of many world’s religions, and almost every alternative health practice recommends some kind of fasting or “detox diet”.

What Is a Detox Diet?

A “detox diet” has nothing to do with going to a rehab clinic for drug abuse. The word “detox” has been used in naturopathic circles in the sense of “removing toxins.” A detox diet allows your body to clean itself of accumulated toxins, stress, and helps it release extra fat and weight.

A detox diet is a restricted diet that you follow, often combined with an exercise program, for a few days or a few weeks (or even longer). It’s sort of like fasting, but it’s easier to do and you can do it at home when you need it.

Signs You Need to Detox

You should be able to know yourself when you need to go on a detox diet. If you’re looking at yourself in the mirror and don’t like what you see, you don’t like the extra weight you’ve been carrying around… then a detox diet can help you get back on track with a healthy diet and release the extra fat..

If you feel you don’t have the energy you once had, or you’re starting to feel a little depressed… a detox diet can help you regain that energy and bring a new level of joy to your life.

If you experience aches and pains, or headaches, and can’t keep up with the stress of modern life, then it’s very likely that a detox diet can help you feel young again, and give you the feeling that “nothing can stop you”.

From having helped thousands of people go through all sorts of detox diets, I know that the rejuvenation it brings and the sense of accomplishment, on top of all the health results, is well worth the discipline it requires to do it.

Example of a Detox Diet

There’s all sorts of detox diets you can choose from. One of my all-time favorites is the Apple Diet. This involves eating only apples for breakfast, lunch and dinner, for one or several days.

The good thing about apples is that they are easy to eat, they are low in sugar, and they contain a fiber that literally acts as a “broom” in your intestines.

When you go on an Apple Diet, all you have to do is purchase the best organic apples you can find, and eat as many as you’d like 3 or 4 times a day.

Here’s a few tips to make this work:

- If you’ve never done this before, only plan to go for the Apple Diet for a maximum of 3-4 days.

- Peel your apples beforehand. Even though the peel contains essential nutrients, it’s also impossible to digest in most cases. Since you’re going to be eating lots of apple, you don’t want to stress your digestion with too much fiber.

- Don’t drink apple juice ? even if it’s freshly-pressed. That would be too much sugar, even if it’s natural. You want the natural sugar along with all of the vitamins, minerals and fiber in the *whole* apple.

- Also drink water, about one liter a day, to help eliminate the toxins.

- Instead of eating apples all day long, have 3-4 meals a day with 1-2 pounds of apples.

I recommend the Apple Diet over any other type of “mono-cleanse”, because the apple is the King of Fruits!

Other popular cleanses that I don’t recommend include the Orange Juice Fast, the Lemon Cleanse, or the Grapefruit Diet. The problem with those detox diets is that the level of acidity from these citrus fruits is too high. It can cause many problems with your gums and overall health, and many unnecessary discomforts.

That’s why low-acidity apples are a good choice to do a raw food detox diet.

Get Support and Motivation

Although the concept of a detox diet is simple, most people have a hard time implementing it because of lack of motivation.

It’s not complicated to eat only apples for 3 days, but it’s not easy either. On the first day, you’ll be craving your normal fare. By the second day, you’ll be dreaming about food. But if you stick around, after a few days, you’ll be experiencing the incredible ‘high’, energy and lightness of beings that fasters experience ? and the results will show.

You’ll start to release weight, your hunger for natural foods will come back, you’ll have energy to start an exercise program, you’ll feel better than ever… and when you’re ready to introduce other foods into your diet, you’ll be more likely to make the right choices.

But to get to that point, make sure you get enough support and motivation. Find someone who can help you do a detox diet with you, and get as much information and support as you can to succeed on your cleanse.

Learn to use the power of DETOX in your life… and you’ll start to regain the health and energy that is your birthright.

Frederic Patenaude is the author of the ‘21 Best Detox Diets — For Releasing Weight, Increasing Energy and Rejuvenating the Body.? His book describes the best detox diets that you can do at home, and the complete method for following them. To get information and coaching, go to: http://www.BestDetoxDiets.com

Tags: detox diet, raw food detox diet, raw food, lemon detox diet, raw food diet detox

A search on the Internet will reveal a high number of home remedies that all feature testimonials. While testimonials are of some value, it’s not good to place a lot of weight on them. When deciding what type of treatment plan you want to follow. The reason is that for every testimonial that says that a certain treatment works, there’s another posting somewhere claiming that it was just as effective.

This is the reason why research is so important. While a testimonial is usually offered with the best of intentions, there’s no way to know if the person’s success can be duplicated. While some home head lice remedies may be useful on a very light infestation, they can be overwhelmed with a more difficult or developed case of head lice. With that in mind, here are a two home remedies found on the Web and backed up by testimonials.

These are offered to illustrate some of the more off-the-wall type of lice treatments. None of these should be considered effective simply because they’ve been identified in this article.

Petroleum Jelly:

Petroleum jelly is a very common home treatment claim to be effective for head louse. You apply it to the hair and wear a plastic hat that’s well sealed around the head. Leave the petroleum jelly in your hair overnight, then, and I’m not making this up, apply peanut butter to remove the petroleum. Shampoo as normal.

Dog Shampoo

How about killing lice using dog shampoo? You wet hair thoroughly and apply the dog shampoo, leaving it in your hair anywhere from 10 minutes to one hour, depending on the testimonial. This may actually work, because many dog shampoos have pesticides as one of their ingredients to help control fleas, ticks, and other animal parasites. It’s also a much higher concentration of these active ingredients and can be harmful to humans as a shampoo. Believe it or not, there are testimonials out on the Web that claim that dog shampoo is the best thing to use for head lice. If the idea of using a home remedy is based on safety, effectiveness, or even price, dog shampoo does not meet any of these requirements. Dog shampoo has strong chemicals that are not designed for humans.

This is why it’s important to realize that just because a home remedy has testimonials doesn’t mean that it’s effective, or safe or should be considered for use on your family.

Abigail Franks has researched lice and head louse and found valuable information that could help you. On this site find information about head louse treatment and other important info about head lice

Tags: head lice, lice, head louse, head louse treatment, lice comb, nits, louse

You can read a book or watch over the kids while you work out on a treadmill. Checking out treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews are an absolute must. Treadmills have become the hottest home exercise equipment choice.

AC motors that are found in some treadmill units run at one continuous speed and rely on a transmission to regulate speed whereas units powered by DC motors use variable voltage to regulate the speed at which the belt spins. The belt or deck is the area on which the actual running or walking takes place. Some treadmills fold up for easy storage which makes them an ideal choice for those with limited space in a small apartment, small house or condo.

Some excellent features, like heart monitors and safety keys that automatically stop the treadmill if you slip, will contribute to the enjoyment and safety of your treadmill workout or help add motivation. Folding treadmills collapse to allow for easy storage and are ideal for people without enough room for a bulky exercise machine.

Features such as extra cup holders, built-in fans, CD players and other electronic gizmos may be handy but not essential for you to get an ideal workout.

Some treadmills monitor your heart by way of sensors built into the frame that are gripped by the hands, but this can only be done if you’re walking not running. One of the key things to remember is that the larger motors tend to run cooler and usually require less repair and maintenance. Adjustable inclines let you vary the steepness of a hill.

Display panels should be easy to read and straightforward to operate. A pre-programmed workout registers your heart rate without being connected to the treadmill by a cord or wire.

When buying a treadmill, the best savings will be for an online discounted purchase, generally discounted up to 45% over brick and mortar stores. If you plan to use a treadmill purely for walking you are not likely to need an expensive top-of-the-line machine. The taller a person is the longer their stride and so you’ll need to choose a treadmill with a longer and wider belt.

Commercial club treadmills are reliable and well constructed; do look into a home version. Purchasing fitness equipment over the Internet has grown at a fast pace over the past few years. If you can afford to buy a treadmill with a heart rate monitor, it’ll be a good investment in your health.

Make sure to check out the warranty, this is very important. Keep in mind that what feels right to you may not accommodate others around you as comfortably. A major consideration when buying a treadmill is the construction of the machine.

You’ll probably want to buy a unit with a motor that delivers 1.5 to 3 continuous horsepower. Any treadmill with a belt that causes jerky movements while you walk or run should be avoided.

Once you’ve decided on the treadmill that you think is right for you, make sure to compare prices online. The first thing to consider when shopping for a home treadmill is the kind of use you need it for.

The more programs the treadmill offers the more you can vary your workout and then more likely you’ll continue exercising on a regular basis. Better quality treadmills provide excellent cushioning to limit the impact on knees, ankles, hips and lower backs.

Make sure to see your doctor or naturopathic doctor before you start any new fitness or exercise program. Walking, whether on a treadmill or not, is one of the best approaches anyone can take toward fitness.

Buying a treadmill is a major purchase for most people. A treadmill is a good investment for anyone who has decided to make a conscious effort to become healthy and fit. Buying a treadmill over the Internet doesn’t have to be intimidating when you’ve done your homework.

For more information on saving money on treadmills and best buy shopping for treadmills online and offline go to http://www.Best-Treadmill-Tips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in treadmill tips, advice and resources, including information on treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews.

Tags: treadmill, treadmill rating, treadmill review, buy, exercise, shop, cheap, buy online, best, tips, fitness

How do strength and interval training burn fat? Shouldn’t you use lower intensity and exercise in your fat burning zone for results? Well, millions of men and women have tried that and failed. So lets go through this fat burning q’n'a to find out more about building better hips, butts, and thighs, as well as burning more fat out of your fat burning zone.

Q: What is an example of a strength training superset that women can try to improve their results in tough to target areas (such as hips/glutes/thighs)?

Answer: For beginners, we use 1-leg hip extensions to target the glutes. We could pair that with Stability Ball leg curls for the hamstrings.

For squats, if you use a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance, you can sit your hips back more and work your butt harder than with normal squats. In the strength and interval programs, that is called a Sumo Squat or Wide-stance Squat. It can be done with weight or bodyweight alone. That would go well with Stability Ball Hip Extensions, and would be great for the intermediate crowd.

For advanced fitness levels, exercises like split squats, RDL’s, and reverse lunges target the glutes and hamstrings. These could be paired with 1-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curls or 1-Leg RDL’s.

Q: Why do you say the fat-burning zone isn’t important?

Answer: There are more efficient ways to burn fat and change your body than exercising for a long time at a slow pace.

Proportionately, you burn more fat as fuel when exercising at a low intensity. I agree with that.

BUT!

You burn as much or even more fat, proportionately, at REST! So if you want the fat burning zone, why get off the couch? Just make sure you don’t watch anything too exciting, like “24″, or your heart-rate will go too high. Stick to something that’s neither suspenseful nor funny, anything starring Jim Belushi should work.

Seriously, we need to understand that it doesn’t matter how much fat we burn as a percent of total calories burned during the workout. In fact, we don’t even need to get hung up on the amount of calories burned during our exercise session.

All we need to do is focus on…

A) Boosting metabolism with strength training

B) Boosting metabolism with interval training

C) Eating for fat loss with the proper nutrition guidelines (see the Fat Loss Guidelines for male and female meal plans).

To boost your metabolism in a short amount of workout time, you need to do strength training and interval training. If you have 2 hours per day to workout, feel free to do slow cardio in the fat-burning zone. It’s your time to waste. But if you want results fast, the strength and interval workout approach will put you in the “fat burning zone” all day long.

Q: Is it mandatory to achieve the rep count on the last set of an exercise? For example, when the exercise calls for 3 sets of 8 reps, I get 8 reps in set 1, but only 7 in the last two sets. Should I reduce the weight?

Also, if I cut down on the recovery time, is there a benefit? I have always read that cutting down recovery time is great if you can manage it. Or is it necessary to allow some recovery time before the next set?

Answer: Stick with the same weight for all sets if you can still get 7 or even 6 repetitions. However, if you drop down to 5 or less reps (when it calls for 8 reps), you should decrease the weight in the remaining sets.

As for cutting recovery time, you won’t achieve additional results by doing so. And if you cut recovery time TOO much, then you will have to significantly reduce the weight used per set, and that could cut into your metabolism boost.

Please stick to the recommended recovery times.

Q: Could you address the following issue in of your newsletters: Are intervals good for beginners? Isn’t that too hard for them?

Answer: No, beginners can still do interval training.

I’m not talking about what people call “HIIT” (high-intensity interval training). I’m simply talking about working at a slightly harder than normal pace for the recommended interval time.

I don’t like to use the phrase HIIT in my articles, for this reason.

Here’s how beginners would do intervals.

Let’s say you are a beginner that can walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes straight at 3.5mph. For your interval training, you would increase the speed to 3.8mph for 1-2 minutes. Then for your recovery, you’d drop it down to 3.0mph for an equal length of time.

Repeat for 4-6 intervals.

That’s safe and effective interval training for beginners.

Q: I’ve read you don’t like spinning classes. Why not?

Answer: I find that spinning classes are inefficient. Why spend 45 minutes in a class when you can get the same results in 18 minutes by doing interal training on your own with the Interval Workouts?

Plus, I don’t like high-RPM spinning, as I’ve met several women who have injuries that can be traced back to high-RPM spinning. It’s likely that the combination of “messed up hips” from giving birth to their children led to biomechanical problems that flared up when they started spinning on a regular basis. Be careful, and make sure you are strong enough for the cardio activities you choose!

The best part of a spinning class are the high-tension, moderate-RPM intervals. Those intervals are what give you the ‘turbulence? on your muscles and skyrocket your metabolism because that is when you are doing the most work.

But if you like the camraderie of the class (remember, social support is essential to success!), and you have the time, and you’re healthy, than spinning is a far better choice than spending an equal amount of time on the elliptical at a slow pace while reading People magazine (I used to see this everyday, and I’m sure you do in your gym as well).

Personally, I can’t stand being told what to do (even if its a cute instructor), so I’ll stick to doing my interval training on my own.

To each their own! (as long as it gets results)

Q: What actually happens in the body and muscles during and after a strength and interval workout?

Answer: Strength and interval training burns energy, and A LOT of it. So muscle energy stores are depleted (i.e. glycogen), and there is some muscle damage (as with regular strength training). Combined, those two changes put your muscles into what I call, “turbulence”. Scientists call this a metabolic disturbance.

And just like an airplane needs to expend more energy to get through turbulence in the air, your body and muscles have to burn more energy to get back to normal…therefore, your body gets a big boost in post-exercise metabolism.

The “turbulence” and increase in metabolism don’t happen with easier workouts and traditional cardio.

But the benefits you get from Turbulence can last for more than 24 hours, allowing you to burn more fat and calories all day long.

So while we don’t burn as many calories during a strength and interval workout as you would if you did an hour of cardio workout, you end up burning more calories in the overall 24-hour period with strength and interval compared to normal cardio.

So we just have to look outside the workout for the results, and not focus on the calories used during your gym time.

Q: I always want to move on to the next strength and interval program after 2 weeks rather than the recommended 4. Is there any reason why I shouldn’t do this?

Answer: Yes, you should give each training phase more time. You want to get some adaptation to the training, and that takes longer than 2 weeks in most cases. Give it the full 4 weeks and then change to benefit from the variety in training. You will get more results, particularly if you are after building more muscle.

Q: I can only do interval cardio training on a separate day from weights, is this a problem?

Answer: No, it is fine to alternate strength and interval days. I designed the weights and intervals to be done on the same day so that people would have more days off from structured workouts to spend being active with their families or hobbies.

Q: In one of your articles you mention that bodyweight intervals is the best method of interval training. Is that correct?

Answer: Actually, I’ve written that sprinting is best. Bodyweight intervals and the stationary bike are very close in effectiveness. I like to switch interval methods every 4 weeks. That is the best approach.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Tags: weight loss, fat burning zone, cardio, intensity, heart rate, spinning, metabolism, butt, thighs, hip

Treating a Cold Sore is so important, when they are on your face it feels like everyone is looking at it, and not you. So, what can you do? … Get rid of it hopefully!

But how?

Follow These Tips:

1. Eat foods high in lysine, such as cheese. Lysine can reduce how long the cold sore will last. It can also reduce how often you get outbreaks, be aware though that studies are still pending for this. But eating your dairy products is good for you anyways, so it won’t hurt you.

2. Do not pick at it. Don’t itch it. This can cause the sore to spread and then last longer. Some people find that just applying pressure when it is uncomfortable helps suppress the itchy symptoms.

3. Apply ice, it will make the cold sore either not appear or it will appear but smaller. Apply it a few times a day when you first feel it coming on. Later you can apply a hot cloth to it, to reduce the pain.

4. Apply Castor Oil, it is proven to have properties that are anti-viral, and works well on herpes skin conditions. (In case you did not know, cold sores are a form of herpes, not the same strain as genital herpes, but a form, another common form is chicken pox.)

5. Saint John’s Wort Oil- This essential oil works on the nervous system, so when it is applied to your skin it sinks right in and starts working away.

6. If you apply Witch Hazel Oil to the place where you feel the cold sore coming on, it will stop it dead in its tracks. It keeps it from spreading and there will be less pain.

7. Disinfect your toothbrush, while you have the sore use peroxide to disinfect and then replace your toothbrush when the sore is gone, you would not want to have a repeat cold sore would you?

8. Take a multivitamin that includes, vitamin C, zinc, iron, vitamins A and B complex. Lysine can also be supplemented.

9. Use a warm tea bag on the area of the cold sore to let the herbs soak into your skin, it will help the pain, and length of the sore.

10. You can also use aloe or a cornstarch paste of cornstarch and water. Both have healing powers to help clear up your sores.

Of course not everyone will have the same reactions to the above home remedies. Some will work for everyone, for others maybe none of them work. But you can learn how to Permanently get rid of cold sores and fever blisters on Curing Cold Sores, and at my website http://www.theathomer.com

Tags: cold sore, herpes simplex, fever blister, cold sore remedies, cold sore treatments, cold sore cure