Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight

Exercises 

Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight are perhaps one of the most sought after remedies to losing weight these days. In all over the world, one of the common health problems seen is obesity. Being overweight brings along a number of problems which is why people today are looking for ways on how to resolve this growing health crisis. There are so many ways on how you want to lose weight—there’s meal plans, pills, surgery, medications and so on. But the tried and tested and is recommended by health experts for a long time is exercises which is why the idea of Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight have recently come to rise. Regardless of the meal plan or weight loss diet you are following, it should always be paired with exercises. Exercise doesn’t just help you lose weight but it also maintains the weight you have achieved and keep your muscles and joints strong.

Below are the Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight that every dieter may want to follow to help them lose weight.

Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight

• Running:

One of the ideal exercises to lose weight is actually cardio exercise. This is because the major muscles in our body work in a repetitive motion. An exercises like this can actually increase a person’s lung capacity as well as make your heart stronger and burn a great amount of calories. The best type of this kind of exercise is running. The great thing about running is that you can do it outdoors or even indoors by the use of a treadmill.

Weight loss 

• Full Body Exercise:

Full body exercises are swimming, kickboxing, rowing, elliptical training, rowing and cross country skiing. They are considered to be full body exercises and ideal exercises to lose weight because they involve the upper and lower extremities when working out. These kinds of workouts actually make more muscle fiber as well as more joint range of motion which in return means more calories burned.

• Spinning:

Another type of cardio exercises is spinning which is done in groups. When you are on this type of exercises , you actually have an instructor to lead you. The whole class lasts for an hour and happens on a stationary bicycle. There is music played to motivate you throughout the workout. It is a rigorous form of exercises , which means you sweat more and burn more calories which in turn means losing weight fast. This makes it a part of the ideal exercises to lose weight because it gives people the option to work out with other people too.

• Jumping Rope:

The exercises of jumping rope is a plyometric type of exercises that entails short and rapid movements. It can definitely be a speedy way of losing weight, making it to the list of ideal exercises to lose weight, as well as tone your abs, calves, shoulder and upper back. Some people make this exercises more intense by adding weight to the jump rope.

• Sprint Intervals:

When we say interval training in exercises , this means doing a workout by increasing the intensity then slow down to a moderate pace. It is said that the more intense the workout is the more calories are burned.

• Weight Training:

When our metabolic rate is increased, there is more chances of burning more calories. An ideal exercises is one that involves the major muscle groups of our body such as the weight training which include shoulder presses, triceps extensions, bicep curl, squats and back rows.

Exercise

Benefits of Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight

• Helps reduce obesity and aids in maintaining ideal weight

• Helps in toning the body

• Improve the functions of certain body organs

• The body’s strength, flexibility and function of muscles and joints is improved

• Overall physical fitness is enhanced

• Strengthens immune system

• You become more active

• Stronger cardiovascular system and lower risks of heart problems

• Blood pressure is controlled

• There is increased capacity of the lungs

• Said to help control diabetes

We have to remember that all these benefits of Ideal Exercises to Lose Weight will only be garnered if we do them at a regular pace. If you only do them when you feel like it, don’t expect too much results because in the first you are only cheating yourself. Losing weight is definitely not an easy task but self-motivation and discipline will really make a big difference. Apart from a healthy diet and regular exercises , try to find ways to lower stress by doing activities that help you relax other than eating too much.

Lose weight 

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DASH Diet

Dash diet

DASH actually stands for Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension and Dash diet has been a widely used diet because studies have shown that following a Dash Diet means eating fruits, vegetables and low fat food. Apart from these, Dash diet is a healthy diet because it gives importance in lowering the intake of sodium and saturated fat which helps in lowering the blood pressure amazingly within 14 days. Although some people follow it to lower their blood pressure, it is also used by others to maintain a healthy diet and even for weight loss.

What is the DASH Diet?

Dash diet is actually a diet that aims at keeping the dieter’s blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg and reducing the amount of sodium intake in daily meals. It is centered on consumption of foods that are rich in nutrients that will help in lowering high blood pressure and these nutrients are magnesium, potassium and calcium. The Dash Diet focuses on:

• low sodium intake

• limited consumption of fat and total

• consumption of fruits and vegetables

• eating foods that are fat free, low fat milk and dairy products

• diet high in fiber and protein

Goal of Dash Diet

Dash diet plan 

The Dash diet aims for its dieters to take in sodium within the range of 1,500mg daily as sodium is believed to be a precursor of hypertension. With a lowered intake of sodium, not only is blood pressure lowered but a study also showed that people suffering from headache has felt relieved compared to those who are on a high sodium diet. When on a DASH Diet, the dieter will first lower the sodium intake to 2,300 mg or less in a day and gradually lowers it to reach its main goal of 1,500 mg daily.

How does Dash Diet work?

The DASH Diet offers a variety of foods that are based on the USDA food pyramid and with this, the meals offered in the diet are rich in carbs and much emphasis is given to consuming fruits and vegetables. Because it is mainly centered on the purpose of lowering hypertension it was not originally designed for weight loss but due to a recent study called Premier Diet, restricting calories within the DASH diet will bit by bit result in weight loss. The great thing about this diet is that it not helps in lowering hypertension and weight loss but it also gives the essential nutrients that the body needs and can easily fit into anyone’s lifestyle. The DASH Diet is that the ideal semipermanent uptake set up for the promotion of a healthy modus vivendi. Essentially it is low in sodium and fat but is rich in fruits and vegetables. On a daily, this is what the DASH diet meal plan looks like:

• 6-12 servings of whole grain

• 4-6 servings of fruit, same amount of serving for vegetables

• 2-4 servings of specified fats

• 1-2 servings of protein (lean meat)

• 3-6 servings of nuts and seeds—weekly

The DASH Diet meal plan may also be modified according to the sex and weight of the dieter. A few sweets may also be added if the dieter wishes but it should be approved by the dietitian. As mentioned earlier, the DASH Diet can lower a person’s blood pressure through the 14-day challenge where most dieters notice how their blood pressure has dropped throughout the diet. But if you would like to garner the long run impact, you will need to stick to the diet. It is conjointly vital to incorporate regular exercise once on the DASH diet.

Advantages of Dash Diet:

• Highly recommended by health professionals

• No starving thus hunger is not a problem when on the diet

• No need for close weight monitoring and measuring

• Dieters on the diet are given tips and advice on how to shop for food and given the DASH diet menu plan

• Meal plans may be modified according to the dieters personal preference

• Can help in lowering blood pressure within 14 days and may also be beneficial for diabetics

Disadvantages of Dash Diet:

• Can be hard at first for some people to follow the diet

• It is not really designed for weight loss but can people who are overweight has the big possibility that they will lose weight

• Does not offer alternatives for vegetarians

Who can benefit from the DASH Diet?

diet

Since the diet is for lowering hypertension, health experts recommend the DASH diet to people who are hypertensive or diagnosed with pre-hypertension. But anyone who wants to try the DASH diet may very well do so after consulting their physician. The diet is balanced and is filled with the essential nutrients that our body needs.

How many people have used and benefited from Dash Diet?

According to a research study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, women who are on the DASH Diet happen to have a lower rate of heart attack and stroke. It was done over 88,000 women under 25 years of data. Today, millions of people are on the diet, not only hypertensive ones but also those who want to keep away from the disease.

Conclusion:

Although the DASH Diet is not really made for weight loss, millions of people are still following it because the meals have low saturated fat content and calories compared to a typical diet. There are still ongoing studies on the long term effects of the Dash Diet just like the Mediterranean Diet because both diets actually bring about similar health benefits such as low heart disease and cancer rates. The Dash Diet is a simple yet effective way to lower blood pressure and gradually lose weight. The great thing about it is, it is not as expensive as other diets and you don’t have to worry about feeling starved while on the diet or have to buy pre-packaged meal.

dash diet meals

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Atkins Diet

Atkins diet 

The Atkins Diet was actually made possible because of Robert Atkins who came up with the idea after reading a research paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association to resolve his own weight problem. The Atkins Diet is officially known as the Atkins Nutritional Approach which involves a low carb diet. The diet became popular by writing the methods in a series of books which were the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972 and the Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution where the original concept was there but there were parts modified.

What is the Atkins Diet about?

The Atkins Diet involves 4 phases and at the start of the diet all carbs are removed from the meals of the dieter because Robert Atkins believes that over-consumption of carbs causes weight gain. He also believes that most of the people who are overweight happen to have a problem with their bodies converting carbs to glucose (insulin resistant) and with this he thinks that strict carb restriction could resolve this. A dieter on this Atkins diet will have to closely monitor and control one’s carb intake. There will be certain types of foods that will be allowed and restricted throughout the diet especially “bad” carbs which are usually in the form of processed, pre-packed foods and junk foods. When the body does not receive any carbs at all it goes through ketosis and burns the stored fat of the body eventually causing weight loss.

Goal of Atkins Diet

The main goal of the Atkins Diet is to change the metabolism of the dieter and eventually lose weight easily by means of eating high protein foods and limiting the intake of carbs as it is believed to raise blood sugar levels.

How does the Atkins Diet work?

Atkins 

As mentioned earlier the Atkins Diet sticks to the concept of ketosis wherein the body’s excess, stored body fat is being burned in order for weight loss to happen. The daily intake of carbs in the diet should only be 15 to 60 grams and dieters are encouraged to take in foods high in protein and fat instead. In order for ketosis to occur, the intake of carbs should only be 40 grams per day because once fat is broken down the formation of ketones occur and appetite is naturally suppressed. The Atkins Diet involves 4 phases and they are as follows:

Phase 1: Induction

This is during the first 14 days (2 weeks) of the weight loss program. During which, the goal of the dieter here is to avoid the bad carbs in order for ketosis to happen. This is also the part of the program where the dieter loses weight the fastest. There is a limit of 20 grams of carbs per day and vitamin supplements will be recommended.

Phase 2: Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)

After Induction, OWL is followed where the dieter may increase carb intake depending on the person but still making sure that there is ketosis happening. In order to watch acetonemia, a dieter could obtain Ketostix (litmus-type strips that amendment color between pink or purple to inform if you're in acetonemia or not and they can be bought at drugstores) if you happen to be not in the state of ketosis then you may have to lower your carb intake.

Phase 3: Pre-maintenance

Once the dieter reaches within 10 lbs. of their goal weight, then the Pre-maintenance phase is introduced. This is the part where you can gradually increase the intake of carbs until you no longer lose weight anymore. The goal here is to reach a certain level of carbs as you reach for your goal weight. This is also where you get to find what your ideal carb intake is.

Phase 4: Maintenance

This is going to be something that the dieter will be using for the rest of his/her life. Your ideal carb intake which you have found out during the pre-maintenance phase is what you will be following. You should also be responsible for monitoring your weight because our bodies change within the course of time and the tolerance of carb intake may also change which can either cause weight gain or loss. If you are losing weight, you have the option of increasing your carb intake but if you gain weight to as close as 5 lbs. or more of your ideal weight then you can start over with the Induction Phase.

How long should it take to follow Atkins Diet?

During the Induction Phase, a dieter rapidly loses weight within 2 weeks and for the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase, a dieter may lose a pound or two in a week’s time. There’s really no exact timetable but by the time you reach your ideal weight or you are 10 lbs. or less away from it then you will slowly be in the Pre-maintenance Phase until you are at the lifetime Maintenance Phase of the Atkins Diet. 

Keto diet 

Advantages:

• Promotes weight rapidly
• Allows dieters to eat foods rich in protein and fat
• Has been proven and tested as it has been around for years
• There are already numerous restaurants that have low carb meals in their menu
• Not as costly and demanding in time compared to other diets

Disadvantages:

• Can be very restrictive especially when it comes to carbs

• Allows dieters to take on a diet high in saturated fats

• Can cause bad breath because of ketosis

• Dieters may experience nausea and headache during the initial phase

• Gives no option for vegetarians

• Low on fiber and other essential nutrients and vitamins

Celebrities who have used Atkins Diet:

The Atkins Diet has been so popular even among the popular people. Hollywood personalities such as actress Catherine Zeta-Jones who said that she was able to lose as much as 8lbs. in just a week’s time while other celebs include Jennifer Aniston, Minnie Driver, singer Geri Halliwell, Renee Zellweger, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Robbi e Williams and Kiefer Sutherland.

How many people have used Atkins Diet and benefited from it?

It is said that a few years back, around 11% of the world’s population were on the Atkins Diet but recently only 1% are on it. But who knows over time it’s popularity will increase again because weight loss is about lowering calories which we can mainly get from macronutrients which are carbs and proteins so either of the two will be affected in weight loss programs.

Conclusion:

The main concept behind the Atkins Diet is lowering the carb by use of the four phases involved in its weight loss program. The diet faces a growing concern from health experts because of its rich fat content but even so it has been proven to work for shedding off weight but the long-term effects of the diet should still be looked at. So before you decide on choosing this diet, be sure to consult your physician if your body can tolerate the extreme low carb intake that the Atkins Diet requires.

Diet

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A Guide on Weight Loss Motivation

Motivation 

Motivation is very important in our everyday lives. It is what keeps us going even through the hard times. We need it whether we’re at work, at school and even when facing day to day challenges we come across in our lives and it has become such a powerful within us that motivation is also useful to people who are losing weight. If a person does not have the motivation then chances are that person would least likely succeed.

What is the Greatest Motivation?

When losing weight, we can say that the best motivator we could use is actually being honest with oneself. When we are aware of the truth, we learn how to manage our expectations, set the right goal and most importantly save ourselves from frustration. You need to know what you are capable of and know your limits so that when you start on your weight loss journey, you know what you need to do and how to get there. You may also want to ask yourself, why do you want to lose weight? Is it because you want to be healthy? Is it because it’s required at work? For someone special perhaps? Whatever the reason, use it as something that will drive to do better when you work-out.

Reasons Why People Lose the Will to Lose Weight

Before we even get into the tips on how to be motivated, we may first want to know and understand why people lose the will power to lose weight. There are actually numerous reasons out there but below are the most common:

• You went for the wrong weight loss diet:

Most people get discouraged in working out because they don’t see results and it could be perhaps because of the fact that they had the wrong technique in the first place. You may want to choose a weight loss diet that tells you to burn more calories than what you eat. But bear in mind, even if you keep burning the calories yet still not control your diet, you still won’t be getting results any time soon.

• Unsatisfied with the results:

When we workout, we can’t help but expect to results right away within just after a week or so of doing it. Although some diets do promise weight loss in a short time, some end up unsatisfied because it may be the least of what they were really hoping for.

• Less if not no progress at all:

First of all, we need to understand that as person loses weight, there are certain phases that he/she has to go through. During the first part of the weight loss program, there are instant results and a dieter may lose up to 10 pounds the most in just a week but as your body because more and more used to your weight loss regimen, results become slow sometimes nothing at all and this is something that a dieter should understand.

• Hitting the plateau phase:

As mentioned earlier, a person undergoing the weight loss program will be going through phases and one phase that every dieter should be aware and be prepared of is the plateau phase. During this stage, results are quite slow sometimes no results. All dieters experience this, even athletes so to avoid yourself from frustration you may want to prepare for this phase.

Weight Loss Motivation Tips

Motivational speech 

• Keep track of your progress:

One of the best ways to motivate ourselves is to see how good we’re doing by taking note of the weight we have lost. We can actually do this by having a notebook or a journal where you can write down your progress or even write about your feelings. You can even make use of your weight loss journal as a food diary where you may take note of what foods attribute to your weight gain and which healthy foods aid you in your weight loss. This way you know what to avoid, what to eat and most of all you see your progress as you slowly lose weight.

• Learn to control emotion eating:

One of the most common causes of weight gain is emotional eating. It is commonly seen among women but even men experience this too. It is very helpful if you could start off by assessing yourself with questions like, when you feel angry, do you feel like eating? Or when you feel down or sad, do you overeat? Basic questions that confronts your eating habits will really make a big difference because when you are honest with yourself with these questions, then you learn how to deal with the root cause of your weight gain and eventually learn to control it.

• Prepare for peer pressure:

A lot of us may think of this as an odd motivation for weight loss but believe it or not, there are a lot of people out there most of which are our family and friends who do not understand the process of weight loss very well and may even encourage you to get off your diet even just for a while. Teens are apparently not the only ones who have to deal with this, even grown-ups too which is why, when you meet people like these, be sure to be prepared and learn to say no especially when they tempt you to eat out with them. A great way of dealing with this is by doing activities together that doesn’t involve eating.

• Always go for the healthy way:

A very sad reality about losing weight is that most people do it for the sake of their physical appearance while only a few do it for health. What many people do not understand that the first reason why they should be losing weight after all is because of health because an obese person is prone to diseases compared to those who aren’t. Looking good after all starts from within, you will always have to remember that you are losing weight in order to improve your quality of life, that you want to live longer and at the bottom of your list you want to look good. There’s nothing wrong with looking good, what’s important is you prioritize your health.

• Reward yourself:

A very exciting motivation is to reward yourself but of course, as much as possible something that you won’t eat although allowing yourself to eat even just once a slice of your favorite cake is fine, it would still be best to do things that you have always wanted to do but you can’t because you need to work-out. You can go out and watch a movie with your friends, buy yourself a new book or spend a day of movie marathon in your home. This is why making short term and long term goals are important so that when you achieve something you get to reward yourself.

Motivation quotes 

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Healthy Food Choices at Fast Food Restaurants

Fast food 

When it comes to discussions about healthy foods, fast food are right away out of the question because most of us think that they right away fall under the category of unhealthy. But the truth is there are also healthy food choices that we can pick up from fast food chains. Just because you need to eat on the run does not mean you right away compromise your health. It is true though that there are fast food that are high in fat content, calories and other unhealthy ingredients but you will be surprised as to how many fast food choices there are out there that happen to be good for our health.

What is Fast Food?

From the name itself, fast food are foods that are prepared and served fast. Although there are foods that can be prepared in just a short time, the term fast food has been given to foods that are from restaurants that serve foods that are already cooked or heated and are ready to be served or for take-out.

Over the years, these fast food chains have received criticism regarding many issues and one of which is its negative impact on health. There have been issues stating how fast food has actually degraded the eating patterns and altered traditional foods for the kind of food they offer. But nonetheless, fast food outlets are still growing elsewhere in the world up to this day despite the fact that it has faced so much criticism and has been pinpointed as one of the reason why obesity is fast rising in many places in the world.

Fast food trick

Pros of Fast Food

We have to admit that no matter how many times we have read and heard about how bad fast food is to our health especially if eaten regularly, we still end up eating it. This is because fast food is, in one way or another, able to keep up with the modern world we have. For starters it saves a huge amount of time because the food served are already ready to eat. There will always be times when we are in a hurry and need to eat up fast and this is where fast food saves the day even if we know how much fresh food would be tastier and healthier. For those who have families and has a hectic schedule, aside from time, having fast food actually saves a person the effort needed to head to the grocery, get back home, prepare the meal, cook it and finally serve it. Finally, the edge between fast food and other foods is its cost as we all know how fast food can be way cheaper at times.

The good thing about fast food restaurants today is how some of them give an extra effort to offering healthy fast food options such as bread products like wheat bread, lean meat and salads. It is also up to us to choose the healthy choices.

Cons of Fast Food

Clearly, the one thing that makes fast food disadvantageous is how it can jeopardize our health. Of course, home-cooked meals are always healthier than fast food because the ingredients used are fresh, more options for veggies and lean meat and controlled amounts of sodium and calories too. It has been pointed out in most studies and surveys that fast foods are one of the biggest factors as to why obesity is fast rising in Western countries. The sedentary lifestyle also adds up to this rising health problem.

Because fast food are high in sodium, fats and calories, people who often feed on this kind of foods (especially deep fried food) are most likely at risk for developing heart problems and other related health diseases. Aside from obesity, there is also that possibility of having high blood pressure among others. Another study also said that fast food restaurants can affect a family’s relationship because some kids often resort to eating on their own or go get take outs when parents are either busy or too late to get home and cook food.

Healthy Fast Food Choices

Now that we know what the good and bad sides of fast food are, it is now time to find out what healthy options we have when we have to eat on a hurry. Fast food should not be thought of as bad all the time because no matter how much we try to escape we will end up eating at a fast food joint during times when we don’t have all the time we need.

Best fast food 

The following foods listed below are just some of the healthy food choices we can pick from at fast food joints. In order to make things easier, the foods are grouped according to what fast food chain you may get them from.

McDonald’s

• Chicken McNuggets with Sweet and Sour Sauce

For starters, the sauce of the nuggets is quite low in calories and sodium but because you only get 4 pieces in a single serve, you can have with a salad or your side dish (Fruit and Walnut Salad with yogurt dressing) to get you full.

• Hamburger

McDonald’s regular hamburger is less than 2 ounces so eating one couldn’t be that bad. But if you want to get more sustenance your best option is to get a vegetable salad. Instead of having a soda, get some water.

• McChicken

The fried chicken that McDonald’s has are quite small in size and this means having small servings of mayo for the dip but if you want, you can have ketchup instead.

KFC

• Mashed Potato with Gravy

There are other branches of KFC that make their mashed potatoes with butter and milk while others don’t but nonetheless, it is always a healthier choice compared to fried potatoes. The gravy that goes with it only contains half a gram of fat and little calories.

• Original Recipe Drumstick

Not many people like the original recipe drumstick because it’s not that crispy but remember crispier fried chicken only means more saturated and trans fat content. When eating this go for healthy sides like cole slaw.

• Cole Slaw

The main ingredient of cole slaw is cabbage and we know that cabbage is one healthy vegetable that is packed with fiber and vitamin C. Another ingredient is carrots which also contains lots of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, K and potassium.

Taco Bell’s

• Fresco Style Grilled Steak Soft Taco

This dish contains red meat which means it has lesser fat content but offers vitamin B12, iron and zinc.

• Fresco Style Tostada

Salsa, beans, red sauce and salsa placed on top of a flat corn shell—who would think that this is fast food ?

• Gordita Nacho Cheese (Chicken)

Although this meal is loaded with lots of cheese in it, you will be surprised because it is still under 300 calories.

Wendy’s

• Junior Hamburger

This burger is similar to McDonald’s regular hamburger. Instead of choosing fries you can opt for a strawberry flavored yogurt that is low in fat with granola toppings.

• Large Chili

Loaded beans ric with iron, folate and fiber, eating this chili will really keep you full. Skip soda and go for a cup of mandarin orange.

• Ultimate Chicken Grill

Compared to the other burgers in Wendy’s the grilled chicken sandwich contains only half the fat that other have because it used  honey mustard sauce instead of mayo plus it is grilled and not fried.

American fast food

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Knowing the Aspects for Weight Loss

Weight loss 

We often think that when it comes to losing weight the most important thing is just exercising. But what we actually miss out aside from exercising is also making sure that our diet and lifestyle coincides with weight loss. There is no doubt that when it comes to weight loss, exercise and regular physical activity is very important but we often forget about other aspects in our life that should also be closely watched. In order to get the full benefits and maximum results, it is important that these major aspects in weight loss should be followed.

No matter what we call it, may it be exercise, workout or physical activity, it is important that we do this regularly and the right way if we really want to weight loss. There are plenty of exercises out there that can help you achieve weight loss but the trick to really achieve it is by including aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Aerobic and anaerobic exercises both help improve the cardiovascular system and a resistance training workout too. They are really effective in burning fats most especially if done regularly. These exercises below are just a few samples of the many other exercises you can follow for weight loss.

Recommended Exercises for Weight Loss

The Abs Diet Total Body Training:

One of the keys to weight loss is by going for exercises that has high intensity. The Abs Diet Total Body Training has intensity as well as a full body workout which is really good for not just weight loss but also for the heart. This is an exercise that you will have to do at the gym not unless you have all the equipment needed to perform it. To do this, you will:

• Start off with 15 repetitions of standing crunches facing away from the pulley stack and make sure to hold a rope attachment right behind your head while doing crunches

• Do 12 pulse up lying on your back with your feet up in the air raising your hips off the ground then have with you two light dumbbells for saxon side bends, you then do the next step standing up by holding the dumbbells above your head lean on one side and the other for as far you can reach and perform on each side for 10 times

• Do the side bridge position by lying on your with your left forearm for support and make sure your body is lined straight from head to toe and stay on this position for 20 to 30 seconds per side

• To end the abs full body workout, stay on the back extension or hyper extension machine doing 15 repetitions

One Circuit

This one circuit exercise is also part of the abs diet total body training but for this part, no machines are needed. You may rest 30 seconds in between and do it for 10 to 12 repetitions. Perform the following exercises in the order of squats followed by bench presses then lat pull-downs, military presses, upright rows, triceps push-downs, leg extensions, bicep curls then leg curls. It would be best to do all these three times a week.

How to weight loss

The Aspects of Weight Loss:

Nutrition

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to weight loss is controlling your diet. The problem with weight loss diets is that they come in so many kinds making it confusing to choose the one that you think is right for you. When choosing the weight loss diet for you, the first step would be to consult your nutritionist to make sure that your dietary requirements are met and so as to not compromise your health. Losing weight the healthy way should be the road to a healthy life and no other way. Having said this, when losing weight, it is important that we do not deprive ourselves of food, instead, we should learn more about the right kinds to pick, the timing, amount and making sure that there is variety so that all food groups are included.

• Carbohydrates

There are many diets out there that restricts or has really low carbs in their meal plans believing that it is the right way to weight loss. In a way it can help you lose weight because what you lose here is only water weight but this is not permanent because once you start eating with your regular diet and no longer on a low carb meal plan, chances are you will regain weight. An explanation for this is because when your body is deprived of carbs, you will end up eating fats apart from this, you will also experience dizziness, weakness and dehydration when you cannot meet your dietary carb requirement.

• Protein

Proteins are very important because they play a big role in ensuring our body functions well. If carbs are often restricted, proteins experience something different because there are weight loss diets that recommend consuming very high amounts of protein and restricting the other nutrients. According to a study, it said that the reason why high protein diets are often recommended for weight loss is because of the restriction of the intake of carbs. When on this kind of diet for a certain period of time, time will come when a person becomes in danger of being unable to get the vitamins and minerals needed by the body causing problems in several organs of the body beginning from the heart to the bones and the liver.

• Fats

People often think that the word fat is the antagonist for people wanting to weight loss but the truth is, it is also needed in our diet because it also has functions in the body just like carbs and proteins.

Lifestyle

losing weight 

Even if you eat right and exercise regularly, if your lifestyle is not on the same track then expect too much. A healthy lifestyle is a big must when it comes to achieving healthy weight. Despite the fact that we differ in our genes, hereditary make-up and other aspects, having a healthy lifestyle is crucial to lead a healthy life. For this aspect, more discipline and making right choices is necessary.

Regular Exercise

It was mentioned earlier about the recommended exercises for weight loss but simply engaging into physical activities such as doing house hold chores can already make a big difference. It is engaging in physical activity where we can burn calories which is the reason why we gain weight. Exercise brings so much benefits to our health such as lower levels of stress, wards off depression thus a better mood, reduced high blood pressure and prevents the development of other health problems. As simple as gardening, walking and jogging can does the trick but if you are looking for a really serious workout then go to the gym and be guided with a professional trainer to help you towards weight loss.

Healthy and Balanced Diet

As mentioned earlier, the right diet to weight loss is one that is healthy and balanced. Always remember that depriving yourself of food will only do harm than good and you will only end up overeating. It would be best that you consult a registered nutritionist to help you out in planning your meals without compromising your health.

Overcoming Stress

Stress is something that we cannot avoid. It may not directly lead to weight gain but it can affect our health. Because we cannot avoid stress, the best ways to deal with it is by getting a good massage once in a while or learn about stress-management techniques. Other great ways to deal with stress is doing meditations, pilates or yoga.

Avoiding Vices

Drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic drinks or smoking can affect our health. Although they do not directly add up to gaining weight, because they affect our health, avoiding them and eventually quitting them are really helpful in achieving a healthy lifestyle and improving the quality of life. When vices are given up, there is that greater chance of avoiding health problems in the future.

Weight loss diet

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Cholesterol and How it Affects our Body

Cholesterol 

We have to admit that the minute we hear the word cholesterol we right think of it as something negative or unhealthy. But with the dynamic research done over time, health experts were able to determine that cholesterol comes in two forms—its either bad or good. Cholesterol, as negative as its reputation is, still has functions that our bodies need. Perhaps cholesterol has given a negative notion to health buffs and to most people because there was not much emphasis given back then that it can either be good cholesterol or bad cholesterol.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol actually comes from Greek words chole which means bile and stereos which means solid and is ended with ol which for an alcohol. Cholesterol is an organic chemical substance and is considered as a waxy steroid fat.

Cholesterol is needed by our bodies for certain purposes and they are as follows:

• For building and maintain membranes. It makes sure that membrane fluidity is modulated according to certain body temperatures.

• It lowers the permeability of plasma membrane.

• It is needed for intracellular transport, cell signaling and nerve conduction.

• When in the liver, cholesterol is converted to bile and is then stored in the gallbladder. Bile actually has bile salts which makes fats soluble in the digestive tract and for absorption in the intestines.

• It is needed by fat-soluble vitamins which are vitamins A, D, E and K.

• It is an essential precursor molecule for synthesizing vitamin D and certain types of hormones.

Good Cholesterol:

As defined, cholesterol is a waxy steroid fat that our body produces but it is also found in most foods. Our bodies need cholesterol for certain functions. Because cholesterol cannot be dissolved in the blood, it needs to be transported through different parts of the body by carriers known as LDL or low-density lipoproteins or “bad cholesterol” and alpha-lipoprotein or HDL or “good cholesterol”. LDL is considered bad because it carries cholesterol to where it is not used but is rather stored in your body which will eventually be excess fat whereas HDL, the good cholesterol, carries cholesterol to your liver so that from there it can removed from your body’s system.

Bad Cholesterol:

LDL or Low-density lipoprotein carries cholesterol to the cells and from there, it produces hormones and builds new cells but when too much LDL is in the blood, it starts sticking to the walls of the arteries causing blockage in the flow of blood causing problems in the organs of the body depending on which artery is affected.

In order to find out if you are suffering from high levels of LDL cholesterol, you will have to undergo a blood test called lipid profile testing to determine if your LDL level is within normal limits. The test should come out with a result somewhere between 100 and 129 mg/dL but if it goes higher than that, your physician will recommend treatment.

Effects of Good and Bad Cholesterol to our Body

Good Cholesterol 

Now that we know the difference between good and bad cholesterol it’s time to find out how it affects our body. With the functions they have, we now understand that keeping high levels of good cholesterol is beneficial to our health because it improves our heart’s condition. But if bad cholesterol levels are high, we should be alarmed as to how it can have a negative impact on our health. We must remember that when HDL is high, LDL is low and vice versa.

• Blocked Arteries:

Because our bodies produce cholesterol, HDL actually composes ¼ of the blood cholesterol that we have but the good thing about it is it does not leave arterial plaques on the walls of the arteries compared to LDL. The explanation for this is because HDL happens to be much smaller and denser compared to LDL and it carries the lipids out of the bloodstream towards the liver until it is excreted. HDL does not just block arteries but it helps in removing arterial plaques by slowing down its growth on the arteries.

• Heart Diseases:

If we have high levels of HDL in our blood, we greatly lower the possibility of developing heart problems. We must have a level more than 40mg/dL in order to lower the risk of having a heart attack. There was even a study done that explained that good cholesterol actually has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties making it a good protector of the heart. It was also found that HDL has the ability to promote repair of epithelial tissue in the arterial walls.

• Lifestyle:

HDL and LDL levels are greatly affected with the lifestyle that we have. Studies show that smoking can actually lower HDL levels but if you quit, you may actually raise its levels by 10 percent. If you want to increase your HDL levels then you must engage in regular physical exercise. Foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids can also help in boosting the levels of HDL.

Foods that Contain Good Cholesterol

• Fruits:

Fruits are not only rich in vitamins and minerals but there are also specific kinds of fruits that have soluble fiber which helps in fighting bad cholesterol. Fruits such as apples, prunes and pears possess good cholesterol.

• Olive Oil:

Another great source of good cholesterol is olive oil. Although it can lower bad cholesterol it does not boost good cholesterol levels. In order to get the maximum effect of olive oil, you must consume 2 tablespoons of it in a day. You may use it by mixing it your salad or for cooking. As much as possible choose extra virgin olive oil because it’s much healthier.

High cholesterol 

• Fish:

There are actually specific kinds of fishes that have been tested and proven to help in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol. It is important to consume fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fishes such as salmon, sardines and tuna possess the essential fatty acids. Other excellent sources of omega-3 other than fishes are flaxseed and canola oil.

Foods that Contain Bad Cholesterol

• Dairy Products and Eggs:

Dairy products contain high quantities of LDL—whole milk, butter, cream and cheese are just a few of them. Because we use dairy products in making other kinds of food such as cream and whole milk, we need to be more cautious of what is being added to our foods and drinks as they can still increase LDL levels. A good way to avoid this is by going for skim milk rather than whole milk. A good substitute for butter would be margarine because butter contains really high amounts of saturated and trans fat but even better than margarine is olive oil and margarine. Egg yolks are the ones that have high levels of LDL, when eating egg it would be best to consume the egg whites only.

• Meat:

When it comes to eating meat we should really be careful as there are certain types of meat that contains concentrated LDL cholesterol particularly organ meats such as kidney and liver and to make it even worse is when they are fried. It would be best to go for lean cuts of meat and for poultry meat, have the skin removed. Eating fish is also a healthier option instead of eating fatty meat.

Salty and Sweet Snack Foods
Most snacks foods actually contain trans fat that comes in the deceiving form of hydrogenated or even partially hydrogenated oil. Be careful even if the food packaging says it does not contain trans fat because it still contains small amounts of it which can still increase LDL levels especially if it is eaten regularly.

Bad cholesterol 

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