Healthy Vegetarian Weight Loss - How to Lose Fat and Gain Energy

A healthy fat loss diet plan should not only help you lose fat but also help you gain energy. Check out these 9 do's and don'ts that hundreds of overweight vegetarians have followed and got amazing results. You too can effectively shed unwanted body fat and get more power when you apply them in your daily life.

Avoid alcohol. Alcohol packs a wallop of calories. If you keep it in your vegetarian diet, you can easily stock up excess calories in your fat tissues. Also, as it contains toxic substance, your liver needs to work hard to purge the toxins, draining unnecessary energy from your body. So, avoid it totally if you want to lose fat and gain energy as a vegetarian.

Avoid caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, soda pop. These beverages drain energy by flooding your body with stress hormones such as cortisol, which wears down your brain as well as other crucial organs and body systems. They make it more difficult for vegetarians to lose weight.

Drink only water. No beverages works better than water when it comes to shedding weight since water carries zero calories yet stimulates your metabolism. But make sure you drink just enough for proper hydration. Excessive water consumption can lead to water poisoning.

Eat nutrient-dense vegetarian diet for fat loss. When you feed your body with essential nutrients, it'll work optimally to manage your weight automatically. So, eat a variety of vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, seaweed, fruits and many other whole natural foods.

Macronutrient composition. Your meal should carry relatively low fat and high carb because our brain primarily runs on carb to keep it sharp and alert. As for protein, World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily intake of 5% of our daily calorie needs. For athletes, you may need a bit more like 7% protein.

Never skip breakfast. Whether you feel hungry or not, take your breakfast. If you're not so hungry in the morning, eat a smaller portion then. The key is, you must eat breakfast to fuel your morning activities.

Eat small regular meals and snacks. Doing so can prevent hunger and keep up your energy levels throughout the day.

Get enough rest. Failure to sleep enough can lead to metabolic disorder and hormonal imbalance regardless of whether you're on a healthy vegetarian diet or not. In most cases, you'll stock up more calories than you expend. So, sleep well and enough.

Exercise. Keeping a reasonably high carb intake can energize your workouts that not only improve your overall well-being, but also help you burn the excess fat off your belly, thighs and buttocks, thereby sculpting your body the way you want it to be.

Tip: When you take all these necessary steps and strategies to lose fat and gain energy as a vegetarian, remember not to lose grip on your cravings for junk food and high-calorie beverages, or you can easily end up undoing all the hard work.

Laura Ng recommends you to read her free program on healthy vegetarian weight loss that shows you the 5 essential steps to lose your unwanted excess body fat safely and healthily, without the side effects of having loose skin and weight rebound. Be sure to get more vegetarian tips to lose weight at iNotFat.com. You'll also improve your health, increase your energy levels and daytime performance when you follow her fat-busting techniques closely.


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Weight Training and Nutrition Periodization

By now, most folks have heard of the term "periodization", which is the scientific term for splitting a triathlon training year into periods and focusing on a specific performance or fitness goal for each specific period. Most triathlon programs that you find in books, magazines and the internet already use some form of periodization, but there are two sorely neglected components of a periodized model that do not receive adequate attention in triathlon programs: nutrition periodization and weight training periodization.

Since this article is being released in what for most folks is the off-season, now is a perfect time to briefly put a discussion of swimming, cycling and running on the back-burner, and instead focus on understanding how to properly structure weight training (for enhancing muscle recruitment, power and injury prevention) and nutrition (for enhancing weight loss, health and adequate energy).

Although there are a multitude of variations on the concept, a triathlon season is generally split into four periods: off-season, base training, build training and race peak/taper. If you use the same weight training volume and intensity, the same weight and the same number of repetitions all year long, you¹ll experience burnout and subpar weight training benefits. So just as you should make slight alterations or major changes to your swimming, cycling, and running routine, you should also modify (or "periodize") your weight training routine as the time of year changes. If you properly decrease sets, increase power, and incorporate more explosiveness as your high priority races draw near, you can allow your weight trained muscles to achieve peak performance on race day.

The same concept holds true for nutrition. Fueling your body for triathlon is not as simple as fueling a car. With a car, you simply put fuel in the gas tank when you¹re running low or when you¹re preparing for a long trip. But your body is different, since is has several different physiological systems, or ³engines², that you¹re fueling, and also three different types of fuel: fat, protein, and carbs. The key to nutrition periodization is to match the amount and timing of these three fuel types with the volume and intensity of your training and the seasonal time of year.

If this sounds complicated, then keep reading, because you can use the rules below to help guide you in properly periodizing both weight training and nutrition.

Off-Season Period:

Weight Training Periodization: If your goal is to develop muscle mass, tone muscle in a specific body area or part, or build significantly greater strength, this is the time to do it. Traditionally, the off-season is a time of year when there are few or no triathlons, and a triathlete is often engaged in other cross-training activities that go beyond swimming, cycling or running. 
Off-season weight training workouts should be performed in a set and repetition range designed for strength and muscular growth (hypertrophy), two crucial keys to injury prevention and foundation building. Because swimming, cycling and running are de-emphasized in the off-season, it is not as important during weight training to reduce overly fatiguing a muscle or producing soreness ­ instead, these effects are often necessary to achieve significant growth in muscle mass or strength. In the off-season, most weight training should include 3-6 sets of 10-15 reps, with the goal of completing 2-3 weight training sessions each week.

Nutrition Periodization: For most athletes, the off-season takes place during the winter. Not only does total training volume and intensity typically decrease during this time, but there is also increased prevalence of fatty foods, feasts and caloric excess. For cold weather athletes, there is also a completely natural propensity to gain body fat for insulation. Finally, most athletes who stay lean year-round have increased injury propensity and lower energy levels as they move forward into more focused training later in the season. 

Therefore, it is acceptable for the off-season nutrition period to allow slightly higher fat and total calorie intake (preferably from healthy, plant-based or non-processed fat sources), moderate protein intake, and relatively low carbohydrate intake. During the off-season period, carbohydrate/protein/fat percentage ratio should be approximately 30-40% carbs, 30-40% protein, and 30-40% fat.

Base Period:

Weight Training Periodizaton: A triathlete¹s weight training goal during the base season should be to develop strength and muscular coordination, while considering the added focus that will be placed on triathlon specific training, and the need for decreased soreness. 

Most triathlon training programs incorporate high amounts of swimming, cycling and running volume during base training (there are some exceptions to this rule, in which case, you may need to intelligently re-arrange the order of periods in this article), so the number of weight training workouts should decrease. Plyometrics, an explosive form of weight training, should not yet be introduced, as this method of training does increase risk of injury. Most workouts should include 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps, with a heaver weight than used in the off-season, and the goal of completing 1-2 weight training sessions each week.

Nutrition Periodization: This is traditionally the time of the season when you should be laying down the groundwork of aerobic conditioning (again, there are exceptions to this model, and the information in this article can be modified accordingly). Workouts are typically long and intensity fairly low, meaning that you¹re using quite a bit of fat for fuel, and a moderate amount of carbohydrates. The lower the intensity of your exercise, the more fat is used as a fuel for your ³low-intensity engine², and the harder you work, the more you turn to carbs as a fuel for your "high-intensity engine". 

Aside from weight training, not a significant amount of speed and force work is taking place during base training, so since there is decreased muscle damage and repair demand, protein needs are slightly lower. Compared to the off-season, however, the amount of fat should also be lowered as carbohydrate energy needs are increasing. Therefore, during base training, carbohydrate/protein/fat percentage ratio should be approximately 50% carbs, 20-30% protein, and 20-30% fat.

Build Period:

Weight Training Periodization: The build period of a triathlon training season typically increases in both the intensity and the volume of swimming, cycling and running. While it may seem logical to simultaneously increase intensity and volume of weight training, this can detract from triathlon sessions and increase risk of overtraining. Instead, like base training, weight training frequency should be maintained at 1-2 sessions each week, but with the flexibility to lift as infrequently as once per week. Most workouts should include 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps, with a heavier weight than used in base training, and should also begin to include a plyometric, explosive component ­ either performed separately or at the same time as the weight training session.

Nutrition Periodization: Your longer, harder triathlon training efforts are increasing in frequency, and you are spending a greater period of time at lactate threshold, at which the body's engine is engaged near peak carbohydrate utilization. As a result, fat needs will decrease, muscle recovery and protein needs will increase, and total caloric and carbohydrate needs will peak during the build phase. At this point in the triathlon season, carbohydrate/protein/fat percentage ratio should be approximately 55-65% carbs, 20-25% protein, and 15-20% fat.

Peak and Taper Period:

Weight Training Periodization: While strength and increased recruitment of muscle motor units can be built and maintained during off-season, build and base weight training periods, the goal during the peak and taper period prior to a race is simply to maintain neuromuscular coordination and peak power. During this period, when weight training sessions are performed properly, there should be little to no soreness or muscle failure, but a high amount of muscle fiber stimulation. All exercises should be performed explosively, with a lighter weight than used in previous periods. Most workouts should include 1-3 sets of 4-6 reps, with a continued plyometric component and a weight training frequency of 1-2 sessions each week.

Nutrition Periodization: Similar to build training, a continued need for higher carbohydrate intake will be present, with carbohydrate loading in the final days prior to the race bringing the triathlete close to maximum carbohydrate intake. In a traditional carbohydrate loading model, several days prior to the race, a higher fat and protein diet pre-dominate, followed by a gradual build in carbohydrate intake as the race draws near, so there can be a great deal of fluctuation in actual percentages during this period of the triathlon season. Therefore, 7-14 days from the race, carbohydrate/protein/fat percentage ratio should be approximately 30-40% carbs, 30-40% protein, and 30-40% fat, and gradually build to 75-80% carbohydrate, 10-15% protein and 10-15% fat 1-6 days from the race.

To summarize, weight training periodization for the triathlete should involve building a strength and injury prevention foundation, progress to a focus on strength and power, and finish with explosiveness and maintenance of maximum muscle recruitment. Nutrition periodization should involve increasing carbohydrate intake as energy needs increase, increasing protein intake as muscle damage increases, and gradually decreasing fat and protein intake as a race draws near.

Get even more information on this hot topic over at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, where you can grab a free book from author Ben Greenfield, jam-packed with over 75 pages of fitness, nutrition and human performance content. You'll also get instant access to a free weekly audio podcast, videos, free iPhone app and more!

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Nutrition Weight Loss - 3 Natural Weight Loss Drinks

With all the different diets and foods that claim to help you lose weight, how do you really know if you are getting enough nutrition? Nutrition and weight loss are a tricky combination, you have to make sure that what you take in will give your body the right vitamins and minerals it needs while not giving it calories and such. Drinks are of the same dilemma. Our bodies need liquid to survive and there are certain drinks that one cannot take in when trying to lose weight. There are on the other hand, good drinks - healthy and naturally helps our bodies lose weight. Which drinks are these? Read on to find out.

1. Vegetable Juice. Not as popular as fruit juice, vegetable juice actually has the same nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that fruit juice offers - minus the added sugars and calories. So basically, you get everything good that a fruit juice gives without giving your body the bad stuff. Vegetable juice is definitely a nutrition and weight loss drink in one.

Making your own vegetable juice would ensure the health benefits in your drink and also ensure that no added sugars are mixed in the drink. If you prefer store-bought vegetable juice though, pick varieties that have reduced sodium.

2. Black Coffee. Coffee is well known for its caffeine effect which helps us stay awake. Coffee has so much more benefits than just that though. For one, coffee has been proven to be good in weight loss. If drank black and in moderation, black coffee can help burn calories. According to nutritionist Anna Yuschak, "If (coffee) is consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before a workout, it can boost endurance and prolong fatigue, which aids in fat loss." Coffee, being a diuretic, also improves digestion and helps us eliminate. Aside from these, black coffee offers other extra benefits such as - having great amounts of antioxidants that help reduce the risk of cancer; so long as you don't put in a truck load of sugar into your coffee, it has a good amount of anti bacterial and anti adhesive qualities that prevent cavities; and as studies have shown, drinking coffee decreases a person's chances of developing Parkinson's disease by as much as 80%.

3. Good Old Natural Water. Water is good for numerous bodily functions such as digestion, respiration, and circulation. What is important to take note of though, is that it is great for weight loss as it is calorie free! Aside from it having zero calories, water helps us feel full and boosts our metabolism. Drinking at least eight 8oz glasses of water will surely be beneficial for everyone.

Who would have thought that nutrition and weight loss could easily be achieved through drinking natural and healthy drinks? Contrary to popular belief - drinking is good for your health! (So long as it involves vegetable juice, black coffee, and water - no alcohol please!)    

Are you having trouble with nutrition weight loss?

Click here to get free information on right nutrition for losing weight.

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Extreme Weight Loss - 7 Nutrition Tips To Lose Weight Fast

Whether you are a bodybuilder trying to shed fat for a competition, or somebody who drastically needs to drop weight in order to improve the quality of their life, this article is for you. If extreme weight loss is what you are after, then these 7 nutrition tips will help get you there in one piece. Apply this advice with consistency and you will never look back.

1. Calories - No matter what you do, calories are always going to count at the end of the day. You have to burn more than you take in or you will not drop any weight at all.

2. Deficits - Calorie deficits refer to how many calories you burned at the end of the day. Look at this from a weekly perspective. At the end of the week if you have burned 7,000 calories for example, you would see around a 1-kilogram reduction in bodyweight.

3. Don't Starve - If you think that you will drop weight by starving yourself, you are unfortunately incorrect. If you try to diet this way, your body will think that it is not being fed properly (which it isn't) and will store whatever you eat next as body fat.

4. Increase Protein - You will want to increase your protein intake if you are serious about extreme weight loss. Your body uses protein to repair and fuel your muscles before and after exercising. Generally, the higher protein diet you have, the leaner you will appear.

5. Protein and Weight Loss - The reason why protein is so beneficial to people trying to lose weight is because the body finds it hard to break down proteins, as compared to carbohydrates and fats. Therefore, your body will use more energy as a result of this and burn more fat.

6. The Effect of Glycogen - Without boring you with all of the details, glycogen plays a key role in weight loss. You should aim to empty your glycogen stores once every 2 weeks in order to maximize your progress. This is simple to perform: Every 2 weeks, eat no more than 90 grams of carbohydrates for 2 days.

7. Remember Healthy Fats - The human body finds it very hard to use its own body fat stores as energy if you aren't eating enough healthy fats everyday. Start cooking using coconut oil and eat fish at least 3 times per week to help ensure that this doesn't occur.

Nutrition is everything when it comes to weight loss and even general wellbeing. Now that you have these 7 tips under your belt, you have a better understanding of how bodybuilders and fitness models are able to achieve such extreme weight loss in such a short period of time.

John Stamford is a personal trainer, nutritionist and an expert in everything relating to fat loss. Visit his website in order to discover "One Tip That May Be Preventing You From Losing Fat", plus receive Free Updates for life at:

http://www.FatLossEnigma.com

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The Weight Loss and Nutrition Fad

Getting in shape and being thin is all people want these days but just being thin is not what is important. The weight loss and nutrition fad that is out there is not the healthiest one. We should not want to just "get thin." We should want to eat healthy, workout, and get the nutrition we need to then have weight loss.

Men and women have different body types. Men and women can not lose weight the same way, they have to take a different approach. Men naturally have faster metabolisms than women do. So, unfortunately, it is harder for women to lose weight. Due to this, many women feel that they need to starve themselves to get thin. This is not the right thing to do. This will actually only make your metabolism slower. When you have a slow metabolism, you won't lose weight. You'll just gain more back in the end.

So, how can you achieve proper weight loss & nutrition? There are many great diet plans out there to help you get started. In reality though, all you need to do is start eating the right foods and working out. Working out is not for everyone, so make it fun. Go for a bike ride with your family or just play catch in the backyard. Whatever you have to do to get up and get moving will work. Don't think that you have to go for long runs to get into shape. That is not what you have to do. Working out can be anything that involves physical activity. So, the slogan "eat less, move more" is so true.

As for the right foods to eat, we could go on forever. Fruits and vegetables at every meal along with protein and a little bit of carbs is great. Fruits are filled with antioxidants and other nutritional things to help you maintain a healthy body weight. We also recommend that you try to eat spicy foods. Spicy foods boost your metabolism and help you shed unwanted fat. This does not mean you have to eat jalapeños at every meal. Just add a little red pepper here and there and you should be set. The addition of healthy supplements on a daily basis is also recommended in order to make certain you are receiving a balanced daily requirement of nutritional food. Get started today and you'll see that you too can obtain weight loss & nutrition benefits.

If you want to learn more about weight loss and nutrition please click here:
http://www.healthandwealthsuccess.net

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Get Weight Loss Nutrition Bars

It is okay to indulge and eat our favorite foods sometimes, but not always. We all have that one dessert we can't live without and when we go to a cookout, of course we're going to eat a juicy hamburger. This is all okay in moderation. However, if you find yourself eating these foods very often, you may want to look into purchasing some weight loss nutrition bars.

Weight loss nutrition bars are great to have around the house. They contain protein and nutrients that we need and can substitute a small meal. The best part of the weight loss nutrition bars is that they actually taste good! A lot of diet food tastes like cardboard, but these taste very good.

There are many different types of weight loss nutrition bars. You should do some research online to see which kind you would like to try. 

You may not find your favorite the first time you buy them, so keep your options open. When you get the bars you'll notice that they often contain a little bit of chocolate in them. This is because chocolate is actually good for us in moderation. However, dark chocolate is the best as it lacks the cream of milk chocolate which brings more fat and calories.It has many good health benefits unless you eat it all of the time.

These healthy bars will help you get rid of that unwanted fat that you've been working on getting rid of for years. This is because they contain fat burning substances along with lean protein and just the right amount of carbohydrates that our bodies need to stay energized. 

When on a diet, most people are afraid to eat carbs. They think that carbs are the worst thing for you. This is not true because carbs are what keep us going. Without carbs, you won't be able to workout and make it through the day without feeling tired. But with the addition of nutritional bars in your daily schedule you will be amazed with the needed energy level needed for leading a productive life for all of us.

You should definitely look into getting weight loss nutrition bars when you are trying to lose some weight. They are nutritional and contain many of the substances our bodies need. When you eat weight loss nutrition bars, you are also not starving yourself like so many dieters do.

If you want to learn more about nutritional weight loss please click here: http://www.healthandwealthsuccess.net

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What Is Stress?

If stress is so bad for us, why have our bodies developed the stress

response in the first place? From an evolutionary standpoint, stress is

not only useful but also necessary for our very survival. For the first

200,000 years of humanity’s existence, stress was a useful mechanism

to get us physically prepared to hunt a wild animal, run for our lives,

fight an opponent, or survive a natural disaster such as a flash flood.

Greater physical strength from the adrenaline rush, sharper hearing

and vision, heightened brain function, and more energy to fight or

run were certainly useful.

The catch-22 is that stress is not meant to be a long-term condition

 of daily life. Our ancestors experienced the heightened physical

response of a stress reaction during times of real physical danger, discharged

their energy dealing with the problem, and then returned to a physiologically 

normal state. But in the modern world most of our stress, unless we are getting 

mugged at knifepoint in a dark alley,is psychological in nature.

Therefore it is difficult to make it go away

by an immediate action that discharges the stress. When you have

twenty hyperactive eight-year-olds over for a birthday party and suddenly

the power goes out and you find yourself in the dark, what can

you do except light candles, try to avoid burning down the house

when a child accidentally knocks one over, and somehow keep them

all safe and happy until their parents come to get them in two hours.

Yelling at the kids or banging on the kitchen counter with frustration

isn’t going to solve the problem.

MAXIMUM ENERGY FOR LIFE

Chemical Changes That Occur during Stress

When you find yourself in a situation that your body perceives as stressful, 

a number of chemical reactions occur that push certain body systems 

into higher gear by shutting down or cutting off energy to others.

1. Stress affects the cardiovascular system. The first to be affected is the

cardiovascular system. In the presence of danger, much of the blood in

your outer extremities is shunted to organs that need more oxygen,

such as the brain (the decision maker), the heart, and your other vital

organs, such as the lungs and the liver. The constricting of the blood

supply to your hands, arms, feet, and legs has another role—it decreases

your blood loss should you be injured. Your body also increases its production 

of endorphins and other pain-reducing chemicals so that you

won’t feel the injury as keenly as you normally would. When these

changes happen, your blood pressure rises, your pulse races, and your

heart must beat faster and harder to handle the strain. Adrenaline

causes glucose and fat to be released from your tissues to give your body

a much-needed energy surge in case you must fight or flee.

2. Some systems shut down. This enormous surge of energy comes

at a price, however. Certain other bodily systems must be shut down

somewhat in order to compensate. Your reproductive system, which

is normally very energy intensive, is suspended so that its energies

can be directed elsewhere. In the short term, this isn’t a bad thing,

since you would never think about fighting off the cave bear and

making love to your mate at the same time. But you can see how

living in a constant state of stress would erode your libido over the

long term.

3. How cortisol affects the body. Another chemical downside following 

the release of stress hormones is that cortisol accumulates in

your body. As the adrenaline rush that released fat and glucose as an

energy source subsides, the stress hormone cortisol becomes active,

causing insulin to be released to stimulate your appetite so that you

can replenish your fat stores. Since most of us don’t reach for an

apple or a piece of swordfish when we are ravenous, this usually leads

to craving a quick carbohydrate snack such as candy, pizza, cookies,

ice cream, or high-carbohydrate fast foods. Unfortunately, living

with a high level of daily stress causes the body to produce a consistently 

high level of cortisol, leading to overeating and weight gain,

especially in the all-important abdominal area in men.

The Stress Connection

No one can avoid stress. It will be with you, in one form or another,

every day of your life—within your working relationships and when

you are at home, with friends, on the freeway, in a crowded department 

store, or watching the evening news. Stressors, great and small,

surround us at every turn.

Suppose your alarm clock fails to go off one morning and you

discover that you have overslept by half an hour. You shake your husband 

awake, leap out of bed, take a five-minute shower, skip your

makeup, and pull a brush through your hair. Somehow you manage

to get both kids dressed, fed, and out the door to the school bus. But

you have no time for coffee and your own breakfast, so you start the

day hungry and not looking your best. When you get to work, you

find out that your secretary is out sick, so you must answer your own

phone and deal with tasks that you would normally allocate to him.

Somehow you get through the morning. But when you come up

for air, you remember that the Tuesday noon staff meeting has been

switched to Monday. Your secretary would normally have reminded

you of this, but he isn’t there. The quiet lunch you planned is out, so

you order a sandwich from the deli and wolf it down in five minutes.

All through the meeting you have indigestion.

On your way home you stop at the gas station to fill your nearly

empty tank. There is a line of cars waiting and you notice that gas

prices have gone up another ten cents per gallon. When you stop by

the bank, both of the ATM machines aren’t working, so you have to

go inside and wait in line to get some cash. When you stop by the

grocery store to pick up something for dinner you buy prepackaged,

frozen entrées because you are just too tired to cook. Your cell

phone rings and it’s your husband telling you that he’s stuck at the

office and won’t be home for a couple of hours. When you get home,

the nanny is on the phone with her boyfriend and the kids are fighting

in the living room. You speak more sharply than you’d like to the

nanny, quiet the kids and give them dinner, then eat with your husband 

when he gets home at nine. You both watch half an hour of television 

and fall into bed exhausted.

Everyone’s life is filled with small stressful episodes like this.

None of them, taken individually, will kill you. But over time the

effects of constant stress become cumulative, causing your health,

well-being, and energy levels to deteriorate. Stress causes wear and

tear on the body, keeping you on edge, giving you heartburn and a

jumpy stomach, making it difficult for you to sleep soundly at night,

unbalancing your hormone levels, elevating your pulse rate, and

making you cranky and irritable. It also makes you more susceptible

to colds, flu, and more serious types of disease by lowering the efficiency 

of your immune system. If you factor in lifestyle choices such

as being overweight, drinking too much, poor nutritional habits,

and not exercising, you are only increasing the long-term effects of

stress, both physically and emotionally.

The trick is learning how both to manage stress and to raise your

stress threshold. Minor incidents add up over a long time until they

do as much damage to your mind and body as one major, traumatic

incident. If you don’t learn to release stress daily or find a way to

make it work for you over the long haul, eventually stress will make

you sick or even kill you. It will certainly rob your life of energy, joy,

motivation, and fulfillment.

5 Healthy Food Combinations

When you think of what to eat with peanut butter, a PB&J sandwich probably comes to mind. What about tortilla chips? Chances are that you think of salsa or cheese dip to pair with them. These foods are meant to go together simply because they taste good. However, some foods pair well as being not just tasty but healthy food combinations. Certain foods have one nutrient but not another and combining those with foods that contain nutrients they lack will produce health-promoting benefits. Each food has specific components that help your body more than eating either food alone.

1. Spinach and oranges 
If you're concerned about your iron intake, this is the perfect healthy food combination for you. Vitamin C aids your body with absorbing iron more efficiently. Combining vitamin C rich foods (like oranges) with iron-containing foods (like spinach) may improve the iron levels in your blood. An easy way to combine fruits and vegetables is by making salads-they're simple to prepare and nutritious!

2. Yogurt and oatmeal
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day so do your body a favor and jump start your digestive system in the morning by combining these powerful foods. Eating the two together will provide your body with prebiotics and probiotics-prebiotics are fuel for the healthy bacteria in your gut whereas probiotics are the actual bacteria. Prebiotics are found in high-fiber foods like oatmeal, and probiotics are found in fermented foods like yogurt.

3. Brown rice and beans
This is a very healthy food combination especially if you're a vegetarian. Both foods are incomplete sources of protein. When eaten alone, they don't contain all of the essential amino acids that your body needs. But when you combine beans with any source of whole grain, you will receive optimal protein.

4. Olive oil and vegetables
Both of these foods contain high levels of antioxidants, so combine them together to get even more! They are also very nutrient dense and will provide you with plenty of nutrients in a relatively small portion.

5. Lean meats and whole grains
If you're an avid athlete or just like working out a lot, this food combination is perfect for you. Eating lean meats and whole grains together will help repair your muscles and cells, regulate your blood sugar and give your body fuel to recover. They are simple to eat together-all you have to do is make a sandwich or wrap!

Of course all of these foods are healthy when eaten alone; they just offer a few extra benefits when combined with other healthy items. Try them all to see what you like the best!

PSCLife.com wants to help you live life to the fullest! Stop by our health blog for tips, stories and information on all things YOUR health. Shop our site for low cost, innovative health supplements that will enhance your mind and body.

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Healthy Recipe for Chicken Cacciatore

Here's my first recipe . I love this recipe because it's easy and it's packed with vitamins and minerals. Be sure to check out the notes at the bottom of the page for information on nutrition, cost, and versatility of this dish.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

(chicken was fed all vegetarian diet, no hormones or steroids added, cage free - see cost note below)

½ medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 small organic green pepper, chopped (see cost note below)

1 T canola oil

15 oz tomato sauce

14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes

2 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp oregano

½ tsp pepper

6 cups cooked brown rice

In a skillet, cook the chicken, onion, garlic, and green pepper in oil until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve over rice.

NUTRITION

calories = 333

fat = 4.9 grams

saturated fat =.5 grams

sodium = 427 mg

fiber = 4.5 grams

protein = 21 grams

COST

6 servings - $1.90 per serving (Midwest prices)

Bell peppers are on the dirty dozen list. Buying an organic pepper and vegetarian fed, cage free chicken cost only an additional.64 cents per serving

VERSATILITY

Add any vegetables and spices you enjoy. If peppers are not your thing, swap them out for zucchini, broccoli, or any other vegetable.

TIME SAVINGS

Slow cooking rice takes up to 45 minutes to cook. It can be made ahead of time (like the weekend) and stored in the refrigerator or freezer - ready to be heated and used.

Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also "like" Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.

Copyright 2012 Chickpea Wellness, LLC

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6810088

Healthy Recipe for Stuffed Potatoes

It all started when my local grocery store put a whole sack of potatoes on sale for $1.50. I couldn't pass that up. I also wasn't sure what I was going to do with all those tubers. Now, white potatoes have certainly gotten a bum rap in the last few years. Why? Essentially for two reasons. 

One, white potatoes hit fairly high on the glycemic index. Simply put - they have a strong impact on blood sugar which can be a concern for diabetics or for those who eat tons of white potatoes. Secondly, potatoes are most often prepared in unhealthy ways: deep fried or gobbed with sour cream, butter, and cheese. Consider this, despite the bad reputation, potatoes are a low-calorie source of fiber, potassium, protein, vitamin C and iron. Couple that with some vegetables and lean protein in my stuffed potato recipe and you've got an inexpensive, healthy and hearty dinner for the winter.

STUFFED POTATOES
4 medium baking potatoes
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and chopped
1 bag mixed vegetables (steam in the bag)
1 can low-sodium cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder

Scrub potatoes and pierce each several times with a fork. Cook in the microwave until tender - about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for ½ hour. In the meantime, steam the vegetables in the microwave according to package directions and preheat the oven to 350º F. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides into a large bowl. Add the soup, chicken, cooked vegetables, and seasonings. Stir until combined. Place the potato halves on a cookie sheet. Scoop the mixture evenly into the 8 halves. Bake 15 minutes until heated through.

Nutritional information for each ½ potato
calories: 200
saturated fat: 1 g
fiber: 3.5 g
protein: 17 g

Betsy McGuire invites you to visit http://www.chickpeawellness.com/ and sign up to receive her mind, body, and spirit blog the day entries are made. You can also "like" Chickpea Wellness on Facebook and receive new articles on your wall.

Copyright 2012 Chickpea Wellness, LLC

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7358932

Extra Shake Weight Exercises

Fitness IQ, LLC, the makers of the Shake Weight® dumbbell, released a 6-minute workout DVD to accompany their product. However, for extreme fitness enthusiasts and individuals already in good physical condition, the 6-minute workout may not be enough. In this article, you will find a simple description of the original exercises, modifications to add to their intensity, as well as six extra exercises to maximize the use of the dynamic inertia dumbell.

The Original Exercise, Intensified

First, let's begin by adding intensity to the original manufacturer-suggested exercise. The original exercises devised as part of the 6-minute workout are still valuable, and make up a crucial part of an overall extreme workout. The three exercises are:

1. Standing Chest Exercise
2. Standing Bicep Exercise
3. Standing Tricep Exercise

If these 3 basic exercises become too easy, try this modification. For the first 30-second set on each exercise, stand on the balls of your feet with your calves flexed (i.e. on your "tippy toes") and focus on stabilizing your balance while shaking the weight. For the second 30-second set, perform the motion while in a squat position. By changing your stance during the exercise you force your leg muscles to join in the benefit of the dumbbell's dynamic inertia.

The Extreme Exercise

In addition to the original exercises, we recommend extending the 6-minute workout with six new exercises that are far more intense and target a wider range of muscle groups-including legs and core. Here are six different exercises you can do with your Shake Weight:

1. Lunge Exercise
   
   While in a lunge position, hold the shake weight between your legs and shake side-to-side (parallel to the floor) while stabilizing your body with core muscles.


2. Standing Shoulder & Back Exercise
   
   Standing upright, hold the Shake Weight in an extended arm out to one's side and shake up-and-down (perpendicular to the floor).


3. Standing Isolated Bicep Exercise
   
   Standing upright, hold the Shake Weight in your bent arm. Holding your elbow fixed at your rib cage, shake the weight up-and-down.


4. Ab & Chest Exercise
   
   Lying on your back, raise your legs and shoulder blades off the floor in a static "crunch" position. Then, hold the Shake Weight in front of your chest and move in an oscillating motion (similar to the standard chest exercise).


5. Ab & Oblique Exercise
   
   In the same static crunch position, hold the Shake Weight with an overhand grip just above your waist line and shake side-to-side, stabilizing your body with core muscles.


6. Plank Bicep Core Exercise
   
   In a plank (push-up) position, hold the shake weight in one bent arm while supporting your body weight with the other extended arm. Shake the weight in similar style to a bicep exercise.

Randall Cook
Fitness Fanatic
Shake Weight Extreme
http://www.shakeweightextreme.com/shake-weight-exercises/ "Shake Weight" is a registered trademark of Fitness IQ, LLC

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6363302

Hula Hoop Exercises For Weight Loss? Yes, If You Don't Make This 1 Mistake

Listen, you may not know this, but the hula hoop may be 1 of the best and cheapest weight loss pieces of equipment you can ever buy. But beware... if you make this 1 mistake, you are probably not getting the most out of your hula hoop.

You don't need many hula hoop exercises to lose weight, but you do need to do this for maximum weight loss...

For maximum weight loss using hula hoop exercises, you must use the hula hoop in short bursts... 2 minutes at a time. Using a hula hoop in just 1 session is a mistake. Your metabolism gets much more of a boost doing short mini-workouts throughout the day.

Now, to begin with, 2 minutes or less is probably all you'll be able to do before you get tired. That's fine.

But once you get good, be sure to stop after 2 minutes. Rest a bit, then do another 2 minutes as fast as you can go.

What I like to do is this... I use 2 minute tv commercials to exercise. I've found this to be best for results... as well as best for my busy schedule. This allows me to watch tv and relax, but still workout for about 22 minutes over 1 hour. (Note: There are about 22 minutes of commercials and dead time during a 1 hour tv show.)

Hula Hoop Exercises

There is only 1 hula hoop exercise that you need to do. Simply twirl it around your waist. You don't need to get fancy or anything. That's it.

I think hula hoops are awesome and under-appreciated. Besides mini-trampolines, they are fast becoming my favorite exercise equipment to use. I already have a toned body, but I've notice some nice little improvements in my waist and hips since adding the hula hoop to my 2 minute tv commercial exercise program.

So you don't need to get complicated and use many hula hoop exercises... you only need 1. Just do this 1 exercise during tv commercials everyday for about 20 minutes. Do that and I dare you to email me saying it didn't help improve your body in less than 3 weeks.

Jennifer Jolan is a popular weight loss consultant and author of the best selling "Ultimate Diet Guide" ebook. She has helped over 3,700 women with her intensive 1 on 1 email coaching.

If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success".

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. http://www.weightlossguide4women.com

If you need some personal weight loss advice, you can contact me at my website email.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1114741

Home Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly - 5 Tips

Exercise is an important part of any weight loss regimen. But with busy schedules, we all want to know which exercises will help us lose the most weight quickly.

Broadly, there are two types of exercises: aerobic and strength training (or anaerobic), and each one contributes differently to weight loss. Aerobic exercise burns fat calories while you are engaged in the exercise itself. On the other hand, strength training primarily contributes to weight loss by helping to increase the speed of your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the number of calories your body burns while you are at rest. Your RMR actually increases (i.e., burns more calories) the more muscular your body is because it takes much more energy to maintain muscles than it does to maintain fat.

Important note: remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so some strength training exercises will make you healthier and more attractive while not necessarily contributing to weight loss. But, muscles are a "good" kind of weight and you should aim to build more muscle in order to help keep body fat at bay.

Here are 5 tips for exercises - both aerobic and strength training - you can do at home to lose weight quickly.

Tip #1: Squats: Your buttocks and leg muscles are the largest muscles in your body. Every day in front of the mirror, put your feet at shoulder width while facing forward and squat down-and-up 10-20 times for 2 or 3 sets. This will build your leg and buttock muscles. As you build up strength, try holding 2 or 5 pound dumbbells in your hands while you work out. Be sure to warm up first, and stop if you notice any sharp pain in your knees.

Tip #2: Pushups: Pushups are a form of strength training: during a pushup your arms have to support up to 70% of your body weight. Do 2 or 3 sets of 20 pushups to build arm strength and increase your RMR.

Tip #3: Jumping jacks: Jumping jacks are an excellent whole-body aerobic workout you can do right at home. Do 4 or 5 sets of 20 jumping jacks, or as needed. Hint: if you live in an apartment or stay in a second-story bedroom, be considerate of your neighbors by going outside or doing these in a first story room.

Tip #4: Fast walking: While walking is in itself a great aerobic exercise, fast walking is even better for burning fat. Make sure you really stretch first and warm up with regular walking. Once you start your faster walking pace, try to maintain as much speed as possible for as long as you can. If you get tired, try doing intervals of fast walking followed by short periods of slower walking.

Tip #5: Stepping: Stepping is a great way to get your heart beating and to burn calories. You can use your stairs at home, but for best results I suggest buying specialized stackable step mats and stack them up to at least 15 inches (38 cm). Do 2 to 3 sets of 20 steps each to begin. Even though you may not feel like the stepping is helping, it is! This exercise will not only help you lose weight but will also help shape up your buttocks and legs.

An important element in a strategy to lose weight quickly at home is to do a combination of exercises that build muscles (strength training) while burning fat (aerobic exercises). Start a regimen of most or all of these exercises 2-3 days/week and watch the unhealthy fat melt away.

Looking to burn more fat, faster? Try a proven new formula for success: The Diet Solution Program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/748075

Fast Exercises to Lose Weight Within 2-5 Days!

Here are 2 really fast weight loss exercises to lose weight in just a few days. You can forget about jogging and all that other typical cardio nonsense, these exercise are WAY BETTER.

Fast Weight Loss Exercises to Lose Weight

1. Quickest way to lose weight with exercise is to do hindu squats

Sounds like something hard? Nope, it's not hard at all. It's really simple. Do you know how to squat? If yeah, then all you do is squat... but do it as fast as you can and do it over a period of 5 minutes. No weights are needed. Just you and your body.

To get the most out of this exercise, try to do it non-stop. People who average 20+ squats a minute and over 100 squats in 5 minutes are the ones who get unbelievably fast fat loss results.

One tip... if you can't quite do 100 squats in 5 minutes, then build up to doing the whole 5 minutes by starting with doing fewer minutes but averaging at least 20 squats per minute. Slowly build up from there.

2. Jumping on a mini-trampoline 2 minutes at a time

This is a quick way to lose weight without even sweating. And the best part is you can do these during tv commercials since they last about 2 minutes. In fact, if you have a favorite 1 hour tv show, just watch that show and do this during all the commercials. You'll get in an easy 20 minutes of exercise that way.

These are 2 fast weight loss exercises to lose weight at a rate that is beyond anything you can do at a gym even though you never have to leave your home to do them.

If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and blah blah blah",...

Click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com to get your FREE EBOOK "How SPINNING Around Like a Child TRIPLES your Weight Loss". A strange, but true, way to LOSE 10 pounds in 2 weeks. I'm giving away this report today and tomorrow ONLY to anyone who visits my website! So get it before tomorrow night.

If you're truly serious about losing weight, then go to the link below to get your free report now. If you don't lose 10 pounds... I'd be QUITE surprised! http://www.weightlossguide4women.com

Jennifer Jolan

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1415420

Want To Lose Weight Without Stress? Try These Effective Weight Loss Tips

There is a lot of information out there on the best ways to slim down. As a result, many people are confused about what they should do. The article below shares practical advice for losing weight and keeping it off. While these are of course only a few suggestions, they should prove a good starting point.

Once you've eaten your breakfast, try only drinking water throughout the day. It's very healthy to drink water since it contains no sugar, fat, calories or artificial additives. It helps purify your body of unwanted chemicals and elements. Once breakfast is over, sticking to water only until your next meal will go a long way in helping you to lose weight.

Do not skip your meals. Make sure to consume three regular sized meals or five small meals each day. You can work in a snack here and there, but keep it small so that you still have room for your regular meals. This helps produce harmony to your body for top functionality.

A good way to stay motivated is to find a friend to pair up with during your weight loss journey. You can provide each other with encouragement and motivation when one of you gets lazy, and contact each other for support when tempted by the lure of unhealthy foods. Another person can also evaluate what went wrong if you fail, and possibly suggest an alternative strategy. You and your partners should also celebrate your progress.

Try using a pedometer to calculate how many steps you are taking each day when trying to shed some pounds. You should be taking at least 10,000 steps each day. If you are aware of how many steps you are taking you will be able to try to do more. Depending on your weight, walking 10,000 steps can burn anywhere from 250 to 600 calories, so every step you take gets you closer to reaching your target weight.

Keep a good variety throughout your dieting. This is an excellent way to help lose weight. Eating the same meals on a continual basis becomes monotonous and may cause you to lose your taste for them, thereby making it more difficult to maintain your weight loss regimen. Eat foods from all the food groups. Don't deprive yourself; just eat your favorite foods in moderation.

Maintain an exercise routine. Go out and join the neighborhood gym if you can afford to. There are lots of alternatives like jogging, Tai Chi or walking. If you have health issues, make sure that you consult a doctor before beginning a workout regimen. You can perform many different exercises at home during the day to stay healthy.

Make substitutions to change what you are eating. Examine your favorite high-calorie recipes and see what you can do so that they are healthier. Substitute the butter you use with vegetable oil spread. Rather than sour cream, use fat-free yogurt. Altering your foods can provide a fresh alternative and new addition to your meals.

Avoid food before going to bed. Stop eating at least 2 hours before your regular bedtime. If you must eat something, choose vegetables and water. There will be moments when you are unable to live by the 2 hour rule, however, do everything you can to keep those to a minimum. You are more likely to store fat when your body is not active.

Try using your leftovers from dinner to pack yourself a nice lunch. When you're making dinner, cook extra for the following day's lunch. You can create many different meals by making sandwiches with your leftovers. Leftovers are an easy solution to a healthy lunch.

Have a concrete plan in place to manage your stress. Stress is a major cause of obesity, as stress leads directly to emotional eating. Learn to cope with stress in healthy ways. Emotional eating is only a temporary coping mechanism, and it's important to replace it with activities that don't affect your health.

Thanks to the multitude of weight loss related tips that exist, weight loss can be confusing. Do not pick a complicated weight loss program, at first. Start with simple, healthy changes to your diet.

For more information on how you can shed those pounds without stress, visit http://rapidfatlossproduct.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7176974

Tips To Help You Lose Weight And Feel Terrific

Losing weight isn't about going on a short-term "diet" and then forgetting everything you've learned during the process. In order to lose those extra pounds and then keep them off, you need to make some permanent lifestyle changes. This article contains some advice on what changes you should make to help you lose that weight.

Avoid Tran's fats and high fructose corn syrup; they're not good for you anyway doing away with these foods will eliminate a lot of the "bad foods" you eat outright. You will have to become more selective in what you eat by avoiding these two nasty ingredients you will be closer to your weight-loss goals

If you have tried losing weight before and always get discouraged, it is important not to give up. Start with a very small change, such as purchasing walking shoes or starting a journal. Do something that is easy and will not be hard for you to stick with. Studies show that you are three times more likely to follow through if you start with a small gesture.

It is important to start small when you want to lose a lot of weight. You need to take steps towards your ultimate weight loss goal, but you need to make sure that you are able to actually reach these steps. As you reach each step, you will feel more and more confident in your weight loss journey.

Continue to eat the foods that you love, but reduce the potion sizes. Weight loss is achieved by consuming less calories per day than what your body needs in order to survive and perform, therefore, there is no reason why you can't continue to eat your favorite dishes as long as you reduce the quantity that you eat.

Consider making weight loss into a fun adventure instead! Break up your workout routine by going out dancing instead. If you stay away from sugar-laden drinks and calorie-ridden chasers, you'll be burning calories all night. Who knows? You might even catch somebody's eye. Either way, you'll have fun with friends and sweat it out at the same time!

When losing weight you may want to try to switch to green tea in lieu of sodas or sugary drinks. Green tea does contain caffeine so if concurrently you are cutting your intake of caffeine opt for decaffeinated green tea. Green tea can help raise your metabolism and has many useful antioxidants that help your immune system.

You can incorporate more vitamins and nutrients into your diet, by juicing at home. Purchase a home juicer (it doesn't have to be expensive) and try making yourself a fresh glass of juice every morning. Experiment with different combinations that you like and you will have more energy and have a stronger immune system to boot.

To assist you with losing weight you should join an online weight loss community. Here, you will gain the support of a number of people with different backgrounds. You may come across methods of weight loss that you have never discovered previously that work for you. This is especially helpful if you do not have anyone local to support you.

To make sure your snacks are healthy, keep fresh produce in sight. Get a big bowl of in-season fruit and set it on your counter. Stock the drawers in your fridge with celery and carrots. When a healthy snack is the first thing, you see, it's more likely to be the snack that you choose.

As was stated above, weight loss is a matter of making lifestyle changes, not short-term ones. Knowing what changes to make is half the battle; the rest is up to you. Apply some of the tips from this article and you will be on track to a healthier, happier you.

The author writes content in the self help category he currently enjoys reading inspirational quotes from the bible, go to his site at http://www.themessiahspurpose.com/blog-2/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7500368