Benefits of Resistance Training

Do you want to have a stronger and more beautiful body? Then the best thing to do is get on your feet and start doing the resistance training.

What Is Resistance Training?

Resistance training involves activities that use weights, machines and even body weight to work out the muscles properly. It is also known as strength training or weight training. This can be very helpful in achieving a healthier body.

This kind of training is usually associated with athletes who have to build up their bodies. Most people would think that when resistance training is done, the body will grow bigger. Actually it will not. Resistance training is simply about increasing the strength of the body, not its size.

Actually, this can be practiced by anyone. It basically builds and tones the muscle to give the body a better look. This training program is even very much advisable to the elders. The usual training programs undergone by the elders are standing free-weights resistance or the moderate-intensity seated machine training.

How Does Resistance Training Work?

A resistance training program will include the use of various exercise equipment and machines like the bench press, dumbbell or barbell. When the equipment is used, the muscles of the body will be pitted against the weight. The cells of the body will then adapt to the extra weight. This will then result to hypertrophy or the enlarging and increasing of the nerve cells to help in the muscle contraction.

Before doing any resistance training, it will be best to consult first with the doctor. This goes especially for people who have medical conditions or are overweight. This kind of training is not something that you can explore on your own. You have to know the proper equipment for the needs of your body. The body must also be conditioned first before taking in the weights.

Resistance training can also be done without resorting to the equipment. Doing push-ups is one good example. You can do it just about anywhere where there is enough space for you to move. This time it is your own body weight that will be pitted against the muscles. So those who are a bit constrained in the budget can still do resistance trainings.

What Are the Benefits of Resistance Training?

1. Increase Bone Mineral Density
Bones are constantly remodeling, meaning the tissues break down at the same time they build up. The peak of remodeling takes place during puberty. However, as a person ages, there may be problems with the bone mineral density as the remodeling may not be as active anymore. This is especially a problem to post-menopausal women.

Bone mineral density is usually supported by the hormones. To address the problem of not having the hormones to maintain the bone mineral density, physical activity is the next best option. Resistance training is one physical activity that can address this.

2. Increase Strength
Strong bones and strong muscles will be developed as you undergo the resistance training program.

3. Increase the Range of Activities
When your body is strong enough to carry some considerable weight, then definitely you will also be capable of doing more strenuous activities. You are less likely to be lazy and you can live a more active lifestyle.

4. Reduce the Body Fat
Pitting the weights on your muscle will definitely give it the body the exercise it needs and get rid of the undesirable fats. Thus expect the tone of the body to improve. Even more, expect the body to look better, to be leaner.

5. Improve State of the Elders
For the elderly, undergoing a resistance training program will help improve their health and decrease the risks brought about by the age. They can be more independent, without needing to rely on other people for doing simple things. Being able to do so will also decrease the risk of injuries in the elders

6. Improve Heart Condition
Regularly doing resistance training can result to a lowered heart rate and lowered blood pressure, especially after exercise. The risk of heart diseases is reduced to a considerable extent.

This kind of training however must be properly done. It requires commitment and consistency. It will have to be done in a regular basis, following a schedule that the doctor or the physical trainer would recommend. If done incorrectly, the benefits of the program may not be enjoyed and it can even result the injury.

The key here is to simply take your time. Do things one step at a time correctly. As your body condition improves, then move on to more challenging tasks. The strength of the body and its overall look are at stake in the resistance training. So you better be sure to do it properly.

Benefits of Cardio Training

Being fit and healthy is the in thing. Actually, it really never goes out of style. That body is the most valuable asset you could have in your lifetime. Thus it is important that you take good care of it. Give it the proper attention it needs.

When it comes to ensuring and maintaining the health, the best option is to do cardio training.

What Is Cardio Training?

Cardio training involves any activity that requires the use of the large muscle groups of the body in a regular and uninterrupted manner. It elevates the heart rate between 60 to 85 percent of the fastest heart rate you could get.

Some of the usual cardio training activities are walking, jogging, running, aerobics, cycling, tae bo, swimming and rowing. Cardio training is considered an aerobic exercise as one is required to move from one exercise to another.

What Are the Benefits of Training?

1. Gives Energy to the Body
You can expect more energy and higher endurance after some time of regular cardio training.

2. Prevents Diseases
One could prevent heart diseases with regular cardio training. It is also helpful in preventing other variety of diseases like diabetes, obesity and even high cholesterol. The cardiovascular training strengthens the heart and the lungs. The low to moderated type of cardio exercises are required for people seeking to prevent diseases. Examples of these are walking, brisk walking or jogging.

3. Control Your Weight
With cardio training, you are able to burn more calories. This will help one who needs to lose weight. While those who already achieved their ideal body mass, the training will make it easier to control the weight.

Cardio training helps burn calories. However this generally depends on your current weight and the kind of cardio training you are undergoing. Better consult this matter with your physician or trainer, to know the proper type of training for your needs.

4. Lose Body Fats
Some people do not have problem with their weights. However, there may be some excess fats that keep bothering. Cardio training will help in getting rid of those. The activities involve the movements of large muscle groups. Regularly doing the training will make you leaner.

5. Get Rid of Boredom
Cardio training is fun. It pumps up your system. You will definitely feel more energized and on the go.

Recommendations to Better Enjoy the Benefits of Cardio Training

Cardio training is essential when you need to make health improvements. For starters, it is best to do the 30 to 45 minutes of exercises, 3 to 5 days a week. If you are aiming for weight loss, the training must be done 5 days a week. The more frequent you do it; the more likely it is that you will lose weight. However, avoid exhausting yourself too much in exercise. Avoid going beyond 45 minutes. Remember, it has to be done in a regular basis.

Start now. Walk or ride the bike around the neighborhood now. Follow that aerobics video you purchased. Set a goal and follow that goal. At the same time, modify your diet too. Eat healthy food.

As you increase in the fitness level, the intensity of the training must also increase. This is to have an area of variation and there should always be room for improvement. Implement this by intensifying some parts of the training. If you are into jogging or running, increase speed every 5 minutes for at least a minute or two. It is important that you challenge yourself, so as not to be stuck in a stump.

Avoid doing the cardio exercises before bedtime. You will have a difficult time sleeping if you do so as the energy level of the body will stay high for sometime.

If you are undergoing weight training too, do the cardio exercises right after, not before.

It is best to take a snack 30 minutes before doing the cardio exercises. Do not start with training in an empty stomach. This will not help in achieving the proper momentum when you train. At the same time, avoid indulging in large meals too before exercise. Just give your body the proper supply it will need to sustain exhausting movements.

It is good to do the cardio exercises outdoors. This way you can easily interact with nature and breathe fresh air. You can also simply enjoy going around the neighborhood as you get your system healthier by the minute. It is possible to make some friends among the people who also do their exercises.

Be consistent and stick with the training once you have started it. This is the only way that cardio training will benefit your body and your health in the long run.

Benefits of Cardio Interval Training

In a long-term study of the health of the people of in the United States, the U.S. Public Health Service documented the chances of developing heart disease among various groups in the population. Long before the any symptoms appeared, epidemiological research could identify high-risk groups.

Among the highest risk factors are male sex, age over 35, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high levels of certain blood fats, and a family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Other researchers have added to this list another risk factor: the compulsive, hard-driving, highly anxious personality. The greater the number of severity, the greater the person’s overall risk.

These threats to the heart can be divided into two main categories: those beyond individual control, such as age, sex, and heredity, and those that can be controlled, avoided, or even eliminated. Among those in the second category are what cardiologists call “the triple threat.” These are the high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and high cholesterol levels in the blood.

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, your risk of having a heart attack is twice that of a nonsmoker. If you smoke, have hypertension, and eat a diet high in fats without any exercise at all, your risk is five times greater than normal.

The Healthy Heart

If these risk factors endanger the heart’s health, what enhances its well-being and improves its odds of working long and well?

Obviously, quitting cigarettes and eating a low-fat diet will help. The next best thing you can do for your heart’s sake is to give it what it needs: regular exercise or a complete cardio interval training.

The heart is a muscle, or, more accurately, a group or “package” of muscles, similar in many ways to the muscles of the arms and legs. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it enhances the health of the heart muscles as well.

Since World War II, several large-scale statistical studies have evaluated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. One well-known survey compared 31,000 drivers and conductors of some bus companies. The more sedentary drivers had a significantly higher rate of heart disease than the conductors, who walked around the buses and climbed stairs to the upper level.

The why and how behind these statistics were bet explained by classic experiments with dogs whose coronary arteries were surgically narrowed to resemble those of humans with arteriosclerosis. Dogs who were exercised were had much better blood flow than those kept inactive.

The exercise seemed to stimulate the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so exercised dogs had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart reacts in the same way to provide blood to the portion that was damaged by the heart attack.

To enable the damaged heart muscle to heal, the heart relies on new small blood vessels for what is called collateral circulation. These new branches on the arterial tress can develop long before a heart attack — and can prevent a heart attack if the new network takes on enough of the function of the narrowed vessels.

With all these facts, it is now boiled down to a single question: What should be done in order to prevent such dilemmas?

Some studies showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice often.

The general rule is that exercise helps reduce the risk of harm to the heart. Some researches further attested the link between exercise and healthy heart based from the findings that the non-exercisers had a 49% greater risk of heart attack than the other people included in the study. The study attributed a third of that risk to sedentary lifestyle alone.

Hence, with employing the cardio interval training, you can absolutely expect positive results not only on areas that concerns your cardiovascular system but on the overall status of your health as well.

This particular activity that is definitely good for the heart is a cycle of “repeated segments” that is of intense nature. In this process, there is an interchange periods of recuperation. It can both be comprehensive activity and moderate motion.

Consequently, the benefits of merely engaging into this kind of activity can bring you more results that you have ever expected. These are:

1. The threats of heart attack are lessened, if not eliminated

2. Enhanced heart task

3. Increase metabolism, increase the chance of burning calories, therefore, assist you in losing weight

4. Improves lung capacity

5. Helps lessen or eliminate the cases of stress

Indeed, cardio interval training is the modern way of creating a healthy, happy heart and body.

7 Diet Secrets of the Stars

Celebrities always look fabulous. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate us with their larger than life presence. The truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn't want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.

1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:

40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes

30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products

30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils

It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.

3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah's, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.

The Women’s Way: Some Recommended Bodybuilding Supplements

A woman’s sport as well. Bodybuilding is known to be for “the boys” only. However, these days it has grown its popularity to the female population.

Bodybuilding for women is not solely for muscle build-up, they do it for several reasons such as to achieve a desired size, increase in strength, and most importantly confidence.

The bodybuilding supplements utilized by the male species are different from those supplements for women. For instance, testosterone booster is not applicable for women since it may result to deepening of voice and more hair growth.

Here are some bodybuilding supplements which you may consider:

Use of Creatine
There is specially designed creatine for women such as the “Femme Advantage Creatine.” It comes in liquid form. The difference of the usual creatine from this type of specially-designed creatine is that it gets rid of side effects.

The possible side effect of the usual creatine includes irritated stomach, muscle cramps, loose bowel movement and dehydration.

Vitamin B Supplements
This type of bodybuilding supplement helps in proper metabolic process of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Additionally, the said vitamins are vital to keep your eyes, hair and skin healthy.

Vitamin B6 helps in proper utilization of carbohydrates. On the other hand, Thiamine or Vitamin B1 is considered to develop “packed muscles.” Niacin or Vitamin B3 aids in several “metabolic processes” which produces energy. Alternatively, three important production of energy is involved with Vitamin B2 or what is commonly referred to as Riboflavin.

Calcium Supplements
In bodybuilding you need to have robust bones to keep up with rigorous training, hence, the need for calcium. Calcium is a vital factor that maintains proper functioning of the bones.

There are several calcium supplements you can purchase in the market. Alternatively, it is recommended to consume “natural sources of calcium” such as dairy products, seaweeds, and broccoli.

Full Essential Fatty Acids
The use of essential fatty acids or EFAs brings numerous benefits to female bodybuilder since:
? It produces energy.
? It diffuses oxygen in the bloodstream.
? It reduces “water retention.”
? It has a “calming effect” as well as normalize mood.
? It aids in the transport and metabolic process of “triglycerides” and cholesterol.

Most fish and plant oils are rich in essential fatty acids.
Protein Supplements
Protein is considered a necessary “building block” of muscles. It aids in proper functioning of the muscles through repair and growth. Bodybuilding protein supplements are commonly in power form.

There are four major types where you can obtain protein: (1) Whey; (2) Egg whites; (3) Casein; and (4) Soy.

Meal Replacement Products or MRPs
This type of supplement comes in bars or drink mixes. MRPs are good bodybuilding supplement since it is high in protein, less fat and carbohydrates. Most importantly, MRPs are said to contain various vitamins and minerals.

Commonly MRP products consist of proteins from whey, casein, soy and egg. Additionally, MRP have carbohydrate ingredient which usually comes from oat fiber, wheat flour, and brown rice.

The use of supplement must be consulted with your bodybuilding trainer so that you will be properly guided. To achieve a good female bodybuilder’s physique, you need to be disciplined and persistence. Not only will you consuming such supplements, you also need to do proper workouts, maintain a good diet and most significantly obtain proper rest.

Natural Body Building Supplements: The Way to a Healthy and Fit Body

A natural body building supplement provides several advantages. These supplements are natural food extracts that contains nutritional doses made in forms that provide easy body absorption. Basically, these are not alternatives for basic diets but only additions for normal diets.

Natural body supplements can help you get the minerals, proteins and vitamins you need. The intake of these supplements however depends on your purpose. It does not require too much dosage if you only want a fit and an athletic body. Small dosage of minerals and vitamins will do. But if wanted to achieve rippling muscles, then liberal dosage of natural body building supplement is required, protein supplements in particular.

However, body building enthusiasts must learn how to get the most out of it. If you want to take natural body building supplements, then it reveals your desire to achieve your fitness and health objectives. But keep in mind that these supplements must be accompanied with other useful activities. To stay healthy and fit, it requires the full force of the mind, body, and spirit. One simple natural body building supplement would not do any magic at all.

To maintain your healthy lifestyle, exercise and a balanced diet is also needed. These natural building supplements only help your body to do your activities naturally. Exercise never really means getting buff or thin. It promotes good brain functioning and good blood circulation. You can stay organized, feel relaxed, give you enough energy, and sleep better throughout the night. If you combine exercise and natural body building supplements, then better results are also achieved.

There are lots of natural body building supplement in the market today. It promises to enhance your performance and health status. If you are enjoying some fitness activities, you can obtain benefits from these supplements. Don't just take a plunge. Do your research to find genuine natural body building supplement. Manufacturers always do their best to convince people in buying their products. As much as possible, read unbiased reviews regarding the efficiency of a particular supplement based on scientific analysis. Rapid results for achieving lean muscles growth then utilize the best natural body building supplement. Take note, the best natural body building supplement efficiently works and does no harm.

Searching for the best supplements must be accompanied with intelligence and logic. If you are not careful about your selection, there is a greater risk of harmful side effects as well as losing your money in the end. Also avoid conducting uneducated experiments with your body and always maintain cardiovascular exercises.

Seek advice from experts such as professional gym instructors. It can help you create a plan on how these supplements can boost your fitness needs. It is necessary to know what type of natural body building supplement you should take, taking into consideration the nutrients and vitamins that are good for your condition. This will enable you to obtain better muscle growth.

Finally, you should understand your mind's true ability. But remember that poor emotional and mental state can make a person feel unwell. To obtain the true value of natural body building supplements, your attitude must always stay positive, get enough rest, and keep your mind away from stress. Combining these techniques with natural body building supplements can ensure a happier, healthier, and longer life.

Nutritional Body Building Supplement: Great Alternatives

In body building, hard work is required, since a great physique is not achieved in just one day. In connection with this, people should eat often to replace whatever energy that is lost during strenuous exercises. But some people are not aware of the proper eating routine. That is why no matter how they want to achieve a perfect body, it does not necessarily provide good results.

Take for instance; you skip breakfast and eat a heavy supper. This is not a good set up since you are directing yourself in total failure. It does not supply the body with the needed fuel to do your activities effectively. Most surveys revealed that most athletes and regular exercisers often adopt this wrong technique.

Active people need to balance their energy the whole day. It means that they provide their body with the right amount of fuel between regular intervals to avoid undereating or overeating. It is also important to understand how the levels of blood sugar rises and falls. This condition is very critical especially for people who want to stay lean and add muscle mass.

It is normal that after eating, your blood glucose or sugar levels rises but will soon drop again after three hours. If you do not eat something after this period, then blood glucose drops even more. The tendency of the body is to kick for an immediate mechanism to ensure that there is enough sugar to maintain the good function of your brain, heart, and other organs.

It only implies that exercising alone can never increase your muscles mass if you fail to eat properly. It just like burning the muscles you are building. Once you lose your muscles, your metabolic rates also decreases. In this way, you cannot eat plenty without storing fat. This results to an over produced insulin. If you eat in a very hungry state, then more fats are stored. Keep in mind that the composition and timing of food intake also influences your skeletal muscles even during a single workout.

If you want to solve this conflict, then nutritional supplements can help you. This is the latest trend in the fitness world that promotes muscles growth and strength. The popularity of body building nutritional supplements dominates the cupboard of every body builder. But this scenario deprives most of them to learn its harmful side effects. It is because they have relied basically on these drugs that enhance muscles over a short period of time.

There are also natural nutritional supplements for building your muscles can help you achieve your fitness goal faster. A true comprehensive reservoir is provided in support of supplements such as Creatine, vitamins, proteins, meal replacement powder, and others. Protein is known as the building blocks of your muscles, so it is essential to integrate protein supplements in your diet. The leading protein supplements popular among athletes include casein, egg, soy, and whey. Body builders are exposed to strenuous workout that is why they need larger amounts of protein.

Consumption of vitamins is also important. It converts food into energy. Likewise, mineral consumption, because it ensures that correct body signals are received by your brain. These supplements play a vital role of replacing the nutrients that are not found in your cooked food. So, consume nutritional supplements instead of following a regular eating routine and achieve the fabulous body you have dreamed of.