Getting a lean body and Kevlar-like abs doesn't happen automatically. It takes hard work and time spent at the gym, as well as a diet rich in protein.
As long as it's the right kind of protein.
Everyone knows that fats are bad and that carbohydrates are suspect, but protein can do no wrong--or so we thought. While many proteins are good, there are some that can be bad for your health.
First, we all know that protein is supposed to be good for us, but what does it do exactly? Protein is essential for a balanced diet, because it builds muscle and collagen. According to the director of health promotion & communication at Harvard University, Dr. Lilian Cheung, protein is the building block of enzymes, hormones, immune factors and many other molecules that are critical to the body. Harvard's online magazine , Nutrition Source, states, "Adults need a minimum of one gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day to keep from slowly breaking down their own tissues."
That means a person who weighs 140 pounds should consume about 63 grams of protein per day--the equivalent of two large chicken fillets--which, for most people, isn't a problem. Weight loss stems from a process called ketosis, which is the basis for the Atkins diet, in which, if all of the starch is removed from one's diet, the body will begin to release fat--instead of storing it--and then burn it as fuel. But that doesn't mean that the more protein you eat, the more fat you lose, because, in the end, protein still contains calories--even in small amounts--and once it turns into fat, the body won't be able to burn all of it at once. Losing weight is about expending more calories than you consume.
The trick is learning the good proteins from the bad, and how much you need.
"What makes a protein good is its nutrient base, how it was raised and farmed, its omega-3 fatty acid value and if it's high or low in saturated fat," says Oz Garcia, nutritionist and author of Look and Feel Fabulous Forever. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat--a good fat--found primarily in fish, which has healing properties for patients with heart disease.
Soy-based products are surprisingly controversial. While soya-based products used to be primarily for strict vegetarians and the lactose-intolerant, it has now taken its place in the dairy aisle as a type of 'super food,' because it is a vegetable-based protein that packs plenty of nutrients. Soya is making its way into more items than just soy milk, and some nutritionists warn that having too much could have hormone-altering side effects. That's because soya contains phytochemicals and phytoestrogen, which are great for women undergoing menopause, but not so great for the average person.
The best way to stay healthy is with a balanced diet--one that provides adequate amounts of essential nutrients and leaves a person feeling satisfied after they eat. In fact, most foods naturally combine protein, carbs and fat, which is why a low-carb or no-carb diet is unrealistic.
SO KNOW WHAT YOU EATING AND STAY LOOKING GOOD!
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Strength Train to Recover From (and Prevent) Injury
Think you’re immune to injury? You’re not. No matter what your age or physical shape, you can easily take one wrong step on the field, at the gym, or even on the dance floor and find yourself unable to lift the weight, pass the ball, or shake that shimmy.
The shoulders, lower back, knee and hip are all particularly prone to injury, but most people don’t build up the strength in these areas that help prevent it. That’s why physical therapy centers are constantly filled with seemingly in-shape people who didn’t take the proper steps to care for their insides as much as they did their well-built outsides.
If you find yourself sidelined by a minor injury, don’t despair. You can significantly reduce your recovery time by adding some simple strengthening exercises to your exercise program. Below you’ll find eight excellent injury-recovery exercises that can help speed your body back to health. If you’re already injury-free, try adding these exercises to your workout routine to build strength and prevent injury.
Remember that these exercises are meant to treat minor new and recurring injuries, or to prevent injuries by strengthening the area. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine, and, if a particular problem continues, see a doctor who specializes in treating sports injuries.
Rotator Cuff Exercises
The shoulder’s rotator cuff muscles are one of the human body’s most problematic areas. Help prevent and recover from rotator cuff injuries with these simple exercises:
Progressive resistive exercises, external rotation: Lie on the floor or a gym mat on one side with a towel or small pillow bracing your head for comfort. Allow your bottom arm to lay flat on the ground and close to your body. Bend the elbow of your upper arm so that your upper arm is running along your body, your elbow is at a 90-degree angle, and your forearm is draped across your body with your hand touching the floor. Keeping the elbow of your upper arm against your body, raise your forearm up toward the ceiling until your hand is pointing upward, then reverse and bring your hand back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with one- to two-pound weights (dumbbells if you have them or a can of uncooked beans if you don’t). If you are already injured, repeat twice a day until your strength returns, then continue once a day until full use returns to the shoulder. If you are not injured, do one set several times per week as a warm-up exercise to prevent injury. Remember to alternate sides to keep your strength balanced across both shoulders.
Progressive resistive exercises, internal rotation: Lie on one side as you did with the external rotation, but reverse your arm position. Your upper arm should be resting along your upper side and hips, and your lower arm should be bent at the elbow with the forearm at a 90-degree angle to your body and resting against the floor. Keeping your lower elbow close against the body, bring your lower forearm up from the floor and across your body until your forearm is perpendicular to the floor, then lower it back down to starting position. Repeat 10 times with the same weights you used for the external rotation exercises. Do twice a day until your strength returns, then continue once a day until full use returns to that shoulder.
Lower Back Exercises
Who hasn’t hurt their lower back? Help alleviate lower back injury and prevent it with these floor exercises.
Prone back extension: Lie on your stomach on the floor or on a gym mat with your arms straight and held out in front of you. Lift your arms and upper body and legs off floor simultaneously. Be sure not to arch your neck—leave it neutral. You should look and feel like a plane ready to land. Hold for ten seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat three times twice a day.
Superman: Lie on your stomach on the floor or on a gym mat with your arms out in front of you. Keeping your head and neck neutral, lift your left arm and right leg together until they are both six inches off the floor. Hold for a count of two, then lower back to starting position and repeat on the other side. As your back strengthens over time, increase the difficulty of this exercise by separating the upper body lift from the lower. First lift only the torso and the arms while keeping the legs on the floor, and then repeat with just the legs rising from the hips.
Hip Exercises
Not only little old ladies hurt their hips. Skiers and soccer players are particularly prone to hip injury, but just about any sport that uses your lower body puts your hips at risk of injury.
Strengthening prone hip extension: Lie on the floor or a gym mat on your stomach. Tighten the muscles on the front of one thigh, then lift that leg eight to 10 inches from floor, keeping your knee locked. You should feel the buttocks on the raised leg tighten. Hold for 10 seconds, and then relax down to starting position. Repeat five times with both legs twice a day.
Hip hikers: Stand on a well-built, steady stool or a flat bench with your weight on one leg and your other leg unsupported and hanging over the edge of the stool or bench. Keeping both knees locked throughout the movement, lower your unsupported heel toward the floor by tilting your unsupported hip down. Your stool or bench should be tall enough so that your lowered foot never touches the ground. Lower and raise the hip 10 times, then switch legs and do the other hip.
Knee Exercises
The knee is one of Mother Nature’s most complex and amazing creations—and one of her most delicate. Use these knee-strengthening exercises to prevent and recover from minor knee injury:
Strengthening wall slides:Stand about one foot away from a wall with your back to the wall. Lean back until your shoulders are touching the wall, then slowly lower your buttocks toward the floor until your thighs are parallel to floor. At the bottom of the movement, your hips and knees should be in one straight line—never let your hips go below knee level or let the knees pop out in front of your toes. Think of your body like a standard chair—a 90-degree angle at your hips, and a 90-degree angle at your knees. Hold for five seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times and do twice per day if your knees are bothering you. Once you have recovered from your injury, do one set of 10 reps per day for maintenance.
Step-ups:Stand on a stair step, stool, flat bench or strong stable chair that can handle your body weight. Slowly bend your right leg and lower your left foot to the floor. Straighten your right leg and return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions, then switch legs and do 10 more reps. Do three sets of each leg twice per day until your knees feel stronger, and then drop down to once per day until your full strength has returned.
The shoulders, lower back, knee and hip are all particularly prone to injury, but most people don’t build up the strength in these areas that help prevent it. That’s why physical therapy centers are constantly filled with seemingly in-shape people who didn’t take the proper steps to care for their insides as much as they did their well-built outsides.
If you find yourself sidelined by a minor injury, don’t despair. You can significantly reduce your recovery time by adding some simple strengthening exercises to your exercise program. Below you’ll find eight excellent injury-recovery exercises that can help speed your body back to health. If you’re already injury-free, try adding these exercises to your workout routine to build strength and prevent injury.
Remember that these exercises are meant to treat minor new and recurring injuries, or to prevent injuries by strengthening the area. Always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine, and, if a particular problem continues, see a doctor who specializes in treating sports injuries.
Rotator Cuff Exercises
The shoulder’s rotator cuff muscles are one of the human body’s most problematic areas. Help prevent and recover from rotator cuff injuries with these simple exercises:
Progressive resistive exercises, external rotation: Lie on the floor or a gym mat on one side with a towel or small pillow bracing your head for comfort. Allow your bottom arm to lay flat on the ground and close to your body. Bend the elbow of your upper arm so that your upper arm is running along your body, your elbow is at a 90-degree angle, and your forearm is draped across your body with your hand touching the floor. Keeping the elbow of your upper arm against your body, raise your forearm up toward the ceiling until your hand is pointing upward, then reverse and bring your hand back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with one- to two-pound weights (dumbbells if you have them or a can of uncooked beans if you don’t). If you are already injured, repeat twice a day until your strength returns, then continue once a day until full use returns to the shoulder. If you are not injured, do one set several times per week as a warm-up exercise to prevent injury. Remember to alternate sides to keep your strength balanced across both shoulders.
Progressive resistive exercises, internal rotation: Lie on one side as you did with the external rotation, but reverse your arm position. Your upper arm should be resting along your upper side and hips, and your lower arm should be bent at the elbow with the forearm at a 90-degree angle to your body and resting against the floor. Keeping your lower elbow close against the body, bring your lower forearm up from the floor and across your body until your forearm is perpendicular to the floor, then lower it back down to starting position. Repeat 10 times with the same weights you used for the external rotation exercises. Do twice a day until your strength returns, then continue once a day until full use returns to that shoulder.
Lower Back Exercises
Who hasn’t hurt their lower back? Help alleviate lower back injury and prevent it with these floor exercises.
Prone back extension: Lie on your stomach on the floor or on a gym mat with your arms straight and held out in front of you. Lift your arms and upper body and legs off floor simultaneously. Be sure not to arch your neck—leave it neutral. You should look and feel like a plane ready to land. Hold for ten seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat three times twice a day.
Superman: Lie on your stomach on the floor or on a gym mat with your arms out in front of you. Keeping your head and neck neutral, lift your left arm and right leg together until they are both six inches off the floor. Hold for a count of two, then lower back to starting position and repeat on the other side. As your back strengthens over time, increase the difficulty of this exercise by separating the upper body lift from the lower. First lift only the torso and the arms while keeping the legs on the floor, and then repeat with just the legs rising from the hips.
Hip Exercises
Not only little old ladies hurt their hips. Skiers and soccer players are particularly prone to hip injury, but just about any sport that uses your lower body puts your hips at risk of injury.
Strengthening prone hip extension: Lie on the floor or a gym mat on your stomach. Tighten the muscles on the front of one thigh, then lift that leg eight to 10 inches from floor, keeping your knee locked. You should feel the buttocks on the raised leg tighten. Hold for 10 seconds, and then relax down to starting position. Repeat five times with both legs twice a day.
Hip hikers: Stand on a well-built, steady stool or a flat bench with your weight on one leg and your other leg unsupported and hanging over the edge of the stool or bench. Keeping both knees locked throughout the movement, lower your unsupported heel toward the floor by tilting your unsupported hip down. Your stool or bench should be tall enough so that your lowered foot never touches the ground. Lower and raise the hip 10 times, then switch legs and do the other hip.
Knee Exercises
The knee is one of Mother Nature’s most complex and amazing creations—and one of her most delicate. Use these knee-strengthening exercises to prevent and recover from minor knee injury:
Strengthening wall slides:Stand about one foot away from a wall with your back to the wall. Lean back until your shoulders are touching the wall, then slowly lower your buttocks toward the floor until your thighs are parallel to floor. At the bottom of the movement, your hips and knees should be in one straight line—never let your hips go below knee level or let the knees pop out in front of your toes. Think of your body like a standard chair—a 90-degree angle at your hips, and a 90-degree angle at your knees. Hold for five seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times and do twice per day if your knees are bothering you. Once you have recovered from your injury, do one set of 10 reps per day for maintenance.
Step-ups:Stand on a stair step, stool, flat bench or strong stable chair that can handle your body weight. Slowly bend your right leg and lower your left foot to the floor. Straighten your right leg and return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions, then switch legs and do 10 more reps. Do three sets of each leg twice per day until your knees feel stronger, and then drop down to once per day until your full strength has returned.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Great gyms in the past
Some things have changed over the years, some things haven't. Take gyms for instance. Gyms are for training, not for feeling or looking good. What happened to the old hardcore gyms?In these old time gyms, you didn't find any bullshit reading materials. No newspapers, no magazines, nothing. Pleasant conversation? Didn't exist. Small talk? Nope. This gym was all business. The only conversation you heard was "How much did you squat yesterday?" or "How much are you gonna squat today?" I loved this place. All the dudes were there for one reason and one reason only: To get HUGE.
Back in the day, gyming was a religion! It was a culture all on its own!
Gyms back in the day were the hardest of hardcore!! PURE IRON PUMPING ALL DAY!!
Modern gyms are al fancy and well 'gay'!
we have rubbers around our weights!!
or escalators going up to the gym!!
gyms in the past were tough and proper and the results speak for them self
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