Fat Loss, One a Day at a Time

Rome wasn't built in a day and your fat loss won't happen
that way either. Don't expect to start eating perfectly and
exercising religiously tomorrow. Instead set yourself up
for success by implementing at least one supportive habit
per week. Make an effort to adopt the premise of "progress,
not perfection." By developing awareness that improvement
is measured by your daily progress, you can save yourself a
lot of grief and frustration from the beginning. Focusing
on small, positive steps in everything you do is a vital
component to change. It starts you moving in the right
direction and the momentum of your amazing, transforming
results will soon follow. With time, commitment and a
willingness to continue to take those small steps, failure
is not an option.

How to do it: Be mindful of the fact that you didn't gain
it overnight so you're not going to lose it overnight. A
safe and effective fat loss program will yield 1 to 2
pounds of fat loss a week, not 10. As you begin your weight
loss journey, aim for 2-3 small improvements each week.
Build up to eating more supportively and moving a little
more than yesterday. These small changes will add up to big
improvements over time.

Beware of supplements and "quick fixes" that promise
accelerated fat loss. Instead, plan on losing fat weight
slowly. Sure we all want instant results, but it's
impossible to undo a years of inactivity and poor nutrition
overnight.

Instead of only looking at the big picture, try to break it
down into smaller bites. Set one-month goals, three-month
goals, six-month goals and even yearly goals. Carry over
each previous goal to make sure that you aren't stopping
one to achieve another. Make sure goals are achievable and
realistic and what you truly want. A half-hearted desire
will produce half-hearted results.

Remember, life happens and we must face the challenges.
Sometimes that means not getting to exercise or eat
properly. The difference is we get it. We make it a point
to view each situation, each setback as an opportunity to
LEARN and ASK, "What could I do differently next time?"
Then it becomes a matter of getting back on track as soon
as possible. Leave the excuses and blame behind and forget
about beating ourselves up – we're only human. Strive to do
a little better today than you did the day before. The key
is to stay consistent, focused and take daily action. Make
goals meaningful. Our minds cannot differentiate between
achieving an enormous goal or a miniscule goal it only
perceives success or failure. If you set a goal that is
impossible to fail you'll only be setting yourself up for
tremendous victory.

Don't be too rigid. Telling your self that you HAVE to
workout for a set time to feel a sense of completion is ill
fated. If you set out to workout for 30 minutes and you
only get in 20, you'll more apt to be disappointed
regardless of how hard you worked. If you simply set a goal
to go to the gym at least 2-3 days a week and complete your
resistance training and cardio you'll perceive yourself as
a winner.

An additional goal idea: Have you ever wanted to
participate in a race or sport that you've never had the
endurance for? Then use that as a goal! When the end
justifies the means it's easier to make it through the
rough spots. It's a win-win situation if you are able to
achieve a want and a need simultaneously!

----------------------------------------------------
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness
coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of
the internationally popular e-book – The Busy Mom's Fat
Loss Bible. Go to http://www.busymomsfatloss.com to get
your FREE copy and discover everything you need to know to
losing unwanted fat and how to keep it off for good.

Online Aerobics, Burning Fat Conveniently

Aerobics online is fast becoming a very popular tool for
exercising and getting in shape. It offers the opportunity
to have professional guidance and programming combined with
the convenience of working out on your time, and in your
own home. Technology now allows for trainers and members
to communicate to ensure the online aerobic fitness
programs are executed correctly, consistently, and members
can be held accountable for what they have done. Online
Aerobic fitness can be accurately measured and monitored
with a heart rate monitor. This tool provides specific
feedback and allows you to communicate with your trainer
about the program so you can reach your fitness goals.

In the past and still commonly done today, cardiovascular
training is assessed by guessing intensity based on how you
felt during a workout, and duration measured by time. This
form of exercise while effective, still never truly allowed
us to see the results of our efforts. Heart rate training,
as a part of online aerobic fitness involves using a heart
rate monitor to measure cardiac output, and the intensity
and duration of your workout with specific data reports
that can be charted to ensure progress.

Your heart rate is the measuring tool for cardiovascular
training, and a heart rate monitor accurately records this
data for every workout. Now imagine that you can transfer
this data into a PC and email your results to a trainer.
Now, no matter where you are, you and your trainer can
communicate regarding your workouts, taking out all of the
guess work. The result is measuring this specific data is
improved cardiovascular fitness, endurance, stamina, rate
of recovery and fat burning!

Online aerobic training plans can be specifically designed
for individual needs. Those who want to lose weight can
accurately measure their fat burning capability and
optimize their results. Endurance athletes training for
marathons and triathlons can improve race times and
recovery. Athletes such as football players, soccer
players and basketball players can maximize their VO2
capabilities and recovery so they will be the most well
conditioned athletes on the field.

These online programs are designed by personal trainers and
can be accessed through your own online account. Once your
level of fitness is revealed and goals are established,
online personal trainers can create cardiovascular
conditioning programs for you to print or download into an
IPOD. All you need to do then is execute!

Take the guesswork out of aerobic conditioning! Stop
measuring your workouts by time and distance exclusively
and start getting the results you want. Whether you are a
sedentary beginner fitness enthusiast looking to lose
weight, or an athlete wanting to get an extra inning out of
your arm, you can find the right online program for you and
optimize your results! Liveleantoday.com is the home for
online aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning programs.
There you can find an extensive array of online fitness
plans that will help you optimize your results with an
efficient and effective program.

----------------------------------------------------
About The Author: Charles Carter, BS in Exercise Science is
President of LIVE, llc of http://shop.liveleantoday.com/ -
visit the website for more information on weight loss, core
fitness programs, optimal diets, and online personal
trainer and dietician services. For more information on
products go to
http://shop.liveleantoday.com/product/animal-cut-universal-n
utrition-cutting-weight-42-paks-2630.cfm .

Hearing Loss Prevalent In Baby Boomers

Hearing loss is a common problem in those over 65 years
old. But now, more youngsters and baby boomers are being
diagnosed with hearing loss. Exposure to excessive noise
levels is the main culprit.

On the top of the list of noise induced hearing loss causes
is listening to loud music. It is estimated that 10 million
baby boomers suffer from hearing loss, much of which is
attributed to attending rock concerts in the beginning of
1960s and 70s. Hearing damage that results from this type
of noise often happens gradually and the effects are not
known until many years later.

The increased use of technology has been associated with
hearing loss in baby boomers. Portable listening
technology expanded from the walkman to the MP3 player to
the iPod. Many users of these portable devices listen at
high volume for long period of time, unaware that their bad
listening habits could eventually lead to hearing loss. A
recent study found that listening to an iPod on the highest
volume level is capable of causing hearing damage after
several minutes.

At home, appliances and tools such as vacuum cleaners, lawn
mowers, food mixers and hedge trimmers emit dangerous
levels of noise. Listening to the television or stereo at
high volume can also contribute to hearing loss.

At the workplace or on the job, workers are exposed to
dangerous levels of sound from heavy machinery and power
tools. Construction workers are susceptible to hearing loss
due to their working environment.

While many baby boomers might not have heeded any advice to
keep the volume down, they are now more aware of their
hearing loss. With the advancement of technology, hearing
aids come in new funky shapes, designs and features.
Hearing aids are no longer associated with old people only.
Instead, new hearing aids are designed to cater for people
of all age groups.

Nowadays, digital technology has replaced analog
technology. Digital hearing aids produce better sound
quality with feedback cancellation to get rid of unwanted
noises. They have programmable settings that can be
customized to your hearing needs.

Hearing loss can adversely affect work productivity and
relationships if left untreated. People with hearing
difficulty should see an audiologist for a hearing test.
Hearing aids do not restore your hearing back to normal.
However, they can improve your hearing, thereby increasing
quality of life.

Prevention is better than cure. Hearing loss can be
prevented by taking the necessary precautions. Turn down
the volume of music or use ear protection. Avoid long
exposure to loud noises at concerts or clubs.

----------------------------------------------------
Only one out of five people who could benefit from a
hearing aid actually wears one. There are many types of
hearing aids to suit almost every type and degree of
hearing loss, and budget. Read our hearing aid review at
http://www.abouthearingaid.com/art-boomer

Are You in Danger from Metabolic Syndrome X?

Syndrome X is actually called Metabolic Syndrome X. This
was discovered over 10 years ago, but scientists have been
looking for this for 100 years.

What does it mean? Metabolic has to do with metabolism, the
way our body uses energy. Syndrome means many diseases
involved. X means "we don't know". So it's basically a
bunch of diseases that relate to your metabolism that
scientists don't know enough about. The cause of Syndrome X
is now being discovered and determined.

In Syndrome X, the blood has high levels of sugar, but
unlike diabetes, there is lots of insulin to process the
sugar, but the sugar (food) is not getting in the cells to
provide energy. You are tired.

A sign of having this Syndrome X would be a person who
needs to eat sugar, carbohydrates, and caffeine to keep
going throughout the day. They get an energy boost, which
falls in an hour, and then they need another boost and
another boost throughout the day.

Syndrome X is only found in industrialized countries and
cities. It started when white flour and sugar came along
with the industrial revolution in the 1800's. It got much
worse when companies started using fructose to sweeten
foods. It is 20 times sweeter than glucose (sugar). Your
body can't handle all this sugar.

It is estimated that 99% of women have Syndrome X. Even if
that statistic is high, that still means a lot of women
have Syndrome X.

So, what's happening in the body with this Syndrome X?
Let's say you eat an apple. Your body only absorbs 20% of
the sugar contained in that apple. The same goes for corn
on the cob. Bananas are higher at 40%. Watermelon is 10%.
Eating these whole foods does not produce a huge amount of
sugar (carbohydrates) for your body to deal with. The body
makes a little insulin to go with the glucose which then
goes into the liver. Then the glucose (energy) is sent to
the cells along with insulin, which helps the sugar
(energy) get into the cell.

Now, let's look at what happens when you eat white flour,
sugar, or fructose (high fructose corn syrup, like the
sugar in soft drinks).

A note to make here: Most all bread available is based on
'white flour'. Even wheat bread is made from 'white flour'.
Bread made from flour that has been truly stone ground the
old fashioned way is the only time you get away from 'white
flour'. Stone ground flour will spoil in a week whereas
processed flour will keep for years. That's why the
industrialized societies changed to processed flour, but it
has hurt our health. And the adverse effects are getting
worse with each generation.

When your stomach sees flour or sugar coming, it tells the
pancreas to make lots of insulin to deal with the large
amounts of glucose from white flour (or sugar or fructose).
This huge amount of sugar (because 100% is able to be
absorbed) goes into the liver, which monitors all food. The
liver tastes the blood and decides that it is too sweet, so
it turns the sugar into fat, which then goes into the
bloodstream.

This fat is the triglycerides in your blood. It is sugar
converted to fat. White blood cells then gobble up this fat
(because there's too much of it) and store it in your
belly, hips, everywhere.

This fat, along with a second type produced (which cannot
be broken down, the body can't burn it), will also cover
and coat a cell. This covering of fat over the outside of a
cell prevents food/glucose from getting into the cell to
provide energy.

So, our cells aren't getting enough energy and we have to
eat more sweets to give us a quick boost, causing the
pancreas to secrete more insulin. I believe this constant
secreting of insulin is what wears out the pancreas and
gives people the tendency to get Type II Diabetes.

It's estimated that 70-90% of people have high
triglycerides. This high blood sugar, turned into high fat
by the liver, causes 70% of modern diseases.

Fat in the arteries leads to strokes and heart disease.
Fatty deposits on the brain can lead to Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, and Multiple Sclerosis. DNA damage can lead to
auto-immune diseases while unchecked cell growth in the
body can lead to cancer.

When the liver breaks down fructose Very Low Density
Lipoprotein (VLDL) is produced. This converts to Palmitic
Acid, which goes inside the cell.

But when Palmitic Acid is in the cell it then converts to
Salimide. This Salimide goes into the DNA and attacks it,
causing a mutation. These mutations can make a person prone
to certain types of cancer. They can also be the source of
auto-immune diseases where the body attacks its own cells
because it doesn't recognize them, due to the DNA damage.

These mutations also get passed on to our kids. This is why
our children's health is not going to be as good as was our
parent's health, unless we change our ways and teach our
children how to live healthier lives.

So, basically, sugar converted to fat is damaging the genes
in our DNA.

It will take 2-3 generations of improved attention to
health and nutrition to fully correct damaged genes, but it
is possible.

----------------------------------------------------
Anita Murray is a Professional Health Coach, Nutritional
Consultant, and Founding Editor/Owner of
FibromyalgiaHope.com. For information on getting away
from your sugar and caffeine cravings, join Anita's
Interactive E-course, where you will learn about 8
important strategies designed to reverse your declining
health and move your toward the health you deserve. Sign
up for the free e-course at
http://www.fibromyalgiahope.com/getwellnow .

Do You Hold On To Your Fibromyalgia?

I want to talk to you about your thoughts behind having a
chronic illness like fibromyalgia and how getting labeled
with fibromyalgia, having to deal with it daily, and having
everyone tell you there is no cure can set you back.

In my blog I've stated that I don't believe you should
accept that you have fibromyalgia and try to live with it.
In doing that, you will always have it! Rather, accept that
you can, do, and deserve to feel good, strong, and healthy.

Here's a quote that I read just last night by Silvia Browne
from the book "The Other Side and Back"

". . .the more you declare any illness or physical problem
to be a part of you, the more you'll hang on to it and
refuse to let go, because we never willingly forfeit
anything we've woven into the fabric of our identity.

Please don't misunderstand--I'm not saying for a moment
that you shouldn't take your illnesses seriously. Follow
the advice of the best doctors available to you; have
regular physicals; educate yourself on health issues; eat
sensibly, exercise and listen to your body when it tries to
tell you it needs some kind of special attention. But keep
health in perspective. "You" are not your body, any more
than "you" are the car you travel in or the house you live
in."

Please don't even consider that you will always have
fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue or whatever. View yourself
as a loving and caring person, not as someone who has
fibromyalgia.

For example, you cannot say to yourself, "I do not have
fibromyalgia. I do not have fibromyalgia." Your
subconscious mind records the word "fibromyalgia" and will
reward you with what you think about.

Another example: I had a client contact me by email the
other day asking if a certain symptom was part of her
fibromyalgia. I kind of got on her case because she had
asked me this same thing a few times before, wondering if a
certain symptom was related to her fibro. Even though now
she's much better than when we first started working
together, she's still holding on to the identity of having
fibro. I said, essentially, that she needs to lose the idea
that she has fibro and that she'll never get over it if she
believes she will always have it.

So, watch your thinking. Watch how you form your identity.
I'm sorry doctors have wrongly told you that you just have
to deal with it. Throw that thinking out! You do need to
have the doctor rule out anything more serious than
fibromyalgia. Then get into the mind-frame that you will
listen to what your body needs, eat well, exercise, enjoy
life and learn as much as you can about your health and how
to support it.

----------------------------------------------------
Anita Murray is a Professional Health Coach, Nutritional
Consultant, and Founding Editor/Owner of
FibromyalgiaHope.com. To learn more about natural ways to
support your health, take this unique, Interactive E-course
entitled, "8 PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR LIVING FREE OF
FIBROMYALGIA". Discover simple ideas that will change the
course of your illness forever. Sign up for the free
e-course at http://www.fibromyalgiahope.com/getwellnow .

Beat Fat with Breakfast

Breakfast is easily the most overlooked solution when it
comes to effective fat burning tips. Studies consistently
show that people, who regularly eat breakfast, eat fewer
calories throughout the day, have better nutritional
habits, and weigh less than those who choose to skip
breakfast.

When it comes to your fat loss, your goal is to make your
body burn more calories. Your metabolism is like a burning
fire, how can you make the fire burn stronger without
putting something on it to burn? Our bodies are burning fat
and calories 24 hours a day, however, calories are burned
at the slowest rate while we are sleeping. Without
something to jump-start it in the morning, your metabolism
may remain in slow motion throughout the day and any extra
calories – no matter how healthy - will be stored as fat.

The act of eating and digesting supportive foods
frequently, increases your metabolism so you can burn more
fat and calories all day long.

How to do it: Eat a supportive meal within an hour of
waking. Feel like your always running late? No time to eat?
The secret – get up 10-20 minutes earlier and keep it
simple. Not only can you increase time spent with your
family at the kitchen table, but making time to start your
day off with a high protein, high fiber breakfast will
boost your metabolism, your energy and your mood. Because
breakfast provides you with the energy you need to get
through your day, the more energy you have, the more active
you'll be and the more active you are, the more calories
you burn.

If you are not hungry first thing in the morning, try
starting your day with a big glass of water or freshly
brewed green tea. Proceed with your morning routine and
plan to allow yourself about 10-15 minutes before you walk
out the door to eat your breakfast.

If you like to exercise first thing in the morning, eat 30
to 45 minutes before your workout.

Try one of the following options:

1. Eat a light snack – yogurt or a piece of fruit. Eat your
regular breakfast 30-45 minutes after your workout.

2. Eat half of your regular breakfast before the workout
and the other half about 30-45 minutes after your workout.

3. Drink a meal replacement shake – quick and easy to make
and for your body too digest.

Watch out for "Protein/Breakfast Bars". Many of these items
seem appealing for they are quick and easy; however the
majority of these bars are loaded with sugar and fat. Check
the nutrition facts.

Here are some breakfast fat loss favorites: Cereal is a
MUST. It's convenient, easy to prepare, easy to eat and
full of nutrients – No…"Whole Grain Lucky Charm" does not
fall into this category. Be sure to choose your cereals
based on the information on the food label.

The top choices should have:

• 5 grams of Fiber or more
• 8 grams of Sugar or LESS
• Sugar not listed among the first 3 ingredients.

For all other breakfast options, be sure to include a
protein, complex carbohydrate, and fresh or frozen fruit.
These are some of my favorites:

• Oatmeal with natural peanut butter, cinnamon and a side
of fresh berries.
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch with skim milk and a banana.
• Scrambled egg whites topped with salsa and shredded
cheese wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.
• Meal Replacement Shake with a piece of fruit.

So if you're interested in fat loss, make sure you don't
forget – breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

----------------------------------------------------
Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness
coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of
the internationally popular e-book – The Busy Mom's Fat
Loss Bible. Go to http://www.busymomsfatloss.com to get
your FREE copy and discover everything you need to know to
losing unwanted fat and how to keep it off for good.

It's a Resolution to Anti-aging

Five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year! Whether you
were dancing in the streets at midnight or sleeping beneath
the sheets long before the ball dropped, the world rang in
2007, which means you will celebrate another birthday
before 2008's big bash. However, while "Dick Clark's New
Year's Rockin' Eve" countdown and the counting of candles
on your birthday cake may be unavoidable year after year,
the way you age is certainly in your control.

Aging gracefully and comfortably (without the aches and
pains of arthritis and osteoporosis) can be as simple as
choosing the right foods in your diet, as well as
exercising regularly. Because even more than preventing
wrinkles, anti-aging also means preventing memory loss,
heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. For this reason,
the anti-aging diet is receiving much attention and can
certainly complement your everyday life.

The anti-aging diet is a combination of both nutrition and
lifestyle factors. Not only is it important to pile your
plate with healthy choices from the food pyramid, it is
doubly important to keep your body fine-tuned by
exercising, avoiding UV light and cigarettes, and even
doing crossword puzzles. Yes, researchers have proven that
mental activity forms a strong connection between your
brain cells and the way your transmit thoughts, so as you
age, you are less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Even more,
according to the American Dietetic Association, not only
can mental activity reverse damage to your cells, but also
with adequate amounts of vegetables and fruits, including
blueberries and spinach, age-related losses in motor
function and cognition can be reduced.

If you want to see your age grow to high numbers, then you
need to make sure the scale shows you the lower ones. From
weight training to cardio to yoga, a fusion of activity
will keep you feeling young at heart and looking ageless in
your jeans. Weight training will help you build muscle,
maintain strong bone density, and burn fat. That's right.
The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. And
while pumping weights will keep your muscles strong, cardio
will help keep your heart pumping while yoga will keep your
body stress-free.

Stress is one of many free radicals, which can cause damage
to healthy cells, leading to internal aging as well as
visible signs of external aging. Now, just as science has
proven how dangerous free radicals are for our cells,
antioxidants have proven to defend our cells by fighting
against oxidation. Therefore, on the nutrition side of
things, choosing antioxidant-rich foods, such as berries,
may be one tasty way to living a longer, healthier life.
According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, cranberries, blackberries and blueberries rank
highest in antioxidant levels. In addition to berries,
other anti-aging foods include garlic, fish, whole grains,
cruciferous vegetables, nuts, soy, water and red wine.

Don't let time pass you by. To stay looking and feeling
younger than ever, make sure to exercise regularly,
challenge your mind, avoid harmful UV light, and enjoy a
low-calorie diet full of anti-aging foods. Start today and
by 2008, you'll be ringing in the New Year without having
aged a day. Eat your heart out Dick Clark!

----------------------------------------------------
About The Author: Charles Carter, BS in Exercise Science is
President of LIVE, llc of
http://shop.liveleantoday.com/department/probiotics-and-enzy
mes-10063.cfm - visit the website for more information on
weight loss, core fitness programs, optimal diets, and
online personal trainer and dietician services. For more
information on products go to
http://shop.liveleantoday.com/product/nutrihealth-flora-sour
ce-1114.cfm .

How To Get Rid Of A Cold Sore

Cold sores can be quite distressing. Not only can they be
painful but they can be quite embarrassing too, as when
they are there they are difficult to cover up, and even if
you did cover them up you would probably end out causing
yourself more irritation. I is because of these conditions
that people want to know how they can get rid of a cold
sore. Well there are many different approaches to treating
cold sores. Some are good, some are bad and some are
indifferent. Also with the advent of the internet when you
try to research cold sore remedies, you can be bombarded
with information, which, in truth can leave you more
confused than when you first started. On the whole though,
in my opinion it is more important to recognise and
understand what a cold sore is and become aware of the
symptoms that accompany a cold sore, and then you can start
to control this annoying affliction.

In a nutshell cold sores are annoying, small, painful
blisters on the lips and nearby skin, and they are caused
by the herpes simplex virus, and when you have one please
be careful as they're contagious, especially in the first 2
or 3 days after an outbreak. Now although cold sores are
not life-threatening, they can be quite dangerous if left
untreated. If you do have a cold sore please do not
despair as they are quite common, and although you can't
cure or prevent them, there are steps you can take to
control them.

Treating a cold sore and how long it lasts depending on
your health and your choice of cold sore treatments. As
previously stated, there is unfortunately no cure for cold
sores. So this means that really you are in a situation of
controlling and preventing outbreak rather than curing.
There are many different treatment options available. It is
really up to the individual what route they want to go down
to reduce the discomfort associated with cold sores and to
lessen the duration of the outbreak. One of the main
things to bear in mind is that treatments may only reduce
the duration of the cold sores by 1 to 2 days. But on the
positive side, although it does not lesson the duration
much, it can help soothe the painful blisters and other
uncomfortable symptoms. As always for your treatment you
can go down the chemical route or the natural route.
Natural treatments may include tropical creams or
ointments. Chemical treatments, on the other hand normally
come in the form of creams which you can get
non-prescription. Or you can even try an antiviral medicine
(such as acyclovir or famciclovir). One of the best things
you can do for yourself though is learn to recognise and
avoid triggers that you know are associated with when you
have a cold sore.

As well as looking out for triggers, it is a good idea to
familiarise yourself with the symptoms associate with cold
sores so that you can start treating it sooner rather than
later. Common symptoms are to feel some pain, burning, or
itching at the site of the cold sore before it appears.
Symptoms are usually most severe 8 hours after the outbreak
and can be quite similar to those of other viral infections
and may include fever, swollen glands, fatigue and multiple
sores in the mouth and on the gums. Symptoms subside after
the initial illness runs its course, but the virus remains
in the nerve cells until reactivated. Symptoms may last
from seven to ten days, but although the symptoms may
disappear, unfortunately the virus does not.

----------------------------------------------------
If you enjoyed this article then please make sure you visit
http://coldsorefree.blogspot.com to get full and frank
reviews on the various cold sore treatments and remedies
that are available