8 Questions to ask before hiring a personal trainer?

8 Questions to ask before hiring a personal trainer?
Personal training is becoming more and more popular as
people struggle with their waistlines and general health.
But with thousands upon thousands of personal trainers
popping up all over the place how do you know which ones
are the real deals and which ones are in it just to cash in
on this highly lucrative market. Don't spend all your hard
earned money before you ask the following 8 simple
questions:

1. Experience

Find out what previous experience your trainer has. Do they
mostly train body builders? Have they trained people of
your age before? Certain trainers will stick to certain
types of clients, are you one of those clients? Find out
how long your personal trainer has been working in the
industry and doing what.

2. Qualifications

Ask where they obtained their qualification? Can you verify
it on the association's website? Common qualifications are
REPS in the UK and ACE in the USA. If you are not sure then
ask for details so you can call or verify the information
before commencing.

3. References

Can the personal trainer offer you any references? It is
always reassuring to call up previous or current clients
and ask questions about the personal trainer, the results,
and the training programme. References on websites are one
thing but talking in person is another.

4. The Package

Now you know about the credibility of the personal trainer,
you can start asking about the packages they can offer you.
If you are training for weight loss and they do not offer
you any nutritional advice then be very weary. It is almost
impossible to lose weight without first addressing your
eating habits regardless of the amount of exercise you
perform.

5. Results

Get down to the bare bones of why you want a personal
trainer in the first place, results. Find out what results
you can expect. Be very weary of personal trainers that
promise you the earth just to get you to sign up. All good
personal trainers should offer you a full money back
guarantee should they fail to deliver the results you agree
upon. If they don't, then ask for one and see how many
change their minds about the results they promised.

6. Assessments

Ask about what assessments you will receive before the
training begins. Blood pressure, body circumference
measurements, BMI, lung capacity are all standard
assessments these days. What are more important are the
postural assessments, biomechanical movement pattern
assessments, Range of movement tests. If you are not being
tested to this degree then the personal trainer is
literally guessing and using a one size fits all programme.
The more testing that takes place the more specific for YOU
the programme will be.

7. Training

Find out what an average training session will consist of.
All personal trainers have their particular favourite
methods of training. Don't get dragged into something you
don't want to do. If they want you to sprint up hills and
do some boxing but that is not your idea of fun then tell
them so. There are many ways to achieve the same results.
If they can't offer you something you enjoy then look
elsewhere otherwise you'll get fed up and de-motivated very
quickly.

8. Support

Do they offer you a support system? If you only see your
personal trainer once a week and need help with some
exercises or nutrition can you contact them? All good
personal trainers will leave some line of communication
open for their clients. If they don't then they don't care
enough about YOU and should be dismissed.

----------------------------------------------------
Greg is a health and fitness professional based in
Hampstead, North London. He achieves fantastic results for
his clients by using his indepth knowledge and the most up
to date techniques.
http://www.gbpersonaltraining.com

Don't Risk Burnout - Schedule Your Next Vacation Now

Don't Risk Burnout - Schedule Your Next Vacation Now
Did you know:

Americans work an average of 9 weeks more per year than
their European peers. Europeans typically take a full month
off in the summer and the French take all of August off.
This has not destroyed their economy.

People who can't seem to relax and renew on weekends have a
higher long-term risk of dying from heart disease, a
research study in Finland suggests. Men and women who said
they "seldom" recovered from work fatigue and stress were
about three times more likely to die of heart disease or
stroke as workers who "almost always" recovered.

Other studies show that the increased stress and fatigue
from working long hours and not taking time off can lead to
weight gain, cardiovascular problems, chronic fatigue,
depression and addiction to alcohol and depressants.

In the US, more than one-third of workers will take the
office with them on vacation, according to a recent
CareerBuilder.com survey. Sixteen percent of workers say
their supervisors expect them to stay in touch while on
vacation and 19 percent plan to check in voluntarily. Of
these workers, 61 percent will be checking voicemail or
email on a daily basis while on vacation.

The United States is the only industrialized country that
does not have guaranteed four weeks paid vacation.
Australia and Italy are the leaders in mandatory vacation
with 6 weeks of paid vacation regardless of how long they
have been employed.

The fastest growing economy in the world, China, offers
three weeks off. They call vacation time "Golden Weeks."

American workers are expected to give back 574 million
vacation days this year. (Expedia.com's annual vacation
deprivation survey)

Only 39% of American families will take even a weeklong
vacation next year.

Besides dramatically cutting the risk of heart disease,
vacations have a number of other health benefits. Vacations
can cure burnout and chronic stress. Time away from
stressors restores depleted emotional resources and your
sense of mastery and optimism. Studies also show that time
off increases your positive moods and your initiative and
competence. The more leisure activities you are involved in
the higher your general satisfaction with Life.

But it takes two weeks for this process to occur, so you
need to have at least that much continuous time off to get
the recuperative benefits.

It's not too late! Schedule next year's vacation now!

But that is still a long ways off. What can you do right
now for rest, relaxation, and renewal?

Take a restorative break with:

a candlelight dinner with no TV

a walk (leave the iPod home)

really listening to your favorite music

sitting on the beach just watching the waves

visiting a forest for an hour of contemplation

playing a game with your kids

getting a massage

or soaking up the moonlight before retiring at night

Even small things like this can improve your health,
happiness and productivity. Taking time out to nurture
yourself is not only a personal choice but also has public
policy implications for the productivity and well-being of
the nation.

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Mood &
Energy Wellness Center for Women. With Master's Degrees in
Human Development and Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann
is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Holistic
Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician; and
a Health, Wellness and Lifestyle Coach. Reconnect to your
physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual
natural rhythms at
http://evenstaronline.com

Weight Loss Tips To Help You Lose Weight Quickly And Easily

Weight Loss Tips To Help You Lose Weight Quickly And Easily
Losing weight can be a very difficult thing to accomplish
however it is not impossible and anyone can do it with a
little determination and perseverance. Many people know and
understand how to lose weight yet they do not apply what
they know to help them get to a healthier weight. Here are
some tips you can follow to help you lose weight and keep
it off.

Set Goals

This is an important step and it is something many people
that go on a weight loss program skip over thinking that it
does not matter or make much of a difference. The truth is
that setting proper goals can almost guarantee that you
will lose weight. That is how powerful this can be if it is
done right.

The first step is to first get very clear as to why you
want to lose weight. Really dig deep and get down to the
core reasons. It is fine and in fact recommended that you
get emotional here because if your reasons are strong
enough then losing weight will become much easier.

Once you have your reasons you must write them down clearly
on a piece of paper or type them up. Putting these reasons
on paper has incredible power that is difficult to explain
but time and time again people that write their goals down
have been shown to accomplish 100 times more than those
that do not.

Next you need to decide what weight you would like to be at
one month, three months and twelve months from now. Be
reasonable and go for a loss of ten to fifteen pounds a
month until you reach your ideal weight for your height.
Again write these targets down on a piece of paper even
next to your reasons. Now you must review these targets and
reasons daily. This is critical to ensure that you stay on
track so be sure to do this as it only takes a few minutes
each day.

Exercise Properly and Eat Right

Do not get intimidated or discouraged by exercise. Remember
that all it really takes is some movement on a regular
basis and with a proper diet weight loss will be
inevitable. It does not mean that you need to do a marathon
each day but you do need to at least get some physical
activity going.

Aerobic exercise is important and it can be done in many
ways. You can take part in a sport like golf or tennis for
thirty to sixty minutes a day to get your aerobics or you
can go to a gym and use their equipment. You can even just
go for a walk for an hour outside if the weather permits.
Again the idea is to move your body, you do not need to do
any vigorous movements when it comes to aerobics in order
for it to be effective.

Also make sure to do some weight training at least once a
week or two to build up your muscles and keep them strong.
Remember that muscle burns fat 24 hours a day so by adding
some muscle to your body you naturally increase your
metabolism so you can eat more and still not gain weight.

When it comes to your diet consider eating smaller meals
more often. This will help maintain a high metabolism since
your body knows it will get fed regularly so it does not
need to conserve energy or store fat. Eat once every three
to four hours and the key is to reduce portion sizes. Of
course try to add more fruits and vegetables but really you
can eat almost anything as long as you keep the portion
sizes small. Follow some of these strategies to help you
lose weight and keep it off permanently.

----------------------------------------------------
Jitender is an online researcher and author. We recommend
Hoodia Balance to help you lose weight fast. Be sure to
read our review at
http://www.superhealthy.org/product-reviews/Hoodia-Balance-R
eview.html

Natural Weight Loss Begins Between Your Ears

Natural Weight Loss Begins Between Your Ears
There are huge numbers of weight loss methods and products
on the market. Weight loss continues to be a popular goal,
yet one that is rarely achieved in our society. While there
are certainly extreme measures like surgery and drugs that
can promote weight loss, these methods come with
significant risks and drawbacks, which is why many people
continually seek out and try more natural weight loss
approaches.

Ultimately, natural weight loss comes down to some
combination of diet and exercise. Although many approaches
favor one or the other, the reality is that both diet and
exercise are equally important and weight loss occurs much
more rapidly with a combined approach. Although there are
some weight loss aids that can assist with weight loss and
potentially enhance the effects of diet and exercise, there
really is not a substitute for diet and exercise.

There is much debate as to what works and what doesn't. On
the diet front, some will proclaim Atkin's and other low or
no carbohydrate approaches to be the only effective diet
strategy. Others may insist that calorie restriction is
the way to go. Still others may insist on the low-fat
approach. The fact of the matter is that all of these diet
systems work at least some of the time.

As with diet, there is considerable debate as to what
exercise approach works best for weight loss. Some say you
have to do high intensity "interval training". Some favor
the long-time, low- intensity aerobic approach. Still
others say any increase in any kind of physical activity
works just fine. Again, all of these appoaches work at
least for some people.

Various recent research studies into the vast array of
weight loss approaches has come to a rather interesting
conclusion: All weight loss approaches that are based on
physiologically-sound principles seem to have about the
same statistical success rate. What research has found to
be the most critical factor in whether or not a weight loss
approach is effective is... whether or not the person
sticks to the program long-term.

It has been my experience in clinical practice that very
few people stick to ANY weight loss plan (at least natural
weight loss plans - not some type of weight loss drug) for
more than about two weeks straight. Yes, some may stay on
a weight loss plan for several months, but most are not
consistent over that period of time. Most people start a
diet and/or exercise program and will go for a few days,
then get off-track for a few days, then go back on and off
the program repeatedly. The times when they are off the
program largely negate whatever progress they make while
they are on the program.

Based on my experience with people trying to lose weight,
the biggest factor in losing weight is not the diet or
exercise the person is doing, it's the person's consistency
with whatever he or she is doing. The ability to be
consistent with a natural weight loss program comes down to
motivation and will-power. In other words, if you're going
to lose weight and keep it off, you MUST get control of
your mind so that you can have sufficient motivation and
will-power to stick to the weight loss plan.

Developing motivation and will-power requires more than
just deciding to lose weight. You must be able to handle
all sorts of temptations and resist them. Unfortunately,
most human beings are not born with the natural ability to
resist temptations, and without proper preparation, it is
far to easy for temptation to overcome one's motivation and
will-power to lose weight. For this reason, I recommend
using a variety of mental conditioning techniques BEFORE
one begins a natural weight loss plan. By preparing the
mind in advance, one is far more able to resist temptation
and stay sufficiently motivated to stick to the plan.

Among the most useful techniques I have found for this
purpose include Neuro-Linguistic Progamming,
Neuro-Associative Conditioning (developed by Anthony
Robbins), various forms of self-hypnosis, the Sedona
Method, Emotional Freedom Technique, and simply taking the
time to clearly identify one's reasons for wanting to lose
weight in the first place. By using any or all of these
methods, temptation can be largely eliminated and one is
able to stick with his or her diet and/or exercise program
long-term, which allows for consistent weight loss and
maintenance of one's weight once the goal is achieved.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr. George Best is the author of the E-Books, "Training
Your Brain For Weight Loss" and "The Total Solution For The
Weight Loss Impaired". For more information, please visit
http://www.trainyourbrain4weightloss.com .

How to Fight the Effects of Aging and Old Age

How to Fight the Effects of Aging and Old Age
Many of us believe that before we hit that magic age of
thirty, we think that we are invincible, that we are
different than everyone before us and we will beat the
odds, live forever, and do so in good health. But
unfortunately, it seems that when we do turn thirty, we
start noticing the effects of age. We look into the mirror
and start noticing fine lines in our face. When we reach
that magic age of forty, we start to feel new aches and
pains. We take longer to recover from that Friday night
party. When we turn fifty, we are having procedures and
begin to use words like ointment. On some occasions we
even are caught saying: I must have slept wrong! Can you
believe it? Sleeping, one of the easiest things we should
be able to do and we did it wrong? If we live to see
sixty, we now consider ourselves lucky! How do we fight
the effects of old age?

When we're young and feel invincible, the habit of ignoring
our bodies until something goes wrong is understandable.
We've been taught to live under the assumption to leave it
alone and it will heal itself. Many of us have heard the
doctor say that we will have to live with a discomfort or
ailment for awhile. What we don't recognize is that our
bodies are indeed slowly breaking down. As with a fine
piece of machinery, our bodies need preventative care to
not only survive for the long term but thrive and flourish
in the near term. Our bodies were not designed to last
forever, but there are steps that we can take to preserve
them for a longer period of time. Through a series of
daily anti aging steps, we can indeed fight the effects of
aging.

It is generally known that when an elderly person breaks a
bone, they are prone to having complications with healing
or other ailments become more pronounced. A broken hip may
appear to us as just a broken bone that will heal in six
weeks when we are young, but to an elderly person, the
healing process can be considerably longer and can be very
debilitating. Even though older people are not as active
as those quite younger, they are at greater risk for
breaking a bone or injuring a joint simply because their
bones and joints are wearing out.

Arthritis is also a significant concern as we get older but
we should be aware that arthritis is affecting a greater
numbers of younger people. A growing group of doctors,
nutritionists and dieticians believe that the increase may
be due to the fact that many of us don't get enough of the
nutrients that we need to promote strong healthy bones and
joints. Long before fast food restaurants became popular;
families actually cooked and ate their meals in their homes
at the dining room table. They filled their plates with
foods that contained the minerals and nutrients that their
bodies needed for good health. Eating fresh vegetables and
fruit was common place before canned goods, frozen meals,
and fast food. It was common for ninety year old people to
be out and about, without pain. But that was long before
heart disease and diabetes became the killers they are
today. What changed? Our diet is what has changed.

Today, we may not have good nutrition on our side, but we
do have good research. Scientists have found that
arthritis, osteoporosis, and the general breakdown of bones
and joints can be prevented or delayed with the right
mixture of natural compounds. The prevention or delay can
be felt even if you are already experiencing the effects of
aging. Scientists and doctors now believe you can improve
your joint flexibility, stimulate the growth of cartilage,
and decrease joint pain through proper nutrition. It's a
bit funny (or maybe not so funny) that we have to relearn
the positive benefits of proper nutrition!

Glucosamine is a natural compound that stimulates essential
cartilage building blocks. These building blocks are
glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans. Methyl Sulfonyl
Methane, also called MSM, also works to improve and support
the health of joints. Ipriflavone increases bone density,
and Zinc, along with vitamins C and K1 are also essential
to bone and joint health.

Before you run out to your health food store to look for
these ingredients, realize that these compounds work best
when your body can process the right amounts of each at the
same time. Often, a liquid calcium supplement will contain
Glucosamine, Vitamin D, magnesium, and other nutrients to
increase bone density, in effect it can be your anti aging
vitamin elixir. Including Vitamin D in your supplement may
also help alleviate or even eliminate a Vitamin D
deficiency.

You may also want to look for a supplement that augments or
complements your liquid calcium supplement. MSM,
Ipriflavone, and Vitamins C and K1 often are contained in a
supplement that is considered a companion to your liquid
calcium supplement. Adding MSM, Ipriflavone and the other
nutrients may increase the effectiveness of a liquid
calcium supplement by increasing the absorption of calcium
in your bones making it a more potent anti-aging vitamin
elixir.

It is not too late to stop the effects of aging. You can
easily create your anti-aging vitamin elixir of life and by
taking it each and every day, protect your bones and joints
from deteriorating, becoming brittle, or easily broken.

----------------------------------------------------
Ronald Godlewski has successfully founded and run several
businesses and is currently working with Life Force
International. You can obtain more information on the
nutritional value of vitamin supplements at
http://www.PillFreeSupplements.com and obtain a quart of a
liquid calcium supplement or call him toll free at
1-888-LFI-CUST (1-888-534-2878).

The two main advantages of Porcelain Veneers

The two main advantages of Porcelain Veneers
Veneers or caps have long been used in the United States as
a way to fix unsightly or crooked teeth. Hollywood has been
using the technique for forever. Stars from as early as the
1930s had removable veneers that they used in photo shoots
and sometimes even in movies to make sure their pearly
whites were as perfect as can be. The latest technology in
veneers involves porcelain.

Porcelain veneers, also called dental veneers or dental
porcelain laminates, are extremely thin bits of porcelain
that are glued to the front of the tooth. They instantly
repair crooked, cracked, and discolored teeth in a single
visit. However, they are a purely cosmetic solution.
Veneers do not fix any underlying bite problems or fix the
actual tooth.

The science involved in veneers is a simple offshoot of
cosmetic dental bonding. Although porcelain is fragile on
its own, when it is bonded to something strong such as a
tooth, it becomes very strong as well. The same material
used to create crowns used to fill cavities is also used to
create porcelain veneers. While there are many advantages
to porcelain veneers over other types of veneers, the two
main advantages of porcelain veneers over other types of
cosmetic dentistry are:

1. Porcelain veneers create a life-like tooth appearance.
Older bonding materials lacked the luster of real teeth as
they were only semi-transparent. So while the tooth may
have looked better, it still didn't look great as it lacked
luster. Because porcelain is a ceramic and a form of glass,
it is inherently transparent. When a porcelain veneer is
bonded to a tooth, it will take on a life-like luster.

2. Porcelain veneers resist stains. As a whole, cosmetic
dental bonding materials are quite susceptible to stains
and discoloration. This is particularly true in individuals
that have habits in their life such as drinking tea and
coffee and colored sodas, drinking red wine, and using
tobacco products. Because porcelain is glass-like, it is
quite resistant to staining and discoloration because it is
glass.

In addition to being stain resistant and life-like, veneers
only require one visit to a dentist's office to make a
person's teeth look infinitely better. Unlike braces which
can take years, veneers are a single visit option. In
addition to being a single visit, porcelain veneers are
much less painful than braces. Also, for some people,
braces will not fix the problems with their teeth. People
with cracked or chipped teeth that have been treated with
braces will have straight teeth but might not necessarily
be happy with their smiles. Veneers can make teeth that are
straight but poorly shaped look perfect.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on porcelain veneers, contact
http://www.drbagai.com, Chicago cosmetic dental office of
Dr. Sumeet Bagai, D.D.S.

Five Benefits of Physical Fitness Training

Five Benefits of Physical Fitness Training
In my last article I discussed three ways you can help
improve your current fitness levels. By implementing
positive lifestyle changes, using the services of a fitness
trainer and taking advantage of fitness equipment you can
quickly start to improve your fitness levels. With these
improved fitness levels come a number of benefits which I
will discuss in this article.

1) INCREASED ENERGY LEVELS:- When you exercise your heart
works harder to pump the blood through your body. As you
continue to exercise the strength of your heart increases
and it can pump more blood throughout your body, providing
more energy to muscles where it is needed. Your other
muscles also have to work harder as you exercise and this
increases their stamina levels. The overall impact is
improved energy levels for you.

2) IMPROVED APPEARANCE:- Fitness training will improve the
overall appearance of your body even if this was not your
initial goal. By performing the exercises you will reduce
your body fat levels and increase the strength and tone of
your muscles. Even if you are targetting specific areas of
the body with your fitness program, other parts will also
show improvements. For example, if you are training to
tone your arms, your chest and shoulders will also show
some improvement.

3) IMPROVED BODY RESISTANCE:- By training regularly your
body will develop a resistance to a number of different
ailments. If you suffer from diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol or arthiritis, exercising
regularly can help reduce the symptoms. If you are
exercising to improve your resistance to certain ailments
it is advisable that you consult your doctor for advice.
They will be able to tell you the best exercises for your
particular condition. For example, intensive running is
unlikely to be suitable for people suffering from
arthiritis.

4) IMPROVED MENTAL CAPACITY:- There are a number of
theories that suggest physical exercise can improve your
brain. One theory is that the dicipline of sticking to a
training routine gives you the dicipline to organise your
mind. Another suggestion is that when you exercise you
empty your mind of the stress and worries associated with
your life and become easily focussed. A third theory is
that physical exercise triggers a feeling of happiness and
relaxation because it promotes the release of additional
chemicals (some believe endorphins, others believe
anandamide).

5) IMPROVED RELAXATION:- If you exercise regularly you have
a number of slots each week which allow you to escape from
everything else that is going on in your life. You can use
this time to reflect on what you want to reflect on without
having to worry about the problems in your life. This may
be the only time you get to truly relax and escape from
your 'normal life'. Regular exercise also increases your
body temperature and has a soothing effect which lowers
your anxiety and stress levels and helps you sleep more
soundly.

As you can see fitness training has many positive benefits.
If you have not yet started participating in a regular
exercise routine why not give it a try? You do not have
much to lose and there are potentially massive benefits to
gain.

----------------------------------------------------
The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic,
free advice on all aspects of fitness. To find out more
about fitness training and the related benefits visit
http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/

Weight Loss Cardio Workout - Why Your Current Cardio Workout is Not Working

Weight Loss Cardio Workout - Why Your Current Cardio Workout is Not Working
Have you ever been able to successful use a weight loss
cardio workout to successfully lose body fat?

If you are like most people the answer is yes and no ' and
usually in the order!

This article is going to go over a few reasons why the
average weight loss cardio workout might actually be
preventing you from losing weight. I want you to read very
carefully because this just might change your entire
perspective on exercising to lose weight with cardio.

By using the word "cardio", I am referring to doing
cardiovascular exercise using a standard cardio machine
such as a treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, stationary
bike, upright bike, or any other machine you see in a gym
or at a sporting good store. This also refers to things
such as walking outside or going for a bike ride.

It is very common see someone try to lose weight in the gym
by getting on a cardio machine and trying to go for 30-60
minutes at a slow pace. They may try to do this 3, 4, or 5
days per week!

For the first 2-3 weeks, there is usually an immediate
result. The weight on the scale goes down and you are
feeling great. Soon after however, the weight loss slows
down and your progress comes to a crashing halt.

Here are some reasons why this happens and more
importantly, how to avoid it all together.

Reason #1: It Is Boring!

Unless you are a long distance runner who loves running
with all their heart, you probably would rather spend your
time doing something other than going at a slow pace on a
cardio machine for 30, 45, or 60 minutes. A 60 minute
cardio workout 3-5 days a week is a sure way to lose all
enthusiasm for exercise and be really bored throughout the
whole process.

So many people who do this type of workout try to read a
magazine, watch TV, talk on the phone, cover the timer with
a towel, or do just about anything else to distract them
from their workout.

Reason #2: You Burn Fewer Calories Each Time You Workout

Your body will adapt very quickly to doing a very slow and
long weight loss cardio workout. Think about it like this.
If you went outside and ran a mile right now it would feel
pretty difficult if you were not already a conditioned
runner. But what if you ran the same mile 5 days per week
for the next two months? It would get easier. Your body
would adapt to it because that is what it does best.

The same goes for the average weight loss cardio workout
that lasts for 30, 45, or even 60 minutes. At first you
might burn a lot of calories, but after doing the same type
of cardio workout for too long, the body will become more
efficient and will adapt.

This means that the workout that burned 300 calories in
January might only be burning 150 calories in March! The
only thing you can do it so longer or work harder. Neither
one sounds like a very appealing option.

Reason #3: The Average Weight Loss Cardio Workout Does Not
Stimulate Your Metabolism

Instead of focusing on the number of calories you burned
during a single workout, I want you to instead focus on
burning calories during the workout and for hours
afterwards!

Research has shown that slow same speed cardio does next to
nothing to stimulate your resting metabolism. This means
that you workout for 45 minutes, burn 300 calories, and
then negate the whole workout with a Gatorade afterwards.

How to Fix This Problem

Did you know that you can use a different type of cardio
called interval training that can burn a lot of calories
during the actual cardio workout and for hours afterwards
as well?

When performed correctly, interval training is faster, more
fun, and most importantly, has been shown in research to
have a dramatic effect on your resting metabolism. This
means that you might burn 300 calories during the actual
workout, then another 300 the throughout the rest of the
day!

Interval training is an excellent weight loss cardio
workout option for this very reason. It simply involves
alternating back and forth between high and low intensities
at specific points in your workout. It can be done on any
cardio machine and can even be done walking outside!

If you are truly serious about achieving weight loss with a
cardio workout, then learning more about interval training
is an absolute must. Your will feel like you got twice the
workout in half the time and have a lot more results to
show for it!

----------------------------------------------------
Are you frustrated with working hard in the gym and not
seeing the results you want? Hello, my name is Tom
Gifford, Certified Personal Trainer, and I have some
important information that will be of great use to you.
Come check out my website at
http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com and download two chapters
of my newest book absolutely free! The only thing you have
to lose is the excess weight you want to get rid of. Come
see a few of my best tips.

Eat Your Peas and Carrots, Or At Least Your Carrots

Eat Your Peas and Carrots, Or At Least Your Carrots
A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine
links intake of beta-carotene (a pre-form of vitamin A
found in carrots) to improved cognitive performance in
later life. We have appreciated the benefits of vitamin A
in brain development for a long time. But until now, the
beneficial role in the adult brain has been less obvious.

The power of the new study is that it followed participants
in a controlled study for 18 years, from about 55 to 73
years old on average. This provides the ability to really
look at long-term affect.

Time is Too Short

The difficulty with many nutrition studies, especially
those looking at cognitive health, is that they are too
short. Many vitamins probably help maintain brain health
due to their anti-oxidant properties, allowing them to
prevent or slow age-related decline of the brain. These
affects may take many years or even decades to be become
apparent because your brain doesn't go belly-up overnight.

Several studies in the past have failed to show the
cognitive benefits of vitamin supplements, but most of them
were only a few years long. Grodstein et al., who authored
the new study, actually looked at groups that participated
anywhere from 1 to 18 years.

Although they found no observable cognitive benefit of
vitamin A supplementation after 5 years, the benefit was
clear by 15 years. Most other controlled studies have been
much shorter, with a few making it to the 9-year mark at
best. This may be a reason for lack of positive results in
the past.

There are many 'observational' studies that support the
cognitive benefits of taking vitamins, but these are
typically plagued with other possible explanations. For
example, people who take vitamins also exercise more, smoke
and drink less, eat better, and generally limit their vices
to a number they can count on one hand.

Control Freaks (make good scientists) The new study by
Grodstein et al. is exciting because it presents some of
the first data with a controlled study, large groups of
people, and a long time course. The researchers looked at
about 1,000 people per group for the short-term study (1-3
years) and about 2,000 people per group for the long-term
study (up to 18 years).

Although the authors did not directly link vitamin
supplementation to reducing Alzheimer's disease, the
cognitive skills they measured are relevant to those that
decline in dementia. Also, previous studies in animals have
shown that vitamin A may help prevent some of the problems
in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's disease
progression.

Too Much of a Good Thing

There is no magic bullet for preventing disease, but the
new study suggests that vitamin A is beneficial for
life-long brain health. This doesn't mean you should dose
up on vitamin A, however, because it is toxic at high
levels. A safe form found in quality nutritional
supplements is beta-carotene, which the body converts to
vitamin A as it is needed.

Still, no nutrients work all by themselves. A good quality
multi-vitamin that contains optimal levels of beta-carotene
along with all the other essential vitamins is a good way
to go.

----------------------------------------------------
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To Men Who Want To Avoid Prostate Cancer!

To Men Who Want To Avoid Prostate Cancer!
Whether you are part of an at risk demographic or you are
simply concerned about someone who might be. Thinking about
the best food for prostate health is something that can be
enormously beneficial.

More and more, doctors are beginning to recognize prostate
health as a matter of nutrition and it is becoming clear
that by taking an active interest in your prostate health,
looking at the diet that contributes to it, and changing
that diet where it needs it, people are dodging some very
risky bullets!

When you are concerned about your prostate health, you are
not only looking after your own health needs but eating in
a way that encourages your own prostate health is good for
your whole family.

One great way that you can contribute to your health is to
start eating whole foods. Whole foods, that is, foods that
have undergone the bare minimum of processing and have
avoided preserving additives ensure that your body is
getting all of the nutrients from the food that you are
eating.

It is clear that whether you are concerned about the health
of a young toddler, a growing teen, or a beloved spouse
that eating well can benefit you and your whole family.

When you take steps to ensure your own prostate health, you
are setting an excellent example for your family.

If you have children, you already know that children learn
best through imitation and that without a good example,
they'll be quite impressionable and open to plenty of bad
ideas!

Sit down and speak with your children about their health
and how to maintain it. If you find that your children
have health concerns or suffer from chronic conditions like
asthma, tell them the whys and wherefores of their
condition and help them think about the best ways to handle
them.

When you encourage your children to be pro active about
their health and inquisitive about how their bodies
function, you are helping them establish a lifetime of
healthy habits.

Remember that the sooner you yourself take an interest in
your own health, the better off you'll be. Especially if
problems with the prostate run in your family, you need to
be self-aware.

The earlier you get started, the more likely it is that
you'll be able to have a large effect on your prostate
health, so make sure that you take an interest soon.

Remember than an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure, and that eating in a health-conscious way can give
you plenty of other benefits.

Feeding you and your family the best food for prostrate
health will pay you back one hundred fold in great health
and long life.

----------------------------------------------------
Join us at the authors website;
http://healthfood-guide.com/bestfoodforprostatehealth.aspx
where the discussion continues and the best foods for
prostate health are revealed and talked about.

How You Can Have Fun With Exercise

How You Can Have Fun With Exercise
We all know that we should exercise, but how often do we
actually do it? With the very busy lives we lead, most
people find it near impossible to schedule in a consistent
exercise regime into their lives. A lot of people start
with a program but just can't keep it up. And for the
majority of the population, most of the time at work
involves sitting in a chair for long hours at a time.

So how can we possibly fit in an exercise plan, and stick
to it?

A lot of people would say 'will power'. That you've got to
want it bad enough. And they'll bring out the old saying
"where there's a will, there's a way." No matter how pumped
up you get over something because of somebody else, we both
know that the motivation is going to dry up because you are
trying to get fit, or get healthier for someone else. It
just doesn't work. And the worse thing is that we really
beat each other up for not following through.

In a lot of ways, it's a very similar syndrome to the
so-called 'yo-yo' dieter.

So if getting all motivated and hyped about a program
doesn't work, what will?

Well, I believe that you can still use that motto: "where
there's a will, there' s a way," but with a twist.

Instead of trying to force your life onto an exercise
program, it is a much better idea to find an exercise
program that is just fit for your life. What I mean is
that, step back a bit, and don't start exercising for
exercising sakes.

If you work in sales, it is commonly taught that 'people
buy for emotional reasons, not for logical ones', and the
same thing applies here. Instead of trying to sell yourself
on an exercise program because it will give this advantage
and that advantage, step back, and think about what
automatically motivates you.

If there was a sport you used to love to play, but don't
really play it much anymore, there's an obvious
opportunity. Maybe its time to dust off your old playing
gear, join up a local club and sign up for the next season.
Sure you might feel you are not fit enough, but you aren't
going to get fit by sitting at home.

I had a friend who loved to play soccer but didn't join a
club for a couple of years because he thought he carried
too much weight. Well he never lost that weight during
those years, and when he did join a club, he found his
weight started to decrease. That's because he didn't need
to be motivated to go jogging anymore, or to make training.
He loved it, so he was there exercising away, keener than
ever. He had sold himself on why he should do it. If you
had asked him to come jogging with you when he wasn't
playing soccer, there's no way he'd come, but it all
changed when he took the extra step.

So what if you are someone who doesn't really care about
any particular sport, or activity that requires exercise?

Well, what about tapping into the power of your community.
If you are about to embark on an exercise program, try and
get a friend to pick one out with you. You'll motivate each
other, have some friendly competition to keep each other at
your best and encourage each other when you need it. If you
don't think you have a friend that might be interested,
there's options for you too. You can join your local
jogging club for instance. It's a great way to meet new
people and enjoy the exercise, without having to toil
through it yourself.

The basic idea is that you want to create an environment
for yourself where you actually look forward to exercising.
If you can find an activity that you love doing, especially
with other people, then you'll find that it is much easier
to stick to an exercise program than you ever thought
before. That's the easy way to make this a habit.

----------------------------------------------------
Find more exercise articles at:
http://www.idealweightresearch.com/exercise/index.html . In
particular read up on the benefits of aerobic exercise:
http://www.idealweightresearch.com/exercise/benefits-of-aero
bic-exercise.html

What are calories and why do we care?

What are calories and why do we care?
Calories are simply units of measure. They aren't actually
things in and of themselves; they are labels for other
things, just like how an inch really isn't anything, but it
measures the distance between two points.

So what do calories measure?

Easy: they measure energy.

Yes, the evil calorie - the bane of the dieter's existence
- is really just a 3-syllable label for energy.

And it's important to highlight this, because the body
itself, despite its vast intelligence (much of which
medical science cannot yet understand, only appreciate in
awe) does not really do a very intelligent job of
distinguishing good energy from bad.

Actually, to be blunt, the body doesn't care about where
the energy comes from. Let's explore this a little more,
because it's very important to the overall understanding of
how to boost your metabolism, particularly when we look at
food choices.

In our choice-laden grocery stores, with dozens of
varieties of foods - hundreds, perhaps - there seems to be
a fairly clear awareness of what's good food, and what's
bad or junk food.

For example, we don't need a book to remind us that, all
else being equal, a plum is a good food, whereas a tub of
thick and creamy double-fudge ice cream is a bad food.

Not bad tasting, of course; but, really, you won't find
many fit people eating a vat of ice cream a day, for
obvious reasons. So what does this have to do with
calories and energy?

It's this: while you and I can evaluate our food choices
and say that something (like a plum) is a healthy source of
energy, and something else (like a tub of ice cream) is an
unhealthy source of energy, the body doesn't evaluate.
Really.

It sounds strange and amazing, but the body really doesn't
care. To the body, energy is energy. It takes whatever it
gets, and doesn't really know that some foods are healthier
than others. It's kind of like a garbage disposal: it
takes what you put down it, whether it should go down or
not.

So let's apply this to the body, and to weight gain. When
the body receives a calorie - which, as we know, is merely
a label for energy - it must do something with that energy.

In other words, putting all other nutrients and minerals
aside, if a plum delivers 100 calories to the body, it has
to accept those 100 calories. The same goes for 500
calories from a (small) tub of ice cream: those 500
calories have to be dealt with.

Now, the body does two things to that energy: it either
metabolizes it via anabolism, or it metabolizes it via
catabolism. That is, it will either convert the energy
(calories) into cells/tissue, or it will use that energy
(calories) to break down cells.

Now the link between calories/energy, metabolism, and
weight loss becomes rather clear and direct.

When there is an excess of energy, and the body can't use
this energy to deal with any needs at the time, it will be
forced to create cells with that extra energy. It has to.

It doesn't necessarily want to, but after figuring out that
the energy can't be used to do anything (such as help you
exercise or digest some food), it has to turn it into cells
through anabolism.

And those extra cells? Yes, you guessed it: added weight!

----------------------------------------------------
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