~ my way to fitness -

The Immune System Part 1

date: 2013-03-23

time: 16:42:00

The key to good health is an effective immune system that can protect us from colds and cancer, fight food poisoning, relieve allergies and delay the aging process. Poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle and an environment with much pollution can affect and weaken the immune system and make us more susceptible to various diseases - from common colds to more serious infections.

How it works

The immune system acts as a defensive army. It is based primarily in lymphatic and blood, even if the skin and e.g. the digestive system also plays an important role. The lymphatic system is a network of veins which return the fluid - lymph - between the space of the cells and the blood. The lymph nodes, spleen and thymus are also parts of the lymphatic system, where lymphocytes are produced. These cells identify, eliminate and knocks out contaminants, microbes and cancer cells. There are two types of lymphocytes: B-cells and T-cells. T-cells are produced in the thymus and may destroy extraneous cells directly, while the B-cells which are produced in the spleen instead excrete antibodies against the undesirable to destroy it. Natural killer cells are similar to lymphocytes and is particularly effective against cancer cells. The white blood cells in the blood - phagocytes and lymphocytes - play an important role in the immune system by destroying the invading bacteria and removing dead and damaged tissue.

A properly functioning immune system is in perfect balance. Although the immune system's main task is to prevent and destroy extraneous substances it's also letting the substances we need get past, such as food. The stomach contains both beneficial and harmful bacteria, and as long as they are balanced the digestion is good. But if the harmful bacteria increases - perhaps because of high sugar and saturated fat in your diet - you can get indigestion and fungal infections.

Enemies of the immune system

All organs and cells need specific nutrients to function effectively. Interferon - an antiviral agent that counteracts the development of cancer cells and is excreted by the body tissues - need vitamin C for its production, while lysozyme - an antibacterial enzyme in body fluids such as tears and blood - need vitamin A. Hence a poor diet immediately results in a weakened immune system. Other enemies of the immune system are stress, smoking, excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, drugs (both medical and others), food additives, pesticides and air pollution.

Signs of a weak immune system

It's normal to have a cold one or two times a year, but if we have a weak immune system we are susceptible to all colds and flus that circles around us and we are soon to discover that we often get sick. Other signs of a weak immune system are indigestion, fatigue, aching joints, muscle weakness and poor complexion.

An immune system that is not in balance also causes allergies and intolerance to certain foods by attacking when it detects certain trigger substances in the body. This leads to chemicals being secreted to drive out what the immune system perceives as an enemy and this in turn causes many unwelcome symptoms.

Autoimmunity occurs when the body is overworked and starts producing antibodies to attack its own tissues - the skin disease lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of autoimmune diseases.

Read in Swedish

Feel Amazing one-day-guide!

date: 2013-03-10

time: 20:49:00

Turn off your phones, stop checking the internet and set aside a whole day for YOU!

Wake up early.

7-9AM is reasonable. Get out of bed, stretch, open your window and put on some calming music.

Have a healthy breakfast

Pamper yourself by making something yummy and nutritious. A mango smoothie, whole wheat French toast and berries sounds delish! Keep some tea handy throughout the day.

Bath bombs

Turn your music up and take a nice, warm bath. Use bath bombs or yummy smelling soaps/bubble bath! Put on some ultra comfy pajamas when you're done.

Be homemade

Look up homemade recipes for face and foot masks. Lots of them are easy to make and very beneficial!

Keep yourself busy

Go for a walk, paint your nails and watch a funny movie, or take a nice nap! Don't lift a finger and take care of yourself. Remember to relax!

Go to bed early

Look up at the night sky before you do and realise how magic it is. Reflect upon your day. Tell the world and yourself just how amazing and beautiful you are.

Read in Swedish

IGspo .:. 9/2 13

date: 2013-02-10

time: 02:01:20

Today I got an idea. Since there are soooo many IG accounts out there with amazing food I will each day (I'll try to at least) upload my favorite photos from the past 24 hours that's showing on my dash. Hopefully you'll find inspiration among them

Idag fick jag en idé. Eftersom det finns såååå många IG konton där ute med fantastisk mat så tänkte jag varje dag (jag ska försöka åtminstone) ladda upp mina favoritbilder från de senaste 24 timmarna som visats på min tidslinje. Förhoppningsvis hittar du inspiration bland dem

amelia_getting_fit amyisrecovering aurora_fitness aurora_fitness believe_in_health breakfastweekday carrolundqvist chrillanw dedicationkristine dorisldk dorisldk fffdedicated fredricblank frokenelva healthy_rabbit_habit

healthyandclean healthyandfiit healthyforme kalsallad kalsallad kalsallad karinlilja lifeissweetlikecinnamon lottanyberg manda_mandel melaniewijkhuisen nomyourself pitiflautikah shapemeup siobhano_

sunny_eatclean susannalevin sweetpotatobri sweetpotatobri thatstarrylove thedreambody thedreambody tovelouice vanillawhirlwind watch_me_shrink viiggshealthy wishesforfitness workformydreambody workformydreambody elnaelida

Stay fit during school!

date: 2013-01-25

time: 22:43:49

Believe me, I know this more than anyone - it's tough to keep on track while having loads of stuff going on in school AND around school. But don't stress. Use this guide as an outline for your school year!

Prepare your meals beforehand

About every 2 weeks, make it a mission to grocery shop. Have your meals planned out to make this an easier process - but don't continually eat the same things over and over! It's important to bring variety to your diet. So experiment with new recipes and make it a goal to at least try a new recipe once or twice a week!

Plan out your workout schedule

Maybe you have band practice after school or a club activity and you just can't work out as soon as you'd like to. Don't worry about it! Set a goal to work out or get some form of exercise at least 3 days out of your school weeks for 30 minutes. A nice, brisk walk is a great way to take a break from homework!

Keep healthy snacks available

During break or as soon as you get home, don't pull out a Snickers bar. Try to bring a serving of your own healthy snack to school, or only keep healthy snacks in your pantry/fridge. The less "crap" you have in reach, the less you can be tempted to eat it. If you have to go to the student store, try to avoid chips and sweets and aim for the better alternative. Always keep water with you.

Don't stress yourself out

The more stressed you are, the more likely you are to give up. Everything is temporary! Instead of dwelling in a moment and taking a nap, get out and walk your dog or do a fun Youtube workout video. Distract yourself, you're going to be alright in the long run!

Set a goal - and keep it throughout the school year

Join an athletic team or try out for a play! Promise that you're going to make a change in some ways this year. If you have a weightloss goal, keep it! When you have your head straight, it makes things a lot easier. You know you want - go get it!

Tro mig, jag vet det mer än någon - det är svårt att hålla sig på rätt spår samtidigt som massor av saker händer i och runtom skolan. Men stressa inte. Använd denna guide som en grund för ditt skolår!

Förbered dina måltider i förväg
Se till att åka iväg till en livsmedelsaffär och storhandla ungefär varannan vecka! Ha dina måltider planerade i förväg för att göra det enklare - men se till att du inte kontinuerligt äter samma saker om och om igen! Det är viktigt att ta till variation i din kost. Så experimentera med nya recept och gör det till ett mål att prova något nytt åtminstone en eller två gånger i veckan!

Planera ut din träningsschema
Kanske ska du repa med bandet efter skolan eller så kanske du är medlem i en klubbverksamhet och du kan helt enkelt inte bara träna så fort du vill. Gå inte och oroa dig inte över detta! Sätt upp ett mål att träna eller få någon form av motion minst 3 dagar i veckan i 30 minuter. En härlig, rask promenad är ett utmärkt sätt att ta en paus från läxor!

Ha nyttiga snacks tillgängliga
Dra inte fram en Snickers-bar så fort du tar en paus eller kommer hem. Försök att ta med dig en portion av ditt egna hälsosamma mellanmål till skolan, eller ha endast hälsosamma mellanmål i ditt skafferi/kylskåp hemma. Ju mindre "skit" du har inom räckvidd, desto mindre kan du frestas att äta det. Om du måste gå till skolkafeterian, försök att undvika chips och godis och sök upp bättre alternativ. Ha alltid vatten med dig.

Stressa inte
Ju mer stressad du är, desto mer sannolikt är det att du ger upp. Allt är tillfälligt! Istället för grubbla och ta en tupplur, ta dig ut genom dörren och gå med din hund eller gör en rolig Youtube träningsvideo. Distrahera dig - allt ordnar sig alltid!

Sätt upp ett mål - och håll den under hela läsåret
Gå med i en sport eller delta i en pjäs! Lova dig själv att du kommer att göra en förändring på något sätt i år. Om du har ett viktminskningsmål, håll det! När du håller ditt huvud högt gör det saker och ting mycket enklare. Du vet att du vill - så bevisa för dig själv att du klarar av det!

How to create a new habit

date: 2013-01-21

time: 20:04:00

With a small amount of initial discipline, you can create a new habit that requires little effort to maintain. Here are some tips for creating new habits and making them stick:

Commit to Thirty Days – Three to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to sustain. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.
Make it Daily – Consistency is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising, go to the gym every day for your first thirty days. Going a couple times a week will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days are trickier to lock in as habits.
Start Simple – Don’t try to completely change your life in one day. It is easy to get over-motivated and take on too much. If you wanted to study two hours a day, first make the habit to go for thirty minutes and build on that.
Remind Yourself – Around two weeks into your commitment it can be easy to forget. Place reminders to execute your habit each day or you might miss a few days. If you miss time it defeats the purpose of setting a habit to begin with.
Stay Consistent – The more consistent your habit the easier it will be to stick. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.
Get a Buddy – Find someone who will go along with you and keep you motivated if you feel like quitting.
Form a Trigger – A trigger is a ritual you use right before executing your habit. If you wanted to wake up earlier, this could mean waking up in exactly the same way each morning. If you wanted to quit smoking you could practice snapping your fingers each time you felt the urge to pick up a cigarette.
Replace Lost Needs - If you are giving up something in your habit, make sure you are adequately replacing any needs you’ve lost. If watching television gave you a way to relax, you could take up meditation or reading as a way to replace that same need.
Be Imperfect – Don’t expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took me three independent tries before I started exercising regularly. Now I love it. Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.
Use “But” – I was once told about this great technique for changing bad thought patterns. When you start to think negative thoughts, use the word “but” to interrupt it. “I’m no good at this, but, if I work at it I might get better later.”
Remove Temptation - Restructure your environment so it won’t tempt you in the first thirty days. Remove junk food from your house, cancel your cable subscription, throw out the cigarettes so you won’t need to struggle with willpower later.
Associate With Role Models - Spend more time with people who model the habits you want to mirror. A recent study found that having an obese friend indicated you were more likely to become fat. You become what you spend time around.
Run it as an Experiment - Withhold judgment until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior. Experiments can’t fail, they just have different results so it will give you a different perspective on changing your habit.
Swish - Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next visualize yourself pushing aside the bad habit and performing an alternative. Finally, end that sequence with an image of yourself in a highly positive state. See yourself picking up the cigarette, see yourself putting it down and snapping your fingers, finally visualize yourself running and breathing free. Do it a few times until you automatically go through the pattern before executing the old habit.
Write it Down – A piece of paper with a resolution on it isn’t that important. Writing that resolution is. Writing makes your ideas more clear and focuses you on your end result.
Know the Benefits - Familiarize yourself with the benefits of making a change. Get books that show the benefits of regular exercise. Notice any changes in energy levels after you take on a new diet.
Know the Pain – You should also be aware of the consequences. Exposing yourself to realistic information about the downsides of not making a change will give you added motivation.
Do it For Yourself - Don’t worry about all the things you “should” have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goals and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions aren’t enough.

Med hjälp av en liten mängd inledande disciplin kan du skapa en ny vana som kräver lite ansträngning att hålla igång. Här är några tips över hur du på bästa sätt skapar nya vanor och dessutom håller dem:

Engagera dig i trettio dagar - Tre till fyra veckor är all tid du behöver för att göra en vana automatisk. Om du klarar dig genom den inledande övningsfasen blir det mycket lättare att upprätthålla vanan. En månad är en bra tidsrymd när det gäller att engagera sig i en förändring eftersom den lätt passar in i din kalender.
Gör det dagligen - Stadga är viktigt om du vill få en vana att fastna. Om du vill börja träna, gå då till gymmet varje dag under dina första 30 dagar. Genom att bara gå ett par gånger i veckan kommer det att bli svårare att utveckla det till en vana.
Starta simpelt - Försök inte att helt förändra ditt liv på en dag. Det är lätt att bli över-motiverad och ta på sig för mycket. Om du vill plugga två timmar om dagen kan du tex försöka att först vänja dig vid 30 minuter och sedan bygga vidare på det.
Påminn dig själv - Omkring två veckor in i ditt åtagande kan det vara lätt att glömma bort vad du gör. Placera ut påminnelser om att utföra din vana varje dag, annars är chansen stor att du kanske missar några dagar. Om du missar tid motverkarar det själva syftet vi började med - att fastställa vanan genom att utföra det varje dag i 30 dagar.
Var metodisk - Ju mer metodiskt du utför vanan desto lättare blir det att hålla den. Om du vill börja träna, försök att göra det vid samma tid och på samma plats under dina 30 dagar. När detaljer som tid på dagen, plats och omständigheter är desamma i alla fall är det lättare att hålla fast vid det.
Skaffa en polare - Hitta någon som kommer att göra det tillsammans med dig och som på så sätt kan hålla dig motiverad om du känner för att sluta.
Bilda en provokation - En provokation är en ritual du gör precis innan du utför din blivande vana. Om du till exempel vill vakna tidigare kan detta innebära att vakna upp på exakt samma sätt varje morgon. Om du vill sluta röka kan du knäppa fingrarna varje gång du får lust att plocka upp en cigarett.
Ersätt förlorade behov - Om du ger upp något vid bildandet av din nya vana, se till att på ett bra sätt byta ut eventuella behov som du förlorat. Om du genom att titta på tv fick ett sätt att slappna av, kan du prova meditation eller läsning som ett sätt att ersätta behovet.
Var inte felfri - Förvänta dig inte alla dina försök till att ändra dina vanor kommer att lyckas omedelbart. Det tog mig tre oberoende försök innan jag började träna regelbundet. Nu älskar jag det. Gör ditt bästa, men förvänta dig några gupp på vägen.
Använd "Men" - Jag fick en gång berättat för mig om denna fantastiska teknik för att ändra dåliga tankemönster. När du börjar tänka negativa tankar, använd ordet "men" för att avbryta dem. "Jag är inte bra på det här, MEN, om jag jobbar på det kan jag bli bättre senare."
Plocka bort frestelser - Omstrukturera din miljö så att den inte kommer att fresta dig under de första 30 dagarna. Ta ur skräpmaten från ditt hus, säg upp kabel-tv prenumerationen, kasta ut cigaretterna osv så du inte behöver kämpa med din viljestyrka.
Förknippa med förebilder - Tillbringa mer tid med människor som har de vanor som du vill spegla. En nyligen genomförd studie fann att genom att ha en överviktig vän var man mer benägen att själv bli det. Du blir vad du spenderar tid runt.
Gör det som ett experiment - Undanhåll dina åsikter tills månaden har passerat och använd endast upplevelsen som ett beteende-experiment. Experiment kan inte misslyckas, de får bara olika resultat vilket kommer att ge dig ett annat perspektiv på hur du kan ändra din vana.
Föreställ - Visualisera dig själv utföra den dåliga vanan. Därefter, visualisera dig själv skjuta undan den dåliga vanan och istället välja ett alternativ. Slutligen, avsluta sekvensen med en bild av dig själv i ett mycket positivt tillstånd. Se dig själv plocka upp cigaretten (ex), se dig själv lägga ner den och knäppa fingrarna. Slutligen - visualisera dig själv springa runt och andas utan problem (ex). Gör det några gånger tills du automatiskt går igenom detta mönster innan du utför den dåliga vanan.
Skriv ner det - En bit papper med ett löfte på är inte så viktigt. Men att skriva löftet däremot är viktigt. Genom att skriva det gör du din idé tydligare och du fokuserar på ditt slutresultat.
Var medveten om fördelarna - Bekanta dig med fördelarna av att göra denna förändring. Skaffa böcker som berättar om fördelarna med regelbunden motion (ex). Märk sedan dessa förändringar i efter att du till exempel börjat äta bättre.
Var medveten om riskerna med att inte göra en förändring - Du bör också vara medveten om konsekvenserna som den gamla vanan kan lämna efter sig. Leta upp realistisk information om nackdelarna med att inte göra en förändring. Detta kommer förhoppningsvis att ge dig ytterligare motivation.
Gör det för dig själv - Oroa dig inte om alla de saker du enligt alla andra "bör" ha som vanor. Tygla istället dina vanor mot ditt nya mål och de saker som motiverar dig. Skuld och tomma löften är inte tillräckligt.

Do these 9 things in your kitchen to lose weight

date: 2012-12-25

time: 22:08:41

1. Make fruits as accessible as a bag of chips: Wash, cut up, and store fruits such as grapes, melon, kiwi, pineapple, and apples in reusable containers in the fridge so they're easy to grab. Make sure they're right up front at eye level so they're the first thing you see when you open the fridge door.

2. Prepare a big container of salad: Having a salad before dinner is a great way to fill you up so you eat less of the main course, but preparing a salad every night takes so much time that it's tempting to skip out. Ensure you get a bowl of greens every night by making an enormous bowl of salad at the beginning of the week. You're sure to eat a salad with dinner if it's already made - just scoop out a bowl, top with vinaigrette, and enjoy.

3. Have measuring cups and spoons on the counter: Measuring your food will keep portions in check since overestimating serving sizes is a huge reason people don't lose weight. Seeing measuring spoons and cups on your kitchen counter will be a visual reminder not to forget to use them.

4. Pre-make snack packs: You know what happens when you eat chips or crackers out of the box - you practically end up polishing off the entire package! Take your favorite healthy snacks such as mixed nuts, popcorn, cheese, and fresh fruit, grab some Ziploc baggies, and make some 100-calorie or 150-calorie snack packs you can keep in your cupboard or fridge.

5. Ditch the unhealthy foods: Your hubby and kids might be fans of an occasional can of soda, bowl of cookie dough ice cream, or Hershey's Kiss, but if those foods are within your reach, you're bound to crave them. Throw out or give away the junk because if it's not in your kitchen, you can't be tempted to eat it.

6. Use smaller-sized plates: When we prepare a plate of food, we feel the need to fill it up completely. If you start out with a smaller-sized salad plate, there's only so much you can pile on, so you'll end up consuming fewer calories.

7. Freeze fruits and veggies: Buy larger bags of fruits and veggies at the store and wash, cut, and store them in baggies in the freezer. You'll not only save money when you buy in bulk, but you'll also have them on hand to add to your smoothies, yogurt, pasta dishes, soups, and omelets.

8. Double or even triple the recipe: Whether you're making soup, roasted veggies, quinoa salad, or something else for dinner, don't just make enough for one meal. Package the leftovers in containers you can easily grab for the next few days' meals. If your lunch or dinner is already prepared, you won't have to resort to unhealthy takeout.

9. Put food away before you sit down to eat: After you've cooked up an amazing vegan mac and cheese, serve yourself an appropriate serving size and then wrap it up and put it in the fridge. If you leave it out, you're more likely to go back for unnecessary seconds or thirds. Out of sight means off your hips.

How to enjoy christmas

date: 2012-12-23

time: 12:31:00

1. Feel free to have your favorite wine or hot chocolate, liquid calories can be enjoyable too.

2. Load your plate with your favorite foods first.

3. Have seconds whenever you feel like.

4. Drink water whenever you feel like.

5. Eat at the pace you're most comfortable at.

6. Don't leave the table, instead stay and talk to your family.

7. If you can exercise, great. If you can't/don't have time, that's okay too. You can exercise the next day.

8. EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT BECAUSE IT'S FUCKING CHRISTMAS.

9. Don't limit stuffing, what the fuck are you doing...stuffing is delicious. Actually, don't limit anything, again...it's christmas.

10. Do not starve yourself before. Not because you'll have more 'self control' (seriously, only people who control their eating habits to feel superior use that word to stick to their diets) but because your body deserves to get fuel and nourishment.

Seriously. One day of crappy eating won't ruin it for you. ENJOY CHRISTMAS FOOD. It's always nice to take breaks, just get back on track as soon as possible!

4 comments

Holiday Reminders

date: 2012-12-22

time: 16:56:00

One pound = 3500 calories

There's no way you'll gain a pound on Christmas. Giving in to a cookie or a slice of cake won't do that to you. Treat yourself!

Remind yourself of how far you've gotten.

I don't care if you've just started your journey to health or if you've been working towards your goal for a year. You've made some kind of progress, whether it's on the scale or not. So remember that you earned a treat.

Remember, it's only one day.

It's one day. One freaking dessert. There is no reason to beat yourself up about it. Workout of course, but remember that you're a human. Do you think Jillian Michaels forces herself to not eat those tasty treats? No. She eats them. You can too.

Pounds = inches

Just because the scale says you went from 159 lbs. to 161 lbs. doesn't mean you gained two pounds. And even if you did, no one will notice. Don't freak out, because you can't lose 2 pounds over night anyways. It all takes time.

The unhealthy route is never an option. EVER.

I don't know if you know this, but I know that there are a lot of blogs that promote being anorexic or bulimic, or any way that makes the number on your scale go down. You might be convinced that you will be able to lose weight that way, but you won't. You'll get unhealthy. Really badly unhealthy. If you starve yourself (anorexia), your body will begin to think that it's starving, and will hold on to every gram of fat it can get. If you make yourself throw up (bulimia), the enamel on your teeth can get messed up, your organs could get damaged, and there are so many other downsides to doing these things to your body. The only real way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to eat right, workout, sleep, and drink water...lots of it.

The Importance of Sleep

date: 2012-12-16

time: 12:04:10

The finest exercise routine, diet and supplement program will not make up for inadequate rest, and sleep is the best, and only way of getting this rest. Growth hormone is produced and protein synthesis occurs during sleep. Sleep assists a lot of other very important functions, for example:

The replacement of ageing and dead cells, and the mending of muscle and other tissue.

The lowering of energy consumption.

The recharging of the brain.

Rest is one of the most important principles of exercise and often the most overlooked. When you sleep, your body goes into a suspended state of animation, and does precisely what you've been beseeching it to do ever since you raised that first dumbbell: build muscle. If you've just started lifting, give your body parts at least 48 hours to recover between workouts.

All mammals, birds and fish observe a regular state of natural rest. The role of sleep in health and disease is increasingly being studied in specialized sleep laboratories throughout the world. Restorative theories of sleep describe it as a time of healing and growth for organisms. Non-REM sleep is an anabolic situation marked by physiological processes of growth and rejuvenation of the organism's immune, nervous, muscular and skeletal systems.

Sleep is perhaps best described as the loss of awareness of what is going on around us. Public awareness of fitness and nutrition has grown over the last few years but sadly little is known about the very important subject of sleep disorders. Why do we suffer with sleep deprivation? Stress and anxiety is a major cause, and also a vicious cycle: while stress can actually cause our lack of sleep, it is also a result of it.

Animal studies have revealed that sleep is essential for survival. The usual lifetime of rats is 2-3 years. However, rats deprived of sleep live only for about 3 weeks. It has been confirmed that the metabolic activity of the human brain declines considerably after 24 hours of sustained wakefulness. Sleep is required for our nervous systems to work right. Deep sleep is also necessary for the release of growth hormone in children and young adults.

Shoe business

date: 2012-11-16

time: 22:52:12

The most important piece of gear for a runner besides your body is a good pair of running shoes. Choosing the wrong shoes can lead to improper running form, which may eventually lead to injuries. You may also suffer from black toenails, blisters, and ankle chafing. It’s a risky business because shoes can be quite expensive, so you want to be sure that you’re choosing what’s best for your individual case. Staring blankly at a big wall of shoes can be a bit intimidating and overwhelming, and it’s very easy to get sucked into a pair of shoes because they look cute, speedy, or cool. You’re goal should be to find a shoe that will offer adequate shock, absorption, motion control, flexibility, and durability. Yes, this is just as important for beginners as it is for seasoned runners. So, no running in Keds, skate shoes, flip flops, or any other shoe not meant for the sport of running just isn’t going to cut it. A good pair of running shoes should last from about 500 to 800 kilometers (300 to 500 miles), and it’s dependent on a lot of factors.

Pronation is an important concept to understand when choosing a pair of running shoes. There are 3 different types of pronators.

Normal pronation: The outside part of the heel makes initial contact with the ground. The foot “rolls” inward about fifteen percent, comes in complete contact with the ground, and can support your body weight without any problem. The rolling in of the foot optimally distributes the forces of impact. This movement is called “pronation,” and it’s critical to proper shock absorption. At the end of the gait cycle, you push off evenly from the front of the foot.

Overpronation: As with the “normal pronation” sequence, the outside of the heel makes the initial ground contact. However, the foot rolls inward more than the ideal fifteen percent, which is called “overpronation.” This means the foot and ankle have problems stabilizing the body, and shock isn’t absorbed as efficiently. At the end of the gait cycle, the front of the foot pushes off the ground using mainly the big toe and second toe, which then must do all the work.

Underpronation: Again, the outside of the heel makes initial contact with the ground. But the inward movement of the foot occurs at less than fifteen percent (i.e., there is less rolling in than for those with normal or flat feet). Consequently, forces of impact are concentrated on a smaller area of the foot (the outside part), and are not distributed as efficiently. In the push-off phase, most of the work is done by the smaller toes on the outside of the foot.

Now that you understand pronation, it’s time to figure out your foot type. By determining your arch height, it’s that much easier to determine your pronation. The easier way to figure out your arch height is by using the “wet test.” Wet the bottom of your bare foot, and then make a foot print on a flat, dry surface. You can use a sidewalk, but a piece of construction paper will also do the trick.

A - Normal (medium) arch: If you see about half of your arch, you have the most common foot type and are considered a normal pronator. Contrary to popular belief, pronation is a good thing. When the arch collapses inward, this “pronation” absorbs shock. As a normal pronator, you can wear just about any shoe, but may be best suited to a stability shoe that provides moderate arch support (or medial stability). Lightweight runners with normal arches may prefer neutral-cushioned shoes without any added support, or even a performance-training shoe that offers some support but less heft, for a faster feel.

B - Flat (low) arch: If you see almost your entire footprint, you have a flat foot, which means you’re probably an overpronator. That is, a micro-second after footstrike, your arch collapses inward too much, resulting in excessive foot motion and increasing your risk of injuries. You need either stability shoes, which employ devices such as dual-density midsoles and supportive “posts” to reduce pronation and are best for mild to moderate overpronators, or motion-control shoes, which have firmer support devices and are best for severe overpronators, as well as tall, heavy (over 75 kg [165 pounds]), or bow-legged runners.

C - High arch: If you see just your heel, the ball of your foot, and a thin line on the outside of your foot, you have a high arch, the least common foot type. This means you’re likely an underpronator, or supinator, which can result in too much shock traveling up your legs, since your arch doesn’t collapse enough to absorb it. Underpronators are best suited to neutral-cushioned shoes because they need a softer midsole to encourage pronation. It’s vital that an underpronator’s shoes have no added stability devices to reduce or control pronation, the way a stability or motion-control shoe would.

Once you’ve determined your foot type and degree of pronation, what’s next? It’s time to shop! But, where do you begin with hundreds upon hundreds of choices? For starters, let’s take a look at the anatomy of a running shoe.

Upper: The part of the shoe that wraps around the top of the foot.

Heel counter: A firm cup that is encased in the upper and surrounds the heel. It controls rearfoot motion.

Midsole: The cushioning layer between the upper and the outsole. It is usually made of ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, or a combination of the two. Dual-density midsoles have a former material on the inside of the shoe. It helps limit pronation. Many shoe companies also put proprietary technologies in their midsoles, such as air, gel, and plastics.

Outsole: The undersurface of the shoe, usually made from carbon rubber.

There are different types of shoes that support different runners. Here is a brief breakdown.

Stability shoes: Stability running shoes are designed for people who have normal or medium arched feet. When running, the foot strikes the ground at the middle to outside of the heel. The weight then travels along the foot and rolls slightly inward on to the ball of the foot and leaves through the toes. This is a totally natural running action for the normal foot type. Stability running shoes support the running action as the runner has a normal pronation or foot rotation when running. These shoes are still required and will enhance the running action far better than a lateral motion shoe such as basketball or tennis shoes. The stability shoe has elements of all types of running shoes in them. Some rigidity is required but not too much so normal pronation is allowed. Some cushioning is required to absorb the shock. These elements will help prevent injuries that the wrong footwear can cause.

Motion-controlled shoes: Motion-control running shoes are designed for people who have low arches or flat feet, these are feet with a very low arch if any arch at all. Runners with this foot type when running will usually strike the ground on the outer edge of the foot. The weight then transfers from the heel up the foot and the foot excessively rotates inward, this is called overpronation. This needs a specialist running shoe as overpronation can cause injuries as the weight transfers unnaturally. Motion-control running shoes help a runner with this foot type as the shoe is more rigid and prevents the excessive rotation. It does this by having a medial post in the sole, the shoe will have a slightly wider sole and be slightly bulkier to prevent the excessive rotation. The runners action is not affected but they may notice less pain and strain in the feet after the run and will see less injuries in the long term.

Cushioned shoes: Cushioned running shoes are designed for people who have high arched feet. Their foot print will leave a thin band at the edge of the foot. Some will not have a band at all and the arch will expand the whole way across the foot. When running the weight travels from the heel strike along the outer edge of the foot and through to the small toes which bare the brunt of the lift off. The foot has barely any rotation and this is called underpronation or supination. The lack of rotation creates a lot of shock on the joints. The cushioned running shoe will absorb this shock. The shoe will be flexible and allow more natural pronation as it contains no devices like medial posts found in other shoes to prevent rotation. Runners with this foot type will find they get shin splints and knee problems allot more than other runners lack of shock absorption their foot type causes.

If you’re still unsure and confused about this process, check out a specialty running store. A lot of running stores have “shoe experts,” and they can help lead you in the right direction. They should provide you with a few choices to try on. Some stores may even allow you to take different shoes for a quick test run. Most stores are pretty flexible when it comes to exchanges/returns. If you find that your shoes are causing problems, take them back and try something else. It’s hard to be completely certain that a shoe is right for you unless you try them.

Questions that a good salesperson should ask are:

How long have you been running?
How much mileage are you doing?
Where do you do most of your running?
How much do you weigh?
Are you aware of any foot problems, such as flat feet or over-/underpronation?

Key pointers when shoe shopping:

Wear the socks that you plan on wearing while running. If you don’t have any, buy some moisture wicking socks beforehand.
Your feet will expand while running, so opt for 1/2 to 1 size up from your normal, everyday shoes. You should aim to have at least 1 thumb width between your toes and the tip of the shoe. The key is to have the shoes fit not too snug, but also not too loose as to where your feet are sliding around.
Both of your feet should be measure because a lot of people, including myself, have one foot that is slightly larger than the other. You should be fitted for the larger foot.

4 questions to ask yourself before you begin eating

date: 2012-11-15

time: 17:47:16

Am I hungry? Seems like a silly question, because you're eating, so you must be hungry, right? Many times we reach for food out of boredom, convenience (the bag of chips was open), depression (chocolate to drown your breakup sorrows), happiness (to celebrate a promotion), or desire (who could pass up the amazing brownies your co-worker brought in?). But if we recently ate, then we're not even hungry. Make sure you're due for a snack or meal before sitting down to eat one.

Is this food filling holes in my diet? We eat to live and that means the food we gobble down should offer our bodies the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. Aside from being healthy, our daily diet should also be balanced. If you ate a high-protein breakfast of eggs and Greek yogurt topped with nuts, then for a morning snack you probably want to eat something that offers your body something besides protein, such as fiber, potassium, or vitamin A. Think of each snack and meal as a piece of your daily diet puzzle; an opportunity to take in what your body is lacking.

Is it the correct portion size? It's snack time, and you're sitting down to a banana, toast with peanut butter, a cheese stick, and crackers. Although healthy, that's way more calories than a typical snack should be. Depending on your weight, and your weight-loss goals, keep your breakfast between 300 and 500 calories, lunch between 400 and 600 calories, and dinner around 400 and 600 calories.

Are there healthier alternatives to make this healthier? You could smear butter on a plain bagel, or you could spread almond butter on a piece of whole-grain bread. We can't always choose the healthier alternative (and sometimes we don't want to when it comes to foods we really crave), but the majority of your meals and snacks should be as healthy as possible. Look for easy ways to cut down on calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugars.

Steps to getting over a plateau

date: 2012-11-10

time: 20:43:10

Keep the faith. You may feel stuck, but you're probably still losing weight - just not enough to register on the scale. (Hey - Even dropping a third of a pound per week means that in a year, you'll be down a whole 17 pounds.)

Avoid fuzzy math. It's common to overestimate calories burned and underestimate calories eaten. Look for places where caloires may hide - dressings, spreads, sauces, croutons, and condiments. Keep a detailed food diary.
Put up some resistance. Increasing physical activity is particularly useful for moving beyond a plateau, because exercise both uses calores and builds muscle.
Trick your metabolism. Many fitness gurus claim that surprising your body with a change in diet, workout or both can shift you out of a weight loss rut. Change up your routine. If you are doing the same exercises over and over again, your body "knows" what to expect.

Reboot and recharge. If your motivation is non-existent, write down all the reasons you originally wanted, and still want, to lose weight. Look at the list every day. Let friends and family know what you're up to, and ask for their support. Make a Vision Board with photos and words visualizing your successful body transformation.

Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, but much more rewarding

date: 2012-10-29

time: 20:32:30

With a small amount of initial discipline, you can create a new habit that requires little effort to maintain. Here are some tips for creating new habits and making them stick:

1. Commit to thirty days

Three to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to sustain. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.

2. Make it daily

Consistency is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising, go to the gym every day for your first thirty days. Going a couple times a week will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days are trickier to lock in as habits.

3. Start simple

Don't try to completely change your life in one day. It is easy to get over-motivated and take on too much. If you wanted to study two hours a day, first make the habit to go for thirty minutes and build on that.

4. Remind yourself

Around two weeks into your commitment it can be easy to forget. Place reminders to execute your habit each day or you might miss a few days. If you miss time it defeats the purpose of setting a habit to begin with.

5. Stay consistent

The more consistent your habit the easier it will be to stick. If you want to start exercising, try going at the same time, to the same place for your thirty days. When cues like time of day, place and circumstances are the same in each case it is easier to stick.

6. Get a buddy

Find someone who will go along with you and keep you motivated if you feel like quitting.

7. Form a trigger

A trigger is a ritual you use right before executing your habit. If you wanted to wake up earlier, this could mean waking up in exactly the same way each morning. If you wanted to quit smoking you could practice snapping your fingers each time you felt the urge to pick up a cigarette.

8. Replace lost needs

If you are giving up something in your habit, make sure you are adequately replacing any needs you've lost. If watching television gave you a way to relax, you could take up meditation or reading as a way to replace that same need.

9. Be imperfect

Don't expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took me three independent tries before I started eating clean and exercising regularly. Now I love it. Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.

10. Use "but"

This is a great technique for changing bad thought patterns. When you start to think negative thoughts, use the word "but" to interrupt it. "I'm no good at this, but, if I work at it I might get better later".

11. Remove temptation

Restructure your environment so it won't tempt you in the first thirty days. Remove junk food from your house, cancel your cable subscription, throw out the cigarettes or whatever it is you want to change so you won't need to struggle with willpower later.

12. Associate with role models

Spend more time with people who model the habits you want to mirror. A recent study fround that having an obese friend indicated you were more likely to become fat. You become what you spend time around.

13. Run it as an experiment

Withhold judgement until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior. Experiments can't fail, they just have different results so it will give you a different perspective on changing your habit.

14. Swish

Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next vizualise yourself pushing aside the bad habit and performing an alternative. Finally, end that sequence with an image of yourself in a highly positive state. See yourself picking up the cigarette, see yourself putting it down and snapping your fingers, finally vizualise yourself running and breathing free. Do it a few times until you automatically go through the pattern before executing the old habit.

15. Write it down

A piece of paper with a resolution on it isn't that important. Writing that resolution is. Writing makes your ideas more clear and focuses you on your end result.

16. Know the benefits

Familiarize yourself with the benefits of making a change. Get books that show the benefits of regular exercise. Notice any changes in energy levels after you take on a new diet.

17. Know the pain

You should also be aware of the consequences. Exposing yourself to realistic information about the downsides of not making a change will give you added motivation.

18. Do it for yourself

Don't worry about all the things you "should" have as habits. Instead tool your habits towards your goal and the things that motivate you. Weak guilt and empty resolutions aren't enough.

Weight Loss Basics

date: 2012-10-24

time: 18:26:00

This is the question I recieve most often. With all the tips, tricks, diets, and plain old misinformation out there it can be hard to know where to begin! This is my attempt at explaining the basics to successful healthy weight loss. I'm going to include EVERYTHING I know, and everything I've been asked in this post. I'm sorry it's such a novel, but I promise it will be worth the read.

Before you start this journey, I hope you'll take a moment to stop and love yourself and your body. This is the only one you have, and the only one you'll get. Please treat it well through this process! That's the biggest piece of advice I have. Wanting to change your body doesn't mean you need to hate the one you currently have. You are beautiful now, and you'll be beautiful when you reach your goal.

First I want to talk about the superficial/aesthetic reasons people lose weight. Sculpting the body you want is awesome! But there are some things that are unrealistic or impossible for some bodies. Things like thigh gaps, or how much your collar and hip bones show are all based on the way you're built. You can't change your skeleton. It's important to keep the image in your head of your personal best body, not someone else's.

A realistic goal for weight loss is between 1/4 - 1 kilogram (½ - 2lb) a week. More than 1 kilogram (2 lb) a week is generally not recommended. This rate of weight loss helps preserve muscle mass and is easier to maintain in the long run. This can be achieved through cutting calories, exercise, or both.

A realistic goal weight depends on your height and frame. You can find a good chart here.

If you are giving yourself a deadline, make sure to give yourself room for mistakes. You may backslide. Bumps in the road happen. Almost everyone who tries to lose weight has an off week every so often. Just remember to KEEP GOING and don't give up!

Ladies, (and gentlemen!) start your calculators.

First we're going to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is the base amount of calories your body needs to function.

Use the following formula:

Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

You can also use this online calculator.

Next, we're going to factor in your activity level.

If you are sedentary (You spend most the day in a chair): BMR x 20 percent

If you are lightly active (You walk around a lot during your daily activities): BMR x 30 percent

If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week): BMR x 40 percent

If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods): BMR x 50 percent

If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training): BMR x 60 percent

Now, add that number to your BMR.

This is the number of calories you need to eat each day to maintain your current weight.

Multiply this number by 7. This is how many calories you need per week to maintain your current weight.

Now you're going to take that weekly number and subtract 3500 from it. Now divide it by 7.

This is the number of calories you should eat each day to lose ½ kilogram (1lb) a week. For 1 kilogram (2lb) a week, subtract 7000 instead of 3500.

DO NOT EAT LESS THAN 1200 CALORIES A DAY.

Eating too few calories will kill your metabolism and work against you.

I highly recommend making yourself a meal plan. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or complicated! Just a quick write up of what to buy and eat for the week will help you keep on track. With a meal plan, you're less likely to stress and abandon your diet/lifestyle change mid-day because you just want to grab something to eat quickly. You'll also have less days where you lose track of how many calories you've had until right before dinner... and realize you only have 200 left (On those days, eat a full dinner anyway. Shit happens and you should eat when you're hungry).

Most of your food should come from the perimeter of the grocery store. Tons of produce, lean meat, fish, and some dairy/eggs. You'll also want to include whole grains, beans, and nuts.

Try and choose options with the least amount of processing. The more ingredients you can pronounce or recognize, the better. The one with the least amount of calories isn't always the healthiest!

Avoid canned foods when you can. These have HUGE amounts of sodium and a lot of the nutritional content is destroyed in the canning process. Plus, they lose another 10-20% of the nutritional content on top of that each year that they sit in the can. If money is an issue for fresh produce - check out the frozen aisle before buying canned. Many packages are flash frozen soon after harvest keeping them fresh and retaining most of their nutritional content.

Breads, rice, pasta, cereal, etc. should all be whole grain. Think brown > white. 'Multi-grain' doesn't always mean 'whole' - be careful of that!

Foods labeled 'all natural' aren't always healthy. There is no real definition or guideline about what can be labeled all natural. When you see it, assume it's bullshit.

Don't drink your calories. Unless you're having a hard time meeting your daily intake, avoid juices and sodas. Water is your new best friend. Drink at LEAST eight 2,5 deciliter (8oz) glasses of water a day, even more if you're working out hard.

Avoid diet pills. They're not worth it, and you won't get any extra results from them. That extra money is better off being put toward going organic, or a new blender, or a new pair of pants when you go down a size.

You can eat several small meals a day, or have 3 meals a day with snacks. No matter how you go about it, make sure you're not starving yourself! If you're hungry, eat. When you make yourself go hungry, you're more likely to binge and eat far more than you would have had if you would have eaten in the first place.

A good rule of thumb when making a meal is to try and keep it 1/2 fruits/veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 grain.

An awesome tool when thinking about portions is WebMD's portion size plate. It's easy, interactive, and gives you a good idea about what one serving looks like.

For tracking calories taken in and calories burned, MyFitnessPal is fantastic and easy to use. I highly recommend it. Plus it has a huge community of people who are looking to lose weight too.

Take time to look up recipes, cook, and find things you enjoy eating. Don't make the mistake of just tolerating foods you think will make you lose the most weight then switching back to the old diet when you hit your goal. If you want the changes in your body to be permanent, the changes in your diet needs to be permanent.

Exercise is SO important to healthy, permanent weight loss. Besides the obvious health benefits, exercise will keep you burning more calories through the day and you won't lose muscle mass (as you will with cutting calories alone). You will sleep better, feel better, and be all around happier with regular exercise.

There are two types of exercise you should incorporate into your routine: Cardio and Strength. 30 to 60 minutes of total exercise 5 times a week is a good amount to shoot for. If you're a beginner, just do as much as you can and work yourself up. Remember to give yourself at least one rest day.

Cardio

Cardio is basically anything that gets you breathing hard and gets your heart rate up. This can include running, biking, swimming, rowing, jumping rope, kickboxing, skating, playing sports, dancing, hiking, power yoga... the list goes on and on. Find something you really enjoy doing!

Strength

Hold up, ladies. Don't think that strength training is just for the men. The more muscles you have, the higher your metabolism is. That means you burn more calories through the day when you're not working out. Strength training is what gives you sexy, lean muscles and a perkier butt and boobs. You will NOT - I repeat NOT - end up looking like a ripped muscle man from lifting weights. Even really heavy ones. Though not all strength training includes weights. Start with a routine that works all muscle groups. If you're not sure what to do, check out these links: Best Arm Exercises, Best Ab Exercises, Best Thigh Exercises.

You can also do a DVD workout plan. Things like the 30 Day Shred, Insanity, PX90, etc. are all home workout programs that have given lots of people great results.

Joining a gym is great because you are usually given an opportunity to learn from a trainer when you join. They'll go over how to use machines properly and safely, show you the starting weight/pace that's right for you, and answer any questions about a workout. Depending on the gym, you'll also have access to group classes, a pool, steam room, and even sometimes a hot tub.

If you are very overweight, have old injuries, or weak joints, don't despair! Low impact workouts are for you. Things like walking, step aerobics, swimming, zumba, cycling, using an eliptical machine, rowing machine, yoga (especially aerial yoga), or pilates are all low impact and easy on the body while still burning calories.

Remember to warm up before a workout to avoid injury, and cool down after to avoid being sore. The longer you cool down, the more your body is able to recover, the less sore you'll be the next day. You can do this by walking, stretching, and getting a massage. Drinking lots of water will help too!

Lastly, keep in mind that the one thing exercise can't do is make you lose fat in one specific area. When we lose fat, we lose it all over or nowhere. We can't spot reduce!

Make a MyFitnessPal account. It has a huge community full of other people trying to slim down and get healthy too. You can use it to track calories eaten and burned, your total weight lost, and inches lost! You can add other users as friends and see what they're doing on your homepage.

Make an instagram account dedicated to your weightloss/health journey. Fill up with motivation. Follow other people who do the same thing. The biggest part of this community are so accepting and supportive of people with all body types and weights. It doesn't matter where you're starting as long as you're starting! DO IT. This is what helped me the most, and is still helping every single day.

Track not only your weight on the scale, but the inches around your waist, arms, legs etc. The scale doesn't always show the whole story. Remember that ½ kilogram (1lb) of muscle takes up less space than ½ kilogram (1lb) of fat. As you gain muscle, you shrink! But it may not always show on the scale.

Celebrate your non-scale weights just as much as you celebrate your scale weights. Your measurements, your flexibility, the number of reps/sets you can do, the amount of time you can run before you have to stop, how fast you can run a mile, even being less out of breath when you walk upstairs than you used to be is still a success and it's worth noticing and being excited about!

Make yourself small rewards for goals. Give yourself a few goal weights if you have a lot of weight to lose. Go shopping, get ice cream, take a trip, get your car detailed... whatever! Work towards something.

Write yourself a letter when you're feeling extra pumped and motivated. Tell yourself how awesome you feel, remind yourself why you're doing this. Include health reasons, non-aesthetic reasons, and physical reasons as to why you want to finish this journey. Pull it out anytime you feel like you want to give up.

LET YOURSELF HAVE TREATS. Eating healthy and losing weight doesn't mean the end of sweets. It just means eating them in moderation. Don't keep what you can't control yourself around in the house, but don't deprive yourself of them completely. Take yourself (and a friend!) out for a scoop of ice cream. Have a slice of pizza. Or two! It's fine to indulge every once in a while. If you're sitting around thinking about all the things you miss and aren't allowed to have anymore, you're likely to not want to continue.

Have a workout buddy. Having someone to help pass the time while you workout and push you to keep going is great motivation. Plus, nobody wants to be the one to call the other day and say they don't feel like working out today.

Keep it small and simple at first. Don't overwhelm yourself with new changes.

If you have to, weigh yourself once a week, and only once a week. Weight tends to fluctuate like crazy through the week. If you weigh yourself every day, you'll go crazy. On the day you weigh, try to do it when you wake up, after you use the bathroom and before your shower. You'll have a more accurate idea of how much fat you're losing this way. But never ever trust the scale. I truly do recommend to only go by measurements.

As you lose weight and your clothes get looser, donate them! You'll feel great helping clothe others, and it can be kinda like a funeral for clothes that you won't ever be fitting into again!

Okay, that's all. WOW that's long. I hope you learned something if you actually had the patience to read the whole thing! Any questions, feel free to ask!

2 comments

Body beautiful, body healthy formula

date: 2012-10-17

time: 10:48:49

Genes play a role in your physical appearance. The shape of your nose, the width of your shoulders, the fullness of your lips and virtually every physical detail are yours thanks to your parents.

No amount of exercise will reshape your body without appropriate nutrition. The blistering fuel from superior foods such as complex carbohydrates, lean protein, fruit and vegetables melts away fat and soon your muscular definition comes sharply into view.

You can make improvements to your genetic package by making improvements to your outward appearance. A thick waist can be trimmed down to a slimmer version; a saggy backside can benefit from uplifting resistance training and cardiovascular exercise; skinny legs can be enhanced by doing specific weight-training exercises to build them up.

How long will it take for the results to come?

date: 2012-10-16

time: 22:11:00

I'm asked literally every day how long it will take to see results.

The truth is...it depends. It depends on where you're starting with your own fitness level...it depends on how intensely and INTELLIGENTLY you're training (length of time is less important than how hard you're pushing yourself), it depends on how well you're eating, it depends on how much water you're drinking, the supplements you're taking, the amount of sleep you're getting and how much stress you're allowing to effect you.

Want to see results in a short amount of time without going to harmful extremes? Here are my tips:

Lift heavy weights.. or even moderate ones. If you want your muscle-building or "toning" results to take YEARS instead of months, by all means stick to the little 3 pound beauty bells. If you want results withing MONTHS or in some cases even WEEKS, lift heavy. Challenge yourself. Start with a weight you can lift for 8-12 reps with proper form. If you can do more than 12 reps, the weight is too light.

Eat CLEAN.. stop kidding yourself. I say that bluntly because many women (I myself am guilty) try to convince ourselves that things we do are okay or healthy. Those 100 calorie snack packs? They're not good for you and they're not doing your waistline any favors! Throw out the packaged, processed, junk food and stick to clean, natural, wholesome foods. You'll feel energized, healthy, and your body, skin and attitude will GLOW.

Drink about 2 L water a day.

Stop drinking alcohol! If you're serious about your health and fitness, this won't be an issue.

Try to get your 8 hours of sleep.

Keep stress levels low by finding ways to relax; meditation, yoga, bubble baths. When you're stressed, raised cortisol levels contribute to abdominal fat storage and can make your health and fitness goals slow considerably.

Stay positive, there will be bumps in the road. You will make mistakes. But every time you "give up" you have to start over and it just sets you back more time. If you mess up a meal, fix it the very next meal!

Losing weight the healthy way has numerous benefits

date: 2012-10-16

time: 19:11:17

A couple of benefits:

The weight will stay off. Your body has time to adjust to your new lifestyle. When you lose weight the unhealthy way, it won't stay off very long. Losing weight the healthy way is more permanent!

If you lose weight the healthy way you have no chance to suffer from vitamins deficiencies or other deficiencies, being exhausted and/or other complaints, dehydration, etc.

It doesn't weaken your immune system.

When you eat healthy and versatile, your metabolism won't slow down. That way you keep burning calories.

Fitness Success Formula

date: 2012-10-02

time: 22:36:22

Many girls are under the impression that if they don't have a gym membership, nike runners, or a cute workout bag, they can't work out. These are just excuses that are being created so you don't have to do it!

Follow these keys and you will get your success!

1. PLANNING.

If you write an essay worth 50% of your final mark you wouldn't just scribble some rough ideas down in one go and submit it. You would make an outline, do research, edit and revise until it was as close to perfect as you could get it. The SAME approach needs to be taken with creating an exercise and meal plan! Spend an hour a day for a week doing research and mapping out some cardio and toning plans along with some healthy meals.

2. EFFORT.

It doesn't matter how long or how fast you can run as long as you are; a) doing it! b) working on improving yourself. Everyone needs to start somewhere and you will never get to that next level if you don't finish the first.

3. CONSISTENCY.

If you buy a teeth whitener kit and only use it once a week for half the amount of necessary time, you're teeth are NOT going to get much whiter and it will not be the results you expected. You NEED to stick to it, everyday you have planned to go, GO! No excuses (other than serious injury)! If you are committing to it then DO IT! The first 2 months are crucial to not skip out.

4. RESULTS.

Imagine the before and after picture, the baggy clothes, the miles you can run faster, how healthy you feel now, looking at your fitness progress. WHAT EVER IT IS THAT ARE YOUR DESIRED RESULTS, IT WILL FEEL AMAZING SEEING THEM!

Calories explained!

date: 2012-09-30

time: 22:45:05

A simple guide to understanding calories and how to USE them to HELP you lose FAT and keep it off!

THE BASICS

Calories are a measure of energy, we need energy to run basic metabolic functions.

Your body burns calories constantly to live, just breathing burns almost 1 calorie a minute!

To lose ½ kg (1 pound/1 lb) you must burn 3500 more calories than you consume.

By giving your body the time and energy it needs to lose FAT you can keep it off for good!

THE CALORIE CLOCK

Your body works on an instant level, it doesn't know or care what your 24 hour intake is but it's easier for us to understand our intake looking at a 24 hour period.

Your body adjusts constantly to its needs based on what nutrition it's getting at that moment.

By eating small meals often you prevent your body from storing calories as fat and use them to their maximum potential. If you eat 3 meals a day at 450 calories each your body will store most of it as fat because it doesn't need 450 calories at one time. If you eat more often, 5-6 times a day, your body will USE the calories instead of storing them!

BMR & CALORIE DEFICIT

Your BMR is the number of calories your body needs to survive through the day.
[4.35 x weight in pounds plus 4.7 x age in years plus 4.7 x height in inches plus 655 = how many calories your body needs a day simply to exist]

↑ This is your BMR. Never eat less than this if you're trying to lose weight, get fit, or stay healthy.

A healthy calorie deficit is 500-1000 calories per day (that's ½-1 kg {1-2 pounds/lbs} per week).

To create a calorie deficit find your BMR and do this equation:

[BMR x activity level plus exercise calories burned minus food intake = deficit]

THE DANGERS OF "STARVATION MODE"

When your body does not have enough calories to function it will use whatever energy it can process fastest. If you are not consuming enough calories to survive it will use muscle instead of fat because it's a faster energy conversion. By eating enough calories you allow your body to take the time it needs to use fat stores because it doesn't have to worry about running out of energy completely.

SO BASICALLY...

Eat enough calories so your body can function but few enough to create a healthy deficit and you'll lose FAT and keep it off!