Find The Right Eating Plan For You

When you are trying to lose weight, what works for one person might not necessarily work for you.

There is so much confusion as to what is best for weight loss. There are so many fad diets around it is hard to know what works and what doesn't.

For me even the thought of a diet is enough to make me grab for the chocolate bar. Don't get me wrong, now that I have got older there are plenty of times I need to watch what I eat and lose a few pound. If you have read some of my previous posts you will know that I like to follow lean and clean eating habits This is the post here is you want to read it

I don't always follow it to the latter but it sure is a good way to reduce any bloating and my waistline. 

Because you are eating only foods in their natural state, there is no build up of toxins and excess fluid. I have yet to speak to anyone who has not lost weight with it. However, like I said earlier you all have your own method that works for you.

I used to believe that the best way to lose weight was to keep my metabolism ticking over by eating six small meals a day. I found this doesn't work for me but what does work if I am diverting off the lean and clean approach is to not graze in between meals. If I stick to three meals a day with no snacks, then I find this has the same affect in weight loss although I do still get some bloating depending on what I eat.

Getting to know your body and what works for you is one of the best pieces of knowledge anyone can acquire. If you are still working it out then experiment with different options, but remember, starving yourself isn't one of them. Whatever option I decide, I always make sure I never, ever go hungry with it. When you starve yourself, you will initially lose weight but then your body will think it is going into starvation mode and will hang on to every bit of fat or fluid it can. Also in the weight loss mode you will not only lose a bit of fat but also important muscle tone. Having lean muscle is one of the best tools you can have to burn calories (to get this you need to add some weight training in to your exercise routine!)

So with all of that in mind find out what works for you and use it to your advantage.

4 Ways Walking Adds Years To Your Life

Want to know the best workout for a longer, healthier future? You don't need a fancy gym or pricey trainer: A growing body of research proves that slipping on a pair of sneakers and going for a stroll is a great way to squeeze more quality years into your time on this planet. And you don't have to commit hours a day to benefit. According to a study published in the journal PLoS Medicine, walking for 11 minutes a day is enough to extend your lifespan by 2 years. Meanwhile, research from Australia's University of Sydney shows swapping one hour of sitting for an hour ofwalking can slash your risk of early death by about 14%—that could mean roughly 9 additional years!
 
Need even more motivation to start stepping? Read on to learn about the different ways this simple form of exercise can turn back the clock.

1. It counteracts the damage caused by sitting.

You've already heard that staying seated for long stretches can slow your circulation, raising your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues. But even a short stroll can counteract these harmful effects. In study published in the journal Experimental Physiology, researchers found that people who sat at a desk for 6 hours experienced reduced blood flow in their legs—and a 10-minute stroll was enough to reverse the effect.
 
For even more benefits, stretch your legs at least every hour. Researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine that people who did a light-intensity activity, such as walking, for 2 minutes each hour had a 33% lower chance of dying during the study than those who didn't.

2. It safeguards your heart.

Walking gets your blood pumping, strengthening your ticker with each step. It can also help you blow off steam and reduce the amount of stress in your life, says James O'Keefe, MD, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Walking may protect your heart by as much as running.” In fact, Harvard scientists found that strolling for at least 3 hours a week can reduce your odds of heart attack and cardiac death by 35%.

3. It puts you on a path to a healthy weight.

An hour of brisk walking can torch up to 460 calories, making it an effective slim-down weapon. What's more, it can target the most harmful form of fat: Regular stepping can help shrink belly fat and increase insulin sensitivity, two precursors to diabetes. In fact, research shows that a 30-minute stroll a day can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 30%, while a one-mile daily walk lowers diabetics' odds of dying from the disease by 39%.

4. It can help your body repair its DNA. 

Walking and other forms of exercise can help put the brakes on the aging process. In a study from Germany's Saarland University, researchers found that regular walking increases activity of telomerase, an enzyme that helps the body mend its DNA. This effect could help you live longer, says study author Sanjay Sharma, MD. He estimates that just 25 minutes of brisk walking or slow jogging a day could buy you 7 additional years of life.
 

And that my friends are some of the reasons I am the biggest fan of walking daily :)









Source: prevention.com/fitness/4-ways-walking-adds-years-to-your-life

Change Your Life Whilst You Sleep

Can you IMAGINE if changing your life...

... Was as EASY as falling ASLEEP?

Turbo-charge your confidence. Lose weight quickly. Rocket your relationships. Become a luckier person. Let go of stress. Be a super-positive thinker. Speed up your brain.

Imagine if ALL of this were possible.

Just by falling ASLEEP.

WELL, IT IS.

And it's all down to an ingenious audio technology known as "Sleep Programming."

Sleep Programming is officially more powerful than hypnosis. It's recently been proven by San Diego University -- and is used daily by the US Government to help train new military recruits.

How does it work? Simple!

Just play one of the special Sleep Programming CDs on loop as you fall asleep - and get ready to wake up a NEW PERSON!

It's the FASTEST and MOST EXCITING way to change. And it's available to YOU - RIGHT NOW.

Check out the official website online CLICK HERE

And get READY to CHANGE!

19 Super Foods To Naturally Cleanse Your Liver

Eating the right foods is key, so here is a list of foods you can include in a diet that will promote a wholly natural, and perpetual cleanse of your liver.

Apples contain high levels of pectin, plus other natural chemicals which actually support your liver and facilitate the cleansing operation.

Asparagus is an excellent diuretic. A diuretic is a substance that helps to promote the production of urine, and as urine is the way that you body naturals evacuates itself of any excess toxins, asparagus actively helps to support detoxification.

Alternative grains can lighten the work that your liver has to do. Ordinary grains such as wheat, and flour made from wheat, contain gluten, which can be difficult to digest and is an allergen for many people. Substituting different grains, the likes of buckwheat, millet, and quinoa can make a significant difference.

Avocados are fantastically good for you as a source of nutrition. This renowned super-food also contains a compound known as glutathione, which is essential in helping your liver to extract toxins.

Beetroot (Beets) and carrots are another good source of glutathione that aids your liver to detox. They are also rich in flavonoids and beta-carotene, which both support healthy liver function.

Brussels sprouts are a rich source of the mineral sulfur, and the antioxidant glucosinolate. Both of these substances encourage your liver in producing certain enzymes that can prevent damage caused by both dietary and environmental toxins.

Cabbage facilitates your body’s production of ITCs (Isothiocyanates), another important substance that promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Citrus fruits, and particularly lemons and limes, contain boatloads of vitamin C. This boosts liver function and helps to transform toxins into substances that are them more easily mopped up by water.

Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower also contain the antioxidant glucosinolate, the antioxidant that promotes the production of toxin busting enzymes.

Dandelion root makes a great tea which helps the liver to break down fat. It also boosts the manufacture of amino acids, another substance essential to the detox process.

Garlic s a rich source of Sulfur, (a great detox support agent), plus Allicin and Selenium, both of which are an important aid in helping to cleanse your liver.

Grapefruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, glutathione, and antioxidants, all of which combine to boost the manufacture of specific enzymes that can rid your body of various toxins including certain carcinogens.

Green tea contains a particular type of antioxidant known as catechins which are well known as substances that support healthy liver function.

Leafy green veggies contain certain chlorophylls that have the ability to absorb toxins that contaminate your body from the environment. They also help to deal with various chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides that find their way into your body system.

Olive oil and other cold pressed natural oils such as flax seed and hemp, also support healthy liver function, helping to produce a lipid base that assists with the absorption of toxins.

Spinach is another excellent source of glutathione.

Tomatoes are yet another great source of glutathione, but they also contain a substance known as Lycopene which can help to protect you against certain types of cancer including breast, lung, and skin cancer.

Turmeric is a spice that not only adds bags of flavor to soups stews and casseroles, but that also promotes the manufacture of detox enzymes.

Walnuts are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids, glutathione, and the amino acid, Arginine; all of which enhance the liver’s cleansing powers, and in particular help to rid your body of excess ammonia.

Source:justnaturallyhealthy.com/2015/04/21/19-super-foods-to-naturally-cleanse-your-liver/?c=nsfb

3 Ways To Burn More Calories On Your Next Walk

While a regular walking routine is a great way to stay in shape, nearly all fitness experts agree that mixing up your workout is crucial if you want to keep seeing results in the mirror and on the scale. An obvious way to increase your aerobic activity and challenge your body in new ways? Pick up the pace!

Want to take your walking workout to the next level? Follow this advice from celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak, author of 5 Pounds:

1. Brisk walking, meaning a speed of about 4 miles an hour, clearly burns more calories and increases oxygen intake more than a 2-miles-an-hour stroll. Gradually build up your speed by increasing the pace for a minute or two, reverting to your accustomed rate for 5 minutes, and so on. Over time, increase the length of the faster-walking periods until you're maintaining that rate overall. Compared with jogging, faster walking is easier on the hips and knees and diminishes the risk of injury.

2. Jogging isn't the best choice for everyone. Unlike brisk walking and running, which are more horizontal in nature and therefore not as likely to jar your torso, jogging involves moving your body up and down, which taxes your joints more. For some people, if done too long or too often, it can lead to injury. On the other hand, if you like to jog, be sure to wear shoes that give you the right support. If you're a runner, feel free to continue and/or blend it with walking.

3. Short bursts of fast running burn the most calories of all these activities. Research shows that a combination of sprinting and walking is even more effective than jogging. Like walking, sprinting is more likely to encourage good posture than jogging. Sprint interval training is a subcategory of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which alternates low-intensity (walking or jogging) and high-intensity (sprinting) aerobic activity. As you get stronger and fitter, you can try a single 30-second burst a day, then two bursts a day, and finally three a day. Then you can increase the bursts to 45 seconds and later 60 seconds long. Always warm up before sprinting by taking a short walk or run. Again, listen to your body.

Source:prevention.com/food/cook/healthy-recipes-runners-world-cookbook

The Wedding Workout

Whether you’re a bride-to-be or a guest looking for a speedy shape-up, Fitness First’s AJ Perera has all the advice you need to look your best on the big day.

Planning a wedding can feel like spinning far too many plates at one time – and these days even being a guest comes with myriad responsibilities, from booking hotel rooms to sourcing the perfect present.

But we all want to look our best on the big day, particularly when the photographer gets snap happy. So ditch the hassle with this simple workout plan and diet tips from Fitness First's AJ Perera.

Monday

Workout: Head outside for a run or jog. Walk for five minutes to warm up then jog at a steady pace for 20 minutes. Walk for a further five minutes to cool down.

Lifestyle tip: Swap processed foods and starchy carbohydrates for lean meat and fish and fresh veg.

Tuesday

Workout: Body weight circuit

Squat x 20

Bend through your knees until your hips are level with your knees, then slowly rise up again.

Alternating lunge x 20

Step forward on one leg and bend both knees to 90 degrees. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

Modified press-up x 20

Check your alignment. Your shoulders should be over your wrists and your body in a straight line. If you’re feeling strong, lift up onto your toes.

Wide squat x 20

Squat as before but position your feet wider apart.

Plank x 30 seconds

Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your bottom from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.

Repeat the circuit as many times as possible in 20 minutes.

Lifestyle tip: As well as eating lots of vegetables, increase the amount of fresh fruit, nuts and seeds you consume.

Wednesday

Workout: Rest day (still try to walk and be active – take the stairs when you can!) 

Lifestyle tip: Sleep is critical in dropping body fat and recovering you’re your workouts. Aim to sleep for eight hours at least four to five nights a week, preferably between 10pm and 6am.

Thursday

Workout: Hopefully the sun will be shining, so head outside for an interval training session. Walk for five minutes to warm up. Sprint from one lamppost to the next, then walk to the following lamppost and repeat for 20 minutes. Walk for five minutes to cool down.

Lifestyle tip: Try to drink one litre of water per 20kg of body weight and if you do need a little caffeine burst, drink black tea and coffee before midday only.

Friday

Workout: Weighted circuit. Perform these moves wearing a backpack filled with tins or weights for a challenge! 

Squat with weighted backpack x 20

Alternating lunge holding a weighted backpack x 20 (10 each leg)

Add a jump between lunges for more of a challenge

Modified press-up x 20 (Go onto your toes if you’re feeling strong!)

 Sit-up x 20 reps

Wide squat holding a weighted backpack x 20

Plank x 30 seconds

Repeat this circuit as many times as possible in 20 minutes.

Source:womensfitness.co.uk/fitness/390/wedding-workout