30 Day Butt Challenge Update

Further to my recent post on the 30 butt challenge I am currently doing, here is an update.

The routines are getting more challenging and I have gone through a range of exercises from floor movements and squats. The latest block of exercises I am currently doing are ballet based. I have done plies based movements which work the thighs and buttocks.

These are getting harder and after the odd day of really feeling the after effects of the routines, I am pleased to say I feel like I am getting stronger in my legs and bum. I have had a brief moment the day after some movements when it felt like I had really worked my muscles, but after some stretches it seemed to ease.

They do say that if you feel stiff then to take a days break. I have had to do this once, but other than that I have managed to keep going.

I do wonder what group of people they make these challenges for.

I exercise regularly but have at times have found it difficult. It certainly is NOT a quick fix for the faint hearted and I would recommend anyone thinking of taking up any kind of intense 7 - 30 day challenge to only do so if you have been exercising already for at least 2-3 months.

Green Leafy Vegetables - Super Food

Dark leafy green vegetables are all the rage in our new health-conscious society, but knowledge isn't always power as few of us meet the minimum USDA recommendations of 3 cups of dark green vegetables per week. And yet, these veggies deliver a bonanza of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Do you meet or exceed the recommendations?

A nutrition professor once told me that it was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of green leafy vegetables per day in the form of leaves.

He imagined them walking along from one place to another, just picking and eating leaves as they went. Can you imagine eating a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Being on a low carb diet may be motivation. With the bulk of green leafy vegetables decreasing appetite and the lack of sugar, green leafy vegetables are a good foundation for people on a low carb diet. When using them, be sure that you create variety around having them. Think about these three ways to add leafy greens to your diet:

• Smoothies: Add Frozen Green Leafy Veggies like Kale, Spinach or Beet Greens
• Sandwiches or wraps: Given your low carb diet, using green leafy vegetables in the place of bread in sandwiches or wraps is the way to go low on carbs.
• Egg Scrambles: Add your favourite leafy green vegetables to omelets or egg scrambles. The egg could use the texture and the taste won't be sacrificed too much given the strong protein taste from the egg.

Health Benefits

Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food group. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.

They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

Vitamin K

Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K a day. That's right, just one cup. Even a couple of cups of raw dark salad greens provides the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.

• Regulates blood clotting
• Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
• May help prevent and possibly even reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques
• May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis
• May help prevent diabetes
• Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.

  Almost Carb-Free

  Greens have very little carbohydrate in them, and the carbs that are there are packed in layers of fibre, which make them very slow to digest. That is why, in general, greens have very little impact on blood glucose. In some systems greens are even treated as a "freebie" carb-wise (meaning the carbohydrate doesn't have to be counted at all).

Source:verywell.com/green-leafy-vegetables-nutritional-powerhouses-2242154

Six Exercises To Tone The Face

                                                 A natural face lift without surgery

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.