How To Have A Body That Can Rock Skinny Jeans

By on September 23, 2012

Skinny jeans are all the rage. It’s rare for a certain piece of wardrobe to be well-liked and well-worn by both men and women, but skinny jeans definitely make the cut.

Not everyone has the body to rock them, though. If you’re a woman and have deemed yourself not skinny jean-worthy, we have a few tips to help you sculpt a body that can rock sexy skinny jeans.

Although women with various body proportions can wear them, skinny jeans look best on women with slim hips, slim thighs, and a firm backside. If you are not naturally blessed with these physical attributes, then it’s time you lose fat and tone your thighs and butt.

To burn fat, you will have to watch your diet and perform adequate cardio activities daily. To tone up, incorporate this routine in your workout program four to six times a week to see fantastic results:

For Your Hips

* Standing Side Kick
1. Stand with your hands on your hips and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Extend your right leg to the side slowly until it is at hip height.
3. Count to 3 before lowering your leg to the floor.
4. Repeat 15 times before switching sides.

* Hip Raise
1. Lie flat on your back with arms on your side, knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your hips off the floor and extend your left leg towards the wall.
3. Count to 3 before lowering your leg to starting position.
4.  Repeat 15 times before switching sides.

For Your Thighs

* Squat with Ball
1. Place a stability ball between the wall and your lower back.
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
3. Slowly lower your body down by bending your knees until your thighs are 90 degrees parallel to the floor.
4. Count to 3 before standing back up.
5. Repeat 15 times.

* Plie
1. Stand with your feet about 5 inches wider than hip-width apart and your toes pointing outward.
2. Bring your body down to a squat position while bringing your arms straight in front of you at the same time. Contract your glutes and make sure to not let your knees go past your toes.
3. Go back to starting position after 3 counts.
4. Repeat 15 times.

For Your Butt

* Facedown Hip External Rotation
1. Lie on your stomach with arms folded under your head, face towards the side, and legs extended straight.
2. Bend your right leg with your knee pointing out. Place your foot on the back of your left knee without raising your hips off the floor.
3. Lift your right knee while contracting your right butt check without raising your hip.
4. Count 2 before going back to starting position.
5. Repeat 15 times before switching sides.

* Dumbbell Bent-Knee Deadlift
1. Place a pair of 15-pound dumbbells on the floor in front you.
2. Go down into a squat position and pick up the dumbbells, keeping your lower back slightly arched and your chest up.
3. Stand up with the dumbbells, making sure to contract your glutes.
4. Count to 3 before lowering the dumbbells to the floor, still keeping your back arched and chest up.
5. Repeat 15 times.

Filed Under: diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , , ,

How To Have Slimmer Thighs

By on September 9, 2012

Everyone has a weakness for the perfect legs – men love them in women and women would die to have them. Though great legs come in all shapes and proportions, but the best looking ones come with slim and well-toned thighs.

Like most body parts, our thighs tend to get flabbier and chubbier as we grow older, especially if we do not follow a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen.

Thunder thighs, as some mean girls in school like to call them, are unattractive and can make you self-conscious in whatever type of shorts or pants you wear. If you have thighs you feel uncomfortable wearing clothes in, it’s time to do something to slim them down.

Here are some of the best ways to have thighs that men go crazy over and other women would envy:

1. Walk, jog, or run

The easiest way to slim down your thighs is walking, jogging, or running. A simple walk around the block, a morning jog, or an afternoon run at least once a day will do wonders for your thighs. Just make sure to wear comfortable shoes when doing so.

2. Ride a bike

If you have a gym membership, spend a good 15-20 on the stationary bike. Bike riding is a great exercise to reduce leg fat as it is said to result in a calorie-burn of 500-600 in an hour.

3. Weight train

To have the perfect legs, you do not only want them slim — you want them well-toned. So, lose the fat and build muscle in your thighs by doing some weight training. If you’re worried about bulking, you can seek the help of a fitness instructor for the right weights and reps.

4. Use a stability ball

Lie on your back with your legs resting on a stability ball. Lift your hips up, and, using your legs, slowly roll the ball towards your hips. Roll your hips back down and repeat.  This exercise is not only good for slimming your thighs; it’s great for toning your abs too.

Here’s also another way to use a stability ball for slimmer thighs:

5. Avoid fatty foods

Your hips and thighs are the most common areas fats go when you consume foods rich in them. Avoid fatty foods and there will be less fat to be stored in your legs.

6. Drink lots of water

Aim to consume at least 8 glasses of water each day. Water not only helps get rid of toxins in the body, it also helps get rid of cellulite that is common in women with chubby thighs.

Remember, if you’ve had chubby thighs since you can remembbber, it may be tough to get slim them down at first. Don’t lose patience and follow these steps religiously and you will have slim, shapely thighs you’ve always wanted.

 

Filed Under: diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , , ,

The Beginner’s Guide To Having Flat Abs

By on August 26, 2012

By today’s standards, a tight core is the centerpiece for any muscular physique — for men and women alike. Flat abs are not just sexy, they’re a sign of your health and strength too. No wonder why it is one of the most eye-catching features of your body.

Although tight, strong abs are what most people work hard at the gym for, not everyone will get to see the results they want — especially beginners. If you are a beginner who is looking for the best program that can help you achieve washboard abs, then follow this guide and you will have one in no time.

1. Be consistent in doing cardiovascular exercises.

Cardiovascular ExercisesCardio exercises have numerous benefits, and one of them is weight loss. You may wonder why you have to lose weight when all you want is flat abs. The truth is that it doesn’t matter how hard you work your core, you’ll never get a chance to see it flat and fabulous if there’s a layer of fat covering it.

To make flat abs visible, you need to get rid of fat in the belly. However, since it’s not possible to force your body to lose fat in just one particular area, you need to burn fat from all over the body, and the best way to do this is to perform cardio exercises.

A 30-minute jog or 20-minute run on the treadmill 3-4 times a week should be sufficient to lose belly fat and keep it off.

2. Be mindful of your eating habits.

To prep your body for killer abs, you need to watch what and how much food you eat. Refrain from eating junk foods and start adding fruits and green vegetables to your meals instead. If switching drastically seems pretty hard to do, you can enjoy a burger or a Coke float now and then but consume only half of what you normally do, or share them with a friend.

Cutting calorie intake in half will help stave off belly fat, thus giving your sculpted abs a chance to become visible.

3. Perform ab workouts.

There are countless of ab workouts you can do, but as a beginner, you can start doing crunches or sit ups. As soon as you become too familiar with these exercises, you can switch to other routines that work different muscles in your abdominal area.

To get the most out of abdominal exercises, you can wear an ab toning belt while doing them.

A key note to remember when it comes to getting toned, well-sculpted abs: One of the main reasons why a lot of people just cannot achieve washboard abs is that they give up too easily. As a beginner, some of these ab exercises may prove to be tough to perform, but they will get easier in time.

Do not stick to one program though. It is always best to vary your exercise routine to keep your ab muscles guessing and, more importantly, working.

Filed Under: ab belts, Ab workouts, diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

What is Green Tea and How Can It Help You Lose Weight?

By on August 25, 2012

According to the book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life by Nadine Taylor, green tea has been used by ancient Chinese people for at least 4,000 years to cure various health problems ranging from mild headaches to severe depression.

Having originated from China and is still closely associated with various cultures found in Asia, green tea today has become more widespread in the West (where black tea is traditionally consumed).

There has been enough evidence presented by scientific studies conducted in Asia and the West to prove that green tea benefits go way beyond helping relieve mild bodily pains, but symptoms of serious medical conditions as well, including rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, infection, impaired immune functions, and even cancer.

Green tea, however, is not only for those who are suffering certain illnesses, but for individuals who want to lose weight as well. If you are trying to shed excess pounds, drinking green tea can make the whole process a whole lot easier.

What exactly is green tea and how can it help you lose weight?

Green Tea for Weight LossGreen tea is a type of tea made solely from unfermented leaves of Camellia sinensis. Because it undergoes only minimal oxidation during the processing, much of its natural components are preserved, especially catechin polyphenols. Green tea is rich in polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, which is a powerful anti-oxidant that inhibits the growth of harmful cells in the body.

These same catechins plus caffeine found in green tea will force your body into thermogenesis, a biological process involved in burning fat for energy.  They not only increase your metabolism, they are also known to be mild appetite suppressants.  Moreover, components of green tea stops the movement of sugar into your fat cells.

A Japanese research shows that if you consume 5 cups of green tea a day, you can effortlessly burn 70-80 calories as a result of thermogenesis. It is said that drinking 5 cups of green tea without making changes to your eating habits, you can lose 1 pound over the course of 43 days or 8 pounds in one year.

Eight pounds in a year is definitely not much, but if you combine a healthy diet and a regular exercise regimen with green tea consumption, then you can count on not only losing extra pounds, but keeping them off!

Five cups of coffee may seem a bit overboard to some, especially to those who do not like the bitter taste of green tea and to those who are afraid of negative side effects it may bring.  You can always add lemon juice or honey to add flavor to it. Know that green tea is an acquired taste and after a while, you won’t need much sweetener to enjoy it. As for the negative side effects, they do not usually come up if you limit your consumption to 5 cups a day. If you go beyond that, you may experience insomnia, headache, nervousness, and irregular heartbeat.

Just remember to not go beyond the suggested number of cups to drink in a day and you will experience the many benefits of green tea, especially weight loss.

 

Filed Under: diet, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: ,

Losing Weight Without Counting Calories: Is It Possible?

By on July 27, 2012

If you want a straight answer, then yes, it is possible. But how? With almost every resource you find on losing weight – whether magazines, books, or online sites – telling you to consume just the right amount of calories, you may find yourself wondering how it is possible to do so without counting them.

To most dieters, calorie-counting is not only overwhelming, it can be counter-productive, too. Obsessing on the number of calories you consume can make you forget to pay attention to the nutritional value of what you’re eating. Rather than lose weight, you can end up eating food that will do little to nothing to increase your metabolism and will just end up as stored fat.

So how do you lose weight without crunching numbers every meal and snack time?

As a non calorie counting dieter, here are 2 eating habits to practice daily to ensure that you still shed those unwanted pounds:

1. Eat when you’re truly physically hungry and stop when you’re full. 

Emotional eating – a practice of consuming large quantities of food in response to stress, frustration, anxiety, and even boredom instead of physical hunger – is one of the most common causes of uncontrollable weight gain.

Before you reach for that Snickers icebox pie, ask yourself first if you are indeed hungry or just wanting to eat out of boredom.

If you are an emotional eater, come up with healthy ways to deal with this problem. You can either go outside for a walk, read a good book, or call a friend.

When you are truly hungry, eat until you feel full. No need to have a second serving if your stomach is telling you it doesn’t need one

Treat this as a golden rule in eating and you will never have to worry about counting calories to stay in shape again.

2. Fill up on fruits and vegetables. 

Not only are fruits and vegetables good for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and risks of life-threatening diseases such as stroke, cancer, and diabetes, they are also ideal for those who want to keep obesity at bay.

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body strong and fiber to keep your stomach full at longer periods of time.

Ideally, your plate during every meal should have more portions of fruits or vegetables compared to other viands.

Filling up on produce is a great way to keep your calorie count in check and still consume lots of vital nutrients at the same time.


Filed Under: diet, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

4 Easy Ways To Have a Flatter Stomach

By on July 24, 2012

A bulging stomach is not just unpleasing to the eye, it poses a risk to one’s health, too. Whatever our personal reason is in losing unattractive rolls of belly fat – whether just to fit nicely into a fitted shirt or to keep the risks of life-threatening health diseases at bay – we soon realize that a flat stomach does not come easy.

It is something to work really hard for. Years of eating unhealthy food and lack of exercise have taken their toll on our body, and everyday that we postpone that much-needed change towards a better and healthier lifestyle, we only make it harder for our bodies to lose excess pounds.

Sure, there are already lots of products in the market that promise a flat stomach without the need to work your butt off at the gym. While there are products that do show great results after consistent use, most are not safe, show little to no results, and most of all, expensive.

Unless you want to experience the nasty side effects of slimming pills or can afford to undergo a liposuction, you’d want to take the traditional yet still extremely effective route to having a flatter stomach.

When it comes to losing belly fat and keep it off, nothing can beat healthy eating habits and adequate sleep, and daily exercise. Hearing the words diet and exercise may sound intimidating enough to make you want to run to the nearest drugstore or plastic surgeon.

Contrary to what many people believe, getting a flatter stomach is really not all that hard. Just make sure you follow these tips:

1. Do not starve yourself.

Many people associate dieting with starving oneself. They couldn’t be more wrong. The more they starve themselves, the lower their metabolism becomes and the slower they will lose unwanted weight.

Eating six times during the day is what fitness experts advise. This way, you up your metabolism and you prevent the surging of hunger pangs, which can cause you to overeat.

2. Eat high-protein, fiber-rich, and low-carb foods.

Studies show that foods rich in protein and fiber take longer for the stomach to process, thus making you feel full for longer periods during the day. Make sure to include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, and beans in your daily diet.

Although carbohydrates remain to be an essential part of our diet in order for our body to have enough energy to last throughout the day,  consuming too much of it will result in belly fats. Therefore, you should stick to low-carb foods if you want to have a flatter stomach.

3. Get enough sleep.

The keyword here is enough. This means that you get not too little nor too much sleep each night. If your body does not get enough rest – as in less than 5 hours of sleep – it will produce hormones that can cause you to overeat when awake.

On the other hand, if you sleep more than 7 hours at night, your body will not be able to shed calories you consume due to long periods of inactivity.

See to it that you get 6-7 hours of sleep to avoid the adverse effects of oversleeping or sleep deprivation on your abdominal area.

4. Perform abdominal exercises at home.

You don’t need to have a gym membership just to be able to perform abdominal exercises. You can do them right in your own home. Crunches, Pilates exercises, and sit ups – so long as done with proper breathing techniques – can go a long way.  You can even invest in an ab toning belt to maximize the benefits of these abdominal exercises.

A flatter stomach does not only make you look fit and lean. More importantly, it minimizes, if not eliminate the risk of diabetes and heart-related illnesses.


Filed Under: ab belts, diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: , ,

5 Habits That You Don’t Know Are Making You Fat

By on June 13, 2012

You’ve been eating only healthy food and exercising religiously, yet you just can’t seem to shed those extra pounds you’ve been trying really hard to lose. What’s keeping you from getting that slimmer and healthier body you want?

It may be one or all of these 5 habits that you don’t know are making you fat:

1. Sleeping too much

While it is known to many that too little sleep increases the risk of weight gain, few realize that too much sleep can also prevent them from losing those extra pounds. In fact, a Wake Forest research shows that while people who sleep less than the recommended 7-8 hours are likely to put on 2 1/2 times more belly fat, those who oversleep can easily gain weight just slightly less than that.

Getting adequate amount of rest does not only apply to nighttime sleep, however, but afternoon naps as well. Keep power naps to a maximum of 30 minutes – just enough time to revitalize your mind and body. Otherwise, you will wake up groggy, disoriented, and still sleepy, which can result to slow fat burn throughout the rest of the day.

2. Eating too quickly

Do you know that it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to send the brain a message to stop eating? This means that by eating too quickly, you are likely to take in more calories before your brain realizes that the body has had enough. What’s ironic is that even though eating too quickly can result to overeating, those who eat at a normal pace feel more satiated compared to those who gobble down food.

Take slower and smaller bites as it not only allows you to savor your meals, but it also provides your stomach ample time to tell your brain that you are already full.

3. Eating too late

If there’s one thing you can be thankful for, it’s that your body continues to burn fat even while asleep. But not when it’s busy processing a full stomach! For a slimmer waistline, eat your dinner between 6 and 8 o’clock.

4. Not drinking water before every meal

It is no secret that drinking water can help you lose weight. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water at any time during the day has been proven to be a viable weight loss strategy. What some people do not know is that drinking 2 glasses of water before every meal will boost a dieter’s weight loss efforts.

Drinking water before eating can give you a feeling of fullness, which can help you refuse the temptation of drinking sugar-filled beverages after a meal.

5. Watching too much TV

Too much TV viewing is not only detrimental to your eyesight, it can lead to weight gain too! Aside from the fact that it does not require you to do anything except sit for long hours, TV viewing is something people like to do while snacking. Combine calorie-intake with sedentary activity and you are sure to gain unwanted pounds.

Limit time spent in front of the television to an hour a day, if possible. If you find it hard to cut down on TV time, try exercising while watching your favorite shows. Get on your exercise bike or do some push ups – anything just get your body moving while watching television.

Remember, no matter how hard you exercise or how strictly you follow your diet, your efforts will prove useless if you don’t get rid of these 5 mindless habits that are keeping you from getting the slim and healthy body you want.


Filed Under: diet, Fitness and Exercise, Health Lifestyle Tagged With: ,

Your Alcohol Consumption Could be Hold You Back From Amazing Abs

By on May 31, 2012

Losing weight can be a challenging goal for many people. While diet and exercise play an important role in any weight loss plan, it’s also essential to understand how lifestyle can impact one’s weight. For example, even moderate alcohol consumption can result in significant weight gain. The following guide explores how alcohol consumption can hold one back from amazing abs.

Many people know that drinking too much beer can result in a beer belly. However, it can be challenging for some people to understand the true impact that alcohol can have on one’s calorie consumption. For example, a 12-pack of full beer contains the same number of calories that one should consume over the entire day.

Harder alcoholic beverages also contain a high number of calories. For example, a single shot of vodka can contain up to 140 calories. When mixed with sweet juices or other drinks, the calorie count can increase significantly. For example, a white Russian vodka with cream can contain over 300 calories per serving.

It’s also important to understand how alcohol can reduce one’s motivation. While a small amount of alcohol isn’t harmful, larger amounts can have a significant impact on an individual’s judgement and perception. While most people understand that drinking driving can be dangerous, they may not be aware of the hidden dangers of drinking and eating.

Many people make very poor food choices when they have been drinking. In addition, most healthy restaurants are not open when bars are closing. For example, many people will get a burger, hot dog, pizza or kebab after drinking. Each of these food choices contains saturated fat, cholesterol, lots of calories and sugar. While they can sate one’s hunger, they can have a very negative impact on one’s waistline. In many cases, food consumed after drinking is one’s fourth meal of the day.

In addition, alcohol can leach important nutrients from the body. Excessive drinking may have a negative impact on an individual’s metabolism. For example, many people feel horrible the day after drinking. Since the body is recovering for excessive amounts of alcohol, it can be difficult to feel energetic enough to exercise. IN many cases, any exercise plans can be delayed for up to 48 hours after drinking.

While moderate drinking is acceptable, heavy binge drinking can have a negative impact on one’s waist and one’s liver. However, The Ab Flex Belt can be a great way to improve one’s midsection after drinking.

Filed Under: Ab workouts, diet Tagged With: ,

Does Caffeine Help you Lose Weight and Belly Fat?

By on May 28, 2012

Losing weight always seems to be on everyone’s mind, especially when it is close to bikini season. Many people try to do everything they can to lose the extra few pounds they gained during the winter. They want to look good in their bathing suits and shorts during the summertime.

If you are having trouble dropping the weight for summer, you might be at a loss of what to do. One thing you can do is include more coffee in your diet. This caffeinated beverage is great to drink in the morning because it does not contain any calories as long as you do not add sugar, cream or milk to it.

Coffee is considered a great appetite suppressant. When your appetite is suppressed, you will be less likely to overeat, which will help you lose weight.

Another way coffee helps with weight loss is that it helps you burn more fat. The thermogenic properties found in coffee will boost your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day.

A third way coffee helps you lose weight is that it gets rid of water weight. This is because coffee contains diuretic properties, which make you go to the bathroom more often. The loss of water will make you drop weight, but that does not mean you should stop dieting and exercising.

Drinking coffee can also be dangerous if you are not careful. If you drink several cups of coffee a day, you can suffer from a few side effects including insomnia, high blood pressure, nausea and irritability. It is best to just drink one cup of coffee in the morning.

Coffee can help with weight loss if you drink it in moderation. Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning can help you burn more fat, lose water and suppress your appetite. The benefits of drinking coffee for weight loss are not so significant that you should forgo a balanced diet and exercise routine. Additionally, avoid drinking specialty coffees because many of them contain a lot of calories and fat, which can cause you to put on weight.

Filed Under: diet, Fitness and Exercise Tagged With: , ,

Post Workout Eating – What to Eat, What Not to Eat and When

By on May 24, 2012

Exercise and nutrition are the most important factors of a healthy lifestyle. For those interested in diet and physical fitness, knowing what and when to eat can be confusing. For example, the post-workout meal is one of the most important meals of the day; however, many are unsure of what to eat after a workout, and how long they should wait to eat post-exercise.

What to Eat After Exercise

Knowing what to eat after a workout can mean all the difference in losing weight and building muscle. After exercise, the most important sources of nutrition are protein and healthy carbohydrates.

Protein

Protein is essential when it comes to building muscle and burning fat. However, there are certain sources of protein that are better than others when it comes to post-workout meals.

Although lean chicken, beef or fish are all great sources of protein, the most beneficial sources of protein for post-workout snacks are protein shakes. Liquid protein digests more quickly than solids, and can therefore begin doing their job of building and repairing muscle tissue. Whey protein shakes, in particular, are an ideal option for post-workout protein.

The amount of protein that should be consumed post-workout varies on an individual basis. The ideal amount is 0.15-0.25 of protein per pound of body weight.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are what the body uses for fuel. After cardiovascular exercise, this fuel must be replenished in order to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue. However, it’s important to know which carbs to avoid after a workout, and which ones are most beneficial.

During any other time of the day, complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread or rice, are preferable over simple carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes. However, when it comes to post-workout nutrition, simple carbohydrates are best. Simple carbs digest more quickly than the complex variety, and can therefore get the body back on track in regards to energy and metabolism.

As with protein, liquid carbohydrates digest more quickly than solids. For this reason, drinks containing dextrose, which is a type of sugar used in sports and energy drinks, are a great post-workout option.

Between 0.25-0.4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight is an ideal amount of post-exercise carbs.

What Not to Eat After Exercise

The main thing to avoid when it comes to post-workout meals is fat. Fat slows digestion and prevents the body from recovering after exercise.

When to Eat After Exercise

In order to repair muscles and refuel the body, a healthy meal or snack should be consumed as soon as possible after a workout. Within the first hour after exercise is recommended, but within the first fifteen to thirty minutes is even more beneficial.

Knowing what, when and how much to eat after a workout can be an integral part of fitness and weight loss. By following these simple rules, eating after an intense workout is made simple.

Filed Under: diet Tagged With: ,
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