Along with taking protein shakes as a supplement to my diet and work-out program, another supplement I also take is in the form of fatty acids, specifically Omega-3 fatty acids. These supplements help in weight loss, as well as having numerous other benefits.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a specific type of unsaturated fat that the body cannot manufacture on its own, so they must be obatained from food. There are three types of Omega-3 fatty acids that are important in human metabolism:
1. a-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
2. Eicosapentaenoic Acid (ELA)
3. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
ALA is considered to be an essential nutrient. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized by the body, they must be consumed in food products. Both ELA and DHA are non-essential, but can be synthesized using ALA as a starting point. Foods with the highest concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, tuna, shrimp, salmon, soybeans, halibut, cauliflower or cabbage, or you can take it in the form of softgels which can be found in the supplements section of a store.
When you combine Omega-3 fish oils with exercise the best results are obtained for weight loss. The Omega-3 found in fish oil increases fat-burning ability by improving the flow of blood to muscles during exercise.
Aside from weight loss, Omega-3 fatty acids may be helpful in treating a variety of conditions, such as:
1. Heart Disease
2. Stroke
3. High Blood Pressure
4. High Cholesterol
5. Diabetes
6. Colon Cancer
7. Breast Cancer
8. Prostate Cancer
9. Schizophrenia
10. Manic/Depression (Bipolar Disorder)
11. Depression
12. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
13. Eating Disorders
14. Panic Attacks
15. Asthma
16. Menstrual Pain
17. Migraine Headaches
18. Preterm Labor
19. Arthritis
20. Osteoporosis
21. Skin Disorders
22. Burns
23. Ulcers
24. Emphysema
25. Glaucoma
26. Macular Degeneration
27. Eczema
28. Psoriasis
29. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
30. Lupus
31. Lyme Disease
32. Huntington's Disease
33. Multiple Sclerosis
I would like to add that because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, this and all supplements should be taken after informing your doctor.
Showing posts with label warm-up exercises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label warm-up exercises. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Why Not Protein Shake?
There is so much debate on whether protein shakes are really necessary to a workout program. More so, there is a greater debate on whether women should be taking these supplements. Personally, I am a strong believer in protein shakes being a part of my workout program. In this article I aim to explain why.
Protein shakes are infused with protein, often in the form of whey, soy, or egg. It should be the most important part of your diet, whether your goals are to increase muscle and get bigger and stronger, or lose weight and fat and get lean. Increasing your protein intake increases your chances of losing weigth when you're working out. And it also is a quick and tasty way to get a high-quality source of protein without a lot of extra fat or carbohydrates.
Most women today do not understand the importance of having lean muscle mass and are too scared of developing large, bulky muscles that would make them look manly. They do not actually realize how hard it is to achieve and build large amounts of muscle. Gaining muscle size is extremely hard, requiring complete dedication, near perfect diet of mass amounts of protein, many years of training with extremely heavy weights, and you would need to be one with the genetic predisposition to achieve this, which is rare. They also do not understand how having more lean muscle mass actually helps boost their metabolism, and helps to burn fat faster.
A high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet is the most effective for controlling weight problems. For some reason women do not eat an adequate amount of protein. Amino acids and protein are the building blocks to the entire body, this includes muscles, tissues, hair, nails, etc... A complete source of protein is necessary to help in burning excess calories and fat.
My favorite protein shake supplement is Body Fortress which contains 100% premium whey protein powder. It is packed with 23g of protein per serving.
Whey protein contains ingredients similar to those found in mother's milk and is therefore used in many baby formulas. This protein is full of essential amino acids that promote good health and improve body composition and enhance athletic performance; high quality whey protein powder is also packed with leucine, which is essential to preserve lean muscle tissue and promote fat loss.
The benefits, then, of protein shakes are the following:
1. To Increase your percentage of lean muscle.
2. To build muscle mass.
3. To recover faster after a workout.
4. To reduce injuries related to working out.
5. To maintain a healthy and fit body.
6. To feel better during your workouts.
7. To act as a healthy alternative for a meal.
8. Increases the body levels of gluthathione-a powerful anti-oxidant that is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.
9. Preventing bone loss.
10. Healing wounds and surgical incisions.
Again, a key point to remember is that every time you work out you are tearing down muscles and then rebuilding them. Protein is necessary to repair and rebuild your muscles.
Protein shakes are infused with protein, often in the form of whey, soy, or egg. It should be the most important part of your diet, whether your goals are to increase muscle and get bigger and stronger, or lose weight and fat and get lean. Increasing your protein intake increases your chances of losing weigth when you're working out. And it also is a quick and tasty way to get a high-quality source of protein without a lot of extra fat or carbohydrates.
Most women today do not understand the importance of having lean muscle mass and are too scared of developing large, bulky muscles that would make them look manly. They do not actually realize how hard it is to achieve and build large amounts of muscle. Gaining muscle size is extremely hard, requiring complete dedication, near perfect diet of mass amounts of protein, many years of training with extremely heavy weights, and you would need to be one with the genetic predisposition to achieve this, which is rare. They also do not understand how having more lean muscle mass actually helps boost their metabolism, and helps to burn fat faster.
A high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet is the most effective for controlling weight problems. For some reason women do not eat an adequate amount of protein. Amino acids and protein are the building blocks to the entire body, this includes muscles, tissues, hair, nails, etc... A complete source of protein is necessary to help in burning excess calories and fat.
My favorite protein shake supplement is Body Fortress which contains 100% premium whey protein powder. It is packed with 23g of protein per serving.
Whey protein contains ingredients similar to those found in mother's milk and is therefore used in many baby formulas. This protein is full of essential amino acids that promote good health and improve body composition and enhance athletic performance; high quality whey protein powder is also packed with leucine, which is essential to preserve lean muscle tissue and promote fat loss.
The benefits, then, of protein shakes are the following:
1. To Increase your percentage of lean muscle.
2. To build muscle mass.
3. To recover faster after a workout.
4. To reduce injuries related to working out.
5. To maintain a healthy and fit body.
6. To feel better during your workouts.
7. To act as a healthy alternative for a meal.
8. Increases the body levels of gluthathione-a powerful anti-oxidant that is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system.
9. Preventing bone loss.
10. Healing wounds and surgical incisions.
Again, a key point to remember is that every time you work out you are tearing down muscles and then rebuilding them. Protein is necessary to repair and rebuild your muscles.
Friday, September 28, 2007
15 Of The Most Ridiculous Excuses Not To Exercise
These are probably the most irrelevant reasons people give for not starting a workout program. And I once was one of those people. So...Being There, Done That...And It's A No Go.
1. I do not have enough time.
2. I had a long day at work.
3. I have the fat gene.
4. I was meant to be fat.
5. I ate too much.
6. My medication makes me fat.
7. Stress makes me fat.
8. My husband/wife makes me fat with all his/her nagging.
9. I'm married now...I have children now...I'm dating.
10. I'll start tomorrow...the 15th...on the 1st...on New Years Day.
11. Diets don't work.
12. Poor people get fatter.
13. My shoes are too old...My shoes are too new...I don't have shoes for exercising.
14. I have an I.Q. of 175, and it wouldn't be fair to have brains and brawn.
15. I don't want to perpetuate a hollywood stereotype that young girls have to live up to.
EVERYDAY YOU GIVE AN EXCUSE NOT TO EXERCISE, IS A DAY'S LOST IN GETTING CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL...
EVERYDAY YOU FOLLOW YOUR WORKOUT PROGRAM, IS ONE DAY CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL...
IT IS ULTIMATELY YOU WHO HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
1. I do not have enough time.
2. I had a long day at work.
3. I have the fat gene.
4. I was meant to be fat.
5. I ate too much.
6. My medication makes me fat.
7. Stress makes me fat.
8. My husband/wife makes me fat with all his/her nagging.
9. I'm married now...I have children now...I'm dating.
10. I'll start tomorrow...the 15th...on the 1st...on New Years Day.
11. Diets don't work.
12. Poor people get fatter.
13. My shoes are too old...My shoes are too new...I don't have shoes for exercising.
14. I have an I.Q. of 175, and it wouldn't be fair to have brains and brawn.
15. I don't want to perpetuate a hollywood stereotype that young girls have to live up to.
EVERYDAY YOU GIVE AN EXCUSE NOT TO EXERCISE, IS A DAY'S LOST IN GETTING CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL...
EVERYDAY YOU FOLLOW YOUR WORKOUT PROGRAM, IS ONE DAY CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL...
IT IS ULTIMATELY YOU WHO HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
Friday, September 21, 2007
My Favorite Warm-Up Exercises
Before I start my work-out sessions, I do the following warm-up exercises:
Ear To Shoulder
Sit on a flat surface with legs crossed
Extend arms over legs with palms facing upward
Gently bend your neck in attempts to touch your left ear to your shoulder
Stop when a stretch is felt in the right side of your neck
Hold position for 10 seconds
Return to starting position-neck in midline position
Repeat above stretch 9 more times
Gently bend your neck in attempts to touch your right ear to your shoulder
Stop when a stretch is felt in the left side of your neck
Hold position for 10 seconds
Return to starting position-neck in midline position
Repeat above stretch 9 more times
Shoulder Shrug
Sit on a flat surface with legs crossed
Extend arms over legs with palms facing upward
Gently move your shoulders upward in attempts to reach the lower part of your ears
Hold position for 10 seconds
Return to starting position
Repeat above stretch 9 more times
Calf Stretch
Stand an arm's-length from the wall or a support
Lean into wall, bracing yourself with your arms
Place one leg forward with your knee bent-this leg will not bear any weight
Keep your other leg back, with your knee straight and your heel down
Keeping your back straight, move your hips toward the wall until you feel a stretch
Hold for 30 seconds
Repeat with other leg
Hamstring Stretch
Place the heel of your right foot up on a bench
Straighten out your right leg and keep your left knee-the leg you're standing on-slightly bent
Reach for the toes of your right foot with both hands
Hold stretch for 30 seconds, then repeat with other leg
Quadricep Stretch
Stand erect but close to a wall or post in case you need the support
Bend your knee behind you so that you can grasp your foot, holding your heel against your buttock
Stand up straight and push your knee gently back as far as you can
Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides
Chest Stretch
Clasp your hands together behind your back, with your palms together
Keeping your elbows straight, lift your hands out and up behind you as far as possible
You should be able to feel the stretch in your shoulders and chest
Hold for 30 seconds
Friday, September 14, 2007
9 Reasons Why You Should Do Warm-Up Exercises Before Your Work-Out Sessions
Warming up prior to any physical activity does a number of beneficial things, but primarily its main purpose is to prepare the body and mind for more strenous activity. One of the ways it achieves this is by helping to increase the body's core temperature, while also increasing the body's muscle temperature. By increasing muscle temperature you're helping to make the muscles loose. An effective warm-up also has the effect of increasing both your heart rate and your respiratory rate. This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. All this helps to prepare the muscles, tendons, and joints for more strenous activity.
Therefore, the benefits of warm-up exercises are the following:
1. The prevention of injury.
2. The improvement of performance.
3. The reduction of muscle stiffness.
4. Allows the heart rate get to a workable rate for beginning exercise.
5. Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate,
increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures.
6. Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because hemoglobin
releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures.
7. Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles.
8. Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance
within warmed muscles.
9. Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures.
COLD JOINTS, TENDONS, AND MUSCLES CAN GET STRAINED BY SUDDEN MOVEMENT OR EXERTION.
WARMING UP BEFORE EXERCISE IS A GOOD WAY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY.
Therefore, the benefits of warm-up exercises are the following:
1. The prevention of injury.
2. The improvement of performance.
3. The reduction of muscle stiffness.
4. Allows the heart rate get to a workable rate for beginning exercise.
5. Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate,
increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures.
6. Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because hemoglobin
releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures.
7. Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles.
8. Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance
within warmed muscles.
9. Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures.
COLD JOINTS, TENDONS, AND MUSCLES CAN GET STRAINED BY SUDDEN MOVEMENT OR EXERTION.
WARMING UP BEFORE EXERCISE IS A GOOD WAY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY.
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