To boost weight loss – 2L water, 1 medium cucumber, 1 lemon, 10-12 mint leaves. steep overnight in fridge and drink every day. Also great for general detox–including clear skin!
Source: http://sitnoseckano.blogspot.com/2011/07/sassy-water.html
Monthly Archives: July 2012
Source: theruniverse.com5 Fixes For Flabby Problem Areas
We’ve all got a soft spot that bugs us. One of these moves will firm it up.
Here’s a fact about flab: It results not only from lack of muscle tone but also from excess body fat. “You could do 1,005 crunches, but if you don’t do enough cardio, you’ll just have very toned muscles under a blanket of fat,” says Johanna Subotovsky, learning manager at Equinox Fitness. You need at least 30 minutes of cardio, three times a week. Then try this spot-specific advice.
HELP FOR:
Bra bulge
To get rid of the little roll that spills over your bra strap in the back, try bent-over rows.
- Stand next to a chair with a dumbbell in right hand. Place left knee and hand on seat and extend right arm toward floor. Bending elbow out to side, slowly bring weight up to chest.
- Do two sets of 15 reps on each side.
HELP FOR:
Inner- and outer- thigh mushiness
The hips and thighs are the first place most women tend to store fat and the last place they lose it. In addition to lots of cardio, try the four-way lunge.
- With hands on hips, step forward with right foot and lunge (don’t let knee go past toes); return to start. Lunge backward; return to start. Lunge right (keeping left leg straight); go back to start. Then with left foot, lunge to left side. Repeat, leading with opposite foot.
- Do two sets of 15 reps on each side.
HELP FOR:
Underarm flab
Triceps respond fast to exercise and fat loss, which means that you could see a change here in just a few weeks with chair dips.
- Place your hands on the edge of the seat of a chair and walk your feet out. Slowly lower butt toward floor, bending elbows to about a 90-degree angle; press back up.
- Do two sets of 15 reps.
HELP FOR:
Armpit overhang
The flesh that peeks out over the top of a strapless gown can be tightened with push-ups. But the issue may be the dress, not you.
- “It’s all about the cut,” says stylist Cristina Ehrlich, who’s worked with Penélope Cruz. “Look for a dress where the top is high enough that it doesn’t dig into your armpit skin. It should come up and over the area.”
HELP FOR:
Belly pooch
Along with plenty of cardio, you can flatten your lower abs with planks.
- Get in a raised push-up position, except with forearms on the floor; hold the pose with back flat and belly in for 30 to 90 seconds. For more definition, try the bicycle.
- Lie on floor, knees bent, hands behind head. Lift shoulder blades and twist right elbow to left knee; then twist left elbow toward right knee. Do two sets of 15 reps.
Source: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2007/03/flab-fix#ixzz21hPfwmyZ
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Polyphenol Popcorn
Plain popcorn has twice as many polyphenols as fruit. Polyphenols are antioxidants found in plants that help counter the damaging effects of free radicals, guarding against heart disease and other health problems.
Researchers at The University of Scranton in Pennsylvania analyzed polyphenol levels in two air-popped varieties and two microwave brands of popcorn. When they averaged the numbers from all four types, they found that roughly two tablespoons of unpopped kernels or three to five cups of popped popcorn (one serving) contains 300 milligrams (mg) of polyphenols, while one serving of fruit contains, on average, 160 mg. In other words, popcorn contains roughly twice the amount of polyphenols as fruit! And to get 300 mg of polyphenols from regular corn, which contains 114 mg per serving on average, you’d have to eat about two and one-half servings. Popcorn wins again—by a long shot!
Then the researchers made another interesting discovery. They found that 98% of the polyphenols in popcorn are in the hull—the plasticky part in the middle of the popped piece of popcorn that often gets lodged in your teeth. “It makes sense, because we know that many polyphenols in fruits and vegetables are in the skin, and the hull is the kernel’s original outer coating—before the kernel pops and gets turned inside out,” said Joe Vinson, PhD, a professor of chemistry at the university and a coauthor of the study.
One reason that popcorn has more polyphenols than many fruits and vegetables is because of its low water content, Dr. Vinson told me. “Polyphenols get diluted in fruits and vegetables because they contain about 90% water, but popcorn has only about 2% to 4% water,” he said.
But there is one downside. The study also revealed that almost 100% of the polyphenols in popcorn aren’t “free,” meaning that they don’t automatically get absorbed into our bloodstream. “These polyphenols are bound to fiber, and fiber needs to be broken down and released by enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract,” said Dr. Vinson. (All fruits and veggies contain some “bound” polyphenols, but the percentage varies, he added.) In other words, it’s likely that some but not all of the polyphenol content in popcorn gets absorbed by our bodies. His next study, he said, will look at exactly how much does. In the meantime, Dr. Vinson said to chew your popcorn thoroughly, because enzymes in your saliva help break down fiber and make the polyphenols more easily absorbed.
While dousing your popcorn with butter and salt may lower the glycemic index of the food, making it less likely to negatively affect your blood sugar and insulin levels, and won’t reduce the amount of polyphenols, it will raise the saturated fat, sodium and calorie content. If you overdo it, that’ll bring your popcorn down a few notches in the “healthy snack” department.
Use an air popper and for a hint of flavor spritz popcorn with a light mist of water, lime juice or olive oil and then lightly salt it—the mist helps the salt stick and won’t make the popcorn soggy if you don’t overdo it.
For non-GMO popcorn, visit http://www.amishcountrypopcorn.com/popcorn.html or search http://www.amazon.com.
Source: http://www.bottomlinepublications.com
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The Best Pre- and Post- Workout Snacks
Food is fuel. Skimping before workouts is not the path to success. It only increases the lack of energy and promotes the loss of muscle mass.
Since basic exercise does not burn all that many calories, the purpose is to build muscle mass to aid in muscle-caloric burn. High intensity interval workouts are recommended for best results.
Although some studies differ on the effectiveness of the timing of your workouts (AM vs. PM in relation to an empty stomach vs daily caloric ingestion), you should eat something before your workout. In turn, allow enough time for digestion and aim for 1.5-2 hours prior to your workout. Higher fat content meals can increase digestion time and an Increased intensity of your workout can interfere with the blood needed to provide nutrients to muscles during a workout.
Pre-Workout:
- Eat 1.5 – 2 hours before your workout to allow for digestion.
- An ideal pre-workout meal should consist of : 10-35% protein; 45-65% carbohydrates; 20-35% fat.
- Examples: Yogurt, Oatmeal.
Post-Workout:
- Eat within an hour of intense workout in order to refuel the body’s cells which aids in proper recovery and lean muscle build-up.
- An ideal meal consists of 4:1 carbs:protein.
- Examples: Chocolate Milk, Hummus on Whole Wheat Pita.
Sources: http://www.askmen.com; http://www.everydayhealth.com
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