Blogging Your Way To A New You

With 2012 already underway, sticking to those all-important New Year’s resolutions can be pretty tough but blogging about your progress could help you to stay on track.

Blogging has become a worldwide obsession over the past few years, with over a quarter of the internet users in the UK blogging about their lives and interests.

Like apps, blogging has quickly become part of our everyday life and nowadays many people keep a regular account of their lives in what is effectively an online diary.

These blogs are the ideal way to help you stick to diet plans, giving you a medium through which you can record your progress and vent any frustrations you may have. This written proof of your achievements helps you to stay focused, preventing you from losing interest in your goal.

Blogging weight loss

If you’re hoping to shed a few pounds this year, then creating your own blog and documenting your weight loss and diet plan could motivate both yourself and your audience to a healthier place.

Readers often have the opportunity to contact the blogger and ask for advice with their diet plans. This means that your experience could benefit others and vice versa. The blogging network is therefore a social platform through which you can interact with like-minded individuals, helping you get the support you need from the comfort of your own home.

Getting that extra bit of help with diet plans and exercise routines can always be beneficial so it is important that anyone looking to start a new regime starts to follow dieting blogs.

Of course, blogs are not the only option available for those in need of support and various social media channels can also be utilised for this purpose.

Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are now filled with individuals and businesses who are all eager to share their knowledge and experience.

This means internet users have a wider network of support than ever before, with access to nutritional recipes and dieting tips readily available.

The fact that both businesses and individuals use these services means that you gain access to even more choice when logging on to the internet and this means your diet plans can be improved through various channels.

Whilst businesses may alert you to products of theirs which can aid your new regime, personal blogs could give you the encouragement you need whilst reminding you that there are many people in the same position as you when it comes to dieting.

Kathryn Golder is a dedicated blogger from London. Having developed numerous diet plans over the years, Kathryn is well researched in the field of nutrition.

Is Vinegar Weight Loss Real?

Visit any health food shop and you will most likely find apple cider vinegar supplements for sale there. This is because vinegar has long been touted as a weight loss remedy for centuries already, and apple cider vinegar is believed to be the safest and most effective since it contains many nutrients left over from the crushed apples it comes from. In fact, so many people are praising the positive effects of apple cider vinegar that you can pretty much buy supplements at any health store as well as nutrition sites on the Internet, all offering guarantees that apple cider vinegar can really help you lose weight. But is this true?

Fresh apple cider vinegar doesn’t contain any preservatives at all, and it is also free of fats and calories. This means taking apple cider vinegar won’t make you gain weight, and in fact using it often in place of other products that naturally contain fats and calories can help you lose weight. For example, using the vinegar instead of ranch or Thousand Island dressing on your salads will be far healthier, simply because ranch dressing and Thousand Island both contain fats and calories. This benefit alone is the only one proven real for all claims of apple cider vinegar weight loss, for despite the minerals and enzymes present in the liquid, there is no evidence that you can get more energy or experience faster metabolism by taking apple cider vinegar every day. The nutrients in the liquid come from fresh apples that are their source, so apple cider vinegar isn’t a magic beverage that can get rid of extra pounds immediately; rather it is a simple and healthy liquid that you can regularly take to help you enjoy a more nutritious diet.

Since the healthy practice of taking apple cider vinegar everyday can be the gateway to other good lifestyle habits like eating more leafy green vegetables and less fast food, you can say that apple cider vinegar can really help people dealing with obesity. The unique sour scent and acidic taste of the liquid can also make one feel full faster simply due to the strong flavor, and this natural appetite suppression can also lead to gradual weight loss.

Vinegar weight loss can be very effective for you, but only when paired with healthy diet changes like more fruits and vegetables and less canned and preserved food. When taken regularly, such as five tablespoons a day mixed with your meals and drinks, you will rarely experience any side effects at all. All in all, taking apple cider vinegar everyday is a far safer weight loss method to try when compared with strange treatments like the HCG diet, for HCG drops side effects don’t give any benefit whatsoever, whereas apple cider vinegar is a healthy and safe beverage you can enjoy everyday that can also help you lose weight.

Lose Weight and Build Muscle – 4 Tips

Most people believe it is impossible to lose weight while gaining muscle at the same time. This belief is not wrong, but just not clear how it could be possible. For starters, to gain weight one must consume an excess of calories; on the other hand, to lose weight you must reduce the total number of calories you consume. So how is it possible to do both? Read these tips to help you accomplish it;

Do Cardio

Although this is fairly obvious to anyone wanting to lose weight, it is the type and duration that makes the difference. There is standard “slow” cardio, which is done for maybe 45 minutes at a time; and then there is HIIT (high intensity interval training), done for 30 minutes max. The difference with these two types being that the HIIT type expends more calories while limiting protein breakdown, while the slow type may be more geared to a gradual mainly weight loss pattern. So if losing fat and gaining weight are your goals, HIIT seems better suited for you.

Weight training

You must do this if you require your body to take on a new look. Endless cardio won’t reveal your “hidden” body; actually you will look like one of the many skinny-fat guys around. The reason for this is because cardio is an activity that quite often results in both fat and muscle breakdown. So if you really want to change the way you look, strength training must be done to give the body a reason to change.

Nutrition

Nutrition is basically the make or break factor when it comes to achieving this double feat. Every time we eat, hormonal signals are released which dictate if we gain muscle, fat or lose weight. The nutrition plan that seems most geared to the goals in focus here work around cycling carbohydrate and fat intake, while keeping protein levels reasonably high. It appears that the body makes best use of carbohydrates to incorporate in muscle glycogen when taken around the workout; some before and about three times following the workout.  During these high-carbohydrates meals, fat should be minimized. It is a good rule of thumb to state that fat and carbohydrates should not be consumed in large quantities together, this is a recipe for weight gain.

Wise Use of Supplements

Many natural thermogenics exist; including green tea extract, ginseng and even the use of Chia seeds. These supplements can give you that small push to increase your metabolism and shift into a recomposition state.

Above all, be realistic; don’t expect to gain large amounts of muscle while simultaneously losing excessive fat, expect to do a little bit of both. After all, no vehicle ever got anywhere with its wheels spinning in the opposite directions.

 

John has been a personal trainer for over 3 years. He enjoys writing about bodybuilding, supplements, and natural remedies. His favorite website is Remedy Tip.

Why YOU Should Work Out

Life is busy. Between work, school, kids, relationships, shopping, and community events, there is a lot to keep up with in life. Each of us depends upon our body to get us from here to there yet we don’t always give it what it needs to stay healthy. Taking care of your body is a choice that has lifelong benefits. Here’s are a few reasons you should work out on a regular basis:

You will look better: The majority of people that work out do it primarily so they will look better. This is a very legitimate reason. The better we look, the better we will feel about ourselves. Looking good will increase your confidence in a variety of different settings—from this weekend’s date to tomorrow’s job interview. Looking good never hurt!

Release energy: Each of us needs an outlet of some kind. Video games and movies are good, but they don’t have the same kind of effect on your body that vigorous exercise does. All of the emotional stress we stuff into the body can be released through physical activity. This can help us feel more calm throughout the rest of the day—despite the kids wanting to be fed and the boss that is demanding more sales.

Decreased risk of disease: Some types of cancer are found more commonly in those that aren’t physically active. Those who do not engage in frequent exercise have higher blood sugar and insulin levels. This can lead to diabetes and coronary heart disease. Exercise can have a good effect on your metabolism and other body functions.

Less strength-related embarrassment: From personal experience, I can tell you that it stinks to go help a neighbor to move the piano when you have the arms of a pre-adolescent child. Although this isn’t a very scientific reason, increasing your strength can help you to perform a variety of tasks better, allowing you to go help your neighbor move the piano without fear. (It is important to note that your aim shouldn’t be to become Superman or Arnold Schwarzenegger, but to be constantly improving your strength).

Increase your flexibility: Contrary to popular belief, strength training can actually increase your flexibility. Your range of motion can actually be increased through working out each of your muscle systems on a regular basis. It may not give you the ability to do the splits, but bending down to pick up that pen you dropped shouldn’t be quite the problem it was before.

Overcome obesity: Although exercise isn’t the only component to overcoming obesity (a lot of it has to do with diet), it is a major one. Being inactive causes a lot of your muscle mass to convert into excess body fat. Unfortunately, low activity is often connected to eating more—two negative factors working against you.

Increased productivity: Everything you do takes a toll on your body. Working out increases both your physical strength and your stamina, giving you the energy you need to do more. Your increased productivity can take you places that your Nintendo never could.

 

About the Author

Stepehn Sharpe is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers can help you if you want to enroll in online master’s degree programs.

 

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Many people have heard of the benefits of fasting. Is intermittent fasting any different than the fasting used in religion or by those that detox? More importantly, what are the benefits of intermittent fasting? The following will give you a better idea of what to expect now and in the future from this type of fasting.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is exactly like it sounds. People spend periods fasting followed by periods of eating. It is recommend to fast for 24 hours, but 16 hours will provide some results. It is also recommended that you fast 1-2 days per week for the best results. And, what are those results? Actually the results that that come from intermittent fasting are very similar to those of calorie restriction. The plus is that you aren’t required to watch your calories every day. Instead, you eat what you want one day and then fast. However, those foods that you do eat are based on a primal diet consisting of meat, vegetables and animal fat.

How Can It Help Me Now?

Those using intermittent fasting have experienced increased energy. One of the biggest benefits though is that people find this diet easier to follow because it allows them to eat fat, which can be tasty and satisfying. Intermittent fasting can also improve brain functions and help the brain stay sharp for longer. This type of fasting also helps muscle mass by more quickly removing waste from the body. You may even experience better workout results when exercising during a fasting phase. Last, but not least, intermittent fasting can offer improved memory and mental clarity. This means you’ll have an easier time remembering names, concentrating on your work and better enjoying life as you age.

What About Later?

Intermittent fasting has many benefits that may not be easy to see immediately. Not only does intermittent fasting reduce the chances of cancer, but it may help you live longer. More importantly, the extra years that you do tack on will be more enjoyable.

Intermittent fasting may be a great option for some people trying to lose weight or just be healthier. However, you should speak with your doctor before beginning the plan. This is especially true for those that have diabetes or nutritional deficiencies that could be worsened while fasting. For those that can do intermittent fasting, you may see an increased value of life in which you’re better able to enjoy your food and quality of life.

About the Author: Darrick Berntsen is a personal trainer and nutritionist. While he doesn’t recommend intermittent fasting for those with certain health conditions, he does find it to be a reasonable method for those who are healthy and simply looking to modify their diets.