Tag Archives: body

Health and Fitness News

Do Most Women Have Issues with Their Body?

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It seems that most women, even those of us that are seemingly “perfection” when it comes to the graces God handed to us as far as genetics such as big boobs, no cellulite and tiny waists and thighs, have issues with our bodies. There’s always at least one part that just somehow doesn’t fit our own personal ideal of what we think the ideal female body is.

I’ve known women who have killer curves that a lot of other ladies would love to have say they hate the very thing other women envy. I’ve heard women with thin stick figure, willowy tall bodies say they wish they had a little more shape or curve. I’ve heard women with pear shapes say they’d love to be more proportional.

It all seems to be in the symmetry, and some of it has to do with the “look” of the moment.  Why can’t we all just be happy and content with what we were handed instead of having body image issues?  Of course we are not, because plastic surgery’s popularity has just been climbing more and more every year since it started to become affordable and widespread enough for even the average Joes, not just the elite and privileged.

Recent surveys showed that most young girls are especially susceptible to these ridiculous societal ideals of what is the perfect body. The majority of teen girls when surveyed said that they would feel prettier and more attractive if they lost weight.  It was quite a general and far reaching statement – they just all felt that any weight lost would add to their attractiveness!

Almost all of them would also change their body in some way if they could, which is also a staggering figure, and shows that women at younger ages are very impressionable when it comes to what they think is attractive and how they have to conform to this ideal, even if it is totally outside their genetic capability.

While it is a known fact that teens are most susceptible to body dysfmorphic issues (where they feel their bodies are much fatter than they are), and eating disorders (see our past story on eating disorders), it seems that older women are caving to the pressure as well.  Everything from cellulite, to “too small breasts” to larger upper arms (we have some exercises for that).

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are much more prevalent in older women than they used to be. Is this because of the ideals paraded in front of us on what a beautiful woman should look like?  The endless magazine advertisements, reality shows and movies that show impossible figures?

There is no one true answer, but the fact is that plastic surgery has definitely changed the landscape of what women consider to be perfection, and in my opinion it’s not a good thing.  Instead of opting for surgery, try an awesome boot camp style workout, or get into a good fitness regimen that will make you feel like you can kick some butt. Surgery will not do that for you.

Health and Fitness News

As You Age, Muscle Mass Gets Harder to Maintain

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As we age, there are of course a variety of undesirable things that happen not only to our physical appearance, but also to our mental facilities. As with most everything else age-related though, there are many ways you can help slow the inevitable process of aging, and even to help reverse some of the not so grand signs of aging.

One of the things that men and women alike complain about as they get older is that their muscle mass seems much more difficult to maintain. At the same time, fatty tissue builds more easily on the body as our levels of HGH, or Human Growth Hormone start to wane.  The one-two combination of higher levels of fatty tissue and less muscle mass really does a number on our bodies – and our ego.

But what about the likes of people who never seem to age and seem to retain muscle mass and be able to successfully keep a lot of fat from forming on the body? Well, they likely not only eat the right diet, but also take part in the right combinations of exercise that will help them to maintain that muscular, lean look.

There are also supplements that can help you build lean muscle as well as help keep fat storage to a minimum.  One of them is Nitric oxide, which a lot of body builders use to help them get that pumped muscle look that they typically have, and to help minimize body fat storage.

Combining supplements, a high protein low fat diet and very little carbs will also give you the lean, mean look as well. Just performing high impact short burst exercises makes your body go into overdrive when it comes to natural HGH production, so simply getting those high intensity, shorter workouts in a couple times a week will help your body get that look you desire.

Also getting the proper amount of sleep with help with maintaining muscle mass while decreasing body fat since one of the main times your body repairs itself and its muscle tissues and pumps out human growth hormone is in the deeper stages of REM sleep.

 

Health and Fitness News

Fatty Diets, the Body and the Brain

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Recent studies have shown that eating a fatty diet can actually cause injury to your brain.  The injury to the brain from a highly fatty diet doesn’t just occur gradually over time.  According to these studies, the change takes place within 24 hours of eating a high fat diet.

These damaging alterations in the brain happens in humans and in rodents.  One area of the brain that suffers serious consequences with inflammation and injury is the hypothalamus.

This is of particular significance since the hypothalamus is the area of the brain that controls weight.  If the hypothalamus suffers structural damage, it will not be able to function properly in individuals who have always eaten high fat diets and continue to do so.

This gives scientific reasoning to back up why certain people try so many diets and exercise that may give them only minimal short term results of some weight loss.  Then, without a concerted effort, they return to their “pre-diet” weight.

The hypothesis from the study findings is that this “preset” weight that certain obese individuals keep returning to is caused by fundamental changes in the brain.  The obese person’s energy balance has been altered by a lifetime of consuming an unhealthy high fat diet.

This study and it’s findings will hopefully make people even more aware of the health ramifications of persisting to eat a high fat diet.  Also of importance, is changing children’s diets to a lower fat, healthier choice type of nutritional intake.

Obesity is epidemic in this country and it tops the list of health concerns.  It is such a severe health issue that it is prioritized above concerns over heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes.

Changing eating habits for the entire family off of the “junk” food, fast food and all high fat choices is so necessary.  Parents should make sure there are lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources available for the whole family. These choices should be made in the grocery store aisle to begin with.

Food preparation methods should be reviewed for fat content.  Tasty recipes should be used to supply filling, satisfying meals using low fat choices.  Instead of fats for sauces and moisture to a meal, low fat selections can include using low fat yogurts in place of sour cream and vegetable bases using tomatoes with lots of herbs for seasoning.

Your family will start craving these foods once they are all accustomed to it.  One healthy choice, with all this awareness, will lead to another, until it becomes a lifestyle change.

 

Health and Fitness News

Rushfit Review

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If you are looking to get fit and are interested in fast results to getting the toned and sculpted muscular look, Rushfit is a possible way to achieve your goals.  Rushfit is a fitness program designed by George St. Pierre, who is a mixed martial artist champion, and his trainer, Erik Owings.

This is a good solid exercise regimen that is actually quite practical in terms of time and money invested.  The recommended amount of time to be spent each day working out is 45 minutes.  The cost for obtaining the material needed is 3 payments of $29.99 plus shipping and handling for the 8 week home training camp materials.

The only other thing you will need is a set of dumbbells ranging in weight from 2 lbs. to 25 lbs.  You will not need any weights greater than 25 lbs., since you gain most of your strength from reps, not from heavier weights.

The eight week home training camp consists of 7 workouts on 6 DVD’s, a workout guide book, a nutrition guide and training plans.  The fitness and conditioning program has workouts that include: strength and endurance, explosive power, fight conditioning, abdominal strength and core conditioning, full body strength and conditioning and bonus workouts.

The workout guide book contains instructions on how to reach your fitness goals within 8 weeks step by step.  The nutrition guide informs you of the best nutrients to focus on to go along with a tough workout routine.  The training plans enables you to choose a workout calendar to mesh with your schedule and still meet your training needs.

This program is designed to help you build muscle and lose weight and it promises faster results for body toning and conditioning.  George St. Pierre is known for the intensity of his workouts.  He uses a mixed martial arts training style and his workouts are broken down into 5 separate 5 minute rounds.

This fitness program focuses on areas of strength, endurance, core stability, power, flexibility, balance and agility.  Each of his workout videos can be purchased separately online for a range of $14.99 to $19.99, if purchasing the entire 8 week home training camp is too expensive. The website for Rushfit is gsprushfit.com and it is comprehensive on what is offered.

The workout videos emphasize quality and intensity of each move.  They address all of the areas that are needed to build strength, both upper and lower body.  In addition to the five round divisions, there is a warm up and cool down to each exercise.

It is not an easy workout, but with eight weeks of really staying with this and following the nutrition guide, you would almost have to lose weight and gain strength.

 

Body Sculpting

Body Wraps for Inch Reduction : Verdict Still Out

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I wrote a while ago about how I was going to treat myself to a set of body wraps at a local place that specializes exclusively in herbal body wraps.  I wasn’t a huge believer that it would reduce my butt and thighs, which have forever been my biggest problem area, without diet or exercise, but I figured it might at least help me to reduce my cellulite problem areas.

Sometimes, merely reducing cellulite actually makes you look a lot thinner and fit into your clothes better. Not to mention, a good cellulite reducer will also make you feel like a million bucks when you’re standing in front of the mirror naked after a shower.

Aren’t us women so good at criticizing our bodies!?  Anyways, every woman knows what I mean when I say the eternal battle against cellulite is a war that never really dies.

So, I signed up for ten sessions. I had really great results in inch reduction after I had five in a row, once a week of the herbal body wraps. I was really excited about the possibility that I could reduce my inches and cellulite even more by doing 5 more treatments.

However, I did fall off the wagon and haven’t been back in two and a half weeks. I’ve already seen the results go out the window. Which begs the question – is this really just very temporary tissue shrinkage that is caused not only by the constant compression, but also by the herbs that are in the mixture they soak the wraps in, seeping into the skin and causing some sort of chemical reaction?

I’m not really sure. And to boot, when I asked one of the technicians what the herbal mixture was, she had no idea. She said she’d go ask another technician and still never responded to my question.

That made me lose a little confidence in it, but I still felt like I got good results from the five treatments I had, and I did feel like it helped shape and lift my problem areas and diminish the appearance of the cellulite.

I just wonder, are the results of herbal body wraps always really just going to be temporary?  And by temporary, I mean days or weeks, then the results go away? Has anyone else had any long term results using this method of slimming?  Do body wraps work?

One things for sure, I really miss my dear, dear infrared sauna, which has been broken for a few weeks. We are waiting for a guy to fix it, and I really miss it. I felt like that did help me a bit with cellulite and weight loss – plus it deeply relaxed me, like my own private sanctuary.

Body Sculpting

Starting to See Cellulite Reduction, Inch Reduction

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I wanted to keep you posted on the series of body wraps I purchased a few weeks ago. These are herbal therapy body wraps, and I bought a package of ten, priced very reasonably, in a local place that is near where I live here in Northeastern Ohio called Herbal Therapy Body Wraps.

I will admit I was a bit dubious when I first started, but I had high hopes that I might see an improvement (inch reduction) in my thighs – particularly in the saddle bag area that I have always struggled with.  Any other improvements I got, as far as I was concerned, were just icing on the cake.

I also wanted to see a marked improvement in my cellulite problem areas, which are on my buttocks and thighs, like most women experience.  I have now begun to see a bit of inch reduction as well as a nice little reduction in my cellulite’s appearance after wrap number 5.

I’ve been going and getting one body wrap per week to get the results a bit faster, and hopefully to get the best results I can get since I’m not taking too long between wraps. I also follow the directions of drinking tons of fresh water all of the time, which I think has boosted my results.

I notice that my cellulite is not as pronounced. I also have experienced a curious increase in my energy levels for a day or two after I have the body wrap. I wasn’t really expecting that, but I’ll certainly never complain about having extra energy!  It acts as a great energy booster for me personally. Not sure if that is typical of all users, but it sure is for me.

Body wraps help to reduce cellulite and help to reduce inches in targeted problem areas by the principle of compression, as well as using herbs and other ingredients to help your body flush out toxins and reduce fat deposits.

I’m not exactly sure how it works, or if there is even an exact science behind it to be honest, but it’s working. It’s not a miracle by a long shot, but it’s a visible difference and I’ve seen some size reduction without doing much else, and that’s all I’m asking for.

Fitness Advice

When Working Out Becomes an Unhealthy Addiction

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Exercise is wonderful for your body, mind and spirit.  It helps us through stressful times, helps to elevate our mood and reduce anxiety, stress and depression, increases our heart and circulatory health, helps us manage a healthy weight, and even helps us to maintain a healthy blood pressure.

That’s just the beginning of exercise benefits.  Many studies show that it also elevates our immunity, fends off several kinds of cancer, and also helps to reduce the likelihood of a bevy of other deadly diseases that are an unfortunate part of the human condition.

Even though exercise is excellent for your health, psychological well being and even your spirit, there is such a thing as over doing it.  People who have an unhealthy obsession with working out often can go hours at the gym or exercising in their homes. 

This type of exercise obsession often accompanies serious eating disorders or other unhealthy and potentially deadly habits.  “Other” deadly habits may include something like taking anabolic steroids to get larger muscle mass in professional body builders.

I guess my rule of thumb for healthy means when something that is meant to enhance health takes up the majority of your life and starts to interfere with “living” on a day to day basis.  At that point, really anything, whether it’s considered a healthy habit or not, becomes destructive.

People with habits of working out too much actually endanger their heart by overworking it.  They often may also be endangering it by not eating enough food, if they happen to also be anorexic or bulimic. If they are not taking in enough potassium, they can go into cardiac arrest from over working their bodies.

The heart is a muscle, and although working it out on a daily basis is good for it because it keeps your heart in great condition, and able to handle challenges of the physical sort, over working it can have the effect of weakening the heart muscles.

One also may experience deyhdration as a result of overheating and excessive sweating. This can also cause the body to go into cardiac arrest, so constant hydration is very important when you are really pushing yourself at the gym.

Addiction to exercise can aslo interfere with one’s life by “taking over”.  If you feel that you absolutely have to get hours a day in to even feel normal, it’s probably safe to assume that you’ve become addicted to something.

Celebrities and Fitness

Jen Aniston’s Sculpted Body : How Does She Do It?

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Jennifer Aniston has long been the envy of women across the world for it’s incredibly toned appearance. She also tends to look very long and lean even though she’s a fairly petite woman, clocking in by some accounts at just 5’5″, which is shorter than what she looks like on film or in pictures.

Even past 40, she has maintained the lean physique of a twenty year old, and many women are clamoring to keep their bodies that fit and toned looking after they pass that magical age of 40, which seems to be a marker of fabulousness if you look even better than you did ten to fifteen years ago when you hit this age as a woman.

I must admit, in some ways I’m looking forward to hitting forty, just to see how well my body holds up. I do take care of myself, I try to eat healthy, and I’ve been working out since I was fourteen years old, so I’m curious to see how father time treats me when I start to really get up there in years.

Jen Aniston has notoriously followed a strict diet of avoiding excessive carbs and also has been very disciplined in maintaining a good workout regimen. She has been an avid runner as well as a yoga devotee, but she also has said she sprinkles other fitness activities in there too.

Like anyone else, she would have to keep it interesting and fun to keep working out at a pace that will keep her looking this great.  Many envy her toned, tanned arms, including myself since my arms have always been a source of frustration for me.

She has even said in past interviews that she’s not taking any magical pills, but it’s just good, old fashioned exercise and diet that has kept her looking so youthful and radiant for all these years. 

I love that she says that. She’s not one of these actresses who looks fabulous but says she eats crap all day and never likes to work out. I’d love to smack women in the public eye that say stuff like that – it sends such a bad message to other women around the globe!

Body Sculpting

Butt Lift, Thigh Sculpting, Cellulite Removal From a Body Wrap?

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So I told you that I was thinking about having an herbal body wrap done over the past few weeks, and the perfect opportunity presented itself for me to finally do so in an economical and convenient way.

The funny thing is, I actually have a place that does it and has been doing it for several years, only fifteen minutes away from my home and never knew it until I saw an ad for it in Groupon!  Ahh, gotta love the social networking and coupon age of the internet, right!?

Anyways, the reason I wanted to try these out is because I wanted to see if it would help me get rid of some cellulite on my thighs and buttocks, and also help me downsize my thighs and buttocks, as well as to help reduce my upper arms, which I always feel are too big no matter what types of arm workouts I’m doing, and help chisel my tummy as well.

Tall order, I know, but I heard that these wraps can really help to smooth and tone those trouble areas, as long as you drink tons of water and don’t over do it on your eating.  They help to sculpt the body as well as reduce inches from problem areas, resulting in a possible pants size reduction.

So I did it. I’ve actually had two of them so far at this point, because I ended up signing up for a package when I went for my last one.  So far, there are no really impressive inches lost or anything, but I have noticed that my skin is smoother and the cellulite seems to have smoothed out a bit from the wraps.

For that, I’m thankful.  I do expect to see some good results after about the fifth wrap, which is when I consistently read women start seeing the results. It’s a great economical way to help tone and shape the body as well as contour and reduce cellulite, but it’s not meant to be a substitute for exercise or diet, so keep that in mind.