Do you treat your cool down in the same way that you treat your post-workout stretching? You know you’re suppose to, but you usually skip it.
Women’s Health Magazine decided to ask their experts if this golden rule was an established fact from science or just the automatic set-up of the treadmill. Here’s what they discovered:
“Cooling down is not a joke according to Adam Friedman, Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute expert.
Though not mandatory, it is helpful to cool down when you’re working at a high intensity—which is at or above 85 percent of your maximum heart rate*.
When you’re pushing hard, your blood is moving quickly around your body to provide nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. When you stop immediately, the blood can sometimes draw back into the stomach area, occasionally leaving you feeling dizzy or nauseous.
But even if you feel a bit woozy, it’s not necessarily dangerous or harmful to your body—just a little uncomfortable.
What about the idea it can relieve muscle soreness?
It might relieve cramping, says Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., sports medicine physician, Hospital for Special Surgery, but it’s a myth that cooling-down can ease muscle soreness.
“When you’re sore, it’s really because you’ve made tiny tears in your muscles,” says Metzl. “Cooling-down won’t help that, and it won’t really help from an injury perspective.”
To sum it up: The next time you hit the treadmill, don’t worry about completing the 5-minute cool-down unless you’ve really been pushing yourself and need that time to catch your breath and stretch out your rubber legs. “
Lose fat, gain strength and to live younger longer are the promises given by Dr. Natasha Turner, author of The Hormone Diet.
Turner promises that you’ll experience good sleep, great sex and less headaches, stress, fatigue and weight gain once you successfully get your hormones in balance. These are some promises I couldn’t pass up, so as of last Monday I’m officially on the hormone diet.
Step one, of the three step program is to set-up your home, mind and goals. I had to “detox” my kitchen, (goodbye ice cream and coffee!) prepare my bedroom and figure out wmy weaknesses by answering a few questions from Turner’s book.
Step 2 was the official detox. After a week of being on the detox I have become a mini Martha Stewart. I am so use to microwaving a bag of popcorn for dinner that I have never used my kitchen. This detox forced me to use my virgin kitchen and to plan ahead. The first couple of days I had a horrible headache due to my addiction to caffeine, but now I can easily attend my morning meetings without wanting to sneak a sip from my coworkers cup. I have yet to be hungry since healthy food really does keep you full.
Eliminating all potentially problematic foods from your diet, including wheat, corn, peanuts, oranges, dairy foods, meats, sugars, as well as caffeine is so that we can better understand how they affect our body when we reintroduce them later. I will begin by reintroducing rye on Thursday morning!
Step 3 is to “restore your strength, vigour and radiance.” Turner provides three weight training programs that definitely provide a full body workout. She also recommends a healthy and regular sex life- with or without a partner. I have been working out less than I am use to, but feel that I am seeing better results because I’m finally eating to help my muscles and resting enough to give them the chance to recuperate.
I’ve only been following the hormone diet for a week now and am definitely reaping the benefits! I have more energy, feel better, stronger and have developed the cooking skills to impress any man!
Dr Natasha Turner has kindly agreed to answer questions for WatchMojo.com. Let us know what you want answered and we’ll be sure to get the answer.
Check back in a week to see how week two goes- or you can just start the detox on your own.
It’s never too late to get into shape. The best way to start is by developing a habit and a routine that you can stick to. Running is a great way to lose weight, tone and
It’s been hard for us to watch what we eat when it comes to fats because we’re always hearing different ideas. Fortunately, researchers have now singled out what kinds of fat you should eat and how much you need every day.
Here are six points to remember the next time you’re planning your meal or ordering at a restaurant.
1. Fat won’t make you fat
Eating the right types of fat could actually help you slim down. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who ate a moderate-fat diet lost twice as much weight in two months as those who followed a lowfat plan.
2. Your body needs it
The human body cannot survive without fat. In addition to acting as an energy source it provides a protective cushion for your bones and organs and keeps your hair and skin healthy.
3. Not all fats are created equal
Your body does need fat, but that’s no excuse to indulge in cookies and cupcakes.
There are different types of fat molecules, and some are far better for you than others,” says Mo. An easy way to tell the difference? “Bad” fats (saturated and trans fats) are usually found in animal-based and processed foods (think steak, cheese, butter, and doughnuts), while “good” fats (poly- and monounsaturated ones) tend to come from fish and plant sources, such as salmon, olive and soybean oils, nuts, and seeds.
4. Lower doesn’t always mean better
Experts recommend getting roughly 25 to 35 percent of your total calories from fat. For a woman who eats 1,500 calories a day, that’s about 50 grams, or the amount in 3 ounces of sirloin, half an avocado, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and two cookies.
5. Fish contains the healthiest fats
Research reveals that this type of polyunsaturated fat (found in cold-water fish, like salmon, sardines, anchovies, and flounder, as well as flaxseed, walnuts, omega-3-fortified eggs, and red meat from grass-fed animals) can do everything from lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to fight memory loss and improve your skin.
6. “Trans-fat-free” labels can be misleading
To spot hidden sources of trans fat, scan ingredient lists for partially hydrogenated oil or shortening.
Read more from Shape.com about the Big Fat Truth
It may sound too good to be true, but it isn’t. There are so many things that we can change in our day to easily get in more exercise. With a few simple moves, you can burn more calories, improve strength and flexibility, and get healthier all day long.
Here are some ideas from Shape.com
At work
-Window-shop at lunch. Brown-bag a healthy lunch, and spend the time you would’ve spent waiting to be served at a restaurant window-shopping or running errands instead.
-Stretch. Hamstring muscles get especially tight while sitting at your desk, and can lead to lower backache. Do this hamstring stretch: Stand, bend your right knee and shift your weight as if to sit back, straightening your left leg, heel on the ground, and lifting your toes. Hold for 20 seconds; switch legs.
At home
-Clean your home. If a grungy floor doesn’t move you to do some weekend cleaning, maybe this will: You’ll burn about 215 calories* cleaning (vacuuming, mopping, etc.) for just an hour.
-Go for a sunset stroll. Walk off some of your dinner: Even a leisurely, 30-minute walk burns approximately 140 calories.
On the commute
-Pump your own gas. Forget full service. Get out of the car to pay, pump and wash your windows down.
Continue for more great ideas!
The best way to get fit and toned is by swapping these overrated fitness strategies for smarter alternatives. Workout strategies are constantly evolving as fitness researchers find ways to get the most out of a workout.
Here are the most recent updates that will land you a body of envy in no time.
There is no longer any need to:
-Position your hands shoulder-width apart
Instead try spreading your hands a few inches farther out stresses more of the inner portion of your biceps; bringing your hands in a few inches builds more of the outer part
-Crunches for a flat belly
Turns out Pilates abdominal moves are superior to crunches for sculpting your midsection and uncovering those abs
-Squats = a perfect bum
Try doing hip extensions instead of squats
-Eat lots of extra protein for less jiggle and more tone
While it’s true that protein is a vital muscle food, your body can use only so much of it. “Any extra protein calories you take in will be stored as fat
-Up-down-up-down. Repeat.
Instead of one motion, pause for a second about halfway up, continue the movement, then pause again about halfway down.
-Burn the most calories with cardio
For optimal results, do a total-body weight-training workout three days a week, resting at least a day between sessions, and do intervals on at least two of the off days.
-Rest between sets
Less rest increases your calorie burn and adds a cardio component to strength training
-Weigh yourself daily for motivation
The scale measures water and muscle, too. It’s not a great indicator of fat loss. For a better — and more, um, hands-on — progress report, place your fingers on your belly and inhale deeply so that it expands.
The western diet is becoming deadly!
According to a recent study, there are nine major risk factors were found to significantly increase the risk of heart attacks and heart disease: smoking, lipids, hypertension, dietary choice, physical activity, alcohol consumption, diabetes, obesity and psychosocial factors.
A new study has found that even if you have low cholesterol and are at a low risk for heart disease, you may still benefit from taking some sort of cholesterol pill - such as Crestor, Lipitor or Zocor. This result is “hailed as a watershed event in heart disease prevention,” as half of heart attacks occur in people who don’t seem to be at risk. However, to treat everyone in the United States in this manner could cost upwards of $9 billion annually.
The study also looks at ways to predict who will be at risk for heart attacks. Read more…
I have read numerous articles lately espousing the benefits of pomegranates. So just keep this in mind: pomegranates are a new superfood. Here are a few reasons why:
FULL OF FIBER
HEART HEALTHY
FREE-RADICAL FIGHTER - help prevent disease or premature aging.
PACKED WITH POTASSIUM
PLAY
