Be Better, Be Smarter

by Simon M Skinner

One of the benefits of living green is it can extend your lifespan. This may be surprising, but it is very true. There are many things that not only help the earth, but they help you, too! Eating fresh organic foods, cutting down on driving, and many other things will help you live greener, longer!

However, there are some easy ways to live a greener life. Curbside recycling is in place in most cities, where you can simply place your recyclables out with your trash for pickup (in a separate container, of course). It’s easy to separate your plastic, aluminum and other recyclable materials. The recycling pickup service takes care of the rest ? all you have to do is to take it outside!

Try to drive less. By combining your errands, you not only save fuel and reduce the traffic on the roads; you are giving yourself less stress from dealing with traffic jams and other drivers. Carpool or use public transit when you can. If you choose to ride a bike or walk for some of your errands, you also get needed exercise. This will help keep your heart healthy and keep you limber and toned.

There are also plenty of green products which you can use around the house. These are inexpensive and can end up saving you a lot of money ? for instance, compact fluorescent bulbs. These are a great improvement over regular incandescent light bulbs and cost about the same while using far less energy and lasting a lot longer.

Other things you can do will just make your home more comfortable. Larger windows can help let in more natural light so you don’t need to turn your lights on early. Using compact fluorescent bulbs can save you money and will save energy. Use energy-efficient appliances and don’t leave your air conditioner on when you’re not at home. You’ll be amazed at how much this impacts your energy usage.

Small things like recycling cans, bottles and plastic packaging helps lower your garbage bills and helps reduce your carbon footprint. Use cloth bags when you shop instead of taking their paper or plastic bags. Some stores even knock off a few cents when you use your own bags. All of this will help reduce pollution, which is healthier for you because you’ll be breathing cleaner air.

Once you get started, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to live greener. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel? both physically and mentally. Plus, you’ll feel better knowing you’re doing your part to have a healthier planet to live on. So go ahead? live greener and live longer. You’ll be happy you gave it a try.

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Could a treadmill help me when trying to lose weight?

by Manuelle Fergus

Resisting the temptation of eating unhealthy foods is much harder nowadays, since we are surrounded by them everywhere;that’s why, considering a fitness program is a must for our health. Each and every one of us would like to stay in shape, but for most time is a big issue - that’s why a gym is not an option for most of us. As this problem has become more and more general, it was only natural for a solution to appear: the treadmill is that piece of fitness equipment which allows you to exercise in your own home, only based on your own schedule.

Treadmills have the necessary features for a weight loss program, therefore they’re considered to be the best solution for people who want to lose weight. Most of them have very powerful motors that can reach speeds up to even 12 miles per hour, allowing you to work as intensively as you need, depending on your fitness goal. Also, they have LCD displays which give you important information about your workout, like: the distance you have traveled, time, speed and even the number of fat calories you have burned; some even have a heart rate monitor which indicates your pulse, letting you know if you are in the right effort zone, a zone which allows you to achieve your fitness goal.

Today’s treadmills market is populated by many famous brands, such as Horizon, Proform, Reebok or Nordictrack; since the competition is tough, they struggle to get ahead by offering more and more features and you can benefit from this while trying to reach your fitness goals. For example, a cushioning system called ProShox is a widespread characteristic amongst the modern treadmill models; the system reduces the impact running has on joints by 30%.

Also, a very important feature of any treadmill you choose is its warranty, one of the best signs of a product’s quality. Of course that the features and the specifications of your treadmill are very important for your workout, but their warranty is at least as important, because it can be a real sign for the period in which you can enjoy these features and specs.

As a conclusion, a treadmill has all the features you need to lose weight, providing you a comfortable and pleasant workout at the same time.

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Fitness Benefits of Using Rings

by Marcus Martinez

Most people like to maximize fitness results by doing efficient exercises. Either you don’t have much time to train, or you’re not patient enough to doing long, drawn out workout routines. If this sounds like you, try ring training.

One system that delivers fast results is rings. Ring training is one of the most effective and productive training protocols out there. They put a whole new spin on push ups, pull ups, dips, and more. If you have never tried rings before, you’ll know immediately how effective they are. The second you start doing ring dips you realize, “Wow, I can’t just muscle myself up with my triceps!” If you try that, you’ll be on the floor in no time.

Rings are a relatively simple piece of workout equipment that can be found at websites like RingTraining.com, who produces their own sets called Elite Rings. You simply take the rings and hang them from a pull up bar or other stationary piece of equipment. One of the great things about ring training is you can be at any fitness level when you start and they’ll provide a great workout.

When you start ring training, you’ll realize that in order to do any exercise, you have to keep your entire body tight. This ends up working your major muscles, stabilizer muscles, and your core. Definitely an effective workout. What’s also great is how portable and versatile rings are.

If you’re looking for a pump, try doing some push ups or ring flys after you finish your chest routine, they’ll deliver an awesome pump. If you just want a complete body workout, burning fat, gaining muscle, and increasing strength, just do a series of ring workouts (like the ones at the end of this article).

Better yet, rings are extremely portable, typically weighing only one to three pounds. This means that you can use them at home, at the gym, or in a park. They’re also great if you travel since they can easily fit in your luggage.

I like to use Elite Rings provided by RingTraining.com. Elite Rings are tough, lightweight, and adjustable. I use ring training in conjunction with gym training, kettlebell training, body weight training, and other workout methods. They really is no reason why you shouldn’t add ring training into your workout too. Here’s a ring training workout to get you started:

Full-body Ring Training Workout

Details: Perform three circuits. Do 8 to 12 Reps in each circuit. Rest 30 to 60 seconds between exercises and one to three minutes between circuits.

A: Rings Push Ups

B: Ring Pull Ups

C: Ring Dips

D: Ring Standing Curl

E: Rings Tricep Extension

F: Rings Single Leg Squat

G: Rings Flys

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Tips For Getting A Flat Stomach

by Jennifer King

If you’re struggling to get a flat stomach then this article will help you achieve your goal. There’s a ton of misinformation on the internet, and a high percentage of people are falling for it. Trying to achieve a flat stomach while using this misinformation can actually send your progress backwards. This article will help you understand the misconceptions so that you will know what to do in order to get a flat stomach.

One of the misconceptions of people is that Ab workouts will get them a flat stomach. Ab exercises only tone the muscle under the fat on your stomach. Flattening the stomach with this method of training is impossible. You need to make use of exercises that will work on the whole body and not only the abdomen.

It is not advisable to work out on your abs alone if your stomach is not the only place that has fat. This is a complete waste of your time, and won’t yield any results. You cannot be concentrating on one part of the body and expect to get a flat stomach. You must work on the whole body. A rigorous exercise that involves all parts of your body for twenty minutes everyday will give you the flat stomach you’ve longed for.

Another wrong method that people employ when they desire a flat stomach is to take fat burning pills. These pills are completely ineffective, and do nothing to raise your metabolism. If you’re exercising and dieting while using taking these pills then it’s the diet and exercise that is getting your results, not the pills. It is advisable to use a combination of exercise and good diet without these pills. So, stay away from these pills.

The use of crash diets is another wrong method people use in order to get a flat stomach. The reason for this is people think that less calories means a leaner physique. When you start eating less than your body needs then the complete opposite happens.

What happens when you do this? Your metabolic rate will slow down so your body goes into starvation mode and starts storing fat. This only worsens your fat belly condition. Hence, reducing food intake or not eating at all will only worsen your situation.

A good exercise program along with a balanced diet will get you the flat stomach you desire. You don’t need any magic pills, ab machines or fad diets.

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Bodybuilding Exercises for Everybody

by Jono Smith

If you’re looking to start a bodybuilding exercise program, make sure you do one that’s right for you. Not everybody’s body type is the same. Therefore, if you are very slim, you shouldn’t use traditional bodybuilding exercises, because it’s likely they will not work for you. They weren’t designed for people who are very slender. If you want to gain weight, you’ll need to focus on things like proper posture, stabilizing your shoulders, becoming more flexible, stabilizing your core, doing overall body conditioning, and more.

When you work on correcting postural imbalance, you are working on aligning your posture and your body so that your posture is correct before you begin. You must be aligned properly before you can start your bodybuilding program. Take a look at professional bodybuilders some time. They have great posture, and that’s no mistake. However, many bodybuilding programs don’t have this as part of their information even though this is necessary for you. If you don’t naturally have proper posture, you’ll need to have this, because if you do, you can look more fit and toned just by the way you hold yourself.

When you’re doing bodybuilding exercise, you’ll also need to learn how to stabilize your shoulders so as to avoid injury. If you don’t stabilize your shoulders and hold them properly, you could injure yourself, thus thwarting your bodybuilding exercise program. You’ll need shoulders that are not injured so that you don’t live your life in pain because you used the wrong techniques for bodybuilding.

In addition, you’ll need core stability for bodybuilding exercise. Core stability helps protect your lower back from being strained. Therefore, increasing your core stability will not only help you relieve back pain you may have now, but it will help prevent lower back pain and injury from your workout itself. If you’re doing bodybuilding workouts and you’re finding that they’re hurting you, you’re probably doing them wrong; many bodybuilding programs are meant for bodybuilders who are already in shape and have a lot of muscle mass so that they don’t have to worry about injuring themselves in their lower backs especially. However, if you don’t have a stable core, you’ll need to have that before you can begin truly bodybuilding in earnest. If you try to begin a bodybuilding program that assumes your core is stable, you risk injuring yourself.

Your bodybuilding exercise program should also focus on giving you the proper flexibility techniques for your particular body type. You’ll need to focus on both your lower and upper body for flexibility. If you’re stiff before you start working out, you’re going to risk being injured. Therefore, you first need to perform the right exercises and stretching techniques specific to your body type so that you have the greatest flexibility possible and therefore avoid injury.

You might also find that you have parts of your body that are more developed than others. This is normal, but it will need to be corrected. You’ll need to have a bodybuilding exercise program that focuses on all muscles of your body equally so that none are more developed than others. Having parts of your body overdeveloped while the parts are underdeveloped can make the overdeveloped parts work harder and can cause injury. This also slows you down when it comes to getting in your best shape.

If you want to build muscle mass, you’ll also need to know about getting the right conditioning for you. Once you have everything balanced properly so that you know you’re not going to become injured, you can be flexible, and every part of your body is going to be equally focused on so that you don’t over develop some parts of your body and underdevelop others, you can begin to focus on adding additional muscle mass overall so that you look lean and hard. In addition, you are going to need to do cardiovascular exercise so as to develop your heart and lungs. Doing everything in proper ratio to each other, weightlifting and bodybuilding along with cardio, is the best thing you can do to keep yourself healthy and uninjured even as you gain the weight you need to.

There are a lot of things you should research and study up on if you want to construct a bodybuilding exercise program that will help you bulk up with muscle mass. The best type of program is going to help you work on your core stability, posture, stabilizing your shoulders, improve flexibility, and maximize your overall conditioning. Having impressive muscles is wonderful, but you’ll need to learn the right techniques to do this based upon your body type.

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Simple Steps to Stress Relief

by Patrick Glancy, BCH

Stress is a state of mind and the best way to combat stress and its effects on the mind is through relaxation. Stress can cause many problems such as concentration issues, lack of good judgment, negativity and lack of productivity as well as many health issues such as heart attacks and chronic headaches. The best way to combat these feelings and factors of stress is through relaxation. Relaxation takes as little as ten minutes a day and can be as simple as breathing exercises, or as challenging as a kick boxing class, the choice is yours.

Some people think relaxation needs to be something extreme such as a seven year sabbatical or a three month vacation, this is not the case. The key is to find something you enjoy and teach your mind new tricks! Relaxation can happen anywhere, at home, in the office or while driving.

Finding the best method can be the hardest challenge on your road to relaxation. First you need to decide what sorts of things you enjoy. It could be a range of things such as surfing the web, reading, meditating or walking.

One of the best ways to relax is to escape to a different world, and since not all of us have passports, an easy way to do this is through music, reading and watching TV or movies. These visual stimulators offer a break from the boring day to day lives in which so many of us live. They each create an alternative world that is entirely your own.

Meditation can help you learn to reflect on situations and to control your breathing to calm your mind. These techniques need to be learned and practiced in order to achieve the maximum result. Once mastered, you can relax at the drop of a hat and find inner control in as little as ten minutes.

Other people prefer to hit the gym to relax. Some like to run, walk or lift weights. Others might prefer a cycling, kick boxing or tai chi class. Running and walking burn off excessive built up energy, however not everyone wants to run a marathon. For them there are other sorts of classes which sole purpose is relaxation such as yoga. Many people choose to skip the classes and gym all together and simply walk their dogs in the park.

Your body will tell you what it likes and what it doesn’t like, you just need to learn to listen. Take note of what worked and what didn’t while you were practicing different relaxing techniques. If one doesn’t work don’t be afraid to try a different approach. Make sure to keep yourself motivated by reminding yourself you will be healthier and happier in the end and think how nice it is to do something enjoyable.

Learning something new is always a challenge however once you get the hang of it, it is like riding a bike, your body won’t forget how. It is important to find an activity which you enjoy and know you will stick with, but you must make a conscious effort to remind and train your body to relax while performing this task. It may take time, but in the end the rewards will be worth it.

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Sculpt A Lean, Hard, Athletic Physique With Only Barbell

by Caleb Lee

I had a subscriber who wanted to find out:

“Is it possible to achieve maximum strength power, knockout fat, sculpt lean muscle and dramatically transform my shape, if I don’t have a power rack and I only have access to a barbell? Not even an Olympic barbell, but one of those old crappy cement filled barbell sets”

I know precisely the weights this guy is saying. I believe nearly everyone of us grew up with them right? They were basically cement weights covered in plastic, and over time the plastic busted up and the cement started to get busted below remember?

I believe I’m showing my age :)
To cut a long story short…

YES! You can build strength and power with archaic equipment!

You just need someone to instruct you how. Thank goodness you met me. And as luck would have it I just read a good number of Dan John’s amazing “From the Ground Up”.

In this excellent little ebook Dan John describes the “Rapid Ascent Program”, which consists of three exercises:

1. Power Clean

2. Military Press

3. Squat Move

And here’s how you did the program (from his book):

“The program was incredibly simple. In the beginning, groups of four boys were given a bar. The bars were weighted from very lightit could be 25 poundsup to possibly close to 100 pounds. Each group of boys would lift one at a time, put the bar down, then the next boy would lift. The four would continually move from lifter to watcherthe bar never stopped. The three sets (explained in just a moment) would not take very longactually, at times it was hard to catch your breath in time for your next set.

The reps were very simple:

* First set: 8 repetitions

* Set Number 2 — 6 repetitions

* Set Number 3 — 4 repetitions

The goal was simple: when you got all 18 reps (8+6+4), you added weight. If you started with a bar that was too light, the next workout, you would be bumped up to the next weight and a stronger group. (Of course, actual variations could include making a whole new group with more weight, tooor whatever necessary to make the group work together).”

Seems easy doesn’t it?

That’s the beauty of this program!

You don’t need a lot of equipment to build strength, muscle and power all while increasing your cardiovascular fitness and burning off pounds of fat.

What you DO need is a little “do or die” perspective. You must make your mind up you surely WANT to reach your fitness goals, then you’ll find a way to utilize whatever equipment you have available to make it happen.

I like this program because it keeps up with the DoubleYourGains’ philosophy of training movement patterns instead of a bunch of exercises. The Rapid Ascent program has a press move (military press), a pull move (power clean), a squat move (front squat) and an explosive/hamstring move (power clean).

How to carry out the “Rapid Ascent” program for cardio and fat loss:

Coach Dan points out that you could also get a great cardio workout and burn some fat:

“To “hurry up” the trainingas if it was required, there were times when Mr. Freeman advised bringing together the Power Clean and Military Pressesone clean and one press, repeated for a total of eight reps. This was completed with a lighter weight. One could also execute the Front Squats after the clean and presses, too. I have only done this onceand it was an incredible cardiovascular exercise.”

So if you think you don’t have enough equipment to get into great shape and achieve your fitness goals you are wrong. You are wrong. You are wrong.

As a matter of fact, you don’t even need a barbell. You can be on your way with the DoubleYourGains’ bodyweight program. You can do pullups on your door frame (for extra strong fingers) or just grab the top of a door and go to town (or a tree limb, anything you can hang from, and all that) Believe me, if THAT workout gets easy for you - you will be a certified STUD.

And, the minute you gain access to a good Olympic barbell set you can start the DoubleYourGains’ 3-5 Program.

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Age is Not an Excuse

by Ike Lowe

It’s a fore-gone conclusion that with age, our bodies change. Unlike when we were young, now fat is stored in places we have to be concerned about.

The metabolism slows and the digestive system doesn’t work as well as it once did.

Hormonal changes in the body can also affect the shape that you are in but there is one thing that always remains the same at all ages - If you eat too much food and drink too much alcohol you will gain weight.

Many people use their age as an excuse for being over weight but this is not acceptable. Consider how many elderly people there are who are still slim, fit and healthy and you will see that age is not an excuse.

Lifestyles create the body we have to live with and the effects of poor lifestyle choices are multiplied as we age because the abuse that we have been giving our body through poor food choices throughout our life accumulates with fat and other health related problems due to poor nutrition.

Maintaining your fat percentage at an optimum level throughout your life is what you should do. The dividends it pays are; A better quality of life, reduced dependence on medication, avoiding other health related expenditures as you age

Anyone at any age can benefit from improved nutrition and exercise.

A longer and happier life can be expected by using anything that will reduce the excess levels in your body fat.

If you want to turn back your body clock, start an exercise program and improve your nutritional intake. It’s never too late to start and clearly the sooner you start the better.

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Perfect Your Golf Swing with a Training Aid

by Mac Turnbull

Look long enough, and you’ll find numerous opinions on golf swing teaching aids, and the comments–from professionals and weekend golfers alike–are all over the map. Some golfers swear by training aids, and many feel that only traditional practice is beneficial. Many teaching pros use homegrown teaching aids that cost next to nothing–reflector strips, plum lines, show boxes, hula hoops–to help golfers who are seeking to learn how to golf swing, and to give them a mental image that can help them keep the swing grooved when they’re on the links.

High-Tech, Low-Tech, No Tech

As you can already tell, golf swing teaching aids come in lots of price ranges and varieties. There are computerized gadgets that can tell you about clubhead speed, club face position, and other things; there are wrist and arm braces that help you key in on proper positioning during the swing; there are special hinged clubs or other clublike instruments that help you get the feel of a proper–and improper–swing. You’ll even find simple gadgets like specialized grips.

But Nothing Compares to . . .

The big thing is to recognize that there is no panacea–there is no single golf swing teaching aid that will instantly fix your game. Realistically, there is no teaching aid that will even improve every part of your swing. Instead, each teaching aid will assist you with a specific piece of your golf swing. But that’s okay, as specialization and focus are key to really absorbing these motions into muscle memory.

The other important thing to realize is that you must use common sense in selecting and purchasing golf swing teaching aids. Any lasting improvement in your game ultimately comes through practice, consistency, and paying close attention. Golf swing teaching aids play their own role, but at the end of the day, it’s you who needs to apply it properly.

For that matter, before spending a penny on aids, you will likely gain the most benefit from plain old exercise and a video camera. Exercise that specifically works your core will do wonders for your swing and distance, especially over the course of a round. I’m not talking about crunches and the like, but a full core workout, e.g. using Pilates or a physioball. And the video camera can correct a multitude of swing problems without a fancy teaching aid. Put together all of these puzzle pieces, and you’re beginning to look like a contender!

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How to Konw Which Weight Loss Program is Appropriate for You

by Ricardo d Argence

With all of the fads and easy promises that are advertised for losing weight, it can be hard to figure out what will be effective. Ruling out surgery, you must come to the realization that effective weight loss can only occur from diet and exercise.

Many people buy into different weight loss schemes because they want an alternative to this, but it doesn’t exist, you really need a balance of both. Neither diet alone, nor exercise alone will give you the results you want so it is important to find a way to strike a balance between the two and to incorporate it into your daily routine.

If you are like many other people who need some extra help meeting there weight goals, there are other ways to help. There are many free programs for people that have time to work hard on there goals.

It is helpful to do some research to decide which programs are legitimate as well as the most appropriate for you. Common sense dictates that you should check with your health care provider or a fitness professional before starting or changing any diet or fitness routine and you should not necessarily rely on the testimonials on free program websites because they are not necessarily made by qualified individuals.

Free programs can be very beneficial for those who are looking to get into a new routine and can provide you with a basic sense of what goals you are wanting to achieve and which ways you can go to do so. Most programs that don’t have one on one support won’t work for most people, programs that may work for one person may not work for another.

Shareware tends to have a ceiling when it comes to the progress you can make with them, they typically only take you through to a certain level before you are required to move on to a more tailored program. It’s important to find a balance between diet and exercise. You want to avoid the misery of depriving yourself of food and killing yourself with exercise since you are bound to quit. Starting out in these things is often the hardest part. One training session a month with a personal trainer will assist in staying on track.

Remember, just because a fitness program or diet has a high price tag, doesn’t mean that it will work. Gyms offering free trials permit you the luxury of seeing whether they meet your needs before you commit to a long term subscription and diets do not have to be complicated or consist of long periods of deprivation.

Consult with a dietician for advice concerning your health needs and goals for weight loss to have an individual diet plan created for you. In this sort of case, everybody has their own opinion of what should or shouldn’t be done, but as each person’s body has its own way of working and responds differently, it’s best not to pay attention to friendly suggestions and maintain your professional plan.

You can also check my website, you will find there a lot of useful resources to lose that extra pounds.

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