45 best health tips ever

1. Copy your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up. It boosts circulation and digestion, and eases back pain.

2. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled egg.

3. Brush up on hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teeth properly. Improper brushing can cause as much damage to the teeth and gums as not brushing at all. Lots of people don’t brush for long enough, don’t floss and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your toothbrush in the same way that would hold a pencil, and brush for at least two minutes. 

This includes brushing the teeth, the junction of the teeth and gums, the tongue and the roof of the mouth. And you don't need a fancy, angled toothbrush – just a sturdy, soft-bristled one that you replace each month.

4. Neurobics for your mind. Get your brain fizzing with energy. American researchers coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the brain's own biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help to strengthen or preserve brain circuits. 

Brush your teeth with your ‘other’ hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of Alzheimer's disease and age-related mental decline.

5. Get what you give! Always giving and never taking? This is the short road to compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and receive from others, otherwise you’ll get to a point where you have nothing left to give. And hey, if you can’t receive from others, how can you expect them to receive from you?

Read: Mind aerobics

6. Get spiritual. A study conducted by the formidably sober and scientific Harvard University found that patients who were prayed for recovered quicker than those who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of the prayer.

7. Get smelly. Garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain stuff that’s good for you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in Cape Town found that eating raw garlic helped fight serious childhood infections. Heat destroys these properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or, if you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.

8. Knock one back. A glass of red wine a day is good for you. A number of studies have found this, but a recent one found that the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) in green tea, red wine and olives may also help protect you against breast cancer. It’s thought that the antioxidants help protect you from environmental carcinogens such as passive tobacco smoke.

9. Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by popping a tab, chugging milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong. Remember that your bone density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200 milligrams daily, which you should combine with magnesium, or it simply won’t be absorbed.

10. Berries for your belly. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol – the antioxidant compound found in red wine that has assumed near mythological proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help protect against heart disease and cancer.

11. Curry favour. Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne pepper trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Endorphins have a powerful, almost narcotic, effect and make you feel good after exercising. But go easy on the lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat, creamy dishes served in many Indian restaurants.

12. Cut out herbs before ops. Some herbal supplements – from the popular St John's Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and feverfew – can cause increased bleeding during surgery, warn surgeons. It may be wise to stop taking all medication, including herbal supplements, at least two weeks before surgery, and inform your surgeon about your herbal use.

13. I say tomato. Tomato is a superstar in the fruit and veggie pantheon. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter. They’re also rich in vitamin C. The good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious, so use them in pasta, soups and casseroles, as well as in salads.

The British Thoracic Society says that tomatoes and apples can reduce your risk of asthma andchronic lung diseases. Both contain the antioxidant quercetin. To enjoy the benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato every other day.

14. Eat your stress away. Prevent low blood sugar as it stresses you out. Eat regular and small healthy meals and keep fruit and veggies handy. Herbal teas will also soothe your frazzled nerves.

Eating unrefined carbohydrates, nuts and bananas boosts the formation of serotonin, another feel-good drug. Small amounts of protein containing the amino acid tryptamine can give you a boost when stress tires you out.

15. Load up on vitamin C.We need at least 90 mg of vitamin C per day and the best way to get this is by eating at least five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. So hit the oranges and guavas!

16. No folly in folic acid. Folic acid should be taken regularly by all pregnant mums and people with a low immunity to disease. Folic acid prevents spina bifida in unborn babies and can play a role in cancer prevention. It is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and bran.

17. A for Away. This vitamin, and beta carotene, help to boost immunity against disease. It also assists in the healing process of diseases such as measles and is recommended by the WHO. Good natural sources of vitamin A are kidneys, liver, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, pawpaw, mangoes, chilli pepper, red sorrel and red palm oil.

18. Pure water. Don’t have soft drinks or energy drinks while you're exercising. Stay properlyhydrated by drinking enough water during your workout (just don't overdo things, as drinking too much water can also be dangerous). 

While you might need energy drinks for long-distance running, in shorter exercise sessions in the gym, your body will burn the glucose from the soft drink first, before starting to burn body fat. Same goes for eating sweets.

19. GI, Jane. Carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index, such as bread, sugar, honey and grain-based food will give instant energy and accelerate your metabolism. If you’re trying to burn fat, stick to beans, rice, pasta, lentils, peas, soya beans and oat bran, all of which have a low GI count.

20. Mindful living. You've probably heard the old adage that life's too short to stuff a mushroom. But perhaps you should consider the opposite: that life's simply too short NOT to focus on the simple tasks. By slowing down and concentrating on basic things, you'll clear your mind of everything that worries you. 

Really concentrate on sensations and experiences again: observe the rough texture of a strawberry's skin as you touch it, and taste the sweet-sour juice as you bite into the fruit; when your partner strokes your hand, pay careful attention to the sensation on your skin; and learn to really focus on simple tasks while doing them, whether it's flowering plants or ironing your clothes.

21. The secret of stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable position.

22. Do your weights workout first. Experts say weight training should be done first, because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio. Your body is better able to handle weight training early in the workout because you're fresh and you have the energy you need to work it. 

Conversely, cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and flushing out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're weight training. It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff and sore.

23. Burn fat during intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the joys of interval training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the interval programme, where your speed and workload varies from minute to minute. Build up gradually, every minute and return to the starting speed. Repeat this routine. Not only will it be less monotonous, but you can train for a shorter time and achieve greater results.

24. Your dirtiest foot forward. If your ankles, knees, and hips ache from running on pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads are a lot easier on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces tend to be uneven, forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on where to put your feet – great for agility and concentration.

25. Burn the boredom, blast the lard. Rev up your metabolism by alternating your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only should you alternate your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to give your body a jolt. 

If you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill or take 15 minutes to walk a km, up the pace by going at 8km/h for a minute or so during your workout. Do this every five minutes or so. Each time you work out, increase your bouts of speed in small increments.

26. Cool off without a beer. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at least an hour after exercise. This will force your body to break down body fat, rather than using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids during that hour, but avoid beer.

27. ‘Okay, now do 100 of those’. Instead of flailing away at gym, enlist the help – even temporarily – of a personal trainer. Make sure you learn to breathe properly and to do the exercises the right way. You’ll get more of a workout while spending less time at the gym.

28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do everything in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90 crud – not even the tobacco giants believe it. Apart from the well-known risks of heart disease and cancer, orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking accelerates bone density loss and constricts blood flow. So you could live to be a 90-year-old amputee who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.

29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find out your family history. You need to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene pool. According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your grandparents died of can provide useful – even lifesaving – information about what’s in store for you. And be candid, not coy: 25% of the children of alcoholics become alcoholics themselves.

30. Do self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your breasts. Most partners are more than happy to help, not just because breast cancer is the most common cancer among SA women. The best time to examine your breasts is in the week after your period.

31. My smear campaign. Have a pap smear once a year. Not on our list of favourite things, but it’s vital. Cervical cancer kills 200 000 women a year and it’s the most prevalent form of cancer among black women, affecting more than 30 percent. 

But the chances of survival are nearly 100 percent if it’s detected early. Be particularly careful if you became sexually active at an early age, have had multiple sex partners or smoke.

32. Understand hormones. Recent research suggests that short-term (less than five years) use of HRT is not associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer, but that using it for more than ten years might be. Breast cancer is detected earlier in women using HRT, as they are more alert to the disease than other women.

32. Beat the sneezes. There are more than 240 allergens, some rare and others very common. If you’re a sneezer due to pollen: close your car’s windows while driving, rather switch on the internal fan (drawing in air from the outside), and avoid being outdoors between 5am and 10 am when pollen counts are at their highest; stick to holidays in areas with low pollen counts, such as the seaside and stay away from freshly cut grass.

33. Doggone. If you’re allergic to your cat, dog, budgie or pet piglet, stop suffering the ravages of animal dander: Install an air filter in your home. 

Keep your pet outside as much as possible and brush him outside of the home to remove loose hair and other allergens. Better yet, ask someone else to do so.

34. Asthma-friendly sports. Swimming is the most asthma-friendly sport of all, but cycling, canoeing, fishing, sailing and walking are also good, according to the experts. 

Asthma need not hinder peak performance in sport. 1% of the US Olympic team were asthmatics – and between them they won 41 medals.

35. Deep heat. Sun rays can burn even through thick glass, and under water. Up to 35% of UVB rays and 85% of UVA rays penetrate thick glass, while 50% of UVB rays and 75% of UVA rays penetrate a meter of water and wet cotton clothing. 

Which means you’ll need sunscreen while driving your car on holiday, and water resistant block if you’re swimming.

36. Fragrant ageing. Stay away from perfumed or flavoured suntan lotions which smell of coconut oil or orange if you want your skin to stay young. These lotions contain psoralen, which speeds up the ageing process. Rather use a fake-tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which are as bad as the sun itself.

37. Sunscreen can be a smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely to stop you from being sunburned, or to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s because most people don’t apply it properly, and stay in the sun too long. 

The solution? Slather on sunscreen daily and reapply it often, especially if you’ve been in the water. How much? At least enough to fill a shot glass.

38. Laugh and cry. Having a good sob is reputed to be good for you. So is laughter, which has been shown to help heal bodies, as well as broken hearts. Studies in Japan indicate that laughter boosts the immune system and helps the body shake off allergic reactions.

39. It ain’t over till it’s over. End relationships that no longer work for you, as you could be spending time in a dead end. Rather head for more meaningful things. You could be missing opportunities while you’re stuck in a meaningless rut, trying to breathe life into something that is long gone.

40. Strong people go for help. Ask for assistance. Gnashing your teeth in the dark will not get you extra brownie points. It is a sign of strength to ask for assistance and people will respect you for it. If there is a relationship problem, the one who refuses to go for help is usually the one with whom the problem lies to begin with.

41. Save steamy scenes for the bedroom. Showering or bathing in water that’s too hot will dry out your skin and cause it to age prematurely. Warm water is much better. 

Apply moisturiser while your skin is still damp – it’ll be absorbed more easily. Adding a little olive oil to your bath with help keep your skin moisturised too.

42. Here’s the rub. Improve your circulation and help your lymph glands to drain by the way you towel off. Helping your lymph glands function can help prevent them becoming infected. 

When drying off your limbs and torso, brush towards the groin on your legs and towards the armpits on your upper body. You can do the same during gentle massage with your partner.

43. Sugar-coated. More than three million South Africans suffer from type 2 diabetes, and the incidence is increasing – with new patients getting younger. New studies show this type of diabetes is often part of a metabolic syndrome (X Syndrome), which includes high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.

More than 80% of type 2 diabetics die of heart disease, so make sure you control your glucose levels, and watch your blood pressure and cholesterol counts.

44. Relax, it’s only sex. Stress and sex make bad bedfellows, it seems. A US survey showed that stress, kids and work are main factors to dampen libido. With the advent of technology that allows us to work from home, the lines between our jobs and our personal lives have become blurred. 

People work longer hours, commutes are longer and work pervades all aspects of our lives, including our sexual relationships. Put nooky and intimacy on the agenda, just like everything else.

45. Good night, sweetheart. Rest heals the body and has been shown to lessen the risk of heart trouble and psychological problems.

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WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO LOSE BODY FAT?

1. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO LOSE BODY FAT?

 I know. Some of you may have heard that nutrition is 80% of the battle. While nutrition is very important, that statement will relate to people in different ways depending on the goal and the activity of choice. For example, if you are trying to build a large amount of muscle, you may be advised to eat much more food than you are accustomed to. That’s because in order for muscles to substantially grow, we often need more protein than the average person. The food, paired with an effective strength building program, will allow you to lose body fat while gaining muscle size.

On the other hand, if a toned look is not your main priority, then you may be advised to consume more or less, depending on your current regimen. Nutrition is very important in losing body fat and in gaining muscle, but ultimately it’s the combination of the right diet and the right program that makes is the most effective. Neither proper diet or the correct training program is more important than the other.

Tip: Never starve yourself. Always put fuel in the machine for best results!

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bench press common mistakes!!!!!!!!!!

Foot placement

If you want to press some heavy weight you need to use your whole body and you need to start with a solid base. I’ve seen guys straining for another rep and their feet are kicking like they’re being strangled. Even worse than that is putting both feet up on the bench. Unless you’re practicing to walk a tight rope there’s absolutely no benefit to that position.

After you lie back on the bench you should bring your feet straight back toward your head to the point where your heels are about to come off the ground. Your heels should stay in contact with the floor forming your solid base. If you’ve got long legs your butt may tend to come off the bench. You could avoid this by widening your feet. On the initial drive, off your chest, you should drive your heels through the floor and hold that position until you rack the weight.

Hand Placement

Where you grip the bar determines what muscle groups will have the most influence on your lift. Use the power rings as a gage and obviously your grip should be exactly the same on both sides. Whether you generate more power from your chest or your triceps you should start out with a placement that tends to use both equally. Here’s how to determine that placement:

You will need someone to help you with this. Lie back on the bench and take an equal grip on an empty bar. Lower the bar to your chest and hold. Have your helper stand either directly behind your head or directly in front of your feet. They may need to squat down to your chest level. They need to determine if your forearms are exactly vertical and perpendicular to the floor. Your hands should be directly over your elbows. If you hands are flaring out you should narrow your grip or vise versa. If  you’re interested in power and you believe most comes from your chest, you can widen your grip. If you feel like your triceps are your big movers you can narrow your grip but I’m talking about an inch or two at most.

Do not use a false or “thumbless” grip. It’s dangerous and it tends to keep your elbows in tight to your body forcing your front delts and triceps to do most of the work.

Allowing your wrists to bend back

When you grip the bar don’t let your wrists sag back. The bar should remain directly in line with your forearms. Allowing your wrists to sag will lead to wrist problems and you’re not in the direct line of power. Hold your wrists tight as if you were punching a heavy bag.

Don’t shrug your shoulders

When you lie on the bench your shoulders should not be up by your ears. In the shrugged position you’re not getting the full benefit of your pecs and you’re taking your lats completely out of the lift (yes your lats assist in your bench press)

You should flex your lats and drive your shoulders down toward your hips while squeezing your shoulder blades together. This should create an arch in your lower back but your butt should always stay on the bench. Only your upper back should be pressed hard into the bench.  Always look straight up and do not press your head into the bench, which could cause a neck injury.

Perform full reps

Who said it was OK to stop six inches above your chest? Are these the same people parking two feet from the curb? The bottom portion of the bench press is where your pecs are heavily activated. If you don’t touch the bar to your chest you’re only cheating your pecs out of a lot of good work.

If you’re doing these partial reps to inflate your numbers, be advised: Any rep that doesn’t touch your chest, followed by a complete unassisted lockout, is not a rep and cannot be claimed when a fellow gym rat asks “How much do ya bench?”

Partial bench reps are acceptable in certain training programs but the topic of this article is the standard bench press.

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pull ups common mistakes

Mistake 1: You’re not using full range of motion
It’s important to remember that the back muscles are supposed to be the primary focus when performing pullups. Doing partial reps doesn’t allow the lats to come to a fully lengthened position between reps, which encourages the arms to kick in and do most of the work. If you can’t do as many pullups from a full hang, make it your new starting point. Even finishing the rep with a slight bend at the elbow isn’t ideal.

Mistake 2: You’re letting your elbows flare
If you want your lats to become stronger and more developed, then keeping your elbows under the bar matters. It will also make it much easier to get your chest up when the elbows aren’t held too wide. All of this means more back stimulation and a good quality pull.

Mistake 3: You’re not setting your shoulders
The hardest part of a pullup is actually learning to control your scapulae, or shoulder blades. Each and every rep should begin with a notable depression and retraction of the shoulders. This tightens up the back muscles and prepares you for a proper pull using less of the biceps than you would otherwise. If this concept escapes you, here’s a video that will get you on the right track.

Mistake 4: You’re staying straight as an arrow
Many cues out there claim that the body should be held completely straight from head to toe in order to perform a good pullup. This sets an honest-minded trainee on the wrong path. We know pullups are intended to be a back developer, and we’ve learned that hitting the back requires the shoulders to be retracted and set to engage the posterior muscles. Try pulling your shoulders back without mildly arching your back. It’s not possible. To hit your back properly during pullups, think of raising the rib cage toward the bar. Arch the back, and set the shoulders. You’ll feel the difference.

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6 Mistakes When Trying to Build a Muscular Chest

Are you trying to build a bigger chest, but are not getting the results you desire? Building a big chest requires challenging training and consistency, but there are many other factors as well. Some people make mistakes in regards to nutrition, training, or rest when they are focusing on building more muscle mass in the chest.

Elbows Flared Out When Performing Chest Exercises

Although most chest exercises will also target the front shoulder muscles (anterior deltoid), there is a way to reduce the strain on the shoulders when performing chest exercises. If your elbows are flared out when performing exercises like bench press, incline press, or decline press, you are putting more emphasis on shoulder muscles, instead of the chest. Additionally, it can be dangerous to flare your elbows out when doing an exercise like the barbell bench press, as it puts more pressure on the joints. Since there is more pressure on the joints, there is a higher risk of getting a rotator cuff injury.

Tuck your elbows in more when performing pressing chest exercises. The pectoral major and pectoral minor will be activated more when tucking your elbows in, allowing you to build more muscle and get stronger. It also gives you more leverage.

Only Doing Isolation Exercises for Chest

While isolation exercises like dumbbell flies or cable crossovers are good exercises, they are not as effective as compound movements, like barbell bench press or dumbbell bench press. Isolation movements are not as stressful on the fast twitch muscle fibers; therefore you will not build as much muscle mass. Compound movements are better exercises for building muscle mass, while isolation movements are supplementary.

Not Resting Enough 

A lot of chest exercises require a lot of energy output. It is extremely crucial that you get enough sleep each day. If you do not get enough sleep, the fast twitch muscle fibers in the chest will not be able recover from hard workouts. Muscle mass is actually built when sleeping, not when training. Training merely breaks the muscle tissue down so it can grow bigger and stronger.

Rest between Sets

Make sure you get sufficient rest between sets when doing chest exercises. If you’re only resting 30 seconds between sets, for example, you will not be able get as many repetitions on your next set. Why is getting more repetitions important? More repetitions mean more muscular contractions in the chest. Muscular contractions cause muscle growth, also known as hypertrophy.

Insufficient Amounts of Calories and Protein

Your nutrition must be on point if you wish to build a bigger chest. In order to gain muscle, you need to be in a caloric surplus of about 300-500 calories. For instance, if you maintain your weight, eating roughly 3000 calories, then you need to eat 3300-3500 calories each day consistently. You could have a perfect chest routine, but if you do not eat enough food, then all that hard training will be in vain.

Also, adequate amounts of protein are required for muscle growth in the chest. About 20-30% of total calories should come from protein. Ideally, make sure the protein is from quality sources like eggs, steak, whey protein powder, and lean chicken breast. Soy protein is not a quality protein.

Using Momentum on Chest Exercises

Using momentum will negatively impact how much muscle you can build. Momentum can also cause injuries. Always make sure to lower the weights in a slow, controlled manner. Otherwise, you will not target the pectoral major muscles in the chest effectively. Do not control the weight too slowly, though, as you will use up too much energy, and will not get enough muscular contractions.

If you follow the proper protocols for building a big muscular chest, then you will reach your goals. Lack of consistency will hinder progress. As long as you train your chest properly, eat properly, and get enough sleep, you will reach your goal of building a large chest.

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The 39 Best Fitness Tips the World Has Ever Known

1. You burn the highest % of calories from fat while at rest. Forget the fat burning zone & instead focus on total calories burned. Read more about the fat-burning zone myth.
   
2. Use seasonings on your food instead of sauces. The calories you save can translate into fat loss.
3. Consistency is the key to success. A workout here or there is going to get you nowhere. Lay out a plan & execute it every single time.
4. Cook your meals in advance. It makes it easier to stick to your diet plan when you only have to reheat and eat.
5. Add lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber to your water. It adds flavor but keeps your drinks low calorie. Here are 8 healthy drinks besides water you can drink for added taste bud stimulation.
6. Learn to eat for fuel, not for pleasure. Food is meant to be nourishment for your body and mind. Find a more productive way to achieve gratification other than eating.
7. There are 1000 reasons why you can’t start a fitness program. Put the excuses away, drop the word can’t, and start focusing on reasons for why you should.
8. Don’t waste your calories on drinks. Drink water instead, and save your calories for nutrient dense foods. Here is a list of 100 nutrient dense and healthy foods to eat.
9. No time to work out? Set your alarm to wake you up 30 minutes earlier. Make exercise a priority and part of your everyday routine.
10. The best time to work out is at a time you will always do it. Whether it’s morning, afternoon or night, choose a time that will keep your workouts consistent.
11. When you start a fitness program, the people around you will either support you or tear you down. Ignore their negativity. Remember that your goal is to be healthy. If someone has a problem with that, then that’s their own problem. Read more about “why does my healthy lifestyle offend you”.
12. Don’t make excuses. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, can have the body they want – if they would just knock down the walls they’ve built around themselves.
13. Don’t be afraid to eat carbs. They (glucose) are the brain’s primary source of fuel, and your body’s energy source for high-intensity exercise. Focus on eating low-glycemic carbs for a slow and steady release of glucose. Learn more about the glycemic index and picking the right carb choices.
14. Set goals. Don’t just wing it. Decide on a realistic amount of weight to lose in a particular time (1-2 pounds per week, or better yet, .5-1% body fat per week). First, decide on a big goal (lose 25lbs in 4 months). Then, divide that up into several smaller goals (lose 8 pounds this month). Each time you reach your smaller goal, it gives you the motivation and confidence to continue on. Start small, and eventually the weight loss will add up. See why losing 2lbs per week isn’t realistic for everyone.
15. Your first meal after your workout is the most important. Make the most of it by giving your muscles all they need to rebuild bigger and stronger. For this meal, take advantage of your improved insulin sensitivity, and eat the majority of the day’s allotment of carbohydrates in order to replenish muscle glycogen stores. Also, try to get 1/4th of your lean body weight in protein grams. Read more about what you should eat after a workout.
16. For your workouts, start with your most difficult compound exercise first. A compound exercise recruits a high number of muscle fibers at one time, and should be a priority in every workout. Make sure you are doing at least one of them in every workout. Examples include – bench press, squats, deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, pushups, and variations thereof.Read more about how compound exercises are the key to building muscle.
17. On food labels, look beyond the total calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein of the food product. Start focusing a little further down on the area titled “ingredients”. If you start reading the ingredients and there’s a word in there you don’t know, don’t buy the product. Odds are, it’s a processed food. Make sure you know what you’re putting into your mouth.Click here to learn how to read a food label the right way.
18. It doesn’t matter who’s faster or stronger than you are. This isn’t a competition. All that matters is that YOU are faster and stronger than the previous you. Don’t worry about other people.  Focus on setting and breaking your own records.
19. Need a healthy snack idea? Try some protein balls. Ingredients: 2 tbsp natural crunchy peanut butter, 2 tbsp raw agave nectar, 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 scoop whey protein powder. Mix all ingredients together and form into 3 balls. They aren’t a replacement for a meal though, but they can be a great alternative for a snack when you go to see a move or go to a party.
20. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Anything other than water that has 0 calories shouldn’t be put into your mouth. Find out if artificial sweeteners cause weight gain.
21. Losing weight is just as much of (if not more of) a mental challenge than a physical one. If you can take control of your mind and body, the weight loss will follow.
22. Diet, exercise, and recovery are the 3 cornerstones to a well thought out fitness program. An equal importance should be placed on all 3 of them. Here are 10 muscle-recovery tips for improved performance.
23. Eat as many meals as you can at home. Self preparation gives you complete control of everything that goes into your mouth.
24. Start your diet today – not tomorrow, not Monday. Don’t rationalize your bad eating habits. Today is going to be a great day. Say goodbye to unhealthy food and start right now.
25. Your workouts should take no more than 45 minutes to complete. The longer your workout goes, the greater the increase in negative side effects (injuries, hormones, etc). Use an interval timer to keep your rest time in check. Read more about why your workout times should be kept short.
26. The majority of diets fail in the first 48 hours. If you can stick it out through the first couple of days, your success rate increases several fold. Read more about how to overcome your food addiction.
27. Put a handful of spinach in your protein shake. You can’t taste it, it’s packed with nutrients, and it gives you added fiber. Also, shred some up and put it in your omelet. It’ll have a similar consistency as cheese.
28. The less experienced you are as a weight lifter, the fewer exercises you should be using. Isolation exercises should be kept to a minimum until you’ve built a solid muscular foundation.
29. Choose fitness activities that you enjoy. Your heart knows no difference between basketball or running. It only knows perceived stress. Get your heart rate up any way you can. Read more about what to do if you hate exercising.
30. Your lifestyle is highly influenced by the people close to you. To be fit, surround yourself with fit people.
31. Track your body fat percentage instead of your weight. Weight can fluctuate wildly and discourage you. Body fat percentages are much more consistent and accurate. I recommend this cheap body fat caliper/tape measure combo to accurately measure you fat loss progress.
32. Change your workout routine every few months. Your nervous system adapts quickly to different stimuli. Always keep things new to continue progressing.
33. You can either: (A) Binge eat – be happy now that you’re eating delicious food, but feel bad later after the guilt sets in. (B) Eat a healthy snack instead – be sad now (maybe) because you feel deprived, but feel happy about your good decision later. Either way, you are going to be both happy and sad about your decision. But if you choose option (B), you’re going to look better and be healthier tomorrow. Choose wisely.
34. Buy a heart rate monitor. Use it when you work out. When you finish a set of an exercise, watch your heart rate. As it starts to come down, begin your next set at a predetermined heart rate (60% – 75% of your max heart rate). Begin all your sets at this same heart rate. Use this method for interval training instead of keeping time. It’s a good way to add consistency and variety to your workouts. Here is the reasonably priced heart rate monitor I personally use and recommend.
35. Eat at predetermined meal times. Your body adapts to these times, and when it knows it will be getting food soon, it’s less likely to send you hunger signals.
36. Keep your house empty of bad food. If you want to lose weight, don’t tempt fate by filling your pantry with unhealthy food. If you buy it, chances are you’ll eat it. Don’t buy it in the first place.
37. Your body becomes its function. Do the activities you want your body to adapt to.  If you sprint, you’ll become a better sprinter by losing fat and gaining muscle. If you eat pizza and watch TV, you’ll become a better TV watching pizza eater.
38. Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach. You’ll be more likely to buy bad food. Unless you’re attempting the “see food diet”, get your groceries after eating a meal.
39. Don’t start a diet that has an expiration date. Focus on forming a lifestyle that will last forever.

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Wht is PROTEIN????

Protein is a macro nutrient that is essential to building muscle mass. It is commonly found in animal products, though is also present in other sources, such as nuts and legumes. 

There are three macro nutrients: protein, fats and carbohydrates. Macro nutrients provide calories, or energy. The body requires large amounts of macro nutrients to sustain life, hence the term “macro,” according to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center. Each gram of protein contains 4 calories. Protein makes up about 15 percent of a person’s body weight.

Chemically, protein is composed of amino acids, which are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins are the building blocks of muscle mass, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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What is CASEIN PROTEIN???

Casein proten is a slow digesting protein... when panner is made the liquid part is called whey protein and the solid portion as casein protein..after workout u need fast digesting protein that is whey protein..the best time to take casein protein is 30 minutes before bed..because when you are sleeping for 8-10 hours your body needs nutrition... because hair grows,muscle grows,height grows all take place when we are sleeping.so casein protein is essential there for the nutrition at that time..

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How much cardio is too much for you?

How Much Cardio Is Too Much?

So 20-40 minutes of cardio a day is good for you and helps you gain muscle, is more cardio better? What I have found with my own personal experience, is that there are four issues that crop up and hinder muscular gains when you do too much cardio:

Short term fatigue. If you play an intense game of soccer or basketball and workout right afterward, you will have a lousy workout and your muscular development will suffer. Your body can only take so much and if you are exhausted from running all over the field, there is no way you can put enough intensity into your workout to make gains. However, if you wait 4-6 hours to recuperate before lifting weights, you weight workout will be just as aggressive and successful as if you hadn’t done the cardio.

Total exhaustion, cardio till you drop. Depending on your conditioning and intensity level, after 3-16 hours you will just konk out. If you have ever done endurance sports, you know exactly what total exhaustion feels like. For me, doing an olympic length triathlon which is about 3hrs of intense cardio puts me on the edge – 4 hours would definitely put me in the total exhaustion category. For my long distance cycling trips, because the intensity is much lower I can go 12-14 hours before reaching total exhaustion. Once you reach total exhaustion, any weight workout you attempt will not be successful. Not only will you be too tired to aggressively push the weights but after the workout, your body will be too busy repairing itself from the brutal cardio session to be able to build up your muscles.

Repetitive motion injuries. Often its not the cardio itself that’s the problem, it’s the injuries. Do anything for more than 4 hours and you are asking for repetitive motion injuries, doesn’t matter if its running, rowing, swimming or cycling. Once your joints are in pain, any possibility of muscle mass gaining weight workouts go out the window.

Overtraining. This is the biggie. If you get too much cardio, the major muscle which has provided your locomotion is essentially doing a mega-rep, low weight workout. If you do 6 hours of squats, you will suffer from severe overtraining and lose both strength and muscle mass. Likewise, if you do two marathons a day you will lose leg mass which leads us to this amazing study ..

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Does cardio lose muscle??

Does cardio lose muscle??

Its a well known fact that doing cardio everyday is the most important thing you can do for your health but lets assume you don’t care about your health, lets talk about gaining muscle. I know you are used to hearing that “cardio burns muscle” but I’m going to show you why that’s wrong. Cardio does NOT hurt your ability to gain muscle at all and it might even HELP you to ADD muscle mass.

The reason that cardio has gotten a bad reputation for burning muscle is that most often, people couple drastic diets with cardio in their effort to “cut” after “bulking” – its why I hate the whole bulking and cutting mentality. ) Its the drastic caloric reduction that is responsible for the muscle loss, not the cardio! If you don’t consume enough protein and enough calories, your body will cannibalize your muscles – a good safe limit is not to reduce your calories by more than 20% below your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), to find a muscle-safe caloric intake for dieting please use my calorie calculator.Proper nutrition while dieting is key to insuring you don’t lose muscle mass. You can lose weight with an all-twinkie dietbut you will lose lots of muscle at the same time!

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HOW CAN I GET A FLAT STOMACH WITHOUT LOSING MY BUTT?

HOW CAN I GET A FLAT STOMACH WITHOUT
 LOSING MY BUTT?

Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce, burning fat in only one area and maintaining it in another. However, you can spot enlarge by adding size to a particular muscle or group of muscles. A body sculptor/body builder focuses on making muscles bigger and smaller in certain body parts, based on their preference. For example, if you want bigger glutes and a smaller waist, that’s no problem. You’ll need to get to a very low body fat so that your waist gets small while incorporating heavy-weighted glute exercises with litte-to-no abdominal work in order to create that desired physique.

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What are BCAA?????

What are BCAA????
BCAA means Branched Chain Amino Acid. You all know that we need protein for our muscle developmnt.. that protein may come from egg from chkn from fish from walnut may be or any other sources...that dsnt matter... protein breaks into amino acid in our body.. now some are essential amino acid and some or non essential....essential means that amino is not produced by our body ..it should be cnsumed through food... and bcaa are leucine,iso lucine,valine...the perfect ratio for these is 2:1:1...BCAA's prevent muscle breakdwn during workout.. during a long priod workout our body goes into anabolic state means body create  fuel from your muscle which is worst thing...so BCAA hlps to maintain body in catabolic state n prevents muscle breakdown..........

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