Creatine powder is a popular supplement amongst bodybuilders and athletes. It is used to help in building strength and muscle, which is usually taken as a “protein drink or shake” after any strenuous physical exertion or workout to help speed up recovery rates and minimize protein breakdown.

Is it any good?

Taste: One of the first things many look for in a creatine supplement is that it has no taste.  Having gone through a number of creatine supplements I found that some taste so bad that you won’t able to finish what you purchased and it will quickly go to waste, if not the garbage pail. Fortunately, Optimum Nutrition’s Unflavoured Micronized Creatine Powder is different and is absolutely tasteless and easy to drink.

Quality: Ingredients and manufacturing quality is one major thing to look for.  Cheap supplements may seem appealing due to price but frequently contain harmful chemicals.  Thankfully, this is not the case with Optimum Nutrition’s Unflavoured Micronized Creatine Powder.  They require all their vendors to provide a Certificate of Analysis for their raw materials and then perform further random in house checks on these raw materials to verify quality. They are also registered under NSF International’s (The Public Health and Safety Company) Good Manufacturing Practices Program.  This is a really big plus since you don’t want to be putting your health at risk with inferior products that could be dangerous.

Price: As mentioned previously, cheaper supplements often contain hazardous chemicals.  So while Optimum Nutrition’s Unflavoured Micronized Creatine Powder may not be the cheapest or most competitively priced creatine out there, when you consider the quality of the ingredients included, it is very reasonably priced.  Personally, I would rather pay a slightly higher price if I can ensure that the product going into my body is safe and of high quality. To do otherwise is risky.

What’s bad about it…

Doesn’t Mix Easily: Optimum Nutrition’s Unflavoured Micronized Creatine Powder has a tendency not to mix easily or well with fluids.  When you put it in any fluid it tends to sink to the bottom after a while. You can get around this problem by shaking it well and then drinking it quickly, but many may expect a micronized supplement to dissolve a lot better and quicker.

Final thoughts…

Optimum Nutrition’s Unflavoured Micronized Creatine Powder is a high quality, reasonably priced creatine supplement that many recommend and use. However, there are a number of creatine supplements available that outperform Optimum Nutrition’s mixing capabilities.  If you can deal with having to shake your creatine drinks vigorously and quickly drinking it, then this may be the product for you.  When all is said and done, it’s simply a matter of preference and what best suits your needs and likes.

Stress increases the level of the hormone cortisol in your body. Too much cortisol can cause your metabolism to slow down. This means you don’t burn as many calories and you’ll gain weight.

Stress also affects your sleep. When you’re too stressed and unable to sleep your hormones are once again effected. You’ll feel hungrier during the day due to an imbalance in leptin.

Finally stress is an emotion and it brings with it a whole host of other emotions. This overflow of emotions often results in binge eating or overeating. I mean who hasn’t eaten simply because they’re stressed out? And you generally don’t make great food choices when you’re stressed.

So what do you do?

• Exercise
• Meditate
• Find gratitude
• Learn to let go
• Take on less
• Go for a walk or get out in nature
• Take a vacation
• Read a book – take time away!
• Embrace your successes
• And strive to live in the moment.

There are a variety of things you can do to manage and reduce stress. Find the steps that work for you. Learn how to take great care of yourself. Reduce stress. Lose weight and live a long and healthy life.  It’s all up to you.

What is Metabolism?

Your metabolism is essentially the process your body takes to use energy. You provide it with energy in the food that you eat. Your body uses that food to keep you alive. The process of converting food into energy is metabolism.

Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the rate at which you burn calories when your body is at rest. It is calculated by multiplying your weight times ten. So if you weigh 150 pounds then your BMR is 1500. That’s how many calories you burn doing nothing – while at rest. This is a daily calculation so you’d burn 1500/day.

You Can Influence Your Metabolism

You can influence your metabolism in several ways. For example, muscle burns more calories than fat. Build muscle, lose fat and you’ll burn more calories. Also, your metabolism slows down as you age. However, if you get good sleep and exercise regularly you can increase your metabolism or the rate at which you burn calories.
Why is it Important to Understand Metabolism

Understanding metabolism will help you make smart weight loss decisions. You can choose smart, safe and healthy weight loss plans. Then you can take steps to boost your metabolism to lose weight faster. It also helps you make lifestyle changes that support your continued weight loss success.

You can use technology to find out how many calories are in that taco and to record those calories after you’ve eaten them.

You can also use technology to make your exercise program more interesting and motivating. iFit is one such technology.

What is iFit?

iFit is a comprehensive fitness and weight loss program. The technology can offer you anything from a run through the streets of Paris using Google maps and integrated treadmill iFit technology. You can also use the fantastic fitness training expertise of Jillian Michaels with her iFit workouts.

And if you run outdoors you can use iFit and Google technology to map your workout as you go. Get an estimate of your heart rate, the exact path you took and any elevation change.

iFit Live also enables you to embrace all of the benefits of a community supporting you to achieve your weight loss goals.

If you love technology, like I do, or you’re looking for more tools to help you get and stay motivated check out iFit. It may be your new favorite technology.

*Requires iFit module slot on your machine.

Here are a few tips to help you succeed:

#1 Establish goals.
What are your weight loss goals? How much do you want to lose? How quickly do you want to lose it? It’s vital to set goals. That way you can customize a plan to achieve them.

#2 Track your calories.
You lose weight by burning more calories than you consume. Know how much you burn and how much you eat. That way your weight loss plan can be centered on making smart eating choices and exercise.

#3 Healthy Eating and Exercise
The only way to ensure sustainable weight loss is to make healthy lifestyle changes. That means eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein. It also means exercising not just for weight loss but for better health.

#4 Stay Focused.
Staying focused on your goals is a surefire way to attain them. Create smaller goals that help you reach your larger goal. For example, strive to lose a pound or two a week rather than aiming to lose 50 pounds. It’s easier to stay motivated when you’re regularly achieving success.

#5 Embrace Your Community.
There are a number of resources available to you both online and off. These resources can help you build a community of exercisers. They can provide valuable fitness, diet and health information. They can also help you get and stay motivated.

Here’s 3 ways you can do that:

1. Stay Active:  Stay committed to your exercise program. Walk every day. Stay committed to taking at least 10,000 steps each day. Enjoy the other benefits that exercise provides including good mental health, blood flow, and a balanced metabolism.
2.  Drink Water:  Continue to drink water. Aim to drink at least a glass of water before and with each meal. Water fills your stomach so you consume fewer calories. It also flushes the toxins from your body and helps you stay healthy and strong.
3. Continue to Count Calories:  Counting calories needn’t be a tiresome process. You can simply add the food you’ve eaten into your mobile device or onto your computer. The applications and programs do the rest. Counting calories will help you stay on top of what you eat and what you burn.

One of the surest ways to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle and daily habits. Adopt habits that support your longevity and health. You’ll not only live longer but feel better too.

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#1 Move Your Body
It’s more important for complete health and fitness to be active daily. That means walking and standing more than sitting. Grab a pedometer, you can purchase one for just a few dollars, and start walking. Try to take a minimum of 10,000 steps each day.

#2 Find an Activity You Love
Do you enjoy golf? Tennis? What about swimming or riding your bike? Rock climbing? Dancing and yoga are great too. Make a list of activities you enjoy or might like to try. Sign up for a class. Join a gym or get outside and start having fun.

#3 Find a Friend
Often exercise and activity is more enjoyable when you share them with a friend. Buddy up with someone, or join a group, and motivate each other to become more active.

Social networking can be motivating too. Consider reaching out to others who are facing the same challenges and striving toward the same goals.

One of the surest ways to achieve weight loss success is to create goals and to follow a plan.

In fact, here are three great exercise programs to consider that are really fun and burn a lot of calories.

Dancing

Whether you enjoy square dancing, belly dancing or hip hop you can burn a lot of calories and fat. You’ll be having so much fun you’ll forget that you’re actually losing weight in the process. Enjoy working out at home? Check out a Zumba or Soul Sweat fitness DVD.

Yoga

Yoga challenges your mind and body. It’s a wonderful way to both burn calories and eliminate stress – both of which are great for your health. You’ll also build your endurance, tone your body and get stronger.

And if you really want to add a fun element to it, try aerial yoga!

Jump Rope or Hula Hoop

Jumping rope can be great fun as can be that old fashioned toy the hula hoop. In fact, you can now find hula hoop workout programs, classes and DVDs.

Exercising doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun and even entertaining. Consider boxing or martial arts, consider riding your bicycle or even swimming.

Exercise helps you burn more calories for faster weight loss. It also helps you live a longer, healthier and happier life. With these methods you can  lose weight and keep it off successfully – and still have fun!

When you restrict calories, you are bound to lose weight whether you’re eating Twinkies or grapefruit. However, pure weight loss results doesn’t mean that a diet is right for you. So how do you know a diet is right for you?

#1 What Are Your Weight Loss Goals?

Some weight loss programs are designed for rapid weight loss. This is great if you’re heading to the beach for a vacation next week or you have a reunion coming up. However, if you want to lose a lot of weight and you want to keep it off, you may prefer a diet that supports you to make lifestyle changes.

#2 Special Dietary Needs

If you have special dietary needs you may need to weigh that into your consideration. For example, if you are diabetic then it’s important to maintain balanced blood sugar. If you have liver problems then a high protein diet may not be right for you.

#3 Budget

Some diets and diet plans require you to purchase special ‘prepackaged foods’. If you’re on a budget, this may not be a good decision for you. Instead, look for a weight loss plan that supports you to make your own food choices and meals.

#4 Realistic

Does the diet or weight loss plan’s claims feel realistic? Many claims sound downright silly and seriously unsafe. They may also require you to take extreme measures to lose weight. Remember the cabbage soup diet or the grapefruit diet? Make sure the diet feels realistic to you.

#5 Safety.

Some diets just aren’t safe or they’re not safe for everyone. For example, a diet might require you to fast. Depending on your current health, fasting may not be safe.

When evaluating a diet or weight loss plan also take a look at the results. How many people have had success on this diet? How long has it been around? What do the doctors say

Dieting and losing weight is serious business. It affects your health. While dieting is often an emotional decision, evaluate the diet intelligently and base it on common sense and logic.

In fact, it could be possible that those who do not eat breakfast regularly will be less likely to lose weight, because losing weight requires exercise, and one can only exercise when the body has stored up enough energy from carbohydrates.

Breakfast is a must, even when rushing, so here are some breakfast suggestions that can ensure a healthy morning along with weight loss:

1.  White egg omelette – If you are in a rush in the morning, you can prepare the white egg from five eggs at night and then just pour it in the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Wait for the egg to turn brown on its edges, then begin putting all the vegetables you like – mushrooms, onions, string beans, bell pepper, or whatever suits your taste. You can vary your vegetables every day so that you will have a different recipe. You may also place in some protein-packed foods, like chicken, beef, or fish.
2.  Cereals – Cereals are easy to prepare; they can be easily bought at the local grocery store. Cereals can be eaten by itself, but serving it with milk can really provide nutrition as fortified cereals already have plenty of vitamins and minerals; milk will give protein and increase calcium. There are plenty of cereals available in the market, so it is one of the most versatile breakfasts suggestions also for weight loss. They are also appealing to children as these cereals are often flavorful and colorful, however, refrain from high sugar cereals and opt for whole grain.  An alternative to cereals is oatmeal, although oatmeal does takes time to cook.
3.  Wheat bread sandwich – Two slices wheat bread, especially those with raisins, will be fine for a great carbohydrate-packed breakfast. The carbohydrates in wheat bread are easy to digest, thus giving a ready source of energy. There are also assortments to just eating wheat bread alone; it is perfectly alright to make vegetable, fish, or chicken sandwiches out of them. Look for the whole grain wheat breads at your local market.

These three breakfast suggestions are a great way to start your day, fortify your body for the tasks ahead, ward off hunger cravings, and even weight loss. All are a breeze to prepare and can help maintain your weight at a manageable level while giving you energy needed to accomplish what you have to do.