Fitness Techniques

Boost Your Energy

2011-01-25T03:12:00.000-08:00

Boost Your Energy

What to eat, what to do—even what to wear. 50 ways to instantly kick up your energy level to an all-time high

What do booze, an aching back, and a bad mood have in common? They all suck away your energy. But you can fight back. We mined hundreds of scientific studies and interviewed dozens of experts to compile 50 of the very best tips to rev your engines—right now!

Nix the nightcap. Alcohol prevents your body from entering REM sleep (the most restful sleep phase). So, even if you're getting plenty of sleep each night, you may not feel fully rested.

Take a 'roid test. If you're tired all the time, you may have a thyroid problem. Other warning signs to look for include weight changes, a hoarse voice, lethargy, and hair loss.

Drink more. Breathing, talking, peeing, even sitting—they all use up the body's water supply. Let your body dry out, and your energy level will dry up as well.

Light up. Turn on your desk lamp or open the blinds and let in some sun. Your body needs vitamin D (from sunlight) in order to help keep energy levels at their peak.

Have your BP checked. Up to 60% of men between 18 and 39 may have high blood pressure, a prime source of chronic fatigue.

Get your snack on. Your body needs fuel to run at its peak. Skip even one meal because you "don't have time to eat" (sound familiar?) and your pep will plummet.

Munch on berries. Doesn't matter what kind, they're all high in energy-boosters called anthocyanins.

Bulk up your diet. Cardiff University researchers found that men with high-fiber diets have less fatigue than men with lower-fiber diets.

Try L-carnitine. The vitamin-like amino acid may help your muscles recuperate more quickly after a hard day at the gym. To feel the jolt, try taking 500 mg a day for at least three weeks.

Get steamed. According to one U.K. study, up to 68% of men feel more energetic after a hot bath or shower.

Eat more fish. Studies show the omega-3s in foods like tuna and salmon can help fight depression, leaving you happier and more energized. Don't like fish? Try eating more walnuts and flaxseed, or pop a 1,000 mg fish-oil supplement instead.

Turn it up. A report in Online Journal of Sport Psychology says that loud music may be one of the most effective tools for relieving stress and fighting fatigue.

Join the B-team. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that many athletes and exercise buffs don't get enough B vitamins. That's bad, since thiamin, B6, B12, and riboflavin are all necessary for the body's production of energy.

Limit lunch to 500 calories. High-calorie meals take longer to digest and end up pulling energy away from other cells in your body.

Take a hike. Instead of slamming some candy when the 4 p.m. blahs strike, take a quick walk around the block. Physical activity oxygenates blood cells, helping to refill your body's fuel tank.

Aerobic exercise

2011-01-24T03:08:00.000-08:00

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Aerobic exercise is a long duration, lower intensity activity that will increase your oxygen consumption, makes your heart and lungs work tougher, and ends up in increased endurance. Swimming, brisk walking, running are such type of exercises.
It is one amongst the key ingredients to a healthy body. It's also a great manner to alleviate stress and anxiety. It is best if you're making an attempt to lull yourself to sleep at night.It's one in every of the simplest high impact cardiovascular exercises that you can do for your body.
This can be the only kind of exercise that burns fat, thus helping to lose fat weight. It is higher for blood pressure than resistance exercise.
Aerobic exercise is typically of moderate intensity, regarding 60-80% of most exertion, for the duration of at least 15 or twenty minutes and burns primarily fat (fatty acids) for fuel.
It is maybe the solution to turn the body into a lean and mean machine, brimming with energy and strength. This is a kind of exercise in that muscles draw on oxygen in the blood and fats and glucose that increase cardiovascular endurance.
Bear in mind, if your aim is to urge a six pack, a healthy eating regime, together with aerobic exercise is also required. The simplest and most typical type of water aerobic exercise is swimming.
The main profit is that Water aerobic exercise may be a safer and healthier as compared to all the opposite type of aerobic exercise simply as a result of this aqua exercise does not strain the bone, joint and body muscle.For people who hate the feeling of sticky perspiring body, water aerobic exercise may be a good alternative.
Recommended intensity of aerobic exercises is among 60 to 90 p.c of your maximum heart rate. The quantity of calories you will burn during aerobic exercise is affected by your body weight, the intensity of your workout, your conditioning level, and metabolism, therefore burn rates are only an estimate. (Maximum heart rate is equal to 220 minus your age).
While aerobic exercise is the simplest manner to boost cardiovascular fitness, weightlifting is the best means to strengthen muscles and bones and build muscle mass.
Regular aerobic exercise is a key to maintaining a nontoxic body in our toxic environment.
Aerobic exercises and Muscles
Aerobic literally suggests that "with oxygen", and refers to the utilization of oxygen in muscles' energy-generating process. Muscle soreness and discomfort are traditional symptoms of strength coaching, and may be delayed so long as forty eight hours after training.
Muscle cells have several mitochondria, which permit them to retort quickly to the necessity for doing work. Muscle burns more calories at rest than alternative bodily tissues, though just how much is debatable.
Observe of aerobic exercises can facilitate your develop stronger leg and hip muscles and it can do wonders for your cardio-respiratory fitness level as well.
Start with the largest muscles and work your approach up to the smallest. Your largest muscle is your hips and your smallest muscles are your arms.
Some necessary facts regarding fat: Fat will not flip into muscle, nor muscle into fat.
Any activity involving the major muscle teams can be aerobic, like swimming, running, or brisk walking. "However the biggest amendment in metabolism (in girls at midlife and later) comes from loss of muscle mass.
Girls and men lose muscle as they age, which is why it is suggested that everybody strength train 2 to 3 days a week to stay the muscles strong.
Oxygen
Oxygen, fats, and glucose are used to provide adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the fundamental fuel for all cells. Oxygen aids the functioning of every body system.
In such exercise, oxygen is used to "burn" fats and glucose in order to provide adenosine triphosphate, the basic energy carrier for all cells. Good circulation may be a boon to every in., providing oxygen and nutrients to the cells.
Aerobic exercise can be defined as the one, which involves the utilization of oxygen to produce energy, whereas anaerobic exercise makes the body to produce energy without using oxygen.
Whereas oxygen is employed to break down glucose by aerobic exercise, the anaerobic exercises make use of phosphocreatine, stored within the muscles, for the process.
Aerobic exercises improve the circulation of blood and transportation of oxygen in the body reduces blood pressure and burns fat.
This is often a kind of exercise in that muscles draw on oxygen within the blood in addition to fats and glucose that increase cardiovascular endurance.

Supplement Guide: Taurine

2011-01-23T04:23:00.001-08:00

Supplement Guide: Taurine

Can this popular ingredient improve mental and athletic performance?

Where it comes from: Taurine is an amino acid that's found in large amounts in the heart and brain. It's also found in food sources—the best ones being meat and fish, though it's also included in energy drinks and some supplements used to support athletic activity.

What it'll do for you: Taurine is often prescribed to treat congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, liver disease, high cholesterol, ADHD and more. "Although most amino acids are needed to build protein, taurine does not help to build muscle because it doesn't link with other amino acids or the building blocks of protein," explains Roberta Anding, RD, American Dietetic Association spokesperson and sports dietitian for the Houston Texans. "Taurine does, however, function as an antioxidant." Antioxidants protect the body's cells from damage that results from certain chemical reactions involving oxygen (oxidation). Taurine is also said to improve mental and athletic performance:

Improves mental performance
"With aging, taurine concentrations decrease in the brain," explains Anding—leading experts to believe that higher taurine levels correlate with better memory and mental function. Due to the popularity of caffeine- and taurine-containing drinks, Austrian researchers published a study in 2000 that examined their effectiveness on 10 graduate students. The results? The Red Bull energy drink mixture (with caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone) was proven to have positive effects on mental performance and mood. Other studies have found that the combination might improve attention and verbal reasoning, but doesn't seem to have any effect on memory.

Improves athletic performance
A study published by Japanese researchers in 2003 examined 11 men aged 18 to 20, who were told to perform bicycle exercises until they were exhausted. After taking taurine supplements for seven days (each time, before their workout), the men showed significant increases in VO2max (the maximum capacity of a person's body to transport and use oxygen) and time until exhaustion set in. The researchers credited the improvement to taurine's antioxidant activity and protection of cellular properties.

Suggested intake: Taurine is often referred to as "a conditional amino acid," rather than "an essential amino acid." The former can be made by the body, but the latter can not and must be provided via diet. However: "Some experts believe that taurine may actually be an essential amino acid, meaning it should be consumed in the diet," says Anding.

Taurine is a key ingredient in energy drinks such as Red Bull and can easily be ingested that way, as opposed to supplements. But take note: These drinks are loaded with sugar and are not the best when it comes to keeping a low-calorie diet.

When it comes to treating congestive heart failure, patients are typically given two to six grams of taurine per day in up to three divided doses. There's one gram of taurine in each can of Red Bull.

Associated risks/scrutiny: Taurine is possibly safe for adults. It has been used safely by adults in studies lasting up to one year. However, there is one report of brain damage in a body-builder who took about 14 grams of taurine in combination with insulin and anabolic steroids. It is not known if this was due to the taurine or the other drugs taken. Excess taurine is typically excreted by the kidneys.

Better Habits, Better Results

2011-01-23T04:19:00.000-08:00

Better Habits, Better Results

Six ways to tweak your current fitness strategy and boost your gains

You probably first learned how to build muscle and lose fat by watching other guys in your gym. Some of them got it right, others definitely did not. Still, you made some gains, and now you're looking to be one of the guys others come to for counsel.

Well, embrace these six simple nutrition and diet fixes—in most cases, minor tweaks to already good ideas that make a big difference—and you'll build muscle and burn fat even more effectively. You'll be one step closer to being the gold standard in the gym.

1) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Drinking a cup of coffee before you work out.

DO IT BETTER:
Switch to green tea. A recent review of 15 studies found that the combo of green tea extract and caffeine resulted in greater weight loss compared to caffeine alone. In addition to helping you get leaner, green tea may also wind up making you healthier since it is also filled with a wealth of disease-busting, anti-aging antioxidants. Shoot for three to five cups daily.

THE BOOST:
Burning an additional 3,500 to 10,000 calories in a month.

2) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Training for higher testosterone.

DO IT BETTER:
Use a supplement. Lifting heavy on compound exercises like the bench press increases your body's production of testosterone, but research from the University of Connecticut has shown that taking two grams per day of L-carnitine (a common amino acid found naturally in the body) prior to working out may also help to increase the number of testosterone receptors in your muscles. More receptors mean more places for testosterone in your system to "bind," assisting with recovery and muscle growth.

THE BOOST:
An increase of up to 13% in testosterone receptors.

3) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Cutting back on high-carb foods.

DO IT BETTER:
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Don't be afraid to pile fresh fruits and veggies on your plate, even though they have carbs. A Penn State study found that a 12-month diet rich in fruits and veggies led to greater overall weight loss than many low-fat diets.

THE BOOST:
An additional 5 to 10 pounds of fat loss each year.

4) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Pounding a post-workout shake.

DO IT BETTER:
Drink the shake before you train. Post-workout shakes get nutrients to hungry muscles, fueling growth. However, you may be able to jumpstart your muscle growth and recovery (and have more energy for training) by chugging your drink on your way to the gym. Research from the University of Texas shows that getting an extra shot of nutrients before you work out channels more amino acids to your muscles, setting you up for even bigger muscle gains.

THE BOOST:
A 79% increase in the uptake of the amino acids used to build muscle immediately after each workout.

5) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Taking creatine for muscle growth and strength.

DO IT BETTER:
Pair it with beta-alanine. Creatine can give your muscles energy to crank out an extra rep or two, but combining it with the amino acid beta-alanine may make your supplement regimen even more effective. Recent studies show that beta-alanine may help quell the lactic acid burn your muscles experience when lifting, allowing you to do more reps. Shoot for six grams daily on workout days.

THE BOOST:
You'll delay fatigue during a hard set, so you'll get more reps overall, increasing the exercise's stimulus.

6) WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW:
Avoiding the scale when trying to lose weight.

DO IT BETTER:
Weigh yourself regularly. Some experts say how your clothes fit is a better indicator of progress. But a 2008 review of 11 studies found that men and women who weighed themselves at least once per week lost more weight (between three and six pounds in three months) and kept it off longer than people who rarely weighed in. Whether the scale kept them accountable, or simply moreaware of what they were eating, wasn't clear, but the results were.

THE BOOST:
Better tracking of your goals and more consistent weight loss.

Fitness Techniques To Counter Stress

2011-01-23T04:14:00.000-08:00

Fitness Techniques To Counter Stress

Every person in a position of responsibility knows what stress is and managing stress is an increasingly popular subject on management courses. They have no time to relax because they are under incessant time pressure, they are tense and because they need to do their best, they rush through the day attempting to do as much as possible. They also keep an overflowing diary of events in their free time. They have not had any time for regular relaxation for some time - this is a commonplace scenario to numerous people, but it does not discourage them.

Anxiety is caused by overwork ("stress factors"). Distress factors are noise, lack of sleep, time pressure, discontentment, chronic financial worries, depression, excessive professional demands, apprehension and agitation. Principally stressful strains are bereavement in the family or of a friend, divorce, redundancy and moving house.

Try and manage your irritability to anxiety

Stress factors stack up. A messed-up meeting or an unproductive trade encounter may be conducive to arguments with colleagues and the customary time pressure.

Suffering comes in no neutral volume. Situations, in which a group of people are under tension, should not cause you grief. The number of times you experience ill depends on your pain stability. If you are satisfied within yourself and keep a enthusiastic disposition to living, it will not be easy to throw you. If you do become stressed, come what may, you can eliminate this built-up anxiety with simple Fitness Techniques.

The primary points to note are:

Keep away from stress

Do not become unsettled if, for example, the telephone line is constantly occupied. You should not permit things, which you cannot do anything about cause you harm. Transform your anger or frustration at failed negotiations into motivation. Distress is predominantly a question of demeanour and you are the individual who controls this. Keep a diary. Every day write down the things that made you resentful, frustrated and envious. This technique you can manage your susceptibility to stress and strain and react in a calmer manner the next time. Avoiding stress and strain caused by events that are beyond your command is a principal subject- matter in time management courses. If you cannot undertake to do this, then undertake another simple method.

Take deep breaths

If you are infuriated or in an exceedingly stressful position, you instinctively breathe irregularly. In moments of exceptional surprise and strain you do not even breathe at all for a small time. If you are feeling all right, you breathe slowly and regularly.

By concentrating on your breathing you can quickly control your attitude. When concentrating on your breathing, make sure your body posture is correct: your vertebrae should be vertical - back, neck and the back of your head should be in line. Your feet should be parallel and the soles of your feet should be straight on the ground. Now take a relaxed, deep breath. First of all, fill your tummy with air, then your rib cage. Now breathe out quietly. Be conscious of how your stomach first subsides and then your rib cage. Do this exercise whenever you are stressed or enraged.

Tense your muscles

Every cerebral tautness triggers muscular tightness. Loosen up your muscles. This will eliminate temporary anxiety. If you are working at your desk for a extended interval of time or are rushing around madly, your muscles frequently go into a torturous cramp. Make a conscious attempt to stiffen these cramping muscles. The portentous thing to do is to continue breathing calmly. This takes a touch of discipline since most people demonstrate a tendency to hold their breath when they suffer with muscle cramp.

After a few breaths of concentrated tensing, suddenly untense the muscles. You will note that the tight muscles ease, the body is stimulated and the distress hormone, cortisol, rapidly disappears. You will be capable to do this exercise anywhere and without spending too much time.

Meditate with music

Music is a balm for every stressed soul. There is no simpler procedure of eliminating contradictory feelings and exhaustion after a difficult days work than listening to gentle music. Pay attention to relaxing and complementary music, preferably classical or meditation music. Allow the calm, restful sounds float over you. Sit or lie down and close your eyes. Do not do anything else but pay attention to the music.

Move about

Stress and strain causes a deprivation of oxygen. The body and mind's productivity sinks. By moving about and working your muscles you will increase the provision of oxygen to the body. Even tiny changes to your daily procedure will support. Refrain from taking the lift. Use the stairs. This will get your circulation going. Whether you opt for competitive team sports such as football or handball or would to some extent work out on a running machine, it is all the same. The significant thing is that you keep your body running in good shape.

There are other techniques for managing anxiety in yourself and others that you manage that are taught on good management courses.