Description: It’s kind of funny, in a sad sort of way, that the number of ineffective, short-lived fad diets continues to grow. And they grow despite the fact that they don’t work, at least not as a long-term solution to losing weight. So, what are you supposed to do if you want to lose weight? Eat better.Yep. That’s it. Eat better.

Okay, seriously, it wouldn’t be much if that’s all I said. I believe we all know, deep down, that we need to eat better if we stand a chance of shedding those extra pounds. Don’t worry, this is going to be as common sense as it is easy to follow. No fad diet nonsense, just what works.

Food is nothing more than fuel for the body. It contains the vitamins, minerals and calories we need to survive. We only get in trouble when we eat too many calories without burning them off. Some foods are better than others, but nothing is forbidden. Here’s how you can use food to put the odds of weight loss in your favor.

Start the day with something to get the internal furnace started. That means eating breakfast. There is no reason to skip breakfast. It takes virtually no time at all to grab a piece of whole-wheat toast and spread some peanut butter on it, then wash it down with a glass of orange juice. Or boil up some eggs for the upcoming week. Then have an egg, a banana and a granola bar. Even a ready made breakfast shake is better than nothing. The trick is to get your body used to burning calories for the day.

Now that you have your metabolism fired up, you need to keep it going by snacking. A light snack every two hours is all it takes. A small handful of nuts, some carrot sticks with non-fat yogurt, or a protein bar, are good choices. Regular snacking will prevent you from experience mid-afternoon burn out, too.

So, now it’s lunchtime and you’re feeling great! You’re eating food you like and you’re not hungry. Let’s keep going with turkey breast on whole-grain bread, romaine lettuce, tomato and a smear of mustard. Add a veggie-rich salad and a small glass of juice or skim milk and you’re all set.

Don’t forget your two-hour snack break.

For supper try some baked salmon brushed with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Include some fresh veggies of your choice (bake them with the salmon if you like), and a cup of homemade soup. Yummy!

Remember to eat your next snack.

As you can see, this is all reasonable, simple eating. Food is there to keep you going, and it needs to be tasty, too. Remember, nothing is off limits. If you must have some ice cream, just keep the portion under control. Make it a habit to increase the better foods, and eat less of the not-so-good ones and you lose weight fast. Faster than you may have thought possible.

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Hopping in and out of planes is exercise enough, you say. But that’s not the kind of exercise that will condition your heart, make your reflexes and joints more fluid, keep your sugar levels in check or stop mood swings. Nor is it the kind of exercise that will make you euphoric after a good cardiovascular session. You need to counteract the effects of jet lag, artificial air in pressurized aircraft cabins and sky fatigue.

Travel isn’t always a bad thing for your exercise program either. If you’re used to a routine travel for business or for pleasure could be the best thing to shake things up a bit. Not all hotels will have the equipment that your health club does, and some hotels may not have a fitness centre at all so you’ll have to improvise. You may find that trying new equipment will trigger your excitement for the gym again and could even boost your results.

Some nice hotels have spa facilities that you can enjoy while on a business trip. Reward yourself with a facial or a massage after a session on the treadmill or 10 laps in the pool. This is a great way to unwind for the evening, and an added bonus for the individual on the go.

Common Obstacles

What are some of the reasons why travelers do not incorporate exercise while they’re on the road?

• They’re stressed or too tired
• They don’t feel comfortable about working out in unfamiliar surroundings
• They don’t have access to a hotel gym

But if they made just a tiny effort to change this thinking, they’d be on the road to fitness sooner. Engaging in exercise allows you to get out of that bubble of meetings, seminars and tours.

Walk when on the Road

When traveling, have a pair of good walking shoes, preferably trainers, so that you won’t feel so daunted about getting from one side of the airport to the other.

Having the right pair of walking shoes will encourage you to walk up the stairs instead of taking the escalator, to walk instead of taking the conveyor belt, and to transfer from one concourse to another on foot instead of taking the shuttle service.

You may not know it, but walking these long distances with your luggage in tow serves as a combination/weight lifting exercise.

Fitness while Flying

Once settled comfortably on the plane, make sure you time your stretching and walking periods. If it’s just an hour’s flight, walk around the plane once and do your stretching at the back of the plane, if it’s a three hour to five hour flight, try to get up from your seat and walk around at least once every hour, doing leg extensions and trunk/neck movements.

Airlines such as Japan Air Lines show videos of how travelers can incorporate flexibility movements while seated or standing. Take full advantage of these videos. The exercises may help you ward off fatigue and jet lag.

A note about DVT

In the last five years, there have been reports about flight passengers, especially in economy class, suffering from DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis.

The link between confining airplane seats and deaths from DVT (formation of deadly blood clots) has been established by the United Nations World Health Organization. It has nothing to do with gender, risk factors or genetics. Everyone is at risk in economy class. This should constitute a compelling reason to integrate exercise while high in the sky.

To make exercise possible while traveling, try to schedule your flights so you have some time for exercise when you get to your destination.

Try to arrive during the late afternoon/early evening, to give you time to shake off the fatigue from the trip, and have at least an hour to do exercises either in your hotel room or in the hotel gym.

If your job requires you to travel at least four times a month, ask your company’s travel department to book you in hotels with gyms or a swimming pool.

Take time out of your travel schedule to insert a workout into your grinding schedule.

Here’s a friendly suggestion. Get up earlier in the morning and before or after breakfast, head over to the gym and do a brisk walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes, or use the rowing machine for 10 minutes. This session is just to wake you up from your travel stupor. See if you can walk to your business appointment instead of taking a cab.

At night, before going to bed, go to the hotel gym again and lift weights for 10 minutes, to complete your workout for the day. This way you did your cardio and resistance training, two essential components of a fitness program.

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Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of time your friends and colleagues spend in the gym? Turned off by the idea of a tennis or squash game that entails not only the hour-long match but also getting to the club, changing into a outfit and then showering afterwards? Going to an exercise class or even doing a workout on your own can take just as long. With an already busy work and family life schedule, it’s hard to imagine finding any more time in the day for exercise. Making small changes in your schedule to fit in a little bit of exercise each day will make a world of difference to your health.

A Simple Exercise Program

Instead of ignoring exercise altogether, here’s a suggestion for integrating it into your busy schedule. Think of exercise like you think of a major task in the office. Break it up into tinier components.

Instead of spending two hours in the gym or in the tennis court like your friends do, ask your trainer to divide your workout program.

Suggestion A

30 minutes four times a week, i.e.: 20 minutes cardio, 10 minutes weights (1 muscle group, e.g. legs)

Suggestion B

30 minutes three times a week

Mon: 20 minutes cardio + 10 minutes stretching;

Tues: 20 minutes weights (2 muscle groups, e.g. back and abdominals) + 10 minutes of cardio.

Wed: 20 minutes cardio + 10 minutes of
Weights (two muscle groups, e.g. triceps or chest, biceps or shoulders)

Suggestion C

20 minutes 5 days a week.

Week 1: all cardio

Week 2: weights

Week 3: Cardio on Mon/Wed/Fri

Week 4: Weights on Tues/Thurs

Repeat the entire cycle when you get to month 2.

Frequency and Intensity

Ideally, you should gradually increase the frequency or intensity, or both. But if you’re busy, and definitely can’t spare more than 30 minutes a day, then increase your intensity. This means if your cardio involves the treadmill, take the notch up 1 level (if you started with level 3, go on to level 4 on month 2).

For your weight training, if you started with 5-pound weights, graduate into 7.5 pounds in month 2. And then on those days when your day is not filled with meetings, try to stay an extra 5-10 minutes.

Be realistic with your goals, especially when you’re just starting. Increasing frequency and intensity too soon can overwhelm you, making you want to give up.

We all know how important exercise is and it’s often not the desire that’s lacking but the time. By following this simple workout tricks you’ll be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle even if you’re juggling your work and home life.

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When you head to the grocery store, shopping for products like eggs, meat, fish, milk, and produce can be very tricky. Signs are posted everywhere labeling food as natural, organic, and a number of other things-but what’s the difference, really? Learning what specific names mean can help you decide if you should shell out extra money on a product of it is simply a marketing ploy.

Natural is a term associated with a number of fruit and vegetable products. Typically, this is simply a marketing ploy to convince you to buy the product. After all, all fruits and vegetables are natural, right? Unless it’s a new kind of food that has been developed and processed, the product is natural. What you may be looking for is organic. Organic foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. There are two main benefits to organic foods. First, you are helping the environment because those chemicals are not being introduced into nature. Secondly, you are avoiding ingesting chemicals and are therefore eating more healthy foods. However, organic products are usually more expensive. If you’re on a budget, skip over organic fruits and vegetables that you can peel, like oranges and bananas. After all, once you’ve discarded the peel, you’ve also discarded the chemicals. Instead, opt for organic items like apples, where you eat the peel. No matter what you buy, however, make sure that you rinse off the food when you get home.

Another tricky label you will see is “no hormones.” This is usually in regards to milk or meat products and is false, since all animals naturally produce hormones. Hormones are what helps an animal (even a human) regulate body organs, have young, and otherwise function. All meat products have hormones. What the labels really mean is that no hormones were unnaturally given to the animal, which is sometimes done to increase milk production. Regardless of hormones, however, the milk and meat is safe for a person and not a violation of an animal’s rights.

Lastly, a label on eggs and meat can indicate if the animal was caged or penned. This does not make a difference in the quality or nutritional value of the meat, but is simply a matter of animal rights. These products may be a bit more expensive, but if you want to make humane decisions, this is the way to go.

Reading the label and making healthy choices can sometimes be difficult, but learning how to do so can help you make the best choices for you diet.

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You know what isn’t fair? The fact that it’s so much more fun to gain weight than it is to diet and exercise. That has to be one of the real reasons why people don’t like to lose weight, right? I mean it only makes sense. If doing what it took to be at your ideal weight was more enjoyable than what it takes to gain weight, we wouldn’t have a problem with obesity.It doesn’t have to be that way anymore. Imagine if it wasn’t such a drag to get healthy, to lose weight, to eat right or to exercise. I’m sure you can see what a positive impact that could have on how much you weigh. Here are some ideas you can put to use to make it fun.

The very first thing you have to do is change your mindset. Don’t worry about what other people think about your jogging, or what your friends will say when you order grilled chicken for lunch. You know why you shouldn’t worry? Because it’s your body! Let them laugh. You can laugh with them or laugh back at them. Either way, you’ll get the last laugh and that’s the best kind.

Alright, let’s face it, you probably already like to eat, otherwise you wouldn’t have to be looking for ways to lose weight. This is just a guess, but what you probably don’t enjoy is eating more of the right foods and less of the not-so-good ones. You can give the good foods funny names, and vice-versa. You’re not eating broccoli, you’re eating “goody goody mini-greens”. And it’s no longer a doughnut, now that you call it a “sweetened lard bomb”. Go ahead, be creative.

Also, don’t deprive yourself. You can still eat all of the foods you enjoy, just not as much. If you try to cut them out all together, that wouldn’t be any fun at all. Instead you would be focusing on the deprivation and bury your head into a half-gallon of ice cream as soon as your willpower wavered. But when you eat a little of the things you like, there’s no need for willpower at all.

When it comes to exercising to lose weight the main key is to do something you enjoy doing. Just get moving. You don’t have to go for a three-mile jog or lift weights in the gym (unless you want to). Get out in the garden, go for a walk, toss the frisbee around, go swimming…any extra activity that appeals to you will burn off extra calories.

Finally, as you do these things more, it will get to be even more fun as you do them. And seeing the results is makes it even more worthwhile. So, don’t let others tell you that losing weight is hard. You know better, you now know just how fun it can be.

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If you have spent any amount of time looking into getting fit, then you know that there is a near-endless stream of advice about the best way to do it. Perhaps you have even tried several different plans to help yourself get into shape. It can be quite confusing trying to decide what works, and what doesn’t. However, when it comes to getting healthy, body building programs should be incorporated into your routine.Of course there is no shortage of various body building programs, either. The problem isn’t that there is too much information, the problem is that far too much of it is made for a general audience. Now, that may not be a big deal if you happen to stumble on a plan that is targeting somebody like you, but that’s a gamble at best, and can do more harm than good at worst.

Before you get the wrong idea about body building, you should know that it doesn’t mean you will end up looking like some muscle-bound man who is more a freak of nature (well “freak of steroids” is usually more accurate). Instead, you will look more trim, toned and ready to take on the world. It’s a way of looking your best–and more importantly–feeling your best.

So, you would like to start a program, but you’re not sure what’s best for you? There is a simple solution: get a personal trainer. If you are concerned about how expensive they are, don’t be. Sure, there are plenty of expensive trainers, but they tend to cater to celebrities and the wealthy. A lot of trainers have reasonable rates, and investing in your health is always a good idea. If you have any friends that currently have a trainer, then ask them for their recommendation.

You may also be able to find a personal trainer at your local gym. At the very least, you should be able to get some advice on the best body building programs for you. There should also be somebody at the gym who can show you how to properly operate all of the equipment and explain what muscles are being targeted.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is more to body building than just exercise and lifting weights. If you want to see real results, then you also have to watch what you eat. Don’t worry, you can still enjoy all of your favorite foods, you just have to go about it the right way. You will be working out quite often, and the food you eat is what will fuel your body for your workouts. Fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein are all good choices.

Whatever body building programs you choose, the key is to get started. You don’t have to wait until you find one that’s “perfect”, that would be a mistake. Also, it won’t always be easy and it will take work, but it will be worth it once you see the results.

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With your busy lifestyle there never seems to be enough hours in the day, right? You don’t have enough time to go to the gym. You don’t even have time to stand up away from your computer. It can be difficult to find time to exercise but it’s important to be active. The most commonly heard body image complaints are spare tire, muffin top or fat in the abdominal area.There are some easy abdominal exercises that you can do even at home. Here are some examples:

• Sit-ups

  Targeting mostly the upper abdomen, however when done correctly sit-ups will strengthen your entire core. Lay on your back with your knees bent (place your feet under a weight or bench if needed). Focusing on controlling your abs sit all the way up, so your chest touches your knees then slowing lower yourself back down to laying. Keep your hands by your side so you’re not pulling on your neck. Repeat this movement tightening your abs all the way up and all the way down. Do the movement slowly so you don’t put strain on your back.

• Lying Leg Lifts

  This exercise targets the lower abs. with this kind of exercise, you are on the same position as with the crunches, you lie flat on your back and lift your legs six to twelve inches of the ground. This would exercise the muscles in the lower part of the abdomen. When performing leg lifts, place your hand under your buttock. It adds leverage and helps you get your feet elevated.

  If you want to add more weight into the exercise, attach padded weights into your ankles. These weights can be purchased at the local sports store. If you do not want to buy weights, you can simply fill up old tube socks with enough clean, unused cat litter to make one or two pound weight.

• V- Crunches

  It’s almost like lying leg lifts except your chest is at a 45 degree angle starting out. Sit at the edge of a bench and reach back just enough to support yourself from completely lying on the bench. Once you’ve stabilized, bring your knees toward your chest. You would be creating a V motion. The base of the V would be your abs.

• Cat stretch

  It’s the same with the movements made by a cat when they stretch their back. This simple action is a quick and easy exercise. Get down on the floor with your hands and knees, with muscles relaxed and looking straight ahead. Next, tighten your abdominal muscles while thrusting you back upward as far as you can. Maintain the position for five counts before lowering your back.

• Bicycle Crunch

  To do this, start y lying flat on the floor. Put your hand beside your head then raise knees up to 45 degrees angle and them perform a pedaling motion like what you do when you ride the bicycle.

• Standing Side Bends

  Standing side bends encourages the loss of fats in the oblique muscles. To start, stand up straight with the stomach sucked in, legs straight and hands on the sides. Simply lean the body from left to right being careful not to rotate the hips and while keeping body facing front. There is a variety of side bends, this is the torso twists. Instead of bending side to side twist or rotate the upper body from left to right while keeping the legs straight.

Although these exercises will help tone the muscles around your abdomen in order to truly see results you’ll need to also include cardio and other strength training exercises as well as improving your diet.

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Snacking is the downfall of many otherwise healthy diets, but the good news is that you can learn to control this snacking quite easily. Even if still want to snack during the day, there are ways in which you can do so without killing your healthy diet. Staying on track with your diet when you like to snack might be hard, but it is worth that extra effort to keep your body healthy. To prevent snacking, simply eat more meals. Instead of eating three large meals every day, try eating smaller meals every few hours. If you are snacking because you are hungry, chances are that you are using more energy than you are ingesting and you need the extra fuel. By eating 6 smaller but healthy meals every day, you will not be tempted to snack as often, but will keep your high energy levels.

You can also help to stop your snacking simply by removing temptation. Before you reach for a snack, ask yourself if you are honestly hungry or if you are just eating because you are bored, because the food tastes good, or because you feel compelled to eat while doing a certain activity (like watching a movie). If you are snacking because you are really hungry, than it is probably fine to have something to eat, but if you are snacking for another reason, you should try to remove the temptation. Simply rid your house of junk foods and do not buy these items again when you go to the grocery store.

Purchase healthy snacks if you can’t curb eating between meals. Think about the snacks you are eating. Would they fit easily into a food group as fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy, or protein? If the answer is no, then the snack is probably not good for you. For example, carrot sticks (vegetables), yogurt (dairy), or whole wheat crackers (grains) work well as snacks, while candy, potato chips, and processed foods do not.

When you snack, remember to consider your beverages as well. Drinks like soda, fruit punch, iced tea, lemonade, and juice boxes can contain unnatural ingredients and lots of sugar. In short, they are high in calories but low in nutrients. Instead, opt for drinks that supplement your healthy diet. Choose water most of the time, or drinks that are made with natural fruits, like real fruit smoothies. Low-fat milk and sports drinks are also good choices. Above all, stay away from most kinds of alcohol. Red wine is an exception, since this can help your heart health, but any type of alcohol in high amounts is fairly bad for your body.

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There are many people that love to get massages because of the way they feel. You may not know this, but a massage can also benefit your health. Massage therapy and techniques, when they are done the right way, can decrease your stress levels but also relax your muscles and improve your immune system. Massages can also help to relive pain in the body and cure headaches. Healing injuries and retaining muscle and joint mobility are also accredited to massages. If you are having any type of problems with these areas and traditional medical procedures are not working for you, talk to your health care provider about the alternative therapy options like massage.

There are different kinds of massages and a professional will usually practice one or two of these. You need to visit someone who can help you with your needs. There are Swedish massages for relaxation or deep tissue massages which focus on loosening up muscle tissues.

Some of the different massages can target certain parts of the body. A Cranio-Sacral massage will focus on your neck, head, and spine to correct alignment. This will also loosen up the tight muscles in the body. Chi Nei Tsang is one type of massage that will focus on your abdominal organs and help you with your digestive pain or disease. If your joints are giving you the problem, you need to use The Trager Approach. This is a kind of massage that will improve your life through increased mobility. You can also use them in connection with the Swedish massage or other types to target the problem and relax the whole body.

Other types of massages are for relaxation or to relieve stress like the Rosen Method. All of the massages should make you feel better physically and emotionally but deep tissue massages can be a little painful and should only be used if the doctor recommends it for you. Rolfing is a deep tissue technique that works to align your tissues the right way and straighten the spine up. There may be some discomfort during the massage but after you should feel better and not worse. If your condition gets worse, you need to speak to your doctor and take different measures right away.

The other kinds of massage that may work for you will include the Alexander technique, acupressure, feldenfrais, reflexology, Reiki, and Shiatsu methods. There are different ways to use these techniques and you need to research them before you make an appointment, so you chose the correct treatment for your condition. You can find out information on how to perform the simple massage techniques on yourself to improve your comfort level or you can buy a massage chair for the home or office. Your doctor or massage therapist can help you figure out what is going to be best for you and what your body needs the most.

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