Cleanse Body

Ever wasted a perfectly good weekend or holiday doing absolutely nothing? Fitness holidays are an increasingly popular way to spend time off work. You can also go surfing, cycling, or hiking instead of lazing around the house eating potato chips and watching TV? The leisure and travel industries are only now starting to respond to the demand for holidays that maximize opportunities for physical activities over the holidays and even over weekends.

Online booking has revolutionized the way we spend our leisure time. Now it’s starting to change how we exercise and lose weight. A weight loss holiday combines the fun and adventure of a trip overseas with the rush of physical activity. It’s now easier than ever to bike that obscure trail, catch that perfect wave, or climb that faraway mountain.

A weight loss holiday program can be configured for different needs and price ranges. On one end of the spectrum, you have custom packages tailor-fit to your needs by a personal trainer, with a mix of recreation and exercise. On the other end, there are group packages that offer a more general approach at more affordable prices.

A fitness holiday will generally aim to make losing weight more fun than it normally would be with a regular exercise and diet regimen. This makes reaching your fitness goals much less of a hassle than it would normally be.

There are several reasonable weekend activities that aren’t just fun, but help you lose weight as well.

Swimming, whether at the beach or pool, is one often overlooked activity that could be done even on short weekends. Swimming, when done properly, is a total body workout that is as fun as it is healthy. If you don’t know how to swim yet, this might be the perfect time to try it.

Hiking in a nature trail your area is another low cost alternative to foreign getaways. Try to learn more about native flora and fauna and take up nature photography to make things a little bit more interesting. Who knows? You might find all the adventure you’ve been craving right in your backyard.

Urban hiking is a much more accessible alternative to nature-trekking. While admittedly not as refreshing as a walk away from the city, urban hiking has its own charms. Try documenting historical sites, or other places of interest in your town or in surrounding areas. Try to make a list of things you might recommend and outsider might want to do in your town, purely as an exercise. Take it from us, you WILL be surprised about how much of your own neighbourhood you didn’t notice.

Cycling is another fun activity you can do almost anywhere. Try to explore parts of your hometown you haven’t been to. You can also try biking to the beach or a nature trail further away from your hometown. Bikes were made for affordable weekend getaways like these!

FitFarms Fitness and Weight Loss Retreat in UK is chosen as the nation’s No. 1 Fitness Retreat by the Observer.

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There are a number of erroneous, beliefs about nutrition, that can actually cause weight gain. Here is a list of some of the more common ones. Read on to discover if any of them are familiar to you.

Adopting a vegan eating plan will automatically cause weight loss.
It’s true that research has shown vegans and vegetarians typically consume fewer calories, but, going vegan strictly as a means of losing weight can backfire. Many times, those who are new to veganism can fail to consume adequate amounts of vital nutrients, and it can also be easy to fall into poor habits such as eating highly processed foods like soy cheese, and high fat treats, which can really pack on the pounds. Do vegan the right way by keeping processed foods to a minimum, and always eat well balanced meals. Protein should account for 10 to 20 percent of your calories and it can be obtained from healthy plant-based sources such as beans, nuts, and seeds.

Eliminate all carbs to speed weight loss.
Your body needs an adequate amount of carbohydrates for energy, as well as a range of essential vitamins and other nutrients, and fiber. Strictly removing something from your diet will oftentimes only cause you to crave the “forbidden” item more, and you may find yourself seeking it out in moments of weakness. Carbs can be an important part of weight management due to the fiber they provide which keeps you feeling full, and they are also known to stimulate the production of a neurotransmitter called serotonin which helps regulate your moods and keep you feeling happy. Instead of removing carbs from your eating plan entirely, simply leave behind heavily processed options and reach for vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Unlimited diet drinks are fine because they’re calorie free.
Many people who are watching their weight believe that drinking beverages made with artificial sweetener is an easy way to enjoy soda pop, etc. with zero guilt. This theory has been debunked by research studies that show how these “fake” sugars trick the body by introducing sweetness without any calories to back it up. Artificial sweeteners cause you to want more sugar and you might end up binging on unhealthy snacks to satisfy these cravings. Additionally, diet drinks are filled with dangerous additives that have been found to cause a variety of cancers in laboratory experiments.

Protein shakes promote weight loss.
The simple act of adding protein shakes into your eating plan will not help you lose weight, but this is a common mistake among dieters. Protein shakes can be very healthy but drinking them in addition to your usually daily caloric intake will cause you to gain weight, not lose. To use protein shakes successfully, plan on having them as a meal replacement or snack, depending on the number of calories per shake, and select ones that are low in sugar, and have the shortest possible list of ingredients.

Fruit is too sugary to eat while trying to lose weight.
The natural sugars found in fruit are much less worrisome than all of the refined sugar found in processed foods, so you’re better off giving up food items purchased in boxes and bags, than grapes, bananas, oranges and so on. Fruit provides perfect nutrients which are absorbed quickly and easily by your body because they’re in a whole and natural state. Avoiding fruit also means you’re missing out on healthy and filling fiber which keeps you feeling full, and satisfied and can help with long-term weight loss and keeping the weight off once you’ve lost it.

Keep these updated food facts in mind when you’re trying to eat for weight loss, or even just trying to eat more healthfully.

This article is a guest post provided by Angela Jennings for Advance Me America’s Leading business cash advance provider.

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How to Gain Weight Fast and Build Muscle for Skinny Guys With a Highly Fast Metabolism ?

I am able to answer that question from a heavy personal experienced point of view, as a few years ago, I weighted only fifty five kilograms, on a 1.81m height! As I am writing this article right now, I weigh 30 more kilograms, most of it muscles, and I assume most of you skinny guys out there would like to know the ‘secret’ behind this unusual transformation.

The problem with skinny guys is not only our unusually low appetite. It is also our biological system, which favors us more than usual with an ultra fast metabolism, and a very high caloric adaption (downregulation) which makes it very hard for us to gain a substantial amount of both muscle and fat. The solution to this issue, of course, lies in a lot of science, and very little amount of guessing. There is a recipe.

Nutrition – The Most Important Part of the Puzzle

As already mentioned, our problem is mostly the amount of food that we consume and our body’s response to this food. As a skinny guy, you will have to eat a TON. Substantially more than other people, for gaining the same amount of weight and muscle. As your body will adapt to that amount of calories and stop gaining weight from it, you will have to ‘shock’ your system by suddenly dropping that amount by half, usually once or twice per week.

So, how to gain weight as a skinny guy? Eat a ton. I mean it. You will have to eat thousands of calories every day in order to gain a noticeable amount of muscle. Base your diet on whole foods – nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, organically raised animals, and avoid processed chemically-enhanced foods at all costs. People tend to put too much attention on the exact percentage of fat and protein etc, but I find it utterly inaccurate and even dumb. Every body is individual. Just focus on eating a lot of ‘real food’, instead of junk, and you will do just fine. There is no real need to count calories.

The only time you would want to count calories is when you think you are doing everything just fine but nothing really happens. Track the amount of calories and protein for a week and act accordingly. You might have a medical condition (leaky guy syndrome, for instance), that prevents your food from reaching your body.

Exercise – Lift Heavy !

Base your workout routine on heavy compound exercises. There is no need to incorporate isolated exercises such as biceps or triceps curl. Don’t worry – your biceps will grow. Have you ever seen a power lifter with small arms? Of course not.

Take a look at Mark Rippetoe’s ‘Starting Strength’ program. I have gained tremendous amounts of muscle with it. Very simple plan – it simply focuses on making you strong as a bull by having the weight on the squat/deadlift/bench press/military press/power clean raised every workout. This is how you turn skinnies into monsters.

I am Regev Elya, a writer at Fresh Beetle . Com . Feel free to drop by and read some of our articles about nutrition and exercise. I hope they will prove to be useful for you!

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Juice fasting is an excellent way to lose weight and detoxify the body. The key to sticking through your fasting goals and coming out the other side refreshed and cleansed comes down not just to discipline but to preparation.

In other words, the key to a successful juice fast is planning!

In this article we will review what this means and how you should effectively plan for a successful juice fast.

Understand your Goals and Reasons for Fasting
The first thing I’d advice you to carefully look at are your reasons for doing the fast in the first place. Is your number one goal to lose weight? Is it symbolic of a personal change in your life and wanting to start fresh? Is it connected to the seasons? Is there perhaps a spiritual connotation to your fast? Alternatively, or additionally, are there any specific health goals you have in mind, such as wanting to see how a health issue reacts to a juice diet?

Clearly identify the reason or reasons for fasting. It’s okay if it’s as simple as “to feel good.” The idea here is that any actions we make will stand on stronger ground when we know why we’re doing them.

Plan Your Diet
While fasting on nothing but vegetable and fruit juices is a simple rule to follow, we benefit enormously through planning what our diet will consist of beforehand. A sample juice fast diet should incorporate your favorite juice blends while taking care to mix things up and eat a variety of foods.

To this end I’d suggest you incorporate in your diet greens, such as spinach, kale, and wheat grass, along with carrots, tomatoes, and your favorite fruits as staples to stock up on. Plan out an entire days worth of blends and then buy at least that much for many days so that you will a good stock available for your fast.

You’ll also appreciate having ginger on hand to vary the flavor of many of your blends.

Take Stock Of Your Kitchen Tools
Obviously you will need a juicer in order to complete this fast. Ideally a nice masticating juicer will work best, but even a food processor and juicer machine will do the trick. If you’ve never used a juicer before I’d advise you to purchase one and get comfortable using it before starting. However, they are a breeze to operate. You’ll quickly learn the only trick involved is to clean it as soon as you’re done using it!

Beyond this, you will need a good knife and a cutting board and that’s it!

Planning for Obstacles at Work and in your Social Life
How will you fast while at work and how will you deal with dinner invitations and being out in general? These are often the hardest parts of completing a fast. Ideally at work you could have access to a juicer to make fresh blends but of course this is not practical for many situations. In this situation you’d be best to prepare your foods before hand and bring them in tupperware cups to have on hand. The same goes for your social life – have your blends prepared. Better yet – go to a juice bar with some friends at least once during your fast!

Ready, Set, Juice!
Once you feel you’ve identified your reasons for fasting, planned your diet, made sure you have the right kitchen tools, and have planned for how to make it through any obstacles at work and in your social life, you are ready to go!

Let me suggest one last tip to make the most of your journey: keep a log or a journal of some kind and track your food and energy levels. This will make it easier after the fact to assess the diet and make the most of any future endeavors.

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Have you ever been tempted to cave-in and buy that candy bar at the grocery store checkout? Was it the same candy bar that you had easily passed by dozens of times before? If so, had it been a while since you last ate? Do not blame yourself and think that you are weak with no willpower. Your brain may be sabotaging you.

The Study

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California and Yale University has shown that when the glucose (sugar) levels in the blood drop, people are less able to control their desire for high-calorie foods.

Apparently the prefrontal cortex (front part of the brain) loves glucose. When blood glucose levels drop, the prefrontal cortex loses its ability to control an urgent need to eat. This urgent need is sent to it from the striatum. The striatum is inside the forebrain and acts as the interface between the evolved frontal lobes and the ancient areas of the brainstem.

When high-calorie foods are around and in sight, the body craves them even more. It is very difficult to fight the basic instincts of the brain. The study did suggest that the best way to fight this urge is to keep the blood’s glucose level even by eating healthy foods.

Beat Sugar Cravings

Maintaining consistent blood sugar levels is similar to following a diabetic diet. Diabetics closely monitor their intake of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. They also eat at regular intervals. This helps to keep the blood sugar from getting too high or too low.

1. Eat regular meals and snacks. Three meals a day with snacks in-between will prevent blood sugar dips. Do not skip a meal because this will set your brain into action and it will have control over what you eat. Keep healthy snacks handy, like a granola bar in your desk drawer or car, to keep from getting to that starvation point.
2. Eat complex carbohydrates. These include whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and legumes like beans, peas, and lentils. They are absorbed slower than simple carbohydrates like white sugar, fruit juice, candy, white flour, and any processed, refined sugars. Simple carbohydrates raise the blood sugar quickly and then it drops quickly.
3. Eat foods with high fiber. It is digested slowly and regulates the blood sugar. Choose foods like whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
4. Eat healthy fats and protein. These also are absorbed slowly. Good fats include oils like olive, peanut, and canola. Healthy protein can include fish as well as lean cuts of red meat, chicken, and pork.

The main key is to not let yourself get to the point where you are so hungry that your brain takes over and that candy bar at the grocery checkout is in line with the other items. Following these recommendations will not only beat sugar cravings, but will lead to an overall healthier lifestyle.

Citations:

• Source
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Find other useful information and tools, such as a weight loss calculator at LowFatDietPlan.org.

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When you hear the word “snack” what do you think of?  For some, it means weight gain, unhealthy or just a something to avoid.  However, it should mean weight loss, healthy and something that everyone should fit into their diets.  With the rise of sugary and salty foods, it can be hard to choose healthy snacks.  But they can be avoided—and there are healthy ways to snack.

First of all, to avoid “over-snacking,” never go too long without eating.  This will ultimately cause you to overindulge in something you weren’t planning on eating that day—and chances are it’s not something healthy.  Your blood sugar drops when your body is starving so it begins to crave everything and anything.  Have a small snack in between meals (a good “snack time” is two hours after meals) to avoid this problem.

In order to get yourself to snack healthy, keep junk food out of eye sight.  Replace it with healthy food, such as fruit.  Put apples and bananas in a bowl on your counter or keep a carton of nuts on a shelf at work.  Making these small changes can significantly change your snacking habits.

The worst thing about snacks is that they often come in bags and boxes.  It becomes a problem because we eat while we are distracted; therefore we end up eating more than we had planned.  If you buy snacks that are packaged this way, take a serving size out, put it in a bowl or a plate and put the package away.  This will keep your serving sizes in check as well as your overall health.

Try to stay away from the “diet snacks” that are advertised so often these days.  Although they are low fat/low calorie, there is no way that they will keep you full for an adequate period of time.  You will find yourself reaching for more, possibly within minutes!  Instead, eat snacks that have the right combo of carbohydrates, protein and fat.  They will keep you satisfied and give you a boost of energy that you need to carry on your day.  Some examples of these kinds of snacks are:

• A handful of dried fruit and nuts (i.e. raisins and almonds)
• A fruit smoothie made with low-fat yogurt or milk
• One tbsp peanut butter on whole-wheat crackers
• Baby carrots dipped in hummus

It’s hard to believe, but the feeling of thirst is often mistaken for hunger.  This is a huge weight gain culprit that can easily be reversed.  Always remember to keep yourself hydrated by drinking water throughout the day.  Drink more when you sweat.  The more water you drink, the less you will want to snack.

Keep yourself away from snacks that contain trans fat.  Today, there are plenty of processed snacks out there.  The truth is that if it’s processed, it probably has trans fat.  Even just a little bit of trans fat can be harmful to your body, and it is recommended to not consume any at all.  The best way to avoid these snacks is by looking at food labels—if it has trans fat, don’t buy it!  Also, look in ingredient lists.  Manufacturers aren’t required to write “trans fat” on a food label if the food contains less than 5 grams of it.  Look for the words “hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list to determine if there is even just a little trans fat in the food.

If you have a snack craving, but know you’re not hungry, go for a short (or long, if you feel like it!), brisk walk.  Studies show that doing so can curb cravings.  Also, don’t let your mind win.  Our minds tend to tell us that snacking will make us feel better or help us get something done, when in fact, this isn’t the case.  Listen to your body, instead of your mind no matter how good a snack sounds at a given time.

Keep in mind that healthy snacks should be staples in everyone’s diet—even if you’re trying to lose weight.    They help to keep our blood sugar in check and our stomachs from growling until meal time.  They help us meet vitamin and mineral goals and to keep us awake at work or school.  Never underestimate healthy snacks.

Brianna Elliott is a third year dietetics student and has grown a passion for nutrition through her years of studying.  In her spare time, you can find her running and spending time outdoors.  Brianna also spends her time slinging ink for ProbioticSmart.com – a leading internet supplier of Omega-Zyme – an enzyme supplement intended to be taken with snacks.

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