Lose Weight and Live Healthy

Everyday we struggle to balance our responsibilities with our personal goals and wants. In this struggle we often find that there are either not enough hours in the day, or that we do not have enough energy to get everything accomplished. While we can't stretch the hours in a day, we can change our habits to give ourselves more energy. Rather than depending on artificial sources of energy just to make it through the day, there are several things that can be incorporated into your lifestyle that give you more energy, make you healthier, and contribute to your overall well being and longevity. Diet It seems like common sense that the better you eat, the healthier you will be. Although a total diet overhaul may take time, there are some simple dietary choices that you can make everyday that will give you the energy and endurance you need to feel your best. Fruit is a low calorie source of natural energy. Fruits like strawberries, oranges, bananas, and pineapples are packed...

Many people know that aerobic exercise is good for them, but often wonder about the far-reaching health and fitness benefits of engaging in aerobic activity. Aerobic exercise not only conditions the heart and lungs, but also improves your fitness and overall health through a number of means. There are numerous types of aerobic exercises that can accommodate various interests and fitness levels, so everyone can find an aerobic activity that is right for them. More ways to improve heart health here !  How Aerobic Exercise Works The word aerobic means with oxygen and describes the process of using oxygen to generate energy for the muscles. An aerobic exercise is an exercise that is performed at a moderate intensity and keeps the heart rate elevated for an extended period of time, maximizing the amount of oxygen in your blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. The use of oxygen to burn fat produces adenosine triphosphate, which carries energy to the muscles and other cells. By en...

The goal of optimal health extends beyond your weight or waist size.  Fitness for your internal health is just as, if not more, important than your physical appearance.  This is why it is necessary to take steps to improve the inside as well.  It is essential to maintain good heart health since this vital organ pumps blood through our bodies, distributes important materials, and removes waste. There are three things that you can do everyday to improve your cardiovascular health and tell your heart that you truly love it. Exercise Regularly The heart is essentially a large muscle that functions as a pump. By exercising regularly, you can improve the efficiency and capabilities of this pump as you strengthen the muscle. Moderate cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week is ideal for most adults to maintain good heart health. Running, swimming, biking, and yoga are all excellent aerobic exercises that help condition the heart. Make sure you always ...

Just because you're thin doesn't mean you're not fat. But how can you be skinny and fat at the same time? Well, to answer this question you must understand how body composition differs from weight. Your body is made up of muscle, fat, water, blood, bones and all of your internal organs. But when we discuss body composition, we are referring to the amount of visible fat versus visible muscle you have. If you want to find out how much body fat you have, click here . Am I Skinny Fat? Regardless of your weight, your body composition can either be primarily fat or primarily muscular. When you are thin, but have no (or very little) muscle definition, you are skinny fat. Despite your small size and low weight, you have more fat than muscle. You can identify whether you are skinny fat if you are small for your height but may be able to see jiggly or saggy body parts, dents, dimples, cottage cheese, or a general lack of muscle definition. But not to worry, skinny fa...

Give yourself more in 2018 by committing to a fit and healthy lifestyle.  You only get one life, and it is what you make of it.  Set new goals, dedicate the time necessary to achieve them, don't give up on yourself and never stop striving to be better.  It is a new year full of potential, what will you do to take advantage of this potential?  Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, gain strength, improve your health or stay active, it is never to late to reach your aspirations.  And we are here to support you on your journey!  Share your experiences with us in the comments section, we would love to hear your stories, goals and steps you have taken to accomplish them.  Don't forget to check back with us often to stay motivated. Get Tips! Get Inspired! Get Healthy! Related Articles:  Get Fit With HIIT What is CrossFit? Muscle Failure How Do You Do One More Set? I Eat Fruit...Part 2

Garlic doesn't just ward off vampires, it also protects against bacteria and the germs that cause the flu and colds. It's true! Garlic contains a powerful chemical called allicin. It is the juicy stuff produced from garlic when it is crushed, chopped or chewed. That awesome juicy stuff is one of the most powerful natural antibiotics, 15 times stronger than penicillin. And because of its unique properties, bacteria can not develop a resistance to it, so you can keep using it over and over. I addition to fighting against bacteria, garlic can also be used as an anti fungal and anti-inflammatory treatment. What's more, it prevents cancer, heart disease and bad cholesterol. So cut up some garlic and add it to your favorite foods, you're body will love you forever! Related Articles: The Benefits of Eating Dark Chocolate The Benefits of Juicing How to Improve Heart Health Prevent Cancer By Eating Fruit Speed Up Your Metabolism and Regulate Blood Pressure Ph...

Eating the right amount of protein is key to building, and keeping, lean muscle mass.  However, protein needs for each individual are different, and are based on your size and activity level. Use the protein calculator to find out how much protein you should be consuming per day. Did you know that you don't always have to eat meat to get protein? There are many veggies that are packed with protein and are perfect for vegatarians, vegans, or those who simply wish to diversify their protein content. You can also find protein in a variety of nuts! So where can you get the most protein? Check out this chart to find a variety of protein-rich foods.                                                          Whether you are trying to lose, gain or maintain weight, you need to know how many calories you are eating.  Us...

To lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories.  First, you need to know your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the amount of calories you need for your body to perform normal functions like breathing and digesting food.   Use the BMR calculator to determine how many calories your body needs at rest.  This number will go up once you start to do physical activities, but this is a good starting point to determine how many calories you should be eating, and how many you need to cut to lose weight.  By eating fewer calories than your body needs for its basic functions, your body will be forced to burn fat as fuel to provide the energy to perform these functions.  This will help you lose weight. Once you have determined your target caloric intake, you are set to start adjusting the amount of calories you consume each day.  Using the calorie counter can help you keep track of the amount of calories you eat each day to ensure y...

The Total Gym is a piece of exercise equipment that combines multiple workouts so that you can get in shape using one machine. It has a bench fixed to sliders and utilizes your body weight as resistance. While the amount of weight you lose depends on you, by using the Total Gym to exercise regularly, it is possible to shed some pounds while you tone. How Weight Loss Works In order to lose weight you have to burn more calories that you consume. This is achieved through eating a low-fat, reduced-calorie diet and by regularly engaging in exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend doing no less than 150 minutes of moderate, or 75 minutes of vigorous, aerobic exercise each week to lose weight. If you use the Total Gym to meet this recommendation, it is possible to successfully lose weight. To perform a moderate workout using the Total Gym, do any of the Total Gym exercises at an intensity that brings you to 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. For a vi...

Fish oil is known for its health benefits as it is packed with Omega 3 fatty acids that help promote heart and joint health. But is fish oil the best source of Omega 3s? Omegas 3s are commonly found in marine animals, such as fish, and also in plants. One plant based source of these essential fatty acids is flaxseed. So which is better? Fish oil is harvested from the liver of fish, that's why the oil from cod fish is called cod liver oil. Since the liver filters the body's toxins, it is possible that taking fish oil can have a toxic effect. Although fish oil is supposed to be purified during the refining process, in rare cases metals such as mercury and PCBs can contaminate the product and make you sick. In addition, fish oil contains cholesterol and can negatively impact your bad cholesterol known as LDL. For individuals looking to improve their LDL, fish oil may not be the best option. So how can you get those essential fatty acids that your body needs? Try flax see...

Burning calories is the key to losing weight.  When you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight.  The more calories you burn, the faster you can shed pounds.  Exercising is one of the best ways to burn fat and get in shape.   Find out how many calories you burn doing basic exercise like running, walking, biking, swimming and skiing.  Not only do these exercises burn calories and help you lose weight, they also improve your cardiovascular health and lower blood pressure.  Learn more about the benefits of aerobic exercise here . Not only is it important to know how many calories you burn, but you must also know how many calories you are eating.  If you are exercising but not counting the amount of calories you eat, how can you know that you are truly creating a calorie deficit and working toward weight loss?  Use the calorie counter to find out how many calories are in the foods you are eating.  You can also try these gre...

Your body mass index (BMI) is the percentage of body fat you carry.  Improving your fitness through cardio exercise and strength training can help reduce your body fat as well as your risk for certain illnesses such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol and diabetes. Your BMI is based on your weight and height.  This calculator provides an estimate, but is not 100% accurate since it cannot account for muscle mass, bone density and other factors outside of your weight and height.   Use the BMI calculator to get an idea of how much body fat you have.  This can be used to set goals for weight loss or improving your health.  This can also be used to monitor your progress as you diet and exercise.   Use the body fat percentage chart to see if you need to lose weight, gain weight, adjust your goals, or if you are on the right track.   So you understand how much body fat you have, now you need to figure out how t...

Having a baby comes with infinite joy...and twice as many things to do. This can make losing that pregnancy weight a challenge, especially when you barely have time to eat or sleep, much less exercise. However, it can be done in small steps by eating a proper diet and doing light exercise once your body is ready. By following these tips, you can make progress towards regaining your pre-pregnancy body and becoming a fit and healthy mama. Diet -Keep taking your prenatals, you will need the extra vitamins to help your body heal and to keep you energized enough to take care of yourself and your baby. -Don't forget breakfast. You need nutrients first thing in the morning to keep your metabolism going as well as your energy. -Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. They are a quick and nutritious snack that you can munch on while you feed your baby or eat if you are short food-prep time. Quick and Delicious Veggie Snack -Keep a bottle of water handy at all times. It will help you st...

Want to find out how many calories are in the foods you are eating?  Enter your food into the calorie counter to get calorie information as well as nutrition facts. Knowing how many calories you eat can help you reach your weight loss goals.  One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories.  By eating fewer calories, you can burn body fat and lose weight.  Choosing the right foods will help your eat fewer calories, but this doesn't have to make your diet miserable. Try these delicious zero-calorie food options that will make you look forward to your diet. So how much do you need to cut calories to lose weight?  This number is different for everyone and is based on body size.  Everyone needs to eat a different number of calories when at rest.  You can find out how many calories you need at rest by using the basal metabolic rate calculator .  Once you determine how many calories you need at rest, you'll know how many calories to eat to create...

In order to lose weight you have to create a calorie deficit.  This means you have to burn more calories than you eat.  This can be done by eating fewer calories or by exercising to burn calories. The best way to lose weight is to do a combination of both to create a bigger deficit.  Use the weight loss calculator to find out how many calories you need to burn each day to meet your weight loss goals. Enter the amount of weight you want to lose and the amount of calories you plan to cut each day to find out how long it will take to lose that weight.  If you want to lose weight faster, cut and burn more calories.  But do not eat fewer than 1,200 a day, since eating less than this amount can cause you to be malnourished and lose weight too quickly.  Safe, healthy weight loss is sustainable, restricting calories too much can lead to health problems in addition to being difficult to keep up over time.   (Need...