5 health tricks women will love

Health and beauty tips for women

Shhh... We have some top quality secrets you’re going to love. From revealing how to get beautiful, firm skin to showing you how to love eating healthily, we’ve got all the tricks you need to become a healthier, happier version of you.

Natural body exfoliator

How do some women get glowing, healthy and smooth-looking skin? The answer: they exfoliate. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin and will reveal the fresher, brighter skin beneath. Before you run out and buy an expensive exfoliating scrub, make sure you check your kitchen cupboards first because you might just have the perfect ingredients to whip up your very own scrub.
There are lots of different recipes you can use. For example, you can make a moisturising scrub using olive oil and rock salt. Add three tablespoons of rock salt to a bowl and then add one and half tablespoons of olive oil. Mix the ingredients together and then rub the mixture into your body in circular motions. It’s best to stand in the bath or shower when you do this, as it can get quite messy. Once you’ve scrubbed your body rinse the mixture off and admire your gorgeous glow. It’s a good idea to exfoliate once a week.

Swap

Restricting the amount of treats you have is no fun and sometimes being overly strict with your diet can lead to you bingeing and eating more unhealthy foods than you normally would. A great trick to learn if you want to eat healthily is to learn the art of the swap.
The art of the swap is all about finding out what healthy (or healthier) alternative you can eat when you have a craving for one of your favourite foods. For example, if you enjoy your afternoon chocolate snack why not eat a few squares of dark chocolate instead? Or if you like crisps try vegetable crisps. If your weakness is a cake try making some ‘healthy’ cookies instead to snack upon. These little swaps will help you to feel like you’ve had a treat, but won’t make you divert too far away from the path of healthy living.  

Workout hair

Be honest with yourself now, how many times have you skipped a workout because you’d washed your hair that day or styled it? More times than you care to admit probably.  There are several tricks you can use to make sure your hair never stands in the way of your workout again though.
Firstly, find a hairstyle that doesn’t get ruined when you workout, such as a slick ponytail, a ballerina bun or a French plait. Other useful tricks that will help you work out even on a day when you’ve done your hair are using pins instead of hairbands. Pins will help you to avoid that dreaded post-pony hair kink. You can also use a cooling headband to sweep hair off of your face and keep it clean. Other handy products that can save you from having a bad hair day include dry shampoo, a volume boosting spray for reawakening your roots and a hair perfume, which can mask hair that smells.

Firm skin

If you’ve lost a lot of weight recently or you’re thirty plus, you might find that your skin has changed and that it is no longer as firm as it used to be. Sagging skin isn’t something any of us particularly want, but there are some great tricks to help firm up your skin and help it become more taut.
One way to combat baggy skin is by doing toning exercises, which help shape up your muscles beneath the skin. Try doing Pilates or some strength training exercises to tone up those muscles. You could also drink the recommended amount of water each day and moisturise regularly to help boost the elasticity in your skin.  These simple tricks should help you to firm up your skin and help you get back your body confidence.

Foods you love

All too often people bail on their healthy eating goals because they are bored by their food or fed up of being unable to eat the foods they enjoy. Eating is a highly personal and often pleasurable experience, so eliminating the pleasure factor from food will normally always lead to a healthy living lapse.
To remedy this problem, you need to find healthy foods you love to eat. To do this, you have to begin by experimenting. Buy a healthy cookbook or download some recipes you think you might like to try. Then get cooking. If you’re uncertain about where to start, try looking at some healthy curries. Curries are a great place to begin because even though they are healthy they can be full of flavour and can be comforting. Honey sauces, creamy cottage cheese and natural yoghurt with mint and lime are all great ingredients to play with and they should help you start to reignite your love for food again whilst sticking to a healthy eating plan.  

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-health-tricks-women-will-love/

10 ways to beat sugar cravings

How to tame your sweet tooth

Spending your afternoons battling with the temptation to raid the vending machine? Kick your sugar cravings to the kerb with these 10 ways to tame your sweet tooth.

Eat more low-GI foods

Sugar cravings are often a sign that your blood sugar levels are unbalanced. To help maintain normal blood sugar levels, try to eat little and often –having smaller snacks throughout the day – and opt for low-GI (glycemic index) foods which will release energy slowly throughout the day and not result in energy peaks and crashes. Good low-GI foods include non-starchy vegetables, nuts, legumes and complex carbs such as oats and brown rice.

Stabilise blood sugar levels with chromium

The mineral chromium helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and can therefore be beneficial in helping to control sugar cravings. If you find yourself experiencing regular, intense cravings for sweet treats, it could be a sign that you have low levels of chromium in your diet. To address this, increase your intake of foods rich in chromium, such as apples, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, whole grains and grape juice.

Focus on the benefits of cutting sugar from your diet

It can be difficult at times to maintain your resolve to cut back on sugar. However, try to focus on the benefits you are gaining to help stay motivated. Not only can sugar pile on the pounds and lead to tooth decay, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles found that sugar could alter our ability to learn and remember information, while studies have found that sugar is as damaging and to your body as alcohol and cigarettes. Furthermore, high blood sugar levels can cause a process called glycation which damages the collagen in the skin, leading to saggy skin and wrinkles.

Sniff vanilla-scented products

If you’re struggling with persistent sugar cravings, try spritzing on some vanilla-scented perfume, using a vanilla air freshener or lighting a vanilla-scented candle. A study at St George’s hospital, south London, found that putting vanilla-scented patches on the back of participants’ hands significantly reduced their appetite for sweet foods and drinks. It is believed that this is because the smell of vanilla can help to suppress cravings for sweet foods.

Make your afternoons more enjoyable

According to researchers for the Atkins Diet, mid-afternoon is the most dangerous time for cravings, with 62 per cent of people breaking their diets mid-afternoon, and 3.23pm being the time when you are most likely to give into your cravings. The researchers also discovered that stress and boredom were the most common reasons for breaking diets at this time. To help prevent mid-afternoon cravings, try to alleviate boredom and stress by getting tedious or difficult tasks out of the way first thing and leaving more interesting and enjoyable tasks for the afternoon.

Spending your afternoons battling with the temptation to raid the vending machine? Kick your sugar cravings to the kerb with these 10 ways to tame your sweet tooth.

Eat more low-GI foods

Sugar cravings are often a sign that your blood sugar levels are unbalanced. To help maintain normal blood sugar levels, try to eat little and often –having smaller snacks throughout the day – and opt for low-GI (glycemic index) foods which will release energy slowly throughout the day and not result in energy peaks and crashes. Good low-GI foods include non-starchy vegetables, nuts, legumes and complex carbs such as oats and brown rice.

Stabilise blood sugar levels with chromium

The mineral chromium helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and can therefore be beneficial in helping to control sugar cravings. If you find yourself experiencing regular, intense cravings for sweet treats, it could be a sign that you have low levels of chromium in your diet. To address this, increase your intake of foods rich in chromium, such as apples, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, whole grains and grape juice.

Focus on the benefits of cutting sugar from your diet

It can be difficult at times to maintain your resolve to cut back on sugar. However, try to focus on the benefits you are gaining to help stay motivated. Not only can sugar pile on the pounds and lead to tooth decay, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles found that sugar could alter our ability to learn and remember information, while studies have found that sugar is as damaging and to your body as alcohol and cigarettes. Furthermore, high blood sugar levels can cause a process called glycation which damages the collagen in the skin, leading to saggy skin and wrinkles.

Sniff vanilla-scented products

If you’re struggling with persistent sugar cravings, try spritzing on some vanilla-scented perfume, using a vanilla air freshener or lighting a vanilla-scented candle. A study at St George’s hospital, south London, found that putting vanilla-scented patches on the back of participants’ hands significantly reduced their appetite for sweet foods and drinks. It is believed that this is because the smell of vanilla can help to suppress cravings for sweet foods.

Make your afternoons more enjoyable

According to researchers for the Atkins Diet, mid-afternoon is the most dangerous time for cravings, with 62 per cent of people breaking their diets mid-afternoon, and 3.23pm being the time when you are most likely to give into your cravings. The researchers also discovered that stress and boredom were the most common reasons for breaking diets at this time. To help prevent mid-afternoon cravings, try to alleviate boredom and stress by getting tedious or difficult tasks out of the way first thing and leaving more interesting and enjoyable tasks for the afternoon.

Choose healthy, nutritious alternatives

Sugar cravings can be hard to resist at the best of times, but if you are surrounded by others who are indulging in sweet snacks or desserts it can be increasingly difficult not to give in. Rather than feeling deprived when others are snacking, try to choose some tasty, healthier swaps for your favourite sweet treat and snack on nutritious fruits to satisfy your sweet cravings. Make a colourful fruit salad, snack on whole grain crackers with pure fruit spread or try fruit compote with natural yogurt

Boost your happiness levels

Eating carbohydrates triggers the release of happy hormone serotonin in the brain, which is why we often crave sweet treats when we are feeling down or in need of comfort. To boost your serotonin levels naturally, try using mood-boosting essential oils such as neroli and lemon or spending time in the sunshine. Alternatively, call a friend, give someone a cuddle or spend some time doing an activity that makes you happy.

Increase your energy levels with exercise

One reason we crave sugar is because we are lacking energy. While exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing when your energy levels are low, regular exercise can actually increase your energy levels naturally, as well as providing a welcome distraction from your cravings. Exercise will also help you to feel good about your body, which will encourage you to look after it by resisting those sugar cravings.

Identify your craving triggers

To help beat sugar cravings and avoid giving in to temptation, try to identify patterns to your cravings and avoid those things that trigger them. For instance, if you normally buy a sugary coffee on your way into work, try to take a different route or walk on the other side of the road from your favourite coffee shop if you can, or if you crave sugar when you are stressed try to find a healthier way to deal with your emotions. If you can’t identify an obvious trigger, try keeping a journal identifying when you most feel tempted by sugar cravings and see if you can identify a pattern.

Ditch diet drinks

Diet drinks may seem like the ideal solution for those battling sugar cravings. However, while diet drinks may be low in calories, research by the Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found that consuming diet drinks can actually increase your waist circumference and lead to weight gain, which is believed to be because artificial sweeteners trigger appetite and can actually exacerbate sugar cravings as your body craves the “real thing”.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/10-ways-to-beat-sugar-cravings/#pagination-top

12 tips to help you lose weight on the 12-week plan

Get off to the best possible start with these 12 diet and exercise tips.

Download Losing weight: Getting started, a 12-week weight loss guide combining advice on eating and physical activity.

1. Don't skip breakfast

Research shows eating breakfast helps you control your weight. Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight, but missing meals doesn't help us lose weight and isn't good for us as we can miss out on essential nutrients. It could also encourage us to snack more throughout the day because you feel hungry. Check out five healthy breakfasts.

2. Eat regular meals

Some people think missing meals will help them lose weight, but it's been shown eating regularly during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. Find out more about eating heathily.

3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg

Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre – three essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals. Read up on getting your 5 A DAY.

4. Get more active

Studies show regular activity is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing numerous health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone. Find an activity you enjoy and are able to fit into your routine.

5. Drink plenty of water

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need. You should aim to drink about six to eight glasses (1.2 litres) of fluid, preferably water, every day – or more if it's warm or you're exercising.

6. Eat high-fibre foods

Foods containing lots of fibre can help keep you to feel full, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as fruit and veg, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils.

7. Read food labels

Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options, and keep a check on the amount of calories, fat, salt and sugars you eat. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan. Find out more about reading food labels.

8. Use a smaller plate

Studies show people who use smaller plates tend to eat smaller portions and are still satisfied. By using smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it's full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.

9. Don't ban foods

Don't ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There's no reason you can't enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within your daily calorie allowance.

10. Don't stock junk food

To avoid temptation, avoid stocking junk food, such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks, at home. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn, and fruit juice.

11. Cut down on alcohol

Did you know a standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate, and a pint of lager has about the same calorie count as a packet of crisps? Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain. Find out more about the calories in alcohol.

12. Plan your meals

Plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. Try to plan for four to seven days' worth of meals and snacks. Make a shopping list, but don't shop

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/weight-loss-guide/Pages/successful-diet-tips.aspx

Top 10 post workout treats

Rewards for completing exercise

Be it a heavy training session, a race or just an exercise class at the gym, we all deserve a little bit of pampering after our workout. Not only will a few relaxing rituals serve to calm your mind and recuperate your body after exercise, the prospect of a comforting treat to look forward to is a great way to keep you motivated during a workout. Try some of the pampering ideas below, and remember to drink plenty of water to replenish what you've lost through exercise.

Take an invigourating shower

Take an invigorating shower using shower gels made with ginger, lemon or grapefruit.Ginger is thought to have properties that can stimulate our will and motivation, and the essential oils found in citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are great for relieving sore or aching muscles. So shower to condition your body and mind for the next bout of exercise.

Recline in the sauna or jacuzzi

If you are a member of a gym, find out if they have a sauna or Jacuzzi. These facilities should be all a part of your monthly fee so make sure you find time to use them! As using a sauna brings about body responses similar to those of exercise (increase in pulse rate and circulation), it is a good to have a cool shower before entering the sauna.

Have a relaxing massage

Treat yourself to an occasional post-workout massage – especially if you're doing resistance training – to knead out any stress and tightness. In addition to feeling great, massages improve circulation and help rid the body of waste products that can accumulate when muscles are overworked. If you're at home, ask a friend or partner to give you a massage after exercise.

Stretch out

Indulge your muscles with a thorough stretching session; take ample time to really stretch from head to toe. This will relax and calm you after your workout, will help to reduce any soreness you might feel the following day, as well as bringing long-term benefits to your posture and overall flexibility.

Go on a shopping spree

Reward yourself with a new exercise kit. Hitting the shops and investing is a great treat. Try and find something you really love, something you can’t wait to put on. This will not only serve as a great post-workout pleasure but will spur you on to complete all your future exercise sessions.

A tasty, healthy treat

After a workout it is a good idea to replenish your energy stores with a healthy snack. Why not make yourself a smoothie? Toss equal handfuls of blackberries, strawberries and blueberries into a blender along with 250ml of soya milk and a pinch of cinnamon (great for maintaining healthy joints). Wizz the whole lot together with three ice cubes. Delicious. And only 140 calories with just three grams of fat!

Give your feet a break

Treat your feet after exercise. If you have been undergoing frequent workout training, your feet will be baring the brunt of it, especially if you are doing repetitive activities like running. Try soaking your feet in some warm water, great for relaxing tired feet and drawing out toxins. However, try not to soak for too long – you don’t want to soften your feet too much and leave yourself prone to blisters.

Find your inner zen

Meditation is the perfect way to unwind and relax after any workout. Yoga practitioners always conclude sessions with periods of meditation as it’s a great way to totally relax the body and mind. Meditation involves consciously focusing your attention – be it on your breathing, sounds or ideas – to alter your state of consciousness. If you have not meditated before, just find a quiet place to sit and maybe listen to some relaxing music, or alternatively why not try taking a class?

Imbibe a delicious herbal infusion

Have a cup of tea after exercise. Herbal tea is a great tonic after exercise and with so many to choose from, each with different medicinal effects, you can pick one just for you. Go for teas such as peppermint which is a strong muscle relaxant, nettle which provides iron and is great for the circulatory system, or go for the calming affects of chamomile. If you like it sweet, avoid using sugar – honey is the far better option and is thought to also reduce fatigue after a workout.

Take a relaxing bath

A soak in the tub is probably the most obvious post-workout pleasure but there is nothing like a long hot bath to relieve aching tired muscles after a workout. A great idea is to drop in some essential oils. Try ylang ylang; not only has it uplifting qualities but it's also been found to slow down too rapid breathing or heartbeat, perfect after a strenuous workout.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/top-10-post-workout-treats/

Smoothie to Help You Get Rid of Belly Fat in Just 5 Days

Many overweight people feel hopeless when it comes to either losing weight or burning fat. Many people who don’t have that many pounds also struggle with excess belly fat.

In most of the cases to get rid of the fats people usually put on risk their health by following strict diets or starving themselves until their reach their goal. While they focus on achieving perfect body they are at risk to develop some chronic diseases. But it seems that losing fat is far more important process for them than their own health condition.
If you want to reduce belly fat in a healthy manner you should consider combining the right foods. The right combination of ingredients  establishes the base for reducing weight and losing belly fat.

Foods that are great source of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids and proteins will help you significantly slim down your body, protect your health and boost energy at the same time.
Fiber will help your body reduce fat and prevents overweight while proteins will help you keep your muscles and burn a lot of calories. Nuts and seeds are among the greatest sources of proteins and are perfect choice for snack as well.
Prepare this delicious green smoothie recipe and consume it twice a day, once in the morning, the second time in the evening. Don’t eat anything else after that. Repeat this for 5 days. You will notice your belly gets smaller and you feel energetic throughout the day.
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped lettuce ( or spinach)
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp. ground sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions:
Just combine the ingredients in a blender and process everything well. This recipe is just for 1 glass, prepare another one for the second glass in the evening.

http://www.healthyfoodstyle.com/smoothie-to-help-you-get-rid-of-belly-fat-in-just-5-days/

7 terrible post-run treats

Foods you have to avoid after your run

When it comes to running you can do as much training as you want – if you get your nutrition wrong, your progress could stutter to a standstill. Although there’s a lot of focus on what to eat before you run, your post-run snacks can also have a huge impact. Here are seven post-run treats you need to avoid.

Vegetables

All of your life people have been telling you that vegetables are the key to a healthy diet (present company included), so you might be shocked to hear that veggies are absolutely terrible as a post-run snack. Think of your body like a car. After a run you’ve expended energy, and that means you need to refuel. Vegetables have their benefits, but they are simply too low in calories to help you top up on energy and restore and replenish damaged muscles following your run. If you absolutely insist on eating vegetables after a training session, increase their energy-restoring capabilities by dipping them in some high-protein humus.

High carb meals

Carbohydrates are a hugely important source of energy for runners, but to get the most benefit from them you should be eating them before you run, not immediately after. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology concluded that low carb meals and snacks are ideal after aerobic exercise, as they increase insulin sensitivity, and keep your metabolism ticking over after exercise. Insulin is a fat storage hormone, and spiking its production by consuming carbs immediately after your run could risk ruining all of your hard work. Instead, opt for lean protein filled meals, and save the carbs for later.

Salty foods

Potassium is a key aspect of your recovery post run, but consuming snacks that are high in salt (such as crisps) can reduce potassium levels drastically and hinder your recovery. According to research carried out at Harvard University, adults consume on average 2,500mg of potassium a day, while the minimum daily recommended amount is 4,700mg. When you look at sodium on the other hand, we consume between 2,500 and 7,500mg per day, while the body only requires 200mg. Post-run is a key time to turn the tables by reducing your salt intake, and opting for high potassium foods like beans and fish.

Saturated fat

Fat has its place in your diet, but post-run is not one of them. Saturated fats in particular should be avoided after running, no matter how much you might be craving them. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that saturated fats hinder nutrient absorption. That means after your run when your body needs protein and other micronutrients to refuel, their levels are instead being lowered by saturated fat. Wait until around an hour after your run until you eat fat, and when you do make sure it’s in a healthy form such as grilled chicken.

Milk chocolate

This might seem like an obvious no-no, but you’d be surprised how many people reach for a chocolate bar after a run. Milk chocolate is very high in sugar and calories, and boasts next to no restorative benefits following you run. In other words, all it will do is take you back to square one after a tough training session. Not all chocolate is bad though. Dark chocolate eaten in moderation has a whole host of post-run benefits. Most importantly for post-run recovery it’s high in the energy-boosting chemical compound theobromine, which is used in many energy drinks for its pick-me-up qualities.

Sugary drinks

You come in from your run and you’re gasping for a drink to quench your thirst – what do you reach for? If you answered anything other than water or perhaps an isotonic sports drink, then you’re making a mistake. Sugar-filled drinks (there’s more of them than you think – check your labels!) are a runner’s worst nightmare, because they slow down your metabolism. That’s the same metabolism you’ve just worked so hard to increase during your training session! Weight gain aside, these drinks aren’t even good for quenching your thirst – a study published in the American College of Nutrition Journal found that whilst fizzy drinks do not actively dehydrate you, they are also not as effective at hydrating the body as water is.

Cereal

Cereal is quick and easy to prepare, but that doesn’t make it a good post-run treat. Quite the opposite in fact. According to a study carried out by the Environmental Working Group, many cereals on the market contain more sugar in an average serving than a chocolate bar does. Also nowadays any nutritional benefits you might have enjoyed from the cereal, including any vitamins and minerals, have probably been removed due to the modern production methods that are used to produce refined cereals. That means they quickly equate to empty calories, and a post-run nightmare in disguise.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/7-terrible-post-run-treats/