5 exercises that don't do what you think they do

 

Bosu Squats

What you think bosu squats do: Most people who do bosu squats believe that they give your core a more intense workout compared to the traditional squat.
In reality… bosu squats don’t activate your core any more than a traditional squat. Evidence for this emerged from a study undertaken by researchers at the Eastern Illinois University and published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
The study examined 12 participants who performed exercises on both stable ground and on a BOSU Balance Trainer. The researchers concluded that there were no advantages to be had from using the BOSU Balance Trainer and that exercising on stable ground was just as effective.  
So, if you want to engage your core, bin the bosu squats and instead stick to the traditional method.
Low intensity exercise
What you think low intensity exercise does: Most people have been led to believe that low intensity exercise helps you to burn more fat and will therefore help you to lose more weight, compared to if you performed exercise at a high intensity.
In reality…performing an exercise at a low intensity – such asdoing some light swimming or doing a yoga session – does not help you to lose more weight.
According to the myth, low intensity exercise helps you to lose more weight because when you work out at a low intensity your body fuels your training session by burning fat. However, weight loss depends on the total amount of calories you burn and the total amount of calories you consume. And when you exercise at a low intensity you burn less calories than you would had you worked out for the same length of time at a high intensity. Therefore, although you are burning fat when you do low intensity exercises, you will not burn as many calories, and therefore you will not lose as much weight as you would if you performed high intensity exercises.
 

Step exercises with ankle and hand weights

What you think doing step exercises with weights does: A lot of people believe that doing step or bench exercises with ankle or wrist weights will help them to tone their legs, arms and butts.
In reality… exercising with ankle or hand weights doesn’t help you to improve your muscular fitness.
According to a study conducted by the Division of HPR-Exercise Science at Wayne State University, women who performed three 50 minute step exercise sessions with ankle and wrist weights per week had no more muscular fitness benefits from these sessions than those women who performed the exercises without the weights.

Crunches

What you think crunches do: If asked how they could achieve rock hard abs, most people would probably say that doing a zillion crunches every day would help them to achieve the defined six pack of their dreams.  
In reality… although not completely redundant, crunches are not the best way to get a six pack.
This is because although crunches can help to strengthen your abdominal muscles, in order to be able to see your six pack you need to lose the layer of belly fat that covers most people’s stomach muscles. And crunches won’t help you get rid of that belly fat.
Why? Well, you can’t target specific areas of your body, say by doing crunches, and actually lose weight from that specific part of your body. Instead, work on a weight loss program, doing a mix of cardio and strength training exercises. If you also eat correctly you should then begin to lose weight and as a result lose some belly fat. Once you’ve lost enough belly fat you should begin to see that six pack. 

Ball slams

What you think ball slams do: Lots of people think that when they hurl their medicine ball to the ground they’re giving their core and arms a tough workout. 
In reality… ball slams actually provide more of a challenge for your back and your shoulders.  According to Washington State University the main muscle ball slams work is your latissimus dorsi muscle (aka your lats), which is located on your back. Washington State University also state that ball slams work your deltoids too, which is a muscle found on your shoulder.

 https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/5-exercises-dont-think-080019804.html

Vitamins To Support Your Life At Every Age

Your body's needs from its nutrition and exercise changes with your age and lifestyle, we take a look at the foods and supplements we need to support us through every life stage

With the best will in the world, most of us will experience a time where we're super busy, stressed, not getting enough sleep, eating badly or drinking too much.

Your body is tough and can withstand a bit of over-use. But it's designed to work in combination with what you give it - namely, good food and drink that contains vital nutrients that help it cope with all the many things we ask of it.Get your diet right and you'll be this happy (Rex)
From too much alcohol to bringing up children, most women's lives have periods of chaos where remembering to eat the right amount of fruit, veg and oily fish a week are the last things on our to-do list.
But prolonged periods where we ask too much of our bodies can take their toll, zapping our energy, making us age prematurely, and making us so run down we pick up every cough and cold going. But you have a secret weapon in your health arsenal: Good food packed with supportive nutrients.
[The best foods for beating stress]
[Five vitamins that could change your life]
Whatever your age, Nature's Best nutritionist Moyra Cosgrove has some recommendations everyone can benefit from:
Test your levels. There's no point supplementing micronutrients that you have enough of. If you have deficiency symptoms, speak to your doctor about getting tested so you know what to supplement, if anything.
A good multivitamin. Having said that, unless your diet is exemplary, modern lifestyles mean it's unlikely you're getting everything you need, particularly if you drink, don't get your eight hours sleep or are in training for a sporting event. Get a gender-specific back up in the form of a pill. Moyra recommends Premtis for women.
Eat enough protein. Your body needs this macronutrient for repair as well as energy. If you don't eat enough, consider protein shakes. But don't eat them on top of meals and snacks. They should replace a snack. Particularly good if you head to the gym after work, to give you the energy you need to get more out of your workout.
Fish oils. Supplement if you know you don't eat two portions of oily fish or rely on processed or fast foods for dinner.
Green coffee extract. Using it as part of a healthy diet and exercise programme can help fat burning.
Don't over do it. Excess vitamins and minerals won't benefit you and could do you harm.
Sleep. There are many ways to help you sleep and it's vital to allow your body time to use the nutrients you've given it. If you're struggling, try magnesium before bed as this can aid muscle relaxing.
Always have breakfast. Coffee isn't breakfast.

In addition, at different times in our life, we need a bit of extra help.
Women in their 20s
Drinking, partying, late nights, hard work, stress
Cheat sheet:
Vitamin D3 (Comes from the sun, also found in small amounts in egg yolks and oily fish)
Magnesium (Leafy veg, nuts and seeds, fish)
Folic acid (Vegetables, fruit, eggs, wholegrains, fortified cereals)
B Vitamins (Wholegrains, fortified foods, vegetables, lean meats)
Milk Thistle supplements to counteract effects of alcohol
Women in their 30s
Hard work, stress, starting a family, childcare responsibilities, lack of sleep
Cheat sheet:If you're starting a family: fertility/pregnancy-specific multi-vitamin containing folic acid
Vitamin D3
Fish Oils
Siberia Ginseng (for stress)

Women in their 40s
Weight loss, health wake-up calls, stress, childcare, lack of sleep, premenopause
Cheat sheet:Plant sterols (to lower cholesterol and blood pressure)
Increase protein for weight loss (and decrease refined carbs and processed foods)
CoQ10 for a health heart
Valerian to help with sleep
You also don't need to suplement constantly. Instead, supplements can help you deal with difficult times where you're body needs extra support or your diet just isn't cutting it. Replenish your stores for three months and then rely on a healthy diet to keep them going.
And listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs.

https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/vitamins-for-every-age--your-20s--30s--40s-and-50s-143157689.html

Eight out of ten women aged 18-35 would love to look like ‘heffer’ Kelly

Women aged 18-35 in the UK overwhelmingly reject plastic surgery, as 80 of women believe it’s better to age gracefully than go under the knife.

Celebrity bodies such as Kelly Brook’s were preferable to those of ‘plastic fantastic’ stars like Katie Price, reveals research compiled by health and fitness website realbuzz.com of 2,000 British women.

Size 10 Kelly may have been called a ‘heffer’ at the weekend by Katie, but her wholesome and healthy looks, together with those of celebrities such as Victoria Pendleton and Holly Willoughby, are clearly the biggest inspirations for today’s women.

There are also role models aplenty in their real lives of 18-35 year olds, with one in two women naming their own mums as inspiration and six out of ten stating their friends look better with age.

Striving for the perfect figure, one in three 18-35 year olds feel they would look better if they lost between half to one stone.  However they are motivated to do this naturally, either embarking on or maintaining their regular fitness regime.

Positively, one in ten were so confident in their natural body shape, they did not feel they had to lose any weight.

This realistic approach to body image is also reflected in attitudes to ageing.  More than three-quarters of 18-35 year olds surveyed adopt an anti-ageing beauty regime to maintain their appearance naturally. However, despite growing up in the age of the quick fix, only 2 per cent currently use  surgical injections such as Botox.

81 per cent of those aged 18-35 believe beauty and body confidence comes from within, with their priorities for the next five years being: happy in their love life (30 per cent), achieve a better work-life balance (18 per cent), and to lose weight (18 per cent).

Kirstie McIntosh, realbuzz.com’s Healthy Living Editor comments: “At a time when women are constantly scrutinised for the way they look, it’s refreshing to see women adopt simple diet and fitness steps to look and feel good.  In place of bowing to quick-fix pressure, they are actually seeking realistic role models – be it celebrated curvy beauties like Kelly Brook or their very own mums.”

 

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/eight-out-of-ten-women-aged-18-35-would-love-to-look-like-heffer-kelly/

7 surprising benefits of running

Running benefits you weren’t even aware of

We all know running is great for losing weight and boosting your fitness, but what about some of its lesser known benefits? From increased bedroom performance to being better at your job, here are seven of the most surprising benefits of running.

Improve your career

Want to improve your career prospects? Running is the answer. Research carried out at Rhode Island College found that exercise such as running boosts creativity and concentration by increasing brain activity for up to two hours after a workout. This means going out for a run in the morning really is the perfect start to the working day. A similar study into people in training for the New York Marathon found the planning and dedication required for running improve people’s ability to effectively set goals, organise their time, and stay disciplined.

Cure insomnia

If you have trouble getting enough sleep at night, running could be the solution you have been looking for. A study from Northwestern Medicine found that regular running can lessen and eventually cure insomnia. As well as helping people fall asleep faster, running also improves both length and quality of sleep. As you’d expect this is partly due to the tiring effects of running, but it also serves to relax muscles after the post-endorphin boost and helps to create more efficient energy levels amongst regular runners.

Alleviate depression

A review carried out at Harvard University concluded that cardiovascular exercise such as running can improve the mood of those with mild or moderate depression. This is because of the endorphins that are released when running, commonly referred to as the ‘runner’s high’. Even in cases of severe depression, exercise can be used as a training method to gradually alleviate the severity of the depression. This could even replace the need for the use of antidepressant drugs in cases where people respond particularly well to running.

Improve your joints

No doubt you’ll have heard that the high impact nature of running is bad for your joints, so you’ll be happy to hear the opposite is actually true. Although these injuries are common amongst runners, in the long run runners are in fact less likely to develop osteoarthritis in their joints. Weight loss associated with running is of course a big factor in this. However, running also helps to develop joint and muscle strength, and in the long run this helps to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.

Improve your sex life

That’s right – running that extra lap could get your motor running in the bedroom as well. One reason for this sex life improvement the self-confidence developed by regularly running, in terms of both your body image and energy levels. Studies have backed this up. Research carried out by the Endocrine Society found that running can increase the production of testosterone in men, as well as decrease instances of hypogonadism, a condition linked to erectile dysfunction and a lowered sex drive. Libido also increases in men as a result of the weight loss caused by running, as a loss of abdominal fat means more blood is able to flow to the penis.

Slow ageing

There’s no miracle cure for growing older, but running certainly can slow the process down somewhat. Archives of Internal Medicine published a study which showed elderly people who regularly jogged were around half as likely to die prematurely from diseases such as cancer than those who didn’t run. As well as improvements in heart health, those in the study who were regular runners had healthier joints, were less likely to suffer from neurological diseases and infections. The older members of the study were only running for around 80 minutes a week, but this still left them better off than their sedentary counterparts.

Boost your immune system

Runners are generally less likely to become ill, suffer from viruses and infections, and take days off work due to illness. This is because of the immune system boosting effects of running. Running clears the lungs of airborne bacteria, halts the growth of bacteria through increased body temperature, and improves the circulation of protective cells throughout the body. However, overtraining can actually have the opposite effect on your immune system, so make sure you’re not overdoing it.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/7-surprising-benefits-of-running/

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Conchiglioni with roasted tomato sauce

Conchiglioni are basically enormous pasta shells — you can find them on the pasta shelf of most supermarkets. The conchiglioni and the tomatoes have a low glycaemic index, making the dish ideal for the night before a big workout. In fact, this is one of my favourite pre-race meals as it is so light on the stomach. The tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and B vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous and calcium) and are also a good source of fiber and the antioxidant lycopene (good for fighting disease). The cheese adds a little protein to the dish.

Read more…

Courgette pasta millefeuille with a tomato salad

Courgettes are delicious, easy to cook, low in calories with a good amount of vitamins A and C, plus folic acid and potassium. This is my healthy version of a millefeuille — a traditional cream cake available in patisseries in France made with layers of puff pastry and custard cream. We swap the layers of pastry with fresh lasagne sheets, and the custard cream with griddled courgettes, peppers, feta cheese and a basil dressing.

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Spaghetti with fresh herbs

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. In Italy, pasta with fresh herbs is cooked as a staple dish, rather like beans on toast in Britain! Not only is this one of the quickest dishes to make, it is great food for endurance: high in low G.I. carbohydrate, light on the stomach, plenty of vitamins from the herbs and garlic, plus a little protein from the cheese. Anchovies are really high in sodium, so adding these is a really good way of naturally increasing salt intake after a hot and sweaty workout. Good herbs to use are flat-leaf parsley, basil, chives, mint, marjoram, oregano ... whatever you can lay your hands on.

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Lebanese couscous salad with griddled vegetables and a spiced yoghurt sauce

We often make a large amount of this salad and keep it in the fridge to snack on when we train. It keeps for two to three days in the fridge and the flavors seem to improve over this time. It is not only packed with vitamins from the herbs and vegetables, but the couscous is a good low-fat, slow-burning carbohydrate. If you are planning to go to the gym after work, put a tub of this in your lunch box.

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Chickpea and flageolet bean soup

This soup is a meal itself, it is very easy to make and is great for endurance. Beans and pulses are a very healthy alternative low G.I. carbohydrate to rice, pasta and couscous. You can experiment with different types of bean — flageolet and chickpeas work well, but you might want to try butter beans or borlotti beans.

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Root vegetable winter broth

One thing that’s certain is that over the festive season we all eat a little bit out of the ordinary. With so many temptations it's not uncommon to consume double your normal-allocated calorie intake and then some (this is not an open challenge!)

My take on the classic broth uses a lot of seasonal root vegetables. Carbohydrate comes in the form of pearl barley (which can be replaced with brown rice) because this grain holds it’s firm texture really well. And the lean protein in the turkey also doesn't break down when re-heated. Start to finish, this low calorie but hearty and healthy broth takes less than an hour to prepare and cook. So hopefully this will kick start your healthy New Year.

Read more…

 

http://www.realbuzz.com/healthy-vegetarian-recipes/

5 golden tips for getting a medal-mind-set

How to gear yourself up for a gold

No matter what the sport or your ability, one of the most important aspects of competing in a sporting event or during your personal training, is to have the right frame of mind. The mind is a powerful thing and can often be the difference between an average attempt and a worthy win.  With these following tips, you’ll have a medal-mind-set worthy of the biggest sporting stars.

Visualise your goals

Some may find using their imagination a challenge, but having the ability to envisage goals, whether it’s a personal best or a gold medal, could help you achieve your sporting objectives. To help you do this, perhaps take a leaf out of Tennis pro Andy Murray’s book and visit the location of your competition or tournament before the event. Murray admits to sitting alone at Wimbledon’s famous Centre Court to reflect on past matches and think about his next tournament. Take a quiet moment at the race track or swimming pool to think about the end result you hope to attain; you could picture the trophy or medal, the cheering crowds, or simply a loved one’s face when they see you achieve a personal goal. Those running a marathon often think about a luxury they can enjoy post-race, such as a massage or cold beer.

Motivating music

Getting yourself pumped up to some rock, pop or even classical music before your race or competition could just give you the boost you need. Try listening to your favourite song while you train and then again before you compete – but make sure you choose a suitably goose bump-inducing, adrenaline-provoking tune to give you that medal-mind-set. You could even try walking onto the tennis court still wearing your headphones a la Andy Murray, or make like Dame Kelly Holmes who achieved double gold in 2004 to the sound of Alicia Keys. Some runners even use music to synchronise with their stride lengths, which studies have shown increases endurance by 15 per cent, with the power of music even proving to lower the perception of effort.

Focus your breathing

As simple as it may sound, focusing on your breathing could land you in the medal-mind-set you need in order to achieve your goals. Using a calming breathing method such as the yoga technique of pranayama, could centre your mind and help ease nerves, which will hopefully give you an edge when your sporting moment comes. To practice this ancient breathing technique, you must alternate which nostril you breathe in and out of, by blocking one nostril at a time with your thumb. Using this technique has been shown to steady the mind and strengthen willpower and focus, so it could just be the medal-mind-set method you need to adopt.

Develop your own ritual

It’s not unheard of for winning athletes to have their own unique routine which they rehearse each time they compete. Serena Williams ties her shoelaces a certain way before every tennis match and bounces the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second; while footballer David James doesn’t speak to anyone before a match – if it can work for these successful sports personalities then it could work for you. Rituals can provide comfort and reassurance in times of stress, which is why heptathlon gold medallist Denise Lewis would lay every piece of her kit out the night before a competition. Find your own personal routine – just anything that feels ‘you’. Whether that’s, wearing a particular kit, reciting an inspirational quote, or eating chicken nuggets and watching TV like Usain Bolt, having a medal-mind-set is about what works for you as an individual. 

Keep your focus

Whether you’re competing in a swimming race, a sports day or a tennis tournament, it can be all too easy to let the pressures of those around you and the overall nerve-wracking atmosphere get the better of you. While it’s encouraging to hear your name being chanted in support, you may find that it’s a distraction when it comes to crunch time. Therefore, learning to focus your thoughts and concentration on a fixed thing might improve your mind-set. Sailing gold medallist Ben Ainslie describes how he busies himself before a race to prevent him from worrying and becoming distracted; this ‘tunnel vision’ approach he describes also involves avoiding talking to his rivals, as he doesn’t want emotion to get in the way. Cycling gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy uses a similar technique of focusing, by keeping his conscience in the here and now and honing in on the task in hand, rather than thinking too far ahead about future races

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-golden-tips-for-getting-a-medal-mind-set/

10 sporting steps to becoming a winner

How to win at sporting events

Hands up if you want to be a loser... no? We didn’t think so. While it’s unlikely that you will win at sports 100 per cent of the time, there are some good ways to boost your chances of success.  If you’re looking to swap the wooden spoon for a gold medal, look no further. Here are ten sporting steps to becoming a winner:

How to be a winner 1: Physical preparation

What wouldn’t a sports man or woman give to be faster and more energised when it comes to sport? That extra tenth of a second really can be the difference between being crowned the champion or going home with the wooden spoon. Although it’s often underrated, training your body up to improve your overall physical fitness ahead of the big day is the golden rule to being a winner. No energy gel can make your body faster or more effective in sport than a good dose of physical preparation.

How to be a winner 2: Perfect your stretching techniques

It’s often thought that giving your hamstrings a good stretch is an extra step if you have a bit of extra time before or after your session; it’s all about the exercise, right? Wrong. Stretching is an important part of your routine, even if you’re not a high-performance athlete, because it reduces your risk of injury and improves your flexibility which, in turn improves your performance. When anxiety is high, the muscles tend to get tighter so it’s important to loosen them by stretching off to keep you calm and reduce your chances of injury.

How to be a winner 3: Think out of your comfort zone

Ever wondered how some sports competitors always seem to win whilst others seem to be there merely to make up the numbers? It’s because they don’t hope to win, they expect to win. Indeed, alongside technique it’s important to have a winning mindset too. The power of your subconscious mindset is so strong that truly believing you will win, no matter what the circumstances, will boost your chances of success.

How to be a winner 4: Nutrition for your body

Aiming to get the best performance out of your body when you don’t have a nutritious diet is like trying to run a vehicle with an empty tank of fuel; it will start off fine and eventually just cut out. The best way to maximise your chances of success in sport is by making sure you are well hydrated and nourished. Keep your energy and hydration at optimum levels by drinking eight pints of water a day and ensuring you have a nutritious diet.

How to be a winner 5: Make resting a ritual

It’s important to get tonnes of rest, especially when the big competition is approaching. Resting between training sessions allows your muscles to recover and your body to refuel, so it’s an integral part of your routine. Don’t be fooled into thinking that spending day and night training will give you a head-start because it will have the opposite effect. Find a healthy balance between training and rest, and you’re in good stead.

How to be a winner 6: Know the rules, inside and out

If you have a coach for the sport you play, make sure you listen to their advice. Take time to go over each rule he/she has given you, even if you feel like it’s a piece of advice that you won’t use. You never know what unexpected situations can crop up in the real game, so it’s a good idea to be prepared for all eventualities so you can pull something out of the bag last minute if your opposing team catch you off-guard.

How to be a winner 7: Seek expert advice

It’s always helpful to learn about professional sporting stars and their experiences. Whether you’re a world-class athlete or a novice, sharing tips and tricks with other athletes can be enlightening. You may learn a new trick that you never would have thought of. Of course, what works for one person may have the opposite effect for another, but it’s always worth trialling new techniques just in case you find one that works for you. Pick your favourite sports man or woman and research their techniques. What gets them motivated? How do they prepare for a match?

How to be a winner 8: Don’t use practice as a cop-out

Treat every single practice session as if it’s the real thing. If you’re lazy in the practice sessions, you won’t be physically or mentally prepared for the big day. Appoint a team mate or two to keep an eye on you during practice; if they think you aren’t stepping up to the mark then you have to keep going until you do. If you push yourself to your limits during practice, you can keep building on this and improve your performance to reach your goals.

How to be a winner 9: Determination

The key to winning is not giving up. No famous sporting star has got to where they are today without having to overcome a few hurdles along the way. If you keep losing, keep trying twice as hard. Keep determined and motivated and you will succeed.

How to be a winner 10: Enjoy the moment

Perhaps the most important part of winning when it comes to sport is enjoying it; why would you want to win a match when you don’t even enjoy the sport? Learning to truly embrace the moment will spur you on to achieve more. If you stress yourself out about winning, you will be full of negative energy and this will come through in the game and be picked up on by your team mates. There’s no point in excelling in something if you don’t enjoy it so go out there, give it your best shot, and enjoy the moment while it lasts.