Need to lose weight quickly? Here’s how one writer lost half a stone in FIVE days on the latest new 5-day fasting diet

If you need to lose weight quickly, the new ProLon 5-day fasting diet might help, says Victoria Lambert, who lost half a stone on it in five days
Could a little self-denial offer more than just a swift weight loss? Professor Valter Longo, Director of the University of Southern California (USC) Longevity Institute, believes so. His team reported in 2014 that fasting for as little as three days can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly. The research suggests starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells, which fight off infection.

Professor Valter Longo is a
member of the team that created
ProLon.

As a result, his team is studying the impact fasting could have on making chemotherapy more effective. They have developed a patented five-day diet, known as a Fasting Mimicking and Enhancing Diet (FMED). The quick-fix will be sold over the counter as ProLon later this year for about £150.

ProLon will help you lose weight, of course, but Professor Longo’s team believes it will help kick-start your immune system too

ProLon will help you lose weight, of course, but Professor Longo’s team believes it will help kick-start your immune system too, thanks to its highly researched constituent elements.
The nutritional composition of the day’s meals is considered key to its effects. It’s a delicate balance of flavour, appetite-tricking nutrients and all important minerals and vitamins. The idea is that these calories eked out across the day will make it more comfortable to stick to than other fasting programmes.

A full set of meals for the five-day ProLon diet.

So how many morsels of grub do you get?  Well compared to the 500 calories on a fasting day of the 5:2 diet, or the 440 cals on the most extreme version of the Cambridge Weight Plan (a monitored Very Low Calorie diet), ProLon’s average 800 calories a day seems generous.
On day one, you consume foods that are 10 per cent protein, 56 per cent fat and 34 per cent carbohydrate, making 1,090 calories in total. Then, on days two to five, you are allowed no more than 725 calories, split between nine per cent protein, 44 per cent fat and 47 per cent carbohydrate.

Most of us would only need to do it twice or three times a year to achieve results

Some weight loss is inevitable at this level, but is the effect sustainable? Interestingly, Professor Longo thinks most of us would only need to do it twice or three times a year to achieve results.
I tried out an early prototype last year and lost five pounds which stayed off till Christmas; so it was time to see if the new version could cut the (imaginary) mustard.

Victoria Lambert begins the ProLon diet with a nut bar, herbal tea, and Algal Oil supplement.

Day One. Motivation high, but portions small. Breakfast is a teeny nut bar and herbal tea, plus two capsules of Algal Oil (£21, amazon.co.uk). This is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, vital for our brain function, sourced from algae. Lunch is a cup of soup with five olives and three squares of kale crackers, plus a daily vitamin and mineral supplement. Another nut bar and herbal tea sustains until supper’s cup of minestrone soup, and ‘‘Choco Crisp’’ bar.  The most notable side-effect isn’t hunger but that dreadful headache you get with no caffeine and no sugar.

The ProLon diet incorporates several types of soup, olives, and kale crackers.

Day Two. The portions shrink ominously. Lunchtime mushroom soup is relieved only by olives OR crackers, and there is no second nut bar. But from today, you get L-drink: an energy cordial you add to bottled water, quantity depending on body weight.  Remarkably, the energy drink is very useful for satiating any twinges of hunger.

The most difficult day is day three

Day Three. The most difficult day is number three, when your body has stopped munching through the easily accessible carbs we store in our liver, and starts breaking down actual fat instead.  I felt grumpy and tired as I sullenly ate the nut bar, and swigged the two cups of soup, but there weren’t even any olives in this day’s plan. Those five green delicacies had become the highlight of my day.

Day Four.  Two sets of olives today, and my mood lifts, which might also be due to my body’s shift into fat-burning properly. The headaches have eased, and at supper time there is a Choco Crisp (albeit the size of an After Eight). I realise I am trying to bring bed times forward as I prefer being hungry and asleep to being hungry and awake.
Day Five. I organise an absurdly busy day to get through the last achingly empty 24 hours.  The soups which started the week as tolerable now seem to resemble gruel. And the kale crackers are (almost) inedible. I even leave one. Despite my groaning belly.

Who wants to go through a week of starvation and then risk the results?

The Transition. The diet suggests you transition back to normal food by drinking juices and soups of your choosing, and small amounts of protein and veg on day Six, and then eat normally from Day Seven. I felt a sense of relief, but also very mindful of what I was eating. Who wants to go through a week of starvation and then risk the results?

Victoria Lambert shows off her
waistline after losing an inch
on the ProLon diet.

And what was the conclusion? Half a stone in weight loss, and an inch lost from my waist. So far, no sign of it returning either as often happens following a crash diet. By the end of Day Six I definitely felt renewed energy and have slept very well.  Would I do it again? Incredibly, yes.
http://www.healthista.com/need-to-lose-weight-quickly-heres-how-one-writer-lost-a-stone-in-five-days/

 

Why you might not lose weight by running

Reasons running doesn’t always lead to weight loss

If you're running to lose weight but aren't getting results, don't panic. There are several reasons why this could be happening - Scott Overall, explains here. 

How long are your runs?

The length of your runs might need to increase to get the real weight loss benefits.It is all very well going out for a 10 minute jog, but if you still eat the same amount of food (perhaps junk food), any gains you make by running will be immediately lost by the food you eat.

If you can go running for maybe 30 minutes, three times a week you should find this will help the weight fall off. You will of course reach a plateau where you will not continue to lose weight without eating less or running more, and only one of those I would recommend. You should be running and eating a healthy diet, replacing the calories you've burnt with nutritious food instead of cakes and sweets.

Are you building muscle?

The more you run the more muscle you are going to build, and replace the fat. However if you are constantly on the scales this is not going to give you a true reflection of your fitness/health. Muscle weighs more than fat, but it is of course more healthy. So even though you might look at the scales and not be happy, just remember that you are certainly fitter and better for it.

Weighing yourself every day probably isn't the best idea to accurately measure your weight loss. All you are going to be measuring is the fluctuations in your hydration levels, the more running you are doing the more water your body is going to store.

Are you running at high enough intensity?

If you are going out the door three times a week and just running one pace you are more likely to hit a plateau quicker than you think. The initial weight loss will come quickly, and then you will struggle to lose any more. The reason for this is because you are simply not running to a high enough intensity. What I mean by this is that you may have become quite comfortable going out and running a relaxed pace, but clearly you will burn more calories by running faster.

However, this is where your fitness will come into play - you may not be able to run the whole run at a faster pace, so break it up into segments. Go out the door, run your usual pace for 10 minutes so that you are adequately warmed up, and then do a fast 30 second effort before going back to your steady pace and repeat this for 5-10 minutes. These fluctuations in pace will increase your heart rate, you'll work harder, and the end result will be you will use more calories.  

Try fuelling on fat

When training for a marathon there are some runners that change their diet completely so that their body changes the fuel that it uses, instead of burning carbohydrates it will burn fat. To do this runners will severely limit their intake of carbs, when there are no carbs to burn the body then uses the fat stores. This is great of the marathon because no one has enough fuel in their body to power them for the whole 26.2 miles, without taking on board extra carbs (energy drinks, gels, etc).

By burning fat you have a supply there that contains more energy and burns more slowly than carbs - again, great for the marathon. This is an extreme example but running on limited carbs can help burn fat. I would also talk to a coach or a nutritionist before starting that.

Focus on health not on weight loss

At the end of the day your weight is just a number on the scales, what really matters is how you feel about yourself and what is going on inside.The more running you do the healthier you are going to be, with increased lung capacity, stronger heart, and you should feel much better about your overall fitness. It shouldn't matter how much you weigh, as long as you're healthy.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/why-you-might-not-lose-weight-by-running/ 

 

 

The perfect flexibility workout

Flexibility training, or stretching, is the often forgotten component of fitness and should be an integral component of everyone’s training program. It is frequently neglected in favour of carrying out more resistance or CV training. It is common to think that unless you are getting hot, sweaty and out of breath, you aren’t getting any fitness gains, but just a few minutes relaxed stretching at the end of your training session will bring a whole host of benefits.

Stretching brings many considerable benefits including:

• Elongated muscles
• Reduced risk of injury
• Reduced muscle soreness
• Reduced muscular tension
• Improved posture
• Improved mobility
• Improved sporting performance
• Improved suppleness
• Improved relaxation
• Improved body awareness

Exercise stretching time

To experience all the benefits from your flexibility training, it is important that you stretch at the correct time in your session. There is only ever one time to stretch properly and that is when your muscles are fully warmed up. Consider a piece of cold chewing gum and try to stretch it. It is difficult and ineffective. However, when it has been thoroughly chewed, it warms up, softens, becomes extremely pliable and can easily be stretched and manipulated.
Your muscles react in a similar way. Warm them up and increase the blood flow to them and they become much more elastic. Conversely, if they are cold, blood flow will be reduced and like the cold chewing gum, stretching them will become much harder, unproductive and can result in injuries. Hence for maximum effectiveness and reduced injury risk, all stretching should always be done with warm muscles.

How to stretch for exercise …

To get the most out of your stretching session, simply follow the step-by-step guide below:

Warming up for exercise

The ideal time to stretch is at the end of your workout. This is because you will be thoroughly warmed up, there will be good blood flow to your muscles and minimal muscular tension. Flexibility training can be carried out as an isolated session, or before other training but only when the body has been completely warmed up. Moderate CV exercise for 10-15 minutes is ideal for a warm-up. Additionally, your warm-up should be specifically targeted at the muscles you intend to stretch.
For example: if you are going to follow a program of lower body stretches for the major leg muscles, warming-up using a hand-cycling CV machine will be far less effective than a leg-cycling machine, treadmill or an outdoor activity like walking or jogging.

Relax when stretching

A second important factor when stretching is to be relaxed. Physical and mental tension will inhibit your range of movement and prevent your muscles from stretching as effectively. Hence, you will not achieve maximum flexibility benefits.

Ease into the stretch

Gradually move your body or the limb being stretched into the stretch position. Once you feel slight tension in the muscle, known as the point of bind (the limit of the muscle’s flexibility), hold the position. Avoid bouncing or any other movements which could overstretch the muscle and result in injury.

Relax your breathing

Always keep your breathing easy and relaxed because that will reduce all-round muscular tension, which in turn will allow you to stretch further. Holding your breath will tense up your entire body, making stretching much harder.

Hold the stretch for 30 seconds

To get maximum stretching benefits, you need to hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. Stretching each muscle for just a few seconds brings no flexibility benefits.

Pain means no gain

Stretching should invoke a mild feeling of ‘tightness’ or tension within the stretched muscle. Pain when stretching indicates injury or a muscle that has been overstretched. Therefore, never stretch beyond a ‘comfortable tightness’.

Rest and repeat your stretching

A single stretch for each muscle is very beneficial, but if time permits carry out two stretches for each muscle, separated by a short break of 30 seconds. The second stretch will help extend your range of movement further.

Frequency of stretching

Ideally, stretch the major muscles after every workout but if that proves too time-consuming, stretching twice a week is a suitable target.

Which muscles should I stretch?

There are more than 600 muscles in the human body but for a balanced flexibility program, the key ones to consider are:
Lower body:

• Hamstrings - back of thigh
• Quadriceps - front of thigh
• Calves - Back of lower leg
• Glutes - Buttocks
• Hipe flexors - front of pelvis
• Adductors - inside of thigh

Upper body:

• Back 
• Neck 
• Chest
• Lats - sides of back
• Shoulder

Flexibility when stretching

The more flexibility training that you carry out, the more benefits you will enjoy. Far from detracting from your other training, substituting some stretching for a few extra minutes CV or resistance training will improve your overall fitness, not decrease it. If you can complete two, 10-minute stretching sessions each week, you are well on the road to keeping mobile, supple and injury-free and the ‘forgotten component of fitness’ will be a thing of the past.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/the-perfect-flexibility-workout/
 

The dos and don'ts of stretching

Stretching correctly will complement your training efforts and improve your body's posture and suppleness. Here's a guide on how to stretch more effectively.

Stretching vital muscles

'Use it or lose it' is an often quoted maxim, but it is never more appropriate than when talking about flexibility.
Think of a long car journey lasting several hours. When you arrive at your destination, the opportunity to climb out of the seat and stretch is extremely welcome and initially your movements are stiff and awkward. However, after stretching out, you feel much better and your normal mobility returns. Imagine if you had to undertake a long car journey every day – your flexibility would suffer badly – which returns us to the 'use it or lose it' maxim.
Everyone should have good flexibility, but due to modern lifestyles, frequently our natural flexibility is compromised and we end up far less supple than we could be. A regularstretching routine should be an integral part of your fitness program and it is as important as either cardiovascular or resistance training, bringing a whole range of benefits including:

• Improved mobility
• Greater range of movement
• Greater efficiency of movement
• Reduced risk of injury
• The positive feeling of being loose and supple

However, incorrect stretching technique is worse than no stretching at all, so follow the realbuzz.com stretching protocols and the dos and don’ts below and you will achieve safe, long-lasting flexibility gains.

Safe stretching protocols

Stretch at the end of a workout session

The ideal time to stretch is at the end of your workout. You will be thoroughly warmed-up and there will be good blood flow to your muscles. Flexibility training can be carried out as an isolated session or before other training, but only when the body has been completely warmed-up. Moderate cardiovascular (CV) exercise for 10 to 15 minutes is ideal for a warm-up. Additionally, your warm-up should be specifically targeted at the muscles you intend to stretch.
For example: stretches for the legs should be carried out after the legs have been warmed-up – walking, jogging or cycling are ideal because they all use the leg muscles. Upper body stretches will be far more effective after an exercise such as rowing, which uses many of the upper body muscles.

Relax while stretching

A second important factor when stretching is to be relaxed. Tension will inhibit your range of movement and prevent your muscles from stretching as effectively. Hence, you will not achieve maximum flexibility benefits. Another reason why stretching should be carried out at the end of your training session is that you will be more relaxed after your workout has finished than before, which equates to greater flexibility gains.

Stretch gently

Gradually and carefully move your body or the limb being stretched into the stretch position. Once you feel slight tension in the muscle, hold the position. Avoid bouncing or any other movements, which could overstretch the muscle and result in injury.

Wait 15 seconds and then stretch further

After approximately 15 seconds, your body’s natural stretch inhibiting reflex will relax, allowing you to stretch a little more. Gently ease a little further into the stretch and hold for a further 15 seconds.

Keep breathing while stretching

Always keep your breathing easy and relaxed because that will reduce all-round muscular tension, which in turn will allow you to stretch further. Holding your breath will tense up your entire body, making stretching much less effective.

Hold the stretch

To get maximum stretching benefits, you need to hold the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds. Stretching each muscle for just a few seconds brings virtually no flexibility benefits. Focus on maintaining correct posture whilst you hold the position so that you don’t over-relax and reduce your gains.

Pain-free stretching

Stretching should invoke a mild feeling of ‘tightness’ or tension within the stretched muscle – and no more! Pain when stretching indicates injury or a muscle that has been overstretched. If you experience any pain at all, stop stretching immediately and never stretch beyond a ‘comfortable tightness’.

Rest and repeat stretches

A single stretch for each targeted muscle is very beneficial but two stretches for each muscle, separated by a short break of 30 seconds will help extend your range of movement further.

Target stretching twice a week

Ideally, stretch your major muscles after every workout but if that proves too time consuming, stretching twice a week is a suitable target. Far from detracting from your other training, substituting some stretching for a few extra minutes cardiovascular or resistance training will improve your overall fitness, not decrease it. If you can complete two, ten-minute stretching sessions each week, you are well on the road to keeping mobile, supple and injury free.

Stretching dos and don’ts

To make sure you always stretch safely, simply consult the dos and don’ts table below and you will get the most from your stretching program.
Stretching ‘dos’
Do ...

• Ensure that the muscles being stretched are thoroughly warmed-up
• Stretch at the end of your training session
• Relax
• Breathe easily
• Hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds
• Follow an all-over body program for stretching to avoid postural imbalances
• Follow correct technique
• Avoid pain, stretching should never be painful

Stretching ‘don'ts’
Don’t ...

• Try and stretch cold muscles – it’s a recipe for injury
• Stretch before your warm-up or workout
• Bounce or rock whilst holding a stretch – you could overstretch and cause an injury
• Hold a stretch for just a few seconds
• Hold your breath
• Focus on just leg stretches or just upper body stretches

Conclusions about stretching

Stretching is a great injury prevention strategy and also makes you feel loose and relaxed. Good quality stretching can also help correct imbalances, improve posture, extend limb range of motion and increase stride length.
Time spent returning shortened, tight muscles to their original length will provide considerably greater and longer term benefits than a few more minutes gym training or a couple of extra miles on the road. By following the realbuzz.com stretching dos and don’ts, you won’t lose it because you regularly use it.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/the-dos-and-don-ts-of-stretching/
 

Full-body flexibility for beginners

We all know we need to stretch and the specific stretches you need to do really depend on the type of activities you do. For example, if you are into swimming you will need to focus more on the upper body while a runner needs to focus on the legs. However, regardless of your activity, if you swim, run, play golf or even sky dive – it’s a good idea to do a full body stretch regularly. The stretching routine below addresses all the major muscle groups, so you can pick and choose the ones you need if you are short of time.

You should stretch to the point at which you feel tension and a slight pulling sensation in the muscle but not pain. Aim for 15-30 seconds to improve flexibility and ideally repeat each stretch twice.

Hamstrings stretches

Stand in front of a support between knee and hip height. Extend your right leg and place it on the support, with the foot relaxed. You should be at a distance that allows the left leg to be perpendicular to the floor. Now hinge forward from the hips, keeping the pelvis level and the right knee straight. Feel the stretch along the back of the thigh. Change to the left leg.

Quads stretches

Stand tall with feet parallel and then lift your right heel, taking your right hand behind you to grab the foot, bringing it towards your buttocks. Keep the pelvis in a neutral position and gently press the foot into your hand, keeping knees close together. It doesn’t matter if your stretching thigh is in front of the supporting one (this indicates tightness), as long as you feel a stretch. Swap sides.

Hip flexors stretches

From a lunge position on the floor, with the right foot forward, take your left back knee to the floor with the lower leg extended behind it, and adjust your position so that your pelvis is in neutral and your right leg bent at a right angle. You can support yourself with your hands on the floor or on the front thigh (not the knee). Feel a stretch along the front of the left thigh and hip.

Calves stretches

Standing in front of a wall, take a lunge forward with the left leg, keeping the right leg straight out behind you, with the heel on the floor. Feet should both be pointing directly forward or the toes pointing slightly inwards. Use the wall for support and keep your pelvis in line with your back (your bum shouldn’t be sticking out!) Now stand on a step or curb with your right heel overlapping the back edge of it. Bend at the knees and hips and, keeping most of your weight on the left leg, gently press the right heel down, simultaneously pulling the toes up. Repeat both stretches on the left leg.

Outer thighs stretches

Sit on the floor with legs outstretched. Bend your right knee up, placing the foot on the floor close to the back of the thigh. Wrap your left arm around the bent leg and gently turn the torso until you feel a stretch along the outer right thigh. Swap legs.

Inner thighs stretches

Sit up tall, with the soles your feet together and your hands wrapped loosely around your feet. Gently press down on the inside of the knee or thighs with the elbows to open the legs, creating a stretch along the inner thighs.

Gluteals stretches

Lie on your back and bring the right knee close into your chest, hands wrapped around the shin, the knee fully bent. Hold the position, release and then bring the knee across the body towards the left shoulder, and hold again. Swap sides.

Lower back stretches

Begin on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, head in line with spine. First, extend the spine by arching the back gently, opening the chest, lifting the head and tilting the hip bones backwards. Pause, then go back through the start position into a rounded position, dropping the head, opening the back of the shoulders and tucking the hips under. Gently pull in the tummy.

Side stretch

Stand with feet hip distance apart, arms by your sides. Allow your right hand to travel down the right leg as you allow the entire torso to drop to the right feeling a stretch along the left side. Pause, then return to the start position and sink down to the left side. To increase the stretch, perform with your hands linked above your head.

Chest stretches

Stand in a doorway with your right foot in front of your left and your right arm bent at shoulder level, the forearm resting against the frame. Now gently lean through the doorway until you feel a stretch along the front of the chest and right shoulder. Turn around and repeat the stretch on the left.

Upper back stretches

Clasp your hands together, palms facing your body and push the arms away from you, feeling a stretch along the back of the shoulders and upper back. Try to make your upper back into a ‘C’ shape.

Triceps stretches

Raise your right arm overhead and allow it to drop down behind your back. Now take the left hand up and gently push the right elbow back until you feel a stretch along the back of the right arm. Swap sides.

Shoulder stretches

Bring your right arm across the body, just below shoulder height, and use your left hand (holding above the right elbow) to gently press the arm towards the chest. Don’t hunch the shoulder up. Swap sides.

Neck stretches

Sit or stand tall, and take your head directly to the right side, not allowing it to tilt upwards or downwards. To increase the stretch, extend the left arm, pointing fingers down towards the floor. Change sides.

How often to stretch?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that a full body stretch should be carried out at a minimum of two to three times per week and ideally after a workout, when your muscles are nice and warm. But if you can find time to complete a full body stretch more often then do it by all means.
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/full-body-flexibility-for-beginners/
 

Do This Every Day to Lose Weight (20 Pounds in 6 Months!)

No matter how you feel about the weighing yourself, Dietitian Julie Upton, MS, RD, of Appetite For Health, shares details from a new study on how the scale can help with weight loss.
   
According to a first-of-its-kind study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers from Duke University Obesity Prevention Program reported that those who weighed themselves daily lost about three times as much weight and body fat, compared to those stepped on the scale less frequently.
The Duke obesity researchers enrolled 47 overweight men and women into a weight loss clinical trial that used electronic scales that were networked to the researchers' computer network. All subjects were instructed to weigh in daily and were given some basic advice about healthy eating and exercise behaviours (i.e., increase water consumption, walk more, eat fewer snacks, enjoy more fruits/vegetables).
Using data from the subjects' escales, the researchers could objectively track the frequency of weigh-ins as well as the actual weights recorded. Previous studies have relied on subjects' self-reported information about weigh-ins, which is considered less reliable.
After six months, the researchers evaluated both body weight and composition of all subjects and found that those who weighed in daily (51 percent of all subjects) lost an average of 20 pounds, compared to about seven pounds lost among those who weighed themselves about five days per week. Subjects who weighed themselves daily were also more likely to report following through on more healthy diet and lifestyle behaviours.
The authors concluded: "Daily weighing may trigger the self-regulatory processes that promote behaviour change. Those who weigh daily report greater adoption of diet and exercise behaviours associated with weight control."
This study adds to previous studies that also reported that those who weigh themselves more frequently lose more weight and are less likely to gain weight over time. As a dietitian, I've always been hesitant to recommend getting obsessed with the number on the scale, but newer studies suggest that it's important to keep tabs on your body weight so that you can alter behaviours when you notice small increases in weight gain. It's a lot easier to lose three or five pounds than it is to lose 20 or more, so frequent weigh-ins are one way to keep your weight stable for a lifetime.
http://www.popsugar.co.uk/fitness/Do-Every-Day-Lose-Weight-20-Pounds-6-Months-38472015

5 exercise facts you don’t want to hear

Why exercise might be bad for you

We all think that working out is great for us, but the truth is sometimes exercise has some pretty negative consequences. Here we show you five ways that exercise can be harmful to you, your bodies and even your relationships:

Exercising a lot won’t help you lose weight

Surely if you workout a lot you should begin to lose weight, right? Well, no, it turns out that this theory is not entirely true. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen conducted an experiment on overweight Danish men. The participants were divided into three groups. The first group were told not to change either their diet or their exercise regime. The second group were asked not to change their diet, but were asked to do moderate exercise that burnt 300 calories on almost a daily basis. The third and final group were asked not to change their diet but to perform vigorous exercise that burnt 600 calories on almost a daily basis.
The study lasted for 13 weeks and revealed some intriguing results. Those men who had not changed their diet or their exercise regime had no change to their weight, yet the men who performed the more intense workouts lost, on average, two pounds less than those men who performed the moderate exercise regime. It is thought that this difference between weight loss came about because those men that worked out harder and for longer ate more to compensate. It is also thought that those men who worked out harder were more inactive in those hours when they were not exercising compared to the men who worked out less.
Therefore if you want to lose weight according to this study you should exercise moderately, so that you do not overeat. You should also try to keep active throughout the day.

Exercise can damage your relationships

Workouts and intense exercise can really take its toll on relationships. Not only do intense and regular training routines eat into the amount of time you can dedicate to seeing your partner, these routines also eat into your energy resources, so that by the time you do end up going on ‘date night’ you’re too tired to properly commit to the evening.
As more and more people dedicate themselves to sporting challenges, or strive to lead healthy, active lifestyles, this issue for couples becomes more and more common. Time once spent with loved ones is now spent at the gym. Yet for the partners of these exercise enthusiasts it’s a difficult issue to tackle because surely exercising is a good thing? Can they really begrudge their partner a challenge? If you’re spending more time in your training kit than you are at home make sure you save some space in your hectic schedule for your guy or girl – you never know, you might even perform better after a regular rest.   

Exercise can make you gain weight 

The pressure to fit in workouts around already busy schedules can cause lots of people to rise early and head out for a pre-breakfast training session. Although this might make you feel great, if you sacrifice your sleep for your fitness fix you could end up gaining weight.
This is because a lack of sleep leads to an increased appetite and your cravings for fatty foods and carbohydrates will also shoot up. A lack of sleep is also thought to slow down the metabolism, which means that you will burn fewer calories than you would have done had you slept for longer. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory suggests that even a few days of sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain. The study found that when participants had just five hours sleep over five days they gained, on average, two pounds. So, if you want to maintain or lose weight make sure you get enough rest and don’t sacrifice sleep for training sessions.

Overweight people live longer

If you thought exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight would help you to live longer, you might just be mistaken. At least you will be if you believe the findings that were revealed from a recent study, which was conducted by US university researchers and the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The researchers examined 97 studies that involved a combined total of 2.88 million people and found that those people who were moderately overweight and had a BMI between 25 and 30 were six per cent less likely to die of a premature death compared to those people who were not overweight. Although interesting, the issue with this study is the fact that the conclusions are based upon BMI, which is not an accurate measurement of body fatness. So, although the study suggests that overweight people live longer it would be unwise to assume that being overweight is good for you. Instead it simply might indicate that being overweight is perhaps a little less unhealthy than originally thought.

Marathon running damages your heart

If you’ve run a marathon before you know that once you’ve done one you always want to do another. However, research suggests that training for a marathon, or taking part in other extreme endurance exercise, could cause serious damage to your heart.
One study, which researchers told to the European Health Journal, demonstrated that of their 40 participants who had extreme exercise habits the majority had stretched heart muscles as a result of their exercise routines. The researchers also suggested that this stretching of the heart could lead to heart problems, such as arrhythmia, in the future. Similarly, a study published in PLoS One examined six exercise studies and found that 7 per cent of the 1,687 participants had a greater risk of heart disease and that this increase of risk was the result of exercise. 
So, what should you do if you love extreme endurance exercise? Well, in the journal Heart two US cardiologists suggest that you limit your vigorous exercise to between 30 and 50 minutes per day.  
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-exercise-facts-you-don-t-want-to-hear/
 

Five foods to beat the blues

Five feel-good foods to boost your mood

We all go through periods of feeling anxious, irritable or depressed. However, there are many things you can do to help boost your mood. The foods you eat can directly influence the way you feel, so check out these top five foods to beat the blues.

Mood food 1: Marmite

If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or depressed, a dose of B vitamins could help to lift your mood. B vitamins are important for normal brain function and producing mood-boosting serotonin, with vitamins B12 and B6 being particularly beneficial for regulating your mood.
To up your intake of B vitamins, try snacking on Marmite on wholegrain toast. As Marmite is fortified with vitamin B12, this is a particularly good choice of food for vegans and vegetarians who may struggle to get their recommended intake.

Mood food 2: Oily fish

Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are well known for being good for the heart. However, they are equally beneficial for our brain health and mood. A study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that participants who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were more likely to be moderately depressed and have a negative outlook.
Furthermore, a study has found surprisingly low rates of seasonal affective disorder in Icelanders, where the diet is high in omega-3 rich fish. To follow in their footsteps and help ward off the blues, try eating two portions of oily fish a week, or up to four for men.

Mood food 3: Chocolate

Many people find themselves reaching for chocolate to ease a bad mood, and this could in fact be no bad thing. Research has shown that chocolate contains many chemicals which can help beat the blues, including relaxing magnesium, calming anandamide and pleasure-inducing phenylethylamine.
To up the mood-boosting benefits further, try snacking on chocolate-dipped strawberries for a healthy treat. Strawberries are not only a good source of vitamin C, which helps in the production of endorphins, but they are high in mood-enhancing flavonoids too.

Mood food 4: Bananas

Bananas are high in natural sugars, making them a great remedy for low energy levels which can leave you feeling down. On top of this they are packed with mood-lifting nutrients to help put a smile on your face.
Bananas are a great source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which boosts serotonin levels, helping to regulate your mood. Furthermore, they are rich in magnesium, which can help you to relax and vitamin B6, which can help to relieve depression.

Mood food 5: Nuts

Walnuts are the perfect good-mood food, offering the combined mood-boosting properties of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6 and tryptophan. The nuts are also a good source of folate (vitamin B9); the deficiency of which has been linked to depression.
As well as snacking on walnuts, another good nut to add into your diet is the Brazil. Brazil nuts are an extremely rich source of the mineral selenium, with research suggesting that just one Brazil nut a day can provide you with your recommended daily intake. As low levels of selenium can lead to depression, irritability and anxiety, snacking on Brazils could be the perfect healthy way to boost your mood.
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/five-foods-to-beat-the-blues/
 

12 days of Christmas health and fitness guide

Tips to get fit not fat this Christmas

When the Christmas season strikes once-busy gyms look like ghost towns and fitness kits lay dormant and dusty under the bed as their owners drink sparkly cocktails and eat their weight in nibbles. However, if you don’t want to be able to shake your belly like a bowl full of jelly for the year ahead you need this 12 days of Christmas health and fitness guide.  We’ll show you how to avoid piling on the pounds, whilst still having the traditional, indulgent Christmas you love.

Day 1: Active presents   

The best way to stick to the 12 days of Christmas health and fitness guide is to play with those gifts that make everyone active. If someone has been given a scooter, a bike, some skates or some fitness games like tennis on the Wii, get them out and have a play as a family. You can also hold a tournament using the gifts to keep people entertained.

Day 2: Short bursts

So, you’ve got your in-laws coming round for dinner and you’re going out with work friends for a Christmas drink before taking your nephew to a pantmoime. Time is often precious and in short supply at Christmas, but on busy days like this break down your exercise into small, 10 minute sections. 10 minutes when you get up, 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes when you get home in the evening. Studies have found that short sessions like these are still effective.

Day 3: Enter a sporting event

Runs, triathlons, swims and cycling events have become ever more popular and you can see why; they act as a great motivation tool and can really help you to stay focused. Booking yourself a place in a sporting event will help you stay healthy and fit during Christmas and you won’t let your fitness regime slide. There are lots of sporting events that can be done during the Christmas period too, such as Boxing Day runs and swims.

Day 4: Standard measures

Tonight you’re throwing a special Christmas party at home. Whilst in many ways this is great news for your health (greasy takeaways are not going to be as much of an option at home), it might mean that you get a little heavy handed with your drinks measures. Alcohol is one of the easiest ways to over-indulge this Christmas, so to avoid ruining your health commitments use standard measures.

Day 5: High intensity 

Zero time means that you should swap longer workouts for high intensity sessions. Circuit training, interval training or slow sessions with weights are all great ways to get the most out of a shorter workout. Skipping, the plank and other exercises using your bodyweight are also effective, high intensity workouts. To make your sessions festive make a Christmas playlist full of your favourite tunes – just make sure if you’re in the gym you don’t get lost in the moment and start to sing ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ to a burly bloke in a vest.

Day 6: Hit the streets  

Although online shopping is handy, the 12 days of Christmas health and fitness guide thinks you should get out and shop in the non-virtual world at least a few times over Christmas. Walking around the store, carrying bags and pushing a trolley will mean that you’re getting a decent workout without realising it. Plus, looking at the Christmas gifts that are now on offer and listening to the carols in stores is not to be missed.

Day 7: Relax   

Today you need to take time to relax. It’s an important part of staying healthy and fit during Christmas, not only because it’s good for your mind and your stress levels, but also because relaxing and resting will mean that you have enough energy to do exercise on other days. Think about how you enjoy relaxing. You might like a hot, steamy bath, an invigorating exfoliating session or a face mask. You might just like to cosy up in front of a fire or lie down and listen to some music. Whatever you prefer, do it and take some time out tonight.

Day 8: Get rid of your tree

You don’t always have to hit the gym or go for a massive run to keep healthy and fit over the festive season. Today, you should go out with family or friends and get rid of your Christmas tree. Ask your family or friends to carry the tree to your car and then dispose of it safely. Although sad, taking down those decorations is a good way to get moving.

Day 9: Exercise after food 

If you’re going out for a festive meal tonight try to fit in an exercise session after you’ve eaten. Studies show that exercising after you have eaten reduces blood sugar spikes. This means that you’re much less likely to reach for those mince pies or crisps and dip later in the evening. If you can’t get out for you normal session, you could just suggest going for a walk with the people you’ve eaten with.

Day 10: Thank you gifts 

Time and money are both squeezed during December. Going out into the countryside and foraging for materials you can make into thank you gifts will help you and your family or friends get active and save money this Christmas. The gifts you make will depend upon where you are and materials you have available. Be creative and let your imagination go wild.

Day 11: Go for a festive picnic

A festive picnic is the perfect way to keep healthy and enjoy the Christmas period. If it’s too cold to eat outside have an indoor picnic, creating a winter wonderland in your living room by putting up a tent and decorating it with Christmas decorations.  In your hamper pack some warm salmon fritters, a flask of squash soup and some mini turkey tartlets made with filo pastry and cranberries. Brandy soaked satsumas, roasted chestnuts and a cranberry, almond and yoghurt-coated raisin mix are all great holiday treats.

Day 12: Do you really want it?

Christmas often involves kicking back and throwing off your normal restraint. Yet often this means that we indulge in too much mindless eating. When you reach across for another handful of salted peanuts, or tuck into another Christmas biscuit, just think: do I really want this? Obviously you should have some treats, but overeating just makes you feel uncomfortable and will mean you have to work harder to get back to your pre-Christmas body.
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/12-days-of-christmas-health-and-fitness-guide/

 

5 ways to burn fat while you sleep

Lose weight while you slumber

Wouldn’t it be great if you could lose weight while catching a bit of shuteye? Good news – you can! Here are five handy ways you can burn fat while you’re asleep.

Drink a casein shake

Whilst proteins such as whey are perfect for a post workout boost, their rapid-absorbing nature means they’re not as effective before you hit the hay. Instead, choose casein protein if you want to boost your overnight fat burning. Casein is a gradually digested protein that can take your body around six to eight hours to break down. This means your metabolism will be kept active throughout the night, and you’ll wake up feeling energetic instead of starving.
Casein’s fat burning credentials were confirmed in a Dutch study, which discovered a boost in overnight metabolic rate following consumption of the protein. Similarly, researchers at Maastricht University found that casein enhances overnight protein synthesis, which helps to repair and strengthen muscles. When you consider that every extra pound of muscle burns 30-35 calories every day, this is an added bonus of this super-protein that should not be ignored.

Sleep more

That’s right; one of the most effective ways to shift those pounds while you sleep is to quite simply get more of it. With our hectic schedules nowadays sleep is often neglected, but if you want to lose weight that needs to change. Don’t believe us? A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that overweight people on average got 16 minutes less sleep per day than their regular-weight counterparts. It doesn’t sound like very long, but over time that difference builds up.
So why does sleep help keep you slim? It’s all to do with the hormones leptin and ghrelin. Leptin helps to regulate your energy levels and keep your appetite low, while ghrelin stimulates hunger and often initiates the need to eat. The results of a study conducted at the University of Wisconsin found that participants who got more sleep had reduced ghrelin and increased leptin levels, which helped to control their appetites throughout the day.

Eat cottage cheese before bed

Eating food before bed is often seen as taboo when it comes to dieting, but this is actually dependant on what kind of food you choose. Avoiding food completely before sleeping can actually have the opposite effect, as people who wake up feeling hungry are far more likely to binge on food at breakfast. A small snack of cottage cheese before bed is a great choice as it is rich in – yep, you guessed it – casein protein.
As an added bonus cottage cheese contains the amino acid tryptophan. A study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that tryptophan improves quality of sleep, and reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. This means cottage cheese will keep hunger at bay throughout the night, and ensure you sleep for a decent amount of time. What’s not to like?

Resistance training

Whilst sleep alone is great for encourage weight loss, there are some exercises you can do before bed that will help the process along. One of the best approaches is some pre-slumber resistance training. Burning fat is all about boosting your metabolism, and resitance training is great for this. In fact, according to a journal published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition, subjects who performed resistance exercises enjoyed a higher resting metabolic rate for an average of 16 hours following their workout.
This resistance training session doesn’t need to be excessive. A simple weight lifting routine will suffice, even if it doesn’t push you to the limit and leave you breathless. It’s well worth following this up with a casein shake; as mentioned earlier this will ensure consistent muscle recovery throughout the night while you sleep.

Eat small meals throughout the day

‘Eat little and often’, is a favourite tip of trainers and dieticians the world over, and you’ll be glad to hear this is a great way of boosting your nocturnal weight loss. Eating small meals frequently throughout the day serves to keep your metabolism ticking over, and will ensure your body continues burning fat throughout the night. Of course, these meals need to be healthy and nutritious for this technique to work!
As well as boosting your metabolism while you’re asleep, this frequent eating method will ensure your appetite is kept in check, which should reduce any cravings you have when you wake up in the morning.
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-ways-to-burn-fat-while-you-sleep/
 

Perfect pancakes and five health-boosting fillings

How to get perfect pancakes

There's no reason not to indulge in a pancake or two on occasions, but why not step away from the standard sugar and lemon - how about filling your pancakes with a something a little less ordinary?

We've come up with five alternatives that will satisfy your sweet or savory tooth without adding too much of a splurge to your waistline — but after all that's what Pancake Day is all about — using up all the bad stuff.

• 150g flour, wholemeal or plain
• 30g melted, salted butter
• 1 fresh, free-range egg
• 200ml water
• 100ml semi-skimmed milk
• Scant pinch of salt
• Butter to cook

Note: If you want to make the pancakes gluten-free, just use 150g buckwheat flour instead.

Method for perfect pancakes

1. Mix the flour together with a pinch of salt and make a small well in the centre for the egg.
2. Break the egg into the mixture and then add the milk and ½ the water.
3. Beat together with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is nice and smooth. Mix in the rest of the water and the melted butter. The mixture should be the consistency of thin cream.
4. If possible, leave the mixture to rest for a few hours or overnight.
5. Heat a pancake pan or large non-stick frying pan. Add a knob of butter and move the pan around so that the butter melts to cover the base of the pan. Add a small ladleful of the batter and quickly swirl it around so that you have a very thin layer of batter covering the whole of the pan. You can use a palette knife or an egg slice if you have one to spread out the mixture. Let this cook for two minutes over a medium heat, or until it comes away easily from the pan when you shake it. Then toss the pancake over and cook for a minute or two on the other side.

Five pancake fillings

Strawberries and minted maple syrup — The mint in the maple syrup makes it slightly less sweet and is the perfect accompaniment to the strawberries. Mint is also thought to have beneficial and soothing effects on the stomach and digestion system.  Warm the syrup in a pan, add chopped mint and strawbs before filling your pancake.
Honey, walnuts and fromage frais — If you want a creamy, nutty sweet fix then this one is for you. Honey is nature's energy booster and a great immunity system builder. Smear cooked pancake with runny honey (Manuka is very good) top with a dollop on fromage frais (a good calcium provider) and a sprinkle of walnuts.
Smoked salmon and capers — Looking for a savory fix? Try smoked salmon to get your hit of omega-3. Top up the taste and your immune system too with a sprinkle of capers. Capers are packed full of antioxidants, great for your body's immune system and can delay the sign of aging. Nutritious and sustaining, this dish will provide a balance of protein, essential vitamins and minerals and cholesterol reducing omega-3 fatty acids.

Cinnamon berries — Grab a handful of your favourite berries and warm through with a teaspoon of honey and a good sprinkling of cinnamon.  Berries are extremely high in antioxidants and have many individual health benefits. Our favourite has to be a raspberry and blueberry mix - both in high in antioxidants and blueberries give you an added boost of vitamins C and E. The cinnamon has health boosting properties too — thought t to be anti-microbial and may help those with diabetes
Sugar and lemon — Okay, one for the traditionalists — if you want to be old school in your pancake tastes and are desperate to go for a sugar lemon shot, that's no bad thing. Just go easy on the sugar and up the lemon juice - it helps speed up your metabolism and is packed with vitamin C.
 http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/perfect-pancakes-and-five-health-boosting-fillings/
 

Chickpea and flageolet bean soup

Low G.I recipe for endurance training

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.

This soup does taste better if you leave the beans to soak overnight, but quite frankly, unless you are cooking for a special occasion, life is too short to soak beans — a good quality tin is fine.

Method

1. Chop the onion and or or leek and sauté in some olive oil on a gentle heat with the bay leaf.
2. Roughly chop the other vegetables and add them to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or so. Add the ras-el-hanout spice mix (this is a north-African spice mix that you can buy in most supermarkets now. If you can't find it, use Schwartz Moroccan spice mix or make your own combination with a selection of the following: cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, chili).
3. Add the garlic, ginger, orange zest, beans and chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato puree and the stock.
4. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Check for seasoning. You may need some more spice  — play around a bit; you could try adding a little ground coriander or cardamom, for instance. Add the fresh herbs but reserve a little for decoration.
5. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Drizzle some fruity olive oil onto the soup and sprinkle with a little fresh parsley or coriander.
6. Eat with chunks of crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 onion or leek, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot
• 1 small celery stalk
• Olive oil
• ½ litre vegetable stock
• 1cm fresh ginger, grated
• Grated orange zest
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 200g tin flageolet beans (use butter beans or cannellini as alternatives)
• 200g tin chickpeas
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbs tomato puree
• 1 tsp parika
• 1 tsp ras-el-hanout spice mix
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• Handful of fresh flat-leaved parsley or coriander, roughly chopped

Vital Statistics

Serves: 2
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Good for: Low G.I. meal good for endurance. Good, healthy weekday staple
Calories (kcal): 404.1
Protein (g): 23.1
Carbs (g): 53.4
Fat (g): 11
Fiber (g): 12.4
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/chickpea-and-flageolet-bean-soup/
 

     

 

Lebanese couscous salad with griddled vegetables and a spiced yoghurt sauce

Low-fat vegetarian recipe for a training diet

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.

It also makes a good vegetarian evening meal, or an accompaniment to a piece of grilled chicken or lamb chop.

Method

1. Put the couscous in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a glug of olive oil. Pour over 150ml boiling water.
2. Heat the griddle or frying pan and slice the courgettes and aubergine lengthways — about ½cm thickness. Brush them with olive oil and cook on each side for a few minutes (so that nice stripes appear).
3. Chop the herbs roughly.
4. When the couscous is ready, fluff it up with a fork and then add the herbs, the spring onions, the tomatoes, the ground coriander, the lemon juice and the olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper accordingly.
5. Mix the yogurt sauce ingredients together, pour into a bowl and gently pour a little fruity olive oil around the edge of the bowl.
6. On a large platter, arrange the aubergine and courgette slices around the edge, dress with ½ tbs balsamic vinegar and ½ tbs olive oil and then pile the couscous into the middle. Decorate with pomegranate seeds and serve with the sauce.

Ingredients

• 125g couscous (wholemeal if you can get it)
• Bunch of flat-leaved parsley
• Bunch of mint (25g or large handful)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped up small
• 2-3 spring onions, sliced finely
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbs good olive oil
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• Plenty of salt and pepper
• Pomegranate seeds for decoration

For the griddled vegetables:

• 2 decent sized courgettes
• 1 aubergine
• ½ tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs good olive oil

For the yoghurt sauce:

• 250g good quality natural low-fat yoghurt
• ½ tsp each ground cumin and coriander
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• Salt and pepper
• Small clove garlic, crushed
• Mint leaves, chopped

Vital Statistics

Serves: 2
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Good for: Excellent balanced, low-fat meal, good for training
Calories (kcal): 458.5
Protein (g): 12.9
Carbs (g): 40.8
Fat (g): 27.1
Fiber (g): 4.9
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/lebanese-couscous-salad-with-griddled-vegetables-and-a-spiced-trans-yoghurt-sauce/
 

Spaghetti with fresh herbs

Low G.I. recipe for endurance training

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.

For this recipe a good portion size is 100g of spaghetti per person, 125g for the larger appetite.

Method

1. Bring a large pan of water to boil. Add some salt and then the spaghetti and cook according to pack instructions.
2. Sweat the garlic in the olive oil over a low heat, add the chili, lemon zest, anchovies and herbs and soften slightly.
3. Drain the spaghetti when it is cooked, reserving some of the cooking liquid to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Add the spaghetti to the herby sauce and toss well to combine. If you are not using anchovies, you may need to add some salt at this stage.
4. Serve with some parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. A fresh tomato and basil salad goes really well with this dish as an accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 50-75g chopped herbs (2-3 handfuls)
• ½ tsp dried chilli or small red chilli
• 2 canned anchovy fillets, chopped small (optional)
• Grated lemon zest
• 200-250g spaghetti (fresh, dried, standard or whole wheat)
• Parmesan cheese to serve

Vital Statistics

Serves: 2
Preparation: 2 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Good for: Endurance training or pre-race meal
Calories (kcal): 315.9
Protein (g): 8.7
Carbs (g): 33.2
Fat (g): 17
Fiber (g): 1.8
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/spaghetti-with-fresh-herbs/
 

5 things every woman gets wrong

Female health mistakes and misconceptions

From our body weight to our choice of literature, you may be surprised by all the things us ladies get wrong! Uncover some surprising female health mistakes and misconceptions with these 5 things every woman gets wrong.

Body weight

We have bad news, ladies – according to research studies, we’re all fatter than we think! A British Government survey found that we are all guilty of underestimating our size, with women misjudging their weight the most. The study found that the average woman is 5lbs heavier than she thinks she is, and for women in their late 30s this goes up to 8lbs. Furthermore, nearly half of all parents of obese children thought their child was the right weight.
These results corroborate findings by Columbia University researchers which showed that overweight mothers tend to underestimate their own and their children’s weight. Experts believe many of us underestimate our weight in a bid to convince ourselves we’re not too far off our ideal size, while the lead author of the study of Columbia University believes it may also be because perception of weight has become skewed as obesity and being overweight are becoming the norm.

Body shape

Not only do many of us believe we weigh less than we actually do, according to research we are also not quite as curvaceous as we think. A study of about 3000 women commissioned by the Vitality Show showed that 27 per cent of women believed they had an hourglass figure – one of the most sought after body shapes – while only 21 per cent believed they were the less coveted apple shaped. However, in reality more than half had an apple shaped figure and far fewer women were hourglass shaped than they thought.
In fact, experts believe that just 8 per cent of women have the coveted hourglass shape, which is not only thought to be desirable to the opposite sex but is also believed to have health benefits including increased fertility and intelligence levels. Experts believe that the lifestyle of modern working women is to blame for the decline in the hourglass shape as stress increases the distribution of fat around the abdomen.

Reading material

You might not think your choice of novel has any implications on your wellbeing, however research by Virginia Tech has found that reading chick lit could be bad for your health. It is well-documented that many modern women (and men) suffer from body image issues and feel under pressure to look a certain way. However, while many put this down to the influence of underweight celebrities and models, the study suggests that fictional icons could be just as bad for your self-esteem.
The study looked at the effect of chick lit protagonists with low self esteem on readers, and found that reading about characters with low body confidence made female readers more aware of their own size. The participants reported feeling significantly less attractive when they read about a slim character and significantly more worried about their weight when they read about one with low self esteem. While this doesn’t mean you need to ditch chick lit entirely, choosing novels with characters with normal or high body confidence could help to give your own a boost.

Self-worth

Research shows that many women underestimate themselves both physically and intellectually, while men are more likely to overestimate their virtues. Research results published in the journal Psychological Science found that, when participants were placed in a setup described as “speed meeting” with members of the opposite sex and asked to rate the sexual interest of their partner, the men were more likely to overestimate their attractiveness and the interest of their partner, while most women underestimated their partner’s sexual interest.
Furthermore, an analysis of 25 studies by a professor at University College London showed that, although men and women tend to have the same average IQ, women also underestimate their intelligence while men overestimate theirs. Also, not only did female participants give a lower estimate of their own intelligence, both men and women tended to think their male relations were more intelligent than their female ones.

Workouts

While your workouts may keep you fit and slim, research suggests that women are failing in one key aspect when it comes to exercise – improving strength. In fact, studies suggest that women are weaker than they have ever been, which may be because many focus purely on weight loss rather than strength. Concerns that muscles aren’t feminine are also a key factor in our dwindling strength. However, while you may not care about gaining muscles, poor muscle strength has many implications for our health, including increased risk of osteoporosis and back and joint pain.
Another mistake women make when it comes to workouts is following the same regimes as their partner. A new study by researchers at the University of Missouri shows that women and men respond to exercise and diet in different ways, and that women need to do a lot more exercise and pay more attention to their diet to reap the same results as men. While exercising with your partner is a great way to stay motivated, try to tailor your workout to get the results you want.
http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-things-every-woman-gets-wrong/
 

Female health through the decades

Stay healthy throughout your life

Every woman's exercise needs change throughout their life. With this in mind, here is our guide to the actions and exercises that you'll need to do in order to maintain your health during four important decades of your life.

Each decade brings with it different changes and challenges which you'll need to address in order to stay in tip-top condition as you age through the decades. Check out each of the decades to find out what you should be doing (or should have been doing) to keep the effects of aging to a minimum.

1. Female health in your 20s
2. Female health in your 30s
3. Female health in your 40s
4. Female health in your 50s
5. http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/female-health-through-the-decades/

Beginner’s Guide to 7 Day GM Diet Plan

REMEMBER: You Will Lose Lots of Weight with This Diet in 7 Days! INCLUDED: What to Eat During Days 1-7, Indian & Vegetarian Version + The “Special” GM Diet Soup!

If you have been trying to lose anywhere between 10 to 20 pounds just as quickly as humanly possible, then you should focus on the General Motors (GM) diet.
This 7-day weight loss plan was originally designed by the GM Corporation to make sure that each and every one of their employees have the information they needed to shed excessive pounds whenever they wanted to!
Surprisingly, this program has quickly gained a global following!
If you’ve always wanted to be able to lose a crazy amount of weight in just 7-days, then you’ll want to pay close attention to all of the information outlined below!

Everything You Need to Know About This Program

The General Motors plan is a nutritional guide that is different from just about any other diet out there. However, it incorporates already known aspects of weight loss that have had fantastic results!
For instance, the GM diet is broken down into a meal schedule for just one week! It was built on the back of weekly programs that both Atkins and South Beach dieters used to great success in the past!
Keep in mind: Basically, this entire plan has been designed and developed from the ground up to produce stunning weight loss in a hurry – by helping you eat much more efficiently and in a healthy way! All this is possible without forcing you to do anything that you wouldn’t find enjoyable and pleasurable.

The Simple 7-Day GM Meal Plan

Day #1

On day one, also known as adjustment day, you should focus on getting down the basics. Your daily menu should be composed only of fruit and water while you have to follow these rules:

• You should drink between 8-10 glasses of pure water!
• You can eat almost any fruit!
• You have to avoid bananas, oil and fruit juices at all costs!

My advice: You should eat some apples and drink a couple of glasses of water for breakfast. Then you should switch to other fruits (I highly suggest a watermelon) at lunchtime, following up with even more fruits as your dinner!

Day #2

On your second day of the General Motors diet, you should focus on eating only vegetables. Trust me that this day will be hard for you unless you will follow these rules:

• You can eat any vegetable & greens (raw, cooked or baked)!
• You have to drink multiple glasses of pure water!
• You have to limit your oil intake as much as possible!
• Baked potatoes can make this day a lot easier!

Extra advice: Eating baked potatoes will help you go through this very hard period!

Day #3

The day 3 is where we begin to mix and tweak previous two meal plans. On this day, you should eat almost any fruit and any vegetable as long as you will follow these rules:

• Drink a lot of water throughout the day!
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables!
• You can not eat bananas, potatoes, oil and fruit juice!

Keep in mind: Eating fruits in the morning and finishing the evening off with fresh vegetables is all you need for this day!

Day #4

On day 4 you will be eating only bananas, milk, water and special GM soup. However, you have to follow these rules:

• You should eat 8-10 bananas!
• At least 3 glasses of milk!
• There are no limits to amounts of GM soup you can eat!
• Drink a lot of water!
• Avoid eating oil and drinking fruit juice!

My advice: You should start with fruits in the morning. Then, you should have the special General Motors soup (see the recipe for this wonder soup at the end of this article) at the lunch and dinner. You can add a couple of bananas if you feel like a snack is in order!

Day #5

There is cool change on the day 5. If you are a vegetarian, you will have rice, and if you are a meat lover, then you can have a lean meat such as fish! Except that, you have to follow these rules:

• You can have lean meat or brown rice!
• You should eat 6-8 tomatoes!
• You have to drink at least 10-12 glasses of water!
• As stated above, you can have lean meat or brown rice!
• As always avoid oil and fruit juice!

My advice: Include your rice or lean meat to your main meals such as lunch and dinner!

Day #6

You are near the end and day 6 is approaching. You should get ready to eat according these rules:

• You can eat unlimited quantities of vegetables.
• Again, you will have brown rice or lean meat!
• You should drink a lot of water!
• You should avoid oil and fruit juice at all costs!

Pay attention: Finally, this day is going to bring more and more vegetables, as you’ll want to eliminate as much of the fruits and glucose as possible before you hit the “homestretch”. You can enjoy meat as well!

Day #7

Get ready for the grand finale! On the last day, you can eat a lot of 3 foods as long as you follow these rules:

• You can eat brown rice!
• You can combine the rice with vast amounts of vegetables!
• You should drink a lot of water!
• You can have all fruit juices you like!
• You should avoid oil as much as possible!

Pay attention: At this day, you will be pushing out that extra fat from your body! If you want to, you can continue with this nutritional plan to enjoy even better results!

The 7 Day GM Diet Chart

The Indian & Vegetarian Version of GM Diet Meal Plan

If you would like to move forward with this diet without adding any meat to the program whatsoever, then feel free to do so.
All you need to do is to follow these simple rules:

• Make sure that you increase your daily caloric intake on days that include meat!
• If you do not do this, then you might notice a major drop in energy and a slowdown in weight loss process.

Pay attention! Here is detailed GM meal plan adjusted for Indian & vegetarian version – TheFitIndian.com.

Simple Recipe for The “Special” Diet Soup

The GM Diet Wonder Soup

6 Ingredients

This “wonder” soup is very easy to prepare. All you’ll need are just these ingredients:

• 6 Large onions
• 2 Green peppers
• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 Whole cabbage
• 1 Bunch of celeries
• About 22 ounces of water

Please note: As you can see these 6 ingredients are very easy to get and will not cost you a fortune!

7 Simple Directions

1. Firstly, you need to cut onions & peppers into small pieces.
2. Sauté them in just a bit of olive oil (Until they are light brown color).
3. In the meantime, chop rest of your vegetables (Cabbage, celery & tomatoes).
4. Add these to a stockpot with water & bring to a boil.
5. You’ll want to add onions & peppers from step 2 to this stockpot.
6. Cook it for about an hour or so.
7. Add salt or pepper in moderate amounts.

After step 7 you will finally have fantastic GM soup, enjoy!

My Final Thoughts on This Diet

There are countless weight loss products out there on the market, but this is one of the few solutions to have proven itself time and time again – all across the globe.
If you want to get skinny, the General Motors diet is everything you have been searching for and so much more!
http://skinnywithfiber.org/beginners-guide-to-7-day-gm-diet-plan/