Monday, April 19, 2010

Fast Facts: Bodybuilding to Exercise Routines

More and more people are becoming health conscious nowadays with being in shape and fit as the main goal. Many are doing workouts, following diet programs, taking supplements and so forth. While there are many fitness programs that are being held where muscle training is very popular among men, bodybuilding has also attracted women as well. Although women may not be as dedicated as men to strengthen and increase muscle mass, women who are seeking to shape and tone their bodies have incorporated bodybuilding to their exercise routines.

Most women are taking bodybuilding with particular area for improvement in mind. This may include the legs, chest, back, abdominal area, shoulders, or forearms. Additionally, weights can be used to enhance the effects of resistance training as well.

If you decided to add muscle training to your exercise routines, here are some points to remember in the training to effectively carry out your goal.

Learn the right technique from a professional or gym instructor. It is very important that you know what you are doing and if you are doing it right. This will make you safe from injuries. Moreover, by learning the proper technique, you can know if you are in the right track towards your goal.

Do workouts prior to your bodybuilding routine. Workout is recommended to be done in the morning or in the afternoon. Stretch your body before doing exercises. The length of time of doing the workout is suggested to range from 30 to 45 minutes.

Plan your exercise routine. Make two days a week of strength training and add resistance training to your routine. Exercises beginning with the lower body, middle, and upper body are advisable. Begin slowly with weights or bands. Sets of up to 12 repetitions repeated three times, with rests in between each set. A good routine leaves your muscles burning and tired at the end of a routine.

Do not overwork. Let your body tell you when you're tired or in pain, then stop. Get plenty of rest. It is through resting that the body repairs its tissues and improves the muscles. Also, make a good diet regimen along with enough rest.

There are those who believe that burning fats through the use of weight may work but is surely a slow process. This claim may be indeed right but for it to be effective; it is recommended that a person should do an entire routine like the use of a circuit of exercise equipment in order to achieve the goal. Walking, jogging, or cardiovascular routines are some of the exercises that are strongly suggested.

Women who are engage in bodybuilding develop strong muscles and toned body through workouts along with the right supplements. Take the challenge of including bodybuilding to your exercise routines and see the wonders it can make. Keep the above recommendations in mind and effectively achieve your goals towards fitness and good health.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Salmon for weight loss?

I was enjoying my cup of cappuccino when I notice a woman from an adjacent table talking about a certain tablet she claims to do a lot of health benefits and weight loss wonders. At a glance, I knew she was some kind of a distributor as she is holding a box of those pills.

From a not so short distance, I could see a label somewhat like salmon oil on the box she was holding and this arouses my interest. I always hear people taking about the health benefits of salmon so I decided to make a few research.

weight loss recipe

The salmon fish is very high in protein and in fats. However, the fats that it contains do wonders in the body as it is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids is very important in the health of the heart, serves as anti-cancer and anti-aging element and also helps in weight loss by detoxifying the body.
If you are then convinced with these hard facts, why not try cooking a salmon dish instead of taking those pills? You will enjoy this delicious dilled salmon steak recipe! Here is how to do it.

Ingredients:

4 salmon steaks (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Marinate the salmon steaks in a 9"X 13" glass baking dish. To prepare the sauce, mix the juice, oil, dill, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add it up with the salmon steaks and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Have it chilled for about four hours.



When you are about to cook the steaks, pre-heat the foil lined grill before placing the steak. Cook the fish for 30 minutes or until done on medium-low heat. Serve with a side salad and boiled new potatoes.

There is nothing wrong into taking pills to help you enhance your health and aid in your weight loss. But if you can go as natural as possible, why risk? Enjoy your dilled salmon steak and its health benefits too!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Weight loss menu: Minted Chicken Salad

To shed a few pound requires a lot of hardwork and discipline, not only in toning those muscles but also adjusting your meals. While some may find it hard to adjust one's meal to cope up with one's weight loss diet program, the best thing that you can do is to think positive about it. An option that you can have is to experiment with the foods that you like best and see if you can create a recipe that would be perfect while you are losing weight too! Minted chicken salad is one of the great ideas created to let you enjoy your chicken while at the same time, munching on a delicious meal.

There are several varieties of minted chicken salad. There are those who prefer doing it with spices, champagne, lentils or peas. But what we have here is a creative variant on a fruit mix perfect for your weight loss menu!


You will need the following ingredients to create a luxurious minted chicken salad for weight loss:

1 pound box farfalle pasta
2 cups asparagus, cut into 2" pieces
1 pound cooked chicken, cubed
1-1/2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint OR 2 drops mint extract
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoon raspberry vinegar
4 cups strawberries, halved
baby spinach leaves
fresh raspberries

Cooking instructions:

In a large cooking pot, boil the farfalle pasta according to the instructions in its package. Five minutes before the pasta get done, add the asparagus. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Combine the Mix yougurt, mint, mayonnaise, honey, and vinegar in a medium bowl, until they are uniformly blended. Set aside. Drain the pasta and the asparagus when the pasta is cooked and the vegetable is tender and crispy. Stir in dressing. Add chicken and strawberries and toss gently. Place salad in refrigerator at least two hours to a maximum of one day. When ready to be served, garnish the pasta with spinach on top and fresh raspberries.

Cooking minted chicken salad is very easy to do and you do not have to worry about it when losing weight. In fact, this is very ideal when you are on a diet program!

Set your muscles not for the gym but for the kitchen this time with Minted chicken salad and add it up to your weight loss diet!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Lose weight and Cool off with Refreshing Watermelon & Fruit Salsa


A very busy work during the day entitles you to a great refreshment. But this does not mean that you still need to buy one from the store. Hey look at your fridge! There are lots of fruits that you can mix to make a delightful and healthy snack!

Here is how to make watermelon and fruit salsa!



You do not need to be an expert in food preparation as garnishing this cool refreshment is very easy to do.

Prepare the ingredients below:

2 cups variety of fruit (strawberries, kiwi, berries, peaches, etc.)

1 seedless watermelon (or other seedless melon of your choice)

1/4 cup bottled sangria or sparkling white grape juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Here is how to make a cooling watermelon and fruit salsa.

Slice the melon of your choice into 4 pieces 1/2 inch thick and refrigerate. Cut fruit into small bite sized pieces. To make the salsa combine fruit pieces in a bowl with sangria or white grape juice. Toss together, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 5 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle lemon juice over melon slices and top with salsa.

Not only Watermelon and fruit salsa would make a healthy and refreshing snack, this will also help you get rid of your stock pile of fruits in your fridge. This snack is also very ideal when you are trying to lose weight as it gives you the necessary vitamins while detoxifying your body too!