christopher lissimore

come and see all my blogger for all your needs

in reference to: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/myfeeds?gsessionid=-MPSKWbuolvAmXYdvzfEpA (view on Google Sidewiki)

Women Health Tips

You've noticed that your breasts are sagging a little ... Simple strength training may give you the lift you long for. The alternative is breast implants
There is no avoiding it - gravity, that is. As you age, parts of your body seem to sag, and no place do women see it more than their breasts. All hope is not lost.
According to personal trainer Kim Albano from New York City's Equinox fitness club, there are some easy exercises you can do to give your breasts the appearance of lift. "Breasts are fat, so you can't firm the fatty tissue but underneath is muscle", she says. The pectoral muscles, to be specific, and they can be built up in a way that gives your breasts a higher, firmer look.

You can strengthen your pecs with four suggested exercises from Albano (see below). Choose three of the four and do them at least twice a week or three times to see results sooner. Albano stresses that these are just a start and encourages women to try different ones. "Everyone will respond differently to various exercises, so you have to find what is right for you," she says. "And mix up your workout so your muscles don�t get bored, because then they stop developing."

Start out with 1 set of 10 to 15 repetitions eventually building up to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions using weights that make your muscles feel fatigued when you get to the end of each set. When the exercise becomes too easy, add more weight or another set.

Flat Chest Press

Lie faceup on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, your wrists should be in a neutral position, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.

Push-Up

Lie facedown on the floor with your hands under you shoulders. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your toes tucked under so that you are balancing on the balls of your feet. Contract your abdominals so your back is parallel to the floor. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine. Inhale as you lower your chest as close to the floor as possible. Exhale as you return to starting position.

Incline Chest Press

This exercise is similar to the flat chest press, but you do it on a 45-degree incline, which will recruit different muscle fibers. Lie faceup on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, elbows bent 90 degrees and held out to the sides parallel with shoulders. Exhale as you extend your arms toward the ceiling with knuckles facing up, being careful not to touch the weights together, and squeezing your pectoral (chest) muscles at the top of the movement. Inhale as you return to starting position.

Cable Crossover

Stand in the center of a cable tower, feet hip-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other. Grab the horseshoe handle of a cable at the top of each end of the machine in each hand, palms facing down and slightly forward, arms at shoulder level. Contract your abdominals, lean slightly forward from your hips, and relax your knees. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, exhale as you pull the handles down in front of you until your hands come together, hold briefly. Inhale as you slowly return to starting position.

Fitness experts say there is no "magic bullet"
The percentage of overweight Americans has increased considerably in the past 20 years. You've probably seen the statistics. Moreover, you may be one of the statistics: More than 60 percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, and more than 38 percent of adults are trying to

lose weight.

As people strive to manage their weight and health, consumers have been bombarded with the latest "miracle" weight-loss supplements and diet programs. Many of these options offer a quick fix promise, as opposed to a balanced, healthy approach to long-term well-being. This leads to unrealistic expectations from diet supplements and programs. In fact, research indicates that as many as 95 percent of weight-loss plans do not work.


Dr. Bill Wheeler, Ph.D. and RD, a former staff nutritionist to the President of the United States and the U.S. Olympic Decathlon Team, suggests that three of the most notable red flags in weight management are: "effortless," "overnight" and "dramatic."
"If a product or program promises, 'effortless,' weight loss, it does not have consumers' long-term health and wellness in mind," said Wheeler. "Likewise, any product or program that guarantees �rapid results� is designed for temporary loss of water weight, which can lead to yo-yo dieting and the risk of serious disease. Furthermore, a weight-loss product or program should complement your lifestyle, not require a dramatic change to it. Using supplements to promote weight loss simply must accompany a balanced diet and exercise program."

The fitness and nutrition experts at Life Time Fitness stress that there is no magic bullet. Individuals who want to lose weight should employ a balanced approach that includes exercise, education and nutrition, combined with safe, effective weight-loss supplementation.

"Our advice is based on research and recommendations from accredited biochemists, dieticians, exercise physiologists and the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines on weight management," says Jeff Zweifel, vice president of Life Time Fitness' Nutritional Division. These guidelines state that people should not lose more than two pounds per week, which ensures that they lose fat and maintain lean body mass. "Purported quick-fix programs may ultimately damage their long-term health," Zweifel adds.

Exercise

Regular exercise sends the human body messages to increase its metabolism, strength and aerobic capacity. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities throughout the day and night. Fitness specialists at Life Time Fitness recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times a week for 20 to 30 minutes per session and participating in resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the clock.

Education

Education is one of the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle. Once you have the baseline knowledge you need to make intelligent decisions about your health, fitness and diet, you achieve the healthy lifestyle you desire. To encourage ongoing education, Life Time offers free nutrition and exercise seminars, certified personal trainers and group fitness staff, accessible Web site information and corporate wellness programs.

Nutrition

A common-sense approach to healthful eating and nutritional supplementation is important to any weight loss program. The human body has the natural ability to maintain a healthy weight automatically until it is forced to store fat through a lack of physical activity and/or a low calorie diet. Research has shown that the consumption of fat calories has dropped more than 20 percent in the American diet in the past 25 years. However, a calorie-restricted diet forces the body into a "starvation response" of storing as much fat as it can for later use. The easiest way to lose weight is to maintain a well-balanced diet with a mild decrease in caloric intake and increased physical activity.

A weight-loss supplement may help to accelerate weight loss only when combined with nutrition and exercise. Life Time Fitness recently introduced LeanSource Thermogenic Supplements, an ephedra-free, soft-gel weight-loss aid that utilizes metabolically active ingredients to accelerate weight loss, decrease body fat and increase energy and metabolism. Scientifically designed to promote rapid weight loss without the use of harmful stimulants, the supplements are part of a comprehensive weight-loss program, which also involves 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and 20-25 minutes of resistance training four times per week.

Food & Weight Loss

Despite all of the attention given to popular diets today, most nutrition experts agree that minimizing dietary fat, controlling portions and staying physically active are the real keys to healthy weight management.

We know from decades of research that a diet rich in high-carbohydrate foods--such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits--helps prevent disease, maintain healthy body weight and optimize athletic performance. There is no substantial evidence to support a change in that recommendation, says Debra Wein, MS, RD, nutritionist and exercise physiologist at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

What formula can you follow to manage your dietary fat as well as your portions? Nutritionist Carroll Reider, MS, RD, suggests an easy-to-follow low-fat eating plan, adapted from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Each day, count down your food choices from the following list::

5 Servings: Whole Grain Breads, Pastas and Cereals
Serving: 1 slice bread, � slice bagel, � cup cereal, 1/3 cup rice, � cup noodles or potatoes.
Whole Grains: wheat, oats, rye, corn, brown rice, barley or millet in the form of cereal, side dishes, pasta or bread.
Also include: potatoes, yams, winter squashes, chestnuts, beans and peas.
4 Servings: Raw or Cooked Vegetables
Serving: 1 cup raw vegetables, � cup cooked vegetables, � cup vegetable juice.
Include: Dark green and yellow or orange vegetables.
3 Servings: Fruits
Serving: For most fruits, a serving of whole fruit fits in your hand. Fruit juice (1/2 cup) is also a serving.
2 Servings: Dairy Foods
Serving: 1 cup nonfat milk, 3/4 cup nonfat yogurt, 2 ounces nonfat cheese.
1-2 Servings: Fish, Poultry or Meat
Serving: About the size of the palm of your hand and the thickness of a deck of cards. A serving of shrimp is about 2 ounces; lean red me, 3.5 ounces.
Vegetarian Options: 6 ounces beans or low-fat tofu, 2 ounces non-fat cheese.
Weight Loss Tip:
If you are concerned about your weight, Reider says, go wild on vegetables. They�re only about 25 calories per serving. But do not eat more than three servings of fruit or five servings of grains. If your weight is fine, you can eat as many grains, vegetables and fruits as you want.




Monitor and Moderate:
Many nutrition experts agree that monitoring your eating with a food diary can be invaluable to weight management planning.

Moderation is essential. Some foods include several food groups, and you will naturally eat servings that are both larger and smaller than the single serving size. A good goal is to eat the recommended amounts and balance of food groups 80 percent of the time, says Daniel Kosich, PhD, author of GET REAL: A Personal Guide to Real-Life Weight Management. That will give you a solid foundation for an active, healthy lifestyle.
Both quantity and quality count. A low-fat diet that is too high in calories or a low-calorie diet that is too high in fat will not be healthy for you over a lifetime.
The quality of the carbohydrates you eat is important. Heavily processed convenience foods with a lot of refined sugars may have a negative impact on your blood sugar level and cholesterol ratio, your mood and your ability to manage your portions. You can get caught in a dangerous cycle of eating excessive portions of unhealthy foods with little or no nutritional value. The solution is to stick to fresh whole grains, vegetables and fruits for up to 60 percent of your diet.