tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72868207747686005142023-11-15T17:08:42.293+01:00BODYSTUFFCheck out the supplements, nutrition, vitamins, creatine, information and history of a body buildingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-17828353293321522282008-03-23T08:57:00.002+01:002008-03-23T09:00:12.635+01:00How to Bench Press with Proper Technique & Avoid Shoulder InjuriesThe Bench Press is the most popular lift in the gym. It’s the upper-body exercise that lets you lift the most weight. The Bench Press builds upper-body strength like no other exercise & that’s why it’s part of StrongLifts 5×5 program.<br /><br />Unfortunately the Bench Press causes most injuries. Shoulder pain from doing the Bench Press is common. Proper Bench Press technique not only minimizes risks of injury, it’s also key to lifting more weight. This article will help you with the Bench Press technique.<br /><br /><br />What’s The Bench Press? Lie on an upright support bench or a bench inside a Power Rack. Unrack the weight & lower it to your chest. Press it back up until your arms are locked. You’ve done a Bench Press.<br /><br />You have several ways to Bench Press by varying grip, grip width, bench angle, etc. Some Bench Press variations are:<br /><br /> * Close Grip Bench Press. Shoulder width grip. Emphasis triceps.<br /> * Reverse Grip Bench Press. Palms facing you. Also emphasis triceps.<br /> * Incline Bench Press. From an incline bench. Emphasis shoulders.<br /> * Decline Bench Press. From a decline bench. Allows more weight.<br /> * Floor Press. Bench Press while lying on the floor. More triceps.<br /><br />This article deals with the Bench Press without extreme arching of the back like in Powerlifting.<br /><br />Benefits of The Bench Press. Why should you Bench Press? Here are two reasons to do the exercise.<br /><br /> * Builds Muscle. Bench Press if you want a big chest, as popularized by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 70s. Front Shoulders & triceps work too.<br /> * Builds Strength. The Bench Press is the strength training exercise that lets you lift the most weight using your upper-body muscles.<br /><br /><br />Bench Press Safety. Most injuries in the gym happen when doing The Bench Press. One reason is of course because it’s the exercise done the most. Other reasons are not using the following tips.<br /><br /> * No Thumbless Grip. Use your thumbs when doing the Bench Press. You don’t want the bar to slip out of your hands.<br /> * Start Light. Add weight gradually. You’ll get a feeling of what you can & can’t handle while learning proper Bench Press technique.<br /> * Ask Someone to Spot. Spotters will help you if you get stuck with the bar on your chest. If you don’t have a spotter, read the guide on how to Bench Press safely when you’re alone.<br /><br /><br />Bench Press & Shoulders Pain. Shoulder pain from doing the Bench Press is common. Switching to dumbbells or quiting the Bench Press avoids pain, but doesn’t solve your shoulder problem. What you should do:<br /><br /> * Improve Technique. If you don’t Bench Press with proper technique you’ll injure yourself sooner or later. Read on.<br /> * Fix Posture. You can’t Bench Press with proper technique if you have slouching shoulders. Start doing shoulder dislocations. Focus on bringing your chest forward & squeezing your shoulder-blades.<br /> * Avoid Muscle Imbalances. The Bench Press works your front shoulders more than the back ones. If you don’t strengthen these by doing the Barbell Row & Overhead Press, you’ll get a muscle imbalance. Causing bad posture & thus bad Bench Press technique. Get on StrongLifts 5×5, it’s a balanced program.<br /><br />Bench Press Setup. You need a strong base to press the weight from. Tighten your upper-back. Grip the bar hard: try to break it apart like breaking spaghetti.<br /><br /> * Grip Width. Too narrow & you’ll lose strength. Too wide & the distance the bar travels shortens. Grip width should be about 55-71cm/22-28″ depending on your build. Forearms perpendicular to the floor when the bar touches your chest.<br /> * Gripping the Bar. Secure the bar with your thumbs by rotating your hands in. Put the bar in the palm of your hand, close to your wrist. If you put the bar close to your fingers, you’ll get wrist pain.<br /> * Tight Upper-back. Squeeze your shoulder-blades before getting on the bench. Keep your shoulder-blades back & down at all times like on the picture below. This gives your body a solid base to press the bar from.<br /> * Chest Up. Don’t allow your chest to go flat or shoulders to roll forward. You’ll lose upper-back tightness, losing power & increasing risk of shoulder injury. Keep your chest up at all time.<br /> * Feet. Use a wide foot stance to increase stability on the bench. Feet flat on the floor, weight on the heels, lower leg perpendicular to the floor. This prevents extreme arching of your lower back.<br /><br /><br />Zhang Guozheng's Back<br />Tight upper-back, squeezing the shoulder-blades. Image credit: dehwang.<br /><br /><br />The Bench Press. Remember to keep the tight position during the Bench Press from start to finish. Squeeze the bar, keep your upper-back tight & your chest up. Unrack the weight with straight arms. Bench.<br /><br /> * Bar to Chest. Touch your chest where your forearms are perpendicular to the floor when looking from the side.<br /> * Press in a Straight Line. Don’t look at the bar. Fix a point at the ceiling. Press the bar in a straight line above your chest, not towards your face. Keep the bar above your elbows during the whole lift.<br /><br /><br />Common Errors. The following Bench Press errors are either inefficient or potentially dangerous. Avoid them at all costs.<br /><br /> * Unracking with Bent Arms. Don’t risk the bar falling on your face. Your arms are strongest when your elbows are locked. Unrack & bring the bar above your chest with locked elbows.<br /> * Pressing to Your Face. The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line. Press in a straight line. Fix a point at the ceiling where you want the bar to go. Don’t look at the bar.<br /> * Bending Your Wrists. This will get you wrist pain. Put the bar in the palm of your hand. Close to your wrists, not close to your fingers. Squeeze the bar so it doesn’t move.<br /> * Elbows. Too high is bad for your shoulders. Too low is inefficient. Put your elbows between perpendicular to & parallel with your torso.<br /> * Shoulders Forward. Don’t let your shoulders roll forward. It’s bad posture, bad technique & a guaranteed way to get shoulder injuries. Keep your chest up, shoulder-blades back & down and upper-back tight.<br /> * Glutes off the Bench. This makes the distance the bar travels shorter & thus the Bench Press easier. However it puts pressure on your back, especially when the weight gets heavy. You’re more stable when your glutes are on the bench. Keep them there.<br /> * Pushing Your Head into The Bench. You’ll injure your neck. Tighten your neck muscles, without pushing your head into the bench.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-31719756081844919562008-03-06T20:43:00.000+01:002008-03-06T20:44:24.527+01:00Bodybuilding Supplements and Amino AcidAthletes who are engaged in weight training or in the sports, which are requires the building of muscle mass uses these bodybuilding supplements. These on usual manner are used by athletes. Sometimes, supplements helps in meliorating the performance in sports. They are also proved to be helpful in improving the level of convalescence from events as well as training.<br /><br />Amino Acid Supplements<br /><br />Amino acid supplements are considered as another most significant supplements necessary for bodybuilding. In science the Amino acids most popularly are known as the "building blocks" of the body. In an actual sense they functions as the molecular units that contains proteins. Now these proteins can be of 20 specific amino acid by nature. The functioning of them includes the configuration of antibodies. On usual manner these antibodies fights against bacteria and viruses. It also helps in constructing of nucleoproteins. The operation of them also includes building up cells and renovation of tissues. It also acts as the transportation system in the whole body of Oxygen. Another most important function of Amino Acid is that is participates in the activities of body muscles. In the hormonal and enzyme system of the body also, it plays crucial roles. These are the core reason behind the Amino acid being the essential supplement of body as well as bodybuilding.<br /><br />Amino Acid supplement products<br /><br />There are many Amino acid supplements available in the market. Amongst them top 5 products are as follows:<br /><br /><br /><br />ISS Research Complete Amino 2200: Particularly meant for the bodybuilders. This product enriched with amino acid helps in developing muscle tissue, fast recovery and obviously in growth.<br /><br />SciVation Xtend: Xtend has been considered as the scientific blend of aminos, which helps in generating energy. This blend contains established ratio of a chain comprised of amino acids, glutamine, citrulline malate and vitamin B6. This branched chain helps in generating energy as well as quick recovery.<br /><br />Universal Animal Nitro: This product contains the perfect ratio of them depending upon the human muscle protein. That is why this Animal Nitro has been considered as the first as well as the only amino acid supplements beneficial for bodybuilding. It is also known as Human Muscle Protein complex.<br /><br />Optimum Amino 2222 Softgels: Optimum Amino 2222 Softgels gives 2,000 miligrams amino acid of high quality.<br /><br />For human beings there are 20 standard Amino acids, which are considered as essentials. These are Lysine, Valine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine, methionine, phenylalanine and tryptophan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-16474386716965861302008-02-29T18:38:00.000+01:002008-02-29T18:40:28.688+01:00Competitive bodybuilding not just about dumbbells anymoreThe SRU Bodybuilding and Fitness Club will hold its annual Mr. and Ms. SRU Bodybuilding and Fitness Competition in Miller Auditorium on Saturday, March 30.<br /><br />The annual event is open to all students to compete, but chances are that very few know what goes into the training for the event.<br /><br />"It usually takes the average person 12 to 14 weeks of hardcore dieting and training," Bodybuilding Club president Dan Tokarek said.<br /><br />Fourteen weeks? How hard could it be?<br /><br />"(It takes) a lot of hard work, dedication and confidence in yourself," said Rachel Lhota, who was named Ms. SRU at the competition back in 2006.<br /><br />In the weeks leading up to the competition, the student-bodybuilders' schedules would make a normal person cry.<br /><br />Part of that schedule includes waking up at around 5:45 a.m. every day, with no exceptions, to hit the gym and start a cardiovascular workout before spending the day worrying endlessly about the seven or so meals to be consumed during the day.<br /><br />"I do about a half-hour of cardio and abs, come back (home) and eat my egg whites and protein then go to work," Tokarek said.<br /><br />Tokarek, the reigning Mr. SRU, knows exactly what it takes to have a great regimen. He has been bodybuilding competitively for the last four years.<br /><br />He said that on a normal day, he'll consume a chicken breast and brown rice for lunch, oatmeal and whey protein mix for an afternoon pre-workout meal and settle in for a meal of steak and brown rice when he gets home after his workout.<br /><br />Think he's done? Not a chance.<br /><br />Two hours later, he eats and has a protein shake, and just before heading to bed, consumes more chicken and green veggies.<br /><br />"Basically my whole life revolves around my eating schedule," Tokarek said. "I'd rather miss a workout than a meal."<br /><br />The reason for this seemingly nonstop consumption of "clean" foods is to keep the performer's metabolism up, which actually makes it easier to regulate the bodybuilder's weight.<br /><br />Competitive bodybuilders generally already love to work out, which makes the trip to the gym the easy part.<br /><br />Along with the morning cardio workout, they're in the gym two or three times a day. The nutrition side of the training can be the nerve-wracking part, Brian Mortimer, the club's adviser, said.<br /><br />"If you truly want to get lean, your diet must be controlled," Mortimer said. "Most of the guys and girls are already down here working hard. It really comes down to nutrition; They're already beating themselves up in the gym."<br /><br />Although the diet is different for everyone, there is one aspect that's constant across the board: the fact that eating is the one thing on each performer's mind 24 hours a day, seven days a week.<br /><br />"If you want to take a day trip, or go shopping, or go out to eat with friends," Lhota said, "you think, 'What can I eat when I get to this restaurant? Or, 'How many meals do I have to take with me?'"<br /><br />Meals on-the-go are commonplace for the competitors.<br /><br />Most cook their meals two to three days ahead of time to ensure they don't disrupt their routine.<br /><br />"If you take the time to prepare the food and have it readily available, the chances of you taking (unhealthy food) are a lot less," Mortimer said.<br /><br />One competitor said he takes meals anywhere and everywhere-the classroom included.<br /><br />"I'm always taking food to class or no matter where I'm at," said Jon Murchak, who finished as the runner-up in the heavyweight division at the 2007 competition.<br /><br />Murchak said he pre-cooks most of his food days in advance just to get the work involved out of the way all at once.<br /><br />Since the strict eating is such a huge aspect of his routine, he said there would be no way he'd have the time to cook every meal when it was time to eat.<br /><br />"I come down (to the gym), get my workout in, and then it's all about eating the rest of the day," he said. "If you are not in 100 percent with the dieting and the training, you'll really suffer from it."<br /><br />Operating on such a demanding schedule for three months out of the year requires a strong supporting cast, Lhota said.<br /><br />"I've lost friends through this, which was hard," she said.<br />But she also said that her training gave her the opportunity to find out who her true friends were.<br /><br />Although most of the competitors admit to training on their own or with one partner, they all agree that outside the gym, everyone around them must be on the same page.<br /><br />"You have to watch your peers. If you are around the wrong guys or girls and all they want to do is eat (unhealthy), it is difficult," Mortimer said.<br /><br />Every part of their life must be 100 percent committed when taking on this task.<br /><br />"Some people don't understand how we can work out that much and still carry on with our regular life," Tokarek said. "It is like carrying two jobs. Two full-time jobs."<br /><br />Tokarek says that he also has to stay focused on the people around him-like his friends, family and girlfriend-to ensure he's not forgetting what means the most to him in life.<br /><br />"It's really hard to have a social life at all because you're always on the clock," Murchak said.<br /><br />But eating well and weight training are a small price to pay to fuel these athletes' competitive sides.<br /><br />"I love to workout and be healthy, and this was just another sport to get into," Lhota said.<br /><br />Tokarek concurred.<br /><br />"I love competition," Tokarek said, "I just love going against other people and trying to beat them."<br /><br />Although the competitors consider themselves "in-season" for the 12 weeks leading up to the competition, their training period is essentially the entire year.<br /><br />And on March 30, the SRU Bodybuilding and Fitness Club won't just showcase one of the most demanding sports at the Rock, but a different kind of lifestyle as well.<br />< prev PagUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-1539934348262462672008-02-25T19:05:00.000+01:002008-02-25T19:06:49.108+01:00Lower back pain with exerciseAlthough lower back pain can result from sudden traumatic injuries, it occurs more often as a result of weak and inflexible muscles, poor posture or poor body mechanics. Any excessive strain on the back will result in pain. Individuals who suffer from lower back pain normally get relief on their own, within a few months, but others will have recurrences or suffer from chronic pain.<br /><br />Back pain may occur at any point along your spine. The lumbar area is the most common site because it bears the majority of your weight. The spine is suited to bear the body's weight and the force or stress of the body's movements. You don't have to carry a heavy load or participate in a vigorous, contact sport to injure your back. A simple action like picking up a pencil from the floor using poor mechanics, reaching too far out in front of you or bending over with your knees straight can also result in back pain.<br /><br />The underlying causes of back pain include weak or inflexible muscles in the back, hips, abdomen and legs; excess body weight; poor posture or body position when standing, sitting or sleeping; poor sports movements and poor body mechanics when performing actions like lifting and carrying objects. Strained muscles, tendons or ligaments can cause serious pain and injury to the vertebrae.<br /><br />Stress may cause the disk to break down and lose some of the ability to absorb shock. A damaged disk may bulge between the vertebrae and put pressure on a nerve root, a condition commonly referred to as a slipped disk.<br /><br />Maintaining control over your body movements and warming up thoroughly before you begin to exercise will go a long way in helping to prevent lower back pain. Special focus should also be placed on maintaining proper exercise form when lifting weights.<br /><br />Exercise is recommended by experts, especially for persons who have already experienced an episode of lower back pain. Regular exercises to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles and physical activity, such as walking will help to prevent back pain. The exercises in the pullout are designed to help you maintain a healthy back by stretching and strengthening the muscle group that affects the back. Remember to perform these exercises slowly and make your progression gradually.<br />Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education: email: health@gleanerjm.com.<br /><br />Double knee to chest (back exercise)<br /><br />Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.<br /><br />Place hands on the back of each thigh and slowly pull both knees to your chest.<br /><br />Straighten your knees so that both legs are pointing towards the ceiling.<br /><br />Return to starting position and repeat.<br /><br />Trunk twist<br /><br />(back exercise)<br /><br />Lie on your side with top knee bent, lower leg straight, lower arm extended out in front of you on the floor, and upper arm at your side.<br /><br />Push down with your upper knee while you twist your trunk backwards.<br /><br />Return to starting position and repeat.<br /><br />Back bridge (hip exercise)<br /><br />Lie on your back with knees bent and arms extended to the side.<br /><br />Tuck your pelvis under, and then lift your buttocks and lower back from the floor.<br /><br />Hold position for five to 10 seconds then return to the starting position.<br /><br />Press-up<br /><br />(back exercise)<br /><br />Lie face down with hands under your face.<br /><br />Slowly push yourself up until your upper body is resting on your forearms.<br /><br />Gradually straighten your elbows while keeping your pubic bone on the floor.<br /><br />Hold for five to10 seconds then repeat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-32249540378813264102008-02-16T20:56:00.001+01:002008-02-16T20:56:58.851+01:00BULGING BICEPS - Give us a Month....Is there really anything new under the sun when it comes to training? Perhaps nothing new, but innovation, maybe. As a consumer, bodybuilder, and overall purveyor of freaky muscle, this is how you must think of any workout that's offered via magazine or website. It isn't that there is so much out there you or I haven't heard of at this point, it's more about what we do with what we already know, to come up with something that is creative and becomes a means to a successful end. <br /><br />One reason innovation is so important as a bodybuilder, is that the body figures out what you're doing fairly quickly, with training, diet, exercise, etc.. So it becomes crucial to find different ways to engage each body part, or system, as a whole, to continue getting any appreciable result. This is particularly the case with a muscle that is typically seen as the pinnacle of a person's success in the gym. I'm talking about the biceps... <br /><br />Truth is, if you have small biceps, it's like you've failed all around. In reality, small biceps is like having small calves - one is no different than the other. If something is missing, something is missing, period, no matter what it is. But that's not how people judge the situation. This almost necessitates having big arms, whether it's a struggle for you or not. So how can you ensure success in your biceps training? Well, give us a month and we'll give you an extra inch! <br /><br />One of the things about the limbs that distinguishes them from other body part training is this: Leg workouts and arm workouts can go so against the grain of logic and reason and you can still have success. You may see this as maddening, but it's actually really a great thing. Here's why... <br /><br />You can overtrain, under train, do high reps or low reps, use heavy weight or employ set complexity with 21's, negatives, concentric overload, or anything in between, and get success. And this is the key: You need to do it all. We call that shot-gunning with AAS use, but it's the same for training.... Throw enough mud against the wall and some of it is bound to stick. And the truth is, you have nothing to lose by doing it. <br /><br />SHOT GUN BICEPS TRAINING <br /><br />Week 1 - This week is about heavy, low rep training, and super slow movement. You'll be doing just two basic movements: Standing Barbell Curl and Preacher Curl. You'll do two workouts - one Monday and one Friday. <br /><br />The weight you use is going to be substantial, but it must still be manageable. Try for 85% of max, if not 95%, as long as you can go super slow with it. It's all about using both concentric and eccentric portions of the range of motion. However, in the final few sets of each of these two exercises, you'll use concentric overload, by doing the curling part of the motion and letting your partner take the weight and hand it back to you to start again at the bottom. <br /><br />Standing Barbell Curl (Straight one workout/ EZ Curl in another workout) 4 x 8 (remember to perform slowly) <br /><br />Preacher Curl (EZ Curl - Inner grip and outer grip, alternating) 3 x 6 (no cheating with body - good form - slow) <br /><br />Finish off with 2 sets to failure of alternate dumbbell curls - 60% of max weight <br /><br />Rest: 2 minutes in between is correct if you are using heavy enough weight <br /><br />Week 2 - Standard Workout - Do a workout that is varied and has 3 exercises and a pull up. Use standard rep ranges and don't do more than 9 or 10 total sets <br /><br />Pull-ups - body weight only as warm up - 10 reps minimum with body, try to use biceps <br /><br />Barbell Curls - Wide and Narrow grip 3 x 8 <br /><br />Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10 <br /><br />Concentration Curls - seated 3 x 8 <br /><br />Rest: Take 1-2 minutes in between sets <br /><br />Week 3 - 21's, Drop sets, Super sets. This is the week of varied set scheme. Since the type of sets you do is important, it's crucial that you get a week of two workouts in where you are utilizing all of these techniques that you may just save for pre-contest workouts. You need to have a partner work with you in this week, as well as the first week. <br /><br />Standing Straight Bar Barbell Curls - Do 2 sets of 21's using moderate to heavy weight <br /><br />Standing Alternate DB Curls - 2 sets - Drop DB's to lighter within set to go to failure at the lowest weight <br /><br />Super Set: One armed (low or high pulley) cable curls/ Concentration curls - 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps each exercise. <br /><br />Rest: 2 minutes between 21's, 3 minutes between drop sets on dumbbells, no rest within superset, but 1 minute in between supersets. <br /><br />Week 4 - Cables only - all angles - this week. This accentuates both the eccentric and concentric portion of the range, and forces super control. Moderate weight and moderate reps earmark this week, but what is most important is the use of low cables and high cable attachments, as well as single arm exercises and double arm exercises. You must use these attachments: EZ Curl, Short straight bar, long straight bar, handle attachments <br /><br />High Cable One Armed Pulley (alternate arms for rest - successively - 3 x 10 each arm <br /><br />Low Cable Pulley Straight Bar from lowest attachment. Try to pull elbows high and use within that range, as well as pulling from bottom to mid-range in 3 x 10 <br /><br />EZ Curl High Cable - Top of range 3 x 8 <br /><br />Rest: No rest in alternating high cable one arm exercise, 2 minutes rest in all others in between. Set should take longer because you are accentuating the movements of each rep and still using moderate to heavy weight. <br /><br />Varying training is something all bodybuilders ought to be doing, but with limbs, such as arms and legs, this kind of variety isn't just random and haphazard, it actually nets results. Limbs require wicked pumps to grow. But wicked pumps don't just come from heavy training... they come from heavy training, light training that burns into failure, odd attachments, varied sets, eccentric vs. concentric work, or both, and varied rest times in relation to varied work ethic. <br /><br />Yours may not be to question why here, yours may be to just buckle down, give us a month, and we'll give you an inch on those stubborn biceps.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-49330171234760697522008-02-14T21:32:00.000+01:002008-02-14T21:33:05.945+01:00Experts give supplement adviceJust being in shape is not good enough for some people. Getting big and building muscle mass is their priority and they are always trying to find products to help achieve this goal.<br /><br />Leaving steroids alone, or perhaps leaving them for Major League Baseball, there is a myriad of pills, powders and products out there to help build muscle mass.<br /><br />In the end, what someone takes is an individual decision. However, experts agree that consulting with a physician and doing research on supplements are important first steps in deciding what to use.<br /><br />"The first thing you need to do is see your physician because it's on an individual basis," said Clint Stahler, co-owner of Max Muscle Sports Nutrition in the South Campus Gateway.<br /><br />Brian Dean, a senior in mechanical engineering, has tried several of these products, but he is still trying to figure out which are most effective, and most importantly, what is safe to take.<br /><br />"I take protein powder and Muscle Milk, but I stopped taking creatine freshman year," Dean said. "I couldn't rationalize the gains for the money."<br /><br />Creatine is one of the more controversial supplements, because of claims that it causes cancer. "If I heard creatine causes cancer it would be surprising, but not unbelievable," Dean said.<br /><br />A major criticism of these supplements is the fact most of them are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.<br /><br />"The FDA wants to regulate these products," said Jackie Buell, director of sports nutrition at Ohio State. "But these companies don't want to be regulated. It's simply politics."<br /><br />Stahler acknowledges that these products are not regulated by the FDA, but he is not worried. "The competition between suppliers is so fierce that the government does not need to police them," Stahler said. "The competition tests each other's products very rigorously."<br /><br />One example of a product that is very potent and has raised questions is the popular pre-workout supplement NO-Xplode.<br /><br />"Sure you might get a positive result for lifting, but you might also be increasing your blood pressure," Buell said. "Chances are there's always going to be a downside."<br /><br />"All the products that we carry are safe," Stahler said.<br /><br />In order to help inform its customers on the safety of its supplements, Max Muscle offers books, DVDs and other educational resources. Stahler used fast food as an analogy to the safety of creatine and other supplements.<br /><br />"Is McDonald's safe to eat? It depends on the individual person," Stahler said. "Unlike McDonald's, all of our products have labels."<br /><br />Aside from safety, do the supplements really do what they claim?<br /><br />"Honestly, these products probably provide minimal gain," Dean said.<br /><br />From a scientific standpoint, Buell isn't convinced either.<br /><br />"Does it work for the masses? If it did we'd have more research proving it," Buell said.<br /><br />Dean and Buell agree that although the products might help build muscle mass, a sufficient amount of sleep is extremely important.<br /><br />"The only way you're going to respond to pills and supplements is with a healthy diet and a good night's sleep," Buell said.<br /><br />"I'm not anti-supplements," Buell said. "But use your brain. Don't follow someone else's advice blindly."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-57259822446949684802008-02-12T21:03:00.000+01:002008-02-12T21:04:46.923+01:00The Best and Worst Abdominal ExercisesIf you dream of tightening your tummy but dread doing endless sets of sit-ups, then California researchers have good news for you. The classic sit-up, they say, is not the best answer for stronger, flatter abdominals.<br /><br />A study led by Peter Francis, Ph.D., at the biomechanics lab at San Diego State University put different abdominal exercises to the test and found that not all are created equal.<br /><br />The traditional sit-up - or crunch - fell close to the bottom in a ranking of the ab exercises.<br /><br />"The sit-up is ineffective," Francis says. Typically, he says, people do sit-ups by lying with their back on the floor, with their legs straight or knees bent. Then, they sit all the way up, relying on their hips and less on their abdominals. Not only is a sit-up ineffective but it can strain the back, Francis adds.<br /><br />Perhaps another surprise finding was that despite the advertising hype, some abdominal exercise equipment tested, including the Torso Track and Ab Roller, either were no more effective or only marginally more effective than a regular crunch you can do at no cost.<br /><br />"You don't have to spend $150 on a piece of exercise equipment to strengthen your abs," Francis says.<br /><br />Tummy-tightening comparison<br /><br />The San Diego study, sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), compared 13 of the most common abdominal exercises, some involving equipment, and ranked them from most to least effective. The study included 30 healthy men and women, ages 20 to 45, who were either occasional or daily exercisers. Each was put through a battery of exercises, including the traditional crunch, modified crunches, partial body-weight exercises and exercises using both home and gym exercise equipment. Muscle activity was monitored during each exercise using electromyography equipment.<br /><br />Each of the 13 exercises was ranked for muscle stimulation in the rectus abdominus (the long, flat muscle extending the length of the front of the abdomen) and the obliques (the long, flat muscles extending along the sides of the abdomen at an angle).<br /><br />The top three abdominal exercises were:<br /><br />Bicycle maneuver. To do this exercise, you lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breathe evenly throughout the exercise.<br /><br />Captain's chair. This was one of the few on the "most effective" list that involves gym equipment. To do the exercise, stabilize your upper body by gripping the handholds and lightly pressing your lower back against the back pad of the chair-like equipment. The starting position begins with you holding your body up and legs dangling below. Now slowly lift your knees in toward your chest. The motion should be controlled and deliberate as you bring your knees up and return them back to the starting position.<br /><br />If you do not have access to a captain's chair, Francis says you can improvise by hanging from a bar, although that may be difficult for many people who aren't in shape.<br /><br />Crunch on exercise ball. A high-quality exercise ball, which costs about $30 depending on the size, is needed to do this exercise. Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Let the ball roll back slowly. Now lie back on the ball until your thighs and torso are parallel with the floor. Cross your arms over your chest and slightly tuck your chin in toward your chest. Contract your abdominals raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees. For better balance, spread your feet wider apart. To work the oblique muscles, make the exercise less stable by moving your feet closer together. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.<br /><br />If you do a crunch, researchers found you are better off doing a vertical crunch (which ranked number four on the list of most effective ab exercises for the rectus abdominus) or a reverse crunch (which ranked number three for strengthening the obliques).<br /><br />"These crunches don't put as much stress on your back," Francis says, as a traditional sit-up type crunch.<br /><br />To do a vertical crunch: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands behind your head for support. Extend your legs straight up in the air, crossed at the ankles with a slight bend in the knee. Contract your abdominal muscles by lifting your torso toward your knees. Make sure to keep your chin off your chest with each contraction. Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position.<br /><br />To do a reverse crunch: Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head or extend them out flat to your sides - whatever feels most comfortable. Crossing your feet at the ankles, lift your feet off the ground to the point where your knees create a 90-degree angle. Once in this position, press your lower back on the floor as you contract your abdominal muscles. Your hips will slightly rotate and your legs will reach toward the ceiling with each contraction. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.<br /><br />Abs need regular workout<br /><br />Unlike strength training, Francis says abdominal exercises should be done frequently rather than for intense periods. "Abdominal strength isn't the same as working on big muscles with large resistance," he says. Instead, what's needed is "endurance training for the abdominals."<br /><br />Five minutes a day of abdominal exercises can make a difference if you do it regularly.<br /><br />If one exercise feels uncomfortable or is too difficult, then Francis says try others. The captain's chair exercise, for example, might be too stressful for someone who has low back pain or is out of shape.<br /><br />However, strengthening the abs can actually help maintain good posture and alleviate lower back pain, Francis says. As with any fitness program, though, check with your doctor first before starting abdominal exercises.<br /><br />While the best ab exercises can help you reach a goal of a flatter, tighter tummy, Francis cautions, too, that they are only part of the equation. Diet is another part.<br /><br />While the best ab exercises can help you reach a goal of a tighter tummy, it will not necessarily make the stomach "flatter". For a healthy-looking mid section, a combination of ab work, proper diet, and regular aerobic exercise is the most effective strategy.<br /><br />"You can have the tightest abs on earth, but if you have 10 pounds of lard covering them up, you won't see that," Francis says.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-86018516517643708112008-02-09T14:48:00.000+01:002008-02-09T14:49:34.689+01:00Natural Bodybuilding Contest Preparation Course Scores 100%Moorabbin, Victoria, Feb 08,2008--Tony DiCostanzo of Long Island, New York, has become the first male student to gain a perfect 100% score of the Natural Bodybuilding Contest Preparation certificate course run by the International Academy of Physique Conditioning (IAPC) - http://iapc.us It is the world's first bodybuilding contest preparation certification course, and teaches insider secrets on how to win a Natural Bodybuilding Show.<br /><br />Over 400 students from around the world have successful completed the course since it was released just over 2 years ago. Tony is the first male student ever to complete the certification exam with a perfect score.<br /><br />Says Tony… "The information packed into this course is invaluable. Having been a lifelong bodybuilder myself and having already produced champion competitors, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. After completing this certification course I recommend it highly not only for competitors, but also for trainers and all those wanting a deeper and richer knowledge of contest preparation. This course can save competitors and trainers years of unnecessary “hit or miss” type regimens and protocols. Everything from mindset, nutrition, diet and training… through to supplementation and posing -- it’s all detailed and laid out comprehensively, yet explicitly. This course is one of a kind and a must read for the competitor and/or trainer"<br /><br />The renowned course fills a gaping hole in the fitness and bodybuilding industry for a specific contest preparation certification. The comprehensive bodybuilding course comprises of 22 lessons bound in a 345 page printed manual, and was created by Wayne McDonald BASc President INBA (International Natural Bodybuilding Association) and Richard Hargreaves, Mr Australia. The course is done via home study, so it can be completed anywhere in the world…and comes complete with official IAPC certification at the end.<br /><br />The Natural Bodybuilding Contest Prep Course is for all types of physique competitors; male and female bodybuilders, Ms Figure competitors, SportsModels and Bikini Style competitors.<br />Lessons cover… Psychology of winning, training methods, nutrition and diet, body types, ergogenic aids and supplementation, posing to win, manipulation of fluids, minerals and carbohydrates, 20 point checklist for contest day, long distance travelling. Plus tanning, oiling, grooming, posing costume, rules, judging criteria, drug testing, stage presence, symmetry, muscularity, posing to music…plus much more…<br /><br />Tony is the founder and head trainer of www.Dreambodies.net Body Transformation Systems, which is an Elite Worldwide Online personal training program that incorporates fat-melting dietary protocols, goal-specific exercise regimens, unlimited coaching and mind-motivational conditioning. Tony is a Certified Professional Fitness trainer (NFPT-CPT) and Certified Sports Hypnotist (NESTA) who ensures that each and every client receives unparalleled individual attention. Holistic in nature and unique in service, DreamBodies caters to Bodybuilders, figure competitors and athletes of all genres. The holistic approach of goal-centered mind conditioning along with results-driven exercise and nutrition applications empowers clients with the direction and tools to achieve their peak condition and absolute best body.<br /><br />As a limited time special offer, those who purchase the Bodybuilding Contest Preparation Course this month will also get a concise yet informative 44 page guide on Sports Injuries, complete with illustrations…plus the IAPC Nutritional Food composition table suite CD, valued at $297, absolutely FREE. Use the Food Suite CD to quickly find high protein foods, low carbohydrate foods, low fat foods, low calorie foods…foods high in potassium or zinc or sodium. In fact whatever it is you need to know about food composition…you'll find the answer here. Over 2300 pages…with an inbuilt search engine. 83 comprehensive tables in all…with a database of 6040 foods will enable you to select nutrient compositions for all of them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-53106458583016656162008-02-07T18:14:00.000+01:002008-02-07T18:15:29.716+01:00To Burn Fat, Try The Deadlift!While this article will not instruct you how to perform a deadlift, it will make you very much aware of adding this powerful exercise to your arsenal, for effective fat-burning results! <br /><br />The deadlift is quite possibly the biggest 'muscle working exercise' on the face of this planet. It engages pretty much every muscle in your body and therefore burns a large amount of energy into the bargain. What's more, it will send your metabolism sky rocketing after training, forcing you to burn a high number of calories between sessions. If you need to lose fat, THIS is the exercise to embrace! <br /><br />Deadlifts are feared by many, but embraced by those that appreciate its power. There really is no reason to fear this exercise. For complete beginners, results can be achieved with minimal weight, simply by focusing on technique. As you become confident with the movement you can begin to add more weight to your bar or your dumbbells, and be assured that you are working your body in a time-effective manner that gives you good results. <br /><br />The deadlift loads your spine, forcing your core muscles to engage and work hard. Too many people spend too long fixating on their abdominals and not nearly enough time working their spinal muscles. The beauty of the deadlift is that it works both - together. <br /><br />This core loading will make your spinal support muscles stronger and do a lot to prevent or even start to cure lower back pain, provided that your technique is good. What's more, deadlifts will teach you the correct way to pick up heavy objects from the ground without 'doing your back in'. So you see, deadlifts are not just reserved for bodybuilders and powerlifters. They're are very useful for everyday living too. <br /><br />Finally, deadlifts are a great way of instilling good posture into our 'desk-bound' lifestyles. They force your body to use muscles that desk-sitting cause to weaken. Some of the biggest muscles in your body - the glutes (buttocks), hamstrings (back of the thighs) and upper back muscles - all come into play with this exercise, the very muscles you need to be strong to hold your body up straight. <br /><br />So, if you want effective fat burning and all-over body strengthening, embrace the deadlift with both hands and bring your fat burning to a new high!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-84950285421067718682008-02-02T22:22:00.000+01:002008-02-02T22:49:41.321+01:00Bodybuildings Most Effective Creatine Formula<div class="hft-lines"><br />Every bodybuilder is familiar with creatine. It most certainly is by far the most popular of bodybuilding supplements of the past few years. Originally only available as creatine monohydrate, it worked well for most bodybuilders.<br /><br />The main drawback for a lot of bodybuilders was that it often resulted in intestinal distress and diarrhea because it sat in the intestines, pulling in water. This problem would subside in some bodybuilders over time, but it was a problem nonetheless. Another drawback of the creatine monohydrate form of creatine is the amount of carbohydrates needed to induce the muscles to absorb it. This is due to the fact that insulin is required to stimulate the creatine transporter in muscle cells. It requires approximately 100 g of simple carbs for every 5 g of creatine. This amount of carbohydrates taken before and sometimes after a workout often leads to stomach bloat, not to mention unnecessary sugar calories.<br /><br />Better forms of creatine have hit the market over the past few years in order to address some of these issues, as well as increase absorption and its overall muscle building effects. Some of these products are creatine malate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine methyl ester, and buffered creatine.<br /><br />Creatine AKG (creatine alpha-ketoglutarate) is the newest formulation available. This is produced by binding AKG and creatine molecules together. This is the same AKG that is used in the nitric oxide formulas (arginine AKG).<br /><br />Alpha-Ketoglutarate is a precursor of glutamine, which means that with this supplement you are getting both glutamine and creatine. The key benefit, however, is that the intestines more easily absorb AKG, which will prevent the diarrhea that most bodybuilders experience when they take creatine monohydrate.<br /><br />Another huge benefit of the creatine AKG, is that AKG readily crosses into muscle tissue without creatine transporters, which means that you no longer need to take in 100 g of carbohydrates with your creatine!<br /><br />Creatine and AKG is also used in the Krebs Cycle, which is an aerobic energy-producing pathway. The Krebs cycle is used to replenish levels of quick energy within the muscle cells in between workout sets. Since creatine provides quick energy for completing more reps, and AKG helps restore energy levels between sets, the combination of the two is an extremely effective way to keep your energy and strength levels high during your workout.<br /><br />Furthermore, since creatine AKG is absorbed more efficiently into the muscle tissue, you don't need to take quite as much as you would with creatine monohydrate.<br /><br />I recommend using a creatine AKG product that contains 2-5 grams creatine in each serving. Take a serving before and after your workouts, and for additional benefits, add a serving at night and first thing in the morning.<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-1775842351826926";<br />/* 468x15, stvoreno 2008.02.02 */<br />google_ad_slot = "7171544460";<br />google_ad_width = 468;<br />google_ad_height = 15;<br />//--><br /></script><br /><script <br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-17169301819668112802008-02-02T22:21:00.001+01:002008-02-02T22:52:16.499+01:00Great Body. Pity About the Rest.<div class="hft-lines"><br />This might seem like an unlikely discussion coming from a bloke who has spent the best part of his (working) life owning and running gyms and helping people create their best body, but working along side thousands of people for a quarter of a century (good grief) has taught me many (many, many) lessons and reinforced many pre-existing beliefs. Lessons that some people desperately need to learn.<br /><br />This message might also seem ironic coming from a bloke who was, for a while there, obsessed with building his own freaky body. I was young and dumb. Forgive me.<br /><br />It's a good thing that we have the capacity to learn, adapt and change.<br /><br />Some of what I've learned... <br /><br />Myth: When I get in shape, everything will be okay, or at the very least, much better.<br /><br />Truth: An amazing body doesn't equal an amazing life.<br /><br />As a rule, what we look like has little or no correlation to happiness, fulfilment or the absence of problems. The media won't tell you that, but I will. Being in shape physically doesn't mean that you are emotionally or psychologically healthy. In fact, the majority of people who invest a disproportionate amount of time into their body and their appearance often have significant emotional and psychological issues (in my experience).<br /><br />Myth: When I lose this weight, my self esteem will improve and I won't have the same confidence issues.<br /><br />Truth: Not Necessarily. Some 'beautiful' people are the most insecure because their sense of self-worth and identity comes entirely from their looks... and we all know looks are temporary.<br /><br />Myth: Losing weight will 'fix' my unhealthy relationship with my partner.<br /><br />Truth: Nup. It may help a little, but your problems with your partner extend way beyond your butt, your gut and your bodyfat.<br /><br />Myth: I will be satisfied when I reach (insert desired weight).<br /><br />Reality: Ain't gonna happen. Often. Most people are forever moving the goal posts.<br /><br />"Only ten more pounds... then I'll be happy."<br /><br />"Okay... just five more."<br /><br />Myth: Getting in shape is essentially a physical process.<br /><br />Reality: Getting in shape (that is creating forever physical change) is more of an emotional and psychological journey than anything else. The physical change is a consequence of that journey. If we don't change emotionally and psychologically, we will never create lasting physical change. If the fitness industry understood this and operated from this paradigm, we would consistently see much better outcomes. <br /><br />Myth: Body = Identity.<br /><br />Reality: As I've shared before "my body is not who I am, it's just where I live." It's how I get around! I am an emotional, cerebral, spiritual and physical being.<br /><br />Myth: My mindset and attitude will change when I lose the weight.<br /><br />Reality: I will lose the weight when my mindset and attitude change.<br /><br />Myth: Pretty = attractive. <br /><br />Reality: Some people who may not fit the stereotypical 'pretty' mould (guys and girls) are incredibly attractive. And some of the 'prettiest' people are actually quite ugly. You know what I mean.<br /><br />And so...<br /><br />Working hard to be in good physical shape is a good thing; a healthy goal. But not when it's to the exclusion of developing 'all' of us. Not when it distracts us from who we really are, who we might become and what we might achieve beyond a six-pack and some perfect teeth. And not when it turns us into unbalanced, self-absorbed, insecure obsessives.<br /><br />We are multi-dimensional, wonderful, amazing, complex creatures; not one-dimensional bodies. We are much more than a bunch of muscles, bones, fat, organs and facial features. Much more than an image. More than something to look at. If success, significance, influence or happiness was dependant on being physically attractive, I'd be one very unsuccessful, insignificant, miserable puppy!<br /><br />Over the years I have watched many people turn a healthy endeavour (getting in shape) into an unhealthy, even destructive obsession and I have never met one single person who is obsessed with their appearance... and happy. Not one in all the thousands. <br /><br />There's a lesson.<br /><br /><br /></div><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-1775842351826926";<br />/* 468x15, stvoreno 2008.02.02 */<br />google_ad_slot = "7171544460";<br />google_ad_width = 468;<br />google_ad_height = 15;<br />//--><br /></script><br /><script <br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-24837831460619291992008-02-02T22:13:00.000+01:002008-02-02T22:14:29.380+01:00Get The Body You Want Now<div class="hft-lines"><br />Are you ashamed of your fat ugly body? Irritated by the way people laugh at you? Frustrated that you can’t fit into your favorite clothes?<br /><br />Many people feel that way because of obesity and this common health problem is affecting their confidence and self-esteem.<br /><br />Don’t be another statistic. You can fight obesity with a little common sense. Believe it or not, you can easily lose weight if you really want too. Here are 10 simple steps that will help you shed off those extra pounds and give you a new and healthier body.<br /><br />Eat a well-balanced breakfast and lunch, and a light meal in the evening.<br /><br />Skip all high-calorie foods between meals. Bigger snacks mean bigger slacks. Eat only at regular sit-down meals. Avoid the temptation to eat wherever you go.<br /><br />Increase your intake of green leafy vegetables that are filling and not fattening. Use fruits for desserts. <br /><br />Avoid high-calorie beverages like soft drinks, sweetened juices, alcohol, etc., especially between meals.<br /><br />Decrease your intake of refined foods. Most commercially prepared foods are high in refined sugars, refined fats and salt. Avoid rich gravies, sauces, salad dressings, pastries, snack foods, sugary cereals, and fast foods.<br /><br />Exercise regularly. Plan an exercise program that you can perform for at least 45 minutes to an hour for 4-5 days a week.<br /><br />Use mostly skim or low-fat milk, cheese, and sherbet instead of whole fat dairy products.<br /><br />Meat is not the most healthful food because it is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. It doesn’t contain fiber or complex carbohydrates that are good for the body. Choose fish and fowl over red meat. If you prefer red meat, select lean cuts and bake or broil them instead of frying. Limit your intake to once or twice a week.<br /><br />Practice moderation in what you eat or drink to maintain your ideal weight.<br /><br />To enhance your exercise and diet program, use Zylorin. This natural weight loss supplement will energize your workouts and speed up your metabolism for maximum fat loss. For details, visit <a class="hft-urls" href="http://www.zylorin.com/">http://www.zylorin.com</a>.<br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-44474587294379235722008-01-20T12:59:00.000+01:002008-01-20T13:00:05.200+01:00<p class="post-footer-linepost-footer-line-1"><span class="item-controlblog-adminpid-736305129"><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=7286820774768600514&postID=2364244495775570631" title="Edit Post"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" class="icon-action" shapes="_x0000_i1025" border="0" height="18" width="18" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></span></p> <p><b>Professional bodybuilding</b></p> <p>In the modern bodybuilding industry "Professional" generally means a bodybuilder who has won qualifying completions as an amateur and has earned a 'pro card' from the IFBB. Professionals earn the right to compete in sanctioned competitions including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Classic" title="Arnold Classic">Arnold Classic</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_Champions" title="Night of Champions">Night of Champions</a>. Placings at such competitions in turn earn them the right to compete at the Mr. Olympia; the title is considered to be the highest accolade in the professional bodybuilding field.</p> <p><b>Natural bodybuilding</b></p> <p>In natural contests bodybuilders are routinely tested for illegal substances and are banned for any violations from future contests. Testing can be done on urine samples, but in many cases a less expensive polygraph (lie detector) test is performed instead. What qualifies as an "illegal" substance, in the sense that it is prohibited by regulatory bodies, varies between natural federations, and does not necessarily include only substances that are illegal under the laws of the relevant jurisdiction. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroids" title="Anabolic steroids">Anabolic steroids</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohormone" title="Prohormone">Prohormone</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diuretic" title="Diuretic">Diuretics</a> are generally banned in natural organizations. Natural bodybuilding organizations include NANBF (North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation), and the NPA (Natural physique association). Natural bodybuilders assert that their method is more focused on competition and a healthy lifestyle than other forms of bodybuilding.</p> <p><b>Teenage bodybuilding</b></p> <p>Bodybuilding also has many competition categories for young entrants. Many current professional bodybuilders started weight training during their teenage years. Bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Priest" title="Lee Priest">Lee Priest</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Cutler_%28bodybuilder%29" title="Jay Cutler (bodybuilder)">Jay Cutler</a> all started competing when they were teenagers. Today many teenagers compete in bodybuilding competitions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg" title="A female Bodybuilder lifting"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="A female Bodybuilder lifting" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg" title=""A female Bodybuilder lifting"" style="'width:135pt;height:90pt'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Danijel/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg/180px-Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg" alt="A female Bodybuilder lifting" class="thumbimage" shapes="_x0000_i1026" border="0" height="120" width="180" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg" title="Enlarge"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lyen_wong_wiki.jpg" title=""Enlarge"" style="'width:15pt;height:11.25pt'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Danijel/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image003.png" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image004.gif" shapes="_x0000_i1027" border="0" height="15" width="20" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A female Bodybuilder lifting</p> <p><b>Female bodybuilding</b></p> <p>In the 1970s, women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions, and was extremely popular for a time. More than ever women are training with weights for exercise purposes with desire for a more attractive body and to prevent bone loss.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodybuilding#_note-1" title="">[4]</a></sup> Many women however still fear that weight training will make them "bulky" and believe weight training is only for men. However strength training has many benefits for women including increased bone mass and prevention of bone loss as well as increased muscle strength and balance.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodybuilding#_note-2" title="">[5]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodybuilding#_note-he_Associated_Press_July_20.2C_2006" title="">[6]</a></sup> In recent years, the related areas of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitness_and_figure_competition" title="Fitness and figure competition">fitness and figure competition</a> have gained in popularity, providing an alternative for women who choose not to develop the level of muscularity necessary for bodybuilding. The first Ms. Olympia contest in 1980, won by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_McLish" title="Rachel McLish">Rachel McLish</a>, would resemble closely what is thought of today as a fitness and figure competition.</p> <p class="post-footer-linepost-footer-line-1"><span class="post-authorvcard">Objavio </span><span class="fn">daniel</span><span class="post-authorvcard"> </span><span class="post-timestamp">u <a href="http://bodystuffs.blogspot.com/2008/01/professional-bodybuilding-in-modern.html" title="permanent link">4:12 AM</a> </span><span class="post-comment-link"><a href="comment.g?blogID=7286820774768600514&postID=7933006578640359546">0 komentari</a> </span><span class="item-controlblog-adminpid-736305129"><a href="post-edit.g?blogID=7286820774768600514&postID=7933006578640359546" title="Edit Post"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=7286820774768600514&postID=7933006578640359546" title=""Edit Post"" style="'width:13.5pt;height:13.5pt'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Danijel/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" href="http://www.blogger.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" class="icon-action" shapes="_x0000_i1028" border="0" height="18" width="18" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></span></p> <p><b>Bodybuilding</b> is the process of maximizing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_hypertrophy" title="Muscle hypertrophy">muscle hypertrophy</a> through the combination of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_training" title="Weight training">weight training</a>, sufficient <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie" title="Calorie">caloric</a> intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. As a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport" title="Sport">sport</a>, called <i>competitive bodybuilding</i>, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge" title="Judge">judges</a>, who assign points based on their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesthetic" title="Aesthetic">aesthetic</a> appearance. The muscles are revealed through a combination of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adipose_tissue" title="Adipose tissue">fat</a> loss, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil" title="Oil">oils</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tan" title="Tan">tanning</a> (or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanning_lotion" title="Tanning lotion">tanning lotions</a>) which combined with lighting make the definition of the muscle group more distinct. Famous bodybuilders include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Schwarzenegger" title="Arnold Schwarzenegger">Arnold Schwarzenegger</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorian_Yates" title="Dorian Yates">Dorian Yates</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Ferrigno" title="Lou Ferrigno">Lou Ferrigno</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Columbu" title="Franco Columbu">Franco Columbu</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zane" title="Frank Zane">Frank Zane</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Haney" title="Lee Haney">Lee Haney</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Coleman" title="Ronnie Coleman">Ronnie Coleman</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Cutler_%28bodybuilder%29" title="Jay Cutler (bodybuilder)">Jay Cutler</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-60601596552538101852008-01-12T13:20:00.001+01:002008-01-12T13:20:38.107+01:00<h4 id="post-29"><a href="http://www.creatine.com/en/news/2007/03/01/what-are-the-benefits-of-creatine-for-women/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: What are the benefits of Creatine for women?">What are the benefits of Creatine for women?</a></h4> <div class="post-image"> <img class="post-image" src="http://www.creatine.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/woman_side_bend.gif" title="What are the benefits of Creatine for women?" alt="What are the benefits of Creatine for women?" /> </div> <p><span style="font-family:arial ;">So far we have seen how creatine can enrich the physical well-being of the general athlete and the elderly, but we have not discussed its benefits for the female population in particular. Of course, creatine will help boost energy levels in the female athlete the same as it does with their male counterparts. However,by aiding the production of muscle mass, creatine will help female athletes add the muscle they need to improve their performance.Women generally have a more difficult time trying to gain muscle size and strength than men do. Creatine will help women see results in strength much quicker. It is a well documented fact that carrying more muscle causes the body to burn more calories…even during rest. Women that use creatine and add some additional muscle to their frame will burn more calories and body fat throughout the day. </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-74151256496053392382008-01-12T13:18:00.000+01:002008-01-12T13:19:01.729+01:00<h4 id="post-16"><a href="http://www.creatine.com/en/news/2007/03/05/guarana-extract/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link: How does Creatine stimulate muscle growth?">How does Creatine stimulate muscle growth?</a></h4> <div class="post-image"> <img class="post-image" src="http://www.creatine.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/blog11.jpg" title="blog11.jpg" alt="blog11.jpg" /> </div> <p><span style="font-family:arial;">Although creatine’s role in the energy production process is its most notable trait, there is evidence that creatine can stimulate muscle growth. It does this in a couple of different ways. By allowing you to perform more work as a result of additional energy, increased protein synthesis is stimulated. Secondly, when an abundance of creatine phosphate is stored n the muscle, the muscle will hold more water in its cells and become what is known as “volumized” or “super-hydrated.” The more volumized a muscle is, it will promote the synthesis of protein as well as deter the breakdown of protein. Volumizing the muscle will also create an environment where an increased level of Glycogen synthesis will take place. Increased protein synthesis along with training will lead to muscle growth. There is also scientific evidence that shows supplementation with creatine causes muscle tears to repair themselves quicker. </span> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-42445933084357808812008-01-10T17:20:00.000+01:002008-02-02T22:53:03.221+01:00<h1><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-Fast">How to Lose Weight Fast</a></h1> <p>Want to slim down fast for that <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Beach-Trip" title="Prepare for a Beach Trip">beach vacation</a> or high school reunion? While there are many things you can do to shed pounds, losing weight too quickly, like any sudden change to your body, can be dangerous. While fad diets, diet pills, and fasting may indeed induce rapid weight loss, these methods can cause you to lose muscle and may also injure your heart and other organs fairly quickly. The best solution? Don't go for an overnight miracle. Instead, follow these steps to lose fat rapidly, healthily, and sustainably.</p> <h2><span class="editsection1">[<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Lose-Weight-Fast&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Steps">edit</a>]</span> Steps</h2> <ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b>Determine your daily calorie intake .</b> Losing weight is simply a matter of expending more calories than you take in, through exercise and your daily activities. Exercise alone won't make you lose weight if you're still taking in more calories than you burn. However, eating less and exercising more will only decrease your resting metabolic rate, which accounts for roughly 60-80 percent of daily calorie expenditure. Therefore you should exercise harder and eat more protein dense, clean foods; making your calories burned not too far off from your calories taken in will raise your metabolism and allow you to burn fat effortlessly.</li><ul type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Write down all the things you eat on a typical day.</b> Carry a small notebook with you and write down every snack, every drink, and the contents of every meal.There are also great websites that you can use to keep track of calories, get recipes, and help achieve your goal. Don't forget to include the pats of butter or the spoonful of sugar in your coffee. It's best to do this for at least a couple weekdays and a weekend; it's even better if you can go a full week. There are also calorie tracking websites that can help you to do this, for example the US government website, <a href="http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/" title="http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/">My Pyramid Tracker</a>.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Do an itemized calorie count.</b> When possible, write down the number of calories in each thing you eat as you eat it. Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat. Look up the calorie count on the internet for foods that don't have calories listed on the container or for fast food meals. You don't have to be 100% accurate, but you do want a good estimate of the number of calories you're taking in. In general, to maintain your weight, you need to multiply your weight (in pounds) by 10. So for example, 200 pounds X 10 = 2000 calories per day. Reducing 500 calories per day can help you lose a pound of fat per week.<sup><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-Fast#_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup></li></ul><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Go over the list and decide which foods to cut out or reduce.</b> Cutting calories is usually a lot easier than you might think. For example, that daily tall latte in the morning may pack 500 calories. Since a pound of flab (lost or gained) is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, replacing that rich beverage with black <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Perk-Coffee" title="Perk Coffee">coffee</a> can help you lose a pound a week. Other easy cuts include <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Miso-Dressing" title="Make Miso Dressing">salad dressing</a> (salad dressing is the number one source of fat in the average American woman's diet) <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Brew-Your-Own-Soda-Pop" title="Brew Your Own Soda Pop">soda pop</a>, <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Rock-Candy" title="Make Rock Candy">candy</a>, and <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Butter-by-Whipping" title="Make Butter by Whipping">butter</a>. Look at the nutritional information for the foods you eat, pay special attention to your intake of saturated fats and empty calories (high-sugar foods). You don't need to cut these things out entirely, but if you reduce your intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods you'll lose weight faster.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b>Seek out alternatives to the unhealthy foods you've identified.</b> You can simply reduce the amount of soda you drink or mayonnaise you put on your sandwiches, or you can substitute healthier choices. <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Drink-More-Water-Everyday" title="Drink More Water Everyday">Drink water</a> instead of soda, for example, or use <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Mustard-from-Scratch" title="Make Mustard from Scratch">mustard</a> instead of mayo. Low-fat and low-calorie options are also available for most foods, and many of these are natural, (although some are made with strange chemicals), and tasty.</li><ul type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Choose lean meats.</b> <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Carve-a-Chicken" title="Carve a Chicken">Chicken</a> and <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Grill-Fish" title="Grill Fish">fish</a> are both very low in fat (and certain fish like <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Grill-Salmon" title="Grill Salmon">salmon</a>, sardines, and fresh <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Tuna-Casserole" title="Make a Tuna Casserole">tuna</a> are an excellent source of antioxidants, which are also beneficial to your health), so aim to replace some or all of the beef or pork in your diet with these foods.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives.</b> Many people get a ton of calories from side dishes such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, or potato salad. You can eat healthier and lose weight by replacing these with <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Fresh-Vegetables-Fresher-Longer" title="Keep Fresh Vegetables Fresher Longer">fresh vegetables</a> and salads. Pre-made salads are practically effortless, and when accompanied by a reduced-calorie dressing or no dressing at all, they're weight-loss gold.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Start your days off right.</b> A fattening <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Feel-Like-Eating-Breakfast-First-Thing-in-the-Morning" title="Feel Like Eating Breakfast First Thing in the Morning">breakfast</a> of <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Bacon-in-the-Microwave" title="Cook Bacon in the Microwave">bacon</a> and <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Boil-Eggs" title="Boil Eggs">eggs</a> or a <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Puff-Pastry" title="Make Puff Pastry">pastry</a> can be replaced with <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Yogurt" title="Make Yogurt">yogurt</a>, <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Oatmeal" title="Make Oatmeal">oatmeal</a>, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals; or fresh <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Fruit-Bouquet" title="Make a Fruit Bouquet">fruit</a> or fruit <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Different-Kinds-of-Smoothies" title="Make Different Kinds of Smoothies">smoothies</a>. However, for those on a low carb diet bacon and eggs are a great combo for breakfast, since neither have carbs. But don't fall into the trap of skipping breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your rest metabolic rate earlier in the day, and reduces snacking before lunch.</li></ul><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Enjoy-a-Home-Cooked-Meal" title="Enjoy a Home Cooked Meal">Plan your meals.</a></b> Look for healthy, delicious meals online or in your cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make sure that your meal plan reduces your total calorie intake: you're not going to lose weight if you consume the same amount of calories by eating different foods. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and -- except for a few snacks, of course -- don't stray from your list when you get to the market. Planning your meals helps ensure you get a balanced diet and reduces the temptation to stop off for fast food or order a pizza. Remember, it's easier to stick to your shopping list if you shop when you aren't hungry.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Watch your portion sizes.</b> Opening a bag of rice cakes and eating all of them in one sitting isn't going to help you lose weight. When eating chips, nuts, or dried fruit put a portion in a small bowl and then put the bag away. That way you won't mindlessly eat a larger portion than you had intended. Even if you only make minimal changes to your diet choices, reducing portion size will inevitably reduce caloric intake. A great way to watch portion sizes while snacking is to buy one serving 100 calorie packages - and they come in many favorite snack food items!</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Healthy-Snacks" title="Choose Healthy Snacks">Graze on healthy snacks.</a></b> Just because you're getting healthy doesn't mean you can't snack. In fact, eating small meals and snacks throughout the day, or <i>grazing</i>, has been shown to aid weight loss, (compared to eating three large meals a day), by keeping metabolism steadier. Pick snacks that are low in calories and fat and high in fiber (dried apricots, <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Nuts-from-Their-Skin" title="Remove Nuts from Their Skin">nuts</a>, rice cakes, fruits, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and so on). Vegetables are generally very low in calories, very high in fiber, and full of flavor and nutrition. Avoid starchy vegetables like <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Irish-Mashed-Potatoes" title="Make Irish Mashed Potatoes">potatoes</a>, and try to eat vegetables plain, without fatty dressings or dips. Fruit also makes a good snack. Fruit contains more soluble fiber than vegetables, which slows your body's absorption of carbohydrates, thus releasing energy more slowly, (preventing sugar highs), and keeping you feeling full longer. Fruit juices are not a replacement for the real thing. You need that fiber, and juices often have more calories than the equivalent serving of fruit -- as many calories as soda! Be careful with dried fruits, because without the water, you tend to eat more, and fruits, when dried, are calorie-rich per ounce. With any dry or dried food, be sure to drink plenty of water.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Get more fiber.</b> There are many myths about fiber, but there is science to back up its helpful role in the diet. Fiber keeps the right amount of water in your intestines, making your digestive system work more efficiently and helping to keep you regular. Thus, just eating enough fiber may help you feel slimmer in just a day or so. There is also evidence that fiber in the diet can help prevent stroke and heart disease, ease the effects of diabetes, and may even directly help in weight loss.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Drink-More-Water-Everyday" title="Drink More Water Everyday">Drink plenty of water.</a></b> Adequate water is essential for health, and a great many people simply don't get enough. What's more, if you're chronically dehydrated, your body will retain water in unflattering places, so if you make sure to get plenty of fluids you can start visibly trimming down in as little as a day. Remember, the more you exercise, the more water you'll need. See the related wikiHow for more details on how much water you should be getting.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Start-Walking-for-Exercise" title="Start Walking for Exercise">Exercise</a>.</b> Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Perform high-level aerobic activities.</b> Moderate aerobic workouts incorporating jogging, brisk walking, cycling, aerobic machines, or classes not only burn calories -- they also keep your heart healthy. Swimming is also great, especially if you are quite overweight or have joint problems, because you can get the same benefits of running -- typically burning even more calories -- with much less stress on your joints. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three or four days per week.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Pump some iron.</b> Resistance training, (weight training), can help both sexes stay lean by building muscle and raising metabolism. The fact is, hours and hours of aerobic exercise won't help most people lose weight fast because your metabolism drops back to normal fairly quickly after stopping the exercise. If you gain muscle, however, your body's resting metabolism, (the amount of calories you burn when you're just sitting still), increases, because muscle requires a lot of calories to maintain. Studies have shown consistent weight training to raise the body's metabolism by 15%. This means an average woman might burn 200-300 more calories at rest every day! Resistance training is the gift that keeps on giving! Although, keep in mind that muscle mass weighs more than fat (don't be surprised if you gain weight but look slimmer).</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Sleep-Better" title="Sleep Better">Rest properly.</a></b> This means not only taking at least 24-48 hours between strength training the same muscles, (and taking 1-2 days off from exercising each week); it also means <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Know-How-Much-Sleep-You-Need" title="Know How Much Sleep You Need">getting enough sleep at night</a>, since sleep deficiency impairs your ability to lose fat.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Be realistic.</b> Don't expect a miracle. Healthy weight loss can be achieved fairly quickly, but you'll need to be patient. In addition, be sure to set realistic goals. Make sure that the weight you're trying to reach is a healthy weight for you, and keeping in mind that gaining pounds of muscle will help you lose fat, be trimmer, and look better even though you don't actually lose any weight. Your goal should be a healthy body, not a number of pounds!</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Make adjustments.</b> A successful weight loss strategy based on reducing calorie intake and increasing activity can be adjusted to maintain your desired weight once you reach it. Unlike typical diets, this method is sustainable -- it is a lifestyle change, not a binge-and-purge exercise. Slowly adjust your diet and exercise to include more weight training and calories, as much as is comfortable <i>for you</i>. If you do gain any weight back, you want that weight to be lean, toned muscle, not fat. In addition, weight training, no matter what your age, prevents muscle atrophy and can help stave off osteoporosisis.</li></ol> <p><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p> <h2><span class="editsection1">[<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Lose-Weight-Fast&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Tips">edit</a>]</span> Tips</h2> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">It's very good to do a <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Draw-Blood" title="Draw Blood">blood test</a> before you begin your new diet and exercise regimen. Some people may not need to lose a lot of weight, but they may need to lower the blood sugar level slightly. You can also check for mineral deficiencies.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">The goal is to <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Fat-With-Weights" title="Lose Fat With Weights">lose fat</a>, not just weight in general. If you are doing strength training during your weight loss (which you should be), you might actually see an initial gain in weight -- don't worry! You have probably lost fat and gained muscle, which is denser than fat and is much healthier. </li><ul type="circle"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">A better measurement than what a scale reads is body fat percent. If you don't have access to calipers or a body fat scale, a better gauge is how your clothes fit and how you look rather than your absolute weight. If you can, though, it is good to measure your body fat about once per month. Men should be between 15%-25%, but no lower than 4%; and women 20%-30%, but no lower than 15%. Females have higher fat percentage due to pregnancy and menstrual requirements.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Generally, you want to - with a combination of calorie reduction and increased activity - reduce and burn a certain number of calories a day, causing a net loss of calories so your body is forced to use its own stores of fat. How much aerobic exercise you need to perform depends on what you eat, how fast you'd like to lose weight, and how much muscle you gain. A pound of fat contains 3500 calories. Men can safely lose around two pounds a week, and women can safely lose around one pound a week. Any more than this and you might be losing more muscle mass than fat. Thus, with a combination of calorie restriction and aerobic exercise, a man should aim to run a 3500-7000 calorie deficit each week, and women should aim for a 1750-3500 calorie deficit.</li></ul><li class="MsoNormal" style="">With regard to weights, men and women differ on their goals with weight training. Women, don't worry, no amount of weight training will make you as bulky as a man; women just don't have enough testosterone to build large muscles. The female bodybuilders you see are either taking steroids or training 2-3 hours every day. Male and female beginners should start with 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, and should use the heaviest weight you can while still maintaining good form, even to the last repetition of the last set. Get a weight training book or find a reputable website that will show you different exercises and the correct form. When lifting properly, you will stretch the muscle during the exercise, but you should still stretch properly to prevent injury!</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">No matter what the magazine article says, spot improving is a myth! When your body burns fat, it takes it from all over your body, even if all you do are crunches. No amount of crunches will get rid of that gut if they are not backed up by proper aerobic exercise and diet! Washboard abs do not come from millions of sit ups; they come from having low levels of body fat. So if that is your goal, make sure you do plenty of aerobic exercise in addition to your ab routine.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Sugar comes in many disguises. Check your food labels: fructose, glucose, molasses, and corn syrup are all sugars. Limit all sugars, but especially stay away from high-fructose corn syrup. It is just a corn syrup full of sugar. Choosing foods without it will help you reach your weight loss goals faster.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Remember your body needs 'fuel' just like a car needs 'fuel'. Your body needs the 'right' kinds of food to lose weight effectively.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Don't taunt yourself by not letting yourself eat the occasional snack that you're craving. Just make sure you burn it off later with exercise</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Despite popular belief it is not terrible to eat after 6 p.m. A reasonable dinner (with extra protein if you've had a good weight training session) is going to help deliver nutrients to the body to prepare it for the next day. Additionally if you find yourself very hungry before bed, a small bowl of high fiber cereal and low fat milk will actually help maintain your metabolism while you sleep. The key is to not overeat in the evenings.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Take a multivitamin. While it is better to always get your nutrients from your food, most people miss something in their diet, especially when they're trying to cut calories. Vitamins and minerals play an important role in keeping your body chemistry balanced and your energy levels healthy.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">If you find yourself missing some of your favorite foods, don't worry. There is no harm in having your treat once a week. Pick a day each week where you treat yourself to your guilty pleasure--remember, everything in moderation. If it's pizza, try going to a gourmet pizza place that will use better ingredients and fresher vegetables. If it's a Big Mac, try making your own. A homemade burger is generally much healthier than the food they serve in fast food restaurants. Electric grills that are slanted to allow most of the fat to slide off make nice, lean burgers.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Save some calories for potassium and protein for after you work out, this will help reduce soreness. (A banana and an egg does the trick.)</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Do not forget to <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Stretch" title="Stretch">stretch</a>. Stretching can help increase your strength and flexibility.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Try to keep off weight gainer powder shakes if you want to lose weight. Fat can easily be turned into energy for your muscles so no need to use weight gainer.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Stay off of weight loss pills or shakes if you really want to keep those pounds off.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Take losing weight slow, keep a healthy diet but don't push it too hard.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Cut down on your sodium. Many prepared foods have as much as 30% of your daily value. You get your daily requirement of sodium from a healthy diet; too much can cause you to retain water weight.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Don't get upset at yourself if you don't lose the weight at first, because you have to keep trying.</li></ul> <p><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p> <h2><span class="editsection1">[<a href="http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Lose-Weight-Fast&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Warnings">edit</a>]</span> Warnings</h2> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Do not try to starve yourself.</b> In the short run, reducing your calorie intake to unhealthily low levels will slow metabolism and actually cause you to lose weight more slowly. Then your body cannot process potassium so when you DO eat again, (the alternative to dying,) you will gain much more weight than you would if you weren't starving yourself and overall, you may end up gaining more than you lost. In the long run, starving yourself (anorexia or bulimia) can kill you.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">When creating a weight lifting routine, do not focus on a single muscle or group, doing so will overbuild that muscle while under building others - in other words, if you work your biceps, and not your triceps, your arms will begin to curl inward and you will look silly. If you work your chest and not your back, you will have a hard time maintaining good posture as your pectoral muscles overpower your back muscles and pull your shoulders forward.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">If you have a serious medical condition (such as asthma or diabetes, or allergy to protein such as dairy products or you have lactose intolerance) or you are severely obese, consult with your doctor as well as a dietitian.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Do not take any harmful drugs. They are unhealthy and may ultimately make you gain weight instead.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Carefully consider whether you need dietary supplements. Most people can get the mineral and nutrients they need through eating food, For example, the multivitamin supplements can make you overdose in other vitamins you need, and you can't store most water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C as excess will be urinated. But just because you are under the recommended value don't always mean you are deficient in it. So only use supplements when the doctor and dietitian says you need to.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Losing weight too quickly is dangerous and can have adverse effects on your health.</b> Despite the title of this article, getting into shape is best done slowly. If you find yourself losing more than a pound or 2 (or more than 500g)each week, you are probably doing something wrong.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Be regular in your sleeping habits.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Talk to physician/nutritionist if you are starting something major, even if it's a change for the better, because dramatic changes can affect one's body negatively if not balanced out.</li></ul> <p><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-1775842351826926";<br />/* 468x15, stvoreno 2008.02.02 */<br />google_ad_slot = "7171544460";<br />google_ad_width = 468;<br />google_ad_height = 15;<br />//--><br /></script><br /><script <br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type="text/javascript"><br /></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286820774768600514.post-21255735035676158012008-01-05T13:51:00.000+01:002008-01-05T13:52:57.607+01:00<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kapseln.JPG" title="Many supplements come in capsule form."><span style="text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Many supplements come in capsule form." href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kapseln.JPG" title=""Many supplements come in capsule form."" style="'width:135pt;height:129pt'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Danijel/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Kapseln.JPG/180px-Kapseln.JPG"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" alt="Many supplements come in capsule form." class="thumbimage" shapes="_x0000_i1025" border="0" height="172" width="180" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kapseln.JPG" title="Enlarge"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Kapseln.JPG" title=""Enlarge"" style="'width:11.25pt;height:8.25pt'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Danijel/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image002.gif" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Danijel/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image002.gif" shapes="_x0000_i1026" border="0" height="11" width="15" /><!--[endif]--></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many supplements come in capsule form.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For other uses, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_supplement" title="Dietary supplement">Dietary supplement</a>.</p> <p><b>Bodybuilding supplements</b> are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substances" title="Substances">substances</a> taken by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletes" title="Athletes">athletes</a> involved in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_training" title="Weight training">weight training</a> or other sports to aid in the building of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle" title="Muscle">muscle</a> mass or aid fat loss. Bodybuilding supplements may also be used to improve sports performance and improve recovery from events and training. One important distinction exists in many weight training groups between supplements and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroids" title="Anabolic steroids">anabolic steroids</a>. There is a common misconception among non-supplement-users that supplementation for muscle-building purposes is the same as steroid use or, at the very least, leads to steroid use. However, this charge is often challenged by supplement users on the grounds that supplements do not mean to change natural hormone levels (primarily those of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testosterone" title="Testosterone">testosterone</a>) beyond natural limits, while <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolic_steroids" title="Anabolic steroids">anabolic steroids</a> do.</p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also, a distinction is sometimes drawn between dietary and exercise supplements, while this method of classification is not followed by all those who use supplements. If a distinction does exist, dietary supplements are often defined as those supplements that aim to give the body more of the nutrients that it ought to get from diet, but isn't for whatever reason. Protein, meal replacement and amino acids (in smaller quantities) based supplements are usually considered to be dietary supplements. Exercise supplements, however, involve raising a particular nutrient level far beyond what is typically consumed by a human for the explicit purpose of experiencing a positive side effect when combined with weight training. Creatine is a good example of an exercise supplement in that, while it is found in the body naturally, users typically ingest far more than is usually needed in order to saturate their muscles and achieve a much greater muscle gaining benefit.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0