CELEBRATING YOU

 

 

Many people begin the fitness journey by hating themselves, and this leads to unhealthy or downright dangerous health and fitness habits. Walk into a gym and you're likely to see people  going through the motions of training in ways that are detrimental to their health, all for the purpose of looking like someone else.

 

The fitness journey isn't only about being thinner, bigger, stronger or fitter; it's about discovering who you really are inside. When you get into the gym, discard any preconceptions you hold about your appearance (indeed, the mind often makes us look far worse than we really look). Focus on the workout at hand, crank out as many sets as possible, and Go home happy and fulfilled.

 

Remember, it's a lifelong marathon, not a sprint.

 

 

 

 

 

TEN TOP FAT LOSS ERRORS

1. You focus too much on exercise and forget nutrition. The workout is not nearly as important as proper nutrition.

 

2. You don't eat enough.

3. You think you can outtrain a bad diet.

4. You think that the more you exercise, the better.

5. You actually believe you can lose 14 kg in 4 weeks

6. You believe fat converts into muscle, and you fail to plan to build muscle.

 

7. You spend hours on the cardio machine.

8. You forget that fitness is more than losing fat.

9. You fail to congratulate yourself for the small successes

10. You don't read LegallyMuscled

DOES A WORKOUT GIVE YOU A BAD HAIR DAY?

 

Apparently it does. and it's worse for women of African origin.

 

A study conducted by the Center for African American Health and the University of Colorado School of Medicine's Center for Women's Health Research finds that African American women whose hairstyle is affected by perspiration may avoid physical activity altogether. Prior studies have found that between 29 percent and 48 percent of African American women say that their hairstyle was a factor in deciding whether or not to exercise. Some women involved in the study who experience hairstyle barriers to physical activity explained that it can take too much time or money to restyle their hair after exercise that causes perspiration.

 

Hair issues may be reduced by using "low-maintenance" hairstyles such as wearing braids or ponytails. Researchers are looking for ways to reduce the effects of pespiration on the hair.

 

 

 

 

9 MYTHS ABOUT FEMALE SELF DEFENCE

Myth #6 Women who survive are fearless.
The first effect in any violent situation is emotion, and the most common one is fear. When a man steps in front of you holding a knife, your adrenaline starts pumping and your heart beats faster. These are reactions that can't be avoided—nor should they be. It's the fight-or-flight survival instinct that allows you to focus on beating your enemy or getting the hell out of there.

 

Many people fear they will freeze up or act irrationally. When you know how to respond, you'll still feel a certain amount of fear that you could be hurt, or that you're about to cause harm to another human being, but that will be tempered with confidence.

 

Myth #7 Focus on blocking his attacks.
Many self-protection classes teach you to react to an attacker's actions. This defensive thinking can make you hesitate ("What is he going to do to me?"), lose focus (waiting to get hurt makes most people freeze), and ultimately be one step behind the attacker. In a threatening situation, don't worry about what he's doing; make him worry about what you're doing.

 

Myth #8 Try to back away from your attacker.
In life-threatening conflict, if you're not injuring someone, you're getting injured. Backing up or attempting to counter his "technique" with another technique (as is typically taught in self-defense classes) only gets you in more trouble: Your body is a lot better at going forward than it is at going backward; for every two feet you move backward, he can move forward three feet.

 

Myth #9 Hit as often and as quickly as possible.
Punching and kicking are akin to slapping an attacker around. If you're in danger, you need to throw all your weight into a single target, or "strike." Imagine you're facing a giant predator and you have a big sack full of rocks. Throw a single rock and "ouch!" is the only reaction you're likely to get. But swing the entire sack at him, hitting him in the head, and he'll be out cold. That's the difference between punching and striking.

Ward off Alzheimer's by keeping your body & brain in shape

By Kimberly Garrison, Daily News Personal Fitness Columnist

 

A NEW STUDY has delivered compelling evidence that diet, exercise and other prescription-free interventions are the best way to ward off Alzheimer's disease.

 

Alzheimer's is perhaps the most dreadful of modern diseases: It steals your mind, your personality and your very soul. And once you have it, there is no turning back.

 

On a personal note, I have seen firsthand the slow, devastating effects of this awful disease on a loved one, as well as the family members.

 

So, my ears really perked up when I heard about the groundbreaking study that was presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference. It demonstrated that after only two years, individuals at risk for the disease who made dramatic lifestyle changes showed significant improvements.

 

According to the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability study, lifestyle behaviors like exercise, a healthy diet and friendships staved off the cognitive declines that are common to Alzheimer's.

The two-year randomized study assessed more than 1,200 individuals at risk for Alzheimer's. While the control group received typical medical advice, the lifestyle makeover participants received extensive dietary, exercise, cognitive and social training, as well as training in management of metabolic and vascular risks.

The results of the lifestyle participants was nothing less than stunning and delivered benefits that no technology or medication to date can trump.

Here are some of the simple, though clearly impactful treatments:

* Nutritional counseling sessions with a focus on consuming more fruits, vegetables and fish.

* Initially, emphasis on weight training one to two times a week and cardiovascular training two to four times a week. Ultimately, participants were encouraged to continue with strength training and ramp up cardiovascular training to five to six days per week.

* Throughout the study, various cognitive training exercises were also provided to participants.

So, since there is no medical treatment to cure Alzheimer's once it occurs, prevention is our only hope. Lucky for us, prevention may be as near as the kitchen, the gym and woven into our personal relationships.

 

LEAN MUSCLE DIET: EAT LIKE AN OLYMPIAN

 

It's no secret that your fitness is directly tied to what you eat. A lean muscle diet consists of quality protein, carbs and essential fats. Protein is used to repair muscle fibers that have been broken down during workouts, carbs are used for energy and essential fats are used to boost testosterone levels. Testosterone is a muscle-building hormone.

 

Here are some foods that support the development of strong, lean, muscle mass.

 

Spinach

 

There is some truth behind Popeye’s love for the green stuff, despite the fact that it decreases to about 1/8 of its original size when it’s cooked. Spinach is a great source of amino acids and glutamine, essential nutrients for the growth of lean muscle.

Beef

 

You can’t go wrong with a good bit of beef. It might have become fairly expensive in recent years but it’s an important lean-muscle building food due to its sky-high protein, zinc, B vitamins and iron content.

 

 

 

Apples

 

It might come as a surprise to many, but apples help to prevent muscle fatigue and increase muscle strength due to the specific polyphenols that they contain. Recent research has also suggested that apples speed up the fat burning process, making them an ideal pre-workout snack.

 

 

Sweet potatoes

 

Although they are full of carbs, sweet potatoes are great for building lean muscle. The carbs contained in sweet potatoes keep your glucose stable, a key element in burning fat and preserving muscle. They are a unique carb that actually aid weight loss due to their high fibre content, but they actually keep you fuller for longer than most other starchy vegetables.

 

 

 

Eggs

 

Often described as ‘the perfect protein’, eggs are your best friend when it comes to boosting lean muscle growth and strength gains, but this isn’t just down to the protein alone; the cholesterol found in the yolk is also a contributing factor.