The Cancer Benefits Of Green Tea

What are the health benefits of green tea?

Green tea has been used for centuries, especially in Asian culture, as a health remedy and prevention of many adverse health conditions.  Research continues to find new health benefits of green tea, and some research has solidified the “proof” of green tea’s ancient supposed remedies.  Here are some new and old health benefits of green tea.

Cancer Prevention and Treatment

According to a 2004 Harvard Health Publication, green tea consumption has an association with reducing risk of various cancers.  Green tea and cancer prevention probably has the highest amount of research for any health benefit with green tea.  However, research results with green tea and cancer prevention/treatment have mixed results.

Green tea contains catechins, which is the compound known for cancer fighting benefits.  They are anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), according to a 2005 article from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Angiogenesis is a normal process in the body, but it is also needed for cancer growth.  Catechins can fight off cancer by stopping new blood vessels from being formed that are needed for the cancer cells.

Antioxidants in green tea can protect body cells from DNA damage.  If DNA gets damaged, it may be susceptible to proliferation as seen in cancer.

How much green tea is needed for potential cancer prevention?  

Because of the variances from types of green tea, preparation and bioavailability of compounds (like catechins), it is not known exactly if and how much green tea can affect cancer prevention or treatment.

Also, some research studies use test tubes or animal models, which make the application of their outcome with green tea and cancer impossible to translate to humans.

Until more research is clarified, there appears to be no harm for drinking green tea in terms of cancer prevention and only possible benefits.

Do Weight Loss Supplements Work?

The supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and there are many weight loss supplements to choose from.  However, most weight loss supplements don’t stack up for long term, successful weight loss.

Sometimes researchers find a promising new compound that supplement companies jump onto as the new wonder fat loss pill.  However, before falling for any fat loss claims, it is important to look carefully at the research and results.

Here are some popular fat loss supplements and some of the research behind the fat loss claims.

Fiber Supplements

One of fiber’s many health benefits is that it delays gastric emptying.  It can help you feel fuller longer which can help regulate appetite through the day.  High fiber diets are usually encouraged for weight loss because of this.

Fiber supplements may help with weight loss.  According to a 2011 article from International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, when a fiber supplement was given to overweight Chinese men, they lost significantly more weight and had less hunger compared to a control group.

A 2010 study using a fiber supplement concluded this supplement also significantly improved insulin resistance in overweight Chinese men compared to the placebo group.

A word of caution with fiber supplements: don’t overdo it.  You can get too much fiber which could cause cramping, diarrhea or an intestinal block.  Also, remember to increase your fluid intake whenever you increase fiber intake, whether from supplements or food.

Women under 50 years should aim for about 25 gm of fiber per day, and men under 50 years should aim for about 38 gm of fiber per day.

Will taking a fiber supplement help you lose weight?  Maybe, but so could eating a fiber rich diet.

Natural sources of fiber include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts/seeds.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

CLA is a type of fat found in small amounts in dairy and grass fed beef.  Some recent research studies have shown that CLA given as a supplement can help mice shed fat.  Does this mean it does the same in humans?  Studies with CLA and humans have mixed results, and the exact mechanism for how CLA works is not clearly understood.

According to a 2012 review article in European Journal of Nutrition, researchers concluded that CLA as a supplement in humans did not have significant, meaningful effect on weight loss.  Some studies have indicated weight loss with CLA with high doses, around 3gm per day.  However, not all studies have shown a benefit with CLA.  If you take a weight loss supplement with CLA in it, it does not mean you will automatically lose weight.

Sometimes supplements will have CLA listed in the ingredients, but the amount is so small it will not have a noticeable effect.  Some people may have adverse effects from CLA supplement like diarrhea or constipation.

Green Tea

Green tea is a popular weight loss aid and can be found as an ingredient in weight loss supplements.  Green tea contains caffeine and catechins, both which may have a stimulating effect on metabolism.  Green tea as a supplement will usually have higher amounts of caffeine and catechins in it compared to drinking prepared green tea.

A meta-analysis review from TM Jurgens et al. in 2012 concluded that green tea supplements did not significantly impact weight loss efforts compared to those who did not take green tea weight loss supplements.

Researchers reviewed weight loss studies using green tea supplements and lasting at least 12 weeks in duration. 

Green Coffee Extract

Green coffee extract has recently gained popularity for being the new “it” weight loss supplement.  According to a 2012 research article from Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, green coffee extract had a significant impact on lowering body weight, body mass index and percent body fat in obese subjects.

However, the dose of the green coffee extract ranged from 700-1050 mg of green coffee extract, and previous studies used a dose around 200 mg of green coffee extract.  Previous studies with green coffee extract have not shown as drastic weight loss, probably because of the discrepancy in dosage.

Subjects in this study were taking either a placebo, low dose or high dose of green coffee extract supplement for 6 weeks.  Then there was a 2 week washout period, followed by a repeat of either a placebo or dose of green coffee extract.  Subjects were randomized to the order of supplements and was a double blind controlled study.

More research needs to be done for varying dosages of green coffee extract and longevity of weight loss results.  Supplement companies may claim to use green coffee extract, but may only use a small dose or a different product than ones used in research studies.

Conclusion

Take caution whenever taking supplements, and research how much is needed for a weight loss effect.  Talk to a medical professional before taking a supplement, especially if you are on any medication.

Can I really Lose 10 Pounds In 2 Weeks?

The short answer to this question is yes; it is possible to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.  However, there are many factors that go into weight loss.  If you want to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, there are 2 main areas to hit: food intake and exercise.  Other factors that affect weight are hormone levels, sleep and metabolic rate.

To lose this amount of weight in a short time takes hard work and dedication.  It may not be feasible for everyone, but it could be possible.

There are many gimmicks and quick fix fad diets that promise drastic weight loss results in short time frame.  While you may experience weight loss of 10 pounds in 2 weeks, more than likely the weight will come back.

Here are some tips for losing weight quick. 

The number basics

A pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories.  If you want to lose 10 pounds, that is 35,000 calories to lose from your body in 2 weeks.

In order to lose 5 pounds in 1 week, you need to be in a calorie deficit every week of 17,500 calories (5 pounds: 3,500 x 5 = 17,500 calories).  That turns into a deficit of 2,500 calories per day (17,500 calories / 7).

In order to be in that much of a calorie deficit, you can cut your calorie intake and/or increase your calorie expenditure.  Cutting 2,500 calories every day would basically mean starving yourself, which is not the healthiest, most sustainable approach.

What do you eat when trying to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks?

It’s important to eat high nutrient foods anytime, but also when trying to lose weight.  Focus on filling up with fruits vegetables, lean proteins and some whole grains.  These foods are high in fiber and protein which helps leave you full longer and can help lower calorie intake throughout the day.

Fuel up with these foods when losing weight or invest in quality supplements from reputable companies which offer pre-packaged meal replacements or fiber supplements.  Your body needs antioxidants, B vitamins and minerals, and real food will best supply these to your body.  Cut out processed foods and sugary drinks when wanting to lose weight.

It’s also important to stay hydrated when losing weight.  Drink enough water so that your urine is clear to pale yellow.

Avoid the temptation to starve yourself for 2 weeks.  Lowering your calorie intake too far (like below 1,200-1,000 calories) will drastically lower your metabolism.  This could lower the rate of calorie burn and fat loss. 

Exercise

Besides food intake, the other most important aspect for losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks is exercise.  Your calorie burn has to dramatically increase to drop fat mass.  There are many ways to exercise, but optimal calorie burn and fat loss combination of cardio plus interval training may be best.

Focus on incorporating cardiovascular exercise like running, biking, swimming, etc. plus some resistance training 2-3 times per week.  Aim for a moderate intensity for cardiovascular exercise; you should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising.  Add in higher intensity exercise a few times per week if desired.

Resistance training will keep your muscle mass up while cutting back food intake plus increase calorie burn.  Cardio exercise will give you a high calorie burn and increase fat burn.

Remember, you need to be roughly in a 2,500 calorie deficit every day.  Exercise length will vary individually, but a good place to start is 1-2 hours of exercise per day.


Dwight Obey, Independent AdvoCare Distributor

Caution

Before taking any weight loss supplements, talk to a physician.  It may be possible to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, but it will take a lot of hard work and dedication.

You should talk to a doctor before increasing exercise if you have a history of heart disease, on medication for heart issues, joint problems, have chest pain or have had dizzy spells.

Never Give Up On Your Weight Loss Journey (WLJ)

Never Give Up, Never, Never Give Up, Never Ever Give Up, Never Give UP!  That’s right, the secret key to losing weight is not a new fad diet, it’s not a new medication, it’s not a gimmick supplement, it is A STATE OF MIND!

Let’s face it. You tried to lost weight in the past, and you failed. So what! The key is what do you do now. Do you give up, or do you start again. Anyone and everyone who has successfully lost weight and kept it off had failed in the past. However, the reason they were finally able to lose the weight, was because they never gave up.

I know how hard and frustrating it can be, but never give up. If you have a bad day and eat a bunch fatting junk, so what, forget about it. Just do not give up, never.

Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Just start a new day and never give up.  If you tried to lose weight, and did not work, try something different Like AdvoCare.

JUST NEVER GIVE UP!

“Have you ever considered the cost of quitting? For real eye opener…ask Thomas Edison...Steve Jobs…Michael Jordan…or Sylvester Stalone. Ask them how much it would have cost them if they had quit. What about you?”

Dwight Obey, Independent AdvoCare Distributor

Being Overweight......

Being overweight or obese is becoming more and more common in today's society. Although the media inundates us with possible solutions, there are no simple answers. 

By visiting 1st N Weight Loss you will find all the information you need to educate yourself and find out what is right for you, so you can start losing weight now.

Benefits

• Why lose weight? Here are the benefits of weight loss.

Dieting

• Who should you believe? Get the all the information you need to decide which diet is best for you. Fact or Fiction? Find out how to determine what is true or not.

Resources

• All you need to know about pedometers, and you can buy one and weight loss books too.

Psychology

• There can often be mental barriers to losing weight.

Exercise

• Exercise should be an important part of any weight loss program.

.....and much , much more!

Clean Eating...What is is?

Clean eating is the best described as removing all processed, artificial foods from your diet and focusing on healthy, whole, unprocessed foods. Your body is from nature, bring it back to nature and reap the rewards of eating clean, like living a longer, healthier life, have great glowing skin and hair, fast weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.

You wouldn’t feed your pet bird cardboard, would you? No, you would feed them nuts and seeds just like the natural food they have in the wild. It’s time to start thinking of yourself as the bird, feed yourself what humans found and grew in the wild hundreds and thousands of years ago, not “frankenfood” made in a laboratory.

How to Eat Clean

The best way to understand and implement Step 1 is to skip the boxed, pre-made foods, and shop the perimeter of the grocery store. By shopping just the perimeter of the grocery store you’ll pick up organic fruits and veggies, lean protein from the butcher and freshly baked bread from the store bakery. You’re only buying fresh food. Of course this is more metaphor than rule. Organic pasta, rice and beans are usually found in isles as well are organic whole wheat flour and spices. Be sure to choose these ingredients in the purest forms, pick up the organic brown rice, not the box of rice mixture with the spices. The only ingredient on the label should be “brown rice.”

You can have your chocolate, but instead of the “sugar free” chocolate candies that are full of artificial sweeteners, have a square of all natural dark chocolate (Chocolate Recipes). As for cheese, choose sharp cheese, you can use less and get the same cheesy goodness, thus saving calories (Cheese Recipes).

Eat More Fat Burning Foods

Fat burning foods are a staple in the weight loss plan. We make small swaps to recipes to turn them into metabolism boosting foods. For instance, swapping out buttermilk for almond milk in a pancake recipe can cut calories and add natural fat burners to your diet.

Little changes in recipes and your diet can make a big difference in your weight loss success. 

Top Foods that Burn Fat:

• Hot Peppers
• Green Tea and Coffee
• Whole Grains, Quinoa and Oats
• Grapefruit and other Citrus Fruits
• Lean Poultry and Fish
• Beans and Lentils
• Berries
• Apples
• Almonds, Almond milk and Almond butter
• Eggs
• Greek Yogurt
• Spinach and Broccoli

Fat burning ingredients can be added to many recipes. Just keep in mind that organic food will have more nutrition and therefor more metabolism boosting nutrition.

Raw foods also have more nutrition, so a salad with raw spinach will have more fat burning properties than cooked spinach would, so whenever possible have these fat burning foods raw.

Step #2: Plan your meals and log what you eat and drink.

I realize this sounds like homework, would it help if we called it studying instead?

By planning your meals and logging what you eat and drink, you will start memorizing how many calories are in your favorite meals and ingredients. Best of all you will learn your own eating habits and cravings, so over time you can better plan your meals to suit your cravings. After a couple weeks if you see you consistently have a 3:00 pm craving for carbs, you can head off that craving in advance with a skinny sandwich at lunch. Or, a sweet craving at 10:00 am can be managed with a sweet oatmeal breakfast.

So as tedious as this one step might seem,  it is an important step for both weight loss and maintenance later on and it holds everything together. Having a meal plan helps you manage plateaus while keeping you motivated. In the long run you’ve studied for your new healthy lifestyle and for your new figure. It makes it easier to maintain your weight loss diet when you have done the studying. So don’t skip this step, you’re studying for the most important test of your life… your health.

Meal Plan

By making a meal plan to lose weight, you are setting yourself up for weight loss success. Have you ever become extra motivated to exercise after a purchase of a new yoga mat, or running shoes? Making a meal plan is motivational in the same way.

If you sit down and take the time to plan out your meals you are more likely to stick to it, because you took the time to do it. You’ll find it’s easier to stay on plan knowing you have a yummy meal coming up later today, and you’ll be less likely to splurge knowing you have a plan to follow.

How Many Calories Should I Plan to Eat?

Since we are talking about setting a meal plan, we need to talk about how many calories you should plan to eat. If your goal is to lose weight, all you need to know is your goal weight. The equation is easy; add a zero to the end of your goal weight to find your daily calorie goal. Just be sure not to go under 1200 calories per day as this will send your metabolism into preservation mode, which may cause your body to hold onto weight instead of releasing it.

Say your goal weight is 135 pounds, your daily calorie intake should be 1350 calories.

Don’t fret if this seems difficult, below is an example of a super filling 1200 Calorie Diet Plan, just add on snacks to increase your calories.

Step #3: Move your body more.

Weight loss is 70% what you eat and 30% exercise. Many people often think exercise is more important in weight loss and they disregard the healthy diet part. That is why Step #3 is to move more. You don’t have to train for a marathon to lose weight, however exercise will speed up the process and, perhaps more importantly, tone your body.

Many people ask me what to do about extra skin, or loose skin, after weight loss and the answer is always “that’s what exercise is for.” If all you can do is a 20 minute yoga video after the kids go down for their nap, or a walk with the dog after work, find a way to make the most of it. And whenever possible increase the time you exercise, if even by 5 minutes.

How to Lose Weight Without Exercise

So what happens when you can’t exercise? There are many people with health and physical difficulties who can’t exercise in the traditional way. For those people, I assure you that you can still lose weight. Like I said above, weight loss is 70% what you eat and 30% exercise, so if you can’t exercise you have to be spot on with your diet plan to lose weight.

You also have to do your best to move your body more. That can mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator or even working extra hard at physical therapy. Do as much as you can, follow the other 3 steps and you will see the weight melt off.

Step #4: Drink a gallon of water a day.

Water is key to losing weight. Besides tasting great, studies have proven that drinking water naturally boosts your metabolism along with many additional water health benefits. It fills you up, flushes your system and naturally increases metabolism.

How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight

At 1st N Weight Loss, we recommend you try to drink a gallon of water (3 ¾ liters) a day for weight loss. A gallon of water may seem like a lot, but it’s a good weight loss goal to strive for each day. By having 40 ounces of water in the morning, noon and night you will stay full and hydrated. The large amount of water helps increase your metabolism and flush your system, it’s a great aid to weight loss and an easy step that almost anyone can achieve. 

If you can’t get to a gallon, that’s OK. Start slow with 60 ounces per day and increase by an extra 10 ounces each day until you are at a full gallon. Here are some tips to help you drink more water.

Women And Exercise

Dwight, 2000

In addition to stretching the muscles involved in cardiovascular exercise, you need to stretch each specific muscle you train in a fitness program. When you stretch your muscles it helps to provide better physical performance, prevents injuries, and can help to improve your posture.When muscles are stretched, the elasticity in them improves which will help to increase your range of motion and improve the quality of your movements.

Never stretch a cold muscle; meaning you should always make sure your muscles are warm before stretching. It's usually better to do a more extensive stretch at the very end of your fitness program, but light stretching between exercises is fine. Stretching doesn't take a long time, and it shouldn't, but you do benefit tremendously from it. Stretch only after the muscle has been properly warmed-up. Again, the best time for a complete stretch is when your exercise session has been completed. By the time you have finished your specific weight lifting program, which will be about 35 - 45 minutes in length, your muscles will have warmed up as much as they can possibly get.

Remember any fitness program must always include a warm-up and proper stretching for maximum effectiveness and to prevent injury.When you do this you will indeed experience the terrific benefits a good weight training program will give you.

Exercise Selection:

For you to succeed in your over-all fitness plan you need to select at least one exercise for each major muscle group in your body. This will help to promote well-balanced muscle development.

Another important part of your over-all fitness plan is the order your exercises are performed. When doing a range of weightlifting exercises, it's better to start with the larger muscle groups then perform exercises for the smaller muscle groups. Performing your fitness program in this manner will allow you to be exercising at your best during the most demanding exercises when fatigue levels are the lowest and you feel fresh.

Another important area of exercise selection is the total number of sets per exercise and total number of sets per exercise session. A "set" as it relates to weight lifting is the number of successive repetitions of a single exercise performed in succession without stopping. Now the number of sets per exercise and per exercise session is really going to depend on exactly what your goals are. Always treat your very first set for each muscle group as a warm-up, as was discussed in the warm-up section above. Then the rest of your sets will be determined by whether or not you are using a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level fitness program and what your particular goals are.

Regardless of the number of sets performed, all sets and repetitions have to be done with proper exercise form and under complete control.

Exercise Form Or Technique

One thing that always seems to be missing in most fitness programs, and the most common and critical training mistake is exercise form or "technique." Too much weight usually results in poor form, which decreases your ability to get results and also increases the risk of injury.

Examples of poor form or technique include, but aren't limited too…

• Bouncing the bar off your chest when performing a chest press;
• Using your hips for momentum and over extending your back to initiate the bicep curls;
• Arching your back or bending backwards when performing a shoulder press during the resistance portion of your fitness session;
• Using momentum in any exercise;
• And training at a fast tempo.

Be aware of these types of mistakes and remove them.

The Benefit Of Exercise

Stretching:

Concentrates on improving flexibility. Stretching requires no fitness equipment. Types of stretching include Yoga and Pilates. Whether you decide to stretch before, after or during your exercise routine, there is no doubt that stretching should be included every time you exercise. It keeps your body agile while engaging in any type of resistance or cardio training routine.

Benefits of stretching:

1. improves flexibility
2. increases range of motion
3. promotes relaxation
4. improves performance and posture
5. reduces stress on your body and reduces risk of injury for any resistance training routines or athletic performance

Strength Training, Weight Training or Resistance Training:

Concentrates on improving muscles. Strength training or weight training may require you to lift free weights or use equipment that makes you lift weight. It may also be called resistance training because you are putting resistance on your muscles to improve them. In resistance training you may use tools like rings and tubes rather than weights. Some exercises also allow you to use your own body as resistance. For instance, abdominal crunches can be part of a strength or resistance training routine. Strength training should be included in an exercise routine.

The benefits of resistance and strength training:

1. helps you lose weight in two ways: improves your muscle
   mass and increases your energy expenditure, both make you to
   burn more calories.
2. helps you tone and look better even if you are not overweight.
3. gives you more strength and endurance
4. increases bone density
5. has cardiovascular benefits
6. may help reduce risks of injury in athletes

Cardiovascular or Aerobic Training:

Aimed at improving your heart muscle and cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular training or aerobic training may be accomplished in several ways and you don't need to spend any money. Walking, jogging, skipping rope, boxing, dancing, riding a bike - any of these qualify as aerobic exercise. Cardiovascular training should be an essential element of your
fitness routine.

Benefits of cardiovascular training:

1. strengthens your heart
2. helps you lose weight and reduce fat
3. increases your endurance

Interval Training or Anaerobic Training:

Aimed at improving aerobic endurance for athletes. Interval training is characterized by repetitions of heavy exercise with a recovery period following each repetition. For instance, you might sprint for 10 seconds and then follow that sprint with a two minute recovery jog. Then you repeat the sprint/jog routine for about 20 minutes. During the sprinting you are producing a state of oxygen debt. This can also be called anaerobic training because you are out of oxygen. Circuit training is also a form of interval training.

Benefits of Interval Training:

1. improves athletic endurance
2. strengthens the heart muscle
3. improves the lungs or the ability to take in oxygen

Cross Training:

Aimed at improving aerobic endurance, strength and flexibility in athletes. Can also help fight boredom for anyone who exercises. Type of training that requires you to do two or more types of exercise either within the same routine or in successive routines. For example, you may stretch every day for flexibility, lift weights two days a week for strength training, and ride a bike once a week
for aerobic endurance.

Circuit Training:

Type of interval training aimed at losing weight and inches. Circuit training has been made popular by places like Curves and Ladies Workout Express. In circuit training you have several pieces of strength training equipment interspersed with aerobic equipment like steps or jogging pads. It has all the benefits of both cardiovascular and strength training workouts.

Fitness Basics

Basic Fitness Principles

With the huge amount of information on different training methods out there, there is no consensus on which is the right way to go. Understanding the basic principles of training will help to understand the differences you will find among training programs.

Basic Principles

There are two simple acronyms for remembering the main principles of an effective training program.

SPORT

• Specificity - sport and individual needs
• Progression - start at your level and gradually increase
• Overload - work harder than normal
• Reversibly - train regularly
• Tedium - keep it interesting

FITT

• Frequency - how often
• Intensity - how hard
• Time - how long
• Type - what methods of training

Putting it into practice

Just about any training program will work to improve your fitness to some extent. If you perform a training program in which there is an increased load placed on the body, the body will adapt to the higher load, and you will be become stronger, faster and fitter. However, a program tailored specifically for you and your needs can maximize and accelerate the benefits to your health and fitness.

Work At Home Moms Can Stay Fit

Despite what many may think, working from home takes a lot of time and a lot of work. I'm sure you've heard someone say, "They don't really have a job, they just work from home." That statement couldn't be farther from the truth!

Running a home business takes almost all of your time. Therefore, many other things drop down on your priority list. Probably one of the first ones to drop is fitness.

When you have a never-ending to-do list, a house that never seems to get clean and family and/or friends who demand attention, it's understandable that exercise can take a back seat. But, it shouldn't.

Exercise offers so many important benefits that it should always be part of your weekly routine. Of course, we all know that exercise can help you stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great results of exercising? Daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better - two things that are especially beneficial to busy at-home workers and business owners. 


Fitness helps keep you healthy and has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis. If that still doesn't convince you to get moving, then keep in mind that exercise also improves self-esteem, increases stamina and ultimately helps you be able to do continuous work for longer. What more could you ask for?

1. Schedule time for working out. When you work at home it's so easy to work around the clock. To help avoid this think of yourself as having a traditional "office job". In most "office jobs" when you go home for the night you leave work behind and concentrate on personal things. Even though going home for you may simply be walking down the hall, you need to set boundaries in order to find time for you.

1. During working hours, take several 5-10 minute breaks and run up and down the stairs (or even just walk). This will also help rejuvenate your mind.

1. Sitting in front of a computer can be hard on your body, especially your posture. So, find a comfortable place where you can occasionally stand to do your computer work.

1. It's not necessary for you to find 30 continuous minutes for working out. You'll get just as much benefit if you break your exercise into small chunks. Try 10 minutes before you start work, 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes after work (re-read # 1 above if you just said you have no "after work" time).

1. If you don't won't to spend a lot of time in the kitchen but still want to eat healthy, cook large portion meals on the weekend that you can freeze. Then simply defrost and warm for dinners during the week. This saves you the time of having to make dinner and you don't have to compromise calories as you would if you instead opted for take-out.

1. One great advantage of working at home is that you can workout over your lunch hour while never leaving your office plus you don't have to pack your workout clothes and toiletries to take with you to work. This saves you travel time, which you can instead spend on grabbing a healthy bite to eat. And, if you don't have any face-to-face meetings scheduled, then you don't have to worry about looking perfect after your workout.

1. If you haven't already done so, invest in a good hands-free headset for your phone. This is a great way to multi-task because your hands are free to do other things while you concentrate on your conference call. You can even do some simple (but worthwhile) exercise moves. Some good choices are squats, tricep dips, lunges, wall push-ups, etc.

1. Keep healthy snacks available for when you need an energy boost or simply just need something to chew on to help you get through some tough work. Don't forget to keep water on hand and sip some all throughout your day.

1. Purchase an exercise stability ball. While there are dozens of great toning exercises you can do with the ball, it's also beneficial to simply sit on it. Try sitting on it instead of a chair for even short periods throughout your day. This will help build your core strength (your trunk area).

1. Don't forget the importance of stretching. Take a couple of minutes every hour to stand up and stretch your entire body.

It all sounds great, right? But you still don't think that you can find any time in your hectic schedule for staying in shape. Don't worry. There are a lot of creative ways to fit it in.

 Below are some tips to help you get started.

As you can see, exercise offers huge benefits even with just a small amount of effort. And if you have kids, by exercising you also set a great example. So, to help you, your business, and your family, it's time to stop making excuses and just start moving!

How To Workout At Home For Free

If you are like me, then you will probably know that using free weights and machines is the fastest and most efficient way there is to improve your metabolism and strength but for many reasons these may not be convenient or readily accessible to you.

You may also have no access to a commercial gym, home gym or are on business trip, but there can be a solution, a strength-training workout without the need of expensive machines.

As with any exercise, whether you are using your own body weight, machines or free weights, if the resistance doesn't increase, your muscles won't be worked to their maximum capacity and the stimulus these fibers need to grow will be missing.

Exercises done correctly will build the lean muscle and increase your metabolism in the same way as performing exercises at a gymnasium, but without the time constraints and associated costs.

These exercises can be easily done in a bedroom, hotel room, a park, school yard, ceiling rafters in a garage or in a doorway and all you have to do is use your imagination. There will always be a way to add more resistance to your workouts.

Please remember: It doesn't matter where you are working out — at home, a hotel, or a park — always warm up properly before beginning your session, and cool down and stretch when you are finished.

Leg Exercises

Squats

They build muscle in the thighs, shape the buttocks and improve endurance. Position your feet about 13 to 17 inches apart or at shoulder width, keeping the back straight and your head up. If you want you can use something that will give you some support, i.e. a desk, bookcase, sink etc.
Now squat down to where the tops of the thighs are parallel to the floor, hold for a second and then stand up, but don’t bounce at the bottom of the movement, use a nice fluid motion. Always exhale your breath as you stand up.

Lunges

Stand straight in correct posture; now stand with one leg forward and one leg back. Keeping your abdominal muscles tight and chest up, lower your upper body down, bending your leg (don't step out too far).
You should have about one to two feet between your feet at this stage, the further forward you step, and the more your gluteus and hamstring muscles will have to work.
Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond your toes as you come down and stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) then push directly back up. Do all your reps on one leg then switch legs and do all your reps on the other leg.

Back Exercises

Chin-ups

Chin-ups are a great upper body workout, particularly targeting your biceps, deltoid and lat muscles. Use a doorway chin-up bar, ceiling rafters in a garage or grab the moulding of your door frame, position your hands with an under hand grip and hang down stretching the lats, slowly raise your body until your chin reaches the bar level.


Pause a moment before slowly lowering yourself back to the starting position. Don’t swing or use momentum to get your body to the top, just use the target muscles. Doorway chinning bars remove from the doorway when you are not using them and can be put up and taken down in seconds.

Bent Over Row

Take up a position with your right hand and right knee braced on a sturdy bed or some other flat surface that will provide a good support. Now pick up a dumbbell or something heavy that you can hold onto with your left hand.


Visualize your arms as hooks and slowly bring the dumbbell or object up to the side of your chest, keeping your back straight, then lower the weight back down to arms length, no lower, on extremes, safe form only please. Concentrate on your back muscles. Reverse the whole procedure and do the exercise now with your right arm.

Chest Exercises

Push-Up

The push up is used for building chest, shoulders and arms. Lie face down on the floor with your hands about shoulder width apart and keeping your palms turned slightly inward. Now push-up until your arms are straight, lower and repeat for repetitions.

To make it more difficult elevate your feet. Try placing the toes of your feet on a stable, elevated surface such as a bench, chair or a stair. Straightening your body, position your hands on the floor at shoulder width, lower your body until your chest touches the floor at the bottom, and then return to the starting position in a nice fluid motion.

Dips

This exercise can be done between two sturdy chairs or other surfaces that provide stability. The dip is another great upper body exercise. It’s a compound movement as well and involves working all the muscles that the push up works.

Keep your head up and body as vertical as possible. For the beginning of the movement, start at the top (arms fully extended) and lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the seat of the chairs, hold and then push up to the top of the movement until your arms are fully extended again. Keep looking straight ahead and don’t bounce at the bottom of the movement.

Adding Weight

Although the simple weight of your own body is enough resistance to provide an effective workout we need progressive overload (added resistance) to become stronger.

So all we need to do is add some weight wherever we can find some. Because there are no metal plates and fancy machines to use it doesn’t matter because the body doesn’t care where it is as long as it's receiving resistance of some kind.

You can use heavy books clasped in your hands. You can buy some cheap weighted dumbbells or ankle weights. A weighted vest will also allow you to add resistance for both chin-ups and push-ups.

Try to buy one that will let you remove and add weight as you see fit. Also a backpack filled with books can be perfect for most of the exercises and is a cheap alternative.

How about a couple of buckets and fill them with a certain level of water? As you get stronger fill them with more water. This is perfect because depending on the exercise, all you need to do is to increase or decrease the amount of water in the buckets for the required amount of resistance.

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Lose Weight With A Ftbit Challenge

Indep. AdvoCare Distr.

Fitness trackers have become an “it” thing in the workout world, and also in everyday life. I had always considered myself pretty active, so for awhile, I didn’t think I needed a device on my wrist to motivate me to take 10,000 steps a day. It wasn’t until I received a FitBit for Christmas this past year that I really decided to drink the “I need to get more steps” koolaid and wear my FitBit daily.

Once I figured out how to use the thing and started setting my step goals each week, I decided why not take it up a notch and join a challenge with my wife and a few other friends that also have the device? And wow, did I learn some things about myself and my daily and weekly active (or not-so-active sometimes) lifestyle. Here’s what I learned during the challenge.

Turns out, I had some room for improvement. It really made me aware of how much I sit at work.
Forcing myself to be cognizant about getting up and out is good for physical and mental health.

A little fun competition never hurt anyone.

When I first started wearing my fitness tracker, I thought I was super active because 9 times out of 10 I’d hit the step goal that they recommend. No big deal, right? Well, once I started doing the workweek challenges with my friends (a Monday-Friday challenge), I realized that maybe 10,000 wasn’t the best I could be doing. If I’m able to hit that number by a daily workout of some kind, and the amount of activity I’m doing during my day job and a little bit of activeness in the evenings at home, why shouldn’t I kick it up a bit and strive for a little more? Sure, there will be days that life gets in the way of being as active as I’d like, but there are most definitely days where I have the opportunity of going for an additional walk at night after dinner, instead of those extra 30 minutes of reality TV time. Everyone’s goal is personal — it should be based on your own health and lifestyle, but it really was eye-opening for my goals once I saw what other friends were able to do.

This one was a big one! Having a 9-5 type day job in the corporate world doesn’t always allow for tons of walking around. Sitting in front of the computer all day every day does not help you get many steps! I realized that before I was tracking my daily steps, I didn’t think much about the inactivity that the workday can bring. It also makes me realize how other occupations, such as nurses, people who walk from place to place all day, people who travel on a weekly/daily basis, can get more steps just by default. So now I’m much more aware of how much I’m sitting and try to use little things like getting up for trips to the water fountain to fill up my water bottle, and taking the long way when walking to get my lunch, can help add a little activity to my desk job.

Especially during the work week, and long, busy days, it would be so easy to work through lunches or use free time for sitting and relaxing, rather than getting a few extra steps in where possible. Now, after I’ve started tracking my steps and participating in these fun challenges, 

The whole point of the challenge is to be a competition, and sometimes we all need that competitive fire in us to push us to the next level. My friends all compete in a very friendly manner, but I definitely know we all secretly want to win each week. So even if it’s a competitive kick in the butt, it’s still motivating me to be more active and more healthy, during those Monday-Friday challenges, and I have my wife and friends and my fitness tracker to thank for that.