10 Simple Ways To Improve Your Body Shape

There is no magic secret or miracle pill that will allow you to achieve and maintain a perfect body for life. If there were, we would all have gorgeous bodies, and never have to watch what we eat or run a single lap on the tread mill. As a personal trainer, and the President of Browning’s Fitness Centers, I have trained, or overseen the training of thousands of people who are struggling with their weight and fitness levels.

So I can tell you, achieving your ideal body shape takes time, determination and consistency. And sometimes, it means saying no to things that you would really like to say yes to. There is just no way around that.

But here’s the good news. Getting into shape isn’t a question of skipping breakfast or lunch and starving yourself, or running yourself ragged on the treadmill all week. You don’t have to ruin your quality of life just to be fit. Fitness is a state of mind, and getting into shape is about changing how you THINK about the choices you’re making every day. To get you started, here are 10 simple things that you can do that will start to shift your mindset, and improve your body shape for life.

1. As much as possible, avoid the high-calorie, high-fat foods that will gather around your middle. Try to stay away from cheese, chocolate, butter, cream, mayonnaise and even avocados which are healthy, but can be very fattening in excess.

2. Get in 15 minutes of intense cardio intervals with a 5-minute warm up and a 5-minute cool down. You will be amazed at how just 25 minutes of exercise each day will change the way you look and feel. When it comes to exercise, choose quality over quantity. It’s better to do 25 minutes of intense cardio that burns calories and gets your heart rate up, than a two-hour walk that will not burn many calories or take the weight off.

3. Remember that your body uses carbohydrates first for energy, then protein, and last of all your body uses fat. So when you’re choosing your food, remember that if you’re a marathon runner, your carbs can come from white bread, potatoes and pasta, but if you are not in training, your carbs need to come from vegetables.

4. Always keep your portion sizes in mind. All foods have calories, and even too many carrots can make you gain weight. So again, choose quality over quantity when it comes to your calories, and remember to exercise portion control at every meal.

5. Drink lots of water. You need to consume at least 6-8 ounces of water every day in order for your body to work efficiently, filter impurities and burn more fat. Plus, water makes you feel full so that you don’t cheat between meals.

6. The bulk of your food should come from fiber, rather than protein, but remember, even excess vegetables can bloat you and make you feel uncomfortable. Too much of any food is fattening.

7. Be aware of your posture. Stand up straight with your shoulders back, and tuck your abs and your glutes in tight when you walk. Just maintaining good posture alone will lead to a healthier body, and keep you pain-free as you get older.

8. Mix up your exercise routines in order to keep your workouts effective. The body becomes more efficient at accomplishing the same movements, and so will eventually no longer challenge you or burn as many calories. So, run one day, swim another and spin the last. This will ensure that your heart rate is consistently challenged and keep you burning a maximum amount of calories.

9. If you make an unhealthy choice, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back up on the treadmill and start to jog, run or sprint. Guilt is a useless emotion, and will only make it harder to make a healthier choice the next time.

10. Try to eat most of your food by 7 pm. Not only will this improve the quality of your sleep, which is an important component of fitness, but you will burn the calories that you consume before going to bed.

Source:- http://www.sheckys.com/2011/09/19/10-simple-ways-to-improve-your-body-shape/

5 Ways A Healthy Diet Is Making You Tired

Carbs help your body burn fat without depleting muscle stores for energy. The ideal diet is 50 to 55% complex carbohydrates.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Every time you go more than two hours or so without eating, your blood sugar drops
• About 12% of women ages 20 to 49 may be iron-deficient
• Start your day with soluble fiber, which can be found in oatmeal, barley and nuts

(Health.com) -- Who doesn't wish for more energy at least a few dozen times a day?

Of course, you know that a good night's sleep, regular exercise, and effective stress management can give you a much-needed boost. But to further figure out why you're slumping, you need to pinpoint the energy-sucks in your diet. (Hint: Those low-carb meals aren't doing you any favors.)

"Our bodies rely on the energy and nutrients we get from food, so what you eat -- and how and when you eat it -- can either drain you or sustain you," says Jennifer Sacheck, associate professor of nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

These fuss-free nutrition tweaks will give you more oomph every day:

You go long stretches without eating

Food Fix: Snack early, snack often

Every time you go more than two hours or so without eating, your blood sugar drops -- and that's bad news for your energy.

Here's why: Food supplies the body with glucose, a type of sugar carried in the bloodstream. Our cells use glucose to make the body's prime energy transporter, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Your brain needs it. Your muscles need it. Every cell in your body needs it. But when blood sugar drops, your cells don't have the raw materials to make ATP. And then? Everything starts to slow down. You get tired, hungry, irritable and unfocused.

Grab a bite every two to four hours to keep blood sugar steady. Nosh on something within an hour of waking -- that's when blood sugar is lowest.

Health.com: Best and worst foods for energy

Your breakfast is too "white bread"

Food Fix: Think soluble fiber

Energy, thine enemy is a sugary breakfast: pancakes, white toast, muffins and the like. Instead, start your day with soluble fiber (found in oatmeal, barley and nuts).

"It dissolves in the intestinal tract and creates a filter that slows the absorption of sugars and fats," explains Dr. David Katz, founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center and author of "Disease Proof."

In fact, research shows that choosing a breakfast with either soluble fiber or insoluble fiber -- the kind in whole-grain breads and waffles -- actually protects against blood sugar spikes and crashes later in the day.

A smart start: cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber a serving and whole-grain breads with 2g per slice.

Health.com: 8 tips to instantly boost your energy

You're eating the wrong veggies

Food Fix: Get more broccoli and kale

There's no such thing as a "wrong" vegetable, but for the most gusto, pick cruciferous ones, like broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale. These produce rock stars contain isothiocyanates, compounds that activate a protein called Nrf2, which in turn generates mitochondria, the part of cells responsible for converting glucose into ATP.

"The more mitochondria you have, the better your muscles work and the less fatigued you'll be," explains Dr. Mladen Golubic, medical director of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute.

Toss broccoli into stir-fry; mix shredded cabbage with vinegar; or season cauliflower with turmeric, cloves cardamom, coriander and cinnamon.

Health.com: 7 signs of seasonal affective disorder

You avoid red meat

Food Fix: Beef up on iron-rich foods

Do you eat mostly vegetarian? Is your period heavy or long? Are you a coffee or tea fiend?

If you answered yes to any of these, you may need more iron, key for strength and stamina. About 12% of women ages 20 to 49 may be iron-deficient.

"If you're deficient, you could eat the best diet and still be exhausted," says Meridan Zerner, a sports dietitian at Cooper Aerobics in Dallas. Women need about 18 mg daily until 51, and 8mg after that.

Beef is the best source of heme iron, the form most easily used by the body; a 3-ounce serving has 3mg. You can get nonheme iron from plant sources, like kidney beans (5mg in 1 cup) and spinach (3mg in ½ cup cooked). To help your body absorb nonheme iron, eat vitamin C-rich foods (orange juice, berries, tomatoes) and avoid coffee and tea an hour after eating as tannic acids can block iron absorption.

Health.com: 25 ways to cut 500 calories a day

You've cut one too many carbs

Food Fix: Hello, whole-wheat pasta and potatoes!

"Our bodies run on carbohydrates," says Zerner. "It's too bad they've gotten a bad rap."

In a Tufts University study, women on a carbs-restricted diet did worse on memory-based tasks compared with women who cut calories but not carbs. And when the low-carb group introduced them back into their diet, their cognitive skills leveled out.

Carbs help your body burn fat without depleting muscle stores for energy. The ideal diet is 50 to 55% complex carbohydrates, 20 to 25% protein and 25% fat. Complex carbs provide energy as they're digested, while protein and fat, along with fiber, slow the digestion process so the boost lasts a good long time.

"Think about getting a mix of high-quality protein, carbohydrates and fat from whole, unprocessed foods over the course of any given day," says Katz. "That's really all we need."

Source:- http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/19/health/tired-dragging-diet-change/