April 2010

Do You Cleanse Your Body?

by Eartha

Glass of Juice on a Coaster

I'm not talking about cleansing on the outside but cleansing for the inside. I have heard about various types of cleanses and know of people who do them at least once a year. Some people perform a cleanse to help with weight loss while others use them for health purposes. I have heard of cleanses that last from 3 days to over a week or longer. Some are liquid based meaning drinking nothing but juice, shakes, etc., while others are food based (salads, fruit.)

I have never tried a cleanse but some people swear by them. I think it is important to take care of our inside just as well as our outside. That means eating well and cutting back or eliminating junk food.

Detoxing the body has been around for a long time and celebrities often bring popularity to them when they have used one to lose weight. My question is, do they really have any positive effect on the body? I read up on some dangers of following a cleanse. Some possible risks include:

  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Muscle breakdown
  • Blood-sugar problems
  • Frequent liquid bowel movements

I have also read that there is no evidence that cleansing is helpful and that our bodies do a good job on their own in terms of removing toxins.

Do you think a cleanse is important for a healthy lifestyle? Have you ever tried a cleanse?

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Fat Loss Made Easy. 5 Things That Can Help You Lose Weight and Boost Your Metabolism

by Eartha

Man on a scale

This is a guest post by:

Rafi Bar-Lev is the founder of Passionate Fitness, a community based fitness and weight loss site with forums and personal profiles. Check it out!

For many people, fat loss is an elusive beast. They know that it's possible and have seen it in others, but have yet to find the way to get it going for themselves.

Luckily, I'm going to let you in on 5 tips that will help you boost your metabolism and finally get the body you desire:

#1. Burn fat at the supermarket by shopping full. Many people make the mistake of going to the supermarket hungry. When you do that, you'll be more prone to buy junk and foods that you shouldn't be eating. By doing that, you've already set yourself up for failure before you've even begin dieting. If bad foods are around your house - you'll eat them. So don't buy them at the supermarket, and keep them out of your home.

#2. Sprint. High intensity interval training has been shown to boost fat loss and improve your bodies metabolism. What you do is sprint for 50 meters or 55 yards, and rest for 30 seconds and repeat 4-8 times depending on your fitness level. The cool thing about this exercise is not only will it help you lose fat, but it will also give you a strong butt.

#3. Swim. Swimming is one of those things that everyone knows is amazing but everyone is reluctant to talk about. It is excellent for a few reasons. For one, it is one of the highest calorie burning activities that a human being can participate in. It also strengthens you while relaxing you at the same time. And lastly, knowing you're going to be in your bathing suit is a great motivator to get into great shape.

#4. Hang out with fit people. Peer pressure affects all of us, and hanging out with fit people and emulating their lifestyle is a great way to ensure that you'll get in amazing shape. When you are with people who are eating healthily and exercising - chances are that you will as well.

#5. Keep trying. The most important tip that I can give you is to keep trying. Even if something doesn't seem to be working in the beginning or you're frustrated, you need to just keep moving forward.

Good luck!

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Start Exercising Again – The Easiest Way to Get Started

by Eartha

Woman lying on sofa eating popcorn, reflection in glass coffee table

Have you been a couch potato for far too long or wish you could fit more exercise into your lifestyle? There are so many ways to get started again from walking a couple of times a week to hiring a personal trainer. Yet, so many things can get in the way of starting. The biggest obstacle being time. After a long day at work, it can be tough heading to the gym.

If you're not a morning person, waking up even earlier to get to the gym is not an option either. Once you make it home, you may want to spend quality time with your family. When can you possibly fit in a workout? There is a solution for people in a time-crunch that doesn't involve monthly gym fees, can be done right at home, and get you results.

All that is required is a small space to workout, dvd player, and television. You guessed right, home fitness programs on dvd. You may think, I won't have motivation to work out at home. I used to think the same way. I belonged to a gym and went about 3 days a week on average.

Now I workout 5 to 6 days a week from home. It saves me money and I'm still getting a very good workout. Here's how you can start:

  • Choose several good fitness programs on dvd (click here for excellent programs)
  • Build a library of various programs for variety.
  • Choose one to start with and stick with it for 30 days or longer.
  • Log your workouts into a calendar.
  • Log your progress (starting weight, measurements, end weight, etc.)

Why Build a Library of Programs?

I recommend building a library of fitness programs over time so that you can change up your routines. It prevents boredom and gives you options of workouts in between other workouts you may like doing (walking, swimming, etc.)

Why 30 Days or Longer?

I say stick with a program for at least 30 days because by the time you have reached day 30, exercise should be a healthy habit that you don't think twice about doing.

How Will You Fit In Working Out at Home?

This is the easy part. You can workout when you want because you are at home. You can wait until everyone is asleep. You can workout as soon as you make it home - it's all about flexibility and home fitness provides that.

Why Log Everything?

This makes it easy to look back on all of your hard work. You can track how much weight you've lost, how often you exercise, how strong you've become, etc.

I started out using a program called Power 90. I stuck with it for the entire 90 days and moved on to other programs. I still use it in my workout routines.

Will exercising at home work for everyone? Maybe not but it's worth a try. If it gets you to bring exercise back into your life then it is a success!

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Are You Ready to Shape Up for the Summer?

by Eartha

Couple carrying kayak on heads to ocean, rear view

The summer is a season where we look forward to getting outdoors more, going on vacations, hanging out on the beach etc., and it helps a lot to enjoy these moments when we are in better shape. It is an inconvenience to try and do fun things with family and friends and getting out of breath by performing simple activities.

The first day of summer is right around the corner but you still have plenty of time to try and get fit to enjoy it even more. A great way to do this is focus. The easiest way I find to keep focused is by using a specific program with a specific goal in mind. Good programs to consider are ones which have some sort of time frame.

The reason I think these type of programs work is because you go in with a goal in mind and you are more likely to stick to it. For example, when I got involved with my fitness business, I used a 90-day fitness program. I stuck to it because I knew I could handle 90 days. It was easy and I didn't stray because I had a set plan of working out.

You can do the same by setting some sort of time frame, be clear on what your goals are (lose 10 pounds, 20 pounds, gain muscle mass, etc.) and stick to it. This could mean making a decision to go to the gym 4 to 5 days a week or making sure you walk, jog, or run every other day after work. Just keep in mind that you want to do it for 30 days, 90 days, or however long you set and it will make it easier to stick to it.

Programs to Consider

Some good fitness programs that are popular and continue to gain in popularity can be used right at home. This makes it convenient and removes the excuse of not having enough time. If you are already at home, you should be able to devote at least one hour a day to your workout.

Two popular programs to consider are:

P90X® and Insanity™.

90 Days - They are both extreme fitness programs with a few differences. P90X® is a 90-day program that combines cardio, weights, and yoga to get into shape. Its basis is on "muscle confusion" which prevents the body from adapting to the same workout over a period of time. Many people have had success with this one. I used the first version of it called P90®.

60 Days - Insanity™ requires nothing more than your own body weight which is cool. It is a 60-day program that is based on plyometrics. My dad will be starting the program shortly and he is in his 60's. He is in great shape already so I'm sure he will like the intensity. If you want to burn a lot of calories, this is one to consider.

Write down your goals and mark them off on a calendar. 30, 60, or 90 days go a lot faster than you think and imagine what you can achieve if you stick to a good fitness program.

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How Do You Stay Accountable for Getting Fit?

by Eartha

Young Couple Exercising on Patio

Accountability is one of the most helpful ways to reach a goal. It really helps when you are trying to lose weight and get into shape. There are so many different ways to be accountable for reaching your fitness goals. When you know that you have to answer to someone, a part of you doesn't want to let that person down because it would be more embarrassing to be known as a flake or unreliable. Below are some ideas for staying accountable for getting into shape:

1. Tell someone who means a lot to you - You could share your fitness goals with someone whose opinion means a lot to you. This could be your parents, a role model you know, or a good friend. Make it clear to them what you want to accomplish and how you are going to do it. Follow up with them daily, once a week, or once a month so that you stay on track because you know they will be wanting to hear about your progress.

2. Start a blog - This is the easiest way to stay accountable and holds a lot of benefits. One big benefit is that a lot more people will end up reading your blog. You will also get support from others who are doing the same thing. There is also something therapeutic about keeping a journal on your fitness progress. On the days where you feel really down, it helps to get it out in the open. Others may know exactly what you're going through.

3. Twitter your progress - If you're not into writing long blog posts, Twitter is a great option for chatting with other fitness-minded people. Tweets are really short and you can update as often as you want. Tweet about what exercises you plan to do for the day or healthy meals you plan on making. Search keywords like "fitness, exercise, health" etc., and follow people that are trying to improve their health as well.

4. Facebook - Reaching out to your Facebook friends is another great way to stay accountable. Your friends will more than likely motivate you and push you to keep it up. You may even motivate others who are wanting to get in shape but are in a slump.

5. Join a club - There are a lot of fitness clubs to join both online and offline. Find one that interests you and stay very active by participating. If you are a P90X® or Insanity™ user, sign up to the Team Beachbody Club for free. There are a lot of great forums, tools, and a great workout calendar you can use to track progress.

6. Tell your co-workers - Letting people at your work know that you are wanting to get into shape may help because you see your co-workers every day. They are probably the individuals most likely to check up on you and ask how you're doing with your goals.

However you choose to be accountable, be sure it is something that will force you to give updates on your progress. Do you use any type of accountability to keep up with your fitness?

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