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Why Do We Crave Sugary Food?

Avoiding cravings might not be the answer this time.

“The groundwork of all happiness is health.”
— Leigh Hunt

For many of us the sight of a freshly glazed doughnut can feel like falling in love and coming home to a pack of unopened cookies can feel like the adult version of Christmas morning. There’s something about sugar that hooks us and keeps reeling us in again and again. Whether we like it or not sugar has a major hold on us.

If you’re reading this it’s highly likely you understand, and have first-hand experience, of this allure. Sugar isn’t just confectionary, it’s compulsion; there is no such thing as stopping after “just one.” I mean, if one is good, more is better. At least that’s what it feels like with the sweet stuff.

We are given many reasons for our sugar cravings: pleasure-seeking brain circuits, intestinal parasites, mineral deficiencies, malnutrition, habitual behavior, unbalanced diets, too much salt, buried emotional issues, lack of sleep, stress…. and my favorite, lack of discipline. We are not at a loss for reasons for our addiction to sugar, yet knowing isn’t enough to change us or our behavior. If knowing was enough we would all be winning gold medals and gold stars in every area of our life. If anything, knowing just makes it feel worse… we know better so why aren’t we doing better? Knowing becomes just another reason for us to feel bad about ourselves.

The next step to knowing is to try and do something about it. We take matters into our own hands and attempt to turn our sugar-loving switch from on to off. This is not a painless process, and just when we feel we’re making ground something happens to throw us off and we’re on a mission to hunt down any sugar we can find and back at the start.

When we decide to target our sugar dependency, we attack the sugar itself, we clear the pantry, empty the house of all products and declare sugar the enemy. And this is fine… except it doesn’t work. When we create an action plan like this, we’re a few steps too far ahead and facing the wrong direction. We don’t address what’s really happening.

The key: target the true problem, not the side-effect of the problem. And sugar cravings are the side-effect, they’re the symptom of the real problem, and treating symptoms never makes the problem resolve. The only way to create true, long- standing change is to address the root cause…. otherwise you’re just wasting your time and prepping yourself for another future sugar-binge.

What is the root cause? Leptin resistance. One way to target leptin resistance is with a product called leptitox, a blend of 22 all natural ingredients which work with your body to reverse leptin resistance and it’s effects. When leptin resistance occurs in our body we have a malfunctioning system. This malfunction will produce troublesome symptoms. Not only does leptin resistance increase hunger but it creates cravings! That’s a recipe for disaster! Not only will you be hungry but you’ll be hankering after the worst foods imaginable…

We may have blamed everything else under the sun for our inability to stop reaching for the next cookie… everything but leptin resistance. If you want to see real movement and change you’ll need to target leptin resistance and do something to “fix” it.

Leptitox is just the way to address the growing problem of leptin resistance, since it has been created to target and address it. Leptitox is a blend of 22 carefully selected herbs, amino acids and vitamins with the ability to help your body address the real cause of leptin resistance. It will change everything you thought you knew about weight loss.

4 Approaches To Losing Weight That Might Be Just What You Need

Most people, at one time, or another, decide, they, either need to, or want to, lose weight. Sometimes, this is, for vanity reasons, such as looking better in certain clothing, bathing suit, etc. Other times, it’s for health – related reasons, because, excessive weight, has often been indicator, as a significant factor, in a variety of ailments and diseases, such as heart issues, type – two diabetes, knee and back problems, etc. As in many things, in life, there is no, one – size – fits – all, approach, to losing weight. One must begin, by setting a goal for this, to occur, both in terms of number of pounds, and a realistic time period, to achieve it. It is often wise, to combine, eating changes, with using a diet plan, which you feel, you will be ready, willing, and able, to stick – to. With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 4 possible approaches, for losing unwanted pounds, and/ or, inches.

1. Exercise/ diet – and – exercise: Before beginning any plan or program, have a discussion, with your health care professional/ practitioner! If you are given clearance, begin the commitment to a well – planned, exercise program/ plan! When the right type of exercise is combined with a well – considered, diet, you maximize your potential, to lose weight!

2. Low calories/ low – fat: The original plan, of eating less fatty foods, and consuming fewer calories, works, when one is willing to remain consistent, and committed, to remaining on it. However, for some, it is difficult and challenging to maintain the patience, and discipline, to do so, and, when they don’t, quickly, see their desired results, they cheat! This approach works, but, only, when one is willing to eat the types, and quantities of foods, and abide by the necessary restrictions/ limitations!

3. Prepared food programs: Many, who have tried to lose weight, on several occasions, with their desired degree of success, turn to one of the better known, prepared food programs, such as Weight Watchers, and Nutri System. The former uses a combination of prepared foods, a point system, and meetings, aimed at motivating individuals, to continue forward, despite obstacles.

4. Low Carbohydrate/ Keto: In the 1970’s, Dr. Robert Atkins introduced, to the American public, the concept of reducing one’s carbohydrate intake, for effective weight loss. Since his death, there have been many adaptations, to this approach, and one of the most popular, is referred to, as Keto. Many studies have demonstrated, when one uses this approach, and understands/ commits, to it, it is extremely successful, both in the shorter – term, as long as the longer – one! You can also try a simple Keto test Here.

Many approaches and plans work, so, one should determine, which one, he is willing to follow, and commit to, and stick, to it! Help yourself, is you want to be, happy, and healthier!

Are You Right For The Keto Diet?

These days, it seems like everyone is talking about the ketogenic (in short, keto) diet – the very low-carbohydrate, moderate protein, high-fat eating plan that transforms your body into a fat-burning machine. Hollywood stars and professional athletes have publicly touted this diet’s benefits, from losing weight, lowering blood sugar, fighting inflammation, reducing cancer risk, increasing energy, to slowing down aging. So is keto something that you should consider taking on? The following will explain what this diet is all about, the pros and cons, as well as the problems to look out for.

What Is Keto?

Normally, the body uses glucose as the main source of fuel for energy. When you are on a keto diet and you are eating very few carbs with only moderate amounts of protein (excess protein can be converted to carbs), your body switches its fuel supply to run mostly on fat. The liver produces ketones (a type of fatty acid) from fat. These ketones become a fuel source for the body, especially the brain which consumes plenty of energy and can run on either glucose or ketones.

When the body produces ketones, it enters a metabolic state called ketosis. Fasting is the easiest way to achieve ketosis. When you are fasting or eating very few carbs and only moderate amounts of protein, your body turns to burning stored fat for fuel. That is why people tend to lose more weight on the keto diet.

Benefits Of The Keto Diet

The keto diet is not new. It started being used in the 1920s as a medical therapy to treat epilepsy in children, but when anti-epileptic drugs came to the market, the diet fell into obscurity until recently. Given its success in reducing the number of seizures in epileptic patients, more and more research is being done on the ability of the diet to treat a range of neurological disorders and other types of chronic illnesses.

Neurodegenerative diseases. New research indicates the benefits of keto in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, and multiple sclerosis (MS). It may also be protective in traumatic brain injury and stroke. One theory for keto’s neuroprotective effects is that the ketones produced during ketosis provide additional fuel to brain cells, which may help those cells resist the damage from inflammation caused by these diseases.
Obesity and weight loss. If you are trying to lose weight, the keto diet is very effective as it helps to access and shed your body fat. Constant hunger is the biggest issue when you try to lose weight. The keto diet helps avoid this problem because reducing carb consumption and increasing fat intake promote satiety, making it easier for people to adhere to the diet. In a study, obese test subjects lost double the amount of weight within 24 weeks going on a low-carb diet (20.7 lbs) compared to the group on a low-fat diet (10.5 lbs).
Type 2 diabetes. Apart from weight loss, the keto diet also helps enhance insulin sensitivity, which is ideal for anyone with type 2 diabetes. In a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism, researchers noted that diabetics who ate low-carb keto diets were able to significantly reduce their dependence on diabetes medication and may even reverse it eventually. Additionally, it improves other health markers such as lowering triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.
Cancer. Most people are not aware that cancer cells’ main fuel is glucose. That means eating the right diet may help suppress cancer growth. Since the keto diet is very low in carbs, it deprives the cancer cells of their primary source of fuel, which is sugar. When the body produces ketones, the healthy cells can use that as energy but not the cancer cells, so they are effectively being starved to death. As early as 1987, studies on keto diets have already demonstrated reduced tumor growth and improved survival for a number of cancers.

3 Lose Weight And Keep It Off Solutions That I Have Tried In The Past

Trying to lose weight and keep it off can be frustrating, particularly if you have been on diet. In an attempt to lose those merciless and stubborn pounds, you might have even starved yourself only to discover that you have gained them back after a short period.

But is there a simple weight loss solution out there?

Easy Solutions for Weight Loss

As a matter of fact, there had always been easy weight loss solution, but people just decide to pay no attention to them. Eating fewer calories and a healthy eating plan is the key to losing extra pounds in a few weeks. If you want to accomplish your goals of losing weight, you must think about how you can incorporate healthy meal into your daily life.

Here are 3 things you can do to lose weight fast.

1. Familiarize Yourself with Eating Healthy Foods

You already understand that lean meat, fish, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lots more are good for you. And you also know the types of foods that are bad for you. Therefore, why don’t you substitute the bad for the good?

We have all known the basics of a healthy diet for quite a very long time. Regrettably, few people eat healthy diet, simply because they were told that they can eat anything they like as long as the workout.

But the fact is that burning off high calories such as donuts and pizza on the treadmill is impossible, unless you would like to stay long in the gym, even as diet is 80% of the weight loss equation. Adapting healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family is the solution to losing weight.

2. Look at Your Caloric Consumption

When it comes to the process of losing weight, calories play an enormous and significant role. You must burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. In other words, you must be vigilant regarding how many calories you take in per day.

You don’t need a lot of calories to carry out your daily tasks. As an average adult, you should take in roughly 1800 to 2200 calories in a day. To stop eating large portions at a time is the best way to keep up this caloric intake.

3. Your Diet is Not Temporary

In a situation where you have regained your lost weight, ask yourself what is responsible for this. Does your diet disappoint you or give up your diet unknowingly? Maybe you stopped monitoring what you are eating, not knowing that those annoying pounds could return easily.

With just about all diets, weight loss is achievable, but they have a propensity to fall apart as you raise your caloric intake after you have lost some weight.

Change in lifestyle is the magic solution to losing weight. You have to make a permanent commitment to healthy eating apart from minding what you eat and the quantity you eat, in order to lose weight and keep it off.

You need not avoid your preferred foods all together, but look for healthier, low-calorie options to satisfy your cravings. Indulging yourself every now and then is alright, but don’t forget that your diet is not a short-term plan. Maintain your weight by being steady with your healthy eating habits.

Tips for Eating Smaller Portions

Consuming smaller portions is a common, useful tip, when calorie matters. How you can eat smaller portions is to avoid caloric beverages, give up junk food, and keep away from restaurant junks. Despite the fact that some people can eat too much, they are ignorance of how many calories are present in food.

As much as 100% is undervalued at restaurants. As a result, if you believe a type of food contains 500 calories, it is most likely to contain 1000 calories.

Stick to healthy appetizers instead of a restaurant junk if you want to lose weight fast. Your visiting the restaurant shouldn’t be about getting full on food, but passing time with other people.

As a believer in eating instead of drinking your calories, avoid fruit juices. They are only liquid calories and not as satisfying. Despite the fact that you have absorbed as many calories as you would have absorbed from real fruit, you don’t feel as full. There are some juices that even contain as many calories as a complete meal.

How to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

You must first stop unhealthy cravings. In other words, stop craving on any of the junks you normally eat. Instead, replace your normal afternoon cheese and snack of crackers with a bowl of fresh vegetables, in order to encourage healthy habits. This may look difficult in the beginning, but great when you adapt completely.

In a nutshell, your body will stop craving for the wrong foods in the long run, if you get used to eating the right ones.

Four Benefits of Brown Rice

Diet experts have many recommendations on the best foods that can help you lose weight. One of them is brown rice. It has many nutritional benefits that go beyond aiding weight loss. While most people avoid rice in their diet because of the large amount of calories it contains, many people are also discovering that they can still eat this carbo food in the form of brown rice. Here are five info you need to know about brown rice and how it can help you lose weight.

4 Reasons Why Brown Rice Helps You Lose Weight

1.It is low in density.

This means that it can make you full while consuming fewer calories. Its water and fiber components make it low in energy density. It will help you lose weight as it makes you eat less since it fills you up fast. ACPE Academy recommends that you eat brown rice at the start of your meals. It will make you feel less hungry, thus making you eat less of the other foods on the table. There was a study done among women who are on high-density and low-density diets. Those who consumed higher density food gained weight three times more weight compared to those who ate lower density food over a period of 6 years.

2.It facilitates slow sugar release.

One of the health benefits is that it aids in balancing blood sugar levels through its slow sugar release. It would definitely be beneficial for diabetics on a diet. Research has shown that eating half a cup daily reduces your risk of developing diabetes by 60%. Brown rice releases sugar slowly, thus allowing your body to process it regularly as well.

3.It helps lose fat

Being whole grain, brown rice is not deprived off its nutritional components compared to refined grains such as white rice. In 2008, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study on people who are on a low-calorie diet that comprises of whole grains such as brown rice and another group on a low-calorie diet with refined grains. Results showed that those who ate whole grains lost more fat in their midsection compared to those who consumed refined grains. Also, one cup of rice contains only 1.8 grams of fat, which is roughly 3% of the USDA’s daily value of 65 grams.

The benefits cover not only your diet needs but also your overall health requirements. This whole grain is full of vitamins, iron, potassium, manganese, and other nutrients. It is filling but not fattening. It can be combined with different edibles or eaten as is since it has a unique flavor. Integrate brown rice into your diet and experience its weight loss benefits in no time.

4 It is high in selenium.

Selenium is a mineral that strengthens your immune system by lowering the risks of getting diseases. Brown rice is rich in selenium which will give you a good amount of protection from common sicknesses. This is crucial, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, as your body is adjusting to new diet regimens and can make you weak during the beginning stages of your diet.

Why Is Getting Amazing Abs Not a Herculean Task?

Lets’ admit it! The main objective of any detailed workout routine is to help you realize your desire to get washboard abs while building a tapered physique. Agreed?

The abs fever has taken over the world, and people are getting more passionate about attaining a perfect body. Odds are that you too have been planning to change your stale core routine, and thinking wondering how to get abs in a week. And just so you know, all you need to do is go for a targeted workout within a well-designed fitness plan. Sounds interesting? Wait! Getting six pack abs seems to be one of the toughest fitness goals, and it is not as easy as you may think it to be. Determination, hard work, and the right attitude – all these aspects play a really vital role to get the desired abs. So, the very first thing that you need is the willingness to do it. If you want it enough, there is no chance that you cannot have it.

So, go ahead and ditch your traditional sit-ups and crunches. Try these fresh and effective fitness tips to get precisely sculpted six-pack abs. You can very well score some amazing results with the help of these simple tips. Let’s start!

Nutrition – Eat Right!

The very first and the very much predicted on the list is diet. Well, this area is one of those which will need most disciplining as what you eat has a direct connection with how you look. Yes! Don’t deny it. You can’t be eating burgers and expecting yourself to look like Ben Affleck! And, frankly, it’s not the first time that you’ve heard of it. With the help of a balanced diet, you can not only get rid of extra body fat, but also eliminate the chances of facing various health issues. Eating the right food and following the targeted fitness training are the answers to the frequently the most raging question these days question – “how to get abs in a week?”

Well, one of the biggest mistakes committed is cutting down carbs from your diet, which results in lowering down your energy level. And, this forces the skinny fat condition instead of the good fat burning. Cabs are really important. So, these shouldn’t be completely eliminated from your diet anyway. Consuming 50-60 additional grams of protein per day, and the intake of amino acids at 10-20 grams per day should usually be fine. The ultimate way to do this is by including green leafy vegetables, as these help you get your required calorie count for a day without giving you more that you need.

Now, if belly fat is your major trouble area, and you have been wondering how to lose belly fat fast, you just need to understand something basic. It is best to eat nutritious food comprising all the essential components, be it minerals, vitamins, fats, or proteins. As simple as that! Also, make it a healthy point to include a fat burner that cooperates with your gut, and boosts your metabolism. When you are out, resist the urge to eat food and beverages that are high on calorie count as well as on fats.

Now, here comes the trump card to lose weight – eat 5 small meals in a day rather than 3 heavy ones. Increase the intake of water as it flushes the toxins out of your body.

The Golden Rule: Eat according to your need, and not your mood. Keep a check on what you eat and how much you eat.

Workout – Effective Training

This is the step that will give you actual results. When it comes to training, standing around your burdened squat bar where you were going to do quarter reps every five-six minutes, won’t get you those deep cuts. Begin with serious volume short-rest training to get toned muscles. It really works! Something that most people are not aware of – building mass comes at the price of getting lean. Therefore, maintenance and permanent pump will be the strategy. The results you will get will be worth the effort and hard work.

‘Slow and steady wins the race’ – this is something that every individual wondering how to get abs in a week must understand. However, getting your abs to start showing in a week is not that difficult, but the results that you get won’t be that WOW! Remember that planning is really important, and following that plan is even more important!

Why only Abs?

Well, building up your entire upper body results in creating a more defined shape that will help in defining the mid-section. Once the volume of muscle building increases, it will certainly boost your metabolism rate, allowing you to burn more calories in the process. Remember, it’s all connected. Also, include a leg day as this will add that amazing factor to your physique.

Getting ripped abs is highly related to your attitude and overall approach. Moreover, including the perfect exercise and eating healthy food are the imperial factors to achieve your fitness goals. Here’s what, need not panic or feel guilty if you have cheating on your diet plan lately, or if the gym has not been your temple. You can change that if you want. You just need to keep in mind that it will be fine as long as you get back on the track the next day. Start making changes that you want to see.

Most Common Workout Mistakes

According to doctors, workouts may help you reduce your risk of a lot of health conditions, such as cancer, depression and heart attacks. Aside from this, workouts make you stronger both physically and mentally. If you are working out without the help of a good fitness trainer, you are more prone to common workout mistakes. Here are 5 of those mistakes that you should avoid.

1. Workout goals

What are your workout goals? No matter what you want to achieve by working out, your workout sessions should consist of three stages: warm-up, exercise and the stretch-out stage.

Most people focus on the second phase, which is a mistake. Starting your workouts phase without warming up your body first is a bad idea. If you don’t warm up before a workout session, you may end up hurting your muscles. The stretch-out phase is equally important.

2. Not Warming-up Before Each Session

With the warm-up stage, you are informing your nervous system of the physical stress it is going to go through. This stage will help your body prevent premature fatigue and skipped heartbeats.

The warm-up phase is more important if you are going to do some high interval intensity training exercises like CrossFit or sprinting. Even if you are going to do a workout of moderate intensity, you should warm up as it will get your blood flowing throughout your body.

3. Doing The Exercises The Wrong Way

After box jumping or deadlifts, some people complain about pain in their lower backs. Some people think that it is muscle soreness and shouldn’t be taken as something serious. However, the thing is that you should learn to differentiate between muscle soreness and joint pain.

Mostly, joint pain may occur if you do an exercise the wrong way. It may also lead to injury in some cases. Therefore, it is important that you get some guidance from a fitness trainer.

4. Sticking to the Same Type of Exercises

Do you find your workouts boring? If so, it’s time for you to change our workout plan. Doing the same movements over and over again may make it harder for you to get your desired results.

For instance, if you do jogging on a daily basis, you should change your route. Or you can increase or decrease your speed for a change.

5. Ignoring Other Body Parts

The human body is not a simple machine. It functions on different levels at the same time. Therefore, you should do workouts that will work multiple areas of your body. Focusing on the same parts may cause your body to lose balance. As a result, your body gets weaker and you don’t see the desired results.

Therefore, we suggest that you choose a set of exercises that will work all of the important parts of your body that people usually ignore.

So, these are some common workout mistakes that most people make. If you don’t want to end up hurting yourself while working out, we suggest that you avoid these mistakes. Hopefully, now you will be able to get the most out of your exercises.

Will Lifting Heavy Weights Make You Bulky?

“Triumph by putting a little soul into it!”
Nancy Mure

Many people who aspire to good health and a sleek physique, particularly women, eschew weight training because they fear it will make them big and muscular. Many others, particularly men, embrace it for precisely the same reason. So what are the facts? Does weight training, or weight lifting, make you bulky?

Genetics and gender can define the extent to which that happens, as can age. Women have far less testosterone – essential to the process of gaining lean muscle mass – than men, and the process of growth slows considerably with age, although some growth is still possible at more or less any age.

Eat Up, Rest Up and Bulk Up

The received wisdom is that performing limited repetitions with a heavy weight is best for bulking up, whilst increasing the “reps” and reducing the weight is the preferred method for “cutting”, or definition. For many gym users the intention is to tone rather than to grow, and to gain strength without becoming bulky or excessively muscular.

And up to a point that is sound, but it overlooks some essential truths. First off, weight or resistance training is only part of the deal if the object of the exercise, if you’ll pardon the pun, is to pack on lean mass. Over-stressing the muscle causes it to break down, but it needs to be nourished and replaced if it is to grow. This is where diet comes in or, more specifically protein. Protein is the foundation stone of muscle and without sufficient protein intake the muscle will not expand no matter how hard it is punished. This is one of the reasons why you will see guys in the gym who have been training all their lives and pump impressive weights but still look like the sand-in-the-face man from the Bullworker adverts of old.

On top of this, the recovery process is only made possible when the muscles are given sufficient time to rest. It is a well-established truism that failure to allow the body enough time in which to rest and recover will always lead to failure in the process of muscle development.

Grow With Gravity

This doesn’t at all mean that there are not ways of inducing muscle growth which do not involve barbells and dumbbells and clunking slabs of heavy metal. There is increasing enthusiasm for bodyweight exercises, that is using the natural weight of our bodies and the simple force of gravity to provide the resistance needed to stimulate muscle growth. It adopts the same principle and is usually a lot cheaper, but the range of available movements can be limited.

So the answer to the question is that lifting heavy weights can make you bulky, but only if this is what you desire and you stick to the plan. By embracing proven scientific principles and adopting a regime which includes consuming the right foods in the right quantities and taking enough rest, working out with weights which are heavy and become progressively heavier will result in muscle gain.

Top 3 Weight Loss Pitfalls

You may think you are doing everything right and still your weight loss efforts are stalled, or worse, you find the scale going in the wrong direction! Maybe you successfully lost weight, but now the number on the scale is creeping back up. What’s going on here? Well there are a few common pitfalls people tend to slip into without realizing they are sabotaging their efforts. Here are the 3 most common:

1. Skimping on Protein. Starting your day with a complete protein will increase chemicals in the brain that not only improve sleep but also improve your mood due to their tryptophan content. This amino acid is a precursor to serotonin the feel-good hormone that keeps you feeling happy and motivated. Serotonin becomes melatonin, which helps you sleep at night. Fewer than 6 hours of sleep per day is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, increased risk for obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Sleep is critical for maintaining healthy weight and protein is important for restful sleep. Adequate protein in the morning blunts appetite throughout the day and studies showed starting the day with clean protein instead of carbs can reduce risk of fatigue by up to 75% for 6 hours and double your energy within 30 minutes! (A better workout!) One study found women who included protein at breakfast lost weight 65% faster.

2. Doing the same workout day in and day out. When you follow a consistent exercise program, your body gets more efficient and you no longer burn as many calories. You either have to increase the intensity or change your routine regularly if you want to maintain your weight loss. Your body is Intelligently created and when you do the same 3 miles on the treadmill or the same kettle bell workout every day, your body adapts. Just vary your routine – the intensity, number of reps, speed, and even the specific exercises every few weeks to keep your body surprised and burning the maximum number of calories. It is one of my recommendations in my book, Today is Still the Day.

3. Not Drinking Water. Don’t get so caught up in eating healthy foods that you overlook drinking adequate water. Staying hydrated reduces hunger, increases the number of calories you burn and improves your body’s ability to burn body fat for energy. Drinking 16 oz. 15-30 minutes before meals boosts metabolism 24-30% over the next hour to 1.5 hours.

My basic recommendation is one half your body weight in ounces and including ¼ tsp. of natural, unprocessed salt for every 32 oz.

How to Build Muscles Naturally

Tired of being the skinny one? Gaining muscles is the dream of every person. The heavier you lift, the more your strength and muscles will be. You might have heard a lot about it, right? Well this is true. Strength is the key. More the number of your lifts, more will be the muscles. They will begin to grow naturally without the aid of supplements. Some people do a lot of isolation exercises and take a lot of supplements but that rarely works. Natural builders do lots of squats, dead lift, rows. They challenge themselves by lifting heavy and thus it shows up on their body. You need dedication and some time to see the results. These are few tips which you can follow:

1. Develop strength:

As discussed earlier, strength development should be your ultimate aim. Focus on developing it by lifting heavy. It is not advised for beginners as heavy weights can cause you additional health issues. Increase your strength slowly with time. Challenge yourself by adding weights with normal exercises.

2. Increase frequency:

The more you train yourself, the faster your muscles will grow. Increase your strength training exercises. Do squats and lifts three to four times a week than one.

3. Be consistent:

The results will take time to finally show up on your body. Stay consistent. Don’t lose hope and keep working out. The hard work will indeed pay off. Even a slightest change in your muscle should encourage you to work more harder.

4. Watch out your diet:

Only exercise cannot yield you the benefits. You need to watch out your diet for maximal results. Don’t keep yourself starving, have a balanced diet with more amount of protein and less carbs. Check your pre and post workout diet. Consult your dietician and set up a diet plan.

5. Recover:

Your muscles need time to recover and grow bigger. You cannot develop muscles by working out hard daily. Give yourself some time for recovery.

6. Avoid steroids:

Don’t be in a haste to look good and start relying on steroids. Work out naturally, eat right and you will notice the results yourself. Stop idolizing celebrities because it will take time for you to be like them.

7. Do compound exercises:

Focus on such exercises which work on several muscles at a time. Do not skip squats and benches.

Having a perfect and well-built body is not a myth. It just takes some time and dedication from your side. Don’t give up on yourself in the process and keep working out smartly

Weight Loss – Are Body Fat Scales Accurate?

If you have done any reading at all about health and fitness, you know one thing: body fat matters, body weight doesn’t. While the two do typically go hand in hand, there are always people who have high body weight and appear overweight but have a high level of muscle mass and are in fact, exceptionally lean.

“Some people want it to happen. Some wish it would happen. Others make it happen.”
Michael Jordan

If you are attempting to lose weight, it is best to measure whether you are losing fat or losing body weight. Body weight can be a mixture of fat and lean muscle mass tissue, which is less than ideal.

As you strive to improve your health, you only want to be losing body fat. So this now begs the question, should you invest in a body fat scale? It would seem to be the best solution. This way you can monitor which way your body fat levels are going. Before you run out and buy the first body fat scale you see, however, you do need to keep one thing in mind: not all scales are accurate.

Here is what to keep in mind.

Methods Of Measuring Body Fat Levels. There are many methods of measuring your body fat levels…

1. One approach is to pinch various areas of your body and determine how thick those areas are. The thicker the pinch, the more body fat: this is referred to as a skin caliper reading.

2. Another method is to put yourself through an electronic scanner, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA previously referred to as DEXA), which will determine bone density, fat mass, and lean muscle mass tissue. This is the most accurate method. However, you cannot do it yourself, and it can be costly to have performed.

3. The third method is to use what is known as bio-electrical impedance, which is where an electrical current is sent through your body, and the speed of travel is determined. The current will not travel fast through fat mass, so the slower it is, the more fat you are said to have.

The bio-electrical impedance method seems ideal in theory, but the problem is your hydration levels can throw it off. If you are dehydrated, you will appear much “fatter” than if you are hydrated. This method is the one most home scales go by. While it is beneficial to be able to check your reading conveniently, it is not an accurate one. You can follow the current trend and use one of these home scales but remember you need to be at the same level of hydration at all times. Measuring your levels first thing every morning can help out with your hydration levels being similar.

Getting your body fat checked by a DXA scanner a few times a year and relying on how your clothes look and feel, could be a better approach.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.