Becoming a mother is probably the most wonderful feeling in this world. It is one of those emotions that you cannot describe in words. However, there is a toll that you have to pay for becoming a mother in the form of a de-shaped body, damaged skin and unhealthy hair etc. However, if you start following some basic tips from the beginning, these signs of pregnancy do not remain on you for long. In fact, you will be back in shape in less than a month even if you are breast-feeding your child.

The key here is to ensure that you do not fatigue yourself. A balance between a healthy food intake and work out is necessary so that your body is able to recover in its natural way. Below are some personal fitness tips that can help you in getting rid of the extra weight you might have put on during pregnancy.

Avoid Junk Foods:
After delivery, most moms over-eat junk food and alcohol because they have been avoiding it for a very long time. It is natural to feel the urge to have yummy deserts, burgers and fries but you will have to avoid these for a while. Your body loses a lot of nutrients and energy during pregnancy and at the time of delivery; therefore, you need to regain and replenish these.

Junk food does not provide you with any nutritional value. You can replace it with fresh fruits and vegetables; if you are craving something sweet, make a fruit trifle for yourself. Have freshly squeezed juices or eat raw vegetables like carrots or radish. Amongst the top personal fitness tips is the fact that there is no need to starve yourself just to bring your original figure back, instead eat anything healthy you like. Just make sure that you do it in smaller quantities.

Keep yourself Hydrated:
Especially if you are breast-feeding your child, it is very important to have as much water as possible. If you do not like drinking a lot of plain water, you can go for milk, green tea or simple milk tea. Do not have alcohol since it dehydrates your body further. The best personal fitness tips include counting the number of glasses you have every day to ensure that you are drinking enough water. On average, you need to have at least 10 to 12 glasses as a mother who is breast-feeding her child.

Exercises:
Most of the mothers complain that they do not get time to sleep and so they cannot take time out for exercise. However, if you really want to take advantage of the personal fitness tips, you will have to take some time out every day whether it is five minutes or fifteen. The idea is to mobilize your body a little so that the muscles do not become too flabby and the excessive fat on you does not become too hard to get rid of.

Healthy food habit throughout your life is one of the best ways to ensure that you enjoy good cardiac health. Everyday it seems that there is more evidence proving the benefits of eating healthy foods will have on your heart health. You can’t afford to ignore the research.

If you are too particular about the food you eat, you may be missing out on some of the most cardiac healthy diet. Do it for your heart!

To help you choose the best heart healthy foods, we have listed ten things that you must include in your diet.

1. Berries – Berries, often considered to be nature’s own candy, are a fantastic source of fiber, beta carotene, and many other nutrients. All these promote the fitness of the human heart. You can include berries like cranberries and blueberries in your cardiac healthy diet.

2. Almonds – Almonds are an extremely healthy food for the heart, as they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. All of these elements help to prevent heart diseases. You can have berries with your cereal, salad or a cup of yoghurt. Almond milk is a great and extremely healthy alternative to normal milk.

3. Chocolates – Love chocolates – the dark temptation? If you are a fan of the dark variety of chocolate, you can enjoy the dark delights and at the same time, benefit your heart to a very large degree. Chocolates that have 70% or more cocoa content which are an excellent source of reservatrol and cocoa phenols (antioxidants), which keep your heart fit by reducing the blood pressure level, LDL cholesterol and protecting blood vessels.

4. Brown rice – Avoid white rice. This will not only help you to stay slim, but also keep your heart healthy. Brown rice is a healthy food for the heart. It is a good source of fiber, which is good for your health. It also contains B-complex vitamins that are meant to protect you against blood clots and hardening of the arteries. A bowl of brown rice can be a good alternative for oatmeal in your breakfast. You can also use it to make rice pudding.

5. Concord grapes – Did you know that one cup of Concord grape juice each day can be great for the heart? It can help to reduce the blood pressure and also makes the heart stronger. Since they are rich in fiber and low in calories, these grapes are also great for your overall health. This grape juice helps to reduce the risk of blood clots too.

6. Avocado – Avocado is a great source for monounsaturated fat. It helps to lower LDL levels and raises the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Avocados should be included in your heart healthy diet for the absorption of other carotenoids, especially beta-carotene and lycopene.

7. Tomatoes – All the elements found in tomatoes are good for your heart. They are rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, and other important nutrients. You can enjoy the goodness of tomatoes in a number of forms.

8. Flaxseed – Flaxseeds are a healthy food for the heart that is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, phytoestrogens and fiber. If your diet does not include fish, you can include a lot of ground flaxseed in your diet to compensate. Flaxseed is an ingredient in some store-bought breads and cereals. You can also add it to your own baked goods, hot cereal, and more.

9. Oats – Oats are believed to promote cardiac health, as they too are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. You can make oatmeal in the morning less boring and healthier by adding almonds, berries and other dried foods in the bowl, to suit your taste.

10. Legumes – Legumes like chickpeas, black and kidney beans are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fiber.

Green tea is a natural tea that is derived from the Asian plant Camellia sinensis. What makes green tea more beneficial to your health is that it is the least processed of all of the commercial teas on the market. The methods used to make the tea preserve more of the teas nutrients.

Green tea is effective in aiding weight loss for several reasons. It contains natural chemicals that help break down fat, increase energy output, control appetite, regulate sugar levels, and reduce bad cholesterol

Green tea is known to increase metabolic rate or how quickly a person’s body metabolizes food. Green tea is high in catechin polyphenols and when combined with other chemicals they increase fat oxidation and thermogenesis. Both of these processes help the body to generate heat which burns fuels such as fat. The more efficiently the body burns fat, the greater the ability to lose weight. When the body burns fat as fuel energy levels will also increase because the body is no longer burning energy but instead burning fat.

Drinking green tea decreases leptin production in the body which helps control appetite. A decrease in this hormone causes appetite to be reduced because a person’s ability to control fat storage automatically causes you to eat less. When someone is able to control the amount and rate of fat storage, it can regulate how often it needs to refuel. When storing fat more efficiently, the need to eat will decrease.

Glucose levels are also affected by drinking green tea. When there is an increase in glucose, losing weight is harder because the glucose stores fat. Green tea aids in weight loss by reducing the level of sugar in the blood. When sugar levels are controlled, the fat storage in the body is reduced.

In addition to affecting glucose levels, green tea also slows down the release of carbohydrates into a person’s body. When the release of carbohydrates is reduced, both fat storage and bad cholesterol are reduced.

Green tea is available in both liquid and capsule form. Drinking 2-4 cups or taking 1-3 capsules every day as part of your routine will help to burn fat. It will also reduce appetite and bad cholesterol.

While green tea will certainly aid in weight loss it is not a magic cure. Exercise and proper diet must be incorporated into your diet plan as well. Green tea is a natural option to assist in weight loss. Its health benefits are extremely important, and with daily use, it is easy for anyone to meeting their weight loss goals.

The number of Americans that are diagnosed with diabetes is on the rise. There are several things that you can do to prevent diabetes. The following list contains 5 ways to prevent diabetes from being a part of your life.

1. Avoid Processed Food
It’s not just sugar that you need to watch when trying to prevent diabetes. Processed foods contain excess salts as well as fats and sugars that are not good for your body. Avoiding processed foods can help you to avoid diabetes. Replace the processed foods with whole, natural foods that contain very little fat.

2. Ideal Weight
It is important to reach your ideal weight. The heavier you are the higher your risk for diabetes. Doing your best to stay at your ideal weight is one of the best ways to prevent diabetes. Exercise and eat a well balanced diet as part of a healthy life style and reaching your ideal weight will be easy.

3. Fiber
Eat plenty of fiber. Eating fiber helps to regulate the sugars in your body. Consuming your daily recommended amount of fiber will help you to say free of diabetes. You can find fiber in many vegetables such as; carrots, green beans, potatoes and sweet corn. There are also many fruits that contain fiber including; bananas, blackberries and raspberries. You may also want to consider foods such as whole grain breads and bran cereals.

4. Exercise
Exercise is essential to preventing diabetes. You should try to exercise for 30 minutes at least 4 times a week. Incorporate aerobic, cardio and strength training exercises into your work out. Staying active during your everyday life is also important. Make an effort to walk instead of driving or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Every little bit that you do will help you to stay diabetes free.

5. Visit the Doctors
Regular check-ups are important. If you are obese make sure that you are staying on top of your blood sugar levels. You should discuss with your doctor a healthy meal and exercise plan and tell him/her of any changes in your body. If diabetes runs in your family history discuss the symptoms and prevention methods with your doctor to avoid diabetes from being a part of your life.
There are several things that you can do to prevent diabetes. The most important things to remember are proper diet and exercise.

Follow these 5 suggestions to help you to diabetes.

There are hundreds of diets out there, exercise plans and opinions on how to lose weight. While it is clear that there is no shortage of information, many times finding something that works can be extremely hard. The following 5 tips will help you to start on your weight loss journey. They will also help you lose weight effectively and increase your chances of sticking with it and keeping it off.

Tip 1: Eat
Many diets will have you restricting your calories or food intake so drastically that you are on the brink of starving yourself. In reality you will have more success if you eat 4 to 6 small meals a day. Make sure that you have filling foods like whole grains and lots of vegetables in your meals so that you aren’t returning to the fridge or filling up on junk food. Eat every 4 to 6 hours so that your body will stay satisfied longer and you do not find yourself hungry all day.

Tip 2: Eat Healthy Foods
One of the most important parts of a healthy life style is eating healthy foods. Don’t fill your body with fats, sodium and sugar. Instead eat foods that are rich in protein like fish, lean meats or poultry. Eat whole grains instead of white rice, bread or pasta, and reach for fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies.

Tip 3: Eat Slowly
Your brain takes an average of 20 to 25 minutes to register that it is satisfied. If you slow down when you are eating, you will find that you will be full before you have eaten all of your food. Replace fast foods with foods that take longer to eat like salads or soups.

Tip 4: Exercise
Exercising regularly goes hand-in-hand with eating right. Shoot for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 4 times a week. Do cardio and strength training as well to sculpt lean muscles and reach your desired goals.

Tip 5: Stay Active
You don’t have to go to the gym to stay active. Make an effort to move around during your everyday activities as well. Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. If you have a short commute, consider walking to work a couple of times a week instead of taking the bus or driving. You’ll be amazed at how fitting physical activity into your everyday life will impact your overall weight loss.

It is important to incorporate proper eating habits with regular exercise to achieve your weight loss goals. Making the commitment to change your lifestyle by eating healthy and staying physically fit will help you to lose weight more effectively as well as increase your chances of keeping the weight off and sticking to the program.

Did you know that the most effective weight loss is the one you get as a result of an organized weight loss plan? None of these so-called fast track methods actually work as they make you lose the good with the bad. You need to follow an Easy Plan which will help you lose weight properly, maybe not quickly, but definitely more effectively where the weight will stay lost for good.

The formula to lose weight is simple and all you need to do is:
• Watch What you Eat
• Watch When you Eat
• Watch How You Eat
• And A little exercise

Lose Weight Fast Tip #1
When you wake up, you have spent about 6-8 hours without food – you were sleeping remember? So the best thing you can do is eat something within ten minutes of waking up. It’s like giving your metabolism a jolt/wake-up call. Once you’ve had something to eat, then have your coffee. Avoid tea or coffee on an empty stomach because that doesn’t help your metabolism and just gives your system a shock.

Lose Weight Fast Tip #2
Don’t ignore Breakfast. This is very important – no matter how busy you are, or how late you are running, please don’t skip breakfast. It’s your morning kick-start and without fuel in your system nothing will start. Remember breakfast will never make you put on weight because all that you eat gets used up by the evening.

Lose Weight Fast Tip #3
Skipping lunch will send your body into “starvation mode”. Your body responds to missed meals as a sign where “CONSERVE” becomes the mantra. Your body conserves FAT!!! So eat a healthy lunch.

Lose Weight Fast Tip #4
4 pm and you are Hungry again. Eat fruits/vegetables. Remember fruits and vegetables are at their best when eaten whole. Juice, even freshly squeezed will juice out the nutrients. It is much better to save the work and eat the fruit/vegetable whole.

Lose Weight Fast Tip #5
Dinner time! You’re tired, your body is tired. So the best thing to do is have an early dinner to revive and refresh your tiredness and keep the metabolism revving. If you can’t eat early, then just make sure you leave more than an hour between eating and going to sleep for the night. Let your body digest what you have eaten because when you sleep your system also
shuts down. Your metabolism slows and if your dinner has not been digested properly it just store as FAT and attach itself to your stomach or hips.

Along with all these things you need to also COUNT your Calories and put in at least 30 minutes of some form of exercise. For example, go for a walk, spend some time in the gym, go swimming or even cycling. Do a different activity everyday so you don’t get bored. Don’t forget to give yourself a break and take Sundays off. The idea is not to stop eating your favorite food but to eat it in moderation. A little care and consideration for your body will give you strength, stamina, glowing skin and hair and an
upbeat mood 24/7.

Isn’t it all worth that little effort? You decide.

Just because you are in a wheelchair does not mean you will have to let yourself go. On the contrary, having a fit and strong upper body will help you to stay self sufficient, confident and also to have a better quality of life. If you are a senior man in wheelchair, there are a number of senior fitness exercises for wheelchair patients that you can practice to help you have a healthier and more fulfilling life.

Wheelchair exercises can help you in a number of ways, including increasing your strength, flexibility, muscle and other body functions like digestion, weight control and so on. Life in a wheelchair can be painful. However, the right wheelchair exercises will help to cure the shoulder, neck and back strain that you might get when you use the wheelchair for too long.

Important to note before you begin senior fitness exercises

DO NOT start your senior fitness exercises without consulting doctor, if you are in a wheelchair. The doctor will help you determine if it is safe for you to perform wheelchair exercises and he will also tell you what exercises you are capable of. Taking the help of a certified personal trainer can help improve the quality of the senior fitness exercises that you perform. He can help you with the proper use of the fitness equipments, the transfer of gym equipments and so on.

There are two major types of wheelchair exercise for wheelchair patients – strength training and resistance training.

Resistance training for wheelchair patients – In case of resistance training for senior people in wheelchairs, resistance bands are used that are secured to a pole, hook, arm of the wheelchair or a door handle (whatever is more convenient). These large, stretchable bands are then used to pull towards or away from you, thus helping you to work your muscles. Shoulder and trunk rotations, elbow and leg extensions, shoulder and neck pull downs – all of these movements and exercises are possible with the help of resistance exercise. These resistance bands usually come in low, high or medium resistance power.

The resistance training is a great option for seniors who may resent the presence of a trainer. In addition, this wheelchair exercise does not require any elaborate equipment, which may sometimes prove to be a hindrance.

Strength training for wheelchair patients – If you find that you are responding well to resistance training, you can graduate to strength training. This is also known as weight training. The best senior fitness exercises with weight can be performed with small weights and dumbbells for lifting. These can be a great way of stretching and moving the muscles, after they have been used in one position for long.

Weights will help you to achieve a higher muscle mass. This in turn will increase your metabolic rate and will consequently keep you fit. It will help you to avoid gaining weight, in spite of being confined to the wheelchair.

Exercises for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that gives the patient an increased risk of fractures. Since the bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced in this condition, there is a greater chance of fracture. Senior men and women are more susceptible to this condition. So, senior fitness exercises, especially those who are on wheelchair, should include both strength training and resistance training, as this can help you to achieve a better BMD, and thereby reduce the risk of fractures and falls.

Always remember that wheelchair exercises can help to improve the quality of your life manifold. So if you want to lead a happy and healthy life, senior fitness exercises for wheelchair patients is a must for you!

Sexy six-packs are not something that you can acquire in one day.

To build great abs, you should be ready to undergo tough workout sessions and be under strict diet, which will allow you to increase the metabolic rate – that’s the secret to great abs.

Building great abs might seem difficult at first, but once you get used to the diet and the workout regime, you will be ready to build great abs for yourself.

Here are a few tips to great abs that you can follow, in order to build a sexy and fit body that you can be proud of.

Food for great abs

Proper diet is one of the most important aspects of getting great abs. Since in the recent times, food contains a lot of processed starch and saturated fats and sugars, you should avoid such food. They cover the body with a layer of fat, and you will have to exercise and work out a lot to lose these fats. It is only after you have managed to reduce your weight and remove the fat from around your belly, that you can have that perfect abs.

Great abs exercises

Exercise for the abs is extremely effective. Both cardiovascular exercises, as well as weight training can help you to lose weight and thereby have great abs. Swimming, running, climbing the stairs and cycling are great cardio exercises that will help you shed the excess fat. These exercises also make good use of your abdominal muscles, thus toning them to a very large degree.

Also note that in case of cardio, you should aim for high intensity work out, without long intervals. Other than cardio, target exercise is also a good way of building great abs. These include exercises like stomach crunches, sit-ups and so on. The target exercises too increase the metabolic rate and help you to lose weight in the abdominal area. The best thing you can do is, combine the cardio with some target exercises to get a ripped abdomen.

Metabolism and your way to great abs

Increased metabolism is an important part of weight loss. The rigorous exercises will help you to lose weight and thereby to get sexy abs. You can also change the metabolic rate of your body with the help of the food that you have. Breaking up your meal into small portions and then having it 5-6 times throughout the day will ensure that you do not remain hungry. This in turn, will help to increase your metabolic rate.

Maintaining the right body posture

The right posture of your body will ensure that your abdomen muscles are pulled and this in turn will help to shape them up. It is important that you stretch after exercise. This will help in the circulation of blood and will also increase the flexibility of the abdomen muscles.

A person who walks with a slouch will have a pooch, since this relaxes your abdomen muscles.

These fabulous tips to great abs can help you get the perfect figure that you always craved for – all long as you can follow the tips with dedication and will.

If you follow a vegetarian diet plan, or if you are planning to follow one, ensure that you are eating a variety of food. This will supply your body with all the required minerals and nutrients. A healthy vegetarian diet should include grains, fruits, green vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, beans and also a small amount of fat. Dairy products are also important but if you are following a vegan diet, nutrition has to be supplemented with food like soy milk, tofu and so on.

If you like to adopt a healthy vegetarian diet, you cannot just scrap off the meat from your menu and have everything else that remains. You will have to make an effort to have extra food that can fill the nutrition void that is left behind. But if you can manage to eat all the right foods, the vegetarian diet benefits will keep you extremely healthy and fit, since it contains much less fat and cholesterol and also has more fiber.

What are the best alternatives?

A healthy vegetarian diet should include a lot of meat alternatives like a nut loves, soy burgers, textured vegetables, tofu dogs and so on. These products will stimulate the taste and nutrient content of meat and at the same time, will decrease the calorie and fat intake in your body. Here are some of the alternatives that you can choose. If you are following a vegan diet, nutrition of cow milk can be got from alternative drinks like rice milk, almond milk, soymilk and so on.

In place of butter, you can make use of olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine and similar products. You can also use soy cheese and nutritional yeast flakes in place of cheese. If you are following a vegetarian diet plan with no eggs, you can try commercial egg replacers. These are usually potato starch. You can also use mixed tofu to make an egg-free omelet.

Vegetarian Protein

Women need about 45 grams per day and men need around 55 grams. Since one cup of tofu contains about 20 grams of protein, you do not really have much to worry about your protein intake. If you are a vegan, include high protein vegan foods like nuts, brown rice, tofu, soy and lentils. However, if you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian, you will probably get all your protein from your daily diet and you have nothing to worry about.

Calcium

The best vegetarian diet should also include a lot of calcium, as both women and children require a lot of calcium. Other than milk, there are a number of alternative food that you can include in your healthy vegetarian diet for nutrition. You can try spinach, kale, soy milk, fortified orange juice, sesame seeds, tahini broccoli, almonds, carrots, and rice milk.

Iron

As a vegetarian, you can sometimes have more iron in your body than people who follow a non-vegetarian diet. However, if you still take iron supplements, you can wash it down with some orange juice, as Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron.

Finally, the good news is that even if you a vegetarian athlete, you can get adequate amount of nutrition from your diet. However, make sure that you have a balanced diet that covers all the requirements of your body.

Today most fitness training programs for older men include weight training. This is because weight training is not just about building muscles and having a lean figure, but also about gaining fitness and strength, as well balance of the body.

In addition, building muscles during this senior age is even more important – not only for men, but also for women. This is because; muscles tend to weaken with age, thus taking away your ability to lead a normal, active and healthy lifestyle. However, there are various exercises for senior men that can completely alter the process and help you gain back your strength.

Is it okay for older men to lift weights?

It has been found out by a study that senior men and women ranging from the age group of 87 to 96 improved their muscle strength by almost 180 percent after just eight weeks of weightlifting. This new strength almost seems to cut back on the age of these elderly people. Thus, fitness workouts for senior men and women, with weights are not only safe, but extremely desirable, as it makes them stronger and more self sufficient.

What are the benefits of fitness training programs for older men with weights?

It has been found that even frail elderly people gain back huge amount of their strength through weight training. The balance of the body improves substantially, which is usually a huge problem when people grow old. The pace of walking improves and climbing stairs becomes much easier than before.

The workout training will not only make you feel younger outside, but also inside. You will feel much more confident and capable. Your new found walking ability will come as a huge boon, as you will no longer have to depend on others to help you, neither will you have to take rest after a few steps. A study carried out on people aged 65 to 79 found out that the seniors could walk almost 40 percent farther without rest after just 12 weeks of weight training.

Weak bones become a huge curse when you grow old. But proper weight training can help you to strengthen the bones to some extent. At the same time, it can prevent you from suffering a nasty fall by making you stronger and more agile. Since weight training can build bone mass in the hip and spine, it is especially important for elderly people with the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

Weight loss is yet another huge beneficial element of fitness workouts for senior men. Weight lifting increases your metabolic rate and thus helps you to decrease body weight and keep you healthy.

The weight training and fitness training programs for older men also improves the glucose control. If you are affected by Type 2 diabetes, strength training will help you to keep it under control.

Getting started

Before you begin with weight training, check with your doctor to ensure that it is safe for you to undertake the strength training routines. Once your doctor tells you it is okay to begin the training exercises, you can choose the right equipment. Make sure that you do not over-exert yourself. Stop if you feel stressed. Make sure that you warm up before any of your strength training routines.

Weight training or strength training routines for older men are a great way to keep healthy and fit – both mentally and physically. So you should include weights in your training exercises as it is a major element in fitness training programs for older men.