Thursday, May 26, 2011

Weight Loss Tips for Women in Their 30's, 40's & 50's From Dr. Oz

Dr. Oz is a walking wealth of knowledge and information,  and he has recently shared a few easy ways to help lose those extra pounds no matter what age you are:

30's: In your 30's it's important to eat foods that will increase your metabolism.  Eating 1/2 cup button mushrooms every 2 days, 2 tbs of pine nuts 3 times a week, and taking 2 tbs of balsamic vinegar with every meal will help speed up your metabolism.  Sounds like a salad with mushrooms, pine nuts and balsamic vinegar for the dressing may do the trick.  Another great way to speed up your metabolism is a low calorie drink made up of 8 cups green tea, 1 sliced tangerine, and a generous handful of mint leaves.

40's: In your 40's weaker muscles do not burn fat as they used to so your body needs more protein to aid in muscle production and the burning of fat.  Eating 2-3 cups of Roman beans per week, 5oz of Salmon twice a week, and as much Broccoli Raab as you desire will help build stronger muscles.

50's: In your 50's your body actually burns 200 calories less per day than when you were in your 30's.  This is due to estrogen loss.  Eating flax seed daily will help compensate for this loss.  Try sprinkling flax seed over greek yogurt with blueberries or add low fat granola and a few dark chocolate chips along with the flax seed. 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Easy Exercises You Can Do At Home

Do you know that in order to keep your heart healthy and your weight under control, you need to walk at least 10,000 steps each day? This may sound daunting but many activities you're doing everyday such as running errands or doing household works can add up to a few hundred or even thousand of steps for you.
To maintain your health and make sure you achieve the 10,000 steps each day, here are some simple and easy exercises that you can do at home. These exercise routines not only help to keep you fit but also will tone your body as they work on some specific muscle groups. They are a lot more effective than the general exercises such as running errands and doing house chores. Here are the exercises you can easily do at home:
- Stretching exercises. Stand with both of your hands against a wall and move your left leg back so that your foot is flat against the floor. Hold for a few seconds; then repeat this move with the right leg. Another great stretching exercise you can perform is to lie on your back, use both hands, bring up your right knee to your chest and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat this routine with your left leg.
- Curl is very easy to do. Just lie on your back with both hands behind your head and raise your upper body. Repeat this move for 15-20 times.
- Leg exercises can be done by lying down on your side and lifting each leg repeatedly for 15-20 times. You can also stand and hold on to the back of a chair and lift your legs backward repeatedly.
- Arm exercises. This is important to improve muscle tone. For arm exercises, you can use an exercise band. Place both feet on one end of the band, hold the other ends with each hand and then repeatedly raise and lower the band (in an up and down motion for 10-15 minutes). If you have a pair of dumbbell, you can also use them to exercise your arms.
- If you are working at home and sitting in front of your computer most of the time, try to press down on your toes in an up and down motion frequently. This activity will help to keep the blood circulation flowing in your legs.
- If you know how to dance, put on a music CD and dance for about 20-30 minutes. This is a great cardiovascular workout. You can also incorporate push-ups, sit-ups and jumping rope into your daily home exercise routine.
- Abs workout. I have found a great 8 minute video showing you how to do abs workout at home. You can watch the video at "Best Abs Workout At Home - Only 8 Minute".
NOTE: Always do some stretching to warm up before starting any exercise routine to prevent injury.
Leon is an Infopreneur dedicated to sharing his online discoveries across the net. You can visit his blogs at Leon's Self-Improvement Blog and Health Buzz Zone.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/813581

Easy Energy Boosters

One of the most common complaints made by mothers is that they are constantly tired and don't have an ounce of energy left by the end of the day.  Life as a homemaker can be full of countless energy draining activities and it's often difficult to find the time to re-engergize.  But a few simple tricks can help give you the stamina you need to be more productive.

1.  Get dressed for work: Treat your homemaking like a job - get up, take a shower, put on makeup and get dressed as if you were going to work.  Yes, you might feel more comfortable staying in lounge pants with your hair in a pony tail, but it will also make you feel more sleepy too.

2.  Take Vitamin B Complex: Try taking stress reducing and energizing vitamins to help promote good health.  Vitamin B complex includes thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), vitamins B5, B6, B12, biotin and folate. Thiamine, riboflavin and niacin are essential for the release of energy from the food we eat, particularly from carbohydrates. The need for B vitamins increases when you are sick, injured, stressed emotionally or physically, in order to enhance energy protection. 

3.  Exercise:  Try fitting in at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.  Working out in the morning is best to get a metabolism up and running, but if this doesn't fit your schedule, try to exercise during your child's nap time or include them in the exercise altogether.  See if they will work out with you, play quietly along side of you while you exercise or try taking a hike or long walk with them.  This doesn't have to be an all or nothing project, any exercise you can fit in is better than none at all. 

4.  Pop a mint:  The smell of mint raises alertness by stimulating your trigeminal nerve, "the same nerve that's activated by smelling salts," says Alan Hirsch, M.D., director of Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. 

5.  Visual stimulation:  Dishes in the sink, unmade beds, clothes and toys on the floor are all anxiety creators and can be mentally draining.  Clutter signals disorder, which makes it impossible to relax. Try and keep the house clean and organized to provide a comfortable sense of relaxation. 

6.  Drink water:  Cut back on caffeinated beverages like soda, tea and coffee which are diuretics and can dehydrate you even more. For every caffeinated drink you have, guzzle an extra eight ounces of water. A good indication that you are drinking enough water is if your urine is clear or pale yellow.

7.  Get sunlight:  Have a picinic outside or go for a walk as often as weather permits. Just 30 to 60 minutes of sunlight a day can improve energy dramatically.  If you are unable to get outdoors, sit by a window whenever possible.

8.  Eat for energy:  Chosing the right foods for energy and nutrition makes a big impact on how energized a person feels.  Avoid refined carbohydrates which are high in sugar, such as cookies, soda, cakes, doughnuts, and candy and replace them with foods high in protein such as beans or nuts for long lasting energy.  Also, try and eat something every three hours to prevent energy levels from dipping.

9.  Prioritize:  Reduce your schedule by letting things go of some of the things you think you should do but don’t want to do.  Free up your time for what you really need to do or want to be doing! And get rid of the guilt: negative thoughts and unresolved issues are taxing, taking up lots of mental energy.  Say NO! If it is not an absolute yes you want to do it, then don’t say yes.

10. Avoid alcohol:  Know that glass of wine you enjoy at night to unwind?  Even if it's only one, it can still disrupt sleep and leave you feeling less alert in the morning.  Try skipping it for a few evenings and see if you notice that it's easier to wake up in the morning.