Why Your Diet Is The Important Part Of Fitness

The food we eat plays a vital role in how we look and feel. Regular exercise is important but according to research, nutrition has the largest impact on our fitness. Using food as our medicine has become a popular theme for health improvement.

The trend is now to focus on healthy food intake as a primary fitness goal. When healthy eating habits become a lifestyle, we are healthier and happier. Eating right allows us to reduce body fat, lose a few pounds, feel more confident and reduce our risk of illness.  

Chronic studies are indicating healthy food intake as the most important part of our fitness programs. Some physicians are teaching healthy eating habits/lifestyle as a way to improve overall health reducing obesity and related disease. 

Food is Our Medicine

Nutrient-dense foods or superfoods include lean proteins, healthy carbohydrates, and fats (fats from plants) that are essential to our health. Superfoods are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Antioxidants are shown to reduce inflammation in our body helping us fight disease and illness. Inflammation is said to be the leading cause of many diseases. Powerful antioxidants in leafy greens and vegetables, for example, help detoxify the body removing harmful chemicals. 

Some superfoods contain compounds that increase our metabolism for more efficient fat burning. Red peppers contain a molecule called capsaicin shown to enhance the rate we burn body fat. 

Eating healthy food will not only help improve our health but also enable us to finally reach desired fitness goals. 

Increase Your Metabolism Naturally

Your best fat burner is not going to come in a bottle but by eating foods containing certain compounds. We can increase the rate we burn fat naturally according to nutrition research.

Eating foods that stimulate and enhance the fat burning process will help us reduce fat more effectively. Adding metabolism boosting foods will be a great supplement to your existing workout and nutrition program. 

The following foods are shown to increase our metabolism so you burn more fat

• Hot peppers (active component capsaicin) 
• Green tea (active component caffeine)
• Black coffee (active component caffeine)
• Cold water (500 ml of water daily increased metabolic rate by 30%) 
• Whole grains (aiding component fiber and iron)
• Yogurt (aiding component calcium and probiotics)
• Apples (aiding component fiber)
• Nuts and seeds (aiding component essential fatty acids)
• Fatty fish (aiding component Omega-3 fatty acids)

Peanut Butter is a Superfood

Peanut butter just so happens to be the number one sports nutrition superfood. It contains healthy fat, is nutrient-dense and shown to provide long-lasting energy for optimal athletic performance. 

Selecting natural or organic peanut butter is recommended to avoid added sugar and preservatives. Peanut butter is high in fiber and an excellent source of plant protein. It also contains niacin, folate, vitamin E and other essential nutrients and minerals. 

Peanut butter contains quality nutrients and supplies lasting energy at 90 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. It also contains 7 grams of protein per ounce compared to other nuts only supplying 4 grams. Adequate protein intake is essential for muscle growth. 

It is low in saturated fat and cholesterol making it a heart healthy food. Research indicates consuming 1.5 ounces of peanut butter per day may reduce the risk of heart disease.  

What are Fitness Foods?

The term fitness food is interchangeable with superfoods. Eating a diet rich in fitness foods is essential to our health. Incorporating healthy nutrition and knowing what that means is vital to achieving a lean and healthy body.   

The following is a favored list of superfoods among fitness enthusiasts:

• Oats (high in fiber, improves digestion/increases metabolism)
• Eggs (protein source, muscle building)
• Greens (antioxidants, reduces inflammation)
• Apples (antioxidants, reduces inflammation/increases metabolism)
• Lean meats/fish (amino acids, protein source, muscle building)

Is Coffee Healthy or Not?

Should we drink coffee? This is a popular question and although not the best drink for some, overall studies show coffee as beneficial to our health and fitness.

Coffee contains antioxidants but also caffeine. Caffeine is a natural stimulant shown to increase our metabolic rate. Many athletes are using coffee as a pre-workout drink to benefit from this effect. Low to moderate doses (1-2 cups) of coffee are shown to significantly improve athletic performance.

Drinking black coffee 30 minutes prior to exercise is said to have the best ergogenic results. It's shown to improve our endurance and enable us to exercise longer. 

Coffee is also indicated to improve our mental focus and increase energy levels. Clearer thinking promotes a more productive and effective workout. Coffee is also shown to reduce exercise-induced muscle pain.

Coffee also contains powerful antioxidants shown to reduce chronic disease and illness. Studies have shown it help individuals suffering from Parkinson's diseaseand to reduce the incidence of gallstones. 

Because caffeine is a stimulant, it's recommended to consult your physician if you are hypertensive, pregnant, have diagnosed heart disease, or are nursing prior to drinking coffee.

Eat Superfoods Daily

Superfoods play an important part in achieving and maintaining a healthy body. Nutritionists may vary in their lists of which foods are best but agree they're all essential. Eating a wide variety of superfoods daily will satisfy nutrient requirements for optimal body functioning.

Start with the following top superfoods for improved health and fitness:

• Oats (high in fiber, improved digestion, heart health)
• Blueberries (antioxidants, reduces inflammation, cancer-fighting)
• Apples (antioxidants, reduces inflammation, weight loss)
• Green tea (antioxidants, increases metabolism, weight loss)
• Flaxseed (essential fatty acids, increases metabolism, reduces inflammation)
• Broccoli (antioxidants, cancer-fighting, detox)
• Yogurt (calcium, probiotic, improved digestion, bone health)
• Olive oil (monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)/heart health) 
• Beans (high in fiber, antioxidants, improved brain function)
• Cinnamon (antioxidants, detox, healing spice)

Stop eating the foods that taste good and start eating the foods that are good for you. Putting more nutrition in your diet will keep you slim, fit, and healthy.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Apple Cider Vinegar And Your Health

So why are we discussing Apple Cider Vinegar, because you want to lose weight. When you diet for weight loss you can mess up your stomach to the point that it doesn't seem to be working. That's because you have changed the good bacteria in your stomach by changing the foods you have been eating in the past. Apple cider vinegar can restore the bacteria you lost. Stomach bacteria is what works in your stomach to digest the food you're eating and not eating properly will ruin that bacteria. Taking probiotics will remedy that. Apple cider vinegar is a natural probiotic. Being able to get the nutrition from your food depends on your stomach being able to process that food and the bacteria in your stomach is responsible for that.
Read on about Apple Cider Vinegar, it just may be the answer to your weight loss problems.
WebMD Feature

By Joy Manning

Reviewed by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

I like this article, I take this myself and I have no more trouble with acid reflux. What this doctor is talking about is unfiltered apple cider vinegar. And this stuff is concentrated. It's on the same shelf at the grocery store but it costs a lot more. If you surf the internet you'll find there's one brand that stands out and it's an organic product and even if you find another, remember you want the unfiltered stuff that's cloudy in the bottle and try to buy the organic. I use one tablespoon in a 12-ounce glass of bottled water. I drink it first thing in the morning before I brush my teeth. Like lemon juice, this will hurt the enamel on your teeth. It will also damage your kitchen counters, be careful. If you want to talk to your doctored I wouldn't give this to kids. All vinegar is an alkaline and the idea is to neutralize over-active stomach acid. Your body does that already but some people make too much stomach acid so the vinegar help to tone it down a little. It's important you dilute this a lot because you can burn your throat. 

Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Loss

Have you heard that apple cider vinegar will help you lose weight? 

The only study to test the idea in people was done in Japan. In the study, 175 obese but healthy people took either vinegar or water daily for 12 weeks. Their diets were similar. They kept food journals. At the end of the study, those who used vinegar had lost slightly more weight. On average, the vinegar group lost 1-2 pounds over the 3-month period. They gained it all back after the study was over.

The researchers suggest that vinegar may turn on certain genes involved in breaking down fats.

The effect is probably very subtle, says Chicago dietitian Debbie Davis, RD. “It may have some benefits in terms of weight loss and weight management, but it is definitely not a quick fix." 

If you want to lose weight, you’ll still need to exercise and change your diet.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

While apple cider vinegar probably won’t make you skinny, it does appear to help with diabetes and blood sugar control.

Carol Johnston, PhD, directs Arizona State University’s nutrition program. She has been studying apple cider vinegar for more than 10 years and believes its effects on blood sugar are similar to certain medications.

“Apple cider vinegar’s anti-glycemic effect is very well documented,” Johnston says.

She explains that the vinegar blocks some of the digestion of starch. “It doesn’t block the starch 100%, but it definitely prevents at least some of that starch from being digested and raising your blood sugar,” Johnston says.

Not every expert feels as confident about apple cider vinegar’s power.

"Trying to use vinegar to treat diabetes is like trying to bail out a flooded basement with a teaspoon," says Michael Dansinger, MD, director of Tufts University’s diabetes lifestyle coaching program.

He advises patients to focus instead on their overall diets -- a strategy backed by a lot more research, he says.

If you have gastroparesis, a common problem with diabetes that slows stomach emptying, be careful. Early research shows apple cider vinegar may make this problem worse.

"I’m concerned that drinking vinegar, even diluted in water, increases acid in your system, which puts a strain on your kidneys and bones,” Dansinger says.

If you have diabetes and want to try apple cider vinegar, let your doctor know, and keep an eye on your blood sugar levels.

Johnston stresses that if you are on medication for diabetes, you shouldn’t stop taking it and substitute vinegar. If you're thinking about using it to help manage your blood sugar, talk to your doctor first.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Digestion

If you drink apple cider vinegar with a starchy meal, then the starches you don't digest will feed the good bacteria in your gut, Johnston says.

Davis recommends using unfiltered apple cider vinegar, “the cloudy kind, where you can see a blob in the bottle.”

That blob is known as “the mother,” and it’s full of probiotics and other beneficial bacteria. “This kind of vinegar can support immune function and, for some people, even help with constipation,” Davis says.

Tips on Taking Apple Cider Vinegar

Don't drink it straight. It’s so acidic that it could harm your tooth enamel and your esophagus.

Don't use a lot. “Dilute 1 to 2 tablespoons in a big glass of water, and sip it along with your meals one or two times a day,” Johnston says.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs and ebooks, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks. 

There are two Ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new Ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Forget Three Squares a Day; Americans Eat All Day Long

This is so true and I'm an advocator of the "5 small meal a day plan", but it's easy to overdo the calories. When I started the small meal plan I had to put everything on paper first and count the calories and you have to stick to the plan you make. Always eat at the proper time and never skip a meal and stay between 250 and 300 calories every meal then do your exercise and you won't get hungry and you will lose weight.

1. 
   

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- Many Americans have tossed the conventional three-meals-a-day routine out the window and replaced it with frequent chow downs spread throughout the day, new research shows.

The study found that most folks were eating for 15 or more hours while awake, and the lion's share of calories were eaten well after 6 p.m.

"Most participants thought they don't eat or drink that regularly outside their breakfast-lunch-dinner routine," said study co-author Satchidananda Panda, an associate professor in the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute. Most people also assumed that they had been confining their eating routine to a 10- to 12-hour window, he added.

But after tracking actual eating patterns, Panda found that the "recorded fact was different."

The findings stem from a new effort to track real-world eating behavior by means of a newly designed mobile app.

For three weeks, 150 healthy men and women continuously snapped photos of all the food, drinks and nutritional supplements they consumed. In turn, the app tracked all caloric intake, along with the exact time and place food was consumed, the researchers said.

All the participants were between the ages of 21 and 55, and resided in the vicinity of San Diego, the study reported. No one was asked to modify his or her normal eating habits in any way. Also, no study volunteers were dieting.

After 21 days, investigators determined that food intake was generally both erratic and continuous.

In essence, the study authors found that whenever they were awake, people ate. More than half of the participants spread their food intake over a roughly 15-hour period each day. Fasting tended to occur only during sleep, the study found.

What's more, less than a quarter of daily caloric intake happened before noon. By contrast, more than a third of food was consumed after 6 p.m., the study said.

A follow-up experiment tracked eight participants who were classified as obese and who had a habit of consuming food for periods stretching beyond 14 hours each day. Wrong. You should consume all food and drink for the day during the first 10 hours after you wake-up. The food you eat those last 3 or 4 hours before bed will not have time to digest and will sit in your stomach all night and may never be digested. 

The five male and three female participants were instructed to restrict all food intake to a 10-hour block of time per day for 16 weeks. The app was used to track their eating behavior, and this enabled all participants to log onto a website to follow their actual dietary habits in real time.

The result: Although no one had been instructed to change the kind or amount of food they normally consumed, the obese participants had cut back their daily calories by about 20 percent by the end of the four-month study period. They ended up losing an average of about 7 pounds. They also reported experiencing improved sleep and increased energy levels, the study revealed.

Panda said that at this point, the app is designed to serve as a research tool, rather than as a dietary consumer aid.

Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, said the study findings are "not much of a surprise."

"Basically this new study helps confirm what we already suspect," she said. "Eating sporadically and at all hours is just not good for our health. Today's new studies show that the more calories you eat, the more health problems you'll have later in life. 

"I see this a lot in those that I work with in my weight-loss classes," Sandon added. "There is a lack of planning and stability in their eating schedules, so eating just happens whenever. Many skip breakfast, have a light lunch, then find themselves hungry and tired in the afternoon and seeking a pick-me-up from the vending machine, only to get home from work ravenous and wanting to eat anything and everything with no energy to exercise. They then spend the night snacking before bed. This is a common phenomenon.

"[So] planning ahead for regularly scheduled meals is an important strategy for weight loss or just simply eating healthier," she advised.

I write several blogs and ebooks, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks. 

There are two Ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new Ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Body Weight Exercise: Exercise on the Cheap

Using the weight of your own body to create resistance was one of the earliest forms of strength training. It's easy to learn, effective, and you can do it just about anywhere.

Although you can get quite inventive, the following exercises are the primary bodyweight exercises and how to do them. It's a somewhat fine distinction, but the core resistance bodyweight exercises are not the same as calisthenics, stretching, plyometrics or most yoga exercises (in my opinion anyway), although they may include elements of all these disciplines.

The exercises form the core of any bodyweight workout program. Many others are variations and trivial modifications.

Push-ups

The push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise, and it demonstrates quite clearly the principle of bodyweight resistance training.

Lie face down on the floor, preferably on a firm carpet or mat or rubber surface, with feet together.
Place your hands on the floor at shoulder level, facing forward. Keep a slight bubble in the hands and fingers, rather than positioning them flat on the hard surface.
Raise your body up on the hands and toes until elbows are nearly straight, then lower to a point where the elbow is at a right angle. Don't let your body touch the floor.
One "up and down" is one push-up repetition. Don't go too fast or too slow. Keep the head and neck steady.
Do as many as you can in one minute, rest, then try again. Rest your knees on the ground if you find the exercise difficult when you first start out.
The push-up develops strength in the chest, shoulders and the triceps muscles of the upper arms.

Variations include resting knees on the floor, using a wide or narrow hand position and using one arm to perform the push-up motion (for the tough guys and girls).

The Squat

The squat without weights may seem easy, but once you get up around the 20 rep mark it starts to take a toll on the knees, upper legs, and butt until you build some condition. I do a flat footed squat, but some prefer to do the squat on their toes.

Here's how it goes:

Stand with feet about shoulder width apart. Keep hands on your hips, crossed over the chest, held out in front, or at your sides. I like the hands out in front because it allows you to settle back a little into the squat and put some emphasis on the butt muscles and hamstrings.
Keeping the back straight, bend the knees and squat down until your knees are at approximately 90 degrees (a right angle).
Push up to the starting position and repeat. The squat develops legs and butt muscles and, over time, may strengthen knee joints. However, be cautious with this exercise if you have an existing knee injury or feel knee pain at any stage in the workout.
Start with 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Lunges

The lunge is a fundamental bodyweight exercise. Done in sets of 8 or more (each leg), lunges provide strength, balance, and flexibility training. You can see how to perform the lunge in this example of a weighted lunge.

Options include a variety of arm positions -- at the sides, straight out in front, raised at each side, crossed at the chest or straight up overhead.

Try them all, as each arm position provides a slightly different emphasis and perhaps level of difficulty. For example, the arms raised at the sides provides better balance and stability than arms crossed at the chest.

Other more advanced options include the backward lunge and the 45-degree angle side lunge.

Crunches

Crunches are a key exercise for strengthening the abdominal muscles. Many different types of crunches are possible. Some of the best are:

Standard crunch, in which the shoulders are raised off the floor while you contract the abs
Reverse crunch, in which the legs and knees are raised off the floor while you contract the abs
Combo crunch, which is a combination of both of the above
Bicycle crunch, which includes all of the above and you peddle the legs in the air as well.

Dips

Dips are performed with a chair or bench. You can also use a special machine at the gym that helps you. These are called "assisted dips." These instructions are for the standard dip from a bench:

Make sure you select a secure bench or chair that will not slide from under you. I use a kitchen chair and I push it against the wall to prevent slipping.
Sit on a bench or chair and slide your butt forward off the bench so that you are supporting your whole body weight on your hands, with your butt hanging and your feet on the ground.
Lower your body down until the elbow is at about 90 degrees (a right angle). Don't go below this, as the shoulder joint can get in a position that may not be safe for some people.
You can start out with the legs bent at about 90 degrees and your feet more or less flat on the floor, then extend them out as you get stronger until your "dipping" on your heels with your feet stretched out in front of you.

Some people believe you have to exercise to lose weight and it will help, but you can't sweat off pounds and expect them to stay off. Only a change in your diet will create permanent weight loss.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebook at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

“How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?”, is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

Mysteries of Weight Loss Continued......

A few months ago I wrote the first post and today I'm doing a follow-up.

I'm not a big fan of low-carb diets for losing body fat, but some people are insulin-resistant, which means when they eat carbs they spike their blood sugar. "So, what?" When you eat foods that cause your blood sugar levels or glucose levels to shoot up very fast after eating then get ready for a quick drop. That's the real problem, that quick drop will cause more food cravings so you'll be snacking after a big meal and you won't be hungry but you have the cravings for salty or sweet and it drives you to eat more and those cravings will continue until you ate some much you're uncomfortable.

Low-carb diets are all about balancing blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. Beyond weight loss, we eat low-carb diets to keep our blood sugar normal and stable. To fully understand the connection, it's helpful to first familiarize yourself with how the body processes blood sugar in a normal state and even explore how that changes when there's a problem, such as in diabetics.

What Do Carbohydrates Have to Do With Blood Glucose?

Carbohydrates have everything to with blood glucose.

All foods with carbohydrate -- whether rice, jelly beans, or watermelon -- break down to simple sugars in our bodies turning into glucose through metabolic processes. This process is what causes our blood glucose to rise. The carbohydrate in most starchy foods (potatoes, bread) is simply a collection of long chains of glucose, which break down quickly and raise blood sugar.

What Does Our Body Do When Blood Sugar is High?

When our blood sugar goes up, our body responds by secreting insulin to stabilize it. The sugar is then taken out of the blood and converted into fat; insulin's primary function is facilitating the storage of extra sugar in the blood as fat. Diabetics are unable to balance blood sugar when the process of converting food to energy takes place. When sugar levels are high, the ability of cells in the pancreas to make insulin goes down. The pancreas overcompensates for this lack of insulin and insulin levels stay high, as does blood sugar.

Over time, the pancreas is permanently damaged and other bodily functions are affected such as hardened blood vessels, among other ailments.

What are the Problems with Blood Sugar Going Up?

However, for many people, this metabolic process works fine. Sometimes, though, people reach a point in their lives when it goes awry (or it doesn't work well from childhood).

This is called insulin resistance, and one of the consequences is that there gets to be too much insulin in the blood as the body tries harder and harder to bring the sugar down. When insulin is high, weight gain is more likely, since a main function of insulin is fat storage. Conversely, people with high insulin levels are more likely to lose weight on low-carb diets.

Keeping blood glucose normal has other health benefits, such as the prevention of heart disease and diabetes. Even non-diabetics have an increased heart disease risk with higher blood glucose levels.

Stop what your eating and start eating healthy and much of your health problems will disappear. Learn more about eating healthy from my ebooks.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs and ebooks, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks. 

There are two Ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new Ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Gym Membership Are Good For Heart Health

If you're on the fence about joining a gym, consider this: Health club members exercise more and have better heart health, according to a new study.

I'm adding my two cents here. This is based on the theory that "if you buy it you'll use it". And that is true, but most people that buy memberships quit before the end of the first year. So, in my experience, if you going to spend the money be sure you're going to use it. The drop out rate is huge. But don't get turned off. Most of those people got the memberships as a gift and never really took it seriously. You can't become slim and trim just by going to the gym and it takes a few weeks for some of us to figure that out. The following post is from HealthDay and emphasizes the over health benefits of a gym membership for those how are regular members.

Researchers from Iowa State University found men and women who have a gym membership get more aerobic and strength-training activity than those who don't. 

"It's not surprising that people with a gym membership work out more, but the difference in our results is pretty dramatic," said study corresponding author Duck-chul Lee, an assistant professor of kinesiology.

"Gym members were 14 times more aerobically active than non-members and 10 times more likely to meet muscle-strengthening guidelines, regardless of their age and weight," Lee said in a university news release. 

U.S. health officials recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week.

Adults should also incorporate two days of weight lifting or other muscle-strengthening activities into their weekly routine. Muscle mass burns more energy and lowers the risk of obesity, the study authors explained.

Only half of all Americans meet the guidelines for aerobic activity, and only about 20 percent get the preferred amount of strength training, the study authors noted.

For the study, the researchers looked at data on more than 400 people, half of whom had a gym membership.

They found that 75 percent of the gym members met both aerobic and strength-training guidelines. But the same was true for only 18 percent of non-members.

Most of the people with a gym membership exceeded exercise recommendations, spending at least 300 minutes running, biking or engaging in some other cardio workout each week, according to the study.

Overall, the researchers noted health club members got nearly six more hours of physical activity a week than non-members.

Those with gym memberships also had:

• lower odds of being obese, 
• smaller waistlines (about 1.5 inches smaller for men and women), 
• lower resting heart rate, 
• greater heart strength, lung function, blood circulation and muscle mass (what's known as cardiorespiratory fitness). 

"Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for individuals in the U.S. As our paper shows, a health club membership is associated with more favorable cardiovascular health," said study co-author Elizabeth Schroeder.

Only 18 percent of Americans have a gym membership, the researchers pointed out. They said their findings suggest that incentives to boost health club membership could be beneficial.

"By joining a quality fitness facility, a new exerciser will be around like-minded people and have access to professionals who can help them be successful," said study co-author Warren Franke, a professor of kinesiology.

"Access to quality exercise equipment, social support and even the financial commitment may help spur someone to continue exercising. Not all facilities are the same, so it's important to find the 'right' fit," said Franke. 

The study was published recently in the journal PLOS ONE.

-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks. 

There are two Ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new Ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Are the Gym Programs Worth The Money?

This is a question that we all struggle with. We think about all the times we tried to lose weight and didn't. It seems we always quit after a few months so why spend a lot of money. And I understand. I lost my body fat without spending any money, so why should you. My opinion is that when you make up your mind that you're going to do this, you will finally do the research and find a program that will work for you.  It doesn't take money. Throwing money at any problem has never been the solution.

This article first appeared on MyFitnessPal.com and gives you the pros and cons of these gym programs. Okay, but remember I'm not talking about gym memberships, they do seem to work. It's those classes like "spinning" or "aerobics". These classes are not for beginners. Don't be fooled by the instructors at the gym. They make extra money sells these classes and they get paid whether you finish or not. If you're out of shape you want to start slow. You don't want an injury.

When resolution season rolls around, we’re all faced with the tough question: Is spending money on pricey, high-end wellness trends really worth it? Sometimes it feels like you have to choose between your personal fitness and the fitness of your bank account. The not-so-simple answer to this question is it’s complicated. To see which trends really are worth the extra cash, check out our list of worth it picks — plus three to skip.

LUXURY GYMS: WORTH IT

Luxury gyms can seem like a waste of money — especially when you can get access to a treadmill or a set of dumbbells just as easily at your local budget gym. But according to economists, there’s merit to shelling out for a luxury gym. The theory is that paying more for your membership will actually make you more likely to use it. Since wasting a $10 per month membership feels much less painful than spending $300 each month for a membership you don’t use, going luxury may just be the motivation you need to stick to a gym schedule.  This is the upside of Luxury Programs, but you want to remember that most of these programs are pretty tough. They are not for the timid. They work you very hard because they want you to see results quickly. But you have to be in pretty good shape just to take the punishment.

LUXURY BOOTCAMPS: NOT WORTH IT

At nearly $40 per class, these classes talk a big game that they don’t necessarily live up to. Yes, their HIIT-style workouts can be effective, but they use moves and equipment you can re-create yourself at a less-expensive gym. If you really want to get the full “boot camp” experience while still saving money, have your gym buddy yell at you drill sergeant-style throughout your sweat session.

MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES: WORTH IT

According to many estimates, meal delivery services tend to shake out to be about the same price as groceries. This means that not only will you guarantee yourself a healthy meal, you’ll be saving time (and time is money) by not having to make your weekly trip to the market. You might even pick up enough cooking skills to cross cooking classes off your list of resolutions.

ORGANIC FOODS: NOT WORTH IT… IN MOST CASES

As you probably know by now, buying organic isn’t cheap. Because organic farms are often smaller and don’t use chemicals in the growing and harvesting process, it takes them more time to produce the same amount of food as compared with larger, non-organic farms. Since time is money, you can expect a markup. Conventional wisdom has held that shelling out for organic alternatives is naturally healthier for you, but research has thrown that belief into question. According to the 2012 study, in most cases, there’s not enough scientific evidence to back up the better-for-you claims.

TRAVELING FITNESS MEMBERSHIPS: WORTH IT

Depending on your city, memberships that let you attend a variety of boutique classes can get quite pricey, prompting many potential users to hesitate before committing. Will you really make it to three classes a week? Luckily, many of these memberships help remove some of that workout doubt by adding an extra incentive. If you don’t make it to a class you signed up for, you’ll still be charged, effectively silencing all those last-minute thoughts of hitting the snooze.

LUXURY YOGA STUDIOS: NOT WORTH IT

Whether or not to pony up for a high-end yoga class is a fairly divisive topic. On one hand, many yogis find the practice to be about total wellness, including pampering yourself with the amenities that many luxe spots offer. However, others argue that the practice should be a bare-boned, egalitarian focus on the body. Since high-quality free yoga classes, outdoor yoga meetups and YouTube yoga tutorials are incredibly easy to find, skip the expensive memberships and treat yourself to the occasional spa day to round out your wellness routine. You can also find free Yoga classes in your neighborhood on the internet.

LUXURY CYCLING STUDIOS: IT DEPENDS

The rise of pricey cycling options made the exercise bike cool again. But as most devotees will tell you, these classes are more about the spirit than the Spinning. Classes feature a distinctly clubby feel and DJ-curated playlists to provide the soundtrack to motivational mantras, distracting you to the point where you almost forget you’re working out. If going to the gym is a struggle for you, the added dose of fun and energy is totally worth the per-class price. But if you enjoy your gym time and don’t need fist-pumping music to get motivated, save your pennies to upgrade your gym membership and use the spin bikes there.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs and ebooks, check out some of my other sites.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonlosingweight.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks.
There are two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon