Components Of A Golf Exercise Program

by: Mike Pedersen

Golf exercise program - with the exploding number of so-called golf fitness experts these days, it becomes very confusing. It's easy for a golfer to be misled and end up in a program that will hardly have the desired objective of improving their game.

In fact the wrong golf exercise program can end up making a golfer’s game deteriorate rather than improve.

It is therefore very useful to know what constitutes a complete golf exercise programA complete golf exercise program will tend to have the following attributes;

A) Golf specific stretch exercises Stretch exercises are a very important part of any genuine golf workout program. Stretches help improve the golf swing and correct many common mistakes and weaknesses in this area. They sometime help alleviate or even eliminate nagging back problems in some golfers. Many stretch exercises can be done in the comfort of the office or home.

B) Golf specific strength training Strength training is also a key area in any good golf workout program. Strength training usually has a dramatic effect on the quality of the game of any golfer. Dumbbells are usually used and the program for building strength for golf is usually very different from a body building program because the idea here is not to build muscles.

C) Should be able to focus on certain common player weaknesses A good golf exercise program should also be able to focus on certain common weaknesses amongst most amateur golfers with the aim of helping to improve and deal with those weaknesses. This at times may involve the use of certain golf aid equipment. However it should be very clear what particular aspects of the game are being developed by what golfing aids.

A complete golf exercise program should help any golfer improve their game dramatically and feel much more confident every time they set foot on the course.
About the Author
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds and Manual at http://www.performbattergolf.com

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Are You Too Old to Pump Iron?

by: J. Bowler

Are You Too Old to Pump Iron?
By: Jean Bowler
http://www.ageless-beauty.com

Are you too old for weight lifting? Will weight lifting help
you stay and look younger? The answer to the first question is
no and to the second is a resounding yes. Weight lifting will
help both men and women stay fit and supple and might even help
you look younger. And, no matter what your age, you’re not too
old to start.Dr.Walter Bortz, in The Journal of the American Medical
Association, 1982, stated that a number of the physical
changes we undergo as we age, such as loss of muscle tone,
organ deterioration, and osteoporosis are “indistinguishable
whether caused by age or inactivity.” He believed that exercise
could delay many of the diseases associated with aging, adding
“at least a portion of the changes commonly attributed to aging
are in reality caused by disuse and, as such, subject to
correction”.

As we age, we lose bone density and muscle mass. We get stiff
and our joints creak. Instead of using our body, we “rest” it
even more, starting a very dangerous downward spiral. The
synovial fluid dries up, the tendons become brittle, the sinews
grow weak. It hurts to move, so we don’t.

More recently Dr Henry Lodge and Chris Cowley published a new
book on this theme, "Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like
50 Until You're 80 and Beyond". The premise of this book is that
weight lifting will help reverse the loss of both bone density
and muscle mass that begins to take place as we get older. And
they’re not talking about light weights, but rather big heavy
weights.

In July 1983, Terry Todd wrote in Sports Illustrated that “Anyone
who has spent much time in what is sometimes called the "Iron Game"
has, of course, seen weight trainers over 40 whose physiques were…
surprisingly youthful. Apparently there is something about the act
of regularly stressing your body with heavy exercise that gives it
the wherewithal to resist the visual manifestations of advancing
age…research in this area suggests that men and women of middle age
will respond to systemic progressive resistance with weights by
becoming more powerful and more flexible, with more endurance and
less fat.”

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control reported that strength
training "can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of
numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them:arthritis,
diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, back pain and depression."

Strength training will also increase your flexibility and balance,
which decreases the likelihood and severity of falls. One study in
New Zealand in women 80 years of age and older showed a 40% reduction
in falls with simple strength and balance training.

I don’t agree that we need to undertake heavy weight training to
see substantial benefits.

The American College of Sports Medicine strength training
guidelines say we should start with at least two days a week of
any type of resistance exercise by doing 8 to 10 different exercises
and doing 8 to 12 repetitions per day. A repetition is how many times
you lift the weight or do the exercise.

So start off with a weight that you can lift correctly for at least
8 reps, even if it’s only 2 to 5 pounds. Rest between each set of
repetitions and between each exercise. If you can't make it to 8 reps
during the first few tries, don't give up. Do as much as you can do.
You'll be suprised at how soon you will feel like you need to add a
bit more weight.

But the goal is not to become a body builder, but rather to restore
your muscle tone and joint movement. You can gradually work your way
up to heavier weights if you desire, but you will obtain the best
benefit by avoiding injury and sticking to the program – lifting
weights every two or three days.

An excellent resource on this subject is Getting Stronger: Weight
Training for Men and Women by Bill Pearl and Gary Moran, Ph.D. I have
the edition that came out in 1986. A newer one is now available.
I have referred to it constantly over the last 19 years.

The book gives you tips and pointers on how to set up a strength
training regime. There are illustrations of every exercise with step
by step instructions on how to do them properly.

You can either learn beginning to advanced body building, sports
fitness routines to help you do better in 22 different sports,
exercises to help prevent injuries at work or just the principles
of general conditioning and strength training.

And you don’t need any fancy equipment to get going. Almost all the
exercises use cheap dumbbells and weights that are available in just
about every sporting goods store. All in all, this is a very
comprehensive book on weight training and is especially helpful to
those of us who have never lifted weights before.

If you have any disease, injury or physical disability, consult the
doctor who has been treating you before undertaking these exercises.
Follow his advice on how to get started and do not strength train if
he says not to.

Start off slowly with light weights. Follow the diagrams in the book
to make sure you’re positioning your body correctly to avoid injury
and obtain the best result from your workout.

After several weeks, you will be well on your way to improving your
appearance, physique and general attitude toward life, while doing
wonders for you internal organs and maybe even fighting off disease.
“Use it or lose it” applies to just about every part of your body.
Don’t “lose it” because of inactivity and disuse.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport
to offer medical advice. Consult a qualified physician before
undertaking any exercise program.

By: Jean Bowler
http://www.ageless-beauty.com

About the Author
Ms Bowler has taught ballet, gymnatics and aerobics and has been a personal coach.

She is very interested in antiaging research.

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Advantages Of A Gym Exercise Equipment

by: Charlene J. Nuble

Now is a good season for the health conscious to check up on the latest in gym exercise equipment. A wide variety of gym exercise equipment is available in the market each designed to tone the specific part of the body. So for that lasting impression as you stride down the beach and flaunt it, here are some of the important aspects in choosing the right gym exercise equipment for you.Know your body: whether you want to sport the firm and fit type or something as insanely huge as the Hulk, gamma radiation included, everyone has their own preference. For a first-timer, choosing the right gym exercise equipment can be attained in two ways: purchasing it from a sports store or to sign up in one of hundreds of gym establishments in the city.

One advantage in using the gym exercise equipment in a gym is the selection of commercial models that will help you get in shape, if not faster then better. Commercial gym exercise equipment are a little more complicated to use, often with digital readouts and other computerized systems attached, but the outcome after using the machine does show fantastic results after a few weeks. In addition to commercial gym exercise equipment, trainers are available to help you draw up a program to achieve that attention-grabbing body you always wanted. Be it in a posh place like Gold's Gym, or a neighborhood one that offers fifty bucks per session, these establishments hold the upper hand when it comes to quality gym exercise equipment.

Home gym exercise equipment is something a little more easy to use and compact enough that you can stow it away in your closet after two hours of working out. Convenience is all about the home gym exercise equipment, especially if they are the shy type who could not stand to flaunt themselves in public, even in a gym. They can be as attractive to look at like their commercial counterparts, but with a price tag that is a bit easy on the pocket. They require little effort when adjusting the setting to get out its maximum exercise performance.

A first-timer can acquire and use the home exercise equipment without too much flub. But as he or she gains experience, and not to mention a greater body, they go for more body specific machines that will bring out the best in (and out of) them. All they have to do is to draw a layout of his or her personalized body building program from books and go from there.

Know your self, as well as your body. Whether you purchased it in a store, or holding a gleaming member's card, gym exercise equipment is the next best thing since the home-made dumbbells and barbells out of cement on a pair of large milk cans and a metal water pipe.

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Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
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About the Author
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about fitness equipments, please go to: http://fitness-equipments.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

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Are You Too Old For Golf Fitness Workouts

by: Mike Pedersen

Many a senior golfer would not resist the temptation to skip golf fitness workouts, using their age as an excuse. And at first glance age would seem to be a genuine excuse to avoid golf fitness workouts. After all golf fitness workouts, as most people seem to believe, are supposed to be very strenuous programs where even dumb bells are used. So how do you tell that you are too old for golf fitness workouts?The answer to that question is really simple. If you are too old to play golf then you are probably too old for golf fitness workouts. I regularly work with 80 year old golfers who comfortably go through golf fitness workouts, dumb bells and all. It is also probably appropriate to add here at this juncture that I also regularly work with youngsters barely in their teens. Both groups of persons are able to dramatically improve on their game with the help of golf fitness workouts. Golf fitness workouts are not any more rigorous and punishing than the game of golf is. Remember that the work outs are golf specific, meaning that they are specifically designed to help strengthen and condition the very muscles used in golf. It is definitely not a boxing or body building fitness workout. Workouts for those sports reflect the rigorous and physically demanding aspects of those sports. In the very same way that golf fitness workouts reflect the requirements of the game of golf. The dumbbells are usually used for strength training because this is the most efficient equipment anywhere for building strength quickly hence their inclusion in the best golf fitness workout routines. The idea is never to lift heavy weights over long periods of time. Rather the objective to condition and strengthen golf muscles using lighter weights lifted over very short periods of time. If you are not too old or too young for golf, golf fitness workouts are for you. About the Author About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds and Manual at http://www.performbattergolf.com

 

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Yes, You Really Can Stop Premature Ejaculation Without Drugs

by: Alex Sharp

Until recently, guys with premature ejaculation problems had to wait at least a few weeks to see results from natural solutions. However, new research has finally revealed why some guys last and others simply can’t. Based on the training principles of body building, it is now possible to teach your body how to have sex correctly through a serious of specially designed exercises.So what is premature ejaculation, and how long is really enough?

Well premature ejaculation, or PE, is commonly defined as the inability to delay ejaculation to a point where both partners are satisfied; and this can be anywhere from 10 seconds to 10 minutes. It all depends on what you and your partner define as "too fast". Research shows that the average man will ejaculate within 1-3 minutes of penetration, while the average woman will orgasm after 12-15 minutes! With such a large gap it is no surprise that more than 30% of guys suffer from the anxiety of premature ejaculation!

So how do you stop it I hear you ask?

Fortunately, the ability to last a long time is a learned behaviour. Almost every man over fifty will tell you that he can delay ejaculation much longer today than when he was younger. Sexually inexperienced men have not yet learned to recognize the feeling of being about to come inside a woman. Recognizing and dealing with that feeling comes with experience. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that just having more sex will cure this kind of inexperience – it won’t! It’s not the amount of sex you’ve had – it’s the amount of learning and training. Learning to control the penis and taking charge of your own ejaculation are the keys to success.

Using traditional methods such as the "Squeeze Method", the "Masters and Johnson Method" and the "Stop Start Method" usually takes a few weeks to see results. These methods are designed for you and your partner to simply get used to sex and that is often the biggest part of early ejaculation problems anyway. Fixing Premature Ejaculation with the help of your partner only makes it even more embarrassing and awkward for you and it’s no wonder these techniques take so long to see results!

Doctors will sometimes prescribe medications that have ejaculatory retardation as a side effect. Even if those medications work (they don’t always), this doesn’t cure anything. You can’t stay on the drugs for a lifetime, and in relying on the external aid, you’ll never learn to control your orgasm for yourself. Also, most of these sprays and drugs simply numb the penis so you don’t feel the excitement. What’s the point of sex if you can’t enjoy it?

If we change our approach to having longer sex by focusing on the actual love making muscles rather than just waiting to get used to coming slower, then results can be seen inside of a week. In the sporting world, different training methods are used to build the two types of muscle fibres know as “fast twitch” and “slow twitch”. Generally weight lifters have denser slow twitch fibres for more power, and sprinters have denser fast twitch fibres for speed. If we apply their training methods to the muscles of sex, then we are able to develop total control much faster.

Gaining control during sex is as simple as taking control over your breathing, and control over the PC muscle. The PC muscle is located between the scrotum and the anus, and contracts both quickly and slowly during sex. By training it correctly, premature ejaculation can be controlled far quicker than by simply waiting for it to happen with traditional methods.

Also, anxiety is also a major contributor to fast ejaculation, and as a result your body tenses up and can’t perform correctly. By learning correct breathing techniques you can relax your body, and coupled with the confidence of controlling your PC muscle, you can be well on your way to stopping this embarrassing problem for ever!

Outlining a full program to cure PE would take more than this article allows, however a basic program involves holding your PC for 10 seconds, then relaxing for a few seconds and repeating this cycle for 10 repetitions. You can also do short fast holds, for 20 reps each time. This will let you to begin to gain control over your PC muscle, and over time your PC worries will become a thing of the past!

Believe me, everyone is capable of lasting as long as they want to, and it has nothing to do with you thinking that you are in some way different to all the other "normal" guys. You simply need to build new habits for sex and to understand how to control the correct muscles to last as long as you should be!

Alex Sharp
CEO, Natural-Stamina.com
www.Natural-Stamina.com
About the Author
Alex Sharp is the CEO and Founder of Natural-Stamina.com He has developed a unique 7-Day Program that GUARANTEES to stop Premature Ejaculation in 7 short days. To find out more about how this can benefit you, visit http://www.natural-stamina.com for further information, or contact Alex at alex@natural-stamina.com.
(c) 2005 Alex Sharp. All rights reserved.

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Weight Loss, Fitness, and a Peace of Mind for Life! - The se

by: Greg Ryan - High profile fitness expert

I am Greg Ryan, a high profile fitness expert with 50,000 hours of paid personal training under my belt, and twenty years of consulting health clubs. My career began in the eighties. I grew up without self-discipline, confidence, or faith in myself. I was raised on a farm, which required a lot of discipline, but not self-discipline. As a youth, I was overweight. In my late teens, during the first few years of my career and with the help of a few close friends, I was fortunate to have discovered three very important things about myself that changed me forever: hope, belief, and motivation. www.resolutions.bzHope As I worked on getting in better shape, I began each day with a glimmer of hope. Hope that I could do something with my life by exercising; hope that I could help someone else through my own experiences; and hope that someday I could give back what life was giving to me. "You can live a month without food. You can live a week without water, you can live five minutes without air, but you cannot live a second without HOPE." Even today, there are times I do not feel like exercising, eating right, and especially working on correcting bad habits. However, it's that bit of hope for the future that keeps me going, even if it's just for one more day. "All you need is a little bit of HOPE!"

Belief My father taught me to work hard, have faith, and treat others with respect. It was easy for him to say, but not so easy for me to follow. Treating others kindly was much easier than having faith in myself. Life was scary for me growing up. I was afraid of not meeting the expectations of those around me. I didn't know what direction to take in life or what advice to follow. When I first stepped into a health club, it was equally as frightening. I had two friends that exercised with me on a regular basis. The confidence they had in me started positively affecting my attitude and fear of failure. After awhile, I noticed those fears I had about myself slowly began to disappear. Then one day it dawned on me. Somewhere, down deep inside, I believed I was doing something good. I suddenly knew that with the advice of my father, having realistic expectations, and a one-day-at-a-time attitude, I could change.

With a little bit of hope, mixed with some faith, I knew I could really make things happen. "When you know that you know that you know…" This quote had a deeper meaning for me now. The more I thought about the good I was doing for myself, the more I believed in me.

Motivation As I developed more confidence, I started to realize how important it was for this change to come from me inside out. Looking better, having more energy and getting physically stronger are great things to experience, but what I am most grateful for is that my heart was also changing. I felt better about myself. I had purpose and I was doing something positive. That heart-felt motivation became the glue that has kept me going for all these years. No matter what you do in life, if you have purpose, and if it is good for others, life will be rewarding. Your MOTIVES must come from within. Listen and follow your heart.

Over the years I have achieved quite a bit. I have the education and experience in fitness educational programs, health club management, body building championships, business ownerships, movie star and world class athlete clientele and professional speaking engagements. In all my years, in all the miles of travel the message is all the same; weight loss, fitness and a peace of mind is not about the numbers on a chart. It is about your approach.

If I had to narrow the secret to weight loss and fitness down, I would say it in three words; Consistency, Variety, and Efficiency! Combine that with some Hope, believe and pure motives and then you will succeed! My hat is off to you who will follow that!

---------------------------------------------------- Greg Ryan best selling author of the Changing from the "INSIDE OUT", former employee of Kathy Smith and a high profile fitness expert. Discover the five step common sense way to lose weight that the medical and fitness industry's DON'T want you to know. FREE Mini Course www.resolutions.bz


About the Author For FREE mini course on how to LOSE WEIGHT NOW the right way click here http://www.resolutions.bz Greg Ryan is a High Profile fitness expert best selling author and and former employee of Kathy.

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What should you do if you have 33 pounds of fat on your body

by: Drew Straub

What should you do if you have 33 pounds of fat on your body?

If you are man that weighs 200 pounds...nothing. It's normal.

With all the obesity epidemic scare and weight loss diet hype
being tossed around in the media these days, people are easily
confused about what's healthy for them.For example, have you heard the "fact" that no body fat is
better?

Nope... it's untrue.

The ideal percentage of body fat for men is generally between 15
and 18 percent, while for women it is between 18 and 22 percent.

That means if you are a man that weighs 200 pounds, Your ideal
amount of fat to have would be around 33 pounds.

In order to look great you need to be at or near your ideal
weight. Your "ideal weight" is where you don't look obese, while
you still have a healthy amount of body fat.

Is too much fat bad? Of course it is. Research suggests it can
lead to diabetes, heart problems, etc.

But how do you know what is right for you?

* Should you have a daily intense workout plan involving heavy
weights? * Should you use dieting drugs and low calorie diets to
lose weight? * Should you try supplements and steroids to
increase muscle mass and lose body fat?

The answer to these questions is...you need expert advice.

There is too much misinformation "out there" confusing everybody
about what is healthy or not. You can even see doctors in the
media contradicting other doctors.

Where do you go for help?

How about to the same people that athletes, movie stars and
supermodels see? Sure they cost a fortune in person. But did
you know they have written books about their expertise that are a
bit more affordable?

Seriously, nutrition and body building is a science these days.
The techniques have been worked out and tested. In fact, they
have been around for a long time.

Stop listening to the "current fad diet", and don't let yourself
get paralyzed with fear when you hear the latest medical news on
TV.

You CAN build a body that is not only healthy, but strong. In
fact, you can give yourself the body of a God or Goddess.
Seriously.

Don't get duped into using strange diets, pills, or even
dangerous exercises. Not only will you be disappointed with the
results, you could actually endanger your health.

Do your research, find out what works, get expert advice, and
become the STRONG and HEALTHY person of your dreams.

You just need to talk to the right people.

About the Author
About the Author

Drew Straub invites you check out his new site which he built to
help people find the best advice on fat loss and muscle building
by the top 10 experts at http://fatloss.wowshoppe.com



Fat Loss

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Stretch Marks: The Facts!

by: David Chandler

Stretch marks are purplish streaks and scars that normally appear on the buttocks, hips, abdomen, breast, and arms. They are a common side effect of growing too fast. They form when the dermis (the middle elastic layer of your skin) is stretched breaking down the elasticity in your skin. As the elasticity breaks down, the skin tries to reinforce itself with collagen in the over stretched skin, thus causing stretch marks.Factors that contribute to the formation of stretch marks are:

Heredity - some skin types are just genetically predisposed. If you mother had stretch marks, chances are you will.

Weight - excess rapid weight gain as found in pregnancy and bodybuilding or to the other degree excessive weight loss.

Skin type - Some skin types are dryer than others thus having less elasticity, while well-hydrated skin tends to have more elasticity.

Removal and prevention of stretch marks:

Surgical methods - Dermabrasion, chemical peel, and advancement in laser treatments can be used to treat stretch marks. As with any cosmetic surgery, age, skin type, and even diet will influence the results.

Lotions and Crèmes - Advancements have been made with over the counter crèmes. If you are pregnant or body building, consult with your doctor to begin a preventative treatment for stretch marks.

Diet - Maintain healthy hydrated skin by drinking plenty of water. Hydrated skin keeps your skin soft, supple, and less likely to develop stretch marks. Caffeinated coffee, tea, and soda tend to dehydrate the skin leaving you more vulnerable to stretch marks. Eat foods that promote skin health such as foods high in zinc, vitamins A, C, and D, and protein rich foods.

Remember that not all stretch marks are created equal. They age and heal differently depending on the skin type, heredity, diet, and hydration. In time, they will fade, but the best advice is to maintain healthy skin, which will minimize the effects of stretch marks if they should occur.


About the Author
For more information about stretch marks go to: www.StretchmarksInfoCenter.com

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Weight Lifting Supplement

by: Rolf Rasmusson

Weight Lifting Supplement – what is it?

The term “weight lifting supplement” is familiar to almost everyone nowadays. Weight lifting supplement is a supplement that is designed to help people who use it to achieve better results in their body building or weight lifting training programs. Currently there is a wide range of weight lifting supplement products available in the US market.

Weight Lifting Supplement – safety.

You need to be very careful when you are looking for weight lifting supplement products for your training. There are many fake products available on the market. There are also many very dangerous supplements that may harm your health. Always consult with your doctor and other health professionals before using any of the weight lifting supplement products. Don’t just trust the labels’ claims. There is not much scientific proof for many of them.Weight Lifting Supplement – dangers.

Weight lifting supplement products could be very dangerous. For example, according to several health organizations’ sources, a study of androstenedione, the steroid-like food supplement used legally by professional athletes, has found it may not build muscles and could create adverse health effects. The report said muscle strength did not differ in the men given the supplement, compared to others in the study who were given a placebo.

Weight Lifting Supplement - severe withdrawal syndrome.

Weight lifting supplement products could also be very addictive. For example, according to several health organizations’ sources, a study provides the detailed report of a severe withdrawal syndrome related to gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a supplement used by body builders. Researchers documented in a six-month period in 1999, five cases in which previously healthy young adults arrived at the emergency department with paranoid delusions, hallucinations, and deranged vital signs after discontinuing use of body-building products containing GBL.

About the Author
Additional interesting content
at www.nutritional-supplement-4u.com

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The Skinny on Salt

by: Jeremy Likness

Copyright 2005 Jeremy Likness

Salt was used long before recorded history began. One of the earliest known writings, the Chinese Png-tzao-kan-mu, mentioned more than 40 types of salt.

This work was written over 4700 years ago. Even older settlements have been found around the world with various devices such as pottery used to evaporate water to leave the salt behind. It is speculated by some that major civilizations flourished in arid regions at the edge of vast deserts due to the physiological need for salt. Salt, or sodium chloride, is a chemical compound. Salt occurs naturally in many areas of the world. Salt crystals are cubic in form - if you view salt through a magnifying glass, you will see small “squares” or cubes.

Salt is an essential nutrient - your body requires both sodium and chloride, and cannot manufacture these elements on its own. This is why there is a human gustatory receptor (taste bud) specifically for salt, forming one of the basic components of “taste”. Salt is an electrolyte and has a slight charge. Salt preserves food by making it difficult for microorganisms to live - the salt draws water from the cells of microorganisms and dehydrates them.

In the body, salt helps to regulate blood volume and pressure. The relationship between salt and blood pressure was known as long as 4,000 years ago, when the Chinese emperor Huang Ti wrote of the connection between salt and a “hardened pulse.” Many studies have shown that increasing or decreasing salt intake for salt-sensitive individuals can have a direct impact on blood pressure.

Within the body, salt serves as part of the ion pump. Just as salt formed a hostile environment for microorganisms by dehydrating them, salt controls water balance in the human body. The sodium/potassium pump is a prime example of how electrolytes are critical to health (sodium and potassium are both electrolytes). Two potassium molecules are pulled into a cell, and three sodium molecules are pumped out. This is an endless cycle, with the net result that cells carry a slightly negative electrical charge.

For many years, controversy has existed with respect to the optimal amounts of salt in the diet. Unfortunately, many studies focused on the salt content of foods without taking into account other electrolytes. Biologically and physiologically, sodium intake alone does not regulate the sodium/potassium pump - potassium intake is important as well! More important than the amount of sodium in the diet is the ratio of sodium to potassium. While food labels are required to report sodium content, they are not required to report potassium content, which makes analyzing potassium intake extremely difficult.

Recent research suggests that this ratio is critical. While many studies have focused on high sodium content in the diet, it appears that problems with hypertension may be related more to an inappropriate ratio of sodium to potassium. Processed foods are extremely high in sodium. The major sources of potassium are fruits and vegetables. In recent years, the typical American diet has increased in the amount of processed foods and drastically decreased in the amount of whole, unprocessed foods such as fruit and vegetables. This means that sodium intake is potentially much higher than potassium intake.

When monitoring sodium in the diet, it is important to consider two factors. The first factor already discussed is the ratio of sodium to potassium. In order to balance this ratio, it is important to eat whole, unprocessed foods and not to add excessive salt to meals. This will lower the amount of sodium in the diet. One should also increase the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed in order to increase potassium in the diet. The exact ratio is unknown, but research suggests that a 1:1 ratio is probably a good target. The typical American diet is more than a 5:1 ratio in favor of salt!

The second factor to consider is fluctuation of intake. Salt sensitivity is not sensitivity to salt in general. It is sensitivity to a drastic change of salt intake. If a person is taking 5 grams of sodium consistently, then suddenly goes on a low sodium diet, problems can occur with a radical shift in blood pressure. Similarly, someone on a “low sodium” diet who suddenly increases sodium intake may experience similar problems. This is why many people who eat healthy throughout the week and then treat themselves to a “splurge” meal sometimes feel nauseous and can even experience elevated heart rate and blood pressure: it is the body’s reaction to the sudden increase in salt intake.

The sodium/potassium pump affects fluid balance. The body monitors the amount of salt and potassium in the bloodstream, as the body has no mechanism for storing electrolytes. Sodium and potassium are typically filtered in the kidney. When a shortage of either exists, the body secretes hormones that drastically reduce excretion of electrolytes and fluids. This is why cutting out sodium too soon before a body building competition can actually cause the competitor to retain water - the body is reacting to the lowered intake by preserving fluids and electrolytes.

To summarize, the skinny on salt is as follows:

* Be more concerned with the ratio of salt to potassium than the actual amount of salt in the diet
* Do not try to eliminate salt - it is essential and required by the body - instead, try to reduce excessive intake by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods and minimizing the amount of salt that you add to meals
* Increase potassium intake by including 4 - 5 servings of fruit and/or vegetables in your daily menu
* Focus on restoring electrolytes post-workout, preferably with a higher potassium-to-sodium ratio. For example, Mass Maker from Beverly International has 300mg of potassium to 140mg of sodium, or about 2:1.
* Avoid frequent, high fluctuations in salt and/or potassium intake, as these may have an adverse effect on your blood pressure

The lesson here is one of moderation. Salt is not the enemy, and by no means should it be eliminated from the diet. On the other hand, everyone should be aware of the role that sodium plays in a balanced nutrition program, to make sure that excessive salt is not being consumed. Balance salt intake with potassium intake. The preferred source of any vitamin, mineral, or other nutrient is always natural, unprocessed foods.


About the author:
Jeremy Likness is an internationally-selling author, motivational speaker, and health coach. His unique coaching services have assisted people around the world with losing hundreds of pounds of weight. Jeremy is the author of "Lose Fat, Not Faith: A Transformation Guide" available at www.LoseFatNotFaith.comor through major bookstores (ISBN: 0976907925). To learn more about Jeremy and his unique form of coaching from the heart, visit: http://www.naturalphysiques.com/hire/or call Jeremy direct at 1-888-472-2829

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How to Choose a Personal Trainer

by: Phil Goglia

How to Choose a Personal Trainer

In the fitness industry there is a joke that goes something like this: “The reason I decided not to become a personal trainer is that I had no table waiting experience and I didn’t want to become an actor.”

This may sound humorous but, unfortunately, there is a core of truth there. Because there are no strict guidelines about who can call themselves a trainer, almost anyone who has a job or career aspiration that demands a high degree of physical fitness can hang out a shingle or get a job coaching at your local gym. In fact, it is very common for an actor, sports model, or athlete to try to pick up extra money by working as a fitness instructor, especially because there is good money to be made by doing so. While these individuals may know what works for them as far as exercise and diet goes, that does not automatically qualify them to train others or to give them nutritional counseling.

What Are Your Goals?
The first thing you need to be clear about when considering a trainer is what goals you have in mind. Do you want someone who can design an exercise and nutritional protocol that will help you to shed 20 or more pounds? Do you want to develop greater strength and muscularity, perhaps with the guided use of protein drinks and sports supplements? Do you want to get back into shape after a pregnancy or a long period spent without exercise? Or maybe you are trying to slim down for a class reunion, wedding, or other family event.

Once you are clear on what you would like to accomplish, it will be easier to find the person who has the experience and qualifications to help you get there.

Where Do I Find Trainers to Interview?
There are several ways to locate trainers. Word of mouth through friends, colleagues, or your family doctor are good places to start. You might also check your Yellow Pages under “Personal Trainers,” “Health Clubs,” and “Exercise and Physical Fitness.”

Another great resource is the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), one of the largest nationally recognized fitness organizations (www.nsca-lift.org).

Questions You Should Ask a Prospective Trainer
Once you have found a trainer who look promising, you need to learn as much about their qualifications as possible. The first and most important question you should ask is “What qualifies you to be a personal trainer?” NSCA and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) are two nationally recognized certifications. A background in exercise physiology, sports medicine, physical education, or anatomy and physiology are also helpful because that tells you that this individual has made a thorough study of the body and how it works.

It would also be a plus if your trainer were involved in some sort of elite exercise him- or herself, such as body building.

If you need nutritional guidance from a trainer, make sure that he or she has some kind of solid education and background in the subject.

Ask your prospective trainer what their goals are. If they tell you they want to star in films or have their own sitcom on NBC, they are probably not the right person for you.
You will also want to know the length of time a person has been working as a trainer and how many clients they have coached.

The most important thing you can request are client referrals. Speaking with people who have received fitness instruction from the trainer you are considering will give you an idea whether he or she is the right person for you.

Some questions you might consider asking clients are:

·How long have you worked with this trainer?
·Has he or she helped you to achieve your goals?
·Do you feel like this trainer makes efficient use of the time you have together?
·Does this trainer clearly explain each exercise to you and help you to perform it with good posture and body positioning?
·Have you ever been injured when working out with this trainer?
·Do you find him or her professional and supportive of your goals?

Starting Out: What to Expect
Once you have chosen a trainer, there are certain questions they should ask you and evaluations they should perform.

First, they should be very clear about what your goals are and make some suggestions as to how they can help you to achieve them.

Before even beginning an exercise program they should do a complete physical evaluation of your strength, range of motion, flexibility, current exercise routine (if you’ve been working out on your own), any injuries you might have sustained over the years, and any physical limitations you might have (such as a weak lower back or arthritis in your knee or shoulder joints).

Once they have designed a unique program to fit your body type, level of ability, and goals, they should be able to give you clear instructions and a clear idea of how to correctly position your body on any exercise ball, machine, or with any free weights.

You will only get the maximum benefit from each exercise and avoid injury if your trainer is knowledgeable about physiology. They should be able to coach you on correct posture, which includes good head, neck, shoulder, arm, lower back, hip, and leg positions for each machine or exercise.

Good posture and positioning of the body will enable you to perform exercises correctly and without pain. If something is hurting you or you feel undue strain, stop immediately and communicate this to your fitness instructor. Improving your level of fitness takes effort, endurance, and consistency, but not to the point of strain or injury.

A good workout program should include enough sets and repetitions of each movement to challenge you and to fully work each body part. If you are doing two sessions per week with a trainer, they should spend one on upper body and abdominals and the second session on lower body and abdominals. In other words, they should thoroughly work each section of the body and allow it enough time to recover in between workouts.

Warning Signs
There are certain behaviors you should be aware of that might indicate that a trainer is not being as professional as they should be with a client.

A trainer should be a good listener, always attentive to your goals. If your trainer is constantly using a lot of “I” and “me” statements, they are not making good use of your time together. They should be focused on your needs, your progress, and what you require.

A good trainer should always respect emotional boundaries. Beware of trainers who want to tell you their life story, ask you for advice in their career, or pour out their heartaches and stories about their love life. You are their client, not their therapist. It is equally time-wasting to work with a trainer who encourages you to take about your own problems. In such a situation is it easy to feel sucked dry emotionally and talk your way through your hour, instead of getting the full workout you are there to do.

We are all human and have our ups and downs—and we mention them from time to time—but this should first and foremost always be a professional relationship from which you need to get a certain amount of value for your physique.

Lastly, a good trainer should always keep upgrading your workout. If weeks go by and someone is still having you do the same amount of sets and reps with the same amount of weight, they are not helping you to make progress. The body will eventually acclimate itself to any exercise routine and it needs to be continually challenged.
If you follow these guidelines, you should be able to find a trainer who will help you to meet your goals and improve your physique, energy levels, and general health. Good luck!

About the Author
Philip Goglia is a Los Angeles-based nutritionist, trainer, and author. Goglia has just released SmartJourney, a metabolic food program that is personally tailored for each individual. “There is no one-size-fits-all diet,” says Goglia. “We realize that everyone has their own unique metabolic type, and we design a program just for you.” For more information about effective exercise and nutrition, please visit his website www.SmartJourney.com.

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Effects of no2 supplement

by: K. Perry

Our system uses a free-form gas called Nitric Oxide as a cell communication tool. This naturally produced substance is created by body enzymes breaking down the amino acid Arginine. When L-Arginine amino acid converts into L-citruline the result is Nitric Oxide.Nitric Oxide oversees blood circulation, message transmissions between cells as well as individual pain thresholds, to name a few. No2 supplement is a powerful extended-release formula of arginine alpha- ketoglutarate and the ingredients in no2 supplement are easily absorbed. This ensures thorough uptake of no2 supplement ingredients and helps to sustain the no2 supplement benefits for longer.

No2 supplement is used by many athletes looking to increase endurance and strength, and no2 supplement is associated with body building and muscle toning. Various studies undertaken on the no2 supplement give us an idea of the benefits of mri no2. Many sources are available on no2 supplement, and its mri no2 effects.

The no2 supplement has a formulation proven to increase strength dramatically. No2 supplement is one of a new group of mri no2 muscle enhancers and builders referred to as cell-signaling hemodilators.

No2 supplement works through mediation of the signaling-molecule nitric oxide, introducing powerful hemodilation to the system with mri no2. The no2 supplement thus increases strength and endurance. Power output is dramatically increased by no2 supplement and the action of mri no2, as is muscle size and load capacity.

No2 supplement has sustained-release physer3, an advanced technology of no2 supplement, which allows hemodilation to last for hours with no2 supplement, creating a virtually permanent muscle pump. This muscle pump produced by no2 supplement is known as the "perpetual pump". This is a rock-hard pumped-up effect, achieved while training the body and aided by mri no2. With no2 supplement, your skin feels tighter. Unlike the non-mri no2 exercise-induced pump, which usually fades 30 minutes after a workout, the perpetual pump can endure for quite a few hours with mri no2.

The no2 supplement increases blood flow, making no2 supplement valuable to athletes and body builders, as this means that with no2 supplement an increased supply of nutrients reaches the muscles. The muscles then become harder when stressed by training, which is a benefit of mri no2. No2 supplement also reduces inflammation, thereby lessening the pain factor associated with extreme muscle stress, allowing athletes using no2 supplement to train their bodies harder and for a longer period before tiring.

No2 supplement reportedly aids with muscular healing after intense workouts. No2 supplement naturally boosts system performance, without steroids.

Studies on the effects of no2 supplement on the human body show that no2 supplement sustains levels of nitric oxide in the muscles for a longer period. No2 supplement is capable of delivering its muscle-enhancing benefits continuously, providing mri no2. results.

Benefits of no2 supplement include increasing muscle growth signals, which allow for a faster gain in lean mass. With the aid of no2 supplement, athletes can maintain and enhance their already trained muscles. No2 supplement regulates the body's natural set point for lean mass and No2 supplement increases the fat burning capacity of the body. The muscle fibre increases of no2 supplement make muscle look and feel rock hard.

The main task of no2 supplement is to ensure that the muscle is functioning properly and at its peak, achieved by mri no2.


No2 Supplement Related Articles
About the Author
Copyright 2005 Health-Focus
Providing Resources on Health and Nutrition

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Body Fat Calculation and Health

by: Pauline Robinson

Body Fat Calculation and Health


The higher your percentage of fat above average levels, the higher your health risk for weight-related illness, like heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers. Also, the higher your percentage of fat (and the smaller your percentage of muscle) the less calories you need to maintain your weight and therefore the easier it is to gain weight. This is because muscle is more metabolically active than fat tissue.

Body Fat Percentages and Lean Muscle MassWhen in ideal shape, body fat will make up about 15% - 18% of a male's body
weight and 18% - 22% of a female's. The remainder of the body's “lean weight”
is composed of water (55%-60%), muscle and other lean tissue (10%-20%), and
bone and minerals (6%-8%). In other words, a 150-pound woman who is within or
close to her ideal body fat composition range at 22% will have approximately
33 pounds of fat, 86 pounds of weight composed primarily of water, 20 pounds
of muscle and other lean tissue, and 11 pounds of bone and mineral weight.
This total then makes up her total weight of 150 lbs.

Now take the example of another woman who weights 150 pounds, but has 30%
fat on her body. She would have 45 pounds of fat on her body, and the rest of
her weight would be divided among muscle, bone and water. Her non fat body
composition might look like this, 79 pounds of water (53%), 17 pounds of
muscle (12%), and 9 pounds of bone and minerals (6%). Both women weight 150
lbs. and are about the same height, but one looks much different because she
has less body fat.

Body fat percentage is generally accepted as a better gauge of weight loss
progress and fitness than scale weight. The method of calculating body fat
from body measurements as used by HealthSmart Nutrition is the fourth most
accurate method. Hydrostatic testing underwater is first. Electrical testing
of body mass resistance is second and body fat measurement by caliper is
third. Although it is not the most accurate, if you record your measurements
carefully and consistently using the measurement taking instructions given,
you will have a good relative gauge of how much body fat you are gaining or
losing. To our knowledge, the HealthKeeper software is the first program to offer this body fat percentage by measurement feature.



For higher accuracy you can override the automatic body fat measurement calculator and enter your body fat percentages done by hydrostatic testing underwater, electrostatic testing of body mass resistance or body fat percentage done by the caliper method. One product we highly recommend is the Tanita bathroom scale. It does very accurate electrostatic testing of body mass resistance to determine your body fat percentage in seconds.



The more accurate of method you use for tracking your body fat percentage the more accurately you will be able to use
the Lean Body Weight tracker.



More about Lean Body Weight


The two most important graphs and statistics you want to watch to find out if you are making true and honest progress on your weight loss diet or body building program are, body fat percentage and lean body weight. Increasing lean body weight (mostly muscle mass) is important because if you body fat is going down into your ideal range and your lean body weight is going up you will be able to eat more calories without gaining weight and, it will be easier to maintain your desired body fat percentage when you reach your goal. This is because more lean body weight (composed of increased muscle mass) raises the body's basal metabolic rate
(BMR) and the calories your body burns even when you are doing nothing.


If you body fat is going down to your ideal range and your lean body weight is going up you should be absolutely ecstatic. You have attained two of the three holy grails of honest and lasting weight loss. (The third is keeping within your ideal body fat range for 3-5 years after getting there.)



In spite of lean body weight being such a vital statistic to honest weight loss,
the Performance Diet is the only program and software we know that tracks it. (To track you lean body weight make sure you have used one of the 4 methods of body fat tracking and your body percentage is entered in your Personal Profile. Then go to the Graphing mode and select the correct date range and Lean Body Weight from among the various graphing options.)



The lean body weight tracking we use is based upon your current weight and the following formula. From your current weight calculate the number of pounds that is equal to your current �X� percentage of fat. (That is the number of pounds of fat on your body.) The remaining percentage of your weight is your non-fat lean body weight. This is composed of muscle and other lean tissue, water, bone, blood and minerals. Over an extended period of time (even considering periodic water retention,) the levels of water, bone, blood and minerals remain fairly constant.


About the Author
Pauline Robinson is a Nutritional and Metabolic Bio Typing Consultant for HealthSmart Nutrition


For Metabolic Bio Typing info go to www.air-water-nutrition-healthsmart.com

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What Is A Personal Trainer

by: Jan Nicholas

Imagine stepping into the gym for the first time in your life. There are so many machines and gadgets. What do you do first? Is this one safe? Are you using it right? There are so many questions to ask about trying to get physically fit as well. How much should you push yourself? How much is too much? A personal trainer is someone who steps in and will coach you through your weight loss regime. What is it that a personal trainer does exactly? Finding Out What A Personal Trainer Does Is Step Number One Whenever I want to find out what it is that a personal trainer does, I simply visit the website or look at an advertisement of another personal trainer. From one location that is located in California, I have found the following list to be exactly what a personal trainer does. Coaching workouts that intensify gradually at different stages Working to increase improvement function of the body from walking and running, etc. Keeping a client up to date on nutrition Practices safe stretching and exercise techniques Helps to increase muscle tone and metabolism in the body Minimize the possibility of injury Increase the client’s self-confidence and put good ‘stress’ to encourage Eliminate laziness and excuses from stopping the client from getting what they want What is it that Clients Ask When Looking for a Personal Trainer? One that I have found says that finding the best personal trainer is to simply ask a lot of questions. If you ask questions of your personal trainer and he or she does not know the answer or doesn’t give an answer you are particularly happy with, a client should simply walk away. If you are looking to become a personal trainer, expect to hear questions. What is your background? How long have you been doing this? How are you involved in the industry? Do you stay competitive in the industry? What is the education level that you have? Did you get certified in a weekend or are you university educated? Are you continuing to educate yourself on the latest health techniques? Insurance? CPR? First Aid? If you are able to answer these questions to a client, you’ll be much more likely to sign a client. Above all, personal trainer will make a customer state his or her reasonable goals and set a plan to reach those goal in a healthy and constructive learning environment that will let the client keep the regime for years to come, even if they stop using the personal trainer. What is it That Separates a Good Personal Trainer from a Bad One? Like when you shop for anything else, there are good trainers and there are bad personal trainers, but what is the difference? A good personal trainer would tell you that you should shop around and find the right trainer for you. A lot of corporate gym trainers have sales quotas, do you really think they’re primary interest is your health? Most of them have minimal training and are more of a sales person than a trainer. If you are looking to become a personal trainer, what is it you should do first? Try to take course on exercise, fitness and health. If you also stay involved personally in the body building industry, you’re also staying on top of the competition. Commitment is the key; you have to be committed, as your clients certainly will not be. They will want to quit and give excuses. You can’t let them. Above all, a personal trainer really cares about the client. You can’t simply treat them like another paycheck. A customer has personal goals and needs and is asking you to help them along a path they can’t walk on their own. What a personal trainer is, is not a salesman or a drill sergeant, a personal trainer is a coach, a mentor and a partner on a road to a goal. About the Author: Jan Nicholas - For more tips like these go to http://www.personaltrainingclasses.com/ where you will learn how to keep in shape and start your very own personal training career! Source: www.isnare.com

 

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Atkins Diet -- The Final Verdict

by: Michael A. Smith, MD

Supporters of the Atkins Diet claim that a low carbohydrate diet is a safe and effective method for losing weight. This article evaluates the low carbohydrate diet and specifically the claims made about ketosis.

<h4>The Low Carb-Ketosis Link</h4>

By severely limiting carbohydrates in your diet, the main energy source used by your body, glucose, drops to low levels. In return, insulin levels also drop. With low glucose and low insulin levels, the body turns to alternative sources of energy.
Because of a significant change in your body's chemistry when on the Atkins Diet, certain metabolic pathways are turned "on" that are normally not "on" or run at very low levels. One such pathway involves the breakdown of fat, called Beta-Oxidation of Fats.


Now, normally fats are broken down to produce energy when your body senses a need. But in the context of a low Carb diet, the normal breakdown pathway of fats is altered and an alternative pathway kicks in. This alternative pathway produces what are called ketone bodies.

Ketosis is the term used to describe when ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream. The ketone bodies can be used as alternative sources of energy by, most importantly, your brain.

In case you might be curious, the three ketone bodies produced by this alternative pathway for breaking down fat are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. These ketone bodies are formed in your liver and then are transported to other tissues, mainly the brain. In your brain, they are converted back to a form that can provide direct energy during times of starvation.

Here is the whole process...

<ol><li>Atkins Diet lowers glucose and insulin (the body's main energy source)
<li>Alternative pathways are turned "on" to provide energy
<li>One alternative pathway breaks down fat and produces ketone bodies
<li>Ketone bodies represent the state called ketosis
<li>The brain uses ketone bodies as an alternative source of energy</li></ol>
So, the Atkins Diet (and any low Carb diet) produces a low energy state (low glucose) that causes the breakdown fat using an alternative pathway that leads to the development of ketosis.

So far it sounds pretty good. By limiting Carbs in your diet, you can essentially force your body into breaking down stored fat, the very thing you need to get rid of to lose weight.

But there are problems...

<h4>Atkins Diet and Toxicity</h4>

Ketone bodies are toxic. Many supporters of low Carb diets claim that ketosis is safe. They state that they are natural byproducts of fat breakdown and even babies have high levels of circulating ketone bodies.

First, they are not natural by-products of fat metabolism. The normal beta-oxidation of fats does produce ketone bodies but these are incorporated into the normal cycle of energy production, called the Krebs cycle. When ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream, it signals an abnormal physiologic state, called starvation. They are not incorporated into the normal energy cycle, the Krebs cycle, and spill into the bloodstream.

Just because your body has the ability to transport ketone bodies to certain tissues and then use them for energy, does not make it a normal process. It is an alternative pathway that turns "on" only when your body is faced with depleted levels of the main energy source, glucose.

Secondly, babies are not small adults. A baby's liver and brain tissue are made up of different chemicals and pathways, specifically geared to handle the high fat diet coming from mother's milk. These pathways change as a baby grows and starts to eat other foods. Eventually, the normal adult pathways are set up and the infantile chemistry used as evidence to support the safety of ketosis, stop working.

But this is not even related to the fact that ketone bodies are toxic. In medicine, the three ketone bodies mentioned above are classified as toxic acidic chemicals. At high levels, they can cause your blood to become too acidic, a disease state called ketoacidosis.

Granted, this is rare because most of the ketone bodies will be used by the brain as an energy source. Ketoacidosis is usually seen in type 1 diabetics. It is a medical emergency.

So, is ketosis dangerous to your body? Yes and no. Yes, ketosis represents a state of starvation. Losing weight when the body thinks you're starving is the best way to guarantee weight regain. The weight will come back and come back as fat. No, ketosis will not cause ketoacidosis in non-diabetics. And as long as you have a large storage of fat, your brain will not starve for energy.

<h4>The Final Verdict</h4>

<ol><li>As an alternative physiologic state, ketosis is not dangerous, assuming the levels of ketone bodies do not increase to acidic levels.

<li>As a diet plan, ketogenic diets are not recommended because of the state of starvation they create. Your metabolism will eventually slow down setting you up for weight regain in the near the future.

<li>Ketogenic diets, like the Atkins Diet, may also be dangerous not because they cause ketosis, but because they promote high protein and fat intake. High protein diets, unless you're body building, increases urea production and can damage the kidneys. Supporters claim that this just doesn't happen, reporting that no kidney damage has occurred to the millions of dieters on Atkins Diet or other ketogenic diets.

However, it is well known that microscopic damage can occur to the kidneys effecting their ability to filter the blood. But clinical signs of this damage may take several years to manifest. Chronic renal insufficiency is a concern for ketogenic dieters, which may cause problems in the years to come.</li></ol>

<h4>Conclusion</h4>

Atkins Diet and other ketogenic diets (low Carb) can be safe and effective in causing weight loss. However, I recommend keeping ketosis to a minimum and keep your carbohydrate intake above 50 grams a day. Don't follow the suggestions for reaching an "induction" phase. It's not necessary to turn "on" the alternative pathways described above and burn fat.

Remember, healthy weight loss is to burn fat and fat only. But it also involves keeping your rate of weight loss around 2-3 pounds/week. The induction phase promoted by the Atkins Diet can result in a rate of weight loss far greater than 2-3 pounds/week. It may sound good to you now, but how does gaining it all back as fat sound? Because that will happen if you lose weight too fast.

For more information on ways to experience healthy weight loss, visit
www.weight-loss-professional.com/articles

To Healthy Living!

Dr. Michael A. Smith
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website
About the Author
Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for Diet Basics, a content based weight loss web site dedicated to all dieters fighting to lose weight. Please visit his site at
www.weight-loss-professional.com/articles
Just one visit and you'll be hooked.

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What Baseball Could Learn from a Former Skinny Kid

by: Anthony Ellis

Today’s kids are learning a tough lesson. They are watching baseball heroes suffer through some of the effects of steroid abuse. Those huge, powerful muscles Jose Canseco and other baseball greats developed to play the game are coming at a terrific price. That price includes public humiliation, loss of prestige and reputation, and probable financial loss.

What these kids are not seeing is the future health problems these baseball legends will almost certainly experience because of steroid abuse. These can include heart disease; several forms of cancers, impaired immune systems and other problems that will likely have devastating medical effects.
The problem is that many of these kids are themselves being pressured to “be better” at the games ­ baseball, track, soccer or other sports ­ they play. This is to say nothing of those kids who are simply too skinny and underweight to be good at sports or picked for the teams.
Anthony Ellis, a fitness consultant, was one of these skinny kids. He spent a lifetime trying to gain weight. He couldn’t stand to look at himself in the mirror. He tried to hide his thin physique with baggy clothes. He wouldn't think of going to the beach and letting his friends see how skinny he really was. He was repeatedly rejected for sports teams because he was underweight and likely to be hurt. Baseball was out of the question.
“The news these days, it seems, is filled with stories about obesity and how people are overweight. I am trying to help people gain weight. What the media doesn't talk about is that segment of the population, people like me, who have trouble gaining weight. This is the group that suffers frustration and low self-esteem because they are underweight. They read the body building magazines and watch sports heroes pack on muscle. They turn to fad diets, unregulated diet supplements and steroids to gain weight.”
“I went through all of the fads, the low self-esteem and the lack of confidence that affects all areas of your life,” Ellis related. “I know how tough it is. But, I finally learned the proper way to eat and weight train.”
Since 1998, Ellis has gained over 60 pounds of lean muscle. His body fat has gone from 10 percent to seven percent. He looks great and feels great about himself.
He has taken what he has learned and put it into an easy to understand, easy to follow program that is entirely natural and entirely safe. It does not include so called “natural” supplements or dangerous steroids.
He has already helped thousands of “skinny guys”, guys just like he once was, gain muscle mass with the right diet and the right exercise. More than 70,000 people worldwide have already obtained results from the Gaining Mass! program. They have done it quickly, safely and without endangering their future health.
The program contains pure information telling users exactly what foods to eat and exactly which exercises will work to help them build muscle and body mass without fat. This is real information, without the fads and without the hype. It works. It has been proven to work again and again.
“Make no mistake,” Ellis says. “This program is not for everyone. It is only for those of us who have trouble gaining weight. We may not all become baseball home run sluggers, but we can look great and feel great. We can do it without all of the problems some of those guys are going to continue to suffer.”
The Gaining Mass! program is the fast and safe way for skinny people to gain muscle mass, greater confidence and heightened self-esteem. This program uses exactly the right diet and exercise. It does not use phony diet supplements or dangerous and illegal steroids.
For more information on this amazingly effective muscle building program, visit the website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

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What can Muscle Milk do for me?

by: K. Perry

As the name suggests, muscle milk is a supplement that is rich in the proteins necessary for ultimate muscle growth and fitness. Essentially having its beginnings in the composition of human mother’s milk after much research muscle milk emerges as a much-improved version. There are many protein sources available besides muscle milk. Extensive research concerning muscle milk protein, however, indicates that the ingredients in muscle milk have vastly superior advantages for athletes. Muscle milk is capable of increasing muscle growth faster due to increased muscle synthesis.
Because of this muscle milk gained importance among the body building fraternity as muscle milk protein aids with tissue growth and repair. An intake of muscle milk protein ensures that the body receives the building blocks it requires for producing amino acids. These acids from muscle milk are necessary for strong muscle tissue and enhanced natural body healing.

This valuable effect of muscle milk protein means a decrease in the time spent recovering from muscle injuries and strains. The anti-inflammatory effects of muscle milk allows for longer training periods with shorter recovery time, while taking muscle milk.
The precursory effects achieved through muscle milk intake replenish protein levels, which are quickly lost during a workout. Muscle milk protein balances blood sugar levels thus minimising the urge to overeat. Energy obtained through food intake is properly utilized by muscle milk and blood sugar fluctuations are minimised by muscle milk protein.
While muscle milk is relatively low in lactose and fats, muscle milk contains calories with engineered lipids, which promote leanness while quickly building and strengthening muscle. These calories in muscle milk provide athletes with the increased energy necessary for a workout. Importantly, muscle milk achieves this while leaving the minimum of fatty deposits within the body. The muscle milk formula can boost the immune system because muscle milk protein contains ingredients in all the correct quantities for optimal system performance.
The muscle milk protein in muscle milk plays an antioxidant role while enhancing hormonal and cellular responses. The side effects of muscle milk are minimal as long as the proper dosage instructions of muscle milk protein intake are followed. Muscle milk allows for more energy to be retained in the body, freeing up the protein and amino acids for utilization at higher levels of muscle growth and function. The mineral retention necessary for muscular contraction is further enhanced by muscle milk protein, increasing flexibility of motion.
Muscle milk contains a complex combination of proteins, peptides and certain amino acids. When muscle milk is taken at least 30 minutes before a strenuous workout muscle milk floods the system with muscle milk protein, growth nutrients and acid buffering agents. The natural production of creatine is enhanced by muscle milk, resulting in efficient energy production and strength when taking muscle milk.
Muscle growth is increased dramatically by muscle milk, as is fat metabolism and muscle synthesis. A supplement of muscle milk protein has distinct advantages for athletes wanting to build muscle quickly while increasing fitness levels. Muscle milk's complete health enhancing abilities makes muscle milk protein an excellent choice for anyone.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Copyright 2005 Health-Focus
Providing Resources on Health and Nutrition

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Beauty Comes From Within

by: David Stanton

Since real beauty comes from within, it's important that your beauty products bring out your best natural qualities. Natural beauty product reviews can help you choose which products are best suited to your own individual needs.One popular type of natural beauty product is stretch mark removal cream. Since stretch marks are pretty common--their causes range from pregnancy to body building--a lot of people can be helped by a natural, effective treatment for them. While reading natural beauty product reviews, I noticed that the best stretch mark remedies contain high amounts of Emu Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, Collagen, Elastin and Vitamin E. When these key ingredients are combined in a highly concentrated cream, they can not only help reduce stretch marks you already have, but actually help prevent new ones from forming!

One of the most helpful things about natural beauty product reviews is that they tell you about the ingredients in the best beauty products out there. Whenever you're looking for skin treatments--whether it's cellulite cream, spider vein therapy, sunless tanning or stretch mark removal--you want to make sure that the ingredients are safe and actually make your skin look better, not worse. What's the point of diminishing stretch marks if the skin around them becomes red and irritated? Natural beauty products tend to be safer, because they don't include a lot of harsh chemicals in their ingredients.

If you're fair skinned like I am, you know how hard it can be to enjoy the great outdoors. There's nothing unusual about stretch marks or cellulite or spider veins. They are the natural effects of having bodies that grow and change. Using natural, high quality products to safely improve your skin's appearance can help you feel less self-conscious at the beach or in the bedroom.

Then your natural, individual beauty can shine through!


About the Author Dermaglow provide natural and organic skin care products to help stretch marks, cellulite and spider viens. http://www.dermaglow.co.uk/index.html

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The New State Of The Art Method For Making Money With Joint

by: Karin Manning

If you are anything like me, you spend a lot of time researching joint ventures and going through the chore of analysing all the joint venture proposals you get on a daily basis in your inbox. I've often wondered if there was an easier way to find successful joint ventures, as serious marketers online all know the power of joint venture marketing.
In fact, some marketers have told me that if they could only utilize one marketing strategy it would be joint ventures fullstop.

If you have got a product or service to promote you know joint ventures are essential to your business. Joint ventures are when two or more people work on the same project. The most lucrative way to benefit from joint ventures is to let other people sell your product or service and share the profits with you. Some examples of cross promotions would be exchanging popups and testimonials.
In my online experience recently I have noticed that some forms of ezine advertising did not pull the results that would have been expected. If you are also spending hard earned money on ezine advertising there is a better and easier way.
An example of a joint venture unrelated to internet marketing would be a gym coming together with a company that produces body building supplements.
Joe Vitale made $25,000 from joint ventures from just one email.
So if you want to explore more fully the lucrative world of joint venture marketing how do you go about finding joint venture partners?
Old-fashioned ways of finding joint venture partners:

• Making a post on a forum if permitted by the moderator;
  
• Visiting individual websites and emailing the owner one by one;
  
• Spending time making contacts with other internet marketers online.

The new state-of-the-art way of finding joint venture partners:
By subscribing to Joint Ventures Weekly. Once in a while an ezine comes along that makes me sit up and take notice. My good friend Mike Woo-Ming has created such an ezine.
Each week you will receive a list of the TOP joint ventures for the hottest internet products and services.
Each joint venture is carefully screened and analysed before it reaches your inbox. If it doesn't meet the relevant criteria you won't hear about it.
Your time is valuable. Each joint venture will include:

• A detailed synopsis,
  
• Current conversion rates (unless new),
  
• Requirements,
  
• Length of joint venture offer.

YOU choose exactly who YOU want to work with!
Finally, a place to find non-internet marketing joint ventures as well. By subscribing to Joint Ventures Weekly you have the power to select the latest products before anyone else in your field.
It is often said that only 10% of small business owners take advantage of joint ventures. You now have the means to be part of that 10% by subscribing to Joint Ventures Weekly today.
Subscribe today by visiting Http://www.reprintrights4u.com/jointventuresweekly
To your joint venture success,

Copyright 2003. Karin Manning. All Rights Reserved. Karin Manning is an ezine publisher, writer and ebusiness owner. To subscribe to her ezine Net Wealth and receive up to the minute marketing tips, customer service advice and money making hints simply visit http://www.reprintrights4u.com and fill out the ePackage Newsletter & Bonuses popunder on entry. To be one of the first to hear about the latest joint ventures available subscribe to Joint Ventures Weekly by visiting http://www.reprintrights4u.com/jointventuresweekly.

karin@reprintrights4u.com

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The Gift of Visualization

by: Loretta Siani, Ph.D.

How visualization is used as a tool for drawing our desires out of the world of the formless into the world of the formed.
The vision that you glorify in your mind, the idea that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by; this you will become. James Allen
The third spiritual step* in manifesting miracles and attracting all that you desire into your life entails using the gift of visualization. Visualization is our god-given ability to paint a mental picture of what we desire. As Aristotle said, the soul never thinks without a picture.

In 1999 I discovered a story that illustrated this truth in remarkably simple terms. I was reading a book titled 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself by Steve Chandler. Chandler had been a sports columnist for the Tucson Citizen. In1976 he was assigned to do a feature story on an unknown Austrian actor. As Chandler put it, it was to be a story he would never forget. (And, I might add, it was to be a story I would never forget). The interview took place over lunch at a Doubletree hotel. As the two men sat across from each other, Chandler reported that no heads turned to look at the actor. No one recognized him. Even Chandler knew very little about him, other than the fact that he had achieved success as a body builder and was now in town publicizing a movie that had been a box office disappointment. During their conversation, Chandler casually asked the actor what he was going to do now that he had retired from bodybuilding. In a matter of fact voice and without missing a beat, the actor replied in his thick Austrian accent, “I’m going to become the number one box office star in all of Hollywood.” Chandler was taken off guard by the naïve, boldness of his statement. After all, commented Chandler to his readers, a thick Austrian accent and hulking physique didn’t exactly make good box office material. Doing his best to disguise his shock and amusement, Chandler calmly asked him how he planned on accomplishing his task. The actor replied in the same matter of fact tone. “It’s the same process I used in body building. “What you do is create a vision of who you want to be, and then live into that picture, as if it were already true.” I’m sure you’re figured out by now, that that actor was Arnold Swarzenegger.
Arnold’s story is remarkably simple. Yet the plain and powerful truth of it is undeniable. It illustrates in twenty first century terms what everyone in every tradition has recognized since the beginning of time. We human beings have the unique power of being able to transform the circumstances of our lives through the power of visualization. This power to create a picture that the soul never thinks without is part of our divine heritage, for it is the very same power that was used to create us. Every person alive has been bequeathed the divine power of visualization. Some are more talented at using it than others. These are the ones that realize that this power flourishes when it is aligned with the purpose for which it was created -- to give and extend love, joy, peace and abundance. When we give our imagination free reign to make mental pictures of this type we can manifest miracles.
Is it really as simple as this? Yes. It is. The wall that stands between us and the truth of it is doubt. Our enemy is always within. But our doubt diminishes when we come face to face with the fact that we use the power of visualization every moment of every day. The smallest actions that we take are necessarily preceded by the formation of a mental picture. The simple act of getting up and walking across the room requires that we first make a mental picture of it. In the words of A Course In Miracles, There is no such thing as idle thought. All thought produces form at some level. Therefore, each time we glorify in our minds and enthrone in our hearts our desire to overcome a life long fear, finally get the job we want, stop an addiction, reconcile or find a loving relationship – we are taking the initial step of concretizing and giving form to our desire. Every mental image acts as a prayer asking for the thing that we are glorifying and enthroning to be released from the realm of the formless into the realm of the formed. Since we are thinking all the time, the implications of this are that we are actually praying all the time. Once we become conscious of this we begin to pay closer attention to what we’re visualizing and how we use visualization to create our lives.
It is important to realize in all of this that visualization does not ask for anything new to be created. As the scripture tells us, there is nothing new under the sun. Visualization is the art of drawing to us a new expression of what has already been created. It is a means of calling forth that which already exists out of the world of the formless into the world of the formed. Our genius is expression not creation. In fact, all great artist of any ilk are essentially expressing something not creating it. They are tapping into the realm of the formless and giving it new form through their unique expression. That’s why all great art seems so familiar to us. We recognize it as something we’ve somehow already seen or heard. Our hearts rejoice in its proverbial, simple truth. .
When we really understand this we realize the truth of Arnold Swarzenegger’s approach to our heart’s desire. The first step is to crate a vision of who we want to be. This means that we make a mental picture of how improved our lives will be, when, for example, we step into our new career. The next step is to live into the picture as if it were already true, because, the fact of the matter is, it IS true. Once again, the rock that stands between us and the simplicity of this is our doubting ego. Michelangelo was a visionary artist. He could “see” his “creations” before they were expressed. It is said that he saw David hidden in the marble before he chiseled him out and “released” him from his rocky prison. Our job is much the same as Michelangelo’s. We must “see” what we desire in our minds eye then chisel away the excess marble of our ego until our desire is released into our lives.
We need not concern ourselves about the specifics of how things will unfold or what we might come up against along the way. Our scope of awareness is too limited to know how many intricate details must fall into place before our desire can be fulfilled. We must let go and let the universe handle the details as they say. Our job is to do our homework, hold fast to our vision, accept life, extend love, be forgiving and patiently chisel away at the rock as we wait for the necessary things to fall into place.
Rest assured, the universe will not fail in revealing to us the things to which we must pay attention along the way. If we need to become more trusting, more giving, more fearless, more confident, less jealous, less judgmental, etc. life will give us plenty of opportunities to correct our thinking in this regard. It’s as though we offer up our visualizations as a prayer to the universe and it answers back by showing us the things we have to change in our selves in order to breakthrough the firewall that is separating us from our desire. Ironically, patience and the willingness to take our lessons along the way are the just right ingredients for speeding up the process of manifesting our visualizations. Undoubtedly our progress will include one step forward and two steps backward. But after all, it has been said that the road to success is always under construction. We must realize this and not push or try to make things happen. There’s a gentle balance that is required between asking for things and waiting to receive them. When we push to make things happen or try too hard, rest assured they won’t. You can’t pound grass to make it grow or push a bird’s wings to make it fly. We cannot force or control things. Any thinking person knows that the only thing we have any control over in life is us. The best way to be in “control” is to relax so that we can be flexible and yielding to the forces that come our way. This allows for the natural unfolding of life. There is an ancient Chinese poem that expresses this point beautifully.
At birth all people are soft and yielding. At death they are hard and stiff All green plants are tender and yielding. At death they are brittle and dry. When hard and rigid We consort with death. When soft and flexible, We affirm greater life.
Lao Chu
Our patience and flexibility at accepting whatever comes our way affirms our faith in the greater life that we have visualized. Obstacles come our way for a reason. (More on this later.) When asking for miracles we are asking for ways to transcend obstacles not fight them.
Meanwhile, we must quietly go about our business and be silent about the inner work that we are doing and the changes we are attempting to manifest. We must be like a mother eagle sitting on top of our un-hatched eggs, keeping them warm, hidden and protected from predators. Talking about our desires gives them premature birth. It weakens their ability to manifest to the fullest extent. Moreover, talking about what we’re up to more often than not involves looking for approval -- another activity of the ego. We must be ever vigilant against allowing our energy to be weakened in any way by the ego.
To summarize, here are the seven key steps for using the gift of visualization to manifest miracles:
1. Create an inner vision of who you want to be and the changes you want to make in your life. Picture how your life will improve when you realize all that you desire. 2. Align your purpose with giving and extending love, joy, peace and abundance for all concerned.
3. Know that what you want already exists and needs only the right conditions to come together to allow for its fullest manifestation. Those “right conditions” are outside your ken.
4. Keep your ego at bay. Do not allow it to inject fear, doubt, worry, pride or feelings of unworthiness into the picture.
5. Act as if what you want is already fulfilled because it is. Do not be concerned about the how of it.
6. Be patient, gentle and yielding to the forces that come your way. Everything is happening for a reason.
7. Keep silent. Contain your energy and prevent premature birth or dissipation of your energy.
*This is the third of nine spiritual steps for manifesting miracles -- an excerpt from my book of the same title.
About the Author
Loretta Siani, Ph.D. is a clinical hypnotherapist. In her private practice teaches the mind/body model and combines hypnosis, neuro-linguistic psychology, guided visualizations, aromatherapy, dream work and the principles of A Course In Miracles to assist her clients in achieving transformational changes. Dr. Siani's book, The Magic of Excellence, and her book and CD's for eliminating stress, can be purchased at http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00761.htm or from her website www.lorettasiani.com, click on "products."

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