How Pumping Iron Changed Bodybuilding Forever

Some years ago, there were two characters on the popular comedy show, Saturday Night Live, that made good natured fun of the sport of bodybuilding.  The characters had a bodybuilding show called “Pumping up with Hans and Franz”.  The two talented comedians who performed the skit were.... Read the full story at https://planetsupplement.com/pumping-iron/.

Mike Katz - A Pumping Iron Star with a Big Chest and a Big Heart

The movie Pumping Iron made the careers of a number of body builders.  The most notable household names that became huge stars from the Pumping Iron movie are the previous governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the man who went on be become the name we most associate with The.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/mike-katz/

Franco Columbu - Doctor, Actor and Bodybuilder

Franco Columbu was born in Sardinia, Italy in 1941.  He immigrated to the United States in 1969, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1987. Columbu has earned numerous bodybuilding titles, including Mr. Olympia, Mr. International, Mr. World, Mr. Universe, Mr. Europe, and Mr. Italy, despite his.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/franco-columbu/

Ed Corney - Perhaps the Best "Poser" in Pumping Iron

In modern day language that the young people use, to be a “poser” is a bad thing.  But in the world of bodybuilding, to be a great poser meant you knew well how to put your well toned body on display and that meant winning a lot of competitions. When the movie, Pumping Iron erupted.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/ed-corney/

Ken Waller - The Charming Villain of Pumping Iron

The movie, Pumping Iron is a documentary about bodybuilding that erupted a huge national interest in the sport.  The dozen or so “stars” of the movie were in actually the best of the best of the bodybuilding sport of that time.
Obviously, certain names such as Arnold.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/ken-waller/

Lou Ferrigno - How Pumping Iron Gave Birth to the Incredible Hulk

The name Lou Ferrigno had never been heard by most people outside the bodybuilding world until the movie Pumping Iron was released and became a surprise success in 1977.  The documentary tells the story of a group of bodybuilding competitors preparing for the 1975 Mr. Olympia competition.
Lou.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/lou-ferrigno/

Serge Nubret Fulfills His Destiny in Pumping Iron

When the movie Pumping Iron begins, the stage full of extraordinarily well developed men looks the same in many ways. The sculpted figures, the amazing bulges and the stylistic way they strike a pose gives the impression that there is nothing there behind those muscles.  Nothing could be further.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/serge-nubret/

Danny Padilla - The "Little" Bodybuilder Who Just Wanted to Win

The sport of bodybuilding is a tall man’s game.  But there is one minor character in the breakthrough bodybuilding movie Pumping Iron that deserved a better role than he got in the film and in that competition.  That bodybuilder’s name is Danny Padilla.  Danny stood out among the.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/danny-padilla/

Scurvy is Back! An Old Health Problem In A Modern World!

Scurvy – Encountering An Old Health Problem In A Modern World

Where it was once a common plight for sailors on long ocean journeys, scurvy hasn’t been a mainstream health problem for many decades, if not a century or more. For that reason it’s dropped off the medical radar somewhat and is no longer included in general health surveys. However, it recently reappeared in a group of patients with diabetes at a hospital in western Sydney in Australia.

Scurvy is caused by a severe and long lasting lack of vitamin C in the diet. Vitamin C is a vitally important nutrient that is required by the body for a number of functions, including tissue repair. Scurvy can also be fatal if not diagnosed and treated. The fact that nearly 2 million sailors died of the condition between 1500 and 1800, before it was discovered that sucking on a lime daily prevented it, is proof of scurvy’s deadliness.

One of the primary sources of dietary vitamin C is fruit, particularly citrus fruit. However, fruit also contains fructose, a natural sugar that is converted to glucose by the body. Because of this, many diabetes patients cut back their fruit intake in an effort to keep their blood glucose levels under control. Unfortunately as it turns out this has brought on other serious health consequences. Such as scurvy

And it’s thought that the problem may not just be restricted to diabetic sufferers either. Australia, like so many other developed countries, suffers from its fair share of modern dietary issues. Until now though scurvy was not considered one of them but that belief may have to be rethought in the light of these findings.

Discovering Modern Scurvy

The recent re-occurrence of this disorder first came to the attention of Professor Jenny Gunton, who heads up the Westmead Institute for Medical Research Diabetes Centre in Sydney. She noticed that one particular patient had an ulcer that was not healing, despite regular topical treatments. So she started wondering and, following up on a hunch, quizzed the patient about her diet.

It turns out that the patient was inadvertently over cooking her vegetables whilst at the same time not eating very much fruit due to her diabetes. So the Professor ordered a blood test for vitamin C and zinc, two essential nutrients required for efficient wound healing. Sure enough, the patient returned a vitamin C score of just 10. Given that forty plus is normal, this patient had only one quarter of the quantity of vitamin C required for normal healthy function.

Professor Gunton then arranged to test other patients who attended her clinic with wounds that were slow to heal. Two thirds of those tested, or about a dozen people, subsequently returned the same very low vitamin C levels as the original patient. They were all prescribed a daily vitamin C tablet and, not surprisingly, their sores rapidly started healing.

Upon further investigation, most of those tested were found to be consuming enough vegetables in their diet to supply them with adequate amounts of vitamin C. However, they were overcooking them, which was destroying the vitamin C content. So Professor Gunton arranged for them to visit a dietitian in order to learn about effective ways to incorporate enough vitamin C and other important nutrients into their diet without affecting their blood glucose levels. She also wanted them to learn how to prepare food correctly in order to preserve as much of their nutrient value as possible.

One of the take home lessons to be learned from all this, according to Professor Gunton, is that even when someone is eating a seemingly normal, healthy diet, or appears outwardly healthy, they can still have serious nutritional deficiencies. Depending upon how the food is prepared, what else is eaten and so on. As this group of patients showed, something as simple as over cooking vegetables whilst not consuming enough fresh fruit was enough to drop their vitamin C levels to detrimental levels.

Scurvy – The Ins And Outs Of This Olde Tyme Disease

As previously mentioned, scurvy develops when the body doesn’t have enough vitamin C. Vitamin C is required for a whole host of functions.

• It’s used to create collagen. Collagen is a primary strengthening component in our skin, our bones and our blood vessels. Collagen is also used to help with wound healing.


• It is a powerful antioxidant. This is the role most of us typically associate with vitamin C. Antioxidants help to destroy and remove dangerous free radicals. Free radicals are molecular compounds that are created as a by-product of cellular oxygen metabolism. Amongst other things, free radicals do a lot of damage to cell membranes and are implicated in a whole range of serious health conditions, including cancer.


• It is required for efficient absorption of iron. Without vitamin C, our uptake of iron, especially non-haem iron, is nowhere near as efficient. Non-haem iron by the way is the type of iron we get from plant sources like lentils and beans.


• It is needed by our immune system, especially the lymphocytes. Lymphocytes control the type of response our immune system gives to any infection, disease or foreign substance that enters our body.


• It is also used in the production of various other chemicals in our body, like neurotransmitters or brain chemicals.

Vitamin C is also an essential nutrient, meaning the body can’t manufacture it so it has to come from our diet. Foods rich in vitamin C include

• Citrus fruit (oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, lemons, limes etc) and other fruits like mangos, tomatoes, strawberries, black currants and kiwi fruit.


• Green vegetables – broccoli, spinach, capsicum (particularly the yellow one) and cabbage.


• Liver and kidney

Symptoms Of Scurvy

Assuming a normally adequate intake, our body can store a limited amount of vitamin C for short periods. Therefore, we can survive without adequate daily vitamin C intake for a brief time. However, it’s when that couple of days becomes a couple of weeks then a couple of months that problems arise.

If a diet is completely lacking in vitamin C for any appreciable length of time, then how long the vitamin C reserve lasts will determine how long it takes scurvy symptoms to start to appear. On average though symptoms will begin to show up around a month after vitamin C intake completely ceases.

Unfortunately, a lot of the early signs of a possible vitamin C deficiency can also be attributed to other health issues. They include a general feeling of unwellness, inappetence, nausea, fatigue, fever, sore muscles and joints, diarrhea and tiny visible spots of bleeding around hair follicles. As you can see, with the possible exception of the bleeding, these could indicate any one of a number of illnesses.

If not detected and left untreated, these mild symptoms develop into some of the more known signs of full-blown scurvy. For example:

• Loose teeth as well as purple coloured gums that are spongy and swollen


• Proptosis (where the eyes bulge)


• Constant and severe bruising in the skin, caused by bleeding


• Brownish skin that is very dry and scaly to the touch


• Curly, dry hair that has a tendency to break off near the skin


• Wounds that are very slow to heal and old scars that reopen


• Swelling over bones in the limbs caused by bleeding into muscles and joints


• In babies and children lack of vitamin C causes the soft growth plates at the ends of the bones to harden prematurely, stalling bone growth and stunting overall development.

Ultimately, scurvy can also lead to an increased risk of heart attack and/or anaemia, or even death.

Some groups of people are more at risk of developing scurvy than others but ultimately; scurvy is a disease that comes about as a result of certain lifestyle choices. Those who have an unhealthy diet are prime candidates; especially those who have made other choices in life that affect their ability to make informed decisions about their diet. Alcoholics and drug addicts are a typical example of this as many of these people neglect their diets completely. Mentally ill people and the elderly are another high-risk group prone to suffering dietary neglect, generally through circumstances beyond their control.

People who crash diet, go on extreme diets that exclude complete food groups, are on allergy diets, have eating disorders ie anorexia nervosa or bulimia or are simply fussy eaters who don’t like eating foods high in vitamin C are other at-risk groups for developing scurvy. Note however that these types of diets are only problematic with respect to vitamin C if they specifically exclude foods high in vitamin C and don’t allow for alternative supplementation ie vitamin C tablets.

Smokers are also a group at risk of developing a vitamin C deficiency because smokers have higher vitamin C requirements than normal due to the damage smoking does to their body. Damage that requires a lot of vitamin C to fix.

Scurvy - Diagnosis And Treatment

A diagnosis for scurvy may involve a blood test for vitamin C and iron as well as a physical exam, information about the patient’s medical history and diet and x-rays of knee, rib and wrist joints.

Treatment options for scurvy are generally fairly simple. Just increasing daily vitamin C will, in most cases, completely cure the patient. In more severe cases higher than normal volumes of vitamin C intake may be prescribed to help speed up recovery. Gums and bleeding problems should start to dissipate within a day or two of beginning vitamin C therapy. Joints and muscles may take longer to recover but in most cases patients can expect to be on the road to full recovery within a very short space of time after beginning treatment.

Patients suffering from scurvy may also have other issues that also require treatment, as a vitamin C deficiency is not likely to have occurred on its own. There will invariably have been a contributing cause, such as health conditions causing dietary issues, an eating disorder or alcohol or drug use. Long term recovery and prevention of a relapse ultimately depends on the successful treatment of these contributing causes.

When dealing with scurvy it’s important to bear in mind that excessive intake of vitamin C is also detrimental and should never be done unless under medical supervision. Excessive vitamin C use can also affect some other types of medications, notably some blood-thinning drugs. People who have kidney stones or kidney disease should also be careful taking too much vitamin C.

Nutritional Mistakes You Should Avoid Doing If You’re A Power-Lifter

There has been a lot of research conducted in this field. We share what the most common nutritional mistakes among power-lifters are.

How to Stay Healthy While Travelling

Sponsored Post – Losing weight, gaining muscle or just generally trying to stay in shape is hard enough most of the time, but combine that with travel or a holiday and your plans to stay in shape can quickly take a hit. Travelling can be extremely dehydrating and play havoc with your sleep.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/stay-healthy-travelling/

The TB 12 Method – The Tom Brady Diet - All The Details!

The TB 12 Method – Tom Brady Reveals All
Could he be the best player ever in the NFL?  Many pundits definitely seem to think so! And whether you agree with their opinions, or not, one thing is for certain….
Tom Brady, who recently hit the big four O and is still playing some of the best football.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/tb-12-method/

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story - Celebrity Transformations

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story: Now Only Recognizable By Those Glasses After Losing Weight

Popular stand up comic come game show host come actor come sports executive and photographer, Drew Carey is a widely recognized figure in the entertainment world. We say ‘widely’ in the literal sense of the word too because until he shed 100 pounds recently he was as recognizable by his weight as by his trademark spectacles.

A former university dropout and ex-Marine, Carey hit the entertainment industry running. He was already being paid to write jokes for a DJ friend to use on his radio show and the friend suggested he make use of the local library to do some research on how to write jokes. The library research must have done the trick because shortly afterwards he won an open-mic contest and the Cleveland Comedy Club appointed him to the role of Master of Ceremonies. It also left him with a lifelong appreciation of libraries, to which he credits much of his success.

In 1988 he was spotted on Star Search and the rest, as they say is history. Drew Carey has gone on to bigger and better things. Such as starring in his own sitcom The Drew Carey Show as well as taking over as the host of The Price Is Right from the legendary Bob Barker in 2007. He has also hosted the game show Whose Line Is It Anyway and appeared in several films.

But although his career has been hugely successful, Drew Carey has not been as fortunate with his health. Whilst his weight was often the subject of his jokes, it was no joking matter when he had to undergo open-heart surgery and was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. This forced him to re-evaluate his lifestyle somewhat and the result is a trimmer, healthier Drew Carey. So much so that if it weren’t for the trademark black framed specs he’d be almost unrecognizable.

Maybe the most noticeable change in Carey from his first days as host of The Price Is Right is his impressive weight loss. In 2010, Carey stuck to diet and exercise and managed to shed 100 pounds.  “A lot has changed, including my personal appearance and it’s so much more comfortable now,” Carey said. “I never felt like an outsider, or anything like that, but I feel so much more comfortable, I’ve been there for so long.”

Leaving the celebrity chit-chat aside: What are these (as we like to call them)

Drew Carey Weight Loss "Helpers"

that lead to many stunning celebrity transformations?

They're called
HCA FIT and Chlorogen800

If you watch TV or read the news, you’ve possibly seen or heard about a celebrity weight loss supplement touted as the “secret”, and absolutely safe (because it's natural!) alternative. Well, today it’s a secret no longer because we’re here to tell you all about it.

A very real and significant concern when losing weight is how you'll look. You could end up with sags and bags, or you could end up lean and buff. If your body shrinks in size as you lose weight without the skin area also "shrinking," you could end up with loose skin hanging around your upper arms, waist, stomach, and other areas. By the time you attain your ideal size, the only solution for tightening up your skin is plastic surgery.

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story - Avoid Weight-Loss Sagging

You can avoid sagging skin by starting strength training now and continue throughout your weight-loss program and beyond as you maintain your new size. That way, your skin will shrink along with the rest of you. By the time you attain your ideal size, new people you meet will have no idea that you were ever overweight. Why? Because your skin will fit your body. Do this with strength training.

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story - Stamina, Energy, and Strength Training

You want quick results in losing weight, and you can achieve them with strength training. After only three months of two hour-long strength-training sessions a week, your body will become smaller. Your waist will be smaller, as will your upper arms, and your stomach will be flatter.

You only need to do two sessions of strength training a week. If you feel really ambitious, you can do three, but don't do any more than that. Strength training causes small tears in the fibers of your muscles. This is good, because as they repair on your "off" days the muscles become stronger and tighter. If you do strength training every day, your muscles won't have time to rebuild between sessions.

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story - Strength Training Approaches

• Free weights.
  Very popular, easy to use, widely available. Start with 2- to 3-pound weights and add weight as your body adapts to the weight.


• Stretch tubing.
  A stretchy thin tube with handles on each end. Resembles a jump rope. You can purchase in several levels of resistance.


• Flex band.
  A long, wide, stretchy band used for resistance training.


• Ankle and wrist weights.
  Strap them on for resistance as you do strengthening exercises.


• Body bar.
  A long, weighted bar used for resistance training. May or may not have additional removable weights on either end.


• A big inflated ball on which to do exercises. Seems innocent enough, but provides really challenging strength-training exercise.


• Magic circle.
  A circular handheld ring, about 15 inches in diameter with handles across from each other. By compressing the circle with legs, arms, and other body parts, you can get quite a workout.


• Pilates classes and equipment.
  An exercise method that creates long, lean, and strong muscles, plus very strong abs and terrific posture.


• Exercise machines.
  Set the resistance of the machines to match your strength levels.


• Power-pump classes.
  Lift weights while you keep pace with the music.

Muscle weighs more than fat. Because of this, a person with higher muscle mass could weigh more, and yet wear a smaller size. In addition to using your weight as a measure of attaining your ideal size, take into account your body fat percentage.

Body Fat Percentage

Having a higher body fat percentage brings with it significant health risks including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and autoimmune disorders.

When you have your body fat tested at a health club or at a health practitioner’s, you’ll receive a reading of body fat, water, and muscle percentages. All three add up to 100 percent. Assuming that the amount of water weight remains almost constant for each individual, the variables are body fat and muscle. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you have (and vice versa).

Here are ideal body fat percentages:

Women:

1. Up to age 20:  14-21 percent


2. Age 20 to 50:  17-27 percent


3. Age 50+:         20-30 percent

Men:

1. Up to age 20:   9-15 percent


2. Age 20 to 50:   14-21 percent


3. Age 50+:         19-23 percent

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story: Understanding Body Fat

In body fat measurements, lower is usually best, but don’t go below the recommended guidelines. A person must have at least some body fat to be healthy. Fat pads internal organs such as the kidneys, and it also offers protection against cold weather. For women, the minimum recommended fat percentage is 12 percent. If a woman has less, her menstrual cycles could cease. Men must have a minimum of 5 percent to stay healthy.

The Drew Carey Weight Loss Story: Improving Your Muscles

By doing strength-training exercises for two to three hours a week, you can reduce your body fat percentage by as much as 10 percentage points within six months.

Having less body fat and more muscle gives you more energy, higher stamina, more muscle definition, and a higher metabolism. This means you’ll burn through calories faster and can eat more food without gaining weight.

Here's a list we compiled about the most stunning celebrity transformations.

The "Who's Who of Celebrities Before and After"

1. Perez Hilton Weight Loss And New Fitness Blog


2. Tyra Banks Weight Loss– Variety Is The Spice Of Exercise & Weight Loss


3. John Goodman Weight Loss – Lovable Oversized Fred Flintstone No More


4. 50 Cent Weight Loss - A Trimmer 50 Cent Worth More Than That These Days


5. Aretha Franklin Weight Loss - Set For Longevity After Losing Weight


6. Ruben Studdard Weight Loss - Biggest Loser Exposes Idol Star’s Weight


7. Raven Symone Weight Loss - But Not State Of Georgia


8. Christian Bale Weight Loss - What He Puts His Body Through Is Called Dedication


9. Lauren Alaina Weight Loss - She Beats Bulimia And Confronts Weight Problem


10. Ronnie Ortiz Weight Loss - Kidney Stones The Culprit In Ronnie’s Weight Gain


11. Oprah Weight Loss - She Has Her Weight Firmly In Hand Again


12. Seth Rogen Weight Loss - Green Hornet Forces Life Style Change And Weight Loss


13. Adam Richman Weight Loss – Food Is Meant To Be Enjoyed But Don’t Eat Too Much


14. Kevin Lyles Weight Loss – Larger Than Life Success Story


15. Dr Dre Weight Loss – Athlete Or Musician After Weight Loss?


16. Zach Galifianakis Weight Loss


17. Christina Aguilera Weight Loss - Pop Princess Sheds Weight And Pop Star Image


18. Jerry Ferrara Weight Loss - Funny Guy Stuns Fans With Dramatic Weight Loss


19. Wendy Williams Weight Loss - Shock Jockette Shocks With Weight Loss


20. Chris Pratt Weight Loss - His Monologue Pays Tribute To His Changing Physique


21. Tom Arnold Weight Loss - Funny Guy Finds Fatherhood An Excellent Reason To Keep Fit


22. Ricky Gervais Weight Loss - Overweight Slob No More


23. Abby Lee Miller Weight Loss – Weight Gain Caused By Stress


24. Queen Of Funk Chaka Khan Weight Loss - Queen Of Funk Fights Off The Weight


25. Kim Kardashian Weight Loss - She Shows Us How To Monetize Fame And Lose Weight


26. Alec Baldwin Weight Loss - Starves Off Type 2 By Kicking Sugar And Losing Weight


27. Chaz Bono Weight Loss - Now Cutting A Fine Figure As A Fit, Toned Guy


28. Queen Latifah Weight Loss - Benefits From Wisdom Learned Late In Life


29. Kirstie Alley Weight Loss - Battles As Famous As Her Acting Career


30. Randy Jackson Weight Loss - Gets His Weight And Life Style Under Control


31. Kelly Osbourne Weight Loss - Beats The Weight Loss Odds And Emerges Glamorous And Confident


32. Jennifer Hudson Weight Loss – Jaw Dropping Transformation From Size 16 to Size 6


33. Star Jones Weight Loss - Controversial Weight Loss


34. Angie Stone Weight Loss - Diabetes Runs In Family Forcing Weight Loss


35. Shonda Rhimes Weight Loss - The Year Of Saying Yes, Including To Losing Weight


36. Jill Scott Weight Loss - Young Son Turns Her Life, And Weight, Around


37. Graham Elliott Weight Loss - Chef On A Diet Journey


38. Rosie O’Donnell Weight Loss - She Loses Weight And Regains Her Health


39. Paul Wall Weight Loss - Gastric Surgery Saves Life Of Rapper


40. Jordan Sparks Weight Loss – From Talented Teen To Talented Trim Adult


41. Al Roker Weight Loss - Favorite Weatherman Weathers His Own Weight Loss Storm


42. Jonah Hill Weight Loss – Is Being In Shape A Sign Of Maturity?


43. Ricki Lake Weight Loss - The Tribulations Of Yo-Yoing Weight


44. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi Weight Loss - Popular Jersey Shore Star Claims That She Can Lose Weight Anyone Can


45. Chumlee Weight Loss - He Avoids Following In His Father’s Footsteps


46. Janet Jackson Weight Loss - Sibling Janet Shares Fame But Not Weight With Famous Brother


47. June Shannon Weight Loss - Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Star Now Trimmer And Fitter


48. Gabourey Sidibe Weight Loss - The Grin These Days Tells All About Her Famous Weight Loss

Getting older is inevitable. However, growing old is optional!

With your first grey hair often comes the startling realization that you are not going to live forever. Of course, you have always known that life is finite that all of us must “check out” at some stage but when we see the first signs of growing older we often get a wake-up call about our own mortality.

Getting older is inevitable. However, growing old is optional!

What do I mean by this?

Well, we all have to get older but we can take steps to stay feeling and looking young.

Although our bodies do tend to slow down as the years pass by we can take proactive steps to keep our bodies working at optimal level.

Although this may seem like trying to hold back the tide there is actually much more at work here than just making yourself feel like you are taking action.

For instance, a seasoned 60 year old marathon runner can, and is usually, fitter and in better shape than a “normal” 35 year old.

In many cases when people in middle age take up fitness they feel better than they did when they were in their 30′s.

Recent Research

Recent research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, documents evidence for the anti-aging effects of exercise.

In the British study researchers found that regular moderate to vigorous cardio exercise can postpone biological aging by up to 12 years.

I’m sure all readers will agree that a 12 years reduction in biological age is well worth the effort of regular exercise.

As a natural part of the ageing process the ability to perform aerobic exercises diminishes as we get older.

Our aerobic capacity starts to decline at a rate of 5 ml/[kg*min] every 10 years or so.

This simply means that if you had a normal aerobic capacity of 40 ml/[kg*min] when you were 20 then by the time you hit 40 your aerobic capacity would be at 30 ml/[kg*min].

To get a better “feel” for what these numbers mean consider the fact that when a man’s aerobic capacity goes below 18 ml/[kg*min], and a woman’s dives below 15 ml/[kg*min], any type of physical exertion becomes very tiring and difficult to complete.

Reversing the Aging Process

It stands to reason that keeping your aerobic capacity number high will mean a better standard of interaction with life as you get older.

According to the research study fairly robust cardiovascular exercises, when performed regularly and over a period of years, can boost aerobic power in any normal person by up to 25%.

This equates to a reduction of between 10 and 12 years for most normal people!

Although many people rarely get enough exercise it is never too late to start.

It has been shown that starting a healthy cardio exercise program at any stage, even after years of inactivity, can start the biological age reversal process.

How to Turn Back the Clock

We have seen that increasing your aerobic capacity can reverse biological ageing. Now we need to determine how we can increase your aerobic capacity.

To improve aerobic capacity you must start working your heart and lungs forcing them to expand their abilities.

If you have ever trained using weights in order to tone your body or build muscle you will know that you must challenge your muscles in order for them to grow and develop the way you desire.

To get stronger you need to regularly y increase the weight you lift or expand the bodybuilding exercises you perform.

In a similar way you must increase your cardio workouts in order to continually challenge you heart and lungs.

Luckily this takes a lot less effort than weight lifting and can be much more enjoyable. You do not need to run a marathon every week to stay fit and keep the biological clock moving slowing backwards instead of racing forward.

Interval training can also be a great way of increasing your metabolism as well as increasing your aerobic capacity and this form of exercise is often the cardio of choice for many athletes.

Thinking of getting into shape for the summer but fighting a losing battle with the bulge, unable to resist the taste of those fatty, sugar-filled foods that you know you should be avoiding?

Well here is a list of some tasty alternatives to those fat fueled burger meals and high calories carb loaded snack fests.

It can be a thin line between getting the correct nutrition that you need to build and tone muscle and overeating.

Sculpting the perfect body requires exercise but the nutritional aspect of training is often misunderstood or even ignored by many would-be beach bodies.

So, before you hit the gym and start running treadmill marathons take a look at these top muscle building fat burning calorie crunchers.

The key to burning fat and building muscle while ensuring your body gets all the nutrients and calories it needs to produce energy is to keep the proper balance between protein and carbohydrates.

For those wishing to bulk up it is usually best to keep the carb count higher than protein, while for the rest of us who need to shed a few pounds to get in shape for the beach would be better increasing our protein intake and reducing our carb intake.

The following 5 foods are ideal for doing this.

1. Chicken

Chicken is a high source of natural protein.

Chicken is a staple of almost every body builder’s diet because it is low in fat while extremely high in protein.

Chicken becomes even less fattening when it is boiled and any excess fat on it (from the water) is washed off.

A standard piece of chicken is composed of about 23% protein.

One piece of chicken breast is usually enough to give you the recommended 20g of protein with each meal.

For best results boil the chicken although this may impair the taste somewhat.

Grilled chicken breast is perfectly acceptable.

Serve with roast or steamed vegetables or salad and some ‘good’ carbohydrates like wholegrain rice. Turkey, and other poultry (except duck as it is often fattening) can be used a substitute for chicken.

2. Tuna

Tuna is extremely low in fat as long as you buy it either fresh or tinned in spring water or brine.

Do not buy tinned tuna in sunflower oil as the oil will greatly increase the fat content. Always check the label.

Tuna, like most white oily-fish such as mackerel, cod, haddock and sardines are an excellent source of protein and health enhancing vitamins and nutrients.

Tuna and other fish is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have amazing health benefits as well as stimulating the release of the hormone leptin.

Anyone interested in nutrition and weight loss will recognise leptin as an important hormone in appetite suppression and for increasing metabolism thus helping the burning of excess calories and fat stores.

3. Tofu

Although meat is arguably the best source of protein for muscle building there are alternatives.

Tofu is a great source of soy protein that can be just as effective for training purposes without having the same fat content as red meat for example.

Tofu (and similar alternatives) is also low in calories an, like fish, is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids which also help us to burn fat.

4. Eggs

Eggs are also a great alternative to meat for gaining your protein requirements.

The only thing you should be aware of while using eggs as a protein source is the risk of increasing your cholesterol levels.

However, this is something you should always be aware of and keep an eye on as meat and other food sources that derive from animals can greatly increase your cholesterol levels.

5. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seed are perfect for replacing crisp, potato chips and snack bars.

They are the ideal snacking food.

As well as staving off hunger nuts and seeds kick start the fat burning process in the body that targets fat reserves rather than other snack type foods that encourage the breaking down of muscle for energy.

As a rule of thumb any type of natural nuts and seeds are a great healthy alternative to snack foods. However, you are probably best avoiding the roasted or salted variety as they are usually very high in fat. Check the label.

Fibromyalgia Relief - 7 Tips To Fibromyalgia Pain Relief

Effective management strategies for dealing with the pain of fibromyalgia depends a lot on the individual suffering it. In other words, just putting up with pain and doing nothing about it is asking for trouble.
Lady Gaga on Twitter Sep. 12, 2017: In our documentary the #chronicillness.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/fibromyalgia-relief/

How to gain weight? Create your homemade weight gainer!

Learn how to gain weight with a homemade weight gainer. Read about 4 major issues with conventional weight gainers ... and how to make your own.

Squats Guide - An In-Depth Review of Squat Science and Techniques

Squats Guide - They conjure up images of men with crew cuts pushing heavy weights in darkly lit gymnasiums. They have survived the Nautilus and Cybex Revolutions. They are the dinosaurs of power lifting exercises. Sooner or later, if you are serious about building lower body strength and explosiveness, you will find yourself poised beneath a rack of weights preparing to do a set of squats.

There is an obvious reason for the longevity of squats; they really work. Gymnasiums are now called "health clubs" filled with row after row of specialized machinery and free-weights. Torn T-shirts have been replaced by designer workout outfits. The introduction of Nautilus machines popularized the concept of muscle isolation. Design a machine that can isolate a specific muscle and single joint, then work that muscle into shape. Thus you find yourself working a circuit of machines, moving from the quadriceps machine to the lat machine to the deltoid machine.

"Old school" exercises like squats are different, they are less specific. They involve multiple muscle groups and multiple joints working in tandem. It’s a different kind of stress load that involves various muscle groups working as a unit to achieve a specific motion. There are advantages to both philosophies. Progressive resistance of an isolated muscle group is an especially effective method of rehabilitating an injury. The injured muscle must be brought back to full strength in stages. Specific, isolated resistance exercises are an essential element of most rehabilitation programs.

Research in the field of kinesiology (the study of movement) points to substantial advantages when training multiple muscle groups. Think about it; sport demands coordination, explosiveness and strength. A volleyball player leaps into the air, swings her arms forward, pushes side to side, runs forward and backward, all movements generated by multiple muscle groups working as a team. The nervous system must also be fine-tuned to orchestrate such finely coordinated movements.

Shouldn’t your workouts reflect the demands of your sport? Training various muscle groups and joints to work together will encourage measurable gains in strength and coordination. This concept applies beyond athletic competition. Lifting a sleeping child and placing him into a special kid’s seat in the back of your car demands physical strength and coordination. Parenting can be viewed as the ultimate physical sport. Training each muscle individually will not prepare you well for the stresses your body will encounter on a daily basis.

WHAT ARE SQUATS?

Squats provide the foundation for lower body strength, primarily utilizing the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and spinal erectors. It is interesting to note that in order to do a squat properly, one must also focus on upper body control and form. As a result, bodybuilders are often surprised to find secondary gains in upper body strength and size as well. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the "classical back squat". Keep in mind, there are many variations of this exercise. There are hack squats, front squats, "old style" hack squats and back squats with narrow stance. We can discuss these variations at some other time.

For a classic back squat it is best to find a squat rack, thus avoiding the strenuous task of having to clean and jerk the bar overhead. The feet should be approximately shoulder distance apart, allowing for a solid center of gravity. There is much difference of opinion regarding foot placement. Some trainers prefer the toes facing straight ahead. I believe the preferred position is with the toes slightly outward. Since so much weight is involved, it is essential that you find the most comfortable position possible. If you aren’t sure, then I recommend jumping in the air, allowing yourself to land comfortably to the ground with your feet shoulder distance apart. Where are your toes facing now? That will likely be your optimal foot position.

Now let’s start the exercise. It’s a good idea to wrap a towel around the bar to protect your upper back and shoulders from irritation. Most gyms have a foam pad available just for this purpose. Be certain the bar is solidly in place, no slipping sensation or imbalance. Step under the bar, place it across the upper back and take one step backward. Your feet are planted shoulder distance apart, pointing comfortably outward. Your shoulders are pulled slightly back and down. Feel the muscles between your shoulder blades tightening, allowing for upper body stability under the weight of the bar. The chest is pushed up and out. Tighten the abdominal wall and gluteal muscles. Everything should feel solid and steady before you begin the squat. The position of the lower back is a major factor in preventing injury. The cardinal error in form is to bend slightly forward in the low back, causing an overload of the spinal joints. This can lead to serious lumbar disc injury as well as tearing of the stabilizing spinal ligaments and muscles. The proper position maintains a normal lumbar lordotic curve, a very mild curve that allows the glutes to rotate back slightly. Without the proper lordotic curve the low back loses strength and is susceptible to overload. Be certain to bend your knees slightly. If the knees are rigid, then you are locking the heavy weight load into the knee joints without adequate muscular support. This will lead to overload of the knees.

Find a point straight ahead and use it as a point of visual focus. Maintain proper neck posture throughout the exercise. You should feel balanced. Beginners are often advised to place their heels on a board or barbell plate in order to maintain proper squat form. This is a bad idea with a life of its own. It continues to get passed along to novice lifters. Do not place a board under your heels, it will cause you to lean forward, thus placing more stressload on your knees and lower back. If your legs are not flexible enough to squat fully, go down half way. It is important to have your feet flat on the ground; you will be pushing through them during the exercise.

Now you’re ready to squat. Keep your knees bent and lower your body in a controlled manner. As you go down your torso should not change position. The lordotic curve of the low back must be maintained. Lower the position as though you were sitting back in a chair, glutes pushing back as you lower the thighs parallel to the ground. You should feel the tension in the quads and hamstrings. At this point you have reached the lowest body position for this exercise. Some bodybuilders recommend "deep squats," bringing their glutes further to the ground. They believe that deeper squats will help them to attain greater hamstring and quadriceps strength. That is a myth!!! Deep squats jeopardize the stability of both the knee and lumbo-sacral joints. Deep squats cause the knees to bend to a point of extreme joint separation. The ligaments, which hold the joints together, are overstretched while under a heavy weight burden. This creates ligamentous tearing and knee instability. A similar story is played out at the lumbo-sacral joint. It, too, is separated in a forced traction while under a heavy weight load. This leads to lumbo-sacral tearing and instability. An unstable low back is a sure way to short circuit your workout program for a very long time. Be certain to avoid these serious risk factors by squatting to the point where the thigh is parallel to ground!

Now it’s time to push through to the starting position. Do not bounce to gain momentum. Make it a steady, smooth motion. Feel the weight through the bottom of your feet. If you push from the forefoot (by the toes) you will overload the knees. Push through the entire foot. Let your hips come forward as you rise to the starting position. Congratulations, you have completed a solid repetition.

A few final thoughts about this powerful exercise. To build lower body strength and power, you will need to use a high volume of weight. You must work with a spotter, no ifs, ands or buts. Safety first, always. If you cannot control the bar with perfect form, use less weight. Heavy weight places added stress to the joints of the body. If you have a problem with foot pronation and wear orthopedics in your shoes, try wearing them when you do squats. They will help limit torsion stress to the ankles and knees.

One last point. People often ask if they should use weight belts for added support when doing squats. The plus side to using a belt is that it provides added support during the exercise. The downside is that without a belt the smaller muscles of the back are forced to work harder, creating greater overall strength and stability to the back. My vote goes to not using the belt.

If you are dealing with a low back or knee injury, be certain to consult your doctor before trying squats. When you are ready, keep in mind that squats help to strengthen the knees and low back like nothing else.

 

Ephedrine or Ephedra - A Nutritional Supplement Study

If you followed the Olympics in 2016 to any degree, you probably noticed a recurring headline. Even with all the broken records and major upsets, these Olympics will always be known for the disqualifications and scandals surrounding the use of banned substances. Many of these substances were anabolic steroids, however, a number of disqualifications involved nutritional supplements as well. The use of nutritional supplements for ergogenic benefit has gained widespread popularity over recent years.

Because these supplements are considered natural and are available without a prescription, there is a misconception that they are all healthy and safe. Some of the more popular products are those marketed to either enhance energy or improve body composition. If you see a product marketed in such a way, it is likely that it contains the ma-huang herb, otherwise known as ephedra. Some of the more popular ones include Ultimate Orange, Ripped Fuel, Diet Fuel, Xenadrine, and Metabolift, however, there are hundreds on the market today.

In China, the dried stem of the ephedra plant has been used for centuries as a remedy for numerous conditions. In 1923, scientists discovered that the ephedra plant has two active ingredients, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, the same drugs commonly used in many asthma and allergy medications. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are classified as a sympathomimetic drugs because they directly stimulate the sympathetic or "fight or flight" nervous system. This similar to the feeling you get in your body right after you slam on your brakes and come within inches of crashing your car. These drugs are structurally similar to amphetamines (speed or uppers). Because of this, they act as stimulants on the body. Furthermore they enhance the body’s response to epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenaline. Therefore, they also give the body that adrenaline rush sensation.

After ingesting a supplement containing ephedra the blood levels of ephedrine will peak in approximately 4 hours (this varies depending on the individual and the product). Once in the body, ephedrine exerts its effects primarily on the brain and cardiovascular system. Because ephedrine is a stimulant, it is commonly used as an energy enhancer. Ephedra containing products are marketed and used to reduce fatigue, increase alertness, improve reaction time, and even increase strength.

Although they are marketed towards athletes for performance enhancement, the major market appears to be those interested in mirror performance or cosmetic appearance (bodybuilders or those just wanting a lean appearance). Manufacturers claim that ephedra can improve body composition via the thermogenic (increased metabolism) and lypolytic (increased fat burning) properties of ephedrine. In fact, the most potent weight loss supplement on the market today contains a combination of ephedra (ephedrine) and guarana (caffeine) and white willow root powder (aspirin).

A number of scientific studies have shown that ephedrine and the combination of ephedrine and caffeine are effective weight loss agents. However, in many of these studies weight loss was the only variable investigated, as body composition was not assessed. Thus, it is unknown whether the weight loss was due to fat loss or lean tissue and water loss. Furthermore, not all studies have shown a weight loss effect from ephedrine. Some have found that neither caffeine nor ephedrine alone resulted in weight loss, however, the combination of ephedrine and caffeine did.

The combination of ephedrine and caffeine is very popular for two reasons. First, you get the stimulating and possible metabolic and fat burning effects of both. Second, and more importantly, caffeine enhances the effects of the ephedrine. It has been suggested that the weight loss experienced during ephedrine use is due to an increased metabolism (as opposed to a suppressed appetite). Moreover, it has been suggested that fat metabolism accounts for most of the increased energy expenditure and weight loss and results from a number of studies support these claims.

However (and this is a big HOWEVER), it must be noted that clinically obese individuals were used as subjects in most of these investigations. Thus, it is likely that these individuals may have been deficient in either metabolic rate or fat metabolism or both. In fact, when young healthy individuals have been used as subjects, the results are not as convincing. Unfortunately, it is common practice for supplement manufacturers to generalize results from deficiency studies to young, healthy, athletic individuals when they are marketing their products. Those of us in the scientific community know that this cannot and should not be done, as it misleads the consumer.

Currently the research concerning ephedra and performance in an athletic population is limited. However, the investigations that have been performed are not in agreement with manufacturers’ claims. Various studies have investigated strength, speed, endurance, power, and reaction time. At this time there are no studies showing improvements following ephedra ingestion. One study did report a greater cycling time until exhaustion. Ephedrine itself (as opposed to ephedra) was used in that study and the authors suggest that the improvement was due to the stimulating effects, as no changes were noted in metabolism or fat utilization.

The spectrum of adverse health events associated with the use of ephedrine containing products cannot be overlooked. These side effects can be variable and do not always depend on the dose consumed (you don’t have to overdose). Although it is likely that the occurrence of side effects in many cases was the result of misuse, they have also been regularly observed in subjects involved in clinical trials in which the dosages were controlled. Ephedrine can cause increases in heart rate, contractility (the strength of each beat), cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped per minute), and peripheral resistance (blood pressure). Thus, increases in both heart rate and blood pressure are common observations following ephedra ingestion. These effects are usually unwanted and are, therefore, considered side effects.

Other than the tachycardia (increased heart rate) and hypertension (high blood pressure), tremors, restlessness, palpitations, headache, anxiety, and insomnia commonly occur during ephedra use. Although these effects are not serious in most users, the consequences can be severe in those with underlying heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and those sensitive to adrenaline. The recent death of a client at one of the more well known fitness centers in New York City brought public awareness to the dangers of ephedra. She was being treated for high blood pressure (with medication) at the time she was advised to use ephedra, which has been attributed to her death. As you might have guessed, law suits immediately followed. The more serious side effects include seizures, severe hypertension, arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms), psychosis, hepatitis, stroke, myocardial (heart) injury, and intracranial (brain) hemorrhage. Once again, the adverse effects do not always depend on the dose consumed, as serious problems can occur in susceptible persons with use of low dosages.

Although fatal intoxication following ephedrine ingestion is rare, it does occur. The more common causes of death are heart attack and stroke. As mentioned previously, many products combine ephedra with guarana (caffeine). This combination can obviously increase the risks of side effects. The death of a young apparently healthy male college student brought further attention to the possible dangers associated with ephedra products, particularly those containing guarana also. The individual regularly consumed a product containing the combination of ephedra and guarana (Ripped Fuel). In fact, the official autopsy report and death certificate read "patchy myocardial necrosis associated with ephedrine toxicity from protein drink containing ma huang extract."

Blood and urine ephedrine levels suggest that the death was not caused by an acute poisoning, but was the result of prolonged use. One of the primary concerns is that companies do not have to list the ingredients on the labels of natural supplements. One product labeled "no side effects" was found to contain 45-mg of ephedrine and 20-mg of caffeine in a single tablet, despite the fact that it listed Chinese ginseng as the only ingredient. The label also instructed users to take five tablets, which represents a total ephedrine dosage of approximately 11 times the usual recommended OTC dosage.

Ephedrine was banned by the IOC in 1972 because of its cardiac stimulating and mood altering effects, and it is also banned by the NCAA. Products containing ephedra have warning labels instructing consumers not to use it if they suffer from hypertension or any form of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the instructions state to discontinue using the product if hypertension or any form of cardiovascular disease develops.

Products containing ephedra are considered nutritional supplements and are therefore not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, because of the numerous reports of side effects associated with ephedra use, the FDA is attempting to limit the ephedrine dosage to 8-mg/dose or 24-mg/day. If you are considering using a product containing ephedra, or any supplement for that matter, you need to ask two questions; one, does it work and, two, is it safe? As mentioned before, the claims of increased metabolism and fat burning have only been observed in clinically obese individuals, and not those considered healthy and athletic.

The ephedra products, without a doubt, do have stimulating potential, however, this has not resulted in increased performance. So the answer to question number one; it does not appear so. There are numerous substantiated reports of both minor and serious side effects as a result of ephedra ingestion. So the answer to question number two; apparently not. However, each individual’s reaction is different and for some the only side effect may be wasted money.

Diet Drugs - Understanding the Qualities and Complexities

If you are searching for a website to research diet drugs or if you need weight loss help and don’t know where to turn, then we can help you to understand the qualities and complexities of each of the major and most talked about prescription diet drug pills on the market.
Excess weight has been.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/diet-drugs/

Safe Weight Loss and Carbohydrates - Safe Weight Loss and Fat

Safe weight loss and carbohydrates go together. Carbohydrates tend to be the most varied of the food groups. Too many carbohydrates consumed will trigger excess insulin secreted into your bloodstream which causes the body to store fat. As a result, some safe weight loss programs tend to isolate.... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/safe-weight-loss/

Unbiased Review: Fit For Life Diet Plan - Fit for Life Program

The Fit For Life program was designed as a way to permanently lose weight. Fit For Life is not a weight loss program but a “way of eating” designed to last you a lifetime. The Fit for Life program does not involve diet drugs or diet pills. It is not focused on measuring the intake of fat vs..... Read the full article at https://planetsupplement.com/fit-for-life-program/

0% Body Fat - Not Just Your Average Air Hostess

Airline hostess Ayme Oliveira is more than your typical airline hostess. Not content with just shuffling up and down the narrow isles of an airplane dispensing plastic food, lukewarm beverages, booze and children’s toys, she’s made herself an alter ego.

In her spare time, she doubles as a competitive body builder. And she claims that her other life mostly goes undetected until she has to lift luggage into overhead lockers, at which point her rather well toned biceps become noticeable.

She says she got involved in weight lifting because she enjoys the challenge. And for Ayme it’s not just the challenge of competition she faces, it’s also the challenge of trying to find the time to put in the training and take part in competitions. With a child – she’s a single mum - and a job that involves jetting all over the world for several days at a time, that’s a tall order at times.

She also has to keep herself at peak fitness all the time so that she can compete whenever she gets the opportunity. Long-term planning is somewhat difficult when you don’t know when you’re going to be in the country and available to compete! For example, when she decided to participate in her biggest competition to date, she had just one week to get herself ready. That’s when the decision, and the effort, to stay in shape year round really pays off!

To remain in peak shape, Ayme tries to fit in 5 small meals each day, especially whilst on the job. She also manages to find the time to fit in some gym time – up to two and a half hours each day of weightlifting, resistance training, and cardio. She says she definitely prefers the weightlifting training to cardio work.

Body Building – An Unlikely Hobby For An Airline Hostess

So how did Ayme get started in such an unlikely side hobby for someone with a job that is usually associated with glamorous and svelte? According to Ayme, she’s always had a keen interest in health and fitness. Although never a big fan of sports like running, she did discover early on that she has a natural ability to build muscle. That led her into the world of competitive bodybuilding and it’s taken off from there.

When it comes to eating, Ayme makes sure she eats a lot of protein. Her day starts with her favourite breakfast of almond milk overnight oats. Don’t know what overnight oats are? It’s simply a delicious concoction of rolled oats, AKA oatmeal, soaked overnight in a liquid that can be normal milk, almond milk, soymilk or any of the other milk substitutes. You can even use water. For additional protein, flavour and/or some crunch, you can simply add your favorite protein powder, chia seeds, fruit, nuts, seeds, berries, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, peanut butter or anything that takes your fancy. The result – a deliciously creamy, wholesome, high fibre and, depending on what else you’ve added, high protein start to your day.

For Ayme, after the breakfast of overnight oats comes her 2 and a half hours of training followed by a protein shake to help rebuild and repair her muscle tissue. Then it’s usually off to work, where she’ll try and eat several more small meals throughout the day. For lunch, it’s usually a tuna or protein salad and sweet potato and as in-between pick me up snacks she’ll have homemade protein balls. Dinner is usually salmon with salad and no carbohydrates. Just before a competition she’ll cut back on the fats and carbohydrates, step up water intake to 5 liters a day and remove sodium, lactose and fructose.

Aside from the obvious health benefits to be had from a good diet and regular exercise, Ayme says her blood pressure these days is great, she’s rarely sick and she has greatly improved levels of energy. The exercise also helps to de-stress mind and body, clear the mind and is just a great, albeit very much underrated, anti-depressant.

Interestingly, she doesn’t believe in scale watching either. In fact, her advice to those who like to use scales to monitor their weight is - don’t. Muscle weighs more than fat and if your overall aim in working out is to lose weight, then you may find yourself constantly discouraged by what the scales tell you you weigh. Rather concentrate more on losing those fat deposits because that will make you look thinner, even if you don’t actually weigh much less.

And as for her future weight lifting competitions …. She clearly has the weight lifting side of things under control, as evidenced by her recent 5th placing in her category but says she really needs to work on her stage presence and on-stage confidence. Those are the things she feels are letting her down. But at the same time, she’s certainly not letting herself get too complacent about the weight lifting. Like she says, there is always plenty of room to improve her performance there too.

For the moment though she wants to share the successes she’s had so far with her body building regime. She firmly believes that the health benefits, both physically and mentally, far outweigh the types of negative comments that images of body builders, particularly females ones, often attract on social media.

0% Body Fat?

Although she certainly hasn’t reached the stage that some of her fellow female body builders have, where they’re sometimes erroneously described as having 0% body fat, she’ll still attract her fair share of detractors and negative comments from those who simply don’t like this type of look.

Some comments on Social Media platforms

• Wow – reckon she’d be a bit like a rock to cuddle. Mind you, I’d say the same thing about a guy with that much muscle too.


• I’m sorry but this is not my idea of how a woman should look at all.


• I hope she doesn’t go too much further with this and end up looking like one of those women who look more like men. That’s not a good look at all for a women when it gets to that stage.


• Not to my taste either but I’m a bit old fashioned like that. Toned can look great but not when it’s taken to excess.


• Hey, whatever rocks your boat. I wouldn’t do it but she’s clearly right into this so all power to her. I certainly admire her dedication.


• I don’t think this looks ugly at all. She’s well toned without being over the top. Some of the ones that are touted as being almost 0% body fat though are a bit over the top. Mind you, Google starving people and you’ll really get to see 0% body fat.


• Women should have a minimum of 15% body fat to ensure normal health. Any less than that and they risk health issues like osteoporosis and mental problems amongst others. It’s all about striking the right balance between too much and too little body fat.


• I’ve trained with body builders and the super fit ones are pretty lean and ripped. With some, you can even see all their veins. I reckon those who don’t like this look probably don’t really understand weight lifting or aren’t used to looking at weight lifters. Whilst some weight lifters get right down into single digit figures for body fat %, she’s nowhere near that. Those who claim people in this sport can be 0% have no real idea about human metabolism. Starving people in Africa are 0% and most of them die because of it. Whilst she looks OK, some of these women who get involved in bodybuilding don’t look healthy at all. People get so obsessed with losing body fat that they forget we need a certain amount of fat to function properly. I saw a TV program just recently that went into detail about how having the right amount of body fat is actually beneficial to internal organs such as the heart because it protects them.


• It’s certainly an extreme sport. You have to admire her dedication. Even if you don’t agree with the look or the body type.


• When people go to extremes in this sport and get to the point where they have very little body fat, they also have no energy or water reserves. If they’re in a combat situation, people need body fat and the energy reserves it supplies to endure sustained combat operations.


• Women who go to extremes as weight lifters look more like men than women. Women need some fat reserves if they want to have a healthy baby. However, if they’re not having a baby or enduring combat duty then personally I think they’re allowed to look however they want to look.


• Wow, that looks just like me once you peel away the layers of fat.


• Kudos to this lady for sharing her positive experiences with bodybuilding. Far too many women get into this sport though and take it to extremes. It doesn’t help when other body builders encourage them, which supports their belief that dropping down into single digit body fat % is normal and desirable. Bodybuilding is a great way to get healthy for both men and women but it’s the stories about the ones who do go to extremes and are viewed as freaks that puts others off having a go.


• People can’t survive without a certain amount of body fat. Fat is required by body cells for energy and if your fat stores get too low your body starts to break down muscle tissue to use for energy instead. Eventually your organs also shut down. People who take bodybuilding to extremes might think they’re healthy but the reality is that they’re living dangerously close to the edge.

Original Story published at Mirror.

What is Organic Honey - The Honey Compendium

Organic Honey ... So many people are confused as to exactly what it is. What honey varieties are there? How and where it was it produced and how can you tell if it's the real thing?

I will help you to solve the answer, I was once totally ignorant to the differences myself and many a time through my early days of discovering the delights and benefits of honey I was taken in by those complicated ”honey labels”

It is always helpful to read the labels on the jar which will clarify what you are buying. If nothing extra has been added then it is usually fine but please check those labels carefully.

Let’s take a closer look at some of those honey labels we come across and see if we can make sense of some of them. Certified Organic Honey is really the name to trust if purchasing in the extensive field of Named Honey Varieties.

• Raw Organic Honey simply is the honey still in the bee hive, completely untouched by anything other than the bees.This will sometimes look slightly dirty in a jar due to being extracted from the Bee Honeycomb in its purest form.There will still be traces of pollen and Propolis that you can see as a form of debris in the jar which is extremely good for you so please don’t let that put you off.Organic honey and bee pollen is an excellent food source and the type thousands of people purchase because they know it works.


• Organic Raw Honey has undergone strict regulations and a process of straining before it is bottled and sold to you usually in a jar from an organic honey company with a traceable address.This usually looks clear because the pollen and Propolis has been strained away, most people like their honey to look this way.


• Blended Organic Honey is generally safe; this is the type that has several types of organic honeys blended together for a uniform effect to ensure the flavor is always constant.This is best bought from a recognized organic food store or straight from an organic honey farm.


• Blended honey on a label is one that I would leave on the shelf; it often will not tell you what horrors such as corn syrup it has been blended with!This is usually cheap in price and definitely wouldn’t find its way into any cupboard of mine.


• Special Organic Brands of organic honey have a unique name although the taste and color will vary from time to time depending on a mixture of seasons and general weather conditions.These are better known as Monofloral honey or Artisanal Honey which contain mainly nectar from one single source.


• Certified Organic Honey, this must have a traceable address and will have undergone extensive testing this includes ALL the equipment used by organic honey farmers and area it comes from.


• Quality Honey, What quality? Good or Bad? if you cannot find details on the label specifying this or where it has been farmed it is best to ignore this one.


• Pure Honey, great label however, again this can be misleading. Pure honey is only really guaranteed to be if you were to buy this from a beekeeper who will extract his/her honey straight from the hive whilst you are watching.


• Real Honey, well of course this is what we want however; a honey farmer would not label their honey as just real honey. The label will provide you with far more information.


• At times, more as a way of selling the product than anything else some honey varieties will have a label telling you it contains Royal Jelly which is pretty good stuff. I would buy this, in fact I do but I always check my labels carefully. This type of organic honey will generally be quite expensive however, it is well worth purchasing.

Types of Organic Honey

There are some fantastic organic honeys, these will have special names some of which are very well known and some you may not have heard about before.

Here is a list of different honey varieties that might tempt you and I think the different honey flavors might surprise you! They certainly did me!

Acacia: Pale and golden, tastes like vanilla although mild and sweet with a hint of flowery nectar and very popular with cooks due to a high fructose content.

Australia Honey: Surprisingly the highest antibacterial honey in the world comes to us via the vast continent of Australia.

Avocado: Tastes nothing like the fruit, it is dark in color and has a taste resembling dark treacle.

Basswood: Contains nectar mainly from this one source.

A pale honey, sometimes even white at with just a hint of a green glow, Sometimes known as Lime honey. Tastes like crisp green apples with a hint of mint.

Buckwheat: Highly praised for its ability to ease coughs, colds and flu. symptoms. Very dark and thick with an aquired taste.

Cranberry: This has a distinctive red hue that glows in the sunlight. Has a strong berry flavor.

Crystallized: Probably the best type for spreading, it won't usually drip and slip!

Fireweed: Mainly golden to amber, fruity and floral with a sweet smell of flowers.

Jarrah: Can be quite a thick, dark brown but also clear. An acquired taste but great if you like the taste of eucalyptus.

Lehua: Better known as Hawaiian honey and very rare. It is rich, smooth, light like toffee and buttery in both color and texture.

Locust: Great for showing off chunks of honeycomb. Tastes delightful, delicate, and with a fruity flavor.

Mexican: Often mixed with various healing herbs.

The colors can range from dark or clear amber and because there are so many honey varieties from Mexico the tastes will vary considerably.

Sourwood: Very famous in the state of Georgia right through to Pennsylvania!

Some say the color of straw and those who taste it cannot be really sure if it is sweet or sour!

Spanish: Also and often known as Orange blossom. A pretty light colored springtime honey with a surprisingly lemon flavor!

Star Thistle: A superb honey made from the nectar of weeds! Could be purple, red or yellow with a hint of cinnamon.

Strawberry Tree: Do not be fooled by its name, not as sweet as it sounds!

Clear amber color but at times almost grey. Smoky, pungent and quite herbaly!

Sunflower: A delightful honey just as the name suggests. a subtle aroma some say of grass but on the whole it has a lovely fruity flavor.

Tupelo: Has romantic undertones, grab a jar if you see one.

Van Morrison chose his lyrics well! Mainly golden and tastes heady, florally, or even like the sweet air in a pine forest.

Ulmo: The Mapuche people who are native to Chile are very proud of their special honey.

Imagine the look and buttery taste of vanilla, caramel, and toffee and combine it with the aroma of Jasmine, cloves and a touch of aniseed.

Tropical: Jiten Chandarana of Honey Care Africa introduced me to his delightful "Beekeepers Delight" amber colored honey blended with cinnamon, ginger and quite soon cloves. A delightful choice from Tanzania, Africa.

Organic Honey from the UK?

There are many reasons you will rarely find a true organic honey in the UK. Because the UK is so densely populated there are rarely any real safe distances for honey producers to run an Organic honey farm.

I do however, have it on good authority that parts of Scotland, on some of their islands are excellent sources of organic raw honey where there are some wide open spaces for their bees to collect their nectar.

This is where the delicious Heather Honey comes from; there is an abundance of heather in Scotland who can proudly name their produce as Organic Heather Honey.

Each one of the above will be a certified honey so long as it arrives from the "real" supplier. Never, ever purchase anything you are suspicious of!

I am may be being a little unfair towards honey farmers; however this just enforces the fact their labeling must be adhered to correctly.

Is Organic Honey the Best?

Certainly raw organic honey is worth considering buying, particularly if you are an avid organic produce buyer and many people do seek out these particular products.

But please don’t be fooled into making a purchase unless you are 100% certain you are buying the real thing.

Would you like to read about some more Honey Varieties? Including the most expensive honey in the world!

And why not share your own knowledge with us by telling us what you consider is the Best Honey and why do you consider it to be.

You may like to read this document which contains the information that all organic honey producers MUST adhere to: The producer of an organic apiculture operation must not: (1) Maintain colonies in an area where a significant risk of contamination by prohibited materials exist within a 4 mile (6.4 kilometers) radius of the apiary.

Have you ever considered how nice it would be to grow your own organic produce? Honey bees will love this as much as you. It's all about the health of your soil and gardening practices.

A really good organic honey is a super food, which can even be included on a diabetic food list although you should of course follow the guidelines of your personal diet which you would have or should have discussed with your own doctor or dietitian.

Eat it every day and discover as I did just how amazing the Health Benefits of Honey really are.

It is unwise for children under the age of twelve months as they are said to not yet be able to digest honey safely. Perhaps you would like to read more about Babies and Honey.

How to lose Belly Fat without Liposuction or Exercise!

We all want a flat and toned stomach, but few of us are lucky enough to have it. Most people have undesirable belly fat instead of toned abdomens. What they don’t know is how dangerous this fat is. But let’s find out what belly fat is, and what the answer is to the question: “how do you lose belly fat?” might be.

How do you lose belly fat? Get informed!

Belly fat is a form of fat, also called visceral fat, that accumulates around internal organs and, unlike subcutaneous fat that accumulates underneath the skin and is visible, visceral fat is not necessarily visible.

This means that you could be size 8 and have visceral fat around your internal organs without even knowing it. A small amount of fat around our organs is normal, because it provides the necessary cushioning the organs need. But when too much fat accumulates, the organ’s functions may be altered.

Fat is not just one more layer of tissue, it is like an independent organ that releases unhealthy substances. Visceral fat is linked to many serious diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia, heart disease, and colon, breast, or endometrium cancer.

The human body does need a certain amount of fat to be healthy and function normally. Also, women tend to have a small belly fat layer, because they are supposed to have it. But after menopause, women tend to store large amounts of fat around their waist, causing the body to change from the clepsydra shape to “apple” shape.

This is the time when they start to wonder: how do you lose belly fat?, and become depressed because of the physical changes they experience.

On the other hand, men under 40 tend to have larger amounts of visceral fat than women.

So, how do you lose belly fat when you have too much of it?

The best way to find out what the amount of visceral fat in your body is, is a MRI scan or CT scan, but the common waist measurement can also give you a clue. You should have a waist circumference of about 35 inches for a woman and about 40 for a man, no matter what your total weight is. If you have a larger circumference, you should consider losing some of that extra visceral fat, or belly fat.

How to lose belly fat?

There are four ways of losing that belly: exercise, diet, stress management and sleep. For best results, you should change your lifestyle and include all the above in your new life.

How to lose belly fat through exercises?

There are no exercises that target just visceral fat or only specific body parts. A common belief is that by doing regular abdominal exercises, the fat around your waist will be reduced. Actually, abdominal exercises are not enough to make the belly go away. You have to combine them with other types of exercises. For example, aerobic and cardio exercises are the most effective when you need to lose the fat accumulated around your organs. Aerobic exercises help you tone your body and slow down the build-up of visceral fat. Exercises that increase your heart rate for more that 30 minutes, like cardio exercises, also slow down visceral fat gain. For best results, you should exercise every day in order to keep the belly fat under control.

Following a regular exercise plan can be quite difficult for many people. You realize that your whole body hurts after doing exercises for only 5 minutes, and the belly fat doesn’t go away as fast as you have been hoping for. The key is perseverance. The fat on your belly has accumulated in years of unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise, so reducing it takes time. You will notice that, by doing regular exercises every day, your belly fat will considerably reduce in time, and you will feel better in your own body.

Be determined enough and do not to give up your ideal of losing weight! Results will soon become visible. You just need to be patient and optimistic.

How to lose belly fat through diet?

When you are on a diet, and you try to lose weight, belly fat goes off first, so there is no special diet to rely on. However, research has shown that a fiber-rich diet can help you avoid visceral fat gain. Some other foods that help you avoid fat gain are bananas, avocados, yogurt, berries, green tea and citrus.

Besides eating healthy foods, it is very important to avoid foods that can lead to weight gain. For example, foods high in carbohydrates, like fried meat, soda, bread, white rice, and sweets.

How to lose belly fat through sleep?

It's a proven fact that more sleep equals less weight. People who sleep six or seven hours every night are healthier and gain less weight than people who don’t sleep enough. On the other hand, too much sleep may help your body to store belly fat, so avoid excesses.

How to lose belly fat through stress management?

Stressed people gain weight, so an efficient stress management plan is important to keep your weight down. Try to avoid chronic stress and keep in touch with your friends. If you have the impression you are under too much stress, go for a walk or practice sports. It will help you relax and regain your energy.

Conclusions

You should avoid alcohol, too much time spent in front of the TV, the bread basket, and late-night snacks, which are sure to add layers on your belly.

Of course, a fast-forward method of losing belly fat is a liposuction. Before taking surgery into consideration though, you should first try natural methods.

As a conclusion, how do you lose belly fat? In order to have a healthy life and to avoid belly fat, you should have an active lifestyle. Avoid to become a so-called “couch potato”. Develop your social life and get enough sleep.