How To Lose 20 Pounds In 5 Minutes

Retour "dans la journée, quand je faisais programs entraînement à temps plein à mon New Jersey Health Club, la première chose que j'ai toujours demander à mon client au cours de la consultation initiale était: «Dis-moi ce que vous voulez ... et je vais vous montrer comment l'obtenir." Réponse typique de client: "Je veux perdre 20 livres rapides». Ma réponse: "Etes-vous sûr que ce que vous voulez? ... Si je peux vous montrer comment perdre 20 livres très rapide, qui va te rendre heureux?" Ils hocha la tête affirmativement que leurs yeux allumés en prévision des secrets j'étais sur le point de révéler ... Leur visage est allé blanc lorsque je - avec un visage tout à droite - sorti une scie à métaux et commencé à marcher à leur égard .... menacingly En partie à rire, mais aussi en véritable terreur qu'ils ont dit

Que diable fais-tu? " "Vous avez dit que vous avez voulu perdre 20 livres rapide. Il s'agit de la plus simple, plus sûr, plus efficace je sais à prendre 20 livres hors FAST vous! En fait, je figure que la jambe droite de la vôtre pourrait même peser 25 livres!" J'ai continué à marcher de plus près et a commencé à obtenir en position de sciage, brandissant mon rapide, efficace et garanti la perte de poids outil ... "Ours avec moi parce que c'est rapide, mais parfois il prend quelques minutes pour moi de couper à travers l'os .." À ce moment-là, mon client (et moi) sont soit complètement fissuration, ou j'ai peur au sérieux la vie vous savez ce que d'eux, ou ils ont juste pense que je suis un fou ... (cela dépend de si j'ai réussi à garder un visage tout à droite ou pas) Enfin, l'ampoule électrique passe, et mon client voir où j'allais avec ce: "OK, Smart Alec," je l'obtenir ... Je ne tiens pas à perdre du poids, je veux perdre FAT. " Parfois, je serais en avoir beaucoup de plaisir, je voudrais simplement continuer à Playin '... "Mais pourquoi pas? C'est facile, rapide et garanti - ce que tout le monde veut ces jours-ci ... c'est encore mieux que de prendre une pilule! Allez ... permettez-moi de hack-le! Vous serez mon témoignage suivant:« J'ai perdu 20 livres en 5 minutes! " Imaginez ce que peut faire pour mon entreprise! " "Très drôle. Je vous l'ai dit, je l'obtenir, je l'obtenir! Je veux perdre FAT, et non pas les muscles et les os. J'ai besoin de ma jambe! Bien entendu, bien sûr, je ne suis pas toujours de se retirer mon fidèle lame. De temps en temps ... à peu près aussi souvent comme une éclipse solaire totale ... un client réponses à ma question comme ceci: "Qu'est-ce que je veux? Tom, je veux perdre 20 livres de gras corporel dans les 12 prochains jours. Je veux le faire lentement, en toute sécurité et healthfully puis au large de la tenir en permanence. Je veux que tous le gras autour de mes hanches et les cuisses complètement disparu et je veux une entreprise à plat ventre. Je veux que tous les muscles de mon corps pendant que toujours à la recherche féminine. Je voudrais voir moi-même à environ 16% de graisse du corps et de maintenir tous mes muscles ou d'avoir quelques livres de la masse maigre si je peut, en particulier dans mes bras. C'est important pour moi parce que je veux un bon exemple pour mes enfants, je veux être en bonne santé et vivre à au moins 90 et je veux que mon mari à me regarder et dire: «Je amour votre corps, de miel », et je veux être capable de * * honnêtement dire revenir à lui," me too! " C'est sur ces rares occasions que je sais qu'il y est encore la vie intelligente sur cette planète. Si vous pouviez répondre à la question «Qu'est-ce que vous voulez", tout comme cette femme a fait, je ne pense pas que vous n'aurait jamais aucune difficulté pour atteindre votre santé et votre aptitude objectifs ... ou de tout autre but dans votre vie, pour cette question. Cette réponse est ce que vous appelez un "bien formé" objectif, soutenu avec beaucoup de motivation émotionnelle inducteurs de "raisons". «Je veux perdre du poids" est un mal-formé objectif. "Poids" n'est pas la même que "gras". Poids des muscles, les os, les organes internes ainsi que des lots et beaucoup d'eau.

5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
1. Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.
2. Ab exercises like crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are the LEAST effective method of getting flat six pack abs. We'll explore what types of exercises REALLY work in a minute.
3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way to lose body fat and uncover those six pack abs. I'll show you the exact types of unique workouts that produce 10x better results below.
4. You DON'T need to waste your money on expensive "extreme fat burner" pills (that don't work) or other bogus supplements. A special class of natural foods is much more effective. I'll tell you about these natural foods and their powers below.
5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercial ab-gimmicks... they're all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that "ab contraption"... they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies. Again, you'll learn some of their secrets and what really works below.

Fat, Food, and the Way You Live

The Importance of Fat
There are many reasons why your body needs fat. Fat, along with other nutrients, gives you the energy you need to do your daily activities. It also provides essential nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. Essential nutrients are those your body can get only through food. Your body requires a certain amount of these fat nutrients.

Moderation Is Key
Although your body needs certain fats, it is important that you limit the amount of fat you eat. Very low-fat diets still provide enough vital nutrients. One reason to limit total fat intake is to reduce total calories for weight management. That's because fat is high in calories — 1 gram of fat has more than twice as many calories as 1 gram of carbohydrate or 1 gram of protein. Another reason to limit fat is to reduce or prevent high cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

Fats, Good and Bad
Studies have shown that the type and amount of fat you eat can have a big impact on your risk of heart disease. Understanding the various fats will help you know what to eat and what to avoid.

Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is considered "bad" fat because it raises the levels of blood cholesterol. By controlling the total amount of fat you eat, you can often control your cholesterol levels to help stay heart healthy.
One way to recognize saturated fats is to know that most come from animal products. Saturated fats, like lard, are also solid at room temperature. Butter, milk, eggs, meat, and chocolate all contain saturated fats.

Trans Fat
Trans fat is also considered "bad" fat because your body treats trans fat much like a saturated fat. Trans fats are also believed to raise blood cholesterol.
Trans fat — or trans-fatty acids — is created when the fat in food is processed. If an ingredient in a food is partially hydrogenated, it means the food contains trans fat.
Trans fats are formed when a special chemical process changes liquid fat (like vegetable oil) to a solid fat (like shortening). The solid fat is more stable on the grocery shelf than liquid fat. Trans fats are often used in processed foods instead of lard, which is a saturated fat. Some processed foods that contain trans fat are shortening, cookies, crackers, fried foods, and some margarines.

Unsaturated Fats
Luckily there's unsaturated fat — fat that does not come from animals. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are two types of unsaturated fats. They are considered the "good" fats. They are believed to lower cholesterol levels when taken in moderation and used in place of saturated fats.
You can usually tell that a fat is unsaturated if it comes from a plant or fish. The more liquid a fat is at room temperature, the more unsaturated it is. The more unsaturated a fat is, the better choice it is as a fat source in your diet. Unsaturated fats are found mainly in nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils such as sunflower, olive, and canola oils.
One type of unsaturated fat — omega-3 fatty acids — may even protect against heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in mackerel, albacore tuna, salmon, and sardines. This is often why doctors and dietitians recommend including fish in your diet. Fish is also lower in total fat than many other meat choices.

Body Mass Index

Body mass index, or BMI, is a new term to most people. However, it is the measurement of choice for many physicians and researchers studying obesity. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into account both a person's height and weight. BMI equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. (BMI=kg/m2).

Risk of Associated Disease According to BMI and Waist Size
BMI		Waist less than or equal to 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)	Waist greater than 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)
18.5 or less	Underweight	--	N/A
18.5 - 24.9	Normal	--	N/A
25.0 - 29.9	Overweight	Increased	High
30.0 - 34.9	Obese	High	Very High
35.0 - 39.9	Obese	Very High	Very High
40 or greater	Extremely Obese	Extremely High	Extremely High

Festivals in India

India, the land of festivals and fairs. It is a land of festivity - religious as well as folkloristic. Whether you go to the East or the West, North or the South you would be able to enjoy every month a festival or a fair. Every day of the year there is a festival celebrated in some part of the country. Be it cultural or religious, it gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy and join the festivity. More... http://www.pagesofindia.com

Basic nutritional principles: Tools to manage your weight

To lose weight and keep it off, it is important to have a good understanding of some basic nutritional principles. These include the Food Guide Pyramid, which provides a guide to daily food choices and portions, and the Food Label, which provides detailed nutrition and ingredient information. Knowing how to use these tools well will be essential in a number of settings: supermarket shopping, preparing a meal at home, or dining out.

The Food Guide Pyramid and Portion
SizesLet's face it, Americans have lost their sense of what is a normal portion size. With "value sizing", buffet restaurants, and the Texas Steakhouses gaining popularity in our everyday life, our perception of a "regular" portion has grown over the years. For instance, in the 1950s, a typical portion of Coke was a 6-ounce bottle, which provided approximately 75 calories. Gradually the size increased to the 12-ounce can, then the 20-ounce bottle and now the Big Gulp, which is 32 oz and approximately 400 calories, containing five times the original calorie content. Our plates and glasses have gotten so large that a once typical 8-ounce serving of juice or a half-cup of rice seems punitive. However, to maintain a lower weight and have a healthy variety of food, we need to scale back on our portion sizes. The Food Guide Pyramid provides suggestions regarding number of servings and serving sizes by food groups: Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group; the Vegetable Group; the Fruit Group; the Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group; the Meats, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group; and the Fats, Oils and Sweets Group. Table 1 illustrates the number of servings in a lower calorie, low fat meal plan.

Physical fitness

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings: general fitness (a state of health and well-being) and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations).

Physical fitness is the capacity of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. In previous years, fitness was defined as the capacity to carry out the day’s activities without undue fatigue. Automation, increased leisure time, and changes in lifestyles following the industrial revolution meant this criterion was no longer sufficient. Optimum efficiency is the key. Physical fitness is now defined as the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations.

High-fat, low-carb diet helps kids with epilepsy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a study provide strong evidence that a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates -- a so-called "ketogenic diet" -- can help control seizures in children with stubborn epilepsy that does not respond well to drug therapy.
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures when the normal working of the brain is interrupted. A ketogenic diet has been widely used since the 1920s to help control hard-to-treat seizures in children.
In their study, Dr. Elizabeth G. Neal, from University College London, and colleagues randomly assigned a group of children who were having at least seven epileptic fits per week despite anti-epileptic drug therapy, to a standard diet or a ketogenic one, which is typically high in fats and very low in carbohydrates.
After three months, children on the ketogenic diet had more than one third fewer seizures, while seizure frequency increased in children on the standard diet, the researchers report in the Lancet Neurology medical journal.
A greater than 50 percent drop off in seizure frequency was noted in 38 percent of children on the ketogenic diet compared with just 6 percent of children on the standard diet.
This study confirms that a ketogenic diet is safe and effective in children with drug-resistant epilepsy, the investigators conclude.
The most common side effects with the ketogenic diet were constipation, vomiting, lack of energy, and hunger, Neal and colleagues note.
In a written commentary, Dr. Max Wiznitzer, from the Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, notes that some questions still remain regarding ketogenic diets for childhood epilepsy. Among these are the long-term effects, the identification of epilepsies that benefit from early initiation of such a diet, and the mechanism by which the diet produces its anti-seizure effect.
SOURCE: Lancet Neurology, online May 3, 2008.

Juice may reduce Alzheimer's risk

When it comes to preventing Alzheimer’s, juice may have the edge. In a recent study, three servings a week reduced Alzheimer’s risk impressively.
Drink up
Polyphenols in juice may be one of the best things that’s ever happened to your brain. The ones in apple and citrus juices, in particular, are very brain friendly. That’s because they’re able to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Once inside your head, they can protect neurons from a damaging chemical associated with Alzheimer’s. Some of those polyphenols, like quercetin, also squelch inflammation.
Juice it up
Want a super nutritious glass of apple juice? Toss a red delicious apple into your juicer, peel and all.
Tea is still great
Of course, this juicy news about protection against Alzheimer’s doesn’t mean it’s time to toss your tea. Tea still has lots of other healthy benefits, like these:
Tea is great for your heart. The brew helps keep your ticker strong. Tea may help thwart the deadly ovarian cancer. Tea turns down your stress response. Tea may help keep your knees feeling fine.

Hot-smoked salmon salad with a chilli lemon dressing

This delicious salad is thrown together in minutes to make a fresh, seasonal dish that’s stylish enough for entertaining

1. Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 mins until tender, adding the asparagus tips for the final 2 mins of cooking. Drain and allow to cool. Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. then season to taste.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, asparagus, salad leaves, herbs and radishes. Add two-thirds of the dressing, thoroughly mix through the salad, then spread the salad over a large platter. Break the hot-smoked salmon into large chunks, then scatter over the top along with the spring onions. Finish by pouring remaining dressing over the top.

Dieting with a Weekend Break

Dieting, by any other name, is food restriction that puts its host at risk to develop an eating disorder.

• Any sort of diet is not the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off.
• By restricting food rigorously and then letting go on of the discipline on weekends, a person reinforces the belief that she cannot trust her own instincts to regulate herself naturally, that she cannot trust her body to respond naturally to hunger and satiety, that extreme behaviors and pseudo-controls are adequate solutions to problems that requires more substantial attention, and that she is incapable of achieving healthy eating habits.
• This person who feels so out of control of food is most likely feeling out of control of many other aspects of her life as well. Not a comfortable feeling.

The Ultimate Weight Loss Prescription
I believe there is one "best" way to lose weight effectively and to keep it off. It is in some ways uniquely individualized for each person... based on a person's food preferences, and the sports they enjoy. Yet there is nothing new or special or revolutionary to learn. In fact, the challenge for us is returning to the intelligence of our instincts, to the age-old principles that we have always known, yet may have put aside or forgotten in our efforts to be always thinner and better and to live longer. The trick to maintaining a healthy, fit and thin body is feeding a healthy metabolism.

This happens through healthy eating, a process that in some ways is self-obvious, yet at the same time, elusive. Healthy eating has little to do with dieting, food restriction, or extreme exercise regimes. Healthy eating is moderate eating, balanced eating and regular eating. It is eating that accompanies and is part of a healthy lifestyle of sleep and exercise, and that knows no extremes.

India will have 60% of world’s heart cases by 2010: Hindustan Times

A 2004 study had estimated 60 per cent Indians would be at risk of heart diseases by 2010. On Friday, medical journal The Lancet took it a step further saying it would hit them younger and harder.

“The crux of the study is that Indians get heart disease at a much earlier age than the rest of the world and many more die of it here because their illness will be more severe and they don’t get treatment in time,” said Dr Srinath K. Reddy, one of the authors of The Lancet study and president of the Public Health Foundation of India.

“Not only more severe diseases, including heart attacks and unstable angina, were reported at a younger age in India but people here were also more likely to die within 30 days of a heart attack,” says Dr Reddy.
The study led by Denis Xavier of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore was to find out why Indians are at a greater risk — 60 per cent compared to 40 percent in developed countries — after the British Medical Journal research four years ago.

For The Lancet study, data was collected on nearly 21,000 coronary patients admitted in 89 hospitals across 50 cities in the country. Although the risk factors — tobacco use, high levels of lipids in the blood due to diets rich in saturated fat and hypertension — are the same for Indians as others, heart diseases and deaths are more because people received medical attention late.
On an average it takes 5 hours for patients to reach a hospital in India, twice as long as in developed countries. Traffic jams, lack of awareness about symptoms, long distances and consultation with family physicians contribute to the delay, the report said. Deaths were highest among the poor, who cannot get to hospital quickly or afford treatment.
The disease burden can be reduced by quicker access to treatment and modifying lifestyle — like quitting tobacco use, exercising and eating healthy.

“This registry is a major milestone, since it provides the first comprehensive view of the epidemic of acute coronary syndrome in India and helps identify opportunities for improvement in care,” notes cardiologist Kim Eagle in a commentary, also published in The Lancet.
Ischaemic heart disease — medicalese for heart attacks and coronary artery disease — is the number one killer in the world, accounting for about 8 million deaths each year.

Weight Lifting, Training, Nutrition & Diets Info

Searching for the latest articles on bodybuilding, weightlifting, training, nutrition, diets, health and fitness? QFAC.com has numerous bodybuilding articles not only featuring exercising and weightlifting training, but also health, diets, hormones, nutrition and fitness research to accommodate all bodybuilding and athlete clients in all sports. Bodybuilding topics such as bodybuilding supplements such as prohormones, hormones, ergogenics pre and post work out bodybuilding supplementation and recovery are the latest in cutting edge information.

Amateur bodybuilders to professional bodybuilders and weightlifters and athletes in general can find health and fitness information regarding dietary health, fat loss and the latest dieting suggestions, as well as research and diet articles on many of our bodybuilding dietary supplements and thermogenics/fat loss products, not to mention bodybuilding articles on work out training exercises, weightlifting and bodybuilding with some of the best strength coaches, physicians and chiropractors!
Read about proper nutrition, dieting information and diet suggestions and diet recommendations, as well as balanced eating programs to set metabolisms to become a fat burning, lean muscle machine! Hormones such as testosterone and estrogen not only affect sex drive, but also lean muscle mass and lean muscle. Discover bodybuilding dieting secrets to exercise programs, weightlifting, and of course the ever so sought after goal of burning body fat and producing lean muscle mass.
Looking for bodybuilding anabolic steroid information? Join Daniel Duchaine's Dirty Dieting newsletter archives, where anabolic steroids, diuretics and dirty dieting tricks are revealed, along with Dan Duchaine's Danarchy bodybuilding steroid files. Read Lyle McDonald's bodybuiding bromocriptine reports to find out how to increase libido and burn body fat at the same time.
Whether you are a bodybuilder, weightlifter, athlete, or just looking to improve your overall health, QFAC Bodybuilding has many bodybuilding articles and information, as well as dieting articles and the latest in health developments for you!

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Building Muscle Power Through Vitamins and Minerals

The muscles of the body actually depend heavily on the vitamins, minerals as well as on the other nutrients that we take in so as to ensure that they’re always well taken care of. Consciously taking care of your body through the proper exercise, a well-balanced diet and a stress-free mind all contribute greatly towards keeping healthy and building a good set of muscles.
Muscles actually serve a far more important physical function apart from making fit people look good as well as the ability to lift heavy objects. Actually unknown to most people, the heart is the most important muscle of the body, as it runs the circulatory system. Our muscles help keep our internal organs in place and gives us the ability to perform each and every movement we make, from chewing and swallowing to controlling our bladder to sitting, standing and walking. Healthy muscles are essential to our day-to-day lives. Several vitamins and minerals actually work well together in keeping us fit and having stronger muscles.
Such vitamins and minerals that contribute to this are potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus which all greatly work together in making sure that our muscles are able to contract smoothly and effectively, as they should. This is, of course, essential to keeping the heart beating in a regular and efficient fashion. It is also important to take note that while the heart is the most important muscle in the body, each and every muscle in a person’s body deserves to be treated with equal importance and care since they work as a group.
Vitamin C is highly essential to the health and performance of muscles because it works alongside potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus in their muscle regulation tasks. Vitamin C is also necessary to the formation of collagen and elastin, which are important connective tissues of the body that helps build muscle structure. Vitamin C is also responsible for the well-being of the blood vessels, which support the muscles need for oxygen and nutrients.
Naturally, as with most of the important processes and systems of the body, the vitamins that make up the powerful and essential Vitamin B complex have a role in the health and function of the muscles. In fact, deficiencies in the B vitamins can even lead to all sorts of muscle problems, including a lack of muscle coordination. The B vitamins are greatly responsible for the creation of the red blood cells that support the entire body.
Proper nutrition is a good way to ensure that one’s muscles have what they need to function efficiently and to be strong. Daily exercise also plays an important role in muscle health and strength and should never be left out of any endurance strengthening health plans. Exercise is what actually helps the body to stay in shape and helping keep the jiggling flabs away. But before you start rushing to the nearest gym and start picking up the various exercise equipments there, it is highly important to note that even though it’s a good thing that you’re actually on your way to improving your health.
One must not be a brash, eager beaver. From zero exercise to lifting 50 pound weights can cause your muscle to tear and ache. You probably won’t even be able to get up from bed the following day. Have patience that even though the road to good health is still a long way to go for a beginner like you, it’s highly commendable that you’ve made the conscious decision to actually get there.

Student Arrested After Cutting Food With Knife

An elementary student in Marion County was arrested Thursday after school officials found her cutting food during lunch with a knife that she brought from home, police said. The 10-year-old girl, a student at Sunrise Elementary School in Ocala, was charged possession of a weapon on school property, which is a felony.
According to authorities, school employees spotted the girl cutting her food while she was eating lunch and took the steak knife from her.
The girl told sheriff's deputies that she had brought the knife to school on more than one occasion in the past.
Students told officials that the girl did not threaten anyone with the knife.
The girl was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

What Is an Egg Allergy?

You probably know that some people are allergic to certain foods, like peanuts or shrimp. When a person has a food allergy, his or her body responds as if the food is a dangerous substance. This can happen to a little kid who eats eggs because his or her immune system isn't fully developed and can't handle the protein in eggs. (Most children are allergic to the protein that's in the egg whites, but some react to the protein in the yolk.)
The immune system, which normally protects against germs and other problems, uses antibodies to fight the egg protein like it's a harmful invader. A baby who is allergic to eggs might feel sick or get a rash after eating eggs or any food containing eggs. The reaction could happen fast or it might take a few hours.
Signs and SymptomsHere are some symptoms a person might experience due to an egg allergy:
skin: hives, eczema, flushing, or swelling digestive system: belly pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or itching around the mouth respiratory system: runny nose, wheezing, or difficulty breathing cardiovascular system: rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, or heart problems In rare cases, a person could have a very serious allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylaxis (say: ah-nuh-fih-lak-sis). Immediate medical attention is needed because the person may have breathing problems and a drop in blood pressure.
Anaphylaxis is treated with a medicine called epinephrine (say: eh-puh-neh-frun), which is given by injection (a shot). Kids who have a severe egg allergy will usually carry - or have a grown-up carry - an epinephrine injection, just in case.

Eating for Sports

When you play a sport, you make sure you have the equipment you need, like your glove for baseball, cleats for soccer, and high-top sneakers for basketball. You couldn't play the game very well without this gear. But how do you help your game from the inside out?
You shouldn't go swallowing a pair of shin guards, that's for sure! But you should consider swallowing some healthy food packed with the nutrients you need. The right foods and drinks can help you be a better athlete.
Professional athletes know this is true. In fact, many professional teams employ dietitians and nutritionists — people who know a lot about healthy eating — to help players choose the best foods. Read on to learn how kid athletes can use nutrition to their advantage, just like the pros.

Covering the BasesAll kids need to eat a variety of healthy foods, and athletes are no different. Everybody needs foods that include:
protein (found in meat, eggs, and dairy foods)
carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the best sources) vitamins (as found in fruits and vegetables, for instance) and minerals like calcium (found in dairy products) Kids need some fat, too, but that's not usually difficult to get. It's found in meats, cheeses, nuts, oils, and butter, just to name a few.

What Is A Vegan Diet?

Vegan means "no animal products", including dairy products or eggs. It can be a very healthy diet or not, depending on what is included in the diet. For complete protein, it is best that vegans eat 3 or more kinds of beans / grains / seeds / nuts per day. Any one kind of plant protein would be deficient in some amino acids, though soy isn't bad and hemp is very good as amino acid sources.
Like everyone else, vegans need to make sure they have enough fibre in their diet, that the calory counts are appropriate to their activity level, and that they eat enough green stuff to get their vitamins. A solid diet of chocolate bars and chips is no healthier for a vegan than a carnivore, but a properly constructed vegan diet can be an excellent and healthy way to eat.
At our store, we stock a lot of vegan products, including vegan takeout foods. The ingredients that you need and the meals that help you cope with busy times, are available at Eat Healthy Foods.
Here are some good links describing the design of a healthy vegan diet.

Taking the Fat Out of Food

Food manufacturers are making it easier for fat-conscious consumers to have their cake and eat it, too--and their cheeses, chips, chocolate, cookies, ice cream, salad dressings, and various other foods that are now available in lower fat versions.

These products can help adult consumers reduce their fat intakes to recommended levels while allowing them to enjoy foods traditionally high in fat. A diet high in fat can contribute to heart disease and some forms of cancer and, because fats are calorie-dense, to excessive body weight.
A host of fat substitutes that replaces most, if not all, of the fat in a food, makes these lower fat foods possible. Most of these fat replacers are ingredients already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for other uses in food. For instance, starches and gums are approved as thickeners and stabilizers. New compounds, such as olestra, have undergone or will undergo close scrutiny by FDA to assess their safety.

In theory, the perfect fat replacer is one that contributes everything fat does in a food but without the calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol. The question remains: Can fat-reduced products actually reduce people's overall calorie intake and have a significant impact on their total fat intake?

Food Rules: Dinner must include a green vegetable

When I was growing up, nearly every night my family ate dinner together. No matter what else was for dinner, there was always a green vegetable. On the rare occasion that we'd have breakfast for dinner, my mom would serve apple slices and tell us to pretend that they were green (cauliflower and all squashes counted as green). Because of this early conditioning, I have a very hard time feeling like my dinner experience has been complete if there wasn't a green vegetable on my plate.

I realized that this wasn't the norm about a week ago when I was making dinner. Scott wandered into the kitchen and asked what we were having. I replied, "Turkey burgers and baby bok choy, gotta have a green veggie." He looked at me strangely and so I explained my mom's rule of dinner. He said that wasn't the rule in his house when he was growing up, but that he could see how it made some sense.

So now I'm curious. What were the food rules in your house growing up? What are the rules that you've made for your own kids? I've got a couple of others that were also the law in my house growing up, but before I share those, I want to hear yours.

Health Professionals, Medical Doctors and Health and Fitness Writers and Editors Make Up Our Staff

Our staff experience in the booming Health and Fitness field adds up to more than 100 years. Not that anyone is age 100 or even close, but we all plan to live that long. We want to make sure we have company. So we invite you along for the ride. We'll spur you on and help you over the rough spots to your own fitness destination.

Diet and Exercise are Keys to Healthy Living
But you know all this. So our aim is to give you the shortcuts, the little-known tricks and proven methods to help prevent boredom and hopelessness in your quest for good health. Our high tech world has advanced in the fitness field also. In fact, so fast that we want to get the information out to you yesterday. That's what the Health and Fitness Tips Site is all about…the latest up-to-the-minute-in-the-zone information for your health and fitness.

The Purpose of Health and Fitness Tips

To inform you of new developments in the health and fitness fields is our aim. We'll do the research; we have the resources. You get the results. The name of the game is 'current' and 'relevant' for today. Forget all the excess baggage of the so-called fitness gurus.

Become Healthier and Fitter Faster
While we know you are interested in becoming healthier and fitter or maintaining the health and fitness you have, we also know you have limited time to devote to it. We therefore pledge to you a fast, simple method to hop aboard the fitness fast train. Get on track with the facts.

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food chart

Weight loss based on body fat

Measuring body fat, rather than body mass index, appears to more accurately identify people who need lifestyle interventions to lose weight, study findings suggest. Excess body fat is a risk factor for many major health problems such as heart disease and diabetes, researchers note in the Nutrition Journal.

When evaluating individuals for lifestyle recommendations to minimise such health risks, body mass index (BMI) under identifies risk, said Dr Ottavia Colombo of the University of Pavia in Italy. "The use of BMI alone does not discriminate between fat mass and fat-free mass, nor reflect the fat mass distribution,"Colombo said. Colombo and colleagues recruited 23 men and 40 women, aged 20 to 65 years, to undergo body composition analysis in the Human Nutrition and Eating Disorders Research Centre at the university.

The volunteers were healthy, but led sedentary lives and were not following a low-calorie diet. The researchers obtained each person's BMI as well as body-fat measurements including waist circumference and total percent body fat.

Using the Diabetes Food Pyramid

The Diabetes Food Pyramid divides food into six groups. These groups or sections on the pyramid vary in size. The largest group -- grains, beans, and starchy vegetables -- is on the bottom. This means that you should eat more servings of grains, beans, and starchy vegetables than of any of the other foods. The smallest group -- fats, sweets, and alcohol -- is at the top of the pyramid. This tells you to eat very few servings from these food groups.
On April 19, 2005 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new food guidance system replacing the former Food Guide Pyramid. The new system, called "MyPyramid," provides a set of tools based on caloric requirements to help Americans make healthy food choices. Read the ADA's response.

The Diabetes Pyramid gives a range of servings. If you follow the minimum number of servings in each group, you would eat about 1600 calories and if you eat at the upper end of the range, it would be about 2800 calories. Most women, would eat at the lower end of the range and many men would eat in the middle to high end of the range if they are very active. The exact number of servings you need depends on your diabetes goals, calorie and nutrition needs, your lifestyle, and the foods you like to eat. Divide the number of servings you should eat among the meals and snacks you eat each day.

The Diabetes Food Pyramid is a little different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid because it groups foods based on their carbohydrate and protein content instead of their classification as a food. To have about the same carbohydrate content in each serving, the portion sizes are a little different too. For example: you will find potatoes and other starchy vegetables in the grains, beans and starchy vegetables group instead of the vegetables group. Cheese is in the meat group instead of the milk group. A serving of pasta or rice is 1/3 cup in the Diabetes Food Pyramid and ½ cup in the USDA pyramid. Fruit juice is ½ cup in the Diabetes Food Pyramid and ¾ cup in the USDA pyramid. This difference is to make the carbohydrate about the same in all the servings listed.

Following is a description of each group and the recommended range of servings of each group.

Making Healthy Food Choices

Knowing what to eat can be confusing. Everywhere you turn, there is news about what is or isn't good for you. Some basic principles have weathered the fad diets, and have stood the test of time. Here are a few tips on making healthful food choices for you and your entire family.

• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Try picking from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety. Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans with meals.
• Choose whole grain foods over processed grain products. Try brown rice with your stir fry or whole wheat spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce.
• Include dried beans (like kidney or pinto beans) and lentils into your meals.
• Include fish in your meals 2-3 times a week.
• Choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in "loin" such as pork loin and sirloin. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
• Choose non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.
• Choose water and calorie-free "diet" drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Choose liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and trans fats. Remember that fats are high in calories. If you're trying to lose weight, watch your portion sizes of added fats.
• Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream.
• Eating too much of even healthful foods can lead to weight gain. Watch your portion sizes.

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Fish

Because the USDA doesn't certify fish, it's not usually identified as organic or nonorganic. Some fish, like salmon, are identified as farm-raised or wild, and in this case wild is your best bet. Most food experts and nutritionists agree that wild fish are both better tasting and more nutritious because of their natural and varied diet.

Many people are concerned about harmful mercury in fish. "All fish contain mercury but some more than others," says Dr. Fuhrman. The most contaminated varieties are tilefish, white snapper, shark, mackerel, swordfish and tuna. The least contaminated: flounder, tilapia, sole and trout. It's best to limit your intake of contaminated fish varieties to one serving per week, less if you're pregnant or nursing.

A Guide to Organic Grain, Meat, Dairy and Fish

Grains
"Like the other food groups, if you have access to organic grains and can afford them, I believe organic is better than conventional and always for the same reason: You're exposing yourself to fewer environmental contaminants with organic," says Dr. Hobbs. Another plus: Most organic grain products are healthy whole grains.

Meat and Dairy
When it comes to animal fats like meat and dairy products, you may want to consider going organic, but limiting your intake of animal fats overall is your healthiest move.

"The higher-fat animal products are also those that deliver the most toxicity to us. I recommend that people eat fewer animal products and opt for lower-fat versions which are less contaminated and are probably better for us anyway," says Dr. Fuhrman.

"For example, instead of foods like cheese and butter, get your fat from healthier sources such as nuts, seeds and avocados." Adds Dr. Hobbs, "If you can afford it, you're better off buying organic meat but at the same time, you should reduce the frequency of meats, regardless of whether they're organic or conventional."

When eating meat, you can cut your chemical exposure by removing as much of the fat as you can since that's where chemicals are likely concentrated, says Holewinski.

It's Okay to Buy These Nonorganic Fruits and Vegetables

• Asparagus
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn (sweet)
• Kiwi
• Mangoes
• Onions

Buy These Organic Fruits and Vegetables

• Apples
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Cherries
• Imported grapes
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Red raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries

A Guide to Organic Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and Vegetables
When it comes to fresh fruit and veggies, the best thing you can do is to eat more of them -- organic or not. "If you're not eating enough fruits and vegetables overall, then buying organic is like worrying about pennies but not dollars," says Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, RD, clinical assistant professor in the department of health policy and administration at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Eat to Live and Disease-Proof Your Child, agrees. "Pesticides are not the main factor in determining things like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The main factor is that the American diet gets less than 10 percent of calories from fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds."

That said, "there is some justifiable concern that chemicals are potentially harmful," says Dr. Fuhrman, "but you don't have to eat completely organic. If you avoid the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, you can eliminate more than 90 percent of your pesticide exposure."

What Does Organic Really Mean?

Organic foods are produced with little or no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and are free of added antibiotics or hormones. In order to be called organic, a product must be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture. Don't confuse "organic" with "natural" though. "There's no legal definition of a natural food," says Terrie Holewinski, RD, a cardiovascular dietitian at the University of Michigan Health System. "The food industry often uses the term 'natural' to mean minimally processed or preservative-free."

So are certified organic foods better for you than conventional foods? "At this point, there is no scientific evidence that organic foods are healthier or safer than conventionally grown foods," says Holewinski. But it's hard to identify the long-term effects of the pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals that are found in so many of our foods.

Do organic foods taste better? Some fans of organic say their food definitely tastes better. But the taste difference could be linked to other factors like the season and growing conditions.

So when should you splurge on organic, and when is it safe to save your money? This guide to the food groups can help you decide.

Pros and Cons of Eating Organic

While buying organic foods may seem like the right thing to do for your health, the environment and your family, sometimes it's difficult to justify the added expense. Plus, more food industry experts are starting to recommend choosing local foods over their organic counterparts, especially when it comes to foods where freshness really counts, like produce, dairy and meat.

So what's a responsible, price-conscious consumer to do? Nutrition experts stress that while eating organic can be a smart way to reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, striving for a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and limits processed grains, animal fats, sugar and salt is a far more effective way to boost your health.

Body fat percentage

Total body fat percentage consists of essential fat and storage fat. Essential fat is that amount necessary for maintenance of life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 2–5% in men, and 10–13% in women. Storage fat consists of fat accumulation in adipose tissue, part of which protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen. The minimum recommended total body fat percentage exceeds the essential fat percentage value reported above. A number of online tools are available for calculating estimated body fat percentage

Recommendations Some body fat percentage
levels are more culturally valued than others, and some are related to better health or improved athletic performance. Ideal percentages are also based on age categories as well.

Note that the essential fat values in the chart above are lower than the recommended minimum body fat percentage levels. A small amount of storage fat is required to be available as fuel for the body in time of need. It is unclear whether falling in a particular category of these body fat percentages is better for one's health than any other, but there seem to be enhancements in athletic performance as one nears the ideal body fat percentage range for one's particular sport. The leanest athletes typically compete at levels of about 5–8% for men, however it is 10–15% for women. Bodybuilders will often compete at ranges even lower than these levels. Certified personal trainers will suggest to male bodybuilders that they should aim for a body fat percentage between 2–4% by contest time. Getting to this level usually requires a carefully planned and implemented exercise program, specific and carefully monitored variations in fluid consumption, energy intake and macronutrient ratios, sodium and potassium, and sometimes also use of ointments and alcohol. Because joints and organs have an inadequate amount of protective fat at the low ends of this range, it can be dangerous to maintain this state for more than a few days.

Measurement techniques
A person's exact body fat percentage generally cannot be determined, but there are several techniques which can be used to accurately estimate it

Fruit Vegetables

Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet. And for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

What does "plenty" mean?
More than most Americans consume. If you don't count potatoes - which should be considered a starch rather than a vegetable - the average American gets a total of just three servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day, depending on one's caloric intake.(1) For a person who needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain weight and health, this translates into nine servings, or 4½ cups per day.

Fruits, Vegetables, and Cardiovascular Disease
There is compelling evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The largest and longest study to date, done as part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, included almost 110,000 men and women whose health and dietary habits were followed for 14 years. The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with those in the lowest category of fruit and vegetable intake (less than 1.5 servings a day), those who averaged 8 or more servings a day were 30% less likely to have had a heart attack or stroke.

Although all fruits and vegetables likely contribute to this benefit, green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit (and their juices) make important contributions.

Fruits and Vegetables, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol
High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it's a condition that is very important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study. This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg - as much as medications can achieve.

Eating more fruits and vegetables can also help lower cholesterol. In the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Family Heart Study, the 4466 subjects consumed on average a shade over 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Men and women with the highest daily consumption (more than 4 servings a day) had significantly lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol than those with lower consumption.(4) How fruits and vegetables lower cholesterol is still something of a mystery. It is possible that eating more fruits and vegetables means eating less meat and dairy products, and thus less cholesterol-boosting saturated fat. Soluble fiber in fruits and vegetables may also block the absorption of cholesterol from food.

Weight Control

-By National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

If you are overweight, you are not alone. Sixty-six percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Achieving a healthy weight can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers.

Eating too much or not being physically active enough will make you overweight. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. A weight-control strategy might include

• Choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods


• Eating smaller portions


• Drinking water instead of sugary drinks


• Being physically active

Laugh Helps to Lose Weight Greatly

Laugh Helps to Lose Weight Greatly
And it’s really true! Everyone can lose weight by laughing. Researchers discovered that laughing man loses up to 20% energy more. New research published in the International Journal of Obesity has discovered that laughter really is the best medicine for a weight problem.

The small study included 45 pairs of adult friends, who were shown either funny or serious film clips in a room that was set up with equipment to measure the amount of calories burnt and to monitor the rate, duration and type of laughter. The participants also wore heart monitors to measure their heart rate. The researchers discovered that laughing increased both heart rate and calorie expenditure by up to 20 per cent – and the longer participants laughed for the greater the effects. Although laughter has long been thought to be good for the heart and the immune system, this is the first study to suggest a benefit in weight loss.

The scientists consider that just 15 minutes of laughter a day will burn 10 to 40 calories, depending on a person’s weight and the intensity of the laughter. In other words, 10-15 minutes of laugh per day deprive the same amount of kilocalories, as the bar of chocolate adds. That’s enough to shift between 1 and 4lb a year. Being overweight can make you feel miserable, but if you want to lose those excess pounds, you should better try to have a good laugh. It might be the simplest way to lose weight ever. So, lose weight, laughing!

July Nutrition Tips

July Nutrition Tips
Shake the sodium habit! The average American consumes 25% of their sodium intake from using salt while cooking and from the salt they add at the table. A preference for sodium is a learned habit and can be unlearned. Sodium is a nutrient your body needs but only in minimal amounts. Try to break the salt habit by tasting food before using the salt shaker, remove the salt shaker from the table, use other spices like garlic and herbs to cook with instead of salt, reduce or skip the salt in cooking water and read food labels!

Antioxidant vitamins are important to good health! Antioxidant vitamins include vitamin A (as beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium. Antioxidants counteract the effects of harmful free-radicals. Free-radicals can damage body tissues and DNA which can lead to the onset of health problems. Free-radicals are formed when the body burns oxygen and from certain environmental factors such as burns, cigarette smoke, ultraviolet light and pollution. Antioxidants work together and compliment each other. An excess or deficiency of one may inhibit the benefits of another. Eat lots of whole-grains and eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day to make sure your body gets the antioxidant vitamins it needs.

June Weight Loss Tips

June Weight Loss Tips:
Doctors generally agree that people can gain significant health benefits from weight loss if they are 20 percent or more overweight, or if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or above. (To find your BMI, check out our BMI calculator). Even a modest weight loss of ten to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are many commercial weight loss programs on the market today. It is important to choose one that is safe and effective. Keep these six things in mind when choosing a program:
1.The diet should be safe. It should include all of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein. The weight-loss diet should be low in calories (energy) only, not in essential foodstuffs. It should include ALL of the food groups.
2.The weight-loss program should be directed towards a slow, steady weight loss.
3.The program should incorporate an exercise or activity portion.
4.Your program should include plans for weight maintenance after the weight loss phase is over. It is of little benefit to lose a large amount of weight only to regain it.
5.A commercial weight-loss program should provide a detailed statement of fees and costs of additional items such as dietary supplements.
6.The program should be developed by a health professional such as a Dietitian.

June Nutrition Tips:
Fruits and vegetables should be a part of a healthy diet! They contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. You should shoot for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Research by The National Cancer Institute, indicates that a consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables everyday is associated with a lower risk of cancer.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that fat-free treats are calorie-free, and, therefore, constraint-free. Fat-free brand foods such as cookies, muffins and cakes may have no fat but they have plenty of calories.

Fitness Fun

Fitness Fun:
Help Your Body Burn FAT On Its Own
(By: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD)

It is possible to help your body burn fat on its own! In fact, the more muscle you have the more calories and fat your body burns. Try:
*Exercise in short, intense bursts. Known as interval training.
*Increase the amount of resistance, strength and/or weight training that you do to build more lean muscle.
*Watch your portion sizes!

BODY FAT PERCENTAGE

“If your BODY FAT PERCENTAGE puts you at risk for health problems contact us for available services to put you back on the track to good health”!

Body Composition is a valuable tool in assessing your healthy weight and assessing your progress when you are losing weight. Body composition can be used to measure actual body fat content of any type of individual. How much of a person’s weight is actually body fat is one of the most significant factors in evaluating weight. A body builder or athlete can be overweight but not necessarily over-fat. A person can be at a normal weight but still carry too much body fat. This is why body composition can be such an significant evaluation tool.

Fat Loss & Weight Training Myths

Spot Reduction Myth
Contrary to what the info commercials suggest, there is no such thing as spot reduction. Fat is lost throughout the body in a pattern dependent upon genetics, sex (hormones), and age. Overall body fat must be reduced to lose fat in any particular area. Although fat is lost or gained throughout the body, it seems the last area to become lean or the first area to get fat is the midsection (in men and some women) and hips and thighs (in women and few men). Sit-ups, crunches, hip raises, leg raises, hip adduction, hip abduction, etc. will only exercise the muscles under the fat.

Incidentally, fat is also stored under the abdominal muscles and around the intestines and other organs. This can contribute to the "pot belly", pushing the abdominal muscles and the overlying fat outward. This "apple shape" fat distribution has greater health consequences than the lower body "pear shape" fat distribution.

Lower Abdominal Myth
It is widely believe the lower abs are exercised during the leg raise or other hip flexor exercises. It can be misleading to judge the mechanics of an exercise based upon localized muscular fatigue. The primary muscle used in hip flexion is actually the Iliopsoas, one of many hip flexors. The Iliopsoas, indeed, does happen to originate deep below the lower portion of the Rectus Abdominis. During the leg raise the entire abdominal musculature isometrically contracts (contracts with no significant movement) to:

High Repetitions Burn More Fat Myth
Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heavier weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps). Weight training utilizes carbohydrates after the initial ATP and CP stores have been exhausted after the first few seconds of intense muscular contraction. Typically a set's duration is 20 to 30 seconds. For the average fit person, it requires 20 to 30 minutes of continuous aerobic activity with large muscle groups (eg. Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps) to burn even 50% fat; fat requires oxygen to burn. Performing a few extra repetitions on a weight training exercise is not significant enough to burn extra fat and may in effect burn less fat. If intensity is compromised, less fat may be burned when light weight is used with high repetitions. The burning sensation associated with high repetition training seems to be the primary deterrent for achieving higher intensities.

For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics, the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword. When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain. Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration, and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss, a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized hours later. If an aerobic exercise and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever out paces fat loss, the bulking effect is only temporary. For a toning effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle will atrophy to a pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training may be later implemented and assessed.

It still may be recommended to perform high repetitions (20-30 or 20-50 reps) for abdominal and oblique training. With fat around the waist, moderate repetitions with a greater resistance can increase muscular girth under the subcutaneous fat. If fat is not lost, more muscle can push out the fat resulting in a bulkier appearance. The abdominal muscles are relatively small muscles. Performing high reps with a lighter resistance will not compromise metabolism or muscle increases as would performing high reps with light resistance on larger muscles. See Spot Reduction Myth above.

It is plausible that the high repetition myth was originated and later propagated by bodybuilders that used calorie restrictive diets to shed fat before a contest. Because of their weakened state from dieting, they were unable to use their usual heavier weights. When inquired about their use of lighter weights, they explained they were "cutting up" for a contest. This is merely a theory, but it is easy to see how it may have been misunderstood that the lighter weight was used to reduce fat instead of actually being a result of their dietary regime.

How much body fat is healthy?

Body Composition - Body Fat - Body Weight
From Elizabeth Quinn,Your Guide to Sports Medicine.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Medical Review Board

How much body fat is healthy?
Body Composition is the technical term used to describe the different components that, when taken together, make up a person's body weight. The human body is composed of a variety of different tissue types. The so-called 'lean' tissues, such as muscle, bone, and organs are metabolically active, while adipose (fat) tissue is not.

Standard scales can tell you a total weight, but can't determine the lean-to-fat ratio of that weight. By the old height-weight charts, an athlete can be "over-weight" and not "over-fat." A bodybuilder, for example, may be 8% body fat, yet at 250 pounds may be considered "over-weight" by a typical weight chart. In general, charts are not a good indication of a athlete's ideal body weight for general health or for athletic performance.

There are several different methods of assessing the percent of fat and lean mass of an individual. These methods are referred to as Body Composition Analysis.

The gold standard of body composition analysis is hydrostatic weighing or hydrodensitometry. Although, because it is complex and complicated most physiologists use simple skinfold measurements to determine body fat percent. The American College of Sports Medicine says that when performed by a trained, skilled, tester, they are up to 98 percent accurate.

Bioelectrical Impedance is another method of assessing body fat percentage. There are a variety of Body Composition and Body Fat Analyzers and Scales available for home use that provide more than just total weight measurements. These devices determine total weight, the percent and amount of body fat, muscle mass, water, and even bone mass. While the readings can be affected by hydration levels, food intake, skin temperature, and other factors, if you follow the directions and take the reading under similar conditions, you will obtain the best results.

Ideal Body Weight and Body Fat Percent
Your ideal weight and fat-lean ratio varies considerably for men and women and by age, but the minimum percent of body fat considered safe for good health is 5 percent for males and 12 percent for females. The average adult body fat is closer to 15-18 percent for men and 22-25 percent for women.

Athletes tend to be at low end of this scale due to their increased lean weight (muscle mass). While low levels of body fat seem to be related to improved performance, body composition alone is not a great predictor of sports success. A linebacker needs to have enough body mass (lean and fat weight) to generate high forces and avoid injury. Body fat among elite athletes vary largely by sport. There is little evidence of any benefit when men drop under 8 percent and women drop under 14 percent body fat.

How Much Is Too Much?
Just as too little body fat can cause physiological complications, too much body fat is also harmful. For men over 25 percent and women over 32 percent fat there is a dramatic correlation with illness and disease.
Isn't Body Composition Genetic?
Some aspects of your body composition are genetic (where you store fat), but most fat increase is related to lifestyle.

Can I Change My Body Composition?
Yes. To increase or decrease your percent of body fat you need to create the right balance between the calories in and calories out. The best way to do this is to decrease daily calories by about 500 and increase your exercise. Aerobic exercise along with strength training is ideal. If you are beginning a new exercise program, you are advised to first consult your physician.