Exercise Bikes & Fitness

A recipe for fitness success

Do not make the mistake of spending lots of money getting a membership at your local gym, when you know deep inside that it never will be practically possible to get there on a regular basis. Be realistic!

Are you looking for a complete workout without spending too much time outside your home? A complete home gym would be a great solution if you can afford it, but a used exercise bike and a set of dumbbells is everything you need to get a complete workout inside your own home. It should be possible to get everything for about $100 if you look around a bit.

The start
So how do you start? If you are a complete newbie and are not accustomed to how you should build habits you should actually start with something that is not sports oriented and build a habit around it. If I should pick for you I would start by trying to make the habit of eating an apple extra a day. This would benefit you by increasing the number of meals you eat a day, which is good.

Habit building
To make a habit you take a blank piece of paper, write down the days of the week on the top and the task "Ate my afternoon apple" on the left side and check box beside it underneath each day. To make it a strong habit you should make it a ritual by grouping it with something you do daily at that time. Lets say you have an afternoon coffee. You group the apple with the afternoon coffee and you suddenly have made a habit out of it. After eating your apple you credit yourself by ticking the check box. You have now made your first habit. Congratulations!

Goal setting
After seeing that you are able to make habits you should set a realistic goal and make a plan for what you want to achieve. With an exercise bike you should be able to shed some fat off your waist, so setting a goal of loosing an inch off your waist in one month would be a very specific and realistic goal.

Planning
So how do you want to achieve it (the plan)? For a beginner I would suggest putting the exercise bike in front of the television and making exercise habits that are connected to your favorite shows. When the show is on, you are on the bike. You are not allowed to watch the show unless you are on the bike! So you set a plan for two bouts a week, which is a good start.

Doing
Start with riding the bike for at least 20 minutes and aim for one hour. Work out at a pace that you can manage while still being able to talk to others. If you want to be more specific you could measure your heart rate and adjust the resistance/speed accordingly.

Adding tasks
You can now start with adding additional nutritional and exercise habits to your paper and tick them off when done. On top of my list for additions would be a full body dumbbell program two days a week, a total of 6-8 smaller meals a day (all containing protein) and a post workout protein+carbohydrate shake after each workout.

If you start today and follow my recipe, there is no doubt in my mind that you will succeed on reaching your fitness goals. Good luck!

3 Best Abs Exercises You Can Do in the Next 30 Days to Get the 6-Pack of Your Dreams

Are you looking for ways to lose fast and get in great shape? I'd like to share with you the best abs exercises you use to finally get the six-pack of your dreams. Most people are really confused when it comes to deciding what exercises they need to do. They see people at the gym doing wasteful exercises so they believe they need to do it too. They watch late night informercials trying to sell products that don't work.

The great news is that anyone can get a nice looking six-pack. The bad news is that it's going to take a little more work than the dirty salesman on TV wants you to believe. I am going to share with you the real way to get great abs. We're going to talk about exercises in a minute. However I want you to understand that no matter what exercises you do, you'll never get a six-pack unless you eat healthy. There is a saying that abs are made in the kitchen and this hasn't changed nor will it ever.

Now on to my favorite exercises for getting great abs. You'll notice that most people who have the biggest muscles or have the great beach bodies use resistance or weights to develop their bodies. This is the same thing you need to remember when build your mid-section. You can do all of the sit-ups and crunches in the world but you'll never see your abs unless you use weight.

This is why I recommend you do decline weighted sit-ups. Or if you're doing them at home and don't have a decline bench just do them flat on the floor. Grab a weight that will make it possible to do 4 sets of 12. When it becomes easy to get all of your sets and reps done then you can add more weight.

Another great exercise is to do hanging leg-raises. Find a pull-up bar and use a weighted belt around your stomach. Then proceed to lift your legs up to your mid-section focusing on your abdominal area.

The last exercise isn't a conventional abs exercise but it will get you great results. This exercise is called the deadlift. This is used to work the core area of your body. These are the best abs exercises for a nice toned-mid section. Remember though that you still need to eat well to see your abs.

Diabetes Risk Tests

Diabetes is an ailment that refers to high blood glucose levels. In such cases the patients' body can not convert food in to energy efficiently. It can be of two types - 1 & 2. The type 2 diabetes is actually more chronic. It damages the liver, kidney and other internal parts of the body. In the long run it also damages the nerves & blood vessels. This causes heart disease, blindness, stroke, kidney disease, gum infections, amputation, etc. It is a must that one should get through the diabetes risk tests to avoid all these problems.

Actually, the doctors all across the globe have seen many cases where the patient is not able to judge that he / she has become diabetic. They continue to taking the uncontrolled & unhealthy diet and the blood glucose levels keep rising in an unspoken manner. At a point the body gives up and you become severely ill. The symptoms of diabetes are quite similar to many other ailments so the diagnose comes very late in many cases. Also some people can see the symptoms but they ignore them thinking that you can have this disease only in the old age. We must understand that you have this problem at any age. As a precaution now the medical experts recommend that you should take up the diabetes risk tests every year with out fail. It has been included in the basic medical tests in all treatments.



Here are some of the symptoms that indicate the urgency of the diabetes risk tests are as follows:

· Increased thirst
· Fatigue
· Increased hunger
· Weight loss
· Increased urination (mainly at night)
· Sores that do not heal
· Blurred vision

Here are some precautions that would help you stay way from the risk of having diabetes:

· Work towards weight loss.
· Avoid sugar & oily food.
· Avoid rice, junk foods and saturated fat.
· Have lots of raw fruits and vegetables.
· Exercise regularly. At least do brisk walking 3 times a week.

Excessive weight & Toxins in the Colon are two major reasons for diabetes. Dr Oz, Oprah Winfrey & Rachel Ray have all endorsed the Dynamic Duo! for weight loss & total body detox. To know more & to try it for free

Reading Skin Care Product Labels

Have you ever cringed from reading the ingredient list in your skin care products? Many of us want to be aware of what we put on our face, but labels can be confusing. Even worse, many skin care companies try to trick you by making exaggerated claims because they think you don't know any better! Not anymore...go grab a product, and read on to become your own cosmetic chemist.

Elements of a Skin Care Product

Let's begin with an understanding of the types of ingredients that typically make up a skin care product. Binding agents are ingredients that help "hold" a product together...most products are made of water and oil (which we know don't mix well). Glycerin, a common binding agent, helps keep the mixture from separating. Emollients lie on the surface of the skin to prevent water loss. They also fill in dehydration lines. Many emollients exist, but common ones include Aloe, Tocopherol, Urea and Shea Butter. Humectants draw moisture to the skin (usually from the air) in order to soften skin and decrease fine lines. Hyaluronic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium PCA and Glycerine are common humectants. Solvents are designed to dissolve other ingredients, and typically include water, oil and/or alcohol. Preservatives assist in killing bacteria and preventing growth of microorganisms. Typically, anything ending in "paraben" is a preservative (ie: Methylparaben, Propylparaben, etc.). Products without preservatives tend to spoil quickly. Lubricants coat the skin and allow the product to glide on smoothly. Silicone, Dimethicone and Cyclomethicone are common lubricants. Surfactants are agents that help products to foam, and typically include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Cocyl Isethionate. pH adjusters are often included in products to help maintain the correct pH for our skin. When a product has a high pH, our skin can feel tight, dry and itchy. Commonly used pH adjusters include Acetic Acid, Ascorbic Acid and Citric Acid.

Ingredients to Avoid

On to an equally important topic- what to avoid in your skin care products! Many companies use these ingredients because they are inexpensive, and they foolishly think you won't know any better. Mineral Oil is very widely used, but it is known to be highly comedogenic (meaning it clogs pores and can cause breakouts). Oh, and did we mention it's a byproduct of the petroleum industry?! Lanolin should also be avoided...it is actually sheep skin oil extracted from the wool. Many people have allergic reactions to lanolin- especially eczema sufferers. SD Alcohol can often be found in products for oily skin (and typically has a number listed after it). It strips oil from the skin, and in the process is stripping your protective layer. Oily skin may see an initial improvement, but the long term effect is a damaged barrier layer and an increase in oil. Fragrance is seen in many products...some people react fine to fragrance, by many people have reactions. A single fragrance is composed of thousands of elements, so chances are you may be allergic to at least one element. The bottom line is: it doesn't benefit the skin, so why bother? We also stress the importance of avoiding Hydroquinone. Many skin lightening products use it, but it is a potential carcinogenic! It has been banned in Europe, and is under review in the US.

Fair Packaging and Labeling Act

The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act sets regulations in regards to the order in which ingredients are listed. It states that labels must list ingredients in order of highest to lowest concentration. "Cosmeceuticals" that make claims to correct a problem (which most skin care products do), must list the Active Ingredient before all others. For example, many acne products may begin with a listing of "Active Ingredient: 2% Salicylic Acid". All others are listed as "other ingredients" or "inactive ingredients", but don't let this misleading labeling confuse you...those ingredients are still working on your skin (the title is just a formality)! Ingredients with multiple names are listed by Latin name, followed by the more recognizable English name. For example, "Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract". Vitamins must be listed by their chemical name so that consumers aren't tricked into thinking they are getting nutritional benefit from the topical application. So instead of reading Vitamin C, you may read Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate instead. We would also like to point out that ingredient percentages do not have to be listed on the label, but they can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your product. For example, 2 brands may claim to contain Lactic Acid, but one may contain 1%, while the other 5%. And you better believe that the 5% will be more effective!

The Natural vs. Organic Debate

Another marketing trick people commonly fall for involves labels stating that products are "natural" or "organic". There is much debate over these topics, mostly because there are currently no strict guidelines set by the FDA. Let's clear up some confusion...companies can claim their products to be "natural" as long as they contain some ingredients derived from plants, minerals or algae (which most do). If you are choosing to use "natural" products because you want to avoid synthetic ingredients, be sure to read the label and see if the product contains preservatives or any long ingredients that you don't recognize.

"Organic" implies that the ingredients are not modified, and there are no additives, chemicals, preservatives or artificial color/scent. You should know that there are 4 levels of organic certification, so many companies take advantage of the lax rules to trick you! If a label claims to be "made from organic ingredients", that just means some of the product is organic (which, again, most products are). The only TRULY organic products will have a USDA seal.

So, should you go out and buy "natural" or "organic" products? It's a personal decision, but we would like to point out that there are endless synthetic ingredients that do wonderful things for your skin! For example, Hyaluronic Acid is made in a lab, and it is excellent for hydrating and filling in fine lines. The list goes on and on. In our experience, non-organic products tend to provide much better results and have a much longer shelf life.

Marketing Hype

We can't discuss product labels and not bring up the misleading claims we often see at the store and hear on television! There are plenty of trustworthy and results-driven lines out there, but don't feed into the hype of products that promise to erase wrinkles or give you perfectly clear skin. A product can help to topically improve your skin, but there is a lot going on below the surface that a product can't correct with just a few applications. "Anti-aging" is a term that is often thrown around, but we all know that aging is a part of life that we can't avoid altogether. Another marketing ploy is claiming a product is "Dermatologist Recommended". Sounds great, but that just means that some doctor, somewhere, said they would recommend the product!

The bottom line is this: there are honest companies, and there are companies that will make claims to reel you in. It is up to you to do your research...speak to professionals, ask your friends, and search online to obtain more detail on what different lines include in their products. This is the only skin we will ever have, and we owe it to ourselves to keep it healthy and beautiful!