Recent Blog Posts on Fitbook

Oatmeal: Foods Good for Your Heart All Year Through

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Clearly, taking good care of your heart isn't just a seasonal thing. On the contrary, it's an everyday endeavor to keep your system strong and healthy.

Heart healthy meals aren't only dedicated to those feel-good days when you're anticipating a huge event or preparing for a big date. You don't swear by a heart healthy diet only as a last-minute treatment when you're already manifesting the symptoms of heart problems and cardiovascular disease.

If you're eating for health, you do more than that. You promise to feed your body with good food right from Day One, or rather, Meal One!

In line with the heart, there's one food which consistently tops your list of meals to start your day. This is your staple food, oats, and it's good for your heart all year through.

So: Good old oatmeal, anyone? If you still balk at the idea of oats for breakfast, then you haven't fully appreciated its health benefits. In just one bowl of this fiber-rich superfood, your body's fortified with folate, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Thanks to a soluble fiber known as beta glucan and the good cholesterol branded as HDL, you're able to keep your arteries clear and your digestive tract healthy.

And who says oatmeal has to be bland and boring? Hot and instant or coarse and crisp, oats are best enjoyed with milk, honey, or brown sugar. They're made even more enjoyable with fruit and nut such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, figs, and raisins.

To make them even more exciting, you can bake them into chewy oatmeal cookies and crunchy oatmeal snack bars. Occasionally, you can even diversify with a flavorful dash of cinnamon or an exotic taste of coconut milk. If you're creative enough with your diet, there are a variety of ways to prepare this food daily and all year through!

Fibook.com - It's been a whole year!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Wow!

Today, it's been a year since we launched Fitbook.com.

First of all, I want to thank all of our customers for their support. We couldn't have done it without you all.

During this past year, we have helped thousands of individuals improve their health through proper diet and exercise.

We love to hear your feedback, it's really what keeps us going.

We have grand ideas for the future and we are determined to improve every day and help you reach your fitness goals.

New addition to the diet tracker - Your weight in four weeks

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

We just added a new feature to the Fitbook diet tracker!

At the bottom of the diet tracker you will now find a new button to click after you complete your food entry for the day.

Click the new button and it shows you how much you will weigh in 4 weeks if you consume the same amount of calories as you did that day.*

Hopefully this will help you stay motivated!

*Eating too few calories might show a significant weight loss with this feature, but in reality an extremely low calorie diet will slow your metabolism and decrease or even stop your progress.
We recommend staying as close to the calculated calorie goal for the day.

Relying on One Exercise as

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

In your search for the most ideal fitness training program, you're constantly on the lookout for the best exercise. Of course, you'd want one which could be the answer to all your fat and weight loss problems.

Relying on just one exercise, however, won't be the answer! There isn't one best exercise at all which addresses all your requirements in just one package, but there's a combination of exercises which work best to meet all your different needs. Thus, there are the best exercises for strengthening your hamstrings while there are those meant for toning your abs.

The principle behind this is that your exercise becomes more effective depending on the type of movement and the number of muscles involved. The simpler your movements, the less work you do. It naturally follows that the fewer muscles your exercise strengthens and the lesser calories your body burns. In contrast, the more complex your movements are, the better your workout becomes. As to quality and quantity, the more muscles you strengthen. Also, as to the fat burning mechanism, the more calories you eventually burn.

For instance, let's compare two lower body exercises: The leg extension and the lunge. The leg extension is done in a seated position, usually with a machine. The movement is isolated to the quadriceps which it aims to strengthen and develop. Other than the motion of the knee joint, there isn't much movement involved.

On the other hand, the lunge is done in a standing position, with or without free weights. With one leg, you take a big step forward and bend your knee at a 90^o angle. You push off with the other foot to pull back that leg to your starting position.

Obviously, the former is a simple movement while the latter is a more complicated one. Involving more complex types of movements, the lunge recruits multiple joints and muscles all in one routine.

Quickly Now, Do You Have to Eat Like Clockwork?

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Even as you eat, you see yourself watching the clock as you take in your first bite and the next. Busy as you are, every meal's always a race against time. In a way, your mind's been conditioned to the habit of: Ready, get set, eat!

Is this the way you've gotten used to starting every morning? Would you rather order food to go than take time to eat in or eat out? If you're always beating the clock each and every day, then it isn't exactly the best way to eat yourself thin. On the contrary, it could only trigger you to overeat some time later in the day or late at night.

Another trigger to watch would be the way your brain works. Come to think of it, how long does it take the stomach to signal the brain that it's already fed and full? Scientists know for a fact that at least 15-20 minutes pass before the nerve endings in your gut transmit signals to your brain that your hunger's been satisfied. If this doesn't guide you on how to eat food, then you'd be three times more likely to overeat and be overweight than someone who eats more leisurely.

If you have that desire to eat smart, then please stop and pause for a while. Examine how quick it takes you to eat. Unless you've already realized it, you're more likely to be overweight when you eat too quickly.

Thus, we'd like to emphasize the fact that you need to slow down. Take time to enjoy your meal and pay more attention to your food. Wolfing down food and gobbling it all up won't help; they'll only cause you to lose control during meals and pack extra pounds!

Why You Simply Can't Lose Out on Protein Intake

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

When you're actively into exercise, you ought to beef-up your body with sufficient protein intake! As one of the basic food groups, protein is clearly essential to a healthy body. You shouldn't go low in protein or eliminate it completely from your diet, all in the hope of speeding up your weight loss. Otherwise, all you'd lose is lean muscle and body mass.

Why proteins are important

Protein is an essential nutrient. As we've said, foods with protein help build muscle in all the right places and they preserve your lean body mass.

As a nutrient, protein also supplies your metabolic needs especially if you're an athlete or runner. Since these nutrients take relatively longer to digest, you wouldn't feel too hungry or tired at all. You'd feel fuller much longer, and your blood sugar levels would remain steadier.

How much protein to take in

If you're a runner, for instance, your body requires at least 1/2-gram protein for every pound of weight. So, for someone who weighs around 150 pounds, that intake would approximately equate to 75 grams.

When to consume it

The key to protein consumption isn't only in how much protein you target to take-in but also in when and how often you consume it. Ideally, protein intake should be spread out during the day and not all in one sitting.

As a whole, you've got to invest in a protein rich diet from a variety of sources. There isn't one best protein but rather a host of protein rich foods which supply your requirement.

How to Boost an Underactive Metabolism

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

They say that your metabolism naturally slows down as you age. This phenomenon happens especially in your 40s and beyond. But are you aware of how much your metabolism changes by the time you're in your mid-20s to mid-50s? Actually, it can decrease by as much as a difference of 200 calories a day! This difference is significant enough to explain that extra 30 pounds you gain during this stage in your life.

To remedy such a slow metabolism, crash dieting just won't do! Instead, the best way to reverse the condition and increase metabolism would be to find more effective ways to lose fat and build muscle. Right now, if your problem happens to be that of an underactive metabolism, you'd have to be more attentive to the following metabolism boosters:

1. Change your cardio workout.

Based on the latest research, cardio workouts continue to be an essential part of any fat-burning program. They can be very calorie-blasting to the extent that a simple change in your cardios can boost your calorie burn by as much as 25-50%!

2. Always do warm-ups.

By a simple change, we mean always doing warm-ups. Warm-up exercises are great at boosting metabolism. They're efficient at raising the core body temperature and stimulating the activity of enzymes for fat-burning. In fact, with every degree that your body temp rises, your cellular metabolic rate correspondingly increases by approximately 13%.

3. Do moderate intensity activity.

Exercise and metabolism do have a way of interacting with each other. When you combine a warm-up with an easy to moderate type of activity, within 5 minutes, you already increase your respiration, pump-up your heart rate, direct blood flow to your muscles at work, and trigger a calorie burn. Elevate your activity to 12 minutes of moderate to high-intensity training and you'd be even more metabolically active!

There's More to Pears than Meets the Eye.

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Apparently, there's more to pears than meets the eye. Pears are rich in a water soluble fiber known as pectin. In fact, fresh pears are even richer in pectin than apples. This type of fiber has cleansing properties. It helps tone the intestines and lower cholesterol levels. Having a pleasantly-mild, laxative effect, it naturally eases your bowel movement and prevents constipation.

Aside from being a natural source of fiber and water, pears are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Specifically, they're well-known for their vitamin C, E, and B2 content. They also contain a healthy amount of copper and potassium necessary to the diet. As such, you could also add antioxidant properties to their list of health benefits. These antioxidants protect cells from damage due to free radicals and carcinogenic substances.

Also, hardly anyone's allergic to the carbs and sugars present in pears. As a hypo-allergenic fruit, it's safe even for babies and pregnant moms. Thus, it's considered to be one of the earliest, most perfect baby foods.

To get the most out of this dietary fiber, eat fresh pears washed but unpeeled. Eat the skin or rind along with the fleshy part. Refrigerate and chill to make them crunchier and juicier.

Otherwise, buy as pear juice. It's one of the mildest, most healthful fruit juice out their in the market today. It provides mild, soothing relief when you feel a cold or a fever coming. At the same time, you can count on it as a powerful immune booster.

Coconut, the Tropical Treat: Go Loco over Coco!

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Wouldn't you just love to have a touch of the tropics in your diet? One such treat would be a tropical fruit known as coconut. Actually, it's more of a fruit-bearing palm from which can be extracted a combination of white flesh, natural juice, and edible oil.

Before you crack up at the idea of seeing yourself husking coconut fruits and extracting their contents in some distant island, you don't have to go that far. For one, coconut water's widely available in the market today. In fact, it's now touted as one of nature's healthiest and most popular sports drinks!

As a sports drink, 11 ounces of pure coconut water provides approximately 60 calories. It contains 15 grams carbs, 1 gram protein, and no fat. Rich in water and potassium, it also helps replenish the electrolytes lost during the process of sweating. Thus, you could sip one serving after exercise or blend it into a smoothie when you get home.

From the white, fleshy "meat" of coconuts, you could also extract pure coconut milk. Low in carbs, proteins, and fats, this milk is now manufactured into yogurt and ice cream. Rich and creamy but less sweet than dairy milk, have half-a-cup of this tropical treat. If you're to stick to your diet, even low-fat coco milk ice cream should be eaten in smaller portions.

Lastly, in its purest form, natural coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. Although they're saturated fats, they belong to the category of healthier oils. Metabolized by your body in a better way, they increase your good cholesterol (HDL) when consumed in moderation.

Know the Food You're Going to Eat Next!

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Right now, if you're asked what you're going to eat next, would you know what to say? Sometimes, it isn't snacking itself which defeats your entire diet; rather, it's not knowing exactly what you're going to snack on! When you're this open to food cravings, you'd be more prone to bingeing and overeating.

Make snack time a part of your everyday meal plan, and you'd know the food you're going to eat next. In fact, snacks can be healthily regarded as in-between meals. They complete those five mini-meals you feed your body with at regular intervals. Skip any one of them over a four-hour period and you don't know where your hunger would lead to.

Thus, the key's to plan your response to feelings of hunger. If you've had lunch at noon but you're hungry at 4 P.M., what would you eat?

Anyone who's got a healthy answer to this question would most likely eat a snack which allows them to lose weight and shed pounds faster. Someone who has no idea what to eat next would benefit from the following suggestions:

� Ideally, limit your snack to a 100- to 200-calorie intake. In terms of carbs, say yes to a two-ounce bagel with a little ricotta or cottage cheese but say no to a croissant topped with jelly, jam, butter, or cream cheese.

� To ease up on your digestion and take the load off your heart, snack on some low-cholesterol foods. Three ounces of tuna would quickly do the trick! If you're limited to the canned variety, choose tuna chunks in water or tuna flakes in light oil.

� Unless you snack, your energy level dips and fatigue sets in. This is when it's timely to fuel your body with fruits and veggies. Eat a medium-sized ripe banana or a cup of sliced cantaloupe. Otherwise, have broccoli and carrot sticks in your favorite healthy dip.

Once your response to hunger is planned, you'd be able to contain that craving for food. The next thing you know, you'd be able to manage your appetite and maintain your weight successfully!

Get Rid of Bad Eating Habits which Thicken Flab

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

Who wouldn't like to get rid of that layer of fat and flab along their midsection? Certainly, everyone wants to be fit and fab for the coming holidays! You'd welcome the invitation to wine and dine, date and dress up, and for once pay no mind to your eating habits.

But to reach this point, you'd first have to get rid of habits which thicken flab on a daily basis. The battle with the belly bulge is a constant one - one which you keep fighting everyday! Unfortunately, it can't be won by situps and crunches alone. It could also be sabotaged by bad eating habits.

1. Skipping meals

If there's something you ought to know about crash dieting, it's that this type of diet always tends to backfire! Even as you skip meals now, you'll still end up much hungrier later. And once you give in to those hunger pangs, you'll lose control enough to overeat. Inevitably, the results of overeating can't help but find their way to body parts like your midsection.

2. Avoiding protein

Sticking to vegetables and avoiding protein altogether won't solve your fat problems. On the contrary, it will slow down your metabolism and compromise your nutrition. If you're to eat a healthy proportion of all the different food groups, include proteins from meat, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products.

3. Eliminating sugar

Remember: The best things in life aren't always sugar-free! Some low-calorie, low-fat labels may actually contain artificial sweeteners in disguise. Instead of making a difference, they'd further promote fat storage.

4. Giving up bread

Finally, if you'd like to get rid of flab effectively, you can't give up on bread completely. To make the most of these tummy fillers, the secret's to eat more of whole-wheat breads and less of white breads.

Is Broccoli Really a Super Veggie?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

Cruciferous is a complicated way to describe broccoli as a super veggie. However, cruciferous vegetables simply mean those which are rich in phytochemicals. These are compounds which have antioxidant and anticancer properties. They're usually found in leafy crops such as cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and of course, broccoli!

If we're to sum up the many reasons why broccoli's regarded as one of your top super foods, then here's how our list would go:

1. Classified among your health foods, broccoli is low in carbohydrate content. A hundred grams of it only equates to about 1.1 grams of carbs.

2. It's rich in vitamins C and B. While promoting lustrous skin and hair, vitamin C also helps fight off infections. A water-soluble B vitamin, folate is essential for producing new cells and maintaining them in good health.

3. It also supplies you with vitamin K and iron. The former's important for coagulating blood, while the latter's necessary for producing hemoglobin and forming normal blood cells.

4. Broccoli is a great source of calcium and potassium. Amazingly, its bone-strengthening calcium content per ounce is equal to the number of ounces in a glass of milk. On the other hand, its potassium nutrient is useful to your nerve and muscle functions.

5. Aside from containing phytochemicals, it's also rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These are all good for your digestion and overall metabolism.

Clearly, you gain a lot of health benefits from eating cruciferous vegetables! To benefit the most, increase your intake to 4-5 times a week, each at a serving size of 2 cups.

To preserve its nutrients and flavor, chop a head of fresh broccoli into florets and steam for just 5 minutes. When you stir-fry or use broccoli recipes, avoid overcooking so that it doesn't get too soft or mushy.

Almonds: Are They Nutrient-Rich Foods?

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

It's a widely-known fact that almond oil gives your hair added shine and luster. It also provides your complexion with extra radiance. Given the benefits of almonds, how much of these go beyond skin-deep? Are almonds the nutrient-rich foods which they claim to be?

1. Almonds are rich in nutrients.

Noted for their vitamin E nutrient, almonds are fortified with omega fatty acids and antioxidants. Along with collagen fiber, these nutrients keep your body young and supple.

Based on nutrition facts, 20-25 almonds also equate to the calcium present in 1/4 cup of milk. Along with bone-strengthening calcium, they contain other minerals like zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus.

2. They're packed with protein and fiber.

With every ounce of almonds, you'd already gain 12% of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) on protein. Plus the fiber and minus the cholesterol, you'd also gain as much as 160 calories in your diet.

3. They're low on bad fats and oils.

The fat found in almond oil's of the monounsaturated, heart-friendly kind. Thus, it's a healthy kind of fat which is low in grease and free from cholesterol.

Furthermore, this same fat content comes in handy during winter. It allows your sebaceous glands to produce enough oil against dry, chapped skin.

With no need mince words about almonds, they can be munched raw, chopped, or roasted! Nibble on whole almonds as a snack. Use them as a topping for your salad. Otherwise, Add 4-6 sliced almonds or some almond milk to your granola for breakfast. Thus, any time of the day or any season of the year, almonds are perfectly great as one of your nutrient-rich foods!

The Health Benefits of Cooking with Olive Oil

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

In recent years, the world has opened its eyes to the benefits of cooking with olive oil. Rich in hydroxytyrosol polyphenols and a number of other phytonutrients, olive oil acts as an amazing antioxidant! Its vitamin content, especially those of vitamins E and K, provide a natural defense against skin aging, osteoporosis, and atherosclerosis. They delay the effects of aging not only on your skin but also in your bones and blood vessels.

What's more, the nutrients in this substance help boost your immune system. If you're someone with a health risk for diabetes, you'd have much to gain from the health benefits of olive oil. Often, you'd be advised to combine these healthy oils with a low-fat, high carb diet as part of your treatment.

What exactly makes olive oil so healthy? Basically, it's closely associated with good MUFAs. These are monounsaturated fatty acids which are low in cholesterol and easy to digest. Each tablespoon of these monounsaturated oils contains as much as 120 calories but only 14 grams fat.

So much healthier than vegetable or refined cooking oils, MUFAs are a natural dietary fat. Nonetheless, like all fats and oils, they're relatively high in calories. Thus, they must be consumed in moderation especially when cooking.

Cooking with olive oil provides a better alternative to dairy butter or stick margarine. It's a wise substitute for butter on toast. It's perfect for cooking eggs, particularly omelets. It's just as ideal for saut�ing vegetables or reheating any leftovers. So, from breakfast to dinner, you'll have a wide range of uses for it.

Among all the varieties available for cooking, extra virgin olive oil presents the most benefits. Having come from the first press of olives, it contains more nutrients and houses more flavor. When stored properly and kept away from light, heat, and air, an opened bottle would retain much of its taste and aroma throughout a six-month period.

Back Pain Relief through Activity and Exercise

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

Have you ever experienced any back pain? It's the kind of pain which suddenly streaks through your back and sometimes radiates to your legs. It can happen when you're picking up your morning paper, carrying the baby, or reaching for clothes in your closet.

When you experience any sort of back pain, the natural tendency would be to take it easy and lie down on your bed. You'd refrain from doing anything taxing or strenuous at all. These are temporary remedies which give you back pain relief for a day or two.

Any longer than that, and you'd complain of other symptoms like muscular discomfort and joint pain. On a long-term basis, complete bed rest for weeks can actually deprive you of active exercise. Thus, you'd need to go through some therapy in order to regain your strength and rehabilitate your spine.

Amazingly, here's what studies show. Evidence points to the fact that there's lower risk of back pain in people who exercise regularly. It applies even to individuals who engage in activity and exercise for at least an hour per week! If you're one of them, you'll experience a lower risk of troublesome pain in the region of the back, neck, and shoulders.

To relieve back pain and prevent it at most, the technique's to invest in back-strengthening exercises. These are lower back exercises which are gradual, controlled, and progressive. Because the technique requires proper form, you'll need to consult a highly-trained spine specialist before you start your own program.

Now, why would such a technique be so effective? First of all, it allows nutrients and oxygen to circulate freely. They're better-distributed into your disc spaces and soft tissues. As a result, your bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles stay healthy.

When you make exercise a regular practice, you'll notice that your lower back pain won't be as recurrent. It will also help reduce sensations of stiffness and weakness. With these significant improvements, you'd be less susceptible to frequent episodes of back pain in the future.

Figuring Out What to Wear for Exercise

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Form and figure aren't only about toning your muscles and staying in shape. They're also about figuring out what to wear for exercise in a way that suits your need.

If you examine each of your needs, they'll all sum up to two priorities. These are safety and comfort. Thus, your clothes for exercise should be designed for safe exercise and comfortable wear.

First things first, let's double-check on your clothing for exercise:

1. Wear the right gear.

In line with shoes, consider the top of your sneaker. Is it soft and spacious enough for your toes to wriggle? Are there seams which constantly rub against them? Are your feet able to breathe through the mesh?

The next aspect to consider would be the soles. Following the contour of your feet, the insole acts as an extra pad to your socks. It also adds cushioning and enhances shock absorption. Usually made of foam, the midsole supports the arch of your foot. Therefore, it's important that you find shoes which are compatible with your arches, whether they're normal, high, or flat.

On the other hand, the outsoles are the very treads on your sneakers. Designed for different kinds of terrain, they're mostly made of rubber. But depending on the kind of rubber used, they'd either be light and flexible or heavy and steady.

If you're into running and working out, it helps when you've got a separate pair of sneakers for each purpose. This reduces wear and tear on the one you use for exercise.

2. Layer on clothes.

Layering is an important part of combining your clothes, especially during exercise in cold weather. As the layer closest to your body, the base is meant to absorb sweat. During workouts, it healthily draws perspiration away from your skin.

Meanwhile, if you're wearing thicker clothes, the second layer provides warmth and insulation while the third protects you from the element of weather. Once you figure out how layering works, you'll have exercise clothing to keep you cool, comfy, and dry!

Spice Up Your Day with a Pinch of Cinnamon!

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

If you notice a hint of cinnamon in your diet today, it comes with good reason. It's known to lower the risks for heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol and triglycerides. It also puts blood sugar under control by increasing your ability to metabolize sugar on the cellular level.

As such, this spice has reached the level wherein it's not just sprinkled onto your doughnut or roll. Many of your breads are now flavored with yummy apple cinnamon and cinnamon honey. Aside from being made into cinnamon tea, it's also mixed with your coffee or chocolate simply to spruce it up! Aromatic as it is, a pinch of it adds the perfect punch to your food or drink on a cold, chilly day!

Just by the sound of it, apparently, people have formed a strong attachment to the wonders of this spice. Since you love it so much, you must be curious to know more. What is cinnamon? What is it made from and what is it made into?

As an old-world spice with so many modern-day benefits, cinnamon has transcended its early beginnings. Originally, the most genuine varieties came from exotic countries such as Ceylon (Sri Lanka), China, and Madagascar. Very Asian in origin, dried cinnamon bark used to be rolled into sticks or quills. Today, these are finely-ground into a flavorful powder.

Nowadays, a pinch or two of cinnamon powder would be the way to start your day right. If you want a bit of homeliness to your breakfast, just sprinkle it on your morning oatmeal or your first cup of coffee for the day. Immediately, you'd feel that familiar warm, comforting feeling. After all, you've fed your body with a healthy dose of 28 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 1/2 gram carbohydrate, and a gram of fiber, just by a mere teaspoonful of it!

Feeling Better about Eating Peanut Butter

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Here's good news for you if you're a self-confessed peanut butter lover! No longer do you have to completely deprive yourself of the nutty, creamy, buttery goodness of this favorite treat! There's a way to consume it without accumulating too much of the fat content and the calorie count.

Nutritious as they are, the problem with the calories in peanut butter is that they're very fattening! In just 100 grams of this highly-caloric food, you gain as much as 589 calories. When broken down, this translates to as much as 71% calories from fat. The rest are accounted for by 15% calories from proteins and 14% calories from carbs.

Natural peanut butter, on the other hand, is so much better than the refined or processed kind. In its organic state, the former retains more of the nutrients good for the skin. When badly preserved, the latter could host the moldy fungi, Aspergillus flavus. This in turn produces the toxin, aflatoxin, which is a very carcinogenic substance.

Also, low fat peanut butter doesn't contain the trans fats that tend to increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. Instead, it makes use of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty acids which lower your bad cholesterol.

So, if you're back to being nuts about peanut butter, here's how to eat it better: For breakfast, top your toast with two tablespoons of this natural spread. If you feel like it, spread it into a sandwich or over some sliced bananas. In just one tablespoon alone, you'll have only 8 grams fat, 4 grams protein, 4 grams carbs, and a few healthy grams of fiber.

How to Exercise in a Way That's Injury Free!

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Workout-related injuries are more common than you think, but they can be prevented. If you want to learn how to exercise in a way that's injury free, then it takes more than the habit of warming up.

1. Develop proper form.

If you're new to exercise routines, start initially with a moderate workout of three times a week at about 20 minutes per session. In line with form, it's a matter of building up strength and toughening up your muscles!

Unless you've had at least six weeks of strength training, you simply can't afford to go into muscle failure. This means pushing your muscles to the extreme, such that it reaches a point wherein you'll need some assistance.

To prevent injury, progression is the key. Depending on what intensity's best for you, increase your exercise gradually as to length of time and number of sets and repetitions.

2. Mind your weak spots.

You'll be less susceptible to exercise injuries when you don't ignore any of your weak spots. If you put too much weight and pressure on an injured area, the condition could aggravate and cause you more discomfort and pain.

If you're just recovering from a muscle injury, don't punish yourself by exercising too hard. So as not to waste all the physical therapy you've undergone, always have a trainer or spotter with you. They'd be the first to tell you that a partial chest press would be less strenuous than a chest fly, especially when you're just healing from rotator cuff strain.

3. Focus on the task at hand.

So many more workout injuries could be avoided if people were more attentive to what they're doing. More than a pet peeve, distractions are a threat to your personal safety. Thus, learn to focus and give a task your undivided attention!

For example, hip as it may seem, there's nothing cool about talking on your mobile phone or conversing with your buddy while running at high speeds. Falling off the treadmill could result in a back injury which takes at least six weeks to heal. If you fly off and spare your back, you still might end up with a sprained wrist or a bruised ego. That still doesn't count as injury free!

How to Hurdle the Weight Loss Plateau

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Even when you're eating healthily and exercising regularly, there could come a time when the scale just refuses to budge! Known as a weight loss plateau, it's the stage wherein you're simply unable to reduce your weight despite the efforts given to diet and exercise.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it's quite normal to reach a plateau in weight loss. Several weeks into your program, your metabolism would naturally slow down. At this point, you'd be losing fat as well as lean muscle tissue. This doesn't necessarily mean that your weight loss program isn't working anymore! It simply means that you've got to do the following:

1. Don't get stuck!

Although a weight loss plateau can be very frustrating, think of it as only temporary. It doesn't give you a reason to give up! Once you get stuck in this stage, it just makes you go back to old habits which made you overweight in the first place.

Instead, continue to stick to a reduced-calorie diet and keep up with your workout routine. For the moment, it will help you maintain your current weight without gaining any more pounds.

2. Break your usual pattern.

If you're far from satisfied with your present weight, then you'll need to reassess your previous habits. Have you binged on food? Have you lagged in exercise?

To stay within safe limits, you can reduce your calorie intake by another 200 calories daily. This rule applies as long as you don't fall below the 1,200 calorie requirement. As to exercise, you can also extend your sessions by an extra 15-30 minutes. You may also increase the intensity of your workout, but only if it's advisable. Otherwise, optimize on other daily activities such as walking, jogging, or household cleaning.

3. Change your workout routine.

Those of you who are driven to hurdle the weight loss plateau will do something else: You'll try to incorporate more changes in your workout routine.

As an effective adjustment, you could rotate the order of your exercises while retaining the same number of sets and reps. Necessary and strategic, these are changes which translate into variety!