Alternative Health Occupations Offer Innovative Perspective on Health and Healing

While conventional medicine is the common academic course for some students, prospective alternative medicine practitioners like massage therapists, acupuncturists, and chiropractors are fast growing alternative health careers.

Chiropractic, for example, is part of the many fascinating disciplines of complementary and alternative health careers available today. The chiropractic field offers a new look into healthcare. Based on interesting concepts, alternative health careers like chiropractic include the belief that the human body has powerful self-healing capabilities that the spine and its function have a close relationship with the body's health, and that making careful adjustments to the spine can help the body function more efficiently and healthfully.

Alternative health careers in chiropractic require a fair amount of education and training. Students interested in pursuing this natural healthcare field should note that most chiropractic colleges and schools require educational prerequisites, and are often comprised of over 4,000 academic and practical training hours.

If you're not easily scared by needles, then alternative health careers in acupuncture and Oriental medicine might be ideal for you. This unique alternative healthcare occupation is based on the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and believes that the body must be in balance to achieve optimal health. In addition to using specific needling techniques along the body's meridians (energy channels), acupuncture and Oriental medicine integrates additional natural health treatments like moxibustion, cupping, herbal medicine, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Tuina (Chinese medical massage) to restore health and to promote healing.

Like chiropractic, students interested in alternative health careers in acupuncture must sometimes meet certain educational prerequisites prior to applying to the school of choice. And as with most practitioner fields, acupuncturists must meet licensing requirements as mandated by the State or Province in which they reside. This often means that extensive academic and hands-on training must be met before candidates can begin to practice legally.

Don't have time for a lengthy educational program? Massage therapy is one of the fastest-growing alternative health careers today. With an exceptional occupational forecast, students pursuing the field of massage therapy have an excellent career outlook.

There are over 80 variations of masotherapy from which to choose -- including Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and sports massage, among others. Alternative health careers in massage therapy offer practitioners and clients unique healing treatments that are focused on the body's self-healing capabilities. Not only do certified massage therapists have the opportunity to work alongside family healthcare providers, chiropractic doctors, and acupuncturists -- in some cases, professional massage practitioners work with animals in veterinarian clinics as well.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in achieving alternative health carriers, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore alternative health careers near you.

Alternative Health Occupations offer Innovative Perspective on Health and Healing

© Copyright 2007

The CollegeBound Network

All Rights Reserved

NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active.

Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd - Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com - Educational Resources for Alternative Health Careers, Healing Arts Schools, and other Natural Healing Programs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CarolAnn_Bailey-Lloyd

Should You Workout If You Are Sick?

Who doesn't catch a little cold right in the middle of the week when your workouts were going so great? There's been many times that my workouts were 100% the best I've ever had and right when I was on top of my game - I caught some cold bug and it frustrated me to no end!

How many times have you asked yourself this question or been asked yourself?

"I was wondering if workouts (cardio, weightlifting or both) should be halted during a common cold or if you should "sweat it out" as some say.

Common sense tells me that the body should fully recover before engaging in an intense workout, but is a light day or a less intense cardio day okay?

On one hand you don't want to break progress by waiting too long between workouts, yet on the other hand, you don't want to remain sick because the body will have to allocate nutrition in building muscle tissue as opposed to building an immune response."

- Sick and Wanting to Workout

This was a timely question. I've been in many public places this week and almost everybody I've been around at some point is sneezing and coughing and looks like they have a horrible cold!

You can workout when you have a cold BUT only under certain conditions. Let me elaborate before I ramble on.

Do Not Workout If:

* You have a fever * You feel nauseous * You are highly contagious and in a public gym

Workout If:

* You just have a mild cold * It's been a couple of days and you are over the worst of it

Many people that I know of, including myself at one time, did some pretty intense workouts while sick. And not just everyday common cold sick but flu-like sick.

Not only was it irresponsible of me to bring my funk into the gym but Karma was paid back when my body couldn't recover and I ended up prolonging my illness an extra week or so.

You see, working out when you have a mild cold is not a big deal. In fact, if you engage in light cardio, you'll feel better. It will help to open up your nasal passages and let you breathe easier. Recovery will not be hampered because it's a mild cold and you are doing a light workout. Just to keep moving really. Nothing intense at all.

What I don't recommend is that you workout with weights unless it's following the same principles.

Light. Keep that in mind. You are not there to get stronger, more fit or build muscle. You are there to feel better, to keep moving and get the added benefits that working out will help you do.

Believe me...

When I've done a light cardio workout a couple of days after the worst of the cold is over, I feel a lot better.

Why cardio?

Seems to me that working out with weights does not give you that cardiovascular benefit (except circuit training). I've never felt that great when I have a cold and hit the iron. I've always felt better when I just do light cardio for about 20 minutes or so. Nothing intense mind you. Strictly warm-up to pace levels.

Frankly...

The research has shown that doing cardio when you have a cold has the greatest benefits. Working out with weights has not had the same effect.

Let's face it...

Being sick is no fun! But if you over do it, you will just prolong your illness. So keep that in mind when I say light. You are there to feel better not improve or break a personal record.

Next time you are sick, go do some light cardio. Heck, even just walking around the block will feel pretty good.

Your recovery will not be compromised as long as you go light.

I urge you to take care of yourself first but after that, see if some light cardio helps you feel even better and recover faster.

This question is a great bridge to another topic that is a favorite of mine called Taking a Training Break. Should you or shouldn't you take one?

Fact is, the training break is an overlooked, often under utilized concept that not only will have you in the gym for longer periods of time but you'll recover faster and get stronger by NOT hitting the weights and doing cardio.

You see, after doing your workouts over and over, your body is always in a constant state of breakdown. At some point, even your immune system is compromised and you get sick. I've actually pinpointed my own rhythms.

After 9 weeks of training if I do not take a training break, I always get sick. A mild cold mind you but like clockwork, it happens. I've found that by working out continually, that 9 week hump is when my body is taxed to the point where I'm not at my optimal recovery.

By simply taking a break for 7 days, no weight and no cardio, I come back to the gym stronger and more recovered then before.

It's also very important to just let your joints heal during this time from lifting. So not only is a break good for the immune system but it's good for joint recovery as well.

If you take a training break every 8-12 weeks, you'll come back stronger and feeling more to working out then before and contrary to popular belief, you will not lose muscle during a 7 day break. You won't get smaller and all the gains you made will not be lost. That is a big myth.

During this break I still supplement the same, I just don't 'train' but I am active.

To sum up, taking a training break is a good thing. Every 8-12 weeks just let your body and mind recovery and get ready for the next round of training. It also helps to avoid the working out when sick as described above. By using this process, I've been able to avoid being sick for some time and when I am sick, I'm able to recovery a bit faster by using the principles described above.

Copyright 2005 Marc David

Marc David is a bodybuilder and author of the, Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding. You can get info on Marc's e-book at: http://www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com. To get Marc's free e-zine, visit http://www.JustAskMarc.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

How Much Muscle Can I Build, Really?

while others might be overjoyed when you put on 5-6 lbs of lean body mass in a year?

It's about how much muscle can you build and the answer isn't just so straight forward or simple.

Consider the following: The average man has between 30% to as much as 60% of his lean body mass as actual muscle. The average women has between 25% to 50% of her lean body mass as actual muscle.

Muscular growth is rarely a liner process and tends to come in a series of cycles.

"You cannot calculate your actual muscle gain, short of having a biopsy." - Jeremy Likeness, Certified Personal Trainer and Body Transformation Expert

That means that no matter what you eat, how hard you train or what supplements you take, muscle growth will never come at a predicable steady rate. This makes those 10-12 pounds of muscle a year for a natural bodybuilder a myth along with any other hard numbers telling you how much actual muscle to expect or any references to the actual rate of growth.

Here's just a short list of the things that can influence your muscle growth:

• holidays
• injuries
• illness
• nutrition
• training
• sleep
• medications
• complications called "life"
• and more...

By the way...

Some people are genetically predisposed at packing on lean body mass and can just look at a weight and gain muscle (you know those people right?). Others have to work like the dickens to just gain an ounce of muscle and their rate of growth is slower.

Researchers from the Netherlands, Van Etten, L.M., Verstappen, F.T., & Westerterp, K.R. studied the effect of body build on weight-training-induced adaptations in body composition and muscular strength. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 26, 515-521. In the study they found that men with a "solid" build gained more muscle than men with a "slender" build following a 12-week weight-training program .

Although fat-free mass increased in both groups, the slender guys gained only 0.7 pounds (0.3 kilograms) versus 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) in the solid group. My point is...

The nearer you get to your muscular genetic potential, the slower the gains will be. This is known by exercise professionals as the ceiling of adaptation. The longer you've been training, the slower your gains will be. Somebody like me who's been training for 17 years will gain less muscle mass than a new trainer who's just started out in the first 6 weeks.

So what does this mean to you?

That being said, based on the consensus of the available studies, the average trainee can gain roughly 2-4% of their initial weight in the form of muscle after 6 weeks of regular resistance exercise. These figures are based on the results of studies using trained subjects with a body fat percentage of 10-15%. Extremely lean or obese individuals would be hard to predict.

None of the studies I could find made reference to a female's ability to build muscle so my best guess is about half of the male studies but I can't prove that as there's no research to fall back on. Let's face it...

How much muscle can I gain is not a linear approach. You won't keep growing at the same rate forever. In fact, the studies that do reference muscle growth were only on male trainees in the first 6 weeks of training. That seems somewhat predictable but after those 6 weeks, you need to know what to expect and it's not going to be the same number week after week or year after year.

Over the course of a year, it's rare for people to add more than 25 lbs of muscle but it's very possible for them to add more than 25 lbs of lean body mass. Lean body mass defined as a combination of anything that is not fat. And that's why...

Increasing your lean body mass is something you can track and calculate and should be your focal point to determine your progression. How much muscle you build in a given time period is not because it's not a linear process and it can't realistically be determined short of a biopsy.

"A beginner on a decent training and nutrition program might be able to gain 25 pounds of muscle in their first year of training. In year two, we can cut that number in half, giving you a gain of 10-12 pounds. In year three, the gains will be halved again, giving you 5-6 pounds of new muscle." - Christin
Finn

If you are gaining more lean body mass that is generally a positive because you are gaining more muscle than fat. For most weight-gainers, .5 pounds per week would be an even more realistic goal as they reach their genetic limit. Frankly...

Staying focused on your goal by training intensely, eating consistency and engaging in proper recovery are things you can control and will result in your optimization of lean body mass.

Remember that gaining muscle is a long-term project. If you're dedicated and consistent in your efforts, you will not be disappointed.

Marc David is an innovative fitness enthusiast and the creator of the "The NoBull Bodybuilding Program" on http://www.NoBullBodybuilding.com - He can show you how to reduce your body fat thru diet, how to gain weight or create more muscle thru an abundance of workout tips by training LESS! Not more. He dispels many "bodybuilding myths", tells you what most people never realize about nutrition, and what the drug companies DON'T WANT YOU to know. Go to: http://www.NoBullBodybuilding.com to find out more about The NoBull Bodybuilding Program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Skin Tightener ST - What is This Innovative Approach to Anti-Aging Skin?

The Skin Tightener ST is an innovative new technology for non-invasive skin remodeling and skin tightening therapy. The Skin Tightener works by stimulating the growth of collagen to reduce wrinkles and the affect of aging on skin.

Collagen is the natural substance that gives human skin its soft, full, youthful appearance. The human body produces collagen from birth, producing less and less collagen until in the late 40's when production essentially stops in the body.

The body also produces a natural enzyme known as collagenase, which breaks down collagen. This lack of collagen in later life leads to the start of lines, wrinkles, and a generally tired, sagging appearance that occurs during aging. Skin Tightener ST Therapy works to cause new collagen production, helping to create a younger, more vital appearance to the skin.

Skin Tightener ST is the only aid of its type to create an instantaneous outcome, and follows with progressive benefits and improvements to the skin for up to six months. As spurring skin collagen entails developing fresh skin cells, it could take months to indicate an apparent outcome.

There is instantaneous tightening and wrinkle reduction as Skin Tightener ST additionally reaches the deeper layers of the skin where it's affects indicate breakneck benefit. Users achieve minimal side effects, which are frequently temporary. There is no reddening of the skin to make one reluctant to go out directly following treatment. People can continue their daily routines directly following the therapy, and is safe when combined with other treatments.

Skin Tightener ST features a unique mixture of plant and marine ingredients, which is said to produce a tightening effect on the skin in around five minutes after application to the skin The beneficial effects for the skin of ocean products like kelp have been known for ages. Skin Tightener ST includes both natural ocean and herbal ingredients that enhance the synthesis of collagen, tightening and rejuvenating the skin and reducing wrinkles. ST also contains Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide, an anti-inflammatory agent that helps heal aging damaged skin, and the ingredient Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, which reduces the sagging that contributes to wrinkles and lines on the face.

For more information on revolutionary skin care products, see Skin Care Products Guide [http://products.cosmetics-center.com/] or read the blog at Anti Aging Skin Care Guide [http://anti-aging.cosmetics-center.com/]

Copyright 2008 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_King

TriActive Cellulite Treatment - An Innovative and Painless Way to Get Rid of Cellulite

Cellulite is the dimpled cottage cheese-like skin you often see on women's thighs, buttocks and hips. There are numerous treatments for cellulite that have been developed to eradicate this unwanted site on the skin. One such treatment is called the TriActive. This procedure attacks the problem areas by using low-energy laser to facilitate increased circulation, reduced inflammation (brought about by localized cooling), and a suction massage which stimulates collagens and promotes lymphatic drainage.

What Causes Cellulite?

Poor blood circulation, fluid retention, reduced venous flow and impaired lymphatic drainage trigger subcutaneous fat cells to develop into cellulite. Now you may be wondering what causes these triggering factors. Among the root causes of cellulite are genetics, female hormones, pregnancy, stress, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, liposuction and pelvic surgery, harsh massages, enhanced lymph nodules and obesity. The effects these factors have differ among people with varying predispositions.

The TriActive

Not only is this anti cellulite treatment innovative and painless, it is suitable for any skin or body type as well. TriActive involves rhythmic aspiration or mechanical massage that distends the skin in different directions, enhancing microcirculation. The entire process causes improvement of lymphatic drainage and increased skin elasticity.

Developed in Italy and approved by FDA in April, 2005, TriActive has been used all over the world for several years now. This system uses three different mechanisms to improve the quality of your skin. Adding proof to the safety of this type of cellulite treatment is the fact that is it classified as a Class II device. This means that you can actually purchase it over-the-counter, without the necessary paperwork. Non-physicians, spa professionals, aestheticians and other such therapists are authorized to use this machine.

How TriActive Works

Six diode lasers work to penetrate tissues and stimulate fibroblasts. This causes production of collagen. The end result is a smoother and healthier-looking skin. You also get a hand piece as bonus for getting this treatment. The hand piece refreshes facial tissue, uncovering soft, radiant and younger-looking skin. Combined with other cellulite therapies, the TriActive treatment helps you achieve optimal results you would usually only get from both non-surgical and surgical procedures.

How many sessions are necessary?

Typically, you would have to go through 10-15 treatments before you can achieve the desired outcome. Total cost averages at about $1500, not too much if you would consider the new and improved skin you get - definitely worth your buck. Your skin is, after all, your most important piece of 'clothing'. It's the one thing you show off everyday (as opposed to the signature labels in your closet).

TriActive also works as a great follow-up treatment to surgical procedures, like the ever-popular liposuction. Liposuction causes slackening of the tummy, neck, love's handles and upper arms, definitely an aftermath you would want to get rid of. Results may differ among individuals. This would depend on factors like diet, exercise, the severity of the cellulite problem and number of sessions or treatments undertaken.

You have been dreaming of getting that flawless body. And you've been dying to wear that bikini set. It's time to take some real action. Why not try your luck with one of the best cellulite reduction treatments?

Anna runs one of the most popular cellulite treatment websites. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_J_Raine

3 Little Known Tips for Cardio

I've got a confession to make...

In the year 2006, I've seen so many articles on cardio that it even made me confused! Everything from don't with it "good night to cardio" to cardio is worthless to HIIT training and all kinds of crazy ideas. There's anti-cardio gurus and cardio masters.

At times, cardio seems like a diet plan.

Let me explain that...

With a diet, you have so many foods to choose from that you can literally make any combination up and call it a "diet."

Cardio seems to be that way lately. There's a lot you can do with your cardio workouts. Keep them short, make them intense, do all kinds of machines, do it every day, do it once a week, don't use machines at all but go outside and run hills... etc. List goes on and on.

Let's try and answer the question of the best time to do cardio and how much recovery after your weight sessions you need in order to get workout but without burning up any precious muscle.

3 Simple Steps to Effective Cardio Workouts

1- Use cardio as a tool.

Cardiovascular exercise is good for the heart. However, so is weight training. And lifting weights and building muscle will do more to get you leaner than 6 spin classes 6 times a week.

If your goal is to build muscle and gain weight or burn off the fat, then use cardio sparingly as a way to your goal.

Did you know that 1 lb of muscle burns more calories than 1 lb of fat? By focusing on building more muscle, you'll get leaner quicker than if you plug away at a treadmill all day long.

Let's put it this way...

If you cut bread with a saw (weight training) it gets the job done nicely. But if you cut the bread with a saw and then use a finely sharpened knife to make the slides perfect (cardio) you'll get the best of both worlds.

You'll get slides of bread quickly (saw) and you'll get them neatly carved out (knife).

If you can think of cardio as a tool to stripping off unwanted fat AFTER your weight training and nutrition is in order, you'll use the tool as it's meant to be used.

2- Do your cardio at the right times.

There's a loaded question if I ever saw one!

a) the right time is anytime it works for you. If you read several articles about morning cardio and you simply cannot do it, then do it when you can. There's plenty of studies that debate the optimal time to do cardio but they all point to the single fact that it doesn't make a massive difference in your overall gains. When it comes to eliminating body fat. Whether it's early morning, late evening, the most important thing is that you just do it.

b) do your cardio AFTER your weight workouts. Why after? Because your weight training workouts require something called glycogen. That's short term fuel. If you burn off and use up your short term fuel first, you'll have little to give when it comes to your muscles.

The fuel your muscles need for a weight training workout is different from the potential fuel sources you can use when doing cardiovascular activities.

When you do your cardio AFTER your weight training sessions, you are warmed up and have a better chance at using fat as a fuel source over glycogen.

3- Separate your cardio from your weight training sessions

If at all possible, try and give yourself plenty of time between a cardio workout and a weight session. Some programs recommend 8 hours. This means you'll do cardio in the AM and weights in the PM. You'll have plenty of time for post-workout nutrition and a few meals in there as well to help with recovery.

But what if you can't?

2 Tips to Cardio Workouts

Tip #1 - Do your cardio AFTER your weight session as in the step above. While this won't be ideal, it allows your body to use glycogen for short term fuel for the weights and potentially fat as a fuel source.

Tip #2 - Engage in post-workout nutrition (protein and carbs) after your weight training session. While you probably won't burn as much fat, you won't risk burning off as much muscle either.

The reason your body burns muscle is that it costs a lot to maintain it (metabolically speaking). In that case, make sure you can support the muscle by not overtraining and engaging in proper nutrition.

Those two simple concepts will go a long way in helping you to preserve muscle when you have a short rest period between a weight training session and a cardiovascular workout.

The bottom line is that cardiovascular exercise is part of a health and fitness routine. It should be used as a tool. Sometimes more (getting ready for a competition) and sometimes less (lean bulking). Lately it's been over-rated but it certainly isn't worthless.

Marc David is a bodybuilder and author of the, Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding. You can get info on Marc's e-book at: http://www.Beginning-Bodybuilding.com To get Marc's free e-zine, visit http://www.JustAskMarc.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Eco-Friendly Memory Foam Products Which Are Innovative and Environmentally Friendly

Eco-Friendly, That's the buzzword for these days. Being ecologically aware is more than knowing the color green. It is a major focus of consumers and innovative manufacturers.

Because of the keen awareness of consumer issues , innovative products have been designed and created which were therapeutic, comforting and supportive, and now with the new Polar Foam, more ecologically friendly.

Some of these products called Eco Foam, Polar Foam Memory products are now Eco Friendly and environmentally responsible.

These Polar Foam products are not only eco-friendly but innovative. Laboratory research shows it to be four times cooler that traditional Visco foam. They provide the support of traditional memory foam yet stays cool at the same time.

They are manufactured using two innovative green technologies. In one, they replace a significant amount of petrochemical based polyol with natural, renewable plant based material formulations.
In the second technology, they recycle a product created by normal foam manufacturing, resulting in a lower carbon footprint.

Eco Foam® is made with Bio-164 which is a 100% natural proprietary blend of Magnoliopsida class plant oils. This advanced blend of plant oils is used to replace nearly 13% of the petroleum based polyol that is used to produce this foam technology.

The Polar Foam product range includes, Polar Foam Snore-No-More Pillow, Polar Foam Bed Pillow, and Polar Foam Multi Zone 2 Inch Mattress Pads.

You'll sleep even better knowing that the Polar Foam features NEW Eco-Friendly Memory Foam. Significant amounts of the petroleum-based materials traditionally used were replaced with plant based renewable, raw materials.

Zafer Aktas retailer and writer of Pillows and Luxury Bedding Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zafer_Aktas

HIIT Or Lower Intensity Cardio?

HIIT is becoming more and more popular for weight-loss each and every year. Hundreds of people are switching from long, boring jogs lasting around 45 minutes to an hour and instead doing HIIT for 10-20 minutes at a time. Most people when starting HIIT end up losing about 8-10 pounds in the first two weeks, they are significantly smaller and therefore, people are making the assumption it is "better" for fat loss and I won't disagree.

HIIT, however, relies primarily on the anaerobic glycosis energy system; this energy system is dominant when the body can no longer produce energy inside of the mitochondria of a muscle; thus, aerobically. This results in anaerobic threshold occurring, usually within the 50-85% range of maximal effort. The anaerobic metabolism, regardless of current calories, cannot burn fat. Despite popular belief, regardless of whether or not you're in a calorie deficit, the anaerobic energy system can only use glucose, which produces ATP outside of the mitochondria and is not the primary energy system for creating ATP.

If you are in a calorie deficit, the first couple of weeks HIIT is recommendable, due to the fact that is creates a lot of beneficial hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine, it will significantly increase your metabolic rate and put you in a fat burning mode far beyond that of aerobic exercise - i.e., walking on an incline, slow jogs, etc. It will also burn away any exercise glycogen that may be causing bloat to your muscles; however, it can also burn muscle and it usually will.

When you get into about 2-3 weeks of cutting, you would ideally want to switch the cardio methods up. I always recommend the cyclical ketogenic diet for cutting phases, so early in the week after your carb up day you would ideally want to do HIIT, after-all, it is much funner and more convenient, right? Due to the anaerobic glycosis being dominant with HIIT, glucose can only be used to create ATP. Since glucose is stored in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver, it creates extra water weight. Ever noticed how bloated you are after eating pasta? Brown rice? Oatmeal? It is because those are high in complex carbohydrates, that convert to glucose and later to glycogen. Glycogen is a polar molecule, which means it holds excessive water in the muscles, which is why water weight is always the first weight that is lost when you begin exercising. So in a physiological standpoint, you would ideally want to do HIIT your first few weeks of cutting.

It depends more-so on the goal and metabolism. If you have a naturally slow metabolism HIIT is probably preferable for you. It will burn more muscle, but it will also burn significantly more fat in a 24-hour period than lower intensity cardio. The downside is you will not receive the same benefits as conventional aerobic exercise, it will not increase your stroke volume, decrease your resting heart-rate, or increase your cardiac output under maximal effort exercise. It will, however, create stronger walls of your heart and allow you to train longer without a sufficient supply of oxygen to your exercising muscles. It is overall better for fat loss at the end of the day, but can only burn glucose during the activity; therefore, resulting in more energy expanded but at the expense of muscle being burned too. For a quick gradual cut, it's superior.

Will "MVP" Riggs Personal Trainer Nutrition Consultant Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_E_Riggs

Glucosamine Review and Potential Benefits

Something interesting happened as my triceps workouts continued in their intensity. After doing some triceps elbow extensions and numerous other elbow extension exercises, I began to feel effects of what is known as elbow tendonitis. The symptoms generally included a pain with any movement of my elbows. So much so, that even resting my arms on a chair began to have an associated soreness to the touch. Similar to my bicep tendonitis experience, the pain experienced was not normal. A bodybuilder who is tune with their muscles can tell the difference between an intense workout and an intensely painful workout.

This elbow tendonitis came about from an overuse of any exercise. With the increased weight, I eventually reached a peak of classic overuse of the joints. Not sure of a treatment, I did the first thing I could. Adjust my form. Keeping the elbows locked in on triceps movements is critical. It can alleviate if not remove the pressure on the joints when doing a very heavy exercise movement. This was my first elbow tendonitis treatment experiment.

Continuing week after week with my new form, the pain was less severe, but it was not a full treatment. Some of the elbow tendonitis symptoms became less painful but the general pain was always present. This has an acute effect on your motivation to continue to do exercises. Doing triceps exercises (dips, skull crushers, one arm and two arm overhead extensions, rope pushdowns) has always been something I look forward to with each arm workout. But with anything that is painful, your body doesn't want to do it. In fact, continuing and pushing past the pain "no pain no gain" mantra, I would have eventually damaged my joints beyond repair.

After talking to a friend's wife, she told me about her husband, who started taking Glucosamine for his joints. There are basically two kinds of people who need some type of cartilage therapy. Those who are suffering from osteoarthritis or athletes with overuse injuries. Considering he's not very old and probably isn't losing too much cartilage, I had to believe that it was working on cars daily and using his joints excessively (turning hands, manipulating small parts) that lead to his overuse of his finger joints and the pain associated. Thus began my short research and trial of a Glucosamine product to see what benefits Glucosamine might have and any possible side effects specific to me.

Glucosamine is a combination of sugar and amine. It's found normally in cartilage and plays an important role in cartilage health and resiliency. As you naturally age, you lose some Glucosamine and that leads to the eventual thinning of the cartilage around the joints. Osteoarthritis defined as the deterioration of the cartilage in the joints. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are found naturally in your body. Chondroitin Sulfate helps draw water into the cartilage (that the Glucosamine is repairing) making it more elastic.

Glucosamine is derived from the shells of crabs and shrimp. Most studies show that taking approximately 500mg three times a day for a total of 1500mg is effective in improving joint health. Those who have damaged their joints to the point of little to no cartilage, or who have had cartilage surgically removed, probably won't experience any benefits simply because it's impossible to repair cartilage that no longer exists. Most oral Glucosamine is easily absorbed because the molecules are very small, easily diffused and water-soluble.

After viewing the brief research above, I began taking oral doses of Glucosamine and Chondroitin, 1500mg a day, 3 capsules. My first choice was AST's ProFlex 750 Joint Support formula. I ended up going to Costco and getting Kirkland's Glucosamine Sulfate product as well. Just so I could have a supply at home. Different products but basically, Glucosamine and some Chondroitin.

Within the first few days, my elbow tendonitis symptoms started to disappear. I've been taking this product for about 2 weeks now, and my workouts are back to their regular intensity. Taking a Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplement has all but cured my elbow tendonitis. From the research I could gather, it's important to take these products when you still have a lot of cartilage to repair. It's pretty ineffective to take it when the damage is too severe or the cartilage is absent. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance in the body with a primary function of stimulating the growth and repair of cartilage tissues.

About The Author

Marc David has a degree in Criminal Justice from Sacramento State, a 16 year history of non-competitive bodybuilding and is the owner of Freedomfly -the fitness network! For free fitness tools, discount supplements, fitness consultation, and workout routines, visit http://www.freedomfly.net

mrcd@freedomfly.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Creatine and Teenagers

Continually in the news people see the questions about creatine and a teenager. Especially in high school sports where in some cases the supplement has been banned. But if you have read the creatine article entitled "Creatine: What is it?" you will certainly know it's not banned because it's an illegal or dangerous supplement.

In fact, the best general article to read when it comes to creatine side effects is The Truth About Creatine Side Effects. You'll certainly understand when you read that creatine article that in general, the side effects of this supplement are minor and usually related to stomach discomfort. This rule applies to "individuals" in general. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Creatine is not a steroid. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance is generally safe for men, women and teenagers.

Before the teenagers (under 18 crowd) start cheering I'm actually going to state the opposite even though in my own non-medical opinion I feel there's no peer research to show any negative side effects.

Creatine and teenagers just don't mix.

Before I get booed off the stage, please bear in mind that in general (men, women, teens) nutrition and training are 97% of the puzzle and supplements are around 3%. With this in mind, taking or not taking creatine as a teenager is literally going to make very little different in the scheme of things. Ask yourself a question if you are under 18 before you roll your eyes.

Can you answer the following questions? (True or False)

*You know how many calories you need a day to reach your goals?

*You know exactly how much protein you need a day?

*You always have a plan when you workout?

*Your workouts are never boring.

*You've never hit a plateau?

*You don't miss a meal?

*You have short, medium and long term goals?

Because 99.99999% of teenagers will answer false to at least one of those questions. Mostly questions 1 and 2.

My point is...

While there's not any scientific research to conclusively prove that creatine and teenager is harmful whatsoever, it's my belief that while you are under 18 and still growing, there's no reason to take any sports supplements unless you can answer true to all of the above questions and are responsible enough to follow directions per the supplement and be mature enough to quit if you experience any creatine side effects that you feel are negative.

There's not a whole lot of good reason to take creatine as a teenager. You'll get far more benefits as an adult when you've had more training experience under your belt and a few more years of solid nutritional fundamentals. The 3% that supplements will make does not outweigh any 'potential' creatine side effects you may experience at such a young age.

And while it's true that science does not prove taking creatine is in any way negative, it's just a common good practice that individuals who are still growing just focus on a solid nutritional diet and not worry about additional ways to gain a small advantage.

Marc David is a bodybuilder and creator of Everything-Creatine : Creatine Monohydrate Informatiton. You can get info on Creatine at: Everything-Creatine.com To get Marc's free e-zine, visit JustAskMarc.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Healthcare in the Home - Innovative Products and More

Home health care has become common nowadays. Whether it is due to the increasing cost of clinical and institutional health care programs or due to the technological advancements improving the capabilities of people taking care of themselves, individuals are taking care of their loved ones in their homes. It should be remembered that taking care of your loved ones by yourself is an enormous responsibility and will be difficult at times. When deciding whether or not to take care of your loved ones in your own home, or theirs, it is essential to thoroughly examine whether you will be giving them a better quality of life. One should be equipped with the proper knowledge and skills required to offer appropriate healthcare depending on the condition of the loved one.

ADLs:

ADLs, also known as aids to daily living, are products available to elderly or disabled individuals which assist in everyday activities. When daily activities become a struggle for a loved one, it becomes necessary to provide them the proper assistance and support in order to sustain a higher quality of life. They will require help with everyday activities such as walking, getting up from their bed or chair, dressing themselves, eating, cleaning or daily personal hygiene, taking medication and such. If an extensive knowledge of available aids to daily living products is acquired, it can help your loved ones to benefit from the appropriate assistance provided to them by these products. ADL's, alongside the utilization of programs offering lectures on home health care can eliminate the need of a professional nurse. It should also be kept in mind that in some cases assistance from certified nurse may be necessary. Aids to Daily Living may eliminate a significant need for a nurse but medication and regular doctor visits should not be overlooked. Equipment:

There is a wide range of equipment that can help in providing a quality level of living to those in need of it. These products increase the efficiency and safety of tasks attempted by those with partial abilities. The most popular room in the house to get a makeover is the bathroom. Bathroom safety products will help your loved ones to access and use bathroom with ease while significantly reducing the possibilities of a fall. Accidents in the bathroom account for a majority of injuries to the elderly. The opportunity to slip and fall is significantly higher than any other room in the house and the room itself typically has many hard edges. Bathroom grab bars should be placed near the toilet, in the shower, around the bathtub and any other location where an individual could lose their footing. Elevated toilet seats or commodes significantly decrease the effort needed to sit down before and stand up after using the toilet. For those who have a very difficult timing entering the bath tub or shower, transfer chairs can be very helpful in doing so. All of these products have come a long way in terms of their modern appearances. Typically these products have looked institutional. However, companies like Moen, Healthcraft, Drive and others have modernized the look of these products and made them easier on the eyes.

Once the bathroom is taken care of, focus should be shifted to the bedroom. Bed rails are available in a wide variety of function and style. They typically attach to the bed but other styles such as the Super Pole attach to the floor and ceiling in which trays and other accessories can be attached. Bedrails not only assist getting in and out of bed, but they also make it easier for individuals to position themselves and roll over. Bedrails offer a sense of security to the user as they know they cannot roll out of bed risking injury. These are just a few fall prevention products that are used on a large scale.

Walking is an essential exercise that provides strength and agility, two vital qualities for a long and healthy life. For this reason, rollators have become extremely popular in lieu of standard walkers. Rollators, also known as rolling walkers, allow those with limited capabilities to move more efficiently than they would with a four legged walker. Rollators may also function as a chair when needed and commonly include a basket allowing the user to transport personal items as needed. If walking is out of the question then the natural move is to a wheelchair. In the past ten years, wheelchairs have become significantly less expensive while at the same time becoming lighter and more maneuverable.

Benefits of Aids to daily living products:

As stated above, ADL's and mobility aids such as rollators and wheelchairs offer extensive aid, but monitoring by a caregiver is still a necessity. By utilizing the safety features of these products, you can very easily help your elderly loved ones enjoy a long and happy life.

Find the largest selection of Durable Medical Equipment available at discount prices at http://www.ocelco.com and the latest in Pill Crushing Technologies at http://www.Pillcrusher.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_Lloyd

Full Body Routines and Split Routines

I'm going to cross the line to argue one of the most debated topics in the history of resistance training; the full body routine vs. the split. Now let's first decide what a "full body" and "split" routine is. A "split" generally means you're splitting your workouts up by muscles, movements, or body parts; for instance, push/pull/legs is a split of movement, upper/lower is a split of body part, and conventional bodybuilding splits that target specific muscles one at a time or even two at a time are considered split of muscle groups. All of these have their place and have their pros and cons but I do have a favorite and I'll get to that later in the article.

Let's start with the "full body routine", a routine that goes by exercises and nothing else. Basically, instead of hitting the muscle with loads of volume in one day you would hit it multiple times over the week increasing the frequency and sometimes decreasing the movement variation. Full body routines can typically be better for beginners since it puts focus on the movements that need focus and less focus on the movements that are not needed. The beginning exercises that are needed for balance and strength for muscles are horizontal pushes and pulls, vertical pushes and pulls, squats, deadlifts, and hamstring work. Full body routines often put emphasis on these while some splits (although not all) put emphasis on other muscle movements.

Most full body routines are in the "workout a/workout b" format; workout 1, workout 2, and workout 3 format and often incorporates squats at the beginning of every workout. Most hit each muscle three times per week and is arguably superior for beginner strength training. They lag, however, due to neglecting certain muscle groups; for instance, if you perform a full body routine that looks like this.

Monday- Workout 1

Squat

Bench

Row

Press

Chins

Abs

Due to the amount of movements, the hormones, nervous system, muscles, and anaerobic metabolism can all be exhausted. Let's not forget muscle stores very little phosphate creatine and ATP, typically about 12-15 seconds worth ATP before the body must begin breaking down it's glucose and creatine to make energy. During a split, the hormones are better because you come in and do maybe 3-4 exercises and you're finished, so cortisol (the catabolic hormone) release is kept at minimum.

Now let's take a look at split training, it's often the most relied on routines for bodybuilders and the most popular style of training for Westside barbell powerlifters that swear by training with the conjugate method, involving upper body and lower body days. People are often stereotypical looking at splits and saying "they are for steroid users", because it just shows they're stereotyping "splits" with "bodybuilding splits" that take each muscle group and work them separately. Here is what a typical bodybuilding routine might look like.

Day 1- Chest

Day 2- Back

Day 3- Shoulders

Day 4- Legs

Day 5- Arms

Now, this type of training isn't for natural bodybuilders. 2 days on, 1 day off or 3 days per week is far more superior than that style training for hormonal reasons. While "overtraining" generally refers to the body "systems" is can refer to the endocrine system responsible for releasing anabolic and catabolic hormones, essential to muscle building. You generally need to give your endocrine system and hormone levels time to recuperate or else you won't receive hormonal help and catabolic hormones will be released predominantly more than anabolic hormones, resulting in the breakdown of muscle tissue even with a good diet plan. Luckily, those are not the only types of splits, we have 3-day splits and upper/lower splits.

Now to me, 3-day splits generally lag in frequency. Muscle is never fully recuperated when you train it again, nor does it need to be. Remodeling of muscle tissue can take several weeks, even with a high protein/high carbohydrate diet. You not recuperate faster than 24 hours hormonally; that doesn't matter to powerlifters and bodybuilders that use anabolics. When you use steroids, your natural testosterone production is cut off and replaced with a synthetic testosterone that is elevated, this new testosterone is more efficient at building muscle, so you never have to worry about catabolic hormones, so you can spend hours in the gym (like most bodybuilders do) and not overtrain your endocrine system. Now, let's not forget that natural athletes should train four days per week at the most in terms of resistance, but here is an example of a good split for a natural lifter.

Day 1- Chest & Biceps; Flat Bench, Incline Bench, Weighted Dips, Curls

Day 3- Back & Triceps; Pullups, Deadlifts, BB Rows, Skull Crushers

Day 5- Legs & Shoulders; Squats, Glute/Ham Raise, Press, BO Lateral Raise

Here is another, yet, this one is a upper/lower split.

Day 1- Upper Body

Day 2- Lower Body (Push Dominant, 3 pushes, 2 pulls)

Day 3- Off/Stretching/Cardio/Grip/Core/etc.

Day 4- Lower Body

Day 5- Upper Body (Pull Dominant, 3 pulls, 2 pushes)

2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 2 days off is generally the most effective style of training I've ever seen. My clients generally start out with linear based programs like beginner specific training and stronglifts 5 x 5 and usually end up gaining about 30 pounds in a matter of months. Once they begin to stall and their lifts get impressive, i.e. 2 plate bench for 10 reps, 3 plate squat for 10 reps, 4 plate deadlift for 10 reps, 20 pullups, etc. and then you begin to stall and upper/lower splits are far superior. It doesn't take long with consistency to use a full body routine based on linear increments of huge compound lifts to get to that point where you're considered intermediate. Provided you started out skinny, with calories, and progressive resistance all that is needed is consistency.

Will "MVP" Riggs Personal Trainer Nutrition Consultant Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_E_Riggs

Top 3 Reasons Why You Suffer From Pain In The Back Of The Knee

Pain behind the knee is something many of us have or might experience if we play sports that involve bending at the knees, running, tennis, or any activity that puts strain on the area.

Here are some things you need to keep in mind if you ever experience such pain behind the knee:

1. Possible Arthritis

This is one of the most common causes of pain in the knee. In fact, if you are over the age of 65 one in two of you have arthritis with the knee been one of the most common joints involved.

The pain of arthritis is usually a dull tooth ache pain that is occasionally sharp with sudden movements. The pain is usually located over your joint line (where the tibia meets the femur) and in the front of the knee. Mild and sometimes severe swelling is associated with this pain. The pain is worse when you exit a chair or car. It is also worse with any prolonged walking or standing. The pain is usually better with rest, heat (sometimes ice), wrapping the knee and pain medication.

Occasionally the knee may catch on the rough uneven surfaces of your cartilage. Patients often complain of grinding in the knee, and occassional popping.

2. Minor Tear of the Cartilage Surface

Rather then a cyst or fluid build-up, the causes of the pain behind the knee might simply be slight micro tears in the cartilage. This can be treated with the same solutions at the end of this article. Tears, if minor, require no surgery and will heal on their own depending on the time allowed for healing and if the activity that aggravates it is avoided.

3. Baker's Cyst The cyst usually occurs due to some other problem in your knee such as arthritis or even a tear of your meniscus. The swelling from this problem causes fluid to build up in your knee. This fluid pushes out the weakest point of your joint capsule surrounding your knee. This is usually to the back portion of your knee capsule, and a cyst forms. The cyst has a valve made out of your joint capsule tissue. This valve can sometimes become clogged and the fluid becomes trapped in the cyst. Thus, even when the injury has resolved, you still have the swelling in the back of your knee. This is associated with pain usually described as dull and aching. The pain is worse with prolonged walking or standing. It is sometimes improved with rest, elevation and taking pain medication.

Many people agree that when it comes to pain behind the knee, the best plan of action is Control, Avoid, and Rehabilitate.

Control:

Cryotheraphy which involves putting ice on the area for 5 minutes at a time. This will help reduce the pain. Do not continue to apply ice if a burning sensation is felt.

Heat from a heating pad for 10-20 minutes on a lower setting may help reduce pain. Alternative methods include creams that create a heating sensation like Icy-Hot or AST BioFreeze gel.

Bracing from a comfortable knee brace can provide some needed relief and stability to the area, reducing the pressure on the area and thus; reducing the pain. There are many knee braces available that can be worn during activity or at any time where the area becomes bothersome.

Avoid:

There's nothing special about this old saying. Simply avoid the activities that aggravate the pain and participate in ones that seem to help it. Making a list of things NOT to do and a list of things TO DO will be helpful in determining what makes the pain worse. Avoid activities that continue to make the pain worse or no better. This is typical advice. Pain is a warning signal.

Rehabilitate:

Talk to a Doctor and make a plan of action to rehabilitate the knee thru controlled motions. Rehabilitation includes motivation to do the prescribed exercises. The correct exercises as prescribed and the proper equipment to keep the motions in controlled.

Pain behind the knee is very common in some many sports that you can suffer from this by doing almost anything from snowboarding to racquetball. By taking precautions in your sports and understanding what might cause this, will allow not only enjoyable sports activities, but a lifetime of activity.

Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc's opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: http://www.freedomfly.net

To subscribe to Marc's free b-weekly e-zine, visit the Freedomfly website here: http://www.freedomfly.net/fitnessnewsletter.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

3 Ways to Avoid Overtraining

Imagine coming home after a long gym workout and actually feeling worse then you started! Everybody knows after working out you are normally tired but it feels good but what happens when you start to feel sick and it's too much?

Maybe you find yourself in this situation:

"The other day when I got home, I got really sick and threw up. Now my body feels very worn out!

Am I overtraining?

I want to take 2 days off from the gym to rest my body...would this help?"

- [name withheld]

Let me make a prediction... you are about to approach overtraining burnout!

If you don't take some time off to let your body rest and recover, you'll end up quitting the gym entirely or actually making backward progress. I'd like to explain the concept of less is more but first, let's take a look at some of the other common signs of overtraining.

What is the Overtraining Syndrome?

Training beyond the body's ability to repair itself. This can be caused by training the same body parts too frequently so that the body does not have time to recover before the next workout; workouts that are consistently harder than the body is able to recover from fully; or impairment of the body's normal recovery ability due to nutritional deficiencies, illness, or stress. Besides impairing athletic performance, overtraining can increase the risk of injury or disease.

Some Signs of Overtraining:

Fatigue Blood sugar imbalances Menstrual or other hormone imbalances Anxiety Slight dizziness Elevated heart rates (especially upon waking) Depression Insomnia

I'd even venture to guess nausea and longer then normal recovery time should be on that list, two of symptoms of overtraining you also described.

Just the other day, I saw a post on a popular bodybuilding message board by another person who wanted to know if working out the same muscle group twice in one day was recommended since they had the time.

Now, before I go on...

I want you to understand that you grow and change outside of the gym. Many people believe that when they are at the gym they are making progress but in fact that's entirely not true.

Training at the gym is a way of stimulating change, you grow and get better when you are outside of the gym! What you do after you shower off and leave the gym will determine your progress in the long run. Doing longer workouts, more reps and sets and devastating your body without letting it recover will actually set you back.

Remember, recovery is an all important step that is often overlooked. And that leads into...

1 - Training frequency.

My recommendation is train 2 days on, 1 day off. Training more then 2 days in a row is very difficult if not impossible for the natural person to recover from. When you simply break up your routine, you are allowing for more recovery time and thus allowing for your body to get stronger and better.

2 - Taking a training break.

A concept I've talked about in previous articles but the theory is, completely stop training every 8-10 weeks for 1 week and just allow your body to recover and your joints to heal. Many people can't do this. They just want to keep on going and going like the Energizer bunny but in fact, taking a break is a good thing and will allow you to come back stronger and better then before. Try it. You'll be surprised.

3 - High Intensity Interval Training (cardio)

Rather then do 45 minutes of low to moderate cardio, how about using your heart rate zones and training in intervals to get more done in less time with cardio? You'll burn more fat and more calories but you won't have to do the routine as long. You'll use intervals to make the workout harder and more fun but in a lot less time.

Many times people will do cardio with weights but they do it before or after and for too long. Here's a few tips.

a) HIIT style cardio

b) Train in heart rate zones and perceived exertion (how you feel at the time you are asked)

c) Do your cardio AFTER your weight training session. Use your quick fuel for the weights and your longer term fuel (fat) for cardio

The secret to getting more from your workouts is training more efficiently and training less.

There's many ways to do more in less time including but not limited to:

- drop sets - super sets - repetition speeds - tempo variations - rest periods - ascending/descending sets

If you do a quick search on the Internet for "Nine Simple Ways to Increase the Intensity of Any Workout" you will find many ways to get more done in less time and avoid the common overtraining symptoms.

Stated a little differently... less is more.

Copyright 2006 Marc David

You will learn the nutrition, training and supplement fundamentals necessary to avoid overtraining in the Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding. http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com You'll get more done in less time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

How Many Calories Do I Need Per Day?

How Do I Calculate Caloric Needs Based On My Goal (gain/loss/maintain)?

Listen, figuring out how many calories a day you need to lose weight, maintain your weight or gain weight really isn't too hard. And with the formula I'm about to give you plus a very cool website, you can easily track where you are and what you need to do daily to reach your goals. So lets' begin!

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, THEN LOSING, MAINTAINING OR GAINING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE!

Step 1:

Take your current body weight in pounds (lbs) and multiply by 11.

Example: 194 lbs x 11 = 2134 calories

This is what I need to just keep what I have, without moving. But remember, you do move. So you have to then calculate your metabolic factors into this... so off to step 2...

Step 2:

Figure out your metabolic factor according to the table below.

But first, some definitions to help you determine where you might fit in:

Slow Metabolism: You basically look at food and you seem to put on pounds. You can gain weight by eating salads but it's difficult to lose the weight.

Moderator Metabolism: You can gain weight if you try. You can lose weight if you try. You really don't have trouble losing weight depending on what you want to do.

Fast Metabolism: You are the skinny guy or gal who can eat *ANYTHING* and it makes no difference. Gaining weight is difficult. Losing weight can happen overnight. Just by watching T.V. you seem to shed pounds.

Metabolic %

Under 30 years old

Slow Metabolism- 30%

Moderate Metabolism- 40%

Fast Metabolism- 50%

30-40 years old

Slow Metabolism- 25%

Moderate Metabolism- 35%

Fast Metabolism- 45%

Over 40 years old

Slow Metabolism- 20%

Moderate Metabolism- 30%

Fast Metabolism- 40%

Example: 2134 calories x 35% = 746.90

I took my calories needed above just to sit here and not move and multipled it by my metabolic factor and I find that I need an additional 746.90 calories because of my specific metabolism.

Step 3:

Put it together.

2134 + 746.90 = 2880.90 calories

I need 2,880.90 calories to maintain my current weight with my current activities.

Note: You can also adjust your metabolic factor if you do something that might take you to the next level. If you are a moderator metabolism person but you do distance running, it might make more sense to put your self in the fast category since you burn a lot more calories.

Step 4:

Now change the above with about 500 calories every day to reach your goals!

Lose Weight: I would take 2880.90 - 500 = 2380.90

Maintain Weight: I would just leave it at 2880.90 and continue what I was doing in my activities

Gain Weight: I would take 2880.90 + 500 = 3380.90

Note: 500 calories a day is just a general term everybody uses to say that adding this amount is within safe limits. Eat too much, and you end up storing fat. Cut too many calories and your body just goes into starvation mode and ends up retaining more fat. 500 is a safe, recommended guideline.

Step 5:

You must track what you are eating so you'll know if you've made your goal for the day. And tracking food does not have to be complicated with weights and scales.

It's a shame that so many people just start training and never figure out what they need to eat daily to reach their goals.

You can keep doing the math over and over as you reach a goal. If you are bulking, your requirements will change as you progress. And when you lose weight they will as well. You might want to lose weight, reach a target weight and then maintain. So you will do this formula again when you have hit the weight you want.

Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. The Beginner's Guide is oriented towards fitness minded men and women who are just starting or have worked out for years without results. To learn more about the Beginner's Guide, visit Beginning-Bodybuilding at: http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

The Advantages of Using the EFX Elliptical Exercise Machine

There are many elliptical exercise machines available in the market today. They vary in terms of price, durability, features, structure and design, and purpose. Many manufacturers boast of the high quality of their products and the efficiency of their equipment. Many products are already quality-tested by the users while others have yet to prove their effectiveness. Precor is one of the companies which have a proven track record of manufacturing fitness equipment of superior quality. One of their most in-demand products is the EFX elliptical exercise machine.

Precor's EFX elliptical exercise machine is one of the most innovative fitness products in the market today. With its high prices, the quality and the superior construction of the machine are what make the EFX elliptical exercise machine in-demand and popular among fitness experts. The Cross Ramp feature which is exclusive for Precor products ensures a full body workout because the adjustable incline of the ramp targets more muscle groups. It also prevents muscle fatigue because you can alternate the muscle groups that you want to tone, giving you a variety of workout routines for your body. This adds to the fun and excitement of aerobic exercise and avoids boredom due to repetitive exercise routines.

The EFX elliptical exercise machine is also incomparable in terms of the smoothness and fluidity of your elliptical motion. This machine makes your body move in a natural way as though you are just walking, jogging or running in the street minus the impact on the heels, ankles and joints. The structure of this machine is especially engineered to minimize the impact on the joints and the stress on the ankles and lower back. Because the EFX elliptical exercise machine is designed to avoid muscle fatigue, it is very effective in burning calories and toning the muscles because you will not get tired easily, thus giving you more time to do your exercise routines.

Finally, the EFX elliptical exercise machine provides both the forward and backward motion giving you a variety of workout procedure aside from the various pre-set programs that allows the involvement of the whole body making your exercise routine varied and effective.

For more information about Efx Elliptical Exercise Machine, feel free to visit us at: http://www.about-elliptical-trainers.com/article-2-Efx-Elliptical-Exercise-Machine.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Arturo_Ronzon

The Quick and Easy Way to Tone Up Your Abs - Part 4

All About Abs - 6 Months of Ab Workouts

Exercises for Variety and Development 24 Weeks of Abs Routines That Won't Be Routine

I'd like to tell you more about abdominals at this point but we've come to the end of the 4 part series and now it's simply time to get onto the workouts.

In short, you've learn about the two key concepts that are required to show off your abs in the first place. You've also discovered why nutrition is the most important part of any ab quest. And you are about to learn the final segment of 6-pack abs by utilizing some of the most important abdominal exercises. Moreover...

You won't be spending countless hours doing the same old boring ab work. This 6 month plan was molded to give you a well rounded routine and keep it interesting and challenging.

Not only will you be able to see your abs, you'll make your entire core stronger and that will translate into a stronger body overall.

So let me ask you...

Why would you ever spend another dime on a program or book when you've got the entire arsenal you need in this series to have professional bodybuilding abdominals? My strong hunch is...

After doing this 6 month program, eating right and lowering your body fat levels, you should be able to send me a personal success story.

Without further noise, let's get to the workouts!

Additional Tips for a Six Pack

Before you begin, it's recommended you understand how each exercise is performed to achieve the maximum results.

Note: * A1 & A2, and following letter pairs reference joined exercises (supersets) One exercise A1 followed immediately without rest by A2.

Note: 4-point tempo explained:

2010 tempo =

2 = negative/eccentric action

0 = pause in stretch position

1 = positive/concentric action

0 = pause in contracted position

* You can substitute a crunch for a double crunch if you want the overall exercise to be more difficult.

* By doing a variety of movements, you are targeting all the areas of the midsection. Using bodyweight is usually preferred over heavy weights that tend to build up and thicken the midsection.

* Rep ranges in this program are suggested. Go for 'perceived' exertion. If you can do more, do more. Judge a set by how you feel not how many reps you do.

* Keep the tension on the abdominals at all times.

The Ripped Abdominal Workout Series

Week 1-2

Exercise: A1 - Decline Reverse Crunch & A2 - Crunches

Sets: 3

Reps: 15

Tempo: 2010

Rest Period: 30 seconds

Exercise B1 - Oblique Crunch

Sets: 2

Reps: 15

Tempo: l & r 2010

Rest Period: 60 seconds

Week 3-4

Exercise: A1 - Alternate Heel Touches

Sets: 3

Reps: 15-20

Tempo: 2010

Rest Period: 30 seconds

Exercise B1 - Ab Wheel

Sets: 3

Reps: 10

Tempo: 3010

Rest Period: 60 seconds

Exercise: C1 - Seated Plate Twists

Sets: 3

Reps: 12

Tempo: 2020

Rest Period: 30 seconds

Exercise D1 - Cable Crunch

Sets: 2

Reps: 15

Tempo: l & r 2110

Rest Period: 60 seconds

Copyright 2006 Marc David

Marc David is an innovative fitness enthusiast and the creator of the "The NoBull Bodybuilding Program" on http://www.NoBullBodybuilding.com. He can show you how to reduce your body fat thru diet, how to gain weight or create more muscle thru an abundance of workout tips by training LESS! Not more. He dispels many "bodybuilding myths", tells you what most people never realize about nutrition, and what the drug companies DON'T WANT YOU to know. Go to: http://www.NoBullBodybuilding.com to find out more about The NoBull Bodybuilding Program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Carbohydrates: So Simple Yet So Complex

The further on your read, you'll begin to understand that everyone needs energy and the best source of energy is from carbohydrates. Roughly 50%-80% of your nutritional intake should come from carbohydrates! (not including any special needs cases if a person was carbohydrate sensitive).

Similar to amino acids, when you link various simple sugars together you get carbohydrates with different properties and effects on the body's blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrates are classified into three categories:

Monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, fructose) are the sugars found in milk and fruits.

Disaccharides (sucrose, lactose) might be found in table sugars and milk sugars. They are a combination of a two simple sugars.

Polysaccharides (complex carbs, starches, fibers) come from whole grains, vegetables, nuts, some fruits and legumes. These are your complex carbs.

When you link different kinds of sugars together, you will get different kinds of products. For example when you combine glucose and fructose you get sucrose (table sugar).

You'll read a lot about essential amino acids and essential fats but what you won't read about in any fitness manuals or hear from any fitness experts is the essential carbohydrate. That's because there is no such thing. There are just different carbohydrates with different properties that affect your energy levels.

Here's a fact for you: Our bodies can only absorb monosaccharides (simple sugars).

[STOP and realize that complex carbs are just a series of 3 or more simple sugars bound together. As mentioned, complex carbs go by the alias, polysaccharides.]

This means if you eat a complex carb, your body will break down that complex carb into simple sugars and ultimately into blood sugar which can be used for many different functions. Depending on the carbohydrate you just ate and other factors, these carbohydrates will have different effects on blood sugar levels. Specifically how fast they rise and fall.

This ability of a carbohydrate to to raise blood sugar fast or slow is called the glycemic index (GI). The GI was created to track various foods effects on blood sugar at different rates.

The GI's importance is related to the body's blood sugar effects on insulin levels. Insulin is the primary hormone responsible for fat storage (along with many other functions). The GI was originally invented with the diabetic in mind because insulin levels can mean the different between life and death in such instances.

If you are still reading, you should at this point understand that complex carbohydrates have a more leveling effect on insulin and longer term energy. Because complex carbs are not continually 'spiking' the insulin levels, you'll send less signals to store fat.

Eating the right carbs will give you longer term energy and help to fight body fat storage!

Your probably wondering if there's a simple example of this so you can skip today's brief science lesson.

The starch in whole grains is an excellent example of a more complex carb compared to the monosaccharides like refined white flours or table sugars. This is why you always read about "staying away from refined and processed foods" as much as possible.

Now keep in mind that complex carbs require a prolonged digestion time (enzymatic process) and thus provide a slow, even and ideal flow of energy. This avoids any fluctuations in glucose (blood sugar) levels which can affect energy. Complex carbohydrates contain more nutrients and fiber.

Here's a better overview of where you can find various carbohydrates in foods:

Complex carbohydrates, often referred to as "starchy" foods, include:

* breads

* cereals

* starchy vegetables

* legumes

* rice

* pastas

* some protein drinks

Simple carbohydrates that contain vitamins and minerals occur naturally in:

* fruits

* milk and milk products

* vegetables

Simple carbohydrates are also found in processed and refined sugars such as:

* candy

* table sugar

* syrups (not including natural syrups such as maple)

* regular carbonated beverages

* refined flours

* some processed foods

Bottom line: You want to get most of your carbohydrate energy from complex sources so that you have a long term energy flow. After a workout, it's ideal to take in simple sugars to quickly replace glycogen stores.

Copyright 2006 Marc David

Everything you need to know about complex carbs and when to take simple carbs for optimal workout recovery is in the Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Protracted Shoulders - Solutions and Causes

Last week we discussed the importance of horizontal and vertical pulling in relation to horizontal and vertical pressing. Protracted shoulders can be a nasty condition; what makes it even worse is 70% of the people that have it aren't even aware that they have it nor of the condition itself! And people wonder why rotator cuff injuries are the most frequent injury in the fitness center.

First off, lets again analyze the posture and its cause. Protracted shoulders comes from overactive pushing muscles and underdeveloped pulling muscles; it is a condition of the internal rotators overpowering the external rotators. The internal rotators of the shoulders are the lats, pectorals and anterior deltoids. The external rotators are the trapeziums, rhomboids, posterior deltoids, infraspinatus and teres minor.

The main cause of the condition in terms of movement specificity is performing bench presses and overhead presses without working their opposites: the row and pullup. Bench presses and overhead presses, however, are not the only cause of the condition. In fact, there are some people that do not even lift weights with protracted shoulders!

Driving and office seated jobs (those including secretaries, bus drivers and general computer works all the way to a regular school student) are prone to and often do suffer from the condition. When their internal rotators tighten up and their external rotators get long and weak from sitting and slouching forward for the majority of the day, the result is your body and posture naturally leaning the way.

The solution to this condition is to stretch the shoulders internal rotators (pecs, lats, anterior deltoids) and strengthen external rotators (rhomboids, lower traps, infraspinatus, teres minor). The question you're probably wondering is - HOW! The answer? Horizontal pulling. Barbell rowing has an important aspect that most other pulling movements do not compromise of - and that is scapula retraction. You must contract the scapula to perform a proper bench over barbell row.

Now, lets give an activity to you to see if you have this condition. Go to the nearest room and grab a pencil. Hold that pencil and ball your first up with the tip of the pencil facing forwards. If the pencil tip faces inward (towards you) then your humerus is internally rotated and the result is protracted shoulders. If the pencil tip faces directly forwards, then you have health shoulders.

The shoulder consists of the deltoids muscles: anterior deltoids (front of the shoulder), lateral deltoids (side of the muscle), and posterior deltoids (rear of the shoulder). All deltoids need to be strengthened in order to overcome the condition. We should, as weightlifters, work every aspect of the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscles consist of SITS: Supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.

Overhead pressing focus on development of the protractors of the shoulder more specifically then the retractors, on top of that you're already bench pressing. Overhead pressing gives slight work to the rotator cuff by is by no means a solution to protracted shoulders. It works different parts of the shoulders differently and if protracted does not allow specific muscles to fully contract.

During the concentric phase of your bent over barbell row, make sure your body is parallel to the floor. Once you make sure of this: keep your elbows flared out and pull the external resistance towards you and pause at the top focusing on the retraction phase of the scapula. Before each workout, incorporate cuban rotations and the poor mans shoulder horn to focus on development of the rotator cuff. You should also include scapular depressions (reverse shrugs) three times per week (after each workout) and eventually begin adding weight to those.

Pullups are often believed to be "all you need" for back development and this is a false statement. Pullups specifically target the lats and do not target the inner back muscles and external rotators: posterior deltoids, rhomboids, trapeziums as specifically a barbell rows do. Pullups also predominantly focus on development of the lats which are part of the internal rotators and not the external rotators.

Solutions: incorporate rotator cuff work pre-workout before each session, incorporate doorway stretches to stretch the internal shoulder rotators, incorporate horizontal pulling to a 2:1 ratio of horizontal pushes and vertical pulling with a 1:1 ratio of vertical pushing. Incorporate scapular depressions if you have access to a dip station and if necessary, incorporate face pulls and bent over lateral raises.

Will "MVP" Riggs Personal Trainer/Nutrition Consultant/PA Student Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Will_E_Riggs

How Long Will It Take To Lose Weight?

Imagine how nice it would be to know how long it might take to be "swimsuit" ready. You'd know when to start getting cut for the summer and roughly how long it might take.

How many people ask...

How long will it take me to lose weight?

By using some information in your body composition, it's easy to tell how long does it take to lose weight.

Just a few steps can take you from a body fat percentage to the number of weeks it's going to take you to reach your goals.

You might know how to burn the fat, but do you know how long will it take me to lose weight? Let's find out right now.

Keep in mind that your body is made up of lean body mass and fat. If you know you are 40% body fat, the conclusion would be the other 60% is lean body mass (muscle and bone).

If you know the correct description of weight loss then you'll know it's the reduction of body fat while maintaining or gaining muscle mass.

Let's use a short term and realistic goal of a 5% reduction in body fat for these examples. A few simple calculations and we can translate this goal into pounds and how long it's going to take to achieve your goal.

Calculate How Much Does Your Fat Weigh:

(Example Client is male, 220 pounds, 40% body fat)

Step 1: Determine the Fat Weight

Body Weight x Body Fat Percentage (220 x 40% = 88)

In our example, this person is carrying 88 pounds of fat.

Step 2: Determine the Lean Body Mass

Body Weight - Fat Weight (220 - 88 = 132)

132 pounds are from lean body mass in our example.

Now here comes the fun part finding your ideal weight with that 5% reduction in overall body fat.

Calculate Your Goal Weight:

Step 1: Your Goal Weight

Lean Body Mass / (1.00 minus Body Fat Percentage Goal)

In our example, the person carries 132 pounds of lean body mass. The body fat percentage goal is 35% (5% body fat reduction).

132 / (1.00 - .35) = 132 / .65 = 203 pounds

Do you see it? 203 pounds is the goal weight for a person who's 220 pounds at 40% body fat that wants to reduce their body fat by 5%.

Calculate How Long It Will Take to Burn the Fat:

Step 1: Current Weight - Goal Weight

That means 220 pounds - 203 pounds = 17 pounds body fat reduction.

Based on the accepted standard of one pound per week, this person is looking at about 17 weeks to go from 220 pounds at 40% body fat to 203 pounds at 35% body fat while maintaining their 132 pounds of lean body mass.

Remember, you want to burn the fat, but keep the muscle.

And now you know, it's going to take 17 weeks to see the expected results. 5% is a short term, safe goal and at one pound a week, you'll have a very high rate of muscle retention.

Not only do you know how to burn the fat thru nutrition and exercise, but unlike most people, you can find out how long it will take to see the results you want.

Why Thousands of Bodybuilder, (Sick And Tired of Hype, Info Overload, And Confusion), Swear By My '19 Secrets To Build 5 Lbs Of Muscle In 28 Days Or Less' eBook..." For your complimentary copy, visit http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_David

Innovative Solutions for Enhancing the Effects of Leukemia Treatments

The treatment of leukemia involves various cancer therapies and long-term courses of specific medications. There are many forms of treatment for leukemia and most of them have pronounced side-effects. Although the medical treatments available today are effective in achieving complete remission, they also trigger serious undesirable effects among patients with leukemia. Considering this fact, medical scientists nowadays focus on improving the efficiency of cancer medications with minimal side-effects.

The improved version of the leukemia drug ATRA (all-trans retinoic acid) is considered to be a safer and a more reliable alternative to prolonged chemotherapy and traditional cancer medications. The enhanced version of the drug ATRA is Lipo-ATRA, a more advanced and effective cancer medication. Unlike the old version of the drug, the active agent of Lipo-ATRA is covered with a layer a fat. Its inventors claim that Lipo-ATRA remains inside the human body for longer periods of time, thus having increased efficiency in fighting leukemia cells. In addition, Lipo-ATRA can be administered intravenously, allowing the drug to act a lot quicker in fighting the disease. Thanks to its long-term action, Lipo-ATRA can also minimize the risks of relapse.

During the trial period, Lipo-ATRA has proved to be very effective in overcoming acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Patients with AML that have been administered the enhanced version of ATRA have experienced a complete remission and they have remained asymptomatic for long periods of time. The majority of patients with AML have even exceeded the critical five-year period of remission, thus being completely cured.

Medical scientists are very satisfied with the potential and the safety of the new drug. They sustain that Lipo-ATRA is a reliable replacement for traditional chemotherapy. Medical scientists explain that more than a third of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia who receive Lipo-ATRA can be spared of prolonged chemotherapy. Considering the fact that the new drug acts very well on its own, patients often don't require other adjutant cancer therapies or treatments.

In the trial period, the new drug Lipo-ATRA was tested on 34 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In the initial stages of treatment, Lipo-ATRA was administered along with idarubicin, a strong cancer medication. When patients began to achieve remission, Lipo-ATRA was administered without idarubicin. The effects of Lipo-ATRA were remarkable, as 10 patients among the 34 that participated to the study remained in remission for more than 5 years even after they stopped receiving adjutant chemotherapy drugs.

Thanks to its efficiency in curing leukemia and thanks to its fewer side-effects, Lipo-ATRA is considered to be the best option in overcoming the disease in present. An appropriate substitute for traditional chemotherapy, Lipo-ATRA may soon revolutionize the treatment of leukemia.

You can find great pieces of inforation on different leukemia subjects like childhood leukemia, acute leukemia and many more visit http://www.leukemia-guide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Groshan_Fabiola

Balancing Muscle and Cardio Fitness For Total Gains

There is much to say about balance. When everything is balanced, there is leverage, things are even. With such a state of equilibrium, you can expect a better footing which most likely results to stability and optimal benefits. Balance is advisably applied to health and fitness and life in general. Take the case of an exercise regimen. Many people are under the notion that a certain or specific kind of exercise would be most suited for them. Aerobic exercise had been a popular exercise scheme in the past. People were under the notion that aerobic physical activity alone will deliver the best fitness results.

But as more advancements in the health and fitness arena took place, innovative fitness schemes emerged, one of which is combining exercises. As certain exercises are combined, the key to making them efficient is through balance. When aiming on fitness, it is not enough that you lose weight. You have to ensure that your muscles are toned as well. You ought to develop muscle mass not only to have an appealing physique, but more so, to boost your metabolism. And boosted metabolism is the most crucial factor in weight loss. Then again, when fitness is considered, health should also be taken into account.

In muscle building, you grow muscle mass, you look better. But more than looking better, you should be healthy, too. You have to make sure that your body processes such as blood circulation and respiration are functioning at their best. This is termed as cardiovascular health, or cardio fitness. Building muscle mass is aimed on gaining fit and well-conditioned muscles. You have to consider that your heart is a muscle as well. In the same as the other muscles in your body, you have to keep your heart working well by working it out. Cardio exercises are effective in this regard.

So other than your body building program, you ought to take time for aerobic exercise. You can do so by engaging in certain cardio fitness workouts such as jogging or brisk walking. Gym exercises can also fare well in this endeavor especially with the availability of commercial gym equipments. Other than giving you leisure and relaxation, playing your favorite sport will also benefit your cardiovascular health and fitness. Cardio fitness workouts primarily effect the heart and lungs. When performing such workouts your heart rate increases, and circulation in your system improves. Oxygen flow throughout your body is also enhanced. Bodybuilders should consider incorporating cardio fitness activities in their bodybuilding plan.

In a bodybuilding plan, an athlete is usually advised to eat a diet rich in proteins. When having a protein-rich diet, chances are that fat will develop in the body. Muscle building exercises are designed to burn these fats, but what about cholesterol? Cholesterol in itself presents too many health detriments, and they have to be done away with. Cardio fitness workouts will be effective in this aspect. But remember the rule of balance in the program. Too much aerobic activity can reverse the effect of your bodybuilding workout- it can reduce muscle mass. So it is should be the proportionate amount of bodybuilding and cardio workouts to gain total health and fitness.

In your weight training program, you can incorporate activities such as jumping rope, fitness walking or jogging, riding a bike and even playing basketball with your friends. Again, do your balancing with working hard and leisure even as you strive towards being healthy and looking good.

The author of this article Rose Windale is a Health and Wellness Coach who has been successful with several natural health programs for many years. Rose decided to share her knowledge and tips through her website http://www.healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free newsletter and enjoy a healthy and happy life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rose_Windale