Popular Aerobics Machines

When it comes to aerobics, you might find that you get a better workout on a machine rather than actually running or jumping rope. Remember that like every part of a healthy workout routine, aerobics are exercises that have to be tailored to your body and what is best for your health. You have to work together with your doctor and your personal trainer if you have one to develop a system for working out that works for you, and to make sure that whatever you are doing it is the best for your body and your mind as well.

Machines have become very popular when it comes to working out because sometimes they are easier to use and easier to get used to. You don't have to worry about running outside when it is cold out or finding a way to get your workout when you don't' have time if you have a machine in your home that you can use. The point of aerobic workout is that you are getting your heart rate up and you are getting into shape. You can do this on a machine as well as running or jumping rope.

There are several different machines that you might want to try. The two easiest and most popular would be tread mills and bikes. On both of these, you can find that you can get a great work out. The point of an aerobic work out is to get your heart rate going, so if you are riding a bike or walking or running on a treadmill, you are going to be having your aerobic exercise.

The reason that these two machines are so popular is that they are handy. Riding an exercise bike can be something that you do in your living room no matter what time of day or temperature it is when you finally get around to working. Treadmills are the same too, you can get all of the exercise that you need while you are at home.

Having machines to use for your aerobic exercise is something that you should be able to do quite easily no matter where you decide to work out. As long as you are sure that you are still getting the same amount of exercise, you'll be able to see the benefits of working on an exercise machine right away. It can be the best way that you have to get your work out completed and to get healthier!

Weight Loss Pills' Effects...The UGLY Side You MUST Know

Weight loss pills and drugs...anywhere you look, they're all around you.

Whether it's on the internet, radio, TV, or newspaper, you'll see advertisements about these fat burning drugs...netting millions and millions of clients wanting to trim down those beer bellies in record time.

And if you're also desperate to lose weight quickly, it would seem that this is the MOST logical and practical option to finally flaunt your body at the beach or mall without sweating it at the gym or hassle of resisting the temptation of buying that double-patty burger meal...or so it seems.

An unbiased and critical look at these weight loss pills' effects and bad side will make you think twice about picking up that phone and ordering them.

Not convinced?

The following facts will!

Weight Loss Pills' Effects Fact 1 A good portion of these fat loss drugs act as metabolic boosters.

So what does that mean?

That means your body's chemical processes are reved up. And what's the risk? One that stands out the most (and scares the most) is the fact that the way your heart works is adversely affected by these pills, and heart valve disease is just one of the illnesses that might plaque you if you're not so lucky with these "magic" weight loss pills.

Weight Loss Pills' Effects Fact 2 Some weight loss drugs are beefed up with Caffeine and Ephedrine Hydrochloride.

And they do make you lose weight...at the risk of having physical and psychological addiction to these drugs, headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. And in my book, that's not a very good bargain!

How do I know if I am overweight?

Do I need to Lose Weight? Q: I weigh 45 kilos, Do I need to lose weight?

A: I cannot answer that for you. But I can tell you some ways to find out.

Overweight means your weight is higher than what might be considered normal weight for your height. If you believe that you may have put on a few extra pounds, you will need to assess how your weight impacts your risk of developing serious weight-related diseases and health conditions. The three main ways that weight is measured are: percent body fat (PBF), waist-to-hip ratio,and BMI (body mass index).

PBF is measured quite painlessly by a test known as 'caliper measurement'. The test measures under the skin fat with a skinfold caliper. The practioner will take hold of a fold of skin and simply pull it away from the muscle.This is normally done at the waist, hips and thigh areas. A formula is then used to calculate what the estimated body fat is. It should be noted that there are a few reasons why PBF measurement may not be considered the ideal method to use. Age,the skill of the person taking the measurments and the more overweight you are the less accurate the results are likely to be.

Waist to Hip measurement.

Take a tape measure and measure your waist at it's narrowest point and then measure your hips at their widest point.Then simply divide the measurement for your waist by the measurement from your hips and there you have your waist-to-hip ratio. Women with higher ratios than 0.85 are deemed to have a higher cardiovascular risk. As the ratio increases so does the risk factor. The same situation applies to men if their ratio exceeds 0.90.

BMI ( body mass index) To calculate your body mass index do the following: divide your weight (in pounds) by your height (in inches) squared, then multiply the result by 705. For example:your height is 5'5" = 65" 65" squared = 4,225 (65"x 65") weight:120lbs. 120 divide by 4,225 = 0.0284 0.0284 x 705 = 20.02( rounded down to 20 ) BMI is 20

How does this translate to your wellbeing?

Well assuming that you are over 20 years of age:

BMI of less that 18.5 = considered underweight. BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 = considered normal BMI of 25 to 29.9 = considered overweight Falling into the range of 25 to 34.9 means that you could experience some health concerns. Especially men whose waist size exceeds 40 inches or 35 inches for women. To put it bluntly if your BMI exceeds 30 a person is considered obese and should a person's BMI exceed 40 they are considered morbidly obese.

How to Lose Belly Weight - 3 Mistakes You Must Avoid

nowing how to burn belly fat is the critical first step. For many people fat on the stomach area is one of the most stubborn areas to get rid of it from. There are many myths surrounding how to lose that belly fat, and as a result there are common mistakes that people make. Here are a few of them so that you can avoid them.

1. It is widely believed that it you want to lose the belly fat and tone your stomach then doing hundreds of ab crunches will work. This in fact is a myth; no extra amount of these crunches will help you to effectively lose that belly fat. When you exercise your body decides where the fat is burned from and if you have a flabby belly, the fat needs to be burned from the top first. Abdominal crunches will not be effective in this process.

2. Cardiovascular workouts are an important part of burning fat as they increase the heart rate and burn off the fat deposits quickly. Many people make the mistake of doing long cardio workouts though, which is pointless and can become quite boring very quickly. You can intersperse cardio work with other types of exercise that are more efficient at fat burning.

One of these is strength training. This exercise includes methods like weight lifting, lifting dumbbells, resistance bands or bodyweight exercises. These types of exercise are really good at helping to lose belly fat as they help to build lean muscles which burns the fat. It is recommended that you do these types of exercises three times a week. They are great at increasing you Basal Metabolic Rate and this is an essential factor in burning off more calories.

3. It is widely known that changing your diet helps immensely to lose excess fat. Changing your diet from unhealthy to healthy foods is a huge part as well as exercising in the battle against the bulge. Many people switch to foods that have labels such as "sugar-free", "low-carb" or "low-fat". It is assumed that as they state that they are low that they must be better for you.

It is in fact best to be wary of these labels- they are not always what they seem. Low- fat on the label does not automatically mean that the food is lower in calories. It is common for foods with these labels to have more sugar as a replacement for the fat that has been removed. Low-carb foods are low in glucose which is necessary for the brain to function properly, and sugar-free foods are generally higher in carbs and fat instead of the sugar!

It remains that the best way to lose belly fat is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and do regular mixed exercise of the different types. Now you are able to separate the truth from the myths about how to burn your belly fat, you are ready to begin your lifestyle changes to a fitter and less flabby body.

Best Diet and Exercise Tips

To find the time to lose weight, you need these best diet and exercise tips. No time to figure out and follow a weight control diet? Not enough hours in the day to get any exercise in? You are not alone.

Let's start at the end of the day, both figuratively and literally.

At the end of the day, what do you want for your body, your mind and your lifestyle? What is the most important stuff for you?

If it is working yourself ragged all day and half the night at your business or career, then you have to step back from the coalface for a bit and look at where you are heading. If you fill your hours with doing work, planning for work, stressing about work, you are not going to be as productive, creative or organised as if you undertake to have a more balanced life.

You may know the story of the woodcutter hard at work in the forest, cutting down mighty big trees day in day out. His saw has become blunt because he doesn't maintain it; he only sees the huge numbers of trees in front of him that have to be cut down. If he stopped regularly and sharpened the saw, he would get the trees cut down faster and more efficiently. But (you knew this was coming) he can't see the forest for the trees.

If work is the focus of your life, you have to make sure you work to maximum efficiency. You have to stop and sharpen your saw. Take time out to plan, prepare and eat meals that will fuel your body for peak performance. Take a break and get some daily aerobic exercise that gets you out of your work head space.

By eating properly and exercising regularly, you are going to be more clear headed, creative and organised and you will actually get more done at your workplace in a shorter period of time because you are coming to work fresh, rested and recharged. Often, when you take yourself out of the work environment, you come up with your top ideas and strategies seemingly from nowhere.

Finding the time to lose weight happens at the end of the day in the literal sense as well.

The end of the day is when you can plan your time. 15 to 20 minutes before bed is the optimum time to prepare breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks for the next day as well as your exercise program. Get your walking shoes and outfit out ready to throw on first thing or to pack into the car for your lunchtime stride around the block.

At first you may find this tiring, but that is because you are about to break an entrenched habit. After a couple of weeks of good nutrition, you will have plenty of energy and enthusiasm to prepare for your day the night before. Give it this time. It will work for you.

At the start of the day, you reap the benefits of the few minutes spent in evening preparation. You are not dashing around looking for something, anything to put in your mouth. You are not giving up on your exercise for the day because you can't locate your socks and time is a wasting.

You are prepared, rested and ready for action. The time is there. Use it or lose it.

A Little Motivation

No essay today. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. The next time you reach for that cookie, or decide not to exercise today, go over to google and just search "diet before and after." I know that's all the motivation I need to stick with my diet/exercise plan. Good luck out there.

BMI Calculators

The media constantly barrages us about new diseases and alarming medical findings. Reporters, physicians and scientists alike bring us disturbing results of the latest research almost daily, and confront us with health issues we may never even have thought of. If it was not for them, we would probably ignore definite and important warning signs and not worry so much about our physique, what we eat, and how much we exercise.

A healthy weight assessment is recommended by anyone who works for, or is interested in, fitness and the well-being of mankind. That means keeping track of how much people weigh, and what it does to their bodies. From all the news coverage health issues receive, we learn that more and more people are struggling not only with what they eat, but also how much. The result is a steady increase of the population's 'Body Mass Index', and sadly to say, this has a negative impact on all aspects of society, including health care. Indeed, the heavier, overweight or obese people become, the more chances arise they get sick.

Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a precise measurement. It is a ratio of a person's mass in kilograms to the square of their height in metres. BMI = weight in kg/ (height in metre)2. The desirable, normal range is 20-25. Above 25 is considered overweight, above 30 is labeled as obesity, and over 40, is found to be morbidly obese. BMI scores below the lower end of the acceptable range indicate malnutrition.

BMI is mentioned in many diets and fitness plans. Understanding the concept is one thing, being able to measure one's body mass, is another. Fortunately there are several convenient tools available to help you figure out what your BMI is. Calculators and counters can be purchased as handy, handheld, portable devices. They can be purchased online, or at specific locations where they sell exercise equipment or diet supplies, or you can take advantage of easy-to-use online programs, which were explicitly designed to determine a person's Body Mass Index.

Pocket size, portable BMI calculators devices are easy to use, and usually come with multiple built-in features. Follow the instructions, enter the required information, and the gadget will display your results on a practical screen.

All you need to enter when using an online BMI calculator program is your height and weight. With the click of a mouse you will instantly get your results. Monitoring your BMI regularly is important. It will help you keep your levels in a normal range, which will reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

BMI weight loss calculators are most reliable for people between the ages of 18 and 70, except for those who are pregnant, women who are breastfeeding, body builders, competitive athletes, and individuals with chronic illnesses. In case you do not have access to a computer, or a BMI calculating device, health clubs and fitness centers usually are equipped with BMI calculators, and will gladly measure the Body Mass Index of their members.