Pyure Fitness

Best diet to lose weight

2009-06-27T12:07:00.000-07:00

The term diet has become synonymous with starving oneself or a regimen that is incongruent with general pleasures of life. The dictionary meaning of the term 'diet': food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health: Milk is a wholesome article of diet.

Throw away the rice cakes, canned shakes or any other stuff that tastes like cardboard and chalk masquerading as food. There isn't any quick fix to lose weight; it requires you to be attentive to your eating habits. Fad Diets don’t work, you may experience some changes but the results are short lived. What you should follow is an abstemious diet.

Severe caloric restrictions can signal your body into a 'starvation mode', it's when the body starts storing the calories you eat and slows down the metabolism in order to survive.

Getting all your nutrition from meal replacement drinks could be deleterious in the long run. Liquid diets by themselves cannot provide the body with all the necessary nutrition; occasionally supplementing your meals with a shake is not going to hurt.

Another common practice is very low or no carb diets; carbohydrates provide a quick release fuel and energy that is essential, without which you become languid. So watch your carbs but don’t eliminate them from your diet.

Joan Pleuss, R.D., C.D.E., M.S., C.D., Senior Research Dietitian in the General Clinical Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin shares a few myth busters and truism:
· Don’t eat between meals - False
· Don’t eat before bedtime - False
· Breakfast should never be skipped - True
· It’s better to graze than to eat three square meals -True
· There are some foods that should be eaten everyday - True
· Skipping meals will help you lose weight -False

I eat six meals a day and you guessed it exercise regularly; it’s a way of life for me. I am what you may call a 'morning person’ so I prefer to work out in the morning before I go to work.

1. Meal One: Prior to my work out. Six egg whites cooked any way you like and an apple or banana.
2. Meal Two: Oatmeal and a Protein Shake with water
3. Meal Three: (Lunch) Chicken breast, rice or beans (Black beans, pinto beans, green lentils) and vegetable
4. Meal Four: (around 4pm) Four ounces Roast turkey and a fruit (I buy roast turkey from the deli sliced and individually portioned so I can take a bag with me to work)
5. Meal Five: (Dinner) Fish or chicken, baked yam, potato or rice (brown or white) salad and vegetable. For dessert I love watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, oranges or couple of pieces of dried fruit e.g., apricots or dates.
6. Meal Six: Protein Shake with non fat milk. ( I prefer Max Muscle protein powder as it is low in sodium and economical)

I vary the calories depending on the training intensity.
I must confess I have a penchant for anything chocolate , that’s one of my foibles.

A couple of resources that may help you get started:

RealAge.com offers a calorie calculator; use it as a general guide.

TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss education and support organization, was founded more than 60 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis. To find a local chapter, view http://www.tops.org/ or call (800) 932-8677 for more information.

You should actually eat to lose weight instead of starving yourself by extreme dieting, seems paradoxical, it’s only a paradox until you experience the difference.

What’s The Best Protein Bar?

2009-06-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

What’s The Best Protein Bar?
Protein bars are a nutritious, convenient way to get the protein and nutrients you need when you don’t have time to make a shake or when you just want something you can sink your teeth into.

Choosing The Best Protein Bar
The best bar for you depends on your fitness goals:

Gain Weight and Build Muscle -High Protein Bar.
More Energy and Endurance - Energy Bars.
Lose or Maintain Weight - Diet Bars.
Want a Delicious Snack - Best Tasting Protein Bars

High Protein Bars
Perfect for the bodybuilder who wants to gain weight and build muscle, these High Protein Bars are high in quality protein and calories
MuscleTech Meso Tech Complete Bars contain 25 grams of musclebuilding protein, making them perfect for a high-protein diet. These mouthwatering, soft cookie bars have a rich flavor without the extra sugar found in many other meal-replacement bars.
Nitro Tech Bars are also high protein but have a lower carb and sugar content. These bars are great for anyone who is following a high-protein/carb-controlled eating plan and looking to build muscle and gain strength. Nitro Tech bars have a built-in protein delivery system designed to support gains in mass and strength.

Energy Bars
If you’re an athlete looking for a bar to give you sustained energy, these popular Energy Bars are perfect whenever you need energy and endurance.
Clif Bars give you a steady increase in blood sugar levels followed by a gradual decline for sustained energy. Made with healthy organic ingredients, Clif Bars deliver the boost you need without the crash and burn from artificial sugary snacks.
Everyone knows Balance Bars are the famous "40-30-30" nutrition bars: 40% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% of calories from protein, and 30% of calories from dietary fat, the best combination for lasting energy and hunger satisfaction. With 14 grams of high quality protein and 100% Daily Value for vitamins C and E, Balance Bars are the compact bars that pack an energy punch!

Diet Bars
Forget about low calorie bars that taste like cardboard. These best selling Diet Bars have great taste for your cravings and plenty of protein to satisfy your hunger.
With 15 grams of protein and an excellent source of 22 vitamins and minerals, Myoplex Lite Bars are perfect for when you want a crispy delicious snack under 200 calories. Use Myoplex Lite Bars right after a workout or as a mid day snack.
Myoplex Carb Sense Bars are packed with protein, yet have ultra low carbs. Available in amazing flavors like Cookies and Cream and Creamy Peanut Butter, Myoplex Carb Sense bars have up to 30 grams of protein. They’re ideal for low carb diets.

Best Tasting Protein Bars
When you want something sweet but you don’t want empty calories, try the Best Tasting Protein Bars on the market. Packed with protein and nutrients, these bars are pure indulgence!
Instead of heading for an ultra-sugary bar with no nutritional value, take a detour! Detour Bars taste just like candy bars and now come in 4 scrumptious flavors. Detour Bars are made with Designer Protein, the premium whey protein that’s an American Favorite.
Black Forest Cake. Cookies and Cream. These are just a couple of the mouth-watering flavors available in Pro Max Bars, the protein bar that tastes like your favorite dessert. ProMax Bars are not just great tasting, they’re loaded with protein and carbs for energy so they’re perfect right after your workout or as a satisfying snack.

My Favorite Bar:

The Clif Builders
Its great tasting has 20 gm of protien and 30 gm of carbs and no trans fats.

No Butts about it

2009-06-01T08:43:00.001-07:00

Having a toned tush makes everything fit better, from your favorite jeans to the swimsuit, you'll be rocking this summer. So what's the best way to get a firm, fit, downright amazing derriere?
Here is an exercise that does not require any weights, which activates your butt muscles nearly 40 percent more efficiently than traditional butt moves like lunges.

Balance on right side with legs stacked, right hand supporting head, left hand resting on floor in front of chest. Squeezing butt, raise left leg 2 feet, foot flexed. Flex bottom foot; lift bottom leg to meet top leg; pause; lower one leg at a time for one rep. Do 12 reps; switch sides; repeat. To make it easier, lift and lower only top leg. To make it harder, hold a 5- to 8-pound weight on top thigh.

Try this sequence one to three times a week after your usual cardio plan. Quickly do one set of the indicated reps of each move; rest 60 seconds. Repeat up to two more times.

MOVE 1: 20 Step-Ups

MOVE 2: 20 Dumbbell Lunges

MOVE 3: 20 Dumbbell Squats

MOVE 4: 12 Dumbbell Squat with Calf Raise

If you have knee problems or any lower-body injury, try step-ups, which tone glutes 59 percent more than squats, according to a study by the American Council on Exercise in San Diego.

Step –Up
Preparation
Stand facing the side of a bench. Hold dumbbells in your hands.
Execution
Place foot of first leg on bench. Stand on bench by extending the hip and knee of the first leg and place the foot of second leg on bench. Step down with second leg by flexing the hip and knee of first leg. Return to original standing position by placing foot of first leg to floor. Repeat first step with opposite leg alternating first steps between legs.
Comments
Keep torso upright during exercise. Lead knee should point same direction as foot throughout movement. Stepping a distance from the bench emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; stepping close to the bench emphasizes Quadriceps.

Dumbbell Lunge
Preparation
Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides.
Execution
Lunge forward with first leg, land on heel then forefoot. Lower body by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by forcibly extending the hip and knee of the forward leg. Repeat by alternating lunge with opposite leg.
Comments
Keep torso upright during lunge; flexible hip flexors are important. Lead knee should point same direction as foot throughout lunge. A long lunge emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; a short lunge emphasizes Quadriceps.

Dumbbell Squat
Preparation
Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides.
Execution
Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
Comments
Keep head forward, back straight, chest high, arms straight to sides, and feet flat on the floor; equal distribution of weight through forefoot and heel. Knees should point same direction as feet throughout movement.

Squat with Calf Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand in front of shoulders, palms facing each other. Squat until thighs are parallel to floor or as far as you can . Stand and rise onto toes. Lower heels to floor to complete rep. Do 12 reps.

Here's to a firm Hiney!!!

Cardio for Bad Knees

2009-05-28T10:11:00.001-07:00

A tough dilemma you have knee problems how do you lose weight or just stay fit.
A lot of us face the issue of exercising with bad knees so I know it's not fun. Fortunately there are a lot of great cardio activities you can do that are safe for your knees and great calorie burners. Such as:
Swimming: Swimming is a great low impact activity and you can put a buoy between your legs to make sure you use them to kick. Omit the push-off on the wall to protect your knees.

Upper Body Ergo-meter: It's a piece of equipment that some gyms have that looks kind of like pedals for your hands. Try doing 30 minutes alternating pedaling forward and backward every few minutes.

Kranking: Kranking is basically a high energy upper body ergo meter group class that is popping up nationwide. Look for it in gyms near you.

Kayaking: If you're near a place where it's warm enough to do it, kayaking is a great upper body workout that is easy on the lower body. Even those without bad knees, can get a great workout from kayaking.

Rowing Machine: This is a great option for building up lower body strength (or a good stepping stone to high impact activities). Almost every gym has a rowing machine and they're usually open, so try it out.

Stationary Bike: Stationary bikes are very low impact and many people with knee problems love to get their cardio this way — I'd stick with the recumbent bike as it puts the least amount of stress on your legs.

Elliptical: The elliptical is a relatively low impact form of cardio (compared to running and step) that a lot of people with bad knees enjoy.

So don’t feel bad you have choices, so no excuse for slacking off.

Heart Rate Monitors a Must

2009-05-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

If you are working on weight loss, general fitness or you are an advanced athlete a heart rate monitor can be a very effective tool.
It helps you monitor your intensity and make sure you’re working in your target heart rate zone. Many monitors not only provide a continuous heart rate reading but also tell you if you're working in your zone and how many calories you're burning.

With the variety of HRMs out there, it's hard to know how to choose the right one for you. Before you spend your money, check out the factors you want to consider when buying a heart rate monitor.

The type of HRM you buy will often depend on your fitness level, needs and goals:

For Weight Loss: Try a HRM that tracks time spent in your heart rate zone and calories burned.
For Athletes: Consider a HRM, like the Garmin Forerunner, that offers multi-sport support, workout feedback and advanced features such as GPS and downloadable data.
For Techno-Phobes: Look for a basic model that offers your heart rate with one-button functionality.
For General Fitness: Try one that helps you improve fitness with information about intensity and training zones.

Your Budget
Heart rate monitors can cost from $25-$400 and up depending on the brand and features included but you do get what you pay for. An inexpensive model may not fit as well or offer as many features as you'd like. What you can expect:
$50-$100: This will include a variety of HRMs that track heart rate, calories burned, time in zone and more.
$100-$200: In this price range, you'll find more features like the ability to create workouts, track progress and download data.
$200-$400: This price range will offer more advanced features like GPS, multi-sport tracking, workout comparisons and more

Brands:
Garmin – Polar – Timex – Suunto – Nike – Reebok
I have been using Garmin for years and currently use a Forerunner 305 and love it.

Roast Chicken with Flavored Rice

2009-05-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Eating healthy doesn't mean eating insipid foods, try this roast chicken and brown rice recipe it’s quick and easy. I eat bulk of my crabs during the day so depending on where you are with your training monitor the rice in-take.

Roasting a whole chicken is like the gift that keeps on giving. You will be surprised by how much meat you can actually pull from a whole chicken. Keep in mind that not all parts of the chicken are as lean as boneless, skinless breast meat. If you are at all concerned about your fat/calorie intake, avoiding the skin is probably a wise choice.

Brown rice, as we all know, is a great nutritious alternative to its white counterpart. For some people, the flavor of brown rice is a bit of a stumbling block, so this simple recipe adds a bit of excitement to what can be an otherwise mundane ingredient.

Chicken
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Add mint, lemon grass, garlic, and olive oil to a food processor. Blend until smooth, but not entirely liquefied. Season with salt and pepper. Pat the mixture all over chicken, inside and out, and tie legs together with kitchen string. Roast chicken in preheated oven, breast side up, until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and let stand about ten minutes before carving.

Rice
Cook two cups of brown rice according to package. Once cooked, add lime juice, rice vinegar, and salt. Fluff with a fork and top with sliced scallions before serving.

Ingredient List

Chicken
1 whole chicken
1/2 oz (standard size package from grocery store) fresh mint leaves
3 stalks lemon grass, chopped
5 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Rice
2 cups medium-grain brown rice
3 scallions
1 t fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
2 t rice wine vinegar
1/4 t salt

What’s the best running shoe for you?

2009-05-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

If you have recently started a fitness regimen or have been active you are bound to have incorporated running as part of your work out, running either on the treadmill, road or trail. Most people regardless of how long they have been working out don’t pay much attention to the running shoes they buy; they usually base their decision on aesthetics or price.
You may be susceptible to the common running injuries like Shin Splints, Achilles Tendon Injury, Plantar Fasciitis and Stress Fracture if you don’t make the right choice.

Choosing the best running shoe could be very confusing, what with all the choices and each manufacturer claiming to be the best.
There's no single 'best shoe' - everyone has different needs. All sorts of things - your biomechanics, your weight, the surfaces you run on, and obviously, the shape of your feet mean that one person's ideal shoe can be terrible for another person.

There are main three categories (cushioned, stability and motion control); and three minor ones (performance training, racing and off-road). The first three are everyday options and are categorized essentially by your biomechanical needs; the second three are more specialized and you'd often only consider them as second shoes.

The first step in finding your basic shoe needs is to try a 'Wet Test', or, preferably, to visit a biomechanics expert or experienced shoe retailer.

The Wet Test works on the basis that the shape of your wet footprint on a dry floor or piece of paper roughly correlates with the amount of stability you might need in your shoe.

The Normal Foot
Normal feet have a normal-sized arch and will leave a wet footprint that has a flare, but shows the forefoot and heel connected by a broad band. A normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards slightly to absorb shock. It's the foot of a runner who is biomechanically efficient and therefore doesn't need a motion control shoe.

The Flat Foot
This has a low arch and leaves a print which looks like the whole sole of the foot. It usually indicates an over pronated foot - one that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards (pronates) excessively

The High-Arched Foot
This leaves a print showing a very narrow band or no band at all between the forefoot and the heel. A curved, highly arched foot is generally supinated or underpronated. Because it doesn't pronate enough, it's not usually an effective shock absorber

Once you know which category is right for you then you can decide which type of protection is best for your training needs Maximum, Moderate, or Performance.

Neutral - Allows the foot to work without impediments. This line of shoes is for runners who naturally cycle through their gait without excessive inward motion and could possibly roll outward a bit (supinate or under-pronate). These runners will normally have a medium to high rigid arch, which means that the arch has little to no flex.

Support - Supports the foot without over-correcting. This line of shoes is for runners who need support, but only mildly roll inward through the gait cycle. These runners will have a medium flexible arch that means the arch has some flex.

Control - Controls excessive foot motion. This line of shoes is for runners who excessively roll inward (over-pronate). These runners will have a low to flat flexible arch which means that there is a considerable amount of flex in the arch through the gait cycle.

I have been wearing Mizuno shoes now for several years and find them to provide the best protection for me.
I suggest you visit your local specialty running store for guidance, it’s worth the effort.
As I am biased to Mizuno here is the link http://www.mizunousa.com

Perfect Crunch

2009-05-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

By Paige Waehner

You may not know this, but many people do not use good form when doing an ab crunch. Not only can this cause back problems, it will also make your ab workout less effective. Learn to do it right!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 3 to 5 minutes
Here's How:
Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest.
Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor.
Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor.
Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up.
Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously.
Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way.
Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep.
To add variation, bring your knees in at the same time you lift your upper body off the floor (full body crunch)
To make it more difficult, balance on an exercise ball.
Tips:
To keep your neck in proper alignment, place your fist under your chin to keep your head from moving.
Keep your back flat against the floor throughout the entire movement.
If your back arches, prop your feet on a step or platform to make it easier.
What You Need:
A carpeted floor or mat.
Abdominals
Exercise Ball (Optional)