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UltimateFitnessGear Archive Page
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Crunches. Sit ups. Bicycles. Two more sets. Repeat. Other side. It drones on and on. We have all been there. The monotonous counting in our heads “…5,6,7,8, no, I can’t do one more set”. It is boring and monotonous. And sooner or later we get too tired and impatient and we quit our routine. We have lost all hope for the glorious, and coveted abs. And yet, we still long for those Hollywood, glorified abs. No matter who you are, whether you are desiring rock hard wash board abs, or a toned and sleek tummy you can dance your way into your preferred look. Dance is one of the freshest and most fun options to achieve the abs everyone is always looking for.
With the summer approaching faster than we realize now is the perfect time to begin working on our dream abs. This could be your year. Don’t walk around feeling like you have a kangaroo pouch and an entire posse living inside any more. You can change that faster than you may think. Start moving and grooving your way into those perfect abs, that you will always love, today! If you don't know where to start, the Hip Hop Abs workout is a great dancing tool to help you build the abs you want. Also the P90X is another way you can lose weight, trim your abs and be ready for the summer and the great thing about the P90X is that you will see results in less than 3 months! So get started before its too late! by: UltimateFitnessGear 
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Got Milk? What a question. Who really cares? Does milk even matter? Besides of course the fun white mustaches you get. I always thought that the point of those commercials was to encourage kids to play with their food, not for health reasons.
Then a set of scary words came up in my doctor’s office... bone loss, bone density, calcium absorption, low bone mass, fractures, breaks, osteoporosis... I could practically hear the death bells toll. Certainly these things would bring me to my own death. My breath grew short, my head throbbed, I could feel the chest pains coming and just before I would have passed out I heard the voice of God call out to me, "Consume more calcium to avoid these issues". Okay the voice was actually my doctor, but it couldn’t have been scarier and I couldn’t have been more relieved. I thought that none of these things should even be an issue for me as a young adult but they all can be! From infancy until around thirty our bones are constantly growing. Beginning in the womb, our bones, which are living tissues, increase and decrease by calcium absorption. This increase peaks and our bone mass is highest between the ages of twenty-seven and thirty-two. Bone growth is a gradual process and the stronger our bones are at this peak the less likely we are to suffer from osteoporosis and it’s effects. The importance of calcium intake is HUGE! No matter the age, maintaining a healthy amount of calcium in your diet is very important. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid recommends two to three servings of dairy products everyday to maintain your calcium intake. This is because the number one foods that provide calcium in the United States are milk, yogurt and cheese, all of which are available in non-fat and reduced fat products that contain the same amount of calcium as regular dairy products. So what do lactose intolerant people do to receive their calcium? Calcium is also present in some greens and grains although many of them would require a person to consume ten to eighty times the portion amount just to receive the equivalent of one cup of milk. As adults the recommended intake for both males and females is between 1,000 and 1,300 (mg) of calcium everyday. A half-cup of a tofu product, processed with a calcium salt, is only 138mg of calcium. Where it is possible to gain your daily values this way, it is neither easy nor very practical. So what to do? I've found that calcium supplements can not only increase your calcium intake, but also make it easier for your body to absorb. As it seems, certain foods that contain calcium also contain other minerals that are not advantageous for your body to maximize and absorb the calcium in that food. Minerals such as phytic acid, phytate and oxalic acid all have a negative impact on your body's calcium absorption. Using a supplemental product avoids these minerals. Core Cal-Mag is a calcium supplement from the makers of beachbody products, which contains a full dose of daily calcium. It’s lactose intolerant, friendly made from pure milk and calcium carbonate but with no lactose or other related allergens. It's a quick and easy way to ensure you build strong bones during your weight loss program. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Sunday, March 23, 2008
A new way to enhance your life by increasing your general wellbeing and boosting your energy is to supplement your diet with an excellent multivitamin. As busy as we are it's hard to find the time to constantly workout and eat what's best for us each and every day. What most of us don't know is that we are missing essential vitamins and minerals that boost our metabolism and immune systems. The problem is that we don't really have the time to figure out what to take. I mean, who wants to take 15 different supplements every morning? Luckily ActiVit Multivitamins have more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals in them. The Metabolism formula is one of the best available.
It is designed to increase your metabolism, helping to burn fat and accelerate your body’s natural immune system at the same time. Not only do you loose weight, but you stay healthy. This unique blend increases energy and helps boost bone density. The amplified energy is a result of the heath-promoting anti oxidants such as green tea, ginko biloba and grape seed extract. Each anti oxidant fights free radicals in your system to encourage our energy. Fighting free radicals is crucial to our daily lives. Our bodies are composed of cells which are made from many molecules consisting of joined elements. When these elements are split unpaired electrons are formed (free radicals are created). These free radicals search out healthy related molecules breaking up the electrons and thus creating more free radicals. It is a chain reaction in our bodies. There are some free radicals that our bodies produce naturally to neutralize viruses and bacteria, but other kinds of free radicals are produced by environmental causes such as radiation, cigarette smoke, pollution and more. Our bodies fight these free radicals by using antioxidants which provide the necessary electrons to neutralize the free radicals. Antioxidants are stable with or without the electrons so they help to prevent tissue damage and disease. Vitamins E and C are excellent sources of antioxidants. Keeping a healthy amount in your system can help to prevent sickness and seriously boost your energy levels. When your body is not having to fight off the free radicals on it’s own, but able to use the antioxidants that you feed it, you are essentially giving your system a major break from working so hard for you. ActiVit Metabolism Formula has a daily dose of both vitamins E and C in it as well as other natural antioxidants. As with all supplements it is not meant to be a meal replacement but rather to boost the nutrients you are feeding your body. The results from taking this supplement are maximized by coupling it with an active lifestyle. What’s best is that it is made with 100% natural ingredients so I know that it is safe for me to take. It just enhances the weight loss workout that I have established and helps me to stay on track. Even if I miss a day or two of working out, taking the multivitamin keeps my energy up and my mind alert. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Thursday, March 20, 2008
By Joe Wilkes
There have always been rumors spread about food. Remember the one about the Kentucky Fried rat or Mikey, the kid from the Life cereal commercials, who allegedly expired after washing down his Pop Rocks with a Coca-Cola? These, like so many, turned out to be apocryphal, but now in the age of the Internet, it seems like there's always some story making the rounds about a grocery item that will poison you or a food that will miraculously cure what ails you. Here are some myths we were able to dismiss. Eating carrots improves night vision. This rumor was apparently started by the British during World War II, after a new British radar device began greatly assisting in the shooting down of German bombers at night. Not wanting to alert the Germans of the new technology, the government spread a disinformation campaign about how the British pilots' love of carrots was the cause of their keen night vision. It spread like wildfire, and it has become a staple in parents' arsenals for getting kids to eat their veggies. Carrots are generally good for your eyes though—studies are beginning to show a link between increased beta-carotene (carrots are loaded with it) consumption and a decrease in macular degeneration. Turkey makes you sleepy. It's true that turkey contains tryptophan, the amino acid credited for the poultry's alleged soporific effects, but beef, chicken, meat, milk, and beans also contain tryptophan, and they don't seem to make you pass out on the couch after dinner. Turkey's bad rap probably comes from the famous post-Thanksgiving food coma, which is likely not induced by trace amounts of an amino acid but more likely induced by consuming vast quantities of carbohydrates, like potatoes and stuffing, washed down with a couple of glasses of wine. Caesar salad was created by or for Julius Caesar. Actually, despite what they might tell you at the Olive Garden, the Caesar salad is not Italian food. It was created by Caesar Cardini, a restaurant owner in Tijuana, Mexico, less than a hundred years ago, not in ancient Rome. The recipe includes romaine lettuce, olive oil, garlic, coddled eggs, and Parmesan cheese, among other ingredients, but the original recipe does not contain anchovies—another myth debunked! Mentos and Coca-Cola, combined, will make your stomach explode. As any YouTube connoisseur can attest to, dropping a Mentos candy into a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke can create an effect that will give the fountains at the Bellagio a run for their money. However, despite rumors of Brazilian youths dying of burst abdomens, this myth seems to be another of the endless variations on Mikey and the Pop Rocks. There seems to be little evidence that eating any combination of anything generally considered edible will make you explode. (Although that Chinese food I had for dinner came pretty close around midnight.) Beware of flesh-eating bananas! There was an email forwarded by many well-intentioned people not too long ago that asserted that the FDA was covering up the fact that several thousand bananas covered in germs causing necrotizing fasciitis (the flesh-eating disease) had entered the country. This turned out not to be true. A reverse rumor, that humans were killing bananas, has also circulated. This one says that due to varying explanations, such as climate change or genetic modification, bananas will be extinct in less than a decade. This is also false. So, eat your bananas. They're full of potassium, won't make your skin fall off, and there are plenty more where they came from. McDonald's uses kangaroo meat in their burgers. This is one that's been around since I was a kid. Common sense can answer this one. While we wouldn't put it past the Golden Arches to put anything in their food, kangaroo meat seems an unlikely beef substitute as it costs much more per pound than actual beef. Although, adventurous eaters might consider adding 'roo meat to their diet, as it has more protein and about half the fat of beef. Chocolate milk is tainted with cow's blood. This is a popular playground myth that milk too contaminated with blood to sell as plain white milk is colored brown, flavored, and sold as chocolate milk. Chocolate milk and all dairy products go through the same rigorous FDA testing process that regular moo juice does. However, the added sugar isn't doing you any favors. Aspartame causes multiple sclerosis and lupus. Aspartame, often branded as NutraSweet, has been rumored to cause many serious diseases. While we consider the jury to be out on whether aspartame is completely safe, there have been no reputable scientific studies linking the sweetener to MS, lupus, cancer, or any other life-threatening illnesses. However, it still can't claim to be totally healthy. Canola oil is toxic. It's been rumored that canola oil contains the same toxins found in mustard gas. Canola oil is made from oil pressed from the seeds of the rape plant, a member of the mustard family. There is actually no such plant as the canola, but it's easy to see the marketing problems that would result in calling it "rape oil." This may have been one of the reasons scurrilous rumors have circulated about this noble oil, which is perfectly safe and rich in monounsaturated fat, the best fat, also found in olive oil and avocados. As for the mustard gas claim, while it is true that canola oil is made from mustard plants, mustard gas is not. It's called that because of its acrid smell, not its ingredient list. Red Bull causes brain tumors. As a favorite beverage of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, it's easy to make a case based on anecdotal evidence, but there is actually nothing in Red Bull that has been linked to brain tumors. It has been banned in some European countries because of its high caffeine content (a can has about as much as a cup of coffee), but aside from the typical health concerns regarding any sugary, caffeinated beverage, Red Bull appears safe. Claims that it will give you wings seem unfounded, however, and when mixed with vodka, it reportedly makes underpants disappear. If you are worried about your food intake, try a weight loss program to help you stay healthy and full of energy. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Monday, March 17, 2008
If you are like the rest of us you can probably admit that working out is usually a bore. It is tiresome and slow. It is a chore that we perform to keep from becoming a bowl of not so delicious jello. But, what if there was a way to have a fabulous time and to still be getting your workout in at the same time? Sounds like an impossible day dream? It’s not! In a recent test done on sixty different aerobic activities among the top five rated was, dance. So, if you have been looking for some fresh inspiration on how to get in shape and stay that way, I believe you have found your solution.
One of the benefits of dancing to get in shape is that dance is not new. It is an ever changing evolution since nearly the beginning of history. Thus, you are never limited by your options. Unlike an aerobics class or running on a treadmill, which are usually performed in the same monotonous routines, you have a wide selection of options to choose from. So, if swing dance is not your thing, maybe hip hop will fit you better. There is a perfect fit for almost anyone, despite taste, age or shape. There is an array of reasons why dancing your way into great shape is so desirable, and it is not all physically visible. For example, to start it off, dancing releases large amounts of endorphins, otherwise known as "the happy hormone" into your body. It also has been shown to reduce stress levels significantly. Not only does it lower stress, but it also reduces cholesterol levels. Oxygen rich blood supply and circulation throughout your body is increased. Dancing has been said to release inner creativity. We can all use at least a little of each of the above listed. When you add it all together you have created an entirely more confident and healthy being. Another positive aspect to adding dancing to your weight loss workout is that anyone can do it. Dancing is easy to modify and to pick a level of intensity that both fits and challenges you. You can simplify movements or even choose a different style of dance. Age and weight does not matter. You can make it very low impact if you have either knee, back, or other pain and injury. Dancing also improves posture, balance, flexibility, agility, speed, coordination and alignment. Using main core muscles you will be lessening your chances for the ever common back injuries. Many Olympic trainers have used dance to improve their levels of performance, because it is a total body workout. Develop slender, smooth curves that every one dreams of having, but just remember that this is not a day dream. So, if you want to have a great time dancing your workout away then this is answer for you. Have a blast and get into fabulous shape at the same time! This is a fresh and fun way to explore something new and expand your horizons. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Friday, March 14, 2008
Ah, the quandary appears everywhere you go… which multivitamin should I take to best achieve the results that I want? Should I take a certain brand? Is there a specific blend that is best? Can I take too much? Am I not taking enough? All questions that haunt the average man or woman searching for that perfect supplement. Every person that wants to couple their active lifestyle routine with a dietary enhancement wants to know where to buy what. I know that there is a distinct difference in each style and type of nutritional supplement. All brands carry the same basic ingredients but how do I know what’s best? Well, in my research I have found that all multivitamins include at least three or more different vitamins or minerals. The most commonly used supplements were B complex, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Glucosamine, Fish Oil and Calcium. Each provide a different result and should be taken to achieve it’s unique effect.
The vitamin B complex is a term used to refer to a group of water-soluble vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, Folic acid and B12. B-complex is best for producing energy and proper metabolism. Vitamin E is a collective name for a set of eight related fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin E is typically known for its antioxidant qualities as it contains a lipid-soluble antioxidant that protects your cell membrane from oxidation. Vitamin C is just what you take when you might get sick right? Well, that is true however Vitamin C is not just a cure for sickness, but a required vitamin for our systems. Most animals and plants naturally produce this vital element however we humans are the rare exception to the rule. Because it can be found so often in nature, we can obtain a fairly healthy amount through the foods that we eat, however stocking up when you feel the sniffles will increase your body’s ability to fight off that cold by boosting the antibodies in your immune system. Glucosamine is an amino sugar and is commercially produced by the breaking down of crustacean exoskeletons. This is used to strengthen our skeletons by increasing bone density. It can be used to treat osteoarthritis and can help prevent osteoporosis. Fish Oil contains omega-3 fatty acids and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) which reduce inflammation throughout the body. What is most interesting about fish oils is that they are not naturally produced by the fish but are accumulated by consumption of algae that produce the fatty acids. Either way, this mineral can take the puffy right out of your eyes. Calcium, like glucosamine is used to protect our skeletons. However unlike glucosamine, calcium is found in several of the foods that we commonly eat. Most dairy products are an excellent source of calcium as well as many other fruits and legumes. Calcium is something that you can not take too much of and can help prevent kidney stones and fight your vulnerability to certain types of cancer. The best multivitamin that I have found is the ActiVit Multivitamin Metabolism Formula. It contains over 20 such essential vitamins and minerals and is 100% natural and safe. This supplement, when combined with an active lifestyle can boost your desired results for increased metabolism which can result in healthy weight loss and an enhanced immune system. Who doesn’t want those things? by: UltimateFitnessGear
Monday, March 10, 2008
What is calcium? Why do I need it? What does calcium do?
For starters, calcium is a mineral. According to the National Institute of Health, calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and one of the most important. Calcium is essential for basic bodily functions such as muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, the secretion of hormones and enzymes into the blood stream as well as basic nervous system functions. A constant and consistent level of calcium is stored in your bodily fluids and tissues so that these vital functions will process efficiently. With such a big job to do, it is surprising that only one percent of your body’s calcium is stored in your blood, muscles and fluid between cells. The other ninety-nine percent of all you body’s calcium is stored in your teeth and bones. The human body’s bones are constantly breaking down and being built up by depositing calcium. The amount of break down and of build up changes through a person’s life, for example during childhood, breakdown is minimal and deposit and build up are maximal. As a person grows, this relationship comes to a balance around the age of thirty and then the scale tips the opposite direction for people over the age of fifty. Not taking enough calcium, your body decreasing its calcium absorption as well as calcium loss in urine can overall decrease the total calcium in your body. If you do not maintain the necessary levels of calcium intake or if you experience a rapid loss of calcium in your system your body will take calcium from your bones to supply your blood and fluids with the calcium necessary for their functions. Having low levels of calcium in your blood can result in many unpleasant things. It can cause severe muscle cramping, lethargy and tiredness, numbness and tingling in your fingers, mental confusion and disorientation, abnormal heart rhythms and in extreme cases, death. Carrying low levels of calcium in your bones can result in low bone density (porous bones), low bone strength, loss of bone production and ultimately osteoporosis. Post-menopausal women are at the highest risk of calcium deficiency. This is a result of hormonal changes that occur naturally in a woman’s body and the greatest bone loss occurs in the first five year. Next on the list of endangered individuals are amenorrhea women, or women whose menstrual periods stop during childbearing ages. This can be onset by many things, the primary of which is athletic amenorrhea. It is caused by any combination of several symptoms including low body weight, low percent body fat, rapid weight loss, sudden vigorous exercise, disordered eating and stress. Similar to post-menopausal women, the lack of menstruation is caused by a lack of the hormone estrogen. Also at risk are lactose-intolerant individuals. Lactose is the naturally occurring sugar found in milk and dairy products. Their risk factors regarding low calcium intake have nothing to do with an inability to process calcium, but rather an avoidance of most calcium rich foods. The last group of persons at risk for low calcium is vegetarians and vegans. Where vegetarians may consume the recommended doses of dairy in a day they also tend to intake high levels of other minerals found in greens and grain products that adversely affect the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Vegans on the other hand absorb these same minerals with out the intake of appropriate amounts of calcium, as they do not eat any dairy products. This sets them at high risk without a dietary supplement. One last question…where do I get my calcium supplement? Core Cal-Mag is a calcium supplement that includes a daily dose of calcium without and lactose ingredients. By the makers of activit multivitamin formula and Core Omega 3 this supplement is as easy solution to the problems that can happen without your daily calcium. People who are on a weight loss program will need more calcium to stay healthy as they lose weight. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Friday, March 7, 2008
Everyone loves great abs. Nothing else really compares to them. They are like the “cistine chapel” of the body, the crème da la crème, the most glorious attraction. And the reason that we all love and admire them, from such a great distance, is because we all want fabulous abs, and most of us are not even close. We could more likely compare our abs to the Twinkie factory, or the local seven eleven. Not attractive. However, there is hope for all of us. It is not as difficult as you may think to get the abs that you have only admired on the your friends who workout and movie stars. Anyone can have flat, toned and gorgeous to-die-for abs! So here are a few tips to help you get started on your own master piece.
Ab workouts are so simple. Anyone can do them almost anywhere. You do not need to be at a gym or even in your own home. To have the most effective core work you do not need any special equipment either. All you really need is a small amount of floor space. Another thing that most people are not aware of is that it really only takes 5 minutes 2-3 times a week to drastically improve your stomach and core. You can burn about 40 calories every time you do five minutes of ab work. C’mon, think about it… Aren’t you feeling so inspired already? Just five simple minutes of work! The main key is to have a good balance of movements for each core muscle group. Most people think that crunches will do the complete trick. That is not so. For the most effective routine you need to work your back, upper and lower abs, obliques and sides. Not only will you be flattening your stomach, but your entire mid section is getting toned and tightened. It is amazing to see the trimming results that so little work can produce. As you are strengthening your entire core, you will stand up straighter and taller, giving your body a longer and thinner appearance. You will notice a difference in the way your clothes are fitting you, and in the way that you look in them. Although you may not be shedding lots of pounds, according to your scale, your are creating muscle which is 3 times denser than fat. It is pulling everything in and firming it up. Thus, you will be losing inches around your entire middle. Aside from the aesthetically pleasing look of toned abs, there are many internal perks and benefits of a consistent ab routine. For example, many people who struggle with back pain and chiropractic problems are able to conquer it with the strengthening of their core muscles. It takes the pressure off of your back and evenly distributes the weight throughout your middle section. It helps to release stress and to increase balance, stamina, endurance and coordination, as well. You can begin right now. You know you want your own. Stop wistfully longing after the abs that you don’t have. Take five minutes and start creating your own piesta resistance! These ab workouts will also help you in your weight loss program but toning up your mid section, increasing your metabolism and helping you lose those unwanted abs, but it takes work! by: UltimateFitnessGear
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
If you’re looking for a weight loss program you can do at home and get the full benefit, a full body workout might be just the thing for you. A full body workout pin points all of your body muscles. The only accessories you would need are an exercise mat, dumbbells, barbells or both.
If you’re a beginner, you should start out doing 1 set for every 12 – 16 reps. It’s always imperative that you warm up and cool down with either a stretching exercise or some light cardio exercises. Here are some of the full body workout exercises you can do at home:
Make sure that you get a day’s rest in between workouts. Doing these workouts at home can give you more flexibility because you can do them when you want. If you’re unsure of whether you should participate in these workouts, consult with your physician prior to starting. by: UltimateFitnessGear
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The sooner we start investing in a weight loss program, the better chance we’ll have of preventing unwanted health issues. We should treat fitness as a health investment like we would treat trust funds as a financial investment. Taking part in a fitness regimen will greatly improve the quality of life as we get older.
Even if you start out for a ten minute workout a few times as week, it is a start. It’s not necessary to do this everyday. You will have to take a few days to rest your body. Otherwise, you’ll be overworked and it will take you longer to recover. You don’t have to starve yourself or participate in a fad diet that promises quick results. That’s not the way to go. Make sure you eat the right foods, with plenty of vitamins and nutrients. You can start out slow, by losing at least 100 calories a day. That can be done without a lot of fanfare. After you have achieved that milestone for a few weeks, then it’s time to step it up a notch. Try walking for about 20 minutes starting out. Do it at least three to four times a week. Move your walking up a notch and increase your time to 30 minutes. You can even add a day on to your routine. After six months, you should see some noticeable results. This is provided you were consistent with your walking regimen. Make the small changes first, and then strive for bigger things in your fitness regimen. Try adding aerobics to the mix. If you’re not up to speed with it, watch the video a few times and give it a shot. You won’t be able to learn everything at once. If you are not able to do the extreme workout of P90X, then walking and getting in shape slowly is a great start. Then one day down the road you will be able to jump into the P90X and begin to see greater results. The sooner we start making changes, the better chance we have of salvaging our health. It is our attitude that determines whether our quality of life will increase or decrease. No one but you can make that decision for yourself. You can decide if you want to be a couch potato or if you want to have a fit body. You can decide if you want to live a long life or cut it short by refusing to eat right and exercise. When you exercise, you’re building more energy for your body. Energy is the fuel to keep your body running smoothly. If you decide not to do what’s needed, your body will break down. In order to maintain health in your body, you will have to change some of your priorities. You can’t have the television staring you in the face all the time, unless if you use it for your workout dvd. This causes you to be sedentary and stiff. Being sedentary is not good for you. You need to be able to move around and get some circulation going through your body. The deciding factor about your health and fitness will be whether or not you’re serious enough to make a change for the better. This should be a change that will have you with more energy and more stamina and a better life. If you change your priorities and your attitude, you can change the way you live in regards to your health. You will be able to live the best life possible. by: UltimateFitnessGear
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