Best Diet Plan To Lose Weight

Using Your Body Type To Pick The Best Diet Plan To Lose Weight

As more and more resources are aimed at improving diets and exercise, we head toward individual plans and steps for fitness programs and diets.  We are at the point where we know that certain diets for a particular body type can result in much more dramatic weight loss as opposed to using a standard diet.  And women are embracing their individuality and looking for the best diet plan to lose weight.

To get more information or access a program designed for individuality, one should click here.

Dieting improperly or going against your body type can exacerbate an overweight body type.  Diets have been designed for particular body types as more and more information comes to light about the biochemistry of a particular body type.  Hormonal differences work to make certain women gain and store weight in different regions of their bodies.  A diet that targets a particular type of body fat is a crucial component to successful dieting.  You should choose the best diet plan to lose weight according to your individual body type.  

Women Who Spend Too Long Sitting May Die Earlier

“Why sitting for too long can be deadly for older women... even if they go to the gym,” reports the Mail Online.

The study this news is based on found an association between sedentary behavior (sitting or lying down for much of the day) and an increased risk of potentially fatal lifestyle-associated diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

This study followed a sample of almost 100,000 postmenopausal women from across the US. It assessed how long they spent being sedentary and followed them up over an average of 12 years to look at their risk of death. It took into account how physically active the women were, to see if being sedentary had an effect by itself.

The study found a general trend that women who were sedentary for longer tended to have a greater risk of death during follow-up.

The main limitation of the study is that many of the measures were collected through self-report, which increases the possibility of inaccuracies.

Still, there is an increasing body of evidence linking sedentary behaviour with increased risk of chronic diseases. Some fitness gurus have even gone so far as to say that “sitting down is the new smoking”.

While this may be a little over the top, the earlier you adopt healthy habits, the more likely they are to persist throughout your life, and the more benefit you will get from them.

Read more advice about how you can start becoming fitter and healthier through exercise and diet.

Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from Cornell University, Ithaca, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, New York, and other US institutions. Funding was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, and US Department of Health and Human Services.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Prevalence Medicine.

The Mail Online’s report of the study is generally accurate, though the claim that “middle-aged women who spend too long sitting down are at greater risk of health problems – no matter how much exercise they do” is inherently illogical. If women are doing lots of exercise then they are not sitting down.

What kind of research was this?

This was a cohort study of postmenopausal women aiming to investigate the association between the time they spent in sedentary behaviour, and the risk of death overall, and from specific disease causes of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The researchers say that few previous studies have specifically looked at older women; and also other studies have not taken into account time spent being physically active.

What did the research involve?

The study included women from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study (OS) and Extension Study (ES). It assessed the women’s sedentary behaviour, physical activity, and other characteristics at the start of the study. Researchers then followed them for up to 17 years to see who died in this period, and their cause of death. The researchers then looked at whether women who were sedentary for longer were more likely to die during follow-up, even after taking into account how active they were.

A total 93,676 women aged 50 to 79 were initially recruited between 1993 and 1998 from 40 clinical centres across the US, and had data collected through interviews, questionnaires and clinical assessments. The main WHI ended in 2005, and the ES included annual mail follow-up from 2005 to 2010.

At recruitment, questionnaires asked about the total hours spent in sedentary behaviour with the questions:

• During a usual day and night, about how many hours do you spend sitting? Including time spent sitting at work, sitting eating, driving or riding in a car or bus, and sitting up watching TV or talking.
• During a usual day and night, about how many hours do you spend sleeping or lying down with your feet up? Including time spent sleeping or trying to sleep at night, resting or napping, and lying down watching TV.
• A third question asked participants to estimate the number of hours typically spent sleeping each night.

Total sedentary time was sitting time plus lying time with sleeping time subtracted. Women were divided into three categories of daily sedentary time:

• less than four hours
• four to eight hours
• eight to 11 hours
• more than 11 hours

Deaths were identified up to 2010 using hospital records, autopsy reports, death certificates, and records from the National Center for Health Statistic’s National Death Index.

They took into account various confounding factors that may influence the relationship between sedentary time and mortality, including:

• race/ethnicity
• education
• marital status
• body mass index (BMI)
• smoking and alcohol use
• history of chronic diseases (coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, hypertensive, number of falls in the past year, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], and hip fractures before age of 55)
• hormone use
• depressed mood
• living alone
• problems performing activities of daily living
• self-reported health
• moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), measured using a validated questionnaire

The analyses included all 92,234 women (average age 63.6) who had data on sedentary time available.

What were the basic results?

Average sedentary time of women in the sample was 8.5 hours a day. Generally women with higher sedentary time were:

• less likely to be of white ethnicity
• less likely to have received higher education,
• more likely to have higher BMI
• more likely to have lower physical activity levels
• more likely to smoke
• more likely to rate their health as fair or poor

During the average 12 years of follow-up, 13,316 women (14.4%) died. Overall there was a general trend for increasing sedentary time to be associated with increasing all-cause mortality, and mortality from cardiovascular disease (such as stroke and heart disease), heart disease specifically, and cancer.

Compared to women with the lowest sedentary time (less than four hours), those with the highest (more than 11 hours) had:

• a 12% increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio[HR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 1.21)
• 27% increased risk of heart disease death (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.55)
• 21% increased risk of cancer death (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.37)

Women who were sedentary for between four and 11 hours a day were at no higher risk of death overall compared with women sedentary for less than four hours a day.

In general these women were also at no greater risk of the specific causes of death with the exception of cancer. A  21% higher risk of cancer death was found compared with those women who were sedentary for less than four hours.

How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers conclude that there was a relationship between greater amounts of sedentary time and mortality risk after controlling for multiple potential confounders.

Conclusion

This cohort study looking at the link between sedentary time in postmenopausal women and their risk of death, benefits from its large sample size of almost 100,000 women, and 12 year follow-up.

It finds, as previous research has found, that increased sedentary time is generally associated with increased risk of death.

The main risk was for women with the highest sedentary time (greater than 11 hours sitting per day) who were at increased risk of death from any cause and deaths from heart disease or cancer compared with women sitting for less than four hours a day.

The links were less clear for women sedentary for between four and 11 hours a day.

The study also benefits from adjusting for many confounding factors that may influence the relationship between sedentary time and mortality – including sedentary activity. The main limitation is that many of the measures taken in the study – for example sedentary time, physical activity, and medical history – were collected through self-reported mailed questionnaires.

This may reduce the reliability of some of these measures. Self-reports would not be as accurate as looking at medical records or objectively measuring activity using monitors, for example.

Though it is unclear whether self-reporting would mean that women underestimate or overestimate the time they spent sitting down during the day (but if you forced us to guess, we would go for the former).

Also, the study findings were only obtained from postmenopausal women and may not apply to men or younger groups of women.

Overall the findings support current lifestyle advice that less sedentary time and more physical activity can improve health.

 Article Source:  http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/01January/Pages/Women-who-spend-too-long-sitting-may-die-earlier.aspx

Cardio, Strength Training May Lower Diabetes Risk For Women

Lifting weights not only improves physical fitness; it may also help lower women’s risk of type 2 diabetes, according to Counsel and Heal.

In an eight-year study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers followed 99,316 middle-aged and older women who did not have diabetes at the study’s onset.

The women performed resistance exercises and lower intensity muscular conditioning exercises, such as yoga, stretching and toning.

During the study period, women who did at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity and at least 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activities weekly had the greatest reduction of diabetes risk, compared to women who were inactive.

"The findings from our study...suggest that incorporating muscle-strengthening and conditioning activities with aerobic activity according to the current recommendation for physical activity provides substantial benefit for [diabetes] prevention in women," researchers said in a news release.

Previously, weight training had been associated with lowering diabetes risk in men. For patients with diabetes, cardio and muscle-strengthening may improve diabetic control.

Article Source:  http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/15/cardio-strength-training-may-lower-diabetes-risk-for-women/

The Biggest Mistakes Women Make When Working Out

Whether it's because of the way we're built, the way we've been raised or some other reason, we tend to fall into these exercise traps. Here's what to watch out for.

• Getting Too Attached To Machines
  Shutterstock
  The mistake: You favor weight machines over weights, and spend all of your toning time in the Nautilus room. 
  
  The issue: "Functional fitness" exercises that mimic the moves we do every day strengthen the muscles used most often and help us avoid injury. Weight machines, on the other hand, usually focus on one muscle group at a time, and they don't replicate the way we move in the course of our daily lives, says Vonda Wright, MD, a Pittsburgh-based orthopedic surgeon who specializes in injury prevention and mobility. (When's the last time you laid down on your back and pushed a heavy object up with the soles of your feet, like you would on a leg-press machine?) They're not a the most efficient way to build muscle -- for example, you'd use three different machines (leg press, back extension, overhead press) to work the same areas you would with one total-body dumbbell move (squat and overhead press), and you could still get injured. What's more, these machines are usually designed to fit men's bodies, which tend to have a longer limbs and an extended reach. 
  
  The fix: For maximum efficiency, try total-body exercises that involve squatting, bending, lunging and reaching. Wright suggests cardio-strength moves like walking lunges with a weight ball, squat jumps and wood-choppers. Or alternate your machine workouts with boot camp classes that focus on strength-building moves.
• Jumping Like A Girl
  Getty Images
  The mistake: When doing squat jumps or box jumps (hopping up and down with both feet on platforms of various heights), you try not to land too heavily or too hard. 
  
  The issue: When you're jumping down from any height, you increase the force and pressure on your joints, so the way you land becomes crucial in preventing injury, says Wright. Men, she says, instinctively seem to get it: They land with their butt sticking out and their knees both facing forward and deeply bent, which absorbs impact. Women, shes noticed, tend to land with their legs straighter and their knees closer together, which can be hard on the joints (it could even cause a ruptured ACL). 
  
  The fix: Wright recommends starting with standing broad jumps (where you swing your arms and jump forward with both feet) until you perfect your form and are able to land without wobbling. Increase the height very gradually, and consider stepping down to the ground instead of jumping.
• Over-Resting Between Sets
  Getty Images
  The mistake: You use your time in between sets to call your sister, scroll through Facebook updates or check for online sales of yoga pants. 
  
  The issue: Fitness pro Bob Greene often sees women hanging out between sets at his boot camps and the gym, which, he says, can really undermine their workouts. Socializing on the phone gives your muscles too much time to recover -- you need them slightly fatigued in order to build strength. 
  
  The fix: Instead of taking a break, Greene suggests taking a brief "pause" that lasts for just 15 to 30 seconds. "Any more than that and you'll lose the benefit you gained from the previous set," he says.
• Staring At A Concrete Wall
  Getty Images
  The mistake: Instead of watching yourself in the mirror, you like to zone out as you race through sets. 
  
  The issue: With the rise of the super-minimalist, industrial-chic -- or just industrial -- gyms, mirrors can be hard to find. Even in gyms where mirrors line every wall, some people find them distracting, so they don't use them. A mirror, though, can be a great way to keep an eye on your form, says Wright, and can help you make sure you're doing an exercise correctly 100 percent of the time. 
  
  The fix: Use the mirror, especially when you're doing technical moves like power cleans, deadlifts or even squats (so basic, yet so easy to do incorrectly).
• Wanting To Impress Your Trainer
  Getty Images
  The mistake: You don't want to admit when you're pooped or in pain. 
  
  The issue: When you're tired or unfocused, you compromise your form, and that's when injuries happen, says Jessica Matthews, an associate professor of exercise science at Miramar College in San Diego. Just one sloppy rep, especially when holding heavy weights, can cause you pain or discomfort for weeks. Over time, pushing yourself too hard -- or letting someone else push you -- can lead to serious overuse injuries.
  
  The fix: Tell your trainer as soon as you feel dizziness or pain (even soreness can be a problem if it's affecting your form) or if you're seriously dragging. You trainer won't hold it against you -- in fact, it's in his best interest to keep you healthy, safe and active.

As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

Article Source:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/exercise-mistakes-women_n_4561216.html

Lands’ End Unveils Women’s Performance Collection That’s Fit to Sport All Day

Want active apparel that works beautifully beyond the gym? No sweat! Introducing the Lands’ End Women’s Performance Collection, a new active line that goes beyond the gym, from running errands to meeting friends for lunch to lounging around. The collection, built around the success of the Original Performance Pant, features a range of pant options complemented by active tops that can be mixed and matched to create a complete, comfortable look that fits seamlessly into the entire day’s activities.  The line is now available on landsend.com.  

“Popular demand for our previous top-selling Performance Pant prompted us to re-enter the active-apparel category,” says Celeste Risimini-Johnson, vice president women’s merchandising, Lands’ End.  “Adding more pant, top and jacket options to this line broadens its appeal by giving the consumer the ability to expand her workout wardrobe’s flexibility beyond the gym and into her busy lifestyle, and look good doing it.”

The Performance Collection features moisture-wicking fabric, UPF protection and flatlocked seams for chafe-free comfort. The pieces also boast four-way stretch for ease of movement, cotton-like softness and small pockets to hold essentials. The collection is comprised of an array of fits and styles of bottoms, tops and jackets:

BOTTOMS

• Original Performance Pant. This top-selling pant features a straight-leg silhouette and a slim but not-too-tight cut through the hips and thigh. It comes in full-length and crop.
• Relaxed Performance Pant. This wide-leg silhouette fits straight through the hip and comes in full-length, capri and Bermuda short.
• Control Performance Pant. This pant, with interior mesh control panels to smooth the waist and hips, offers a slimmer fit through the hips and thighs and comes in boot-cut, slim-leg and legging capri.

TOPS AND SPORTS BRA

• Colorblock Tank, Short- and Long-sleeve Crew Tee and Elbow-Sleeve Tunic. These tops, featuring curved accent seams to flatter the shape, are designed to not cling to the body. The elbow-sleeve tunic is longer for added coverage.
• Control Tank. This tank’s front and side mesh panels smooth the tummy, while its racerback style allows maximum arm movement.
• Sports Bra. This sports bra is made of lightweight fabric and wicks moisture to keep you cool and dry. A mesh stabilizer panel provides support, and soft cups add coverage and are sewn into the bra liner to eliminate shifting.  

JACKETS

• Colorblock and Solid Sport Jackets. These jackets feature four-way stretch fabric to wick away moisture, built-in UV protection to help keep skin safe from the sun, a drawstring hoodie, onseam pockets and thumbholes at the cuffs to keep sleeves in place.

To support the Performance Collection launch, Lands’ End is partnering with Fitness magazine on print and digital productions, as well as the “Get Active Sweepstakes,” at landsend.com/getactive, for a chance to enter to win weekly prizes and a grand prize of a free gym membership and $500 to shop the new collection. In addition, Lands’ End is joining forces withFitness magazine Fitterati® Courtney Horan, blogger of Sweet Tooth Sweet Life, to help support the launch.

Horan, one of the first to test out the line, has become an instant fan. “The Performance Collection’s versatile designs are an easy fit for my lifestyle, extremely functional but stylish for working out, and also perfect for running errands,” says Horan. “The shirts are fitted but not too tight, which is perfect for my post-baby body. The scooped necklines and flat, wide waistbands provide a universally forgiving design. Combined with small but important details, including thumbholes in the jacket, control panels on some styles and built-in ventilation, the line has quickly become a favorite in my wardrobe.”

Article Source:  http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2014/landsend/performance/

The Burn 500 Calories Full Body Workout

Watch as Fitness Magazine shows you this workout that burns 500 calories! This workout routine uses cardio exercise and strength training to create a powerful, calorie-burning combo. For the Double Snap Kick, turn one foot out to the side, keeping your hips stacked. Your hands should be in fighting position as you snap kick once at the hip, and a second time a little higher. Rest your foot to the ground, repeating this move 15 times on each side before switching legs. For the Knee to Nose workout move, start in the plank exercise position. Pull your right knee into your nose, rounding your spine. Finish 10 reps on each side, alternating legs for three whole sets on each side. Exhale as you pull in, and inhale as you extend back. Stay in the plank, and reach your opposite arm and leg out for another set on each side. In the next plank exercise, the Triceps Star Plank, keep your abs tight and your hands under your shoulders. Do a push-up, then press onto your right hand and foot to reach your arm up--like a star. Switch sides for 10 alternating reps. Repeat three times. In the Reverse Lunge with Punch and Front Kick workout move, you'll need hand weights. On one side, alternate between punching both arms in front of you and kicking your leg straight out. Instead of putting your foot down, lunge backward. After 15-25 reps, switch legs and complete three total sets. The next workout move, the Ballerina Squat, is a great ab workout if you keep them tight throughout the squat exercise. With your toes pointed at a 45-degree angle, raise onto your toes. Keeping a weight above your head, squat down to challenge your balance. Do 15-25 reps three times. For the Back Row with Tap, sit back into a squat, keeping your abs tight. Pull your hand weights back to your shoulders in a row, and tap your alternating feet behind you. Do 15-25 reps. In the V-Sit Kick Combo, hold your body up with your hands, fingers pointing toward your feet. Kick your feet up, alternating for 12 reps. Complete three sets. Between each set, push into a v-sit ab exercise. Hold it for 30 seconds. The final move, the Arabesque to Balancing Stick, requires balance and tight abs. In the arabesque position, extend one leg back behind you to pulse 25 times. Next, bring that leg in to the ground before pushing your arms straight out and that same foot hip-height behind you. Your back should be as flat as possible. Extend for 10 reps on each side, then complete three sets. This full-body workout is a combination of cardio and muscle-toning. Try it out instead of your regular workout routine to shed 500 calories and burn fat fast!

Video Source:   http://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessMagazine?feature=watch

Five Supplements You Should Travel With

Keeping up with your nutritional routine is important but can be challenging while away. Available foods are often different from your usual selections and in some places it’s necessary to avoid fresh fruits and vegetables that have been washed in local water supplies.

What can you do if faced with limited choices or foods that are more indulgent and less nutritious than you would normally make for yourself at home? Here are five supplements that I consider essential to help travelers stay on track:

1) Good quality multivitamin – Maintaining fundamental nutritional requirements when away from home can be as simple as a daily multivitamin, especially for nutrients that are not stored in large amounts in the body like water-soluble vitamins such as B and C, and minerals that are needed daily for multiple biological functions.

2) Green powder – Chances are your vegetable intake will be reduced while on vacation. Green powders mixed with bottled water can fill that gap, alkalinize your body and take away some of the pain of vacation partying.

3) Fish oil capsules – You never want to be away from Omega 3 for too long. Anti-inflammatory and helpful for the nervous and cardiovascular systems, they help balance the pro-inflammatory foods and beverages that are part of a vacation. Apart from the guacamole made from local avocados, they may also be one of the few sources of healthy fats that you take in.

4) Probiotic – Vacation temptations are often sources of refined flours and sugars, which can contribute to digestive issues. Probiotics can help to prevent or at least reduce discomfort, bloating and problems with elimination that may occur with consumption of those foods, plus they are an important part of the body’s immune system and may help fight travel “bugs.” Look for a shelf-stable product as those don’t need to be refrigerated.

5) Fibre supplement – Travel constipation is not uncommon, as fruit and vegetable intake is often lower than at home and whole grains can be tough to find. I try to make a habit of buying apples for the hotel room, but if local produce can’t be trusted, adding fibre in powder form to your greens or taking a fibre capsule can keep things moving in the right direction, so you’re ready for the next holiday adventure.

One last suggestion: Just like medications, keep supplements in your carry-on bags and in their bottles to save potential confusion at Customs.

Article Source:   http://womenspost.ca/make-room-for-these-five-supplements-in-your-luggage/