How to Join the Right Gym for You

By: admin on 9:54 AM

1. Determine your needs.

Before visiting any gyms, figure out what your needs are to help you stay on budget. Do you plan on taking lots of classes? Do you want a wide variety of cardio machines? Are you looking to work with a personal trainer on their staff? Make a checklist divided into two categories – 'things that are necessities' and 'things that would be nice.' For example: "It must have spin classes. It would be nice if it had hair dryers available in the locker room since I'll be doing to the gym before work." When touring a gym it is easy to get caught up in all the wow factors instead of focusing on what really matters. You find yourself signing up for a $150/month membership all because of heated floors in the locker room and the massage parlor next to the front desk. In reality, are these things worth the extra money you will be paying for them? Probably not. Stick to what's really important to achieving your goals.

2. Proximity.

Take a tip from your real estate agent – location is everything. Set yourself up for success by making working out easy and accessible. Sure, that gym across town is a bit cheaper, but will you really make that 20-minute trek when you're stressed and crunched for time? No. Only consider gyms that are close to your home, and preferably in between your home and your workplace. It can be hard enough to motivate yourself to do a yoga DVD at home in your living room. Think how much harder it will be to motivate yourself to drive 20 minutes through traffic to work out. You might as well turn on Netflix now.

3. Take it for a spin.

When you find a possible gym candidate, test it out before committing to a membership. Most gyms, if not all, will give you a week-long guest pass to try out the facilities (after making you take the obligatory tour, of course). While testing it out, ask yourself the right questions. How do you feel here? Is it clean? Are machines available? Is the staff friendly? How are the class instructors? Do the hours work with your schedule? Do the amenities justify the price? It is also important to try out the whole gym, not just a part of it. Take a class, test the weight machines, use the showers. Go several times. Examine a wide variety of the gym's features, especially the features you foresee yourself using frequently.

4. Ask around.

A gym's employees may be able to answer all of your technical questions, but no one will be able to give you the inside scoop better than gym members themselves. While testing out a gym, strike up a conversation with a fellow patron. What has their experience been? Get their opinion on both the good and the bad. Turn to the Internet, as well. After all, where would we be without Yelp?

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10 Things You're Doing Wrong Every Day

By: admin on 5:00 AM

Know these 15 things you're doing wrong and then maybe you can finally start doing things RIGHT.

1. Breathing

You breathe about 17,000 times a day, but your technique might be flawed. Slower, deeper breathing that comes from the lower diaphragm (or even better the surrounding area of the diaphragm) can help you relieve stress, lower your blood pressure and improve athletic performance by increasing stamina and reducing fatigue. Most of us are chest breathers, but developing a more focused approach can help you feel better day to day, especially if you're also exercising.

2. Showering

If you're shampooing more than a few times a week, you may be stripping away important oils in your hair -- called sebum -- and actually making your hair greasier: As sebum is stripped away, it causes oil glands on your scalp to compensate by overproducing more sebum, reported NPR, giving your hair an oily consistency. You also may be taking way too long in the shower. Long hot showers dry out your skin, use quite a bit of water (around 17 gallons each time), and can remove too much "good bacteria."

3. Working Out

Stretching before exercising can actually be counterintuitive as it temporarily weakens muscles and might not even reduce soreness in the days following exercise.

As for your actual workouts, spending time lifting lighter weights with more repetitions actually doesn't have greater slimming benefits than lifting heavier weights, and a lot of exercise doesn't have any slimming benefits at all. You also might want to rethink scheduling workouts every day.

4. Eating

Making sure to eat breakfast probably doesn't help you lose weight. You also might be eating too much meat (especially if it's red), and you probably don't need to be told this, but fast food is bad for you.

Also, no matter what you eat, eating it too fast may disrupt your body's natural chemical signals, causing you to consume more than you should, which could lead to a greater risk of obesity.

5. Washing Your Hands

Only 5 percent of Americans wash their hands correctly, so there's a very good chance you're doing this one wrong. Although the base definition of washing the right way means "rubbing vigorously with soap and water for at least 20 seconds," there are even more things you're probably doing wrong. Antibacterial soaps have been criticized over their use of the chemical "triclosan," which may cause antibiotic resistance and potentially even hormone alteration. On top of this, there may actually be no advantage to using antibacterial soaps when it comes to reducing your chances of getting sick.

Finally, you might be drying your hands wrong, as paper towels require a whole 15 seconds of use while hand dryers require 45 seconds. Paper towels have been found to be more effective in general.

6. Taking Out the Garbage

We have a huge "recycling bias," which makes us far less likely to recycle dented cans or ripped paper just because it isn't in pristine condition. Obviously, much of these items could still be recycled, as about 50 percent of our garbage is made up of recyclable materials.

When it comes to taking out actual trash, you could also be using kitty litter to destroy your trash can's street odor, or drilling small holes in the side of your garbage can to make large trashbag removal easier. And if you don't live on the ground floor, maybe you should consider investing in a fishing line.

7. Sleeping

About 70 million Americans aren't sleeping correctly and are at risk of significantly altering their "memory, learning, creativity, productivity and emotional stability." On top of this, there really is a sweet spot for how much sleep you should get. Anything outside of these regular sleep hours could have long-term health risks that have been associated with shortened lifespans. But it isn't just sleep behavior that can help you get this right. Tips for improving your sleep include exercising, turning off your phone, or simply tricking your brain into thinking you're dead tired.

8. Being Productive

It's actually impossible to multitask and those who come close are simply switching between tasks very quickly, which usually decreases focus. If you're someone who likes to power through tasks, you should know that your willpower is actually a finite resource and that taking breaks could significantly boost your mental capacities to do work. Here's another reminder to make sure you're making time for sleep, because on top of helping ideas solidify in your head, it can also -- surprise -- make you more productive.

9. Brushing Your Teeth

First off, you should never brush your teeth directly after having an acidic meal or drink, because that can push the acid deeper into your enamel. Instead, wait 30 minutes or simply rinse your mouth with water. Some basic tips: Brush for two minutes each time, using a soft brush and not rubbing your teeth and gums too hard.

10. Sitting

Sitting for more than just a few hours a day can shorten your life expectancy and lead to a much higher risk of contracting diseases like diabetes or cardiovascular problems. Even if you work out regularly, just sitting around at the office all day can constitute a sedentary enough of a lifestyle to invite health risks. Although stand-up desks might be a good way to go, if you want to sit better there are simple posture and ergonomic tricks. You could make sure to fidget around (ideally not in a totally weird way). Or, if you have $1,000 lying around, you could buy a super high-tech chair.

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Five food items vegetarians can’t stand

By: admin on 4:45 AM

Vegetarians often get to hear how boring their life is sans meat. But eating fake meat all the time simply kills the appetite. There are vegetarian dishes that no longer excite people who stay miles away from meat.

Any kind of fake meat: Most of the time these products don’t taste anything close to the real ones. 

Rice and beans: When you first become a vegetarian, the combination of rice and beans is just delicious. After about a year, the taste of the two together becomes increasingly bland. 

Spring rolls: There’s really not much to them. The rolls are just about vegetables wrapped up and fried. 

Bean-centered dishes: Beans are the center of various vegetarian meals like lentil soup, black bean soup and countless stews. The only problem? Beans get boring after sometime.

Quinoa: The pseudo cereal is a great source of protein and it is extremely versatile. The only problem is that every non-vegetarian seems to think this trendy food is all vegetarians eat and now it’s become a stereotypical vegetarian food. 

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Benefits of Suryanamaskar

By: admin on 3:25 AM

The Suryanmaskar has many benefits and if done regularly can not only help you lose flab but can also help you combat diseases. Here are a few benefits of this asana...

- Suryanamaskar, or Sun Salutations, ideally done facing the early morning sun, helps our body to soak in its benefits — sun rays are a rich source of vitamin D and helps to strengthen our bones and also helps to clear our vision.

- This asana, apart from improving one's posture, also gives a proper workout to the body and so helps in losing unwanted flab.

- Regular practice of this asana can also help you loose the excess belly fat.

- The postures in Suryanamaskar stretches our muscles and makes our body very flexible.

- The moves and postures of the asana help all our internal organs function better — the various poses regulates our blood flow, benefits the digestive system and makes it more efficient.

- It helps combat insomnia as it relaxes the body and calms the mind.

- It helps regulate menstrual cycles and makes childbirth easier.

- This asana is known to facilitate blood circulation and thereby help hair growth and prevent hair problems.

- It reduces anxiety and restlessness and enhances our strength and vitality.

- Suryanamaskar benefits not just adults, but kids as well.

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Exercises to Treat Lower Back Ache

By: admin on 3:05 AM

Almost everyone suffers from lower back pain at some point or the other. It could be for a variety of reasons and is especially common among adults. It is often caused by overuse and muscle strain or injury. 

In this article,i presented some simple tips that will help you overcome it better:

1- Avoid positions or activities that increase or cause back pain, use an ice pack when needed and take a painkiller only if you really require it. Most lower back pain gets better when you remain active. 

2 - When your pain is getting relatively lesser, you can opt for simple strengthening exercises for your stomach, back, and legs along with some stretching exercises. Exercise not only helps you recover quicker, it also prevents re-injury to your back. 

3- Remember that you should get active gradually once you're recovering from pain and slowly increase your activity level. Very little activity will lead to loss of flexibility, strength, endurance levels and eventually pain again. 

4- Avoid sleeping on your stomach because when your stomach sags downward, it arches your back, increases the lumbar curve and gives you pain. Sleeping on your back will be as uncomfortable. Experts, therefore, suggest sleeping on the side with your legs bent at the knees. This minimises spinal stress by straightening the lumber curve. Try and place a pillow under your knee - this pulls your hips upwards, flattening the lumbar curve and reducing the tension in the area. 

5- Pay attention to how you sit and stand - bad posture is often the main culprit. Don't slouch when you sit and don't hunch when you stand.

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The 10 Worst Drinks for Your Body

By: admin on 2:30 AM

Juice Drinks:

Labels like "juice drink" and "juice cocktail" are almost always a euphemism for brightly-colored sugar water. For a truly healthy drink, look for 100 percent juice, like orange juice, cranberry juice, or aloe vera juice. Nothing else.

Whipped Coffee Drinks:

When made with 2-percent milk, a large icy cup of Joe can contain up to 800 calories and a third of the maximum recommended intake for artery-clogging saturated fat. And there's a reason why it tastes so sweet: At 170 grams of sugar in a typical drink, you get more of a sugar shock than a caffeine buzz.

Flavored Water:

Flavored and infused waters may deliver a few extra vitamins, but they're also often packed with added sugars. Next time you buy a bottle of water, check the label: If you see anything more than water and natural flavors, leave it on the shelf.

Diet Soda:

Diet soda may be calorie free, but it's also 100 percent nutrition free. Plus, if you're guzzling diet coke all day, there's a good chance you're not drinking the healthy beverages your body needs, particularly water and tea. One diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, you may be doing damage to your body.

Frozen Mixed Drinks:

When it comes to cocktails, the mixers are the real calorie culprits. Case in point: According to the USDA, a 16-ounce pina colada can clock in at a whopping 880 calories, that's more than 8 times the amount in a shot of rum.

"Healthy" Fruit Smoothies:

Yes, fruit is good for you, but a 32-ounce smoothie can pack as many as 700 calories with fewer than 2 grams of protein, thanks to the high sugar content. That's like eating a whole pineapple, entire mango and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries in a single sitting. Why that's bad: Calories from any food get socked away in your fat cells if you eat more than you can burn.

Sports Drinks:

Ending your workout by guzzling a typical sport drink may set your weight-loss goals back. Many sports drinks on the market contain a mixture of natural and artificial sweeteners, plus a laundry list unpronounceable additives. If replenishing electrolytes is your goal.

Lemonade:

Most store-bought versions are made from the same sweeteners used in soda, combined with preservatives and artificial color. At 100 calories per cup, and with the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients, you're essentially drinking liquid candy. Definitely not refreshing.

Soft Drinks:

It's tough to find a single redeeming quality about soft drinks: They're overloaded with sugar and provide empty calories without satisfying your hunger. In fact, soft drinks are the only food that has been directly linked to causing obesity. If you're not willing to eliminate them from your diet entirely, consider one can of full-sugar soda as an occasional treat—the same way you would a candy bar.

Energy Drinks:

When people think about "energy" drinks, they're usually referring to products that contain caffeine. The problem is that most "energy drinks" are loaded with too much caffeine and sugar, so while they may give you a short-term burst of energy, you'll ultimately crash and just want to zonk out. When you need a brain boost, you're better off sipping green tea or snacking on a handful of walnuts

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Foods You Shouldn’t Eat Daily

By: admin on 10:23 AM

While most of the time we conveniently hold the extra morsels we eat as culprit for our weight gain, we often forget that there are a few foods which we should not dig in too often. Even if you are downing a glass of protein shake and keeping junk out of your sight, there may be the small mistakes you maybe making every day in your diet. Hence here’s a list of foods that you must avoid for proper weight management.

Potatoes:

Our love for ‘aloo’ dates back to, well, I don’t know how many years. Whether adding it to improve the flavour or increase the quantity of the sabzi, potatoes need no reason to feature in your daily diet. They also make you gain weight over time. Hence, next time try having fresh veggies without potatoes.

Milk:

Yes, milk may be the solution to most things, but milk may also hinder your growth if you are having it every day. If you are used to drinking a glass of milk before you sleep, at breakfast, or even for a snack in the evening, take a break. See if not drinking milk is making you less sluggish, helping you lose weight, or clearing up your skin. If it does, you know where the problem lies.

Dessert After Meals:

Most of us are used to having something sweet after meals. This is unnecessary and we very well know it. The amount of sugar in a sweet is enough to negate every other step that you take in order to shed that extra pound. If you can stop having that dessert daily, you would probably end up being a healthier and happier human being. Treat yourself to a dessert only on the weekends or on special occasions.

Carbs For Evening Snack:

Evening snack is the trickiest of all. You are bound to feel hungry in the evening, and most of us take refuge in a sandwich or a samosa. When hunger drives us crazy, we do not care about giving a thought about what we are eating. If this is your daily routine, then you may be causing more harm to your body than you think. Pick up healthy snacks like nuts, cottage cheese or yoghurt as your evening snack instead.

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