July, 2020 | Healthy & Fit

Lower Body Exercises For Men

31/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

Many guys focus on training their upper bodies, attacking the mirror muscles – chest, arms, shoulders. But there is a catch:

if you want all that ‘Greek god torso’ training to be worthwhile, you’ve got to spend some serious time building your lower body, too.

Here are some of the best lower body exercises for men. Training your legs challenges your entire body, for a variety of reasons. Your upper body, after all, has to hold all that weight. And, plus you can go heavier on leg days than you can when training, let’s say, your arms, and hitting your body with all that weight will drive a strong hormone response throughout the entire body and burn calories, too. Ready? Mix and match the moves below and get started!

Dumbbell Squat

Stand with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides.
Keeping your back flat, chest up, and core braced, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Pause, then push yourself back up to the starting position.

Lateral Lunge

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides, palms in.
Keeping your right leg straight and right foot on the floor, step to the left side with your left leg, then push your hips back as you bend your left knee. Lower the weights on either side of your left knee until your left thigh is parallel to the floor.
Pause, and then push yourself back up to the starting position.

Goblet Squat

Hold a weight at your chest using both of your hands and stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
Brace your core, then drop your butt back and down to lower into a squat while keeping your chest up.
As you squat, sit back into your heels without shifting your weight forward onto the balls of your feet. Try to get as deep into the squat as possible to maximize glute activation.
Then, driving through your heels, come back up to standing and give your glutes a squeeze at the top.

If you want to make it harder either increase the weight or slow down your descent. Try a tempo of four seconds on the way down and one second on the way back up, followed by a one to two-second pauses at the top before your next rep.

Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is a version of a single-leg squat where the back leg is elevated on a bench or a sturdy chair. As a single-leg, unilateral squat, the exercise places a greater focus on the quadriceps than other, similar lower-body compound movements. It also requires a lot of balance and coordination, which increases the level of core and upper body engagement required to maintain proper form.

Stand facing away from a bench, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides. Place the toes of your left foot on the bench behind you.
Keeping your torso upright and your core engaged, lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground.
Pause, and then push back up to the starting position. Do equal reps on both legs.

Forward Lunge

There are several ways to do lunges: you can do it with just bodyweight or you can load it with weights. There are several ways to hold weights: you can hold them at your sides (arms fully extended); with your elbows bent, upper arms straight in front of you, weights at shoulder level (front rack position) or you can hold one dumbbell, hold it at your chest (goblet position).

Stand tall holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides (palms in) with your feet hip-width apart.
Keeping your chest up, shoulders back, core braced and back flat, take a large step forward with your right foot.
Lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground and your rear knee is bent 90 degrees (not touching the ground).
Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Repeat stepping forward with your left foot
Continue alternating legs with each rep.

Kettlebell Swing

With kettlebell swing you’re hammering your core, driving your heart rate through the roof and adding size, strength, and power into your hamstrings and glutes. Hinging at your hips (helps ‘hip extension’) is another reason why this one is a must-have in your leg day.

Start with the kettlebell on the floor slightly in front of you and between your feet, which should be shoulder-width apart,
Bending slightly at the knees but hinging mainly at the hips, grasp the kettlebell (with both hands) and pull it back between your legs to create momentum.
Drive your hips forwards and straighten your back to send the kettlebell up to shoulder height. Let the bell return between your legs and repeat the move.

Barbell Hip Thrust

This is a great way to bear plenty of load to challenge the glutes and hamstrings, without having to fear excessive low back or spinal stress. The hip thrust uses the gluteus maximus (the upper glute muscle), gluteus medius (the lower glute muscle), the quadriceps, and the hamstrings. This one is a glute developing go-to. And plus, this exercise involves the entire core, including the muscles referred to as “stabilizer” muscles that help us keep our balance and keep our spine stable.

Begin by putting padding around your barbell to prevent it from digging into your hips when you thrust.
Place your upper back on your bench with your barbell across your hips.
Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, close to your glutes.
Drive your hips skyward, engaging your core and abs.
Keep the movement in the lower body as much as possible (don’t “rock” your upper body to complete the move).
Hold for a count then lower to your starting position.
Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.

Don’t feel as if a barbell is your only option when it comes to hip thrusts. You can also hold a dumbbell placed across your lap, a weight plate, or even use straps.

Just make sure these weights are in the centre of your hips to avoid imbalances. Once you start to need heavier weight, progress to a barbell as it distributes weight better and can be padded to protect your hip flexors.

Perfect Leg Day

Now you got perfect tools to have a great leg day. Mix and match these exercises. Be consistent and patient and even sooner than you think, results will show.

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS Women

Exercises That Tone Your Arms That You Can Do At Home

29/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

Each of us has that trouble zone we’re self-conscious about and want to tone up. For many it’s upper arms and they fear hot weather, sleeveless blouses or dresses. The good news is that by adding the right exercises to your workout routine you can start strengthening the muscles in your arms rather quickly.

In this article, you’ll find out what are the exercises that tone your arms. Practice them regularly and you’ll love your sculpted arms.

Achieve Strong, Fit And Sculpted Arms

If tightening and sculpting your arms is your goal, add these exercises to your fitness regimen three times a week. Perform one set of 10 repetitions of each, and then repeat the whole circuit two times.

1. Plank Shoulder Tap

Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the ground, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked directly above your wrists, legs extended behind you, and your core and glutes engaged. Your body should form a straight line
Lift your right hand off the ground and tap your left shoulder while engaging your core and glutes to keep your hips as still as possible.
Do the same thing with your left hand to right shoulder. That’s 1 rep.
Continue, alternating sides.

Tip: To make this easier, try separating your legs a little more.

2. Bicep curls to push press

Although you can use weights for this exercise, it can be just as effective with household items like a can of food or bottle of water.

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your back straight.
Hold your dumbbells (or household or office item) in each hand with your palms facing forward and your arms extended down to your sides.
Keep your elbows close to your body as you curl your biceps — lifting the dumbbells to your shoulders in a controlled motion.
Then, turn your hands outward so your palms and wrists are pointed toward the ceiling as you press the objects upward above your head. Extend your arms all the way to the top.
Slowly bring your items back down the same way you came until your hands are at your sides in the starting position.
Complete 10 reps

The triceps are what people are referring to when they say that their arms are flabby. In order to tighten this area and reduce “jiggle” it’s necessary to strengthen the backs of the arms. Next two exercises will help you achieve that.

3. Triceps Kickback

Holding weights in both hands, lean forward with a flat back. Hug your elbows in towards your sides and pull them up towards the ceiling.
Keeping your elbows still, kick the weight towards the back of the room by moving the lower half of your arm back and up towards the ceiling.
Hold for a second, feeling the back of your arm tighten, and then release back to the starting position.
Repeat 10 times, and complete 3 sets total throughout your workout.

4. Triceps Dips

Well known exercise. Classic for a good reason. Build your triceps by using only your body weight. Use a chair, couch or sturdy coffee table as a base.

Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the furniture you’re propping yourself upon.
Shift your pelvis and bottom forward so there’s an 8 – 15 cm (3 to 6 inch) gap between your back and the object — giving you clearance as you dip down.
Bend your legs in a 90-degree angle with your feet planted firmly on the ground, or extend them out in front of you (but don’t lock your knees).
Slowly lower your body down and back up, focusing on engaging your triceps.
Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

5. Downward Dog to Push-Up

This is one of those exercises that train multiple muscle groups. Downward dog to push-up targets your core, pectorals, deltoids, and triceps.

Here’s how to do it:

Start in a downward dog position. To get into a downward dog, start from an all-fours position with wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Engage your core, lift your knees, and straighten both legs as your head drops naturally between your biceps and you come into an inverted V-shape. In downward dog, your arms and back should be straight and your hips piked up to the ceiling. Your heels do not need to touch the floor, but you should feel a nice stretch in the back of your legs.
From this position, lift your right hand and reach back to tap your left toes. Allow your torso to naturally rotate open so you can tap your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, tap your shin or knee.
Return to downward dog and roll forward into a high plank or modified plank (by gently lowering your knees to the floor).
From your high plank or modified plank, do a push-up by bending both arms at the elbows and lowering your chest toward the floor in a smooth movement.
Push back up to return to your plank, then pike your hips to return to your downward dog. Now lift your left hand and tap your right toes.
After you’ve completed the toe tap, roll forward into a plank and do another push-up.
Continue your downward dog, to toe tap, to push-up progression.

6. Plank sidewalk

With this exercise, you’ll tone your abdominal muscles as you strengthen your arms.

Set a timer for 1 minute before starting this exercise.
Begin in a high plank position with your arms extended beneath your shoulders and your palms planted firmly on the ground.
Extend your legs behind you with your toes pressing into the floor. Your core should be engaged and in-line with the rest of your body.
Rather than remaining stationary, walk your hands and feet to one side. Take 2 or 3 steps in one direction (or as much as your space allows).
Then, return to your starting spot and take the same amount of steps in the other direction. Continue walking side to side until your time runs out.
Extend the exercise by 30 seconds or more if you need more of a challenge.

Keep practising these exercises and very soon, in a few weeks, you’ll notice that your arms are stronger and look much better. You’ll love your arms, be more self-confident and you’ll proudly show them off 🙂

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS Men

Upper Chest Workout at Home – Get Fuller Pecs

27/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

You do the same routine to pump up your chest, but do you pay attention to your upper chest? It has muscle fibers that are at different angles so it requires exercises that target it correctly.

If you want to get fuller pecs and you’re looking for a way to build more thickness, muscle, and strength in your upper chest, here are seven exercises for you to get a great upper chest workout at home.

What Is the “Upper Chest”

“Upper chest” is a part of the “chest muscle”. It’s known as the clavicular pectoralis and is a part of the big chest muscle (the pectoralis major), but its muscle fibers are at a different angle.

This is why research shows that certain exercises, like the flat and decline bench press, emphasize the main (large) portion of the chest muscle, whereas others, like the incline and reverse-grip bench press, emphasize the smaller upper portion.

Warm-up first

Before getting down to any workout, first you need to warm up, to prevent possible injuries. A 10-minute light cardio will increase your blood flow and help you in the following exercises. Another vital part of any warm up is stretching. To stretch your pecs: stand in a doorway, raise your arms and grab the top of the doorway with both hands. Then tilt your torso forward, leaving the muscles to stretch. Another way is to grab sides of the doorway, bending the elbows and leaning forward, while straining the muscles.

Let’s get started.

1. Decline Push-Up

This push-up variation should be one of your go-to upper chest exercises because it makes the push-up much more intense.

Get on your hands and knees in front of your platform, whether it’s a bench, wall, or step. Your hands should be on the ground shoulder-width apart. Place your feet on the platform.
Keep your body in a straight line. Avoid sagging or curving your back.
Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest to the ground.
As you near the ground, lift your head without arching your back.
Push yourself until your elbows are straight but without locking them, then move back into the starting position.

2. Press-Up

Start with your weight supported on your toes and hands beneath your shoulders, body straight.
Take care to keep your core locked so a straight line forms between your head, glutes and heels.
Lower your body until your chest is 2 -3 cm (an inch) from the ground then explosively drive up by fully extending your arms.

3. Dumbbell press

Here’s how to do it:

Take a dumbbell in each hand, and lie on your back, with your elbows bent on your shoulder level.
Slowly push the dumbbells up, straightening your arms.
Repeat the trajectory of the previous movement, slowly bending your elbows and lowering your hands to return to the initial position.

4. Incline dumbbell flye

Set the bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie on it with your feet flat on the ground on either side of you.
Grab a dumbbell in each hand. You want a neutral grip, which is when your palms are facing each other.
Stretch your arms above your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
Lower the dumbbells in a wide arc, all the way down to your sides.
When your elbows reach your shoulders, you should stop and then reverse the motion.

5. Medicine ball press-up

Get into a press-up position resting both hands on the medicine ball.
Slowly lower yourself until your chest is 2 -3 cm (an inch) above the medicine ball.
Push up explosively to the start position.

6. Chest Dips

Chest dips are one of the best exercises for the upper chest. They activate a lot of different muscle groups. This is because your upper body isn’t supported by a bench. In addition, your feet have to be off the floor.

Hold onto the parallel bars while keeping your body at arm’s length above them.
Inhale and lower yourself down, keeping your elbows extended a bit.
Tighten your chest muscles as you pause at the top of the movement for a second.
Use your chest muscles to pull you back up into the starting position. Remember to breathe out as you do this.

7. Dumbbell Pullover

Here’s how to do it:

Lie down so that you’re perpendicular to a flat blench. Keep your legs bent and your hips low.
Hold a dumbbell in your palms by one of its ends so that it is held vertically instead of horizontally. Keep your arms extended but slightly bent.
Move the dumbbell so that it’s above your chest – this is the starting position.
Now, move the dumbbell all the way over your head so that it travels behind your head. Move it all the way behind your head until it brushes the floor.
You should feel your chest stretch.
Contract your upper pecs and move the dumbbell back into the starting position.
With the weight above your chest, contract your upper chest again before doing another rep of the exercise.

Bottom line

Having the right upper chest exercises is crucial to building the smaller pec muscles that are often neglected during your workouts. The above exercises will help you to strengthen and build your upper chest.

Remember that if you want to build muscle, you need to avoid getting stuck in routines as this can seriously hamper your ability to bulk up. This not only refers to doing the same exercises, in the same order, but it means changing the angle when you’re doing incline work. So, make some changes from time to time. Among above exercises, pick four or five to start with. In like thee weeks, or a month, add or change on. Change the angle when doing incline dumbbell fly or decline push-up.

Now, play some music and get into it.

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS Women

Simple Exercises That Slim Your Waist

25/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

Do you want to have a slim, trim waist? We all want to be healthy, happy and look attractive, to be self-confident. Are there simple exercises that slim your waist? There are, and if you do not have problems with excess weigh, go straight to exercising.

But if you are overweight, only exercising won’t do the job. As usual, healthy diet and regular workouts are the most effective in this case. In order to get a smaller waist you need to lower your OVERALL body FAT percentage. So, exercising and nutrition will get the job done. You should avoid fatty and sugary foods. Your diet should include healthy foods rich in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and many other beneficial elements. It is also highly important to drink necessary amounts of water. In this way you’ll flush the toxins out of your body, improve your overall health, skin and hair condition, and melt excess body fat. However, it is important to combine your proper diet with effective physical exercises in order to get the best result.

Whatever the case, be aware that it does’t happen overnight.

It Takes Work To Get There

Yes, results won’t magically appear the next day. It takes dedication and time. Most beginners fall into the trap of going all out and lose motivation along the way, but you could start with low-intensity workouts with balanced meals and see a change over a few weeks.

Aim for up to four days of low-intensity exercises over a week. Start out with one set of each of these exercises, one after the other and slowly increase the number of times you repeat the routine with 45 to 60 seconds rest in bet

Exercises That Slim Your Waist

Strong core is very important for your overall health. And it should be strengthened working from all angles. But in order to tighten and trim the waist you should do core exercises which focus on the lateral and oblique muscle groups.

Flutter Kicks

Lie down on your back on a mat with palms underneath your glutes. Raise your legs in a straight line so that they lightly hover over the floor. Tighten your core and kick up and down while alternating both legs. Don’t let your feet touch the floor and don’t lift your lower back off it either.

Do this for 20 seconds and then repeat twice.

Side Plank With Rich Through

Start in a side-plank position with your right forearm planted firmly on the ground and your left hand holding a dumbbell on the ground in front of you. For extra stability, you can stagger your legs, placing your top foot just in front of the bottom. Engaging your core and keeping the dumbbell as close to your body as possible, raise your left arm straight overhead. With control, lower the dumbbell back down and twist directly under your torso. Return back to starting position.

Do 15 reps on each side.

Russian Twist

General tips for this exercise:

press your feet into the floor
Breathe steadily and deeply. Exhale with each twist, and inhale to return to the center
As you twist, keep your arms parallel to the floor or reach down to tap the floor beside you
Engage your abdominal and back muscles throughout the exercise
For more stability, cross your lower legs
Maintain a straight spine, and avoid slouching or rounding your spine
Allow your gaze to follow the movement of your hands.

Here’s how to do a Russian twist:

Sit on your sit bones as you lift your feet from the floor, keeping your knees bent.
Elongate and straighten your spine at a 45-degree angle from the floor, creating a V shape with your torso and thighs.
Rich your arms straight out in front, interlacing your fingers or clasping your hands together.
Use your abdominals to twist to the right, then back to center, and then to the left.
This is 1 repetition. Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions.

* Variation of this exercise is weighed twist:

Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form.

Hold a dumbbell, weight plate, or medicine ball between both hands.

Twist the same way as the original variation, keeping the weight at chest level or tapping it to the floor each time.

Toe Touches

Start by lying on your back with your legs extended perpendicular to the ground and your feet flexed. Holding a dumbbell in both hands, reach your arms toward your feet as you lift your shoulders off the ground. Return to the starting position.

Do 15 reps.

Squat To Rotating Press

Stand with feet shoulder-length apart and raise your hands with dumbbells in hand. Lower yourself to a squat position then curl weights towards your chest and press upwards with your body rotating to the right. Pivot with left heel and then return to start position. Repeat on the other side. Do 12 reps on both sides.

Reverse Crunch

Lie down on the floor on your back with knees bent. Keep your arms by the side. Lift your feet off and bring knees towards your abs. Your toes should be pointed upwards. Don’t lift your head and neck off the floor. Come back to starting position and repeat 12 times.

Plank Kick-Through

Start in a plank position, body in a straight line from head to toe, shoulders stacked directly over your wrists. In one sweeping motion, rotate your body to the right as you kick your left foot through. Open into a side-plank position, extending your right arm straight overhead. Return to plank position and repeat on the opposite side.

Do 15 reps, alternating sides.

Quick Tips to get a slim waist

Improve your posture and walk with confidence
Wear push-up bras, pencil skirts and sweetheart neck dresses
Drink a lot of water (to improve digestion)
Eat six small meals a day (this avoids overeating and bloating)

I do hope you like this article and find it to be helpful. I’d just like to add that you don’t have to do all of these exercises. Start with simpler and less demanding ones, increase number of reps as you progress and then try more demanding ones (e.g. adding dumbbell or weighted plate). Adjust number, kind of exercise and number of reps to your current possibilies and slowly (over time) increase it.

Thank you for reading this article. You can leave any questions or comments below.

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS Women

How To Slim Inner Thighs – Exercises

24/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

One of the most problematic and stubborn zones of your body to slim down is the inner thigh area. It is quite hard to tone it and reduce excess fat. In this article, you’ll learn why it is so, and how to slim inner thighs.

Excess Fat

Some body fat is essential for sustaining life and protecting your organs. Where your body stores this fat is determined in large part by genetics. Women tend to store extra fat in their hips, lower belly, and inner thighs. Men can also have inner thigh fat, although they tend to store fat in their abdomen area.

It is impossible to spot reduce your body fat. For example, if you want to get rid of your belly fat, you should lose your overall body fat as well. It is the only tried and tested approach to whittling your waist effectively. That’s why if you want to reduce your inner thigh fat, you should stick to a traditional weight loss plan – establish healthy eating habits and work out on a regular basis, full-body workouts plus exercises that target your inner thighs.

Exercises That Target Inner Thigh

Inner-Thigh Circles

To do it:

Lie on right side, supporting head with bottom arm bent. Bend top leg and place foot firmly on the mat in front of the bottom leg, holding on to ankle for support. Point bottom foot and lift leg up high.
In a swooping motion, trace a circle with the lifted leg (lift up each time to initiate the circle and target the inner thigh more). It might be helpful to imagine you are drawing circles on the back wall, lengthening the inner thigh, and keeping abs pulled in tight, and your whole core stable.
Do 10 to 20 circles in each direction, and then switch sides and repeat.

Curtsy Lunge

How to:

Begin standing with your feet in a wide stance.
Keeping your chest upright and shoulders down, cross your left leg behind the right and squat down into a curtsy position.
From the lowered position, push your body back upright, bringing your left leg back to the starting position.
Next, repeat with the right leg.
Alternate legs for 15–30 seconds, or perform 10–15 repetitions on each leg.

Optional: you can hold dumbbells in each hand as you do this exercise. Dumbbells can increase the resistance.

Sumo goblet squat

This exercise helps not only reduce inner thigh fat, but also tones your butt and helps to get rid of belly fat. Here’s how to do it:

Stand upright. Then spread your feet wider than your shoulders and place them at a 45-degree angle.
Keep your hands together under your chin or grab a dumbbell.
Next, do a deep squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and your knees out. Don’t round out your lower back and don’t lift your feet off the ground, while performing this move.
Get back to the starting position.
Do 15 reps.

Lying Frogger Crunch

How to:

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and open to the side, in a butterfly position, with your arms resting on either side of your body.
Raise your head, shoulders, and legs at the same time, crunching your rib cage toward your pelvis.
Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Complete 20 reps.

Plie squats

Stand with feet in a wide stance, with your toes and knees pointed outward.
Slowly lower into a squat position. You can keep your hands on your hips to help with balance. Keep your spine and torso upright.
Slowly rise back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Continue for 30 seconds total.

Alternating Spiderman Lunge

How to:

Get into a plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders.
Bend your left leg and bring your knee to meet your left upper arm. Then repeat on the right side.
Return your left leg to start, then your right. That’s one rep.
Complete 20 reps.

Single-Leg Lateral Lunge

How to:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips.
Take a big step to the side with your right leg, then push your hips back, bend your right knee, and lower your body until your right knee is bent nearly 90 degrees.
Push back to start. That’s one rep.
Complete 20 reps on each side.

Make Changes In Your Nutrition

As I’ve said at the beginning of this article – excess fat can form on the body if you take in more calories than your body can use or burn off. Only exercising won’t be effective without changes in your nutrition. Your diet has to be healthy and well-balanced to provide your body with all the necessary nutrients. It should include many fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy, whole grains and good fats. It’s self-explanatory that you should avoid alcohol, bakery, sugar in any form, processed, fried and sweetened foods. Besides, remember to control your portion size, calorie intake and drink necessary amounts of water.

Notes

Just one more thing before I leave you. In this article, I gave you many exercises that target your inner thighs. These are all great exercises but it doesn’t mean that you should include all of them in your workout. Choose a few that suits you, include them in your workout routine and from time to time try some new one, add it or replace one, and so on. As you progress you’ll find it challenging to include harder ones, increase the number of reps or include dumbbells.

Be persistent and ‘listen to your body’ – don’t push yourself too much. It takes time. Don’t worry, all will be well. Love yourself:)

BLOG HEALTH Posture

How To Attain Proper Sitting Posture At a Computer

22/07/202030/07/2020 Tanya

Most of us spend 8 – 9 hours a day sitting in front of the computer or work, plus a few more hours when we get home. Not only that you feel strains and, sometimes pain in your lower back, shoulders and neck, from sitting long hours, but it can have much more serious consequences over time.

Firstly, let’s see what a bad sitting posture is, and what can we do to improve our posture while sitting – how to attain proper sitting posture at a computer.

Impact Of Poor Sitting Posture

Negative impacts of poor sitting posture at your desk include:

Rounded shoulders
Potbelly
Headaches
Muscle fatigue
Back, neck, and bodily pains

Overtime these ailments can develop into something much more serious, such as a permanent change in your spinal cord, and increased chances of cardiovascular issues. And plus, sitting for hours slowers your metabolism.

How To Sit Properly

Sitting the right way can help you avoid stress on your muscles and joints that can leave you hurting. Here’s how

Sit with a back straight (no hunching), your shoulders pulled back and buttock touching the end of the seat.
Keep your neck and head in an upright angle with your ears aligned with your shoulders. Tilting the head forward just 15 degrees (so-called “text neck”) doubles the amount of pressure on your neck as the weight of your head doubles.
Avoid leaning on any side. Keep hips even to distribute the weight of the body.
Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle, and keep your knees even with or slightly lower than hips.
Keep both feet flat on the floor, or rest them on a footrest if you can’t reach it.
Don’t sit with your legs crossed, which restricts blood flow.
Avoid sitting for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

Tips To Help Your Posture

Support your back

Reduce your risk of back pain by adjusting your chair so your lower back is properly supported.

A correctly adjusted chair will reduce the strain on your back. Get a chair that is easily adjustable so you can change the height, back position and tilt.

Adjust your chair

Adjust your chair height so you can use the keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor. This can help prevent repetitive strain injuries.

Your elbows should be by the side of your body so your arm forms an L-shape at the elbow joint.

Rest your feet on the floor

Place your feet flat on the floor. If they’re not, get a footrest, which lets you rest your feet at a level that’s comfortable.

Don’t cross your legs.

Place your screen at eye level

Your screen should be directly in front of you. A good guide is to place the monitor about an arm’s length away, with the top of the screen roughly at eye level.

To achieve this, you may need a monitor stand. If the screen is too high or too low, you’ll have to bend your neck, which can be uncomfortable.

Place the keyboard straight in front of you

Place your keyboard in front of you when typing.

Leave a gap of about 10 -15 cm (4 to 6 inches) at the front of the desk to rest your wrists between bouts of typing.

Keep your arms bent in an L-shape and your elbows by your sides.

Take regular breaks

Don’t sit in the same position for too long. Make sure you change your posture as often as is practicable.

Frequent short breaks are better for your back than fewer long ones. It gives the muscles a chance to relax while others take the strain.

Healthy Eating Habits For Adults – Recommendations And Tips

20/07/202030/07/2020 Tanya

Every day we make choices about the food we eat. These choices affect our health and the health of our families and can make a real difference to our ability to remain healthy and active now and in the future.

We’ve already seen what are the risks of poor nutrition, so let’s talk now about what is healthy to eat and drink, what’s not, healthy eating habits for adults and some tips for healthy eating.

Consuming Healthy Food and Beverages

Diversified, balanced and healthy diet varies depending on individual characteristics (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle and degree of physical activity) and dietary habits. However, the basic principles of what constitutes a healthy diet remain the same.

Consume more nutrient-rich foods

Nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibres are necessary for our health. Here are recommendations of some foods and beverages that are rich in nutrients:

fruits and vegetables
whole grains, like oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and brown rice
seafood, lean meats, poultry, and eggs
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; or nondairy soy, almond, rice, or other drinks with added vitamin D and calcium
beans, peas, unsalted nuts, and seeds

Consume less of these foods and beverages

Some foods and beverages have many calories but few of the essential nutrients your body needs. Added sugars and solid fats pack a lot of calories into food and beverages but provide a limited amount of healthy nutrients. Salt does not contain calories, but it tends to be in high-calorie foods. Adults should aim to limit foods and drinks such as

sugar-sweetened drinks and foods
foods with solid fats like butter, margarine, lard, and shortening
white bread, rice, and pasta that are made from refined grains
foods with added salt (sodium)

Easy snack ideas

Instead of sugary, fatty snacks, try:

fat-free or low-fat milk or yoghurt
fresh or canned fruit, without added sugars
sliced vegetables or baby carrots with hummus

Practical Tips For Healthy Eating

The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat or drink more than your body needs, you’ll put on weight because the energy you do not use is stored as fat. If you eat and drink too little, you’ll lose weight.

You should also eat a wide range of foods to make sure you’re getting a balanced diet and your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs. It’s recommended that men have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). Women should have around 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules).

Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates

Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over a third of the food you eat. They include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals. Choose higher fibre or whole grain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes with their skins on. They contain more fibre than white or refined starchy carbohydrates and can help you feel full for longer. Try to include at least 1 starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram the carbohydrate they contain provides fewer than half the calories of fat. Keep an eye on the fats you add when you’re cooking or serving these types of foods because that’s what increases the calorie content – for example, oil on chips, butter on bread and creamy sauces on pasta.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables

It’s recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. It’s easier than it sounds. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for a piece of fresh fruit? A portion of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables is 80g. A portion of dried fruit (which should be kept to mealtimes) is 30g. A 150ml glass of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie also counts as 1 portion, but limit the amount you have to no more than 1 glass a day as these drinks are sugary and can damage your teeth.

Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish

Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, including at least 1 portion of oily fish.

Oily fish are high in omega-3 fats, which may help prevent heart disease. Oily fish include: salmon; trout; herring; sardines; pilchards; mackerel.

Cut down on saturated fat and sugar

Try to cut down on your saturated fat intake and choose foods that contain unsaturated fats instead, such as vegetable oils and spreads, oily fish and avocados. For a healthier choice, use a small amount of vegetable or olive oil, or reduced-fat spread instead of butter, lard or ghee. When you’re having meat, choose lean cuts and cut off any visible fat. All types of fat are high in energy, so they should only be eaten in small amounts.

Sugar

Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in energy, and if consumed too often can contribute to weight gain. Free sugars are any sugars added to foods or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies. This is the type of sugar you should be cutting down on, rather than the sugar found in fruit and milk.

Eat less salt

Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Even if you do not add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in the food when you buy it, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces.

Eating Habits

To eat healthier food, you may need to change some of your daily habits. You also may need to change some things in your environment.

You don’t need to make huge changes to eat healthier. And you don’t have to change your habits all at the same time. It’s best to set small goals and change your habits a bit at a time. Over time, small changes can make a big difference in your health.

Here are some ways to make healthy changes in your eating habits:

Keep more fruits, low-fat dairy products (low-fat milk and low-fat yoghurt), vegetables, and whole-grain foods at home and at work.
Try to eat a family meal every day at the kitchen or dining table. This will help you focus on eating healthy meals.
Buy a healthy-recipe book, and cook for yourself. Chew gum when you cook so you won’t be tempted to snack on the ingredients.
Pack a healthy lunch and snacks for work. This lets you have more control over what you eat.
Put your snacks on a plate instead of eating from the package. This helps you control how much you eat.
Don’t skip or delay meals, and be sure to schedule your snacks. If you ignore your feelings of hunger, you may end up eating too much or choosing an unhealthy snack.
Eat your meals with others when you can. Relax and enjoy your meals, and don’t eat too fast. Try to make healthy eating a pleasure, not a chore.
Drink water instead of high-sugar drinks (including high-sugar juice drinks).

I know all of this might sound like ‘too much’ but, as I’ve said already, you don’t have to make all the changes at once. Just be aware of the importance of proper nutrition for your health and be persistent.

And one more thing before I leave you – if you have some food allergies, underlying health problem(s) or disease(s) you must pay additional care to your nutrition. Besides advice, you got from your physician, it would be smart to consult a nutritionist.

BLOG HEALTH Nutrition

What Are The Health Risks Of Poor Nutrition

18/07/202030/07/2020 Tanya

We hear it all the time: proper and balanced nutrition is essential for our health. Yet many people don’t take it seriously. So, let’s see what are the health risks of poor nutrition.

Importance Of Good Nutrition

Your food choices each day affect your health – how your body functions, how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity and taking care of your mental health, your diet can help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote your overall health.

To put it simply, without the proper nutrition, your body is unable to function at its best.

Good nutrition allows you to fuel your body and nourish it for growth and repair. When you’re eating a balanced range of vitamins and minerals – this is good nutrition. Eating foods from all the food groups is the best way to ensure a balanced, nutritionally rich diet.

These food groups include:

Grains
Vegetables and legumes
Lean meat, seafood, eggs and meat alternatives
Dairy products and alternatives
Fruit, and
Healthy fats.

What Causes Poor Nutrition?

Poor eating habits include under- or over-eating, not having enough of the healthy foods we need each day, or consuming too many types of food and drink, which are low in fibre or high in fat, salt and/or sugar.

These unhealthy eating habits can affect our nutrient intake, including energy, protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals as well as fibre and fluid.

Risks And The Harmful Effects of Poor Nutrition

Poor nutrition can impact our daily health and well being and reduce our ability to lead an enjoyable and active life. As well as create long term problems and diseases.

In the short term, poor nutrition can contribute to stress, tiredness and our capacity to work, and over time, it can contribute to the risk of developing some illnesses and other health problems such as:

Overweight and Obesity

Eating a healthy diet, along with getting enough physical activity and sleep, can help children grow up healthy and prevent overweight and obesity. Around 20% of young people aged 2 to 19 years and 40% of adults have obesity, which can put them at risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Two of the leading causes of heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Consuming too much sodium can increase blood pressure and the risk for heart disease and stroke. Over 70% of the sodium that people eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought, and restaurant foods. Eating foods low in saturated fats and high in fibre and increasing access to low-sodium foods, along with regular physical activity, can help prevent high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Type 2 Diabetes

People who are overweight or have obesity are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those at a normal weight because, over time, their bodies become less able to use the insulin they make.

Cancer

An unhealthy diet can increase the risk of some cancers. Overweight and obesity are associated with at least 13 types of cancer, including endometrial (uterine) cancer, breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and colorectal cancer. These cancers make up 40% of all cancers diagnosed.

Deficits in Brain Function

The brain develops most quickly in the first 1,000 days of life, from the start of pregnancy to the child’s second birthday. Having low levels of iron during pregnancy and early childhood is associated with mental and behavioural delays in children. Ensuring that iodine levels are high enough during pregnancy also helps a growing baby have the best brain development possible.

Steps to Good Nutrition

have a good variety of healthy foods from the five food groups each day.
aim for two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day
only occasionally eat sugary, fatty or salty food, and then only in small amounts
drink fresh, clean water instead of sugary drinks
switch over to healthy recipes that look and taste good
plan your meals ahead and shop for healthy ingredients
enjoy cooking and eating healthy food with family or friends and without distractions such as the television.

Individual Adjucements

Your nutritional requirements are unique to your body — especially if you have food sensitivities or intolerance to consider.

Many health conditions are caused and/or affected by food and nutrition. Some are directly caused by food, such as “food poisoning” or bacterial infections from contaminated food. Some people can have severe allergies to foods like peanuts, shellfish, or wheat (celiac disease). Gastrointestinal ailments—such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—are also directly affected by the consumption of food.

For other diseases and conditions, the type or quantity of food can influence the progress of the disease. Diabetes mellitus, for example, which results in the inability of the body to regulate blood sugar, is drastically affected by the types and quantities of food eaten. Carbohydrate intake has to be carefully monitored if you suffer from diabetes, or blood sugar can rise to dangerous levels. Other conditions affected by food and nutrition include:

hypertension: Salt intake affects blood pressure.
heart disease/high cholesterol: Fatty foods and partial hydrogenated oils can create plaque in arteries.
osteoporosis: Low calcium, low vitamin D and excess fat can result in fragile bones.
certain cancers: A poor diet and obesity are associated with increased risk of breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal, and kidney cancers.

Your food choices and nutritional status can influence your overall health over the entire course of your life. So, If you have some food allergies, underlying health problems or disease(s) you must pay additional care to your nutrition. Besides advices, you got from your physician, it would be smart to consult a nutritionist. That’s my advice to you.

Take care of yourself and your families!

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS

Health Benefits Of Cardio Exercises

17/07/202002/08/2020 Tanya

You probably hear the word ‘cardio’ from the moment you decide to exercise whether at home, gym or join some exercising program. Then you hear the term ‘aerobic’ exercise, ‘anaerobic’ exercise. Are those different types of exercises? What are they for? And things get even more complicated adding special purpose like weight loss, getting fit or just to be healthier.

In this article, we’ll talk about the definitions, meanings of those and related terms, and then establish what are the health benefits of cardio exercise.

Cardio exercise

“Cardio” is fitness slang for cardiovascular activity.

Aerobic exercise is any type of cardiovascular conditioning. It can include activities like brisk walking, swimming, running, or cycling, and you know it as “cardio.”

By definition, aerobic exercise means “with oxygen.” Your breathing and heart rate will increase during aerobic activities. Aerobic exercise helps keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy.

So, cardio refers to any activity that increases heart rate and respiration while using large muscle groups repetitively and rhythmically. The root word “card,” or “heart,” provides a clue as to why this type of exercise is so important – by providing training that progressively challenges your most vital internal life support network, cardio can improve both the function and the performance of your heart, lungs and circulatory system.

On the other side “anaerobic exercises”, such as weightlifting or sprinting, involve quick bursts of energy. They’re performed at maximum effort for a short time. This is unlike aerobic exercises. You perform aerobic exercises for a sustained period of time. I won’t expand this subject in this article. I just wanted to clear things up, to briefly inform you what “anaerobic exercise” is and how it differs from aerobic exercise.

Benefits of Cardio Exercise

Stronger Heart – Teaches the heart to work more efficiently.
Lowers Blood Pressure and Cholesterol – As your heart beats faster it increases blood flow. Blood vessels become more elastic when they are worked and small blood vessels widen to deliver more oxygen to your muscles.
Weight Loss – All exercise burns calories. With a deficit caloric intake, your body will burn fat and you will lose weight.
Strengthens Lungs – When we move our large muscles we breathe faster and more deeply this improves lung function.
Increased Bone Density – Weight-bearing aerobic exercise like walking helps to decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
Reduces Stress & Depression – When you exercise your body releases endorphins which are natural pain killers.
Better Sleep – We sleep better when our body is tired.
More Energy – You will increase your stamina and reduce your fatigue. You may feel more exhausted when you first start an exercise program, but stick with it and your energy levels will increase. You will be on your way to a more active lifestyle.
Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease – Being physically active is important in preventing heart disease
Strengthens Lungs – When we move our large muscles we breathe faster and more deeply this improves lung function.
Live Longer – Studies show that those who regularly exercise live longer than those who don’t.
Less Likely to Get Sick – Exercise activates your immune system.

Some of the Best Cardio Workouts

Walking – This is the easiest and safest way to start getting in your cardio.

Elliptical – Minimal impact on the knees and hips but calorie burning is still high. When you increase the incline you will activate more muscles.

Running – Whether outdoors or on a treadmill

High-Intensity Interval Training – Short intervals at maximum intensity followed by short periods of rest.

Bike Riding or Cycling – Cycling uses large muscle groups in the legs and helps elevate your heart rate. This one is great you can do it inside or outside.

Stair Climber – Uses more muscles than walking.

Jumping Rope – Cheap, easy and burns tons of calories.

Swimming – This is a total body workout as long as you are not just floating. Swimming laps would be best and change up the strokes you use so that you work all different kinds of muscles and the continuous pace works your heart and lungs.

Rowing – Works both the upper and lower body and is low stress on joints and ligaments.

Circuit Training – When you work out at a high intensity the blood starts to pump a lot harder and that challenges the elasticity of the arterial wall.

If you want to not only work your heart but want to build muscle continue with your exercise routine and add in some weights.

Choosing a Cardio Exercise

When choosing a cardio exercise think about what’s accessible to you, what fits your personality, and what you’d feel comfortable fitting into your life.

If you like to go outdoors, running, cycling, or walking are all good choices. Just about any activity will work, as long as it involves a movement that gets your heart rate into your heart rate zone. Walking is always an excellent choice. I’d like to recommend combining speed walking with shorter periods of walking at slower pace, then speed up again.

If you prefer going to the gym, you have access to many more options in the form of different machines.

For the home exercising, you can, of course, buy your own treadmill, elliptical trainer or indoor bike but there are other great options like:

Exercise videos
Fitness apps
Home cardio exercises like jumping rope, jumping jacks, jogging in place, burpees, and more
Online workouts

You have so many choices but, the trouble is, you may not even know what you like yet. You may have to try several different activities before you find one that works for you. This is the experiment we all have to take part in and it can be hit or miss so don’t be afraid to try something and, if it doesn’t work, move on to something else.

I hope this article was informative but not boring. Hopefully it helped you clear few things, and that you’ve learned something new.

If you are in interested in-home workout for weight loss click on the following link https://thediamondhealth.com/the-top-at-home-workouts-for-weight-loss/

BLOG HOME WORKOUTS

Quick Morning Workout At Home – Wake Up Your Body

15/07/202001/08/2020 Tanya

Finding the time for a workout throughout the day can be really challenging, oftentimes impossible. Try to workout early in the morning. A quick morning workout at home will wake up your body, boost your energy and mentally prepare you for the day ahead.

Benefits Of Morning Workout

An early morning workout offers numerous benefits, both to your health and to your daily schedule. Here are some of them:

More overall energy

Exercising is excellent for boosting energy and reducing fatigue. When you work out, your circulation improves, bringing oxygen and nutrients to every part of your body. By exercising early, you may feel more energized throughout the day.

Better focus

Physical activity also improves focus and concentration, regardless of when you do it. But if you have trouble focusing during the day, a morning workout might be just what you need.

A 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that morning exercise improves attention, visual learning, and decision-making.

Better Mood

Physical activity is a natural remedy for stress. During exercise, your brain makes more endorphins, the “feel-good” hormone. It also doubles as a distraction from anxious thoughts. Morning exercise is a great way to start the day on a positive note. You’ll also feel a sense of accomplishment, giving you an optimistic outlook for the day.

15 Minute Morning Workout

In just 15 minutes you’ll get your heart pumping, blood flowing and you’ll be energized for the day ahead.

Throughout each exercise focus on breathing. Make 15-20 sec break between exercises.

Lunges – 20 reps

Split your stance with your right leg in front. Your right foot should be flat on the ground, and your left foot up on its toes;
Bend your knees and lunge until your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Your knee should be aligned with your ankle;
Push up through your right foot to return to the starting position.
Repeat with the left foot
Alternate your legs for 20 repetitions.

Squats – 25 reps

Stand with your feet about hips-width distance apart. and bend at the knees to slowly squat down into a seated position.
Send your hips back and lower your upper body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Straighten your legs to return to standing.
Repeat 25 times.

Push-Ups – 15 reps

Begin by lying face down on the floor, placing your palms flat on the floor directly under your chest.
With your hands shoulder-width distance apart, curl your toes under and press your body directly upwards using your shoulders and arms. Continue to lift your body until your arms are fully straightened, maintaining a flat back throughout the movement.
Lower back to hover a few cm above the floor.
Repeat 15 times.

Bicycle crunches – 20 reps

Lie on your back and bring your legs to a tabletop position. Bend your elbows and put your hands behind your head. Be sure that your lower back is flat on the ground. Crunch up and bring your right elbow to your left knee, straightening your right leg; Release the crunch slightly. Bend your right leg and straighten your left leg, then bring your left elbow to your right knee. Repeat.

Bird Dog – 20 reps

Get on all fours ensuring your hands are directly underneath your shoulders and your knees are underneath your hips.
Simultaneously extend your left leg and right arm keeping your hips square to the ground. Hold that position for 2-5 seconds.
Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left arm and right leg.

That’s it!

Now jump into the shower and get ready. Water, breakfast and you’re good to go! Have a great day 🙂

Lateral Lunge

Goblet Squat

Bulgarian split squat

Forward Lunge

Kettlebell Swing

Barbell Hip Thrust

Perfect Leg Day

Achieve Strong, Fit And Sculpted Arms

1. Plank Shoulder Tap

2. Bicep curls to push press

3. Triceps Kickback

4. Triceps Dips

5. Downward Dog to Push-Up

6. Plank sidewalk

What Is the “Upper Chest”

Warm-up first

1. Decline Push-Up

3. Dumbbell press

5. Medicine ball press-up

6. Chest Dips

7. Dumbbell Pullover

Bottom line

It Takes Work To Get There

Exercises That Slim Your Waist

Quick Tips to get a slim waist

Excess Fat

Exercises That Target Inner Thigh

Plie squats<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4705" src="https://thediamondhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/squat-300x288.jpg" alt="plie-squat-exercise" width="300" height="288" />

Make Changes In Your Nutrition

Notes

Impact Of Poor Sitting Posture

How To Sit Properly

Tips To Help Your Posture

Other Postural Tips

Consuming Healthy Food and Beverages

Practical Tips For Healthy Eating

Eating Habits

Importance Of Good Nutrition

What Causes Poor Nutrition?

Risks And The Harmful Effects of Poor Nutrition

Steps to Good Nutrition

Individual Adjucements

Cardio exercise

Benefits of Cardio Exercise

Some of the Best Cardio Workouts

Choosing a Cardio Exercise

Benefits Of Morning Workout

15 Minute Morning Workout

Lunges – 20 reps

Plie squats