Fitness: How to Control Your Food Portions.

If there’s one thing you can do to push your weight and health in the right direction, it’s controlling the amount of food you eat. Portion control is still a huge problem for many of us, especially those of us who eat restaurant food on a regular basis.

If you’re worried that smaller portions will leave you unsatisfied, have no fear: a well-portioned diet should actually leave you feeling more energetic and truly satisfy your hunger.


Here are 5 Easy Ways to Control Your Food Portions:

1- Eat at home more often :

Although there are more restaurants offering health-minded options these days, the best way to ensure that you are sticking to proper portion sizes is to make and serve it yourself. When you do eat out, consider splitting your food with a friend or eating half and taking the leftovers home to eat for another meal.

2- Eat a varied diet:

Instead of eating a lot of two items for dinner, eat smaller portions of different foods. Ideally, each meal should provide a variety of foods from all of the food groups. Start by trying to at least include one lean protein, one whole grain, a fruit and a vegetable in each meal.

3- Buy a portion control tool :

For a little added help, there is a handy-dandy, reasonably priced portion control tool that makes controlling your portions a snap. The Meal Measure 1 Portion Control Tool (about $10 on Amazon) sits on top of your plates and has labeled compartments for your vegetable, fruit, starch and protein

4- Stick out your hand :

Another kind of portion control tool you already have “at hand.” An average adult-sized fist is comparable to about 1 cup of food and is a great guide for portioning out beverages, cereals, casseroles, soups, fresh fruit and salads. The amount of food that would fill a cupped hand equals about ½ cup, and is good for knowing the right sized portion for oatmeal, pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, cooked veggies, and desserts. Your palm (which measures out about 3 ounces) is the best reference for knowing how much meat you should have per meal. And your thumb is about the size of a tablespoon, which is the right amount for salad dressings, peanut butter, sour cream and cream cheese.

5- Divvy it out ahead of time :

If you’re a person who eats on the go often or likes to graze throughout the day, having foods pre-portioned may work best for you. Buy the snack-size (NOT sandwich-size) plastic baggies and measure out the right portions. Some examples of what to measure out include 1/3 cup of nuts, ¼ cup of dried fruit, ½ cup raw veggies, or 1.5 ounces of cheese.

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Fitness: Morning Habits That Can Wreck Your Day.

So many things can make for a less-than-ideal morning: like hitting a traffic jam in the middle of your commute or realizing you’ve forgotten an umbrella just as a downpour hits. Some things are out of your hands but other little morning habits could be starting you off on the wrong foot. Set yourself up for the best day possible by nixing these bad-for-you a.m. behaviors.

1- You Drink Coffee Too Early :

Is there really a bad time for coffee? Yup. Energy levels rise naturally when you first wake up, so drinking coffee then causes an extra energy surge that can leave you jittery.You’ll reap the most benefits from coffee if you save it for an hour after you’ve gotten out of bed. That’s when your energy levels begin to plummet, so coffee keeps them up well into the afternoon.

2- Your Breakfast is Too Small:

A handful of berries mixed into a container of Greek yogurt may sound like the perfect healthy breakfast, but it can set you up to binge in the afternoon. Not only is it just not enough food, but it’s also lacking in some nutrients that are key to ensuring you feel full until your next meal. A filling breakfast should consist of around 15 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fiber, complex carbs, and some healthy fat, says Davenport. A morning meal that contains all of those isn’t going to clock in at less than 450 calories it’s just impossible so you’ll want to make sure your breakfast’s at least that big. On the go? You can make thesehealthy breakfasts in just five minutes.

3-You Check Your E-mail First Thing :

This is one nasty habit you should break ASAP. Checking your inbox the moment you open your eyes in the morning can set you up for stress all day long.Instead of worrying about work first thing, focus on starting your morning with an activity that calms you exercising, sipping a cup of tea, or talking to a roommate. This will actually help boost your productivity and get your creative juices flowing which will pay off at work way more than checking that e-mail from your boss would.

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How to train your abdominal muscles? ( everything you need to know).

There is still a lot of confusion regarding the training of the abdominal muscles and especially few have clear ideas. Of course! Each of us is done differently and what works for me is not necessarily good for you and vice versa, then do not listen to anyone who tells you "I know how you must train your abs!", Because who says so is the first not to have understood anything.

What I urge you to do is to try on your skin the different exercises and choose 3 or 4 you hear your most or those that you like the most and run with the correct technique can (which you can read below).

Among the many debates, one concerns the choice of the optimal number of repetitions. It is better to train these muscles with weights and more reps or lighter with greater loads and fewer repetitions?

Here too, the answer is "it depends on how your body reacts." If you are not trained will not recommend to start with overweight and few repetitions, if you train then a session with overweight you do it and always doing utmost attention to technique.

In conclusion, of course, neither method is inherently better than the other because both methods are based on principles physiologically correct. It may be right to alternate phases of work with a high number of repetitions (15-25 reps) to work stages at low reps but with heavier weights (6-10 reps) bearing in mind that the purpose is not to use the maximum weight but make sure that the lighter weight seems the heaviest possible contracting at maximum and maintaining the contraction during each single repetition. However, if you use the abdominal toning to prevent low back pain, you should not use overweights to train your abs, because the first is easy to make mistakes in execution, according easy overstraining their lower back.

Any exercise you want to do to run it properly are important suggestions that are valid for all exercises that tone your abs:

Before starting the exercise exhale (throw out) all the air you have in the lungs

Run the exercise, contracting your abdominal muscles, in apnea until you're back to the starting position
Inspira (throws in air), exhale and start exercising
Make sure that your pelvis is always in retroversion, ie forward and the lumbar curve and not in lordosis
Your concentration must necessarily be focused on abdominal contraction
Stop 2/2 the point of maximum contraction all times
Count to three outward, that is, after you've exhaled when you start exercising and count to 2 at maximum contraction and count to 6 to return.
As for the kind of exercises do you list a few, the ones I like the most, know that there are countless others that you know looking on the internet.

- Crunch on the ground or on fitball

- Reverse Crunch on the ground or on fitball

- Crunch oblique to the ground or on fitball

- Total abdominal (+ crunch reverse crunch)

- Crunch free alternate (for oblique crunch + Crunc for reverse oblique)

Finally: do not ask me "how soon will begin to look at my turtle?" Because they do not know you first, second is not toning the abs that these magically jump out. Rather ask yourself how much fat you have in front of your abs and to eliminate this fat is not the best thing to do exercises for abs, lose weight but taking care of your power your daily movement and your mind.

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Fitness: How To keep Your Prostate Healthy .

Men’s health…it tends to be a topic that scares a lot of men, but we all know it is so utterly important. A general healthy lifestyle is of course key, but for men, prostate health is something they should really start to pay attention to around the age of 40. So I have compiled a list of important nutritional tips for the men in all of our lives. We want them healthy and hardy for years and years to come…hopefully some of these tips will ensure just that.

The following foods are helpful to keep your prostate healthy:


•Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower—they contain isothiocyanates, which are protective phytochemicals, while at the same time are high in antioxidants.


•Fish oil that is high in omega-3 fats seem to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.


•Vitamin E is known to reduce prostate inflammation and may protect against cancer. This can be found  in nuts and seeds, wheat germ and whole grains.


•Whole grains offer fiber, selenium, vitamin E and phytochemicals, all of which play a role in the prevention of cancer.


•Increase your lycopene! This is in tomatoes, tomato products, red grapefruits and watermelons. This appears to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Cooking appears to release more of the lycopene in tomatoes; so tomato-based pasta sauces and soups may be especially beneficial. Lycopene is fat soluble so is better absorbed when eaten with a little fat.


•Selenium is another mineral that may offer protection. This antioxidant is found in nuts—especially Brazil nuts—seafood, some meats, fish, wheat bran, wheat germ, oats and brown rice.

•Soy products can help prevent prostate enlargement and may slow tumor growth. I always really caution people with soy though when buying them. So many of them are genetically modified and can therefore can cause numerous issues in other departments including your reproductive system.


•Cut back on red meat. It is high in saturated animal fats and has been linked to an increased incidence of prostate problems.


A few other great tips? Drink plenty of water and green tea every day. Take a Vitamin C supplement, a quality fish oil supplement, and a Vitamin B liquid supplement. Add the three wonder spices of garlic, turmeric and ginger to your daily diet.

I know when started any lifestyle change it can be overwhelming in the beginning. So start slowly. Pick a few things from the above tips list and work them into your life. I promise your body will thank you for it!

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The Best Exercises To Tone The Ches , Arms and Improve The Way You Look.

Toned chest and arm muscles can improve the way you look, feel and perform activities that require upper body strength and endurance. Perform a comprehensive weight training routine that targets the chest, shoulders, biceps and triceps muscle groups at least two days each week. Start each workout with a five- to 10-minute thermal warm-up that includes some form of cardiovascular activity followed by dynamic and static stretches for your chest and arms.

1- Chest:

Your chest muscles, called the pectorals, pull your arms and shoulders across the front of your body. Flat barbell or dumbbell bench presses tone and strengthen your whole chest. Dumbbell flys and cable crossovers help define your chest muscles. Use a weight that allows you to complete two to three sets of each exercise for eight to 12 repetitions. These exercises also work your shoulders and arms and should be completed before other exercises.

2- Shoulders:

Your shoulders each have a muscle group called the deltoids that allow you to lift and rotate your arms in various positions. Overhead barbell or dumbbell presses should be performed first. Lateral and front dumbbell raises are isolation exercises that shape your shoulders. Upright rows and dumbbell shoulder shrugs can help tone your shoulders and upper back. Perform two to three sets for at least three of these exercises for eight or more repetitions.

3- Biceps:

The muscle on the front of your arm is called the biceps. It enables you to lift and curl your arm. Biceps curls, a standard arm toning exercise, can be performed using a barbell, dumbbell or machine. Try variations of curls using an underhand or hammer grip, when the palms turn inward, in a standing, seated or inclined position. Pick two or three exercises and complete two to three sets for at least eight repetitions.


4- Triceps:

The muscle in the back of your arm, the triceps, works in opposition to the biceps to extend your arm. Lying triceps extensions can be performed on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells. One-arm overhead extensions or triceps kickbacks with dumbbells can also firm up the back of your arms. Triceps push-downs or close grip pushups are effective, advanced exercises. Complete any two or three of these exercises for eight or more repetitions.


• Considerations

Perform chest and arm weight training exercises on nonconsecutive days to allow muscles time to recuperate. Vary your routine by increasing weight or number of repetitions or trying new exercises. To see improved tone in your chest and arms, you should include cardiovascular activity in your workouts on at least three days each week to body burn excess body fat. Be sure to drink water and eat healthy to fuel your body for exercise.

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Insanely Motivating Fitness Girls That Will Inspire You Start Healthy Life.

You want to get fit. But you don't want to join a health club -- it's too expensive, there's no gym convenient to you, or maybe you're just the independent type. Or perhaps you're already a gym member, but your schedule has been too manic for you to get away.

That leaves working out at home. But can you really get a great workout without leaving the house?

In today's world, the reality of it is people don't have time to go to a facility every day anyway.

Today our Motivating Fitness Girl On Instagram That Will Inspire You To Get Fit and start a Healthy Lifestyle is "sophiamiacova"

Believe it or not, at Instagram Fitness Pros they encourage folks to exercise at home as much as at the gym. This way, they are more apt to adopt fitness as a lifestyle. "The key thing is that you do something, somewhere, sometime.

Fitness experts say it doesn't take much effort or money to design an effective workout program at home. Things like fit balls, dumbbells, exercise bands or tubing, and push-up bars are an inexpensive way to create a routine that works all the major muscle groups.

But even with no props or machines, you can build muscles and burn calories.

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6 Shocking Foods That Destroy Belly Fat Fast.

Belly fat affects your physical appearance and poses harmful health risks. Visceral belly fat, the type that lies deep within your abdominal cavity, increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, according to “Harvard Women’s Health Watch.” Moderate physical activity and a diet low in calories, saturated fats and refined carbohydrates can help combat belly fat. Consuming certain foods also can help fight excess abdominal fat.

1- Whole Grains:

Your body digests whole grains slower than refined grains due to the higher amount of fiber contained in whole grains. This helps you feel full longer, eat less and keep your insulin levels low and steady. These benefits are believed to shrink belly fat cells, according to CBS News. A study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" in March 2009 found that increasing dietary fiber consumption helps decrease weight and fat gain. Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal and whole wheat bread, should make up at least half of your daily grain intake, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

2- Avocados:

Avocados contain high amounts of monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that has several health benefits. Like whole grains, it reduces blood sugar and insulin spikes, which normally trigger your body to store excess abdominal fat.

3- Low-fat and Non-fat Dairy:

Dairy products such as low-fat yogurt and skim milk have an optimal combination of carbohydrates and protein to stabilize insulin levels. In addition, yogurt often contains probiotics that keep your digestive system healthy and decrease stomach bloating.


4- Nuts:

Similar to avocados, nuts contain high amounts of healthy unsaturated fats that may help control blood sugar levels. Certain nuts, such as almonds, contain significant amounts of magnesium, a mineral necessary for maintaining steady blood sugar levels.


5- Citrus Fruits:

The vitamin C in citrus fruits may help you burn up to 30 percent more fat during exercise, according to CBS News, making these fruits good choices for a pre-workout snack.

6- Soy:

Soybeans contain fiber, antioxidants and protein. Snacking on soy products keeps you feeling satisfied longer while their nutrients control insulin and blood sugar levels.

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