Top 5 Low Cost Cardio Exercises.

Do you have a low fitness budget but still want to keep fit? Well, cardio exercises are the way to go. Considered one of the most important components in any fitness program, cardio exercises offer you a variety of benefits. These include a healthy heart, increased energy, improved muscle tone and better sleep, just to name a few. Defined as any form of physical activity that increases heart rate and blood circulation, cardio exercises come in many forms. The following are five low cost cardio exercises that deliver amazing results.

Exercise 1 – Cycling

Cycling is a fun cardio exercise that costs very little, as you can just pick up a second hand bike at a great price and then you’re good to go. With cycling, you can schedule a certain time of the day to go riding or incorporate the exercise into your daily routines like riding your bike to and from work. Regardless of which option you choose, cycling on a daily basis will help you burn calories, improve leg strength and tone your leg muscles.

Exercise 2 – Jump Rope

Jump rope is an easy and inexpensive exercise that you can do anywhere. This exercise targets a wide range of muscles in both your upper and lower body. Jumping rope for at least 30 minutes each day will strengthen and tone the muscles in your shoulders, core, arms, chest, thighs, back and legs. In addition, jumping rope boosts cardiovascular health, burns a lot of calories, improves your agility, enhances your coordination and increases your overall endurance. The great thing about jumping rope is that you can pick up a high quality jump rope for as little as $5 and use it to enjoy all the benefits above.

Exercise 3 – Running

All that is required for this high-impact cardio exercise is an investment in some good running shoes. It’s important that you buy good quality shoes as they will help cushion you against the impact of running, especially when you’re speeding over rough terrain. When done daily for about 30 to 60 minutes, running helps maintain a healthy weight as it burns a lot of calories. Aside from that, running also improves heart health, adds years to your life, improves brain health, improves mood and strengthens your bones, joints and muscles.

Exercise 4 – Swimming

Swimming is a low-cost exercise that offers you a cool way to get fit. This exercise works your whole body but mostly targets your back, shoulder and arm muscles. Swimming also improves your flexibility, builds endurance, keeps your heart rate up and helps you maintain a healthy weight. The best time to go swimming is during off peak hours as you can often swim for around $1 during these times.

Exercise 5 – Walking

Walking is a safe exercise with minimum injury risk and can therefore be done by anyone including pregnant women and older people. The only investment required for this low-impact exercise is good walking shoes while the benefits are stronger leg muscles, lower blood pressure, weight reduction and better heart fitness. The best way to perform this cardio exercise is to walk daily at moderate intensity for 30 minutes or more.

Summary

If you’ve been telling yourself that you can’t afford to workout, you can use these exercises to shatter your excuses and boost your cardiovascular fitness today. Either choose one exercise to perform multiple times during the week or mix it up and do a mixture of these low cost cardio exercises throughout the week to add variety to your routine.

5 Tips For Building A Fitness Budget.

Do you want to exercise but cannot seem to find the money to buy home gym equipment or pay for a gym membership? Well, you’re not alone because this is a problem faced by many people. However, not having enough money to get as healthy as you want doesn’t have to stop you from achieving your fitness goals. You can raise money each month for fitness equipment, gym fees or any other expenses that will be incurred by simply cutting down on other unnecessary expenses. To help you with this we’ve put together five top tips for building a fitness budget.

1 – Check Your Subscriptions

Whether it’s out of forgetfulness or the unwillingness to change things, many of us are guilty of wasting money paying for subscription services that we don’t even use. Although these subscriptions only take up a small fraction of the household’s expenses, the accumulation of subscription fees can translate to a significant amount of money each month. Therefore, take some time to check and cancel off any of these unnecessary services and use the money you save to add to your fitness budget each month.

2 – Learn To Cook

In today’s fast-paced world, balancing a busy work schedule with family and social life leaves very little time left for preparing home cooked meals. For this reason, more and more people are turning to unhealthy but convenient processed foods. However, this habit of buying convenience foods may save on time but it costs you in term of money and health. By giving up convenience foods and tuning to home cooked meals, you can improve your health and save lots of money for fitness expenses at the same time. If you learn the right recipes, you’ll also find that it’s possible to cook tasty and healthy meals in as little as 20 minutes which allows you to still enjoy the convenience factor without compromising your health or wasting money.

3 – Give Up An Unhealthy Habit

Everyone has an unhealthy habit that drains away at his or her pockets. This could be smoking, drinking one too many alcoholic drinks daily, eating lots of fried foods and snacks or gulping down soda. The cost of supporting these habits may seem small on a daily basis but when you add it up for the entire month, it becomes quite significant. By quitting at least one of these unhealthy habits, you will not only boost your health but will also save money that you can add to your fitness budget.

4 – Make a Shopping List

Making a shopping list should be the very first thing you do before heading to the grocery stores. Without a shopping list, you’ll end up spending more money than necessary because grocery stores are designed to make us overspend. However, with a shopping list in hand, you’ll be able to shop wisely by only buying what you need and save lots of money which you can put into your fitness budget.

5 – Review Your Exact Spending For A Month

One great way of finding ways to save a few extra dollars each month is by conducting a review of your exact monthly spending. The review will help you identify any unnecessary spending that you can cut out and put towards your fitness budget instead.

Summary

If you’re having trouble finding money to invest in your fitness, you can use these five effective tips to find some extra cash right away. So start putting them into action today and build your fitness budget.

Jennifer Aniston’s recipe for radiant beauty.

What keeps Jennifer Aniston looking so radiantly young and beautiful?

According to starpulse.com, Aniston has now confessed that her secret is her daily practice of Transcendental Meditation.

When asked about the number one thing which has kept her looking so amazing, Jennifer said:

“I’d say a little over a year ago I started doing TM and that’s really changed everything. Starting your day off with that and ending with that is pretty powerful. Twenty minutes, you just notice the difference. When I get lazy and don’t get it in, I can feel a difference. I do it first thing when I wake up.”

She also admitted that if yoga didn’t exist, she would probably have to invent it.

But what if she could trade bodies with someone for 24 hours?

“I’d love to be able to ski like a crazy person, like Lindsey Vonn. Then I’d also like to have Gisele’s body, just ‘cuz, why not?” Aniston referred to the supermodel and fellow fan of yoga and meditation, Gisele Bundchen.

http://blog.uk.tm.org/celebrities/jennifer-anistons-recipe-for-radiant-beauty/?leadsource=CRM1807&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=March2015

Gordon Ramsay's Plain Salmon Recipe.

Gordon Ramsay cooking a simple and easily prepared, using common ingredients - the perfect meal.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cAFkYm3u1Q

Gooey chocolate cake.

Gordon Ramsay serves up a rich and sumptuous, but not heavy, chocolate cake. See how to make it step by step.

Ingredients

120g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
5 eggs, separated
200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
220g caster sugar
90g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

For the filling
284ml pot double cream
200g pot half-fat crème fraîche
2 limes or 1 lemon, grated zest only
For the ganache icing
150g dark chocolate
142ml pot double cream
25g grated chocolate, to serve

Method

Grease and bottom line a 24cm spring form cake tin.

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas. Melt 120g chocolate in a bowl.
Cool for 5 mins, then beat in egg yolks.
In a bowl, beat the butter and 100g sugar until soft and creamy.
Mix in the melted chocolate and yolks.
Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks then beat in remaining 120g sugar in three batches and continue whisking until stiff.
Beat a third of the meringue into the chocolate mix.
Then, gently fold in alternate spoonfuls of the flour and remaining meringue.
Spoon into the tin, level and bake 40-45 mins until the top forms a light crust.
Test the centre with a metal skewer, it should come out clean.
Remove, cool 10 mins, before turning out of the tin.
When cooled, cut in half carefully as it is fragile, with a large serrated knife.

To make the filling: in a bowl beat the double cream until thickened, but not stiff.
Then mix in the crème fraîche and the zest.
Spread one half of the cake with all the zesty cream and sandwich together with the other half.
Place on a rack with a large plate beneath.
To make the ganache icing: break up the chocolate into a pan and add the double cream.
Melt over the lowest heat and stir until smooth, then cool until the consistency of thick pouring cream.
Pour over the cake.
Let excess icing run onto the plate and spoon it back over to fill any gaps.
Spread the icing evenly on the top and around the sides using the back of a spoon or a palette knife. While the icing sets sprinkle the grated chocolate on top and around the sides.
Make the curls: You will need a large block of chocolate.
Ensure the chocolate is at warm room temperature and placed on a worktop.
Gordon used a sharp knife to make the curls, but it’s easier to draw a swivel vegetable peeler down the side of a thick block of chocolate.

Place a large ring cutter (about 10cm) in the centre of the cake and fill with the chocolate curls. Carefully remove the ring and let the curls cascade gently out.
Serve at room temperature.
If chilled ahead the cake should be allowed to come to room temperature before serving.
about 100g chocolate shaved into curls, to serve.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2232/gooey-chocolate-cake

Anorexia.

There's an often-quoted adage that says "one can never be too rich or too thin." I can go along with the "too rich" part, but the fact is one really can be "too thin." Anorexia is an eating disorder that generally affects those in higher socioeconomic brackets and those who are involved in activities or work where thinness is considered an asset — modeling, acting, dancing, gymnastics, etc.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that most often affects women, but about 10 percent of those who suffer from it are men. Men most often affected are those who make their living in industries where weight is an issue — horse racing, modeling, dancing, distance running, and driving race cars.

However, anybody can suffer from anorexia nervosa, and it seems that the number of cases grows each year. A person who is suffering from the eating disorder is thin to the extreme but see themselves as fat — overweight. They don't consume enough food to stay alive, and many of those who suffer from anorexia die from starvation.

The methods anorexics choose to lose weight are: not eating, extreme exercise, self-induced vomiting, and the use of strong laxatives.

Anorexics can't see that they have a problem. They aren't likely to correct the situation. If you have a family member who has a body weight that is 15% below normal, refuses to eat in public, is anxious, is weak, has brittle skin, has shortness of breath, or who is obsessive about calorie consumption, you need to seek help for her (or him).


Overcoming anorexia is difficult, and it is a process that must be handled by a doctor who understands the problem and who knows how to deal with it. Quite frankly, all those who have anorexia cannot be helped — but you always need to try!


Take care.

Gordon Ramsay's Scrambled Eggs.

Gordon Ramsay's Scrambled Eggs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUP7U5vTMM0

Jillian Michaels Abs Mini Workout.mp4

Jillian Michaels Abs Mini Workout.mp4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1hHkB5eOXw

Jillian Michaels: Shred it With Weights Workout- Level 1.

Jillian Michaels: Shred it With Weights Workout- Level 1 is an explosive, total body, boot camp-style workout routine that offers a unique blend of strength-training, plyometric moves, cardio intervals, and stretching to build lean muscle and ramp up the metabolism to kick start your fat-burning potential. Prepare to fight through the burn as you challenge your core and target every major muscle group in the body with America's Toughest Trainer / Biggest Loser Celebrity, Jillian Michaels as she provides expert, step-by-step instruction for each move and keeps you motivated until the end of this intense first level or her top-selling Fitness DVD, "Shred It with Weights." Find out first-hand how Jillian has transformed bodies all over the planet! Using either a kettle bell or a single dumbbell, you will learn strength moves to build endurance, burn massive calories, and sculpt lean muscle throughout the shoulders, chest, arms, chest, legs, butt, abs, back, and obliques! Shape your thighs and glutes and you shred your biceps and triceps with this highly-effective workout from one of the most popular trainers in the business. You will begin with a dynamic warm-up to get the heart rate up and break a sweat before beginning the routine. Finally, end with a soothing cool-down to prevent injury and maximize results. Jillian will inspire you as you navigate through a series of arm presses, squats, lunges, explosive dead lift rows, aerobic intervals, and dynamic stretches that will re-shape your body and have you looking and feeling your absolute best, and seeing results within a week. Work out right from your living room as you sculpt a lean and chiseled body. You will need a Yoga mat, a bottle of water, a towel, and either a kettle bell or single dumbbell to complete this workout that provides beginner or advanced variations to make it perfect for all skill levels. Tune in to BeFit every weekday for new workouts! 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w2ssgjdIts 

Here’s What Happens Inside Your Body When You Quit Drinking Soda.

The sugar in soda can be addicting, similar to alcohol tobacco and drugs. It just feels good when you consume it. But like most addicting things, it can harm your good health long-term. More and more research is coming out to show the negative health effects of frequent consumption of soda. We tend to argue that you should enjoy everything in moderation. With soda, our recommendation is to enjoy it very rarely.

If you’re a daily drinker of soda, it may be hard to quit. But this is what happens when you do:

1. Your heart health almost immediately improves.

A study conducted by Harvard University in 2012 found that sweet, sugary drinks like soda increase the likeliness of chronic heart disease. Participants in the study who drank soda frequently were 20% more likely to have a heart attack. Another study from 2011 found that soda raises your blood pressure and the more you drink, the higher it gets.

2. Risk of chronic disease decreases.

The obesity epidemic is far, far from over in the United States. Soda is a direct contributor to the obesity epidemic. With obesity comes cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a heightened risk of other chronic diseases. Ditch soda and you’ll ditch some pounds too.

3. Improved reproductive health.

Some, not all, but some soda cans contain Bysphenol-A, or BPA. BPA is linked to an increased risk of cancer and impairment of the endocrine system. Numerous studies have shown the dangers of BPA, linking it to premature puberty and infertility as well. BPA has been found to increase your chance of breast cancer, prostate cancer, metabolic disorder, and type 2 diabetes.

4. Your kidneys will be in better shape.

Studies have indicated that drinking soda increases your risk of kidney disease that leads to the failure of your kidneys all together. Diet sodas do nothing to help your kidneys too. In fact, one study showed that women who drank diet soda every day had decreased liver function.

5. You’ll grow stronger bones.

This is a pretty well known fact of soda. It weakens your bones. By stopping, you improve your bone health and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Strengthen your bones with high calcium foods and drinks like almond milk and broccoli.

6. You’ll get fewer bladder infections.

Soda is a diuretic, which causes you to urinate more frequently and more urgently. This urgency irritates your bladder and can cause bladder and urinary tract infections. Drink clear fluids like water or unsweetened juices to help your urinary tract stay clear and healthy.

7. You’ll have a brighter, whiter smile.

Soda ruins your teeth. Leaving soda on the shelf leads to better oral health. In a 2013 study, researchers found that a woman who drank 2 liters of diet soda every day for 3-5 years had the same level of tooth decay as a meth addict. Run a Google image search “meth mouth” to get a better idea of what we’re talking about. It’s pretty harsh.

8. Last but not least, your brain will be able to its job better.

Many people reach for the soda to get a caffeine and sugar boost to beat the midday fog. It helps for a little while, but ultimately the practice has a negative effect on your brain function. In one study, long-term consumption of sugar was found to lead to impaired learning and behavioral plasticity.

“We have investigated a potential mechanism by which a diet, similar in composition to the typical diet of most industrialized western societies rich in saturated fat and refined sugar (HFS), can influence brain structure and function via regulation of neurotrophins,” the authors of the study write.

Animals on a high sugar diet had less of a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor which negatively impacted their ability to learn and remember things. Not only is it a great reason to not drink soda, but don’t let your children drink it either. 

That’s about what you can expect when you kick soda out of your cupboard. 

http://simpleorganiclife.org/quit-drinking-soda/

8 Essential Abs Moves to Get a Flat Belly.

The key to a sculpted midsection is using smart and effective stabilizing moves. But if your body fat is too high, it won't matter how wisely you work your abs—they won't show. That's why you need to add those moves to a full-body strength and cardio routine that will boost your metabolism, blast fat, and finally uncover those abs you've been working so hard to develop.

And while the exercises can be thrown into your workout at random, that tactic will get you just a fraction of their benefits. For full value, work on progression.

Here's how it works: After a 10- minute dynamic warm-up, do the first two moves as instructed, then finish with a total-body workout. Do this three times a week on nonconsecutive days for two weeks, then go to the next two moves. Repeat the pattern over eight weeks until you've done all eight moves.

Reveal Your Abs -- For Good!

Your Core Curriculum
For a whittled middle, commit these four rules to memory.

1 Your spine is already flexed—don't make it worse.
If your day is spent hunched over a computer or a steering wheel, your spine is in a constantly flexed position, leading to poor posture and a weak core. So why would you worsen the problem with spine-flexing exercises like crunches? The moves in this program help prevent or correct misaligned posture.

2 The terms core and abs are not interchangeable.
Crunches work your abs, but for the biggest benefits, you need to work your entire core, which is made up of the four layers of the abs (rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and transverse abdominis), hip flexors, spine extensors, hip adductors (inner-thigh muscles), hip abductors (including gluteus medius), and multifidus.

3 Move more and often.
Consider this stat: Each 10 percent rise in sedentary time is associated with a 3.1-centimeter larger waist circumference. Researchers found that, of the subjects they studied, the waist measurements of people who got up most often were more than two inches smaller than those of people who got up the least.

4 It's not just about gym time.
A study found that while a group's average weight loss after a 12- week fitness program was about eight pounds, individual results ranged from a loss of 32 pounds to gains of almost four pounds. So although exercise is key for shedding belly flab, weight control still comes down to calories. To drop weight, you have to burn off more of them than you take in.

Adapted from The News Rules of LIfting for Abs: A Myth-Busting Fitness Plan for Men and Women Who Want a Strong Core and a Pain-Free Back,by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove (Avery)

MOVE 1Plank with Leg Lift

SETS

REPS

2

60-90 seconds

Get into a modified pushup position with your weight resting on your forearms and toes, elbows directly beneath your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from your neck to your ankles. From that position, brace your core and lift one foot off the floor. You can hold that position for the entire set—60 to 90 seconds—and then do the second set with the other leg raised, or switch legs halfway through each set.

MOVE 2Plank with Feet Elevated

SETS

REPS

REST

10

10 seconds

10 seconds

Position your toes on an exercise bench and your forearms on the floor, with your weight resting on your forearms and toes, elbows under your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from your neck to your ankles, which means your head will be angled downward slightly. Brace your core and hold for 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this pattern a total of 10 times.

MOVE 3Stability-Ball Mountain Climber

SETS

REPS

1

10-12

Place your hands on a stability ball, roughly 18 to 24 inches apart, and extend your legs behind you in a pushup position, with your body forming a straight line from your neck to your ankles. Raise your right foot off the floor and slowly bring your right knee up toward your chest, then lower it. That's one rep. Repeat with the left leg, and continue alternating until you've done 10 to 12 reps with each leg.

MOVE 4Suitcase Deadlift and Lateral Step-Up

SETS

REPS

REST

2

5

60-90 seconds

Stand to the right of a step with a heavy dumbbell in your right hand and squat until the weight is at your shin. As you stand, step to the left to plant your left foot on the step, quickly followed by your right foot so that you're standing on the step. Return to start. That's one rep. Do five, then switch sides and repeat. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds, then repeat for a total of two sets.

MOVE 5Side Plank

REPS

REST

2

30-45 seconds

Lie on your left side with your legs straight and your right leg stacked on your left. Position yourself so your weight is resting on your left forearm and the outside edge of your left foot. Your elbow should be directly beneath your shoulder, and your upper arm should be perpendicular to the floor. Align your body so it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles, and place your right hand on your hip. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

MOVE 6Side Plank with Knee Tuck

REPS

REST

2

30-45 seconds

Lie on your left side and set up in a side plank, with your legs straight and your weight resting on your left forearm. Align your body so it forms a straight line from your neck to your ankles and put your right hand on your hip. Lift your left leg and bend that knee, bringing your foot next to the inside of your right knee. Your body weight is now resting on your left forearm and the inside edge of your right foot. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

MOVE 7Side Plank with Row

SETS

REPS

1

10-12

Position yourself next to a low cable machine (or attach a resistance band, with or without a handle, to a secure low object) and get into a side plank position facing the cable. Grab the handle with your free hand, palm facing the floor. Brace your core and, without allowing your torso to lean forward or backward, pull the cable until it's at or near the side of your rib cage. Slowly return to the starting position, again keeping your core still and moving only your arm. That's one rep. Do 10 to 12, then repeat on the other side.

MOVE 8Dumbbell Overhead Off-Loaded Farmer's Walk

SETS

REST

2

60-90 seconds

Grab a dumbbell in each hand, one about 10 pounds heavier than the other, and hold them overhead, palms facing each other. Keep your core engaged and slowly walk forward 10 to 20 steps, moving from heel to toe as you step. Switch the weights and repeat. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds, then repeat for a total of two sets.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/ab-workout-women

Home Remedies for Hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism occurs when the  thyroid gland is underactive. It affects the body’s metabolism rate, which is controlled primarily by the thyroid gland.

Some of the common symptoms associated with hypothyroidism are fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, puffy face, hoarse voice, muscle cramping, sudden weight gain, depression and brittle fingernails and hair.

Many natural remedies can help control this health problem. Also, do consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for hypothyroidism.

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids that help improve thyroid functioning. It will also stimulate metabolism and boost energy. Plus, it will help raise the basal body temperature which is important for those those dealing with low thyroid function.

• Use coconut oil for cooking. Always use extra-virgin organic coconut cooking oil.
• You can also add two tablespoons of coconut oil to milk and drink it in the morning along with your breakfast every day. You can also add it to your smoothies.

2. Kelp

Kelp is a brown seaweed rich in iodine and other minerals. It is useful for those suffering from hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency. However, this remedy is not recommended for those suffering from autoimmune thyroid problems or else it may worsen the condition.

So, do consult your doctor before taking kelp supplements to check if it is suitable for you and find the correct dosage specific to your condition.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar may also help deal with this thyroid disorder. It is believed that it aids detoxification, restores acid alkaline balance, facilitates weight loss, and helps regulate hormones and improve their energy metabolism.

Apple cider vinegar is also beneficial for other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and others.

1. Add two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water.
2. Mix in a little honey.
3. Drink this solution daily on a regular basis.

4. Fish Oils

Fish oils are considered good for increasing thyroid hormone uptake and maintaining healthy thyroid function. Being rich in omega 3 fatty acids, they also fight inflammation and increase immunity.

Take fish oil supplements after consulting your doctor, especially if you are taking blood thinners. The general dosage is up to 3 grams per day.

5. Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with several autoimmune diseases, including thyroid disease. Exposure to early sunshine is a good way to generate the vitamin D required by the body.

So, expose your body to early morning sunrays for about 15 minutes daily. This will also help maintain healthy immune function and calcium metabolism.

Those suffering from hypothyroidism can make it a habit to wake up in the morning and do some healthy exercises (stimulates the thyroid gland), such as walking outdoors. You’ll get the early sunshine as well as benefit from the physical exercise.

6. Guggul

Guggul comes from the gum resin of an Indian tree called Commiphora Mukul. Research indicates that its active compounds called guggulsterones may help in the treatment of hypothyroidism by stimulating thyroid function. Plus, it has anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity and cholesterol-lowering benefits.

You can take this herb in supplement form after consulting your doctor. Generally, it is taken in doses of 25 mg three times a day. When taking this herb, be sure to monitor your T3 and T4 thyroid hormone levels as it stimulates the conversion of T4 into its more active T3 form.

http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-hypothyroidism.html