By Julie Brealy

There is nothing more frustrating than to know that your diet and exercise, which used to keep you fit for years, are now less effective. The flabby arms and legs are still noticeable despite of intensive workout and stricter diet. This situation will start to puzzle you as why your exercise regimen and long-term diet programs are no longer effective.

Actually, there is nothing wrong in your workouts and diets. It has something to do with your age. Age is a vital factor that contributes to middle age weight gain. According to studies, the process of burning calories or also known as metabolism slows down as you age.

This is the rationale behind for that flabby arms though you workout religiously and keeps a stricter diet. However, there is good news! Middle age weight gain can be prevented. The only thing you have to remember is to start the prevention now and not to delay it further.

It is a known fact that there is no magic formula for long term weight loss and fitness. It is always a package of hard work and discipline. So to combat your body’s vulnerability to middle age weight gain, these are effective tips to remember.

Muscle burns more calories. To rev up your body metabolism, it is necessary to increase your muscle mass. This is best achieved by intensifying your strength trainings and engaging more into fat burning workout activities.

There are many options for fat burning exercises. It stretches from body combat, swimming, cycling, circuit training, aerobics, yoga and boxing. If you have been exercising, then try to increase your fitness level and to diversify your workout activities so as to boost your metabolism. However if you have sedentary lifestyle, then it is recommended to start slowly. The important step is to start now.

Be extra cautious with your food intake. Your metabolism declines with your age. If you are starting to climb the age of thirties, it is about time to cut back sweets and rich fat foods. Healthy foods such as vegetables, lean meat and fruits are good options.

However, not all of us have the ability to kick off a new healthy lifestyle. Leaving behind our old habits is a real challenge but there are ways to resolve this issue. You can always seek the expertise of nutritionists and gym instructors. To see fast result, it is recommended to enrol in fitness or weight loss boot camps.

You may oppose to this idea because of the fees involved but you have to consider its long term benefits to you. Your decision to join a fitness boot camp can be the key to a longer life and healthier you.

Fitness and weight loss boot camps are equipped with facilities and have the experts to guide and to ensure optimum result in your workouts and diet program.

So do not wait until losing weight becomes an arduous goal to achieve. Take the necessary steps now to prevent the middle age weight gain.

About the Author
Julie Brealy is the health manager at FitFarms, UK’s No. 1 Weight Loss Holiday and Fitness Boot Camp. She has been working for over 10 years in the weight loss industry advising companies in the US and the UK. Julie is also an experienced deep tissue massage therapist.

Don’t you love extra salt in your french-fries?  Of course you do because it tastes better, right? The salt content in our daily food intake is oftentimes ignored but the recent article of Pam Belluck in New York Times entitled ‘Big Benefits Are Seen from Eating Less Salt’ highlights the advantages of reducing your salt content intake.

Actually you are swarmed of food options with high content of sodium. Think about the processed foods?  Your cupboard and fridge in the kitchen are definitely stuffed with manufactured food items such as canned goods, processed meat, instant noodles and so on. The salt content of these items is very high.

According to the article, salt can be associated to blood pressure, heart illnesses and stroke. Hence, your decision to reduce the sodium in your food can significantly help you avoid these diseases.

The article gives a glimpse of the possible result across the nation if reduction of sodium is seriously taken by the people. It is indeed quite interesting to know how your health can benefit for lessening the salt in your everyday meals and snack.

So now, think again before you take that salt and pepper shaker in the dining table.
Read the full article, ‘Big Benefits Are Seen From Eating Less Salt‘ from NYTimes.com - Fitness and Nutrition.

There is no other better way to start a New Year but to aim for a healthier lifestyle. Staying fit and healthy does not imply fortune. In fact, Jacquelyne Froeber has written a very interesting article ‘20 Ways To Get Healthier For Free’.

She outlines simple and easy to follow tips on gearing up for a healthier you this year and it does not cost you a dime. Some of it is very practical advice such as engaging to a new sport. If you are living a sedentary lifestyle, perhaps learning the nuts and bolts of swimming or hiking can considerably improve your fitness level.

Another excellent idea is ‘Eat Healthier, No Cookbook Required’. Oftentimes you envy to watch celebrities drop their weight through the help of personal fitness instructors. Others even hire nutritionist or chef to ensure they are on track in their fitness and diet regimes. How you wish to have the means to do the same, right? But do not lose hope!

You can still stay fit and lose those extra pounds by eating nutritious foods. Stay active by increasing your physical fitness level like speeding up your walking pace or hiking to more elevated areas.

So, do you want to learn more on how to gear up for free for healthier 2010? Read the full article ‘‘20 Ways To Get Healthier For Free’ from CNN.com - Health.

Fitness Editorial Credits to Jacquelyne Froeber, Health.com.

The title itself of Roni Caryn Rabin’s article “Behavior: Too Much Sitting Shortens Lives, Study Suggests” in New York Times can stir that seed of fear in you. If reading the title shivers you, then you have been probably guilty of living a sedentary lifestyle for years, right?

Nowadays men are driven to live a life of comfort and convenience. Why sweat out for climbing the stairs when there is elevator? Why take a walk around the park after dinner when a great movie is waiting to be played? Why cross the road for lunch when you can request for delivery?

Unfortunately, it cultivates people to be less active. In fact, watching television can be one of the primary causes to sabotage any of your diet or fitness regimes and the article of Rabin highlights that this can lead to shorter lifespan. People who spend more time watching TV have greater possibility of cardiovascular illness.

Honestly, all of us knew the importance of staying fit and one way to do that is to stay active. So try to be productive while watching your favorite shows? Why not jog or clean your living room while watching the TV? Just remember to stay active.

Read the full article, ‘Behavior: Too Much Sitting Shortens Lives, Study Suggests‘ from NYTimes.com - Health.

Are you overweight? Are you trying to lose weight but don’t have a strong motivation to keep it going? Then perhaps reading the article of Ginny Graves entitled ‘The Surprising Reason Why Being Overweight Isn’t Healthy’ will convince you to shed those extra pounds.

Graves highlighted not only the typical hurdle that every overweight individual faces in a  discriminating society we live in but it uncovers about the serious health predicaments which can possibly happen to overweight people.

One of the striking realities mentioned in the article is the “higher risk of being misdiagnosed or receiving inaccurate dosages of drugs”. If you are ill, you put your faith to the physician’s ability to cure you, right? Then it becomes scary to entertain the idea of being misdiagnosed and treated for some illness which in reality you don’t have.

There are many reasons which contribute to this unpleasant situation. One of it, as mentioned in the article, is the limited size of diagnostic machines. It is ideally built for people with average weight or even slightly overweight but not for extreme obese persons.

The article ‘The Surprising Reason Why Being Overweight Isn’t Healthy’ is really an eye-opening. If you are battling with overweight issues, then read the article of Ginny Graves. Maybe it can enlighten you to take your weight loss program seriously.

Read the full article, ‘The Surprising Reason Why Being Overweight Isn’t Healthy‘ from CNN.com - Health.

Fitness Editorial Credits to Ginni Graves, Health.com.

By Julie Brealy

Most of the effective fat burning workouts are made up of cardiovascular exercises. These are continuous activities that involve all major muscle groups in your body. Fat burning exercises are great for fitness especially if you are aiming to lose weight. It burns more calories from fats and at a higher percentage.

There are so many easy fat burning exercises that you can do it yourself and with minimal requirements. However, before choosing the type of fat burning exercise that you wish to perform, it is important to consider an activity which you really enjoy. It makes exercising more fun and away from the notion of monotonous routine.

Here are easy do it yourself fat burning exercises.

Walking. Perhaps this is one of the simplest yet effective form of cardiovascular exercise. It does not require any special equipment or trainings. Walking only for 30 minutes can burn 180 calories. But if you want to make the most of this exercise, try to jog in between, brisk walk or walk your way up to the hill, and do not forget to swing your hands as you walk. Performing this burns more calories.

Swimming. It is known to be one of the best exercises because all your body parts - your legs, arms, neck and lungs - are moving all at the same time. It is also a great way to build muscles as water creates more resistance hence you exert more effort in your arms while swimming. Swimming in freestyle stroke for an hour burns 470 calories.

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