Thursday, October 21, 2010

Why Running Reduces Fat!

Running is probably the most popular cardio workout in the world. People love it and do it to get fit and lose weight. But why does running reduce fat, really? What makes it such an effective workout? How can you achieve the best results with it? In this article, I'm going to answer these questions...

Why does running burn fat so fast?

Running is an effective workout for fat loss because it is an intensive form of exercise. With each step, you need to propel your entire weight forward, something which isn't so easy to do. It may seem easy because you've been doing it for years on a daily basis, but your muscles need to work quite hard for it.

In addition, running is a full body workout. You're moving your legs, arms, shoulders, and your stomach, chest, and back muscles all take part in the movement. This means that you're engaging multiple muscle groups, something that always makes the workout more calorie expensive.

Naturally, the amount of fat burned by running depends on many factors, mainly the intensity in which you do it. However, overall, it is one of the most effective fat burning cardio workouts you can find.

How can you make running more effective?

To get the ultimate results with running you need to take the following steps. Each of these can help you increase the number of calories that you burn in each workout.

1. Run uphill - Running in an incline will make any running workout that much harder. You will find it quite challenging as you're fighting against the gradient and your body will feel the extra intensity.

2. Run faster - This is the simplest way to make any running workout more effective. By running faster, you're burning more calories. Simple.

3. Do intervals - Running in intervals is a great way to boost the amount of calories that you burn. This will allow you to include extra-intensive parts in your workout and ensure that you push your body hard.

If you follow these tips, you will burn more fat with running.

But before you rush out to run, a few words of advice:

1. Wear comfortable shoes. Don't save on shoes. Make sure they're good and comfortable.

2. Avoid running downhill as this places a lot of tension on your knees.

3. Do a warm-up before you begin running and a cool down when you finish.

That's it. Now go and run.
For more running tips visit Running To Lose Tummy Fat
For other cardio workouts to burn fat visit Cardio Exercises To Burn Fat
John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He now runs a weight loss forum and publishes a diet and fitness newsletter.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Davenport

 John Davenport

Monday, October 4, 2010

Smoking - A Child's Future



Smoking has been an obsession with most of us with such grave consequences as can hardly be imagined. Smoking is known to be detrimental to the social, mental and physical well-being of smokers as well as all those associated with the smoker. This is also called involuntary or secondhand smoking. Smoking a cigarette or a cigar could be as detrimental to someone's health as to a non-smoker. Passive smoking is known to have detrimental effects as respiratory disorders, pulmonary disorders, and even stomach ailments. The smoke exhaled or inhaled by a smoker contains more than 400 substances that have harmful effects on the user as well as those in contact with smokers. Smoke from cigarettes is believed to have carcinogenic effects on the individual in particular, and the society as a whole. Some of the carcinogens active for passive smokers could be enumerated as benzene; 1, 3-butadiene; benzo[a]pyrene; 4-(methyinitrosamino)-1-(pyridyl)-1-butanone.

All these chemicals could prove to be detrimental to the health of adults as well as children because people of all ages come in contact with a smoker's smoke in one form or the other. It is known to be equally harmful for toddlers, infants, teenagers and even adolescents. Everyone inhales cigarette smoke in one form or the other. It makes a very little difference if one opens the windows of the room for ventilation for smoke to find its way out. An adequate quantity of smoke always remains in the room to harm family members including children. Children from households that have smokers are more likely to fall ill than children from households that don't have smokers. Passive smoking, in a way, affects the development of children besides their school attendance in schools in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Everyone falls prey to the demon of passive smoking regardless of his or her age, gender or class. Society is affected in a lot of ways by smokers.

Smoking by pregnant and nursing mothers could prove to be detrimental to the babies. In all cases of studies conducted, the offspring is found to be lighter and shorter than the ones who have parents who don't smoke. Incidents of placental abortion, prenatal mortality and premature labour are found to be more in case of mothers who smoke. Smoking of the mother may also cause congenital damage to the respiratory system of infants. Smoking parents are known to have children with reduced potency of the immune system.

Children are the most likely to suffer from the harms inflicted by the dragon of passive smoking, to say nothing of the effects of active smoking. They are at a developing stage of their lives, it is their proper development that should be the main concern of those posing to be guardians of the society.

Smoking before children presents an ideal culture where smoking is glorified. This way, children are more likely to take up smoking themselves. This could take the form of showing actors and actresses smoking in theatres or movies. Children look upon these protagonists as role models and fall prey to smoking themselves. This could explain the government's efforts at prohibiting the display of smoking and smokers in the media. The media attracts the innocent and vulnerable minds of children with a more potent force than the adults exposed to these shows. While the media aims at the presentation of a symbolic message through all its paraphernalia, the media intends to convey a negative image of the protagonists shown to be smoking, but in their innocence, children take the message at its face value. They absorb the message as it is shown.

Children fail to see the negative aspects associated with the glorification associated with the media and what the protagonists are shown to be doing. This brings about the need to initiate the change within the self if we want to bring about a change in the society. change can never be abrupt and subtle, it has to be gradual and slow. This would involve an accurate measurement of the extent of passive smoking one indulges in.

Incidents of pneumonia and bronchitis in children were found to be higher in cases where parents smoked cigarettes regularly. These effects of smoking are not related to birth weight or the socio-economic class of the parents. The only factor that pointed towards the situation was the smoking habit of the parents.

Measurement of the extent of passive smoking an individual has been exposed to is possible by measuring the levels of nicotine and cotinine in the body. Cotinine is held as a more reliable marker as compared to nicotine as it has a relatively longer half-life as compared to nicotine. The levels could be measured quite conveniently in blood, urine or saliva.

The problem could assume graver consequences if one is continuously and regularly exposed to the smoke of cigarettes. Passive smokers are four times more likely to contract heart and lung ailments as compared to those who are not exposed to cigarette smoke. Active smoking is even more frightening and has even more devastating effects on the health of smokers. There are several governmental and non-governmental organisations offering their services and counseling to smokers who wish to quit smoking.

The campaign should assume global merits and a global recognition because it proposes to bring about a change in the whole world. The campaign is supposed to bring about a revolution for children. It is expected to ameliorate the plight of children afflicted by smokers. These children don't smoke themselves, but they are the victims of passive smoking.

By Faisal Zafar Ansari

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Cardio to Lose Stomach Fat - Look Great by Losing Belly Fat

Can Cardio Help You Lose Stomach Fat

Cardio is one of the best ways to lose stomach fat, behind a healthy diet and lower calorie intake. The problem however is that most people insist on doing long steady state cardio and are simply not getting anywhere. I'm not saying that jogging and running on the treadmill doesn't have its place it's just simply how you jog and use the treadmill that makes the difference. So if you have been thinking that cardio is not doing anything for you than you probably have been doing it all wrong.

Steady State Cardio to Lose Stomach Fat

Steady state cardio more often known as "normal cardio" seems to be what most trainers have the clients doing. They believe that doing cardio at a low intensity level will help to burn that calories the come from body fat. With this being said normal or low intensity cardio is one of the most popular forms of cardio and yet so many people are wondering why they have lost the pounds. Studies have shown that low intensity cardio does burn fat calories instead of burning carbohydrate calories for energy.

Losing Stomach Fat with High Intensity Cardio

High intensity cardio is not used as much as steady state cardio. The idea behind this type of cardio is the push your body to the limit of a short period of time followed by a brief period of rest. As you can imagine more people tend to choose the steady state cardio over this form. The only problem is that this form of cardio will give you great results in less the time of you do if correctly. Not only will your workouts be shorter but you will also maximize the amount of calories burned per workout. When you are burning more calories than you consume you are at a calorie deficit which means that you are losing fat all over including stomach fat.

Put Steady State and High Intensity Cardio Together to Lose Stomach Fat

The best way to lose stomach fat using a cardio routine is to perform HIIT for about 20 minutes 2-3 times per week. What you will want to do is get on your treadmill and walk at a moderate pace for about 5 minutes to warm-up. After your five minute warm-up you will want to increase the speed of the treadmill to a level that requires you to sprint. You will sprint for 30-45 seconds and then will decrease the level all the way down until you are simply walking. Make sure you decrease it low enough so that you are walking so that you get rest. Repeat up to 5-10 and end with a five minute cool down.
About the Author: Thomas S. Moore is an avid fitness consultant who gives sound advice to women who are looking to achieve a body that only most could dream about. Click here to see more information on how Jump Rope Cardio Also visit: http://www.waisthipsandthighs.com for other information on getting the body you've always wanted.

Thomas S. Moore

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Best Cardio Exercise For Weight Loss



It is a known fact that weight loss is done when there is calorie burning and it is not about how hard the efforts you put or how tough exercises you carry on; in reality it's about consistently and regularly doing and completing whatever you have started. The cardio exercise is all about getting your heart rate high and then higher so that it starts pumping blood at superior speed which results into hard breathing and eventually burn calories. With this method you needn't to cut more calories from your diet rather u has to increase the time for doing that cardio exercise and you will have what you really needed.There are several cardio exercises but before you get started with those you will have to find out the high-impact activities that put on more stress on heart and stimulate its pumping speed and working.Likewise, walking fast or at average speed usually boost up heart rate more than the swimming or cycling.

Other way round, running, jumping or climbing are more high impact rate activities than walking. Another good practice might be to involve whole body including upper and lower body parts to accelerate the heart rate and to burn more calories.Coming to the point, that which exercise is best to be followed as cardio exercise. Well theirs is no single recommended or best-rated exercise as it is purely depends upon user's own choice and one's own body tendency that how much high rate and pressure is bearable.

So the main thing is to opt any high-impact exercise for cardio but do not even completely ignore the low-impact activities. Include the variety of exercises in your daily routine and be very regular to keep track of it because the basic point doesn't basically involve the faster heart rate it usually takes up the consistency level you achieve while doing it.The cardio exercises are being rated as the key to weight loss because it takes everything you need to burn calories very fast and the best suited time for doing cardio exercise is in the morning because the carbohydrates are at least amount in the morning.

By Adnan Akramz

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Running Stairs - Cardio Workout For Women to Lose Weight Fast

Running Stairs Use To Be Fun Not A Workout

Remember when you were little and running up and down the stairs to see who was the fastest was just something that was fun to do. Never mind how many stairs or how tired you would be later, all you knew at that point is how much fun you where having with your friends. Now that you are an adult walking or running stairs seems to be more of a workout than anything.

Cardio Workout For Women

If you ever want to give yourself a full body workout and achieve a slim and sexy look then a running stairs cardio workout is for you. Ever notice how great and tone women who play sports look no matter what they eat? From soccer, track, volleyball, to basketball these women have to run up and down stairs several times per day for three to four days a week. Running stairs definitely kicks butt and melts away fat.

Running Stairs Burns Fat Fast

Running stairs is definitely not the easiest thing in the world to do nor is it really on too many women's to do list. However this is exactly why you should be going outside or in the gymnasium and doing them. Normally the only people you find going up and down stairs for a cardio workout are usually top athletes and other people you assume where already in shape before hitting the stairs. This cardio is hard to do but can be done in a short period of time since it can be done as interval training.

The Proper Technique for Running Stairs

1. Step on every other step
2. Use your entire body while running
3. Make sure you use the muscles in your quadriceps
4. Run on your tip toes
5. Make sure you use your arms to help with movement

Start Small and Work Your Way Up

Don't be in a rush to run up the entire gym when you first start out. Start with one flight of stairs and increase your speed as you become more accustomed. As you get in better shape and start increasing the difficulty of your stair workout. This could mean running more and more flights of stairs or simply running them faster. The more you do them the easier they will become and you will be getting fitter. Don't just use running stairs cardio for your workout but add them in your daily routine as well. Make sure you take the stairs at work or when you park your car in the garage.

By Thomas S Moore

Saturday, August 21, 2010

How to Burn Calories While Cleaning the House




I've recently changed gyms, my old gym had no windows, was cramped and stuffy and I really didn't enjoy going. Surroundings make the difference so I've cancelled that contract and moved to the local leisure centre which has a big pool and big air conditioned rooms with large windows and natural light beaming in, so much better in my opinion and I'm looking forward to working out again.

To kick off my new found love for all things heavy and repetitive I have purchased a heart rate monitor which measures how many calories one can burn while working out. I've tested this in a spinning class where I burnt 1042 Cal in 45 min and in weight training where I got through about 450 Cal which is pretty good.

I wondered how many calories carpet cleaning burnt so today I used my watch while cleaning a 3 bedroom house in London, 3 rooms and stairs which took about three and a half hours without breaks from start to finished and all packed up. The results were amazing, 2568 Calories, wow!.

This got me thinking how can you turn mundane housework into exercise?
Take a look at these steps and see if you agree:

1. Hold that pose while cleaning the bath: When scrubbing the bath at all angles get into the squat position and hold it, don't rest on your haunches, keep yourself suspended and feel the burn.

2. Step up to the cob webs: Get yourself a two step block, similar to what kiddies use when helping out with the dishes. Get the duster and step up, dust, step down and repeat... Move along and repeat, I assure you once you get down the passage cleaning cobwebs your thighs will be burning.

3. Pump the arms when hanging laundry: Don't just lift and hang. Lift, lift, lift and hang, lift, lift, lift and hang. Just don't let the neighbour see you!

4. Vacuum with authority: Don't just pull your carpet cleaner around the room, pump those arms and clean every section of the carpet with more than three passes, including the the stairs where you can march on the spot one stair at a time while you clean roughly 3 steps up.

House cleaning and working out are not necessarily pleasures, but combining the two can lead to some fantastic results in both body and home. So go on and try it, get the heart rate up, get those carpets and windows clean, and get those guns!

By Warren Aldridge

Friday, August 20, 2010

Heart Rate Monitor




There has been a growing trend for people engaged in recreational running, biking, hiking to better measure their performance so that improve their personal best times. One of the key metrics for any athletic activity is your heart rate. By measuring your heart rate you can ensure that you are pushing yourself hard and getting the most out your workout.

Your HR monitor comes in two parts, the sensor strap is worn around your chest and the display is a wrist watch that allows you to easily keep track of your heart rate. The device is worn at the time of a workout or during an examination to keep a check upon the heartbeat rate. You can modify the wrist watch to output the data is a way that is more meaningful for you. It will also have functions that allow you to time your work out, set lap times and keep an eye on the time.

If you are looking to achieve a certain goal with you exercise such as lose weight or build your aerobic capacity then it is vitally important to measure your heart rate. By putting your heart in certain range outputs then you can be sure that your workout is targeted and effective. This will help you to better achieve your goals and ensure that you can stay healthy and enjoy your exercise more.

Heart monitors are fantastic at planning your exercise. During your workouts the heart rate has to be in constant check to validate your training or workout session, in order to formulate a regimen that benefits your body rather than wearing it out. A monitor will help you keep track of the exercises that you should do and the ones that you should skip.

A very high heart rate may counter your workout while a low heart rate throughout the exercise regimen hints at some heart ailment, which may need immediate medical attention. For example, a middle- aged person with a healthy lifestyle should have a heart rate close to 90- 153 heartbeats per minute during a workout session.

Once you reach a point where you heartbeat has reached to 85 percent more than its efficiency, your body starts to burn the carbohydrate reserve in your body rather than the body fat. This not ideal if you are looking to lose weight and may in fact be counterproductive.

With an efficient heart rate monitor, you will be able to keep the heartbeat rate below that level to benefit your body giving you the freedom to work out in the most targeted and focused way available.

The better HR monitors are easier to use and are completely wireless, high end models will let you download data from your workouts. This lets you map your workouts over months and years to see tangible evidence of your improvement.

Using a device to help keep track of the bodies performance and functions would be helpful in getting the best out of the workouts while also helping in monitoring any heart conditions for immediate medical care.


By Sam Philp