MyDietBlogger.com is proud to announce our first sweepstakes giveaway! This month’s prize is the New York Time’s Best Seller, The South Beach Diet : The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss.
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This contests runs from April 9, 2006 to May 9, 2006. The winner will be announced on May 10. Start blogging!
April 8th, 2006
Jackknife Sit-Ups (3 sets of 15)
- Lie on your back on the floor with your arms stretched behind your head.
- Raise your legs and arms simultaneously to meet in the jackknife position.
- Try to keep your legs and arms straight throughout the exercise.
Incline Leg Pull-Ins (3 sets of 15)
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With the sit-up board set at the same 25-to-30-degree angle, reverse your body position so that your head is at the top.
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Reach behind your head and grip the bar that supports the board.
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From a legs-straight position bend your knees, pulling your upper thighs into your midsection.
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Straighten your legs, returning to the starting position.
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Don’t let your feet touch the board after you start the exercise.
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Concentrate on your lower-abdominal area as you do the movement.
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This can also be done on the floor.
April 8th, 2006
There are lots of myths that surround the fitness and exercise field that have no real basis in fact or reality. But they persist anyway, and unfortunately many accept these misconceptions as fact, sometimes even causing harm to their body as a result. So let’s debunk the top 5 fitness myths now.
1. No pain, no gain has been a common mantra heard in gyms around the country for years. No doubt it has it’s roots in the truth that you have to push your body when exercising or it does no real good. However to take that to the extreme where you don’t feel that you have gotten a good workout unless pain is involved is just not true. In fact, the opposite is true. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something you are doing is not right and it usually warns you before major injury happens. So heed the warnings. Realize that some mild discomfort may be experienced when you push your body beyond it’s current capacity, but when you go to the point of pain you have gone too far.
2. Another myth is that weight training for women will make them look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s just not true. Women have a completely different physical makeup than men, that emphasizes more fat deposits and less muscle mass. It’s simply not possible for a normal woman to produce huge muscles by weight training alone. Instead weight training can help strengthen and condition women, improving overall stamina. So don’t listen to the myth, some form of weight training is beneficial for everyone.
3. Many exercises have heard that you need to workout on an empty stomach to burn more calories. Again this is just not true. Burning calories has absolutely nothing to do with what is in your stomach at the time when you work out. Burning calories is tied to the length and intensity of your workout. In fact, if you engage in an intense workout on an empty stomach you could risk dizziness and fainting from not having enough energy to keep up with the muscle demand. That’s why it’s often a good idea to have a small carb snack 10-15 minutes before your workout.
4. Another very popular myth is that a person has belly fat because their stomach muscles are weak. It may be true that their stomach muscles are weak, but belly fat, as well as all fat, is put on the body by overeating and little exercise to burn it off. In other words, you can do all the stomach crunches you want and still not have a flat stomach if you are still eating too much and not burning those calories efficiently.
5. Another myth - protein builds muscle. What actually builds muscle is working your muscles out regularly. Protein is good to have in the diet but too much of it can actually be detrimental and cause health problems. So if you want to grow your muscle mass do what works, work out longer and more intensely.
Understanding the popular fitness myths can help you focus on the real truths of exercise instead and get the results that you really want.
April 8th, 2006
