Archive for February 2010

Leona Lewis: Detox Diet of Veggies Does A Body Good

Three time Grammy nominee Leona Lewis is looking sexier than ever. She’s still got those glamorous curves but she looks much more healthy and tone. She recently told Closer magazine that she did a strict, month long detox to jump start her weight loss. She said,

“I went on a detox at the end of summer last year and basically ate vegetables and nothing processed.”

She was also sure to drink plenty of water to flush out toxins. Once she lost some weight and friends started to notice she got motivated to lose more, whereas at first she thought she was just going to do a month long detox. Her biggest challenge was giving up chocolate because she’s crazy about it. And since she has moved to California she has taken advantage of the good weather and likes to get her exercise by going on the horse trails and hiking. Leona also said that no one in the music industry pressured her to lose weight. She explained,

“No one’s ever said, ‘You need to work out more.’ I put pressure on myself to stay healthy and I do want to look good, but I like to eat and I don’t like to starve myself!”

Overall, Leona went from a size 14 (see photo on right) down to a size 10 (see photo on left).

source: google, celebrity diet, press assoc.,

Venus & Serena Williams Endorse Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack Snacks as Diet Divas?!!

This is a sham, anything for the green American dollar. We all know every calorie is not built the same…right?!

Venus and Serena Williams are definitely the divas of tennis but now the sisters are endorsing the new Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack snacks and so they are now the divas of diet. The Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack snacks come in various flavors and varieties, they have cookie bonbons, snack cakes, thin crisps, sweet and salty kettle mix and many more. Venus said,

“We have fun and add some flair to snacking….My favorite Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs are the Oreo mini cakesters.”

As for Serena, she prefers the yogurt flavored pretzels. Serena mentioned that she feels as if she’s never going to get to the bottom of the bag because it’s a rather big portion. But at the same time she knows the portion is controlled so doesn’t have to worry about finishing the pack. She said,

“It’s a perfect way to control your portion and you feel good after you eat it.”

Currently Nabisco is offering sweepstakes and contests where winners will get a photo shoot with the Williams sisters and win bags from the Serena Williams collection.
Junk food is still junk food.. and something all diet divas should avoid. Half a cigarette is still a cigarette. I will give the marketing folks props though for clever marketing.. but these diet divas need rehab:)

Source

diet divas, serena williams,venus williams, williams sisters, i hate serena, tennis stars

Ernestine Shepherd [VIDEO]

Yes, Ernestine Sheperd is 72-years-old. Yes, she’s a fitness instructor. And yes, she runs 80 miles a week and lifts weights almost every day. To date I get more views and questions from my previous post on Ernestine that any other…Ernestine Shepherd 72 Years Young:Need Inspiration?

Once a week Ernestine leads a workout class for senior citizens at the Union Memorial United Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, with her main inspiration to let individual s her age know that they too can stay fit and healthy and not have to worry about being laughed at or stared at at a regular gym.

If this woman doesn’t inspire you, no matter your age, then I don’t know what will…
Check out the abs on her! You go girl!

David Goggins: Fitness Inspiration

Bad knees and all, I think it might be time to go for a little run! I will wrap up my week with you guys, but first take a look at a winner:

David Goggins went from 290 pounds and out of shape to one of the fittest athletes around.   He’s truly an inspiration. On his website it says, “I’m nobody special.  Let’s be perfectly clear…I don’t like to run. I don’t like to swim. I don’t like to bike. I do this to raise money for the children of soldiers killed in combat.”  He’s a NAVY Seal who runs ultra marathons and he is an inspiration.  Don’t you agree? Visit his website www.davidgoggins.com for more info on how you can help the children he is running for.

‘Junk in the Trunk’? It’s Not Necessarily A Bad Thing

I shared similar finding sometime last year about How a Fat Ass maybe Good for your Health. Now one year later this:

A study that shows that the voluptuous figures of countless black women possess more benefits than just aesthetic perks. News from the study reports that fat in the butt and thighs of women may help them live longer. According to the study, unlike unhealthy belly fat, the type of fat found in the thighs and backside may actually help reduce disease.

“The fact that body fat’s distribution is quite important for your health has been known for some time now,” said lead researcher Konstantinos Manolopoulos of the University of Oxford in England. Manolopoulos and his colleagues detailed their findings in an article in a recent International Journal of Obesity.

The review also suggests a mechanism for conveying those benefits. The next step is to figure out how our bodies decide where to store fat, say, in the stomach versus the butt.

“Once this is understood then one could think about therapeutic approaches to make use of that,” Manolopoulos said. “Maybe to make use (of it) in a preventive way by redistributing the fat.”

Don’t take this news the wrong way though. This is only true to a certain degree as obesity increases your chances of developing chronic health conditions.

When looking through the studies, the researchers found that not all fat is created equal.

Butt Fat vs. Stomach Fat

According to MSNBC, stomach fat is considered more metabolically active than lower body fat. While that may sound good, as this fat breaks down easily, the result is a release of substances called cytokines, which have been linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes. In fact, research on mice reported in 2008 revealed that belly fat boosts inflammation and is linked with hardening of the arteries—known to increase the risk of heart attacks.

But scientists think lower body fat, like that around the hips and thighs, produces beneficial hormones that protect against these diseases, though more research is needed to firm up this expectation.

In addition, this lower body fat also traps fatty acids. While this long-term storage can make it tricky to slim down your butt and thighs, it’s healthier for you if some fat stays put.

“If fatty acids are not stored in fat but in other organs like the liver or the arteries, this makes you prone to develop diabetes and heart disease,” Manolopoulos said. “One moment on the lips, forever on the hips. It really is exactly this phenomenon; the fat that goes there stays there”; that is, on the hips and thighs.

Manolopoulos reported that the most compelling evidence for the link comes from population studies showing the more fat individuals have in the hind area, the less likely they are to develop diabetes and heart disease later in life. Other evidence includes instances of Cushing’s syndrome, in which patients lose their hip and thigh fat while gaining stomach fat. These patients are known to have an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.

The Role of Genes and Gender

Scientists aren’t sure how the body decides where to store fat, but it’s partially genetic. That genetic force can be seen in the gender differences in how fat gets stored, with women having much more of the healthy, lower-body fat than men. And females have a much lower risk for heart disease, Manolopoulos said.

“As long as you are female and your hormones are female hormones, you are protected from cardiovascular disease,” Manolopoulos said. “The moment you go into menopause and your hormones change, you lose your typical female appearance and gain stomach fat. At the same time, your risk for heart disease and diabetes becomes comparable to men of the same age.”

source: blackdoctor.org

Fighting Childhood Obesity (VIDEO)

Paris Woods is hardly a poster child for the obesity epidemic. Lining up dripping wet with kids on her swim team, she’s a blend of girlish chunkiness and womanly curves.

Like nearly one-third of American teens, Paris Woods is overweight. Her doctor worries her weight will creep up into the obesity range. One out of four black girls her age is obese.

Does she lose the weight? CHECK OUT THE VIDEO!

I have to say I have several problems with this video.

• Veggie burger doesn’t mean healthy
• Is this girl able to lose weight for her own? Or will this be a psychological problem?
• Mom and Dad need to get on the same boat and go for a ride
• Peer pressure at this age is HARD!!!!
  

The Health Benefits of using a Trampoline

As fun as trampolines are to use, people are often unaware of the health benefits they provide. Studies by NASA scientists show that rebounding (bouncing on a trampoline) is 68% more effective than jogging, and yet requires a lot less effort, also using a trampoline on a regular basis can help aid weight loss, increase your metabolism and strengthen your muscles.

I have listed the major health benefits that can be achieved on a mini trampoline (or if you have the space in your yard, a round trampoline):

Coordination – The great thing about using a trampoline is that it improves your coordination, for example if you were to perform star jumps on a trampoline you would need to coordinate your arms and legs to move at the same time, the same distance apart. Performing various workouts on a trampoline will definitely improve your hand eye coordination. In fact one of the best workouts is bouncing on a mini trampoline and having someone throw a medicine ball to you, once you catch it you throw it back to them, try and get to 100 throws before swapping with your partner. This exercise will help your coordination whilst at the same time burn a lot of calories.

Balance – Because you are bouncing on “unstable ground” so to speak, you will have to use balance to ensure you stay upright. This is great because balancing yourself helps strengthen the weaker muscles of your legs and core, if you struggle with balance try bouncing in the same spot and try to keep in that spot for as long as possible, over time your balance will improve.

Bilateral Motor Skills – The action of bouncing on a trampoline whilst coordinating movements uses both your body and your brain simultaneously, compared to some ground sports where only one side is favoured (such as running or soccer). To help increase your bilateral motor skills try jumping jacks on an outdoor trampoline, I say outdoor trampoline because you need a big surface area which mini trampolines don’t really provide.

Low Impact – You may think that the bouncing movement is high impact, but actually bouncing on a trampoline is actually very low impact. The low impact comes from the longer acceleration and deceleration and because the mat & springs absorb most of the joint impact. This makes using a trampoline much better on your joints compared to jogging or running.

Improved Lymphatic System – The short periods of weightlessness between higher than average G forces that occur whilst bouncing on a trampoline will help the body get rid of toxins. Flushing these toxins from your body will help your overall wellbeing.

Increased Bone Density – The bouncing movement puts bones under small amounts of stress sufficient to help build them up to cope with that stress. Over time this will improve your bone density which can seriously help reduce fractures and even osteoporosis.

Hopefully the above has helped you understand the health benefits of using a trampoline and if you’re looking for an extra piece of equipment to help you lose weight and tone your body at the same time, consider purchasing a trampoline for your home.