In a recent issue of People magazine, I came across an article titled "Britney Spears: Body Makeover." The write-up details Britney's weight-loss methods: returning to her gym-rat ways, giving up fast food, and healthy meals delivered to her door. For the past three months, she has been working with a trainer, doing a lot of cardio as well as lots of dancing. People declares that Brit is "back in the zone."
While I think it is great to see press about Britney mending her ways and going healthy, but then there's the caption on the "before" photo? "An Unfit Brit." I wouldn't say she was unfit, just not as fit as before having two kids and a nervous breakdown; to me she this singer looks normal, healthy, and not underweight. Don't get me started about "Britney's New Body Checklist." It's like a grocery list, where they dissect her body into parts. Flat Tummy? Check. Toned Arms? Check. No Double Chin? Check. With articles like this, no wonder so many women have issues with their weight.
What do you think? Is it cool to comment on how Britney's looking more fit and toned now? Or is it uncool to comment on how bad she looked before, when she looked normal?
We practically cut our milk teeth on the old adage, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." But have you ever wondered if there is any validity to it? Well no fruit can cure all your ills, but the apple seems to be a great piece of produce for preventive medicine.
Apples are a great source of fiber. A medium apple contains 3 grams of fiber, which is 10 percent of your daily recommended intake. Since apples contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, this fruit will help decrease your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), as well as help keep you regular. Remember, that eating 30 grams of fiber can help prevent breast and ovarian cancer. The pectin found in apples also helps remove toxins, like the heavy metals lead and mercury, from your body.
An apple a day, also seems to keep the pounds at bay, at least if you eat one before lunch. A recent study found that folks who ate an apple 15 minutes prior to their midday generally ate, on average, 187 less calories less at lunch than study participants who did not eat an apple. Think of an apple as a healthful appetizer. Apples also give your teeth and gums a healthy workout; sometimes I like to enjoy one after lunch to cleanse my palate.
Apples are in season now and they are a relatively inexpensive fruit. Plus they don't lose much of the nutritional punch if they are stored for long periods of time, making them a perfect Winter fruit.
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The latest season of The Biggest Loser is rolling along, and what better way to celebrate, or tempt, the contestants than with a road trip. The families were treated to a trip to the glories of the Grand Canyon.
Possibly daunted by the sheer beauty of their surroundings, the contestants were unable to figure out how to work out without a gym, even though Ali left workout gear for them — medicine balls, resistance bands, and pads. They all took a few long walks around their campsite, although they stayed in one of the seven wonders of the natural world, which is covered with hiking trails. Many contestants complained that they just "don't lift boulders."
The episode included a "Temptation" where contestants were asked to guess the caloric content of some convenient store staples. The catch being that if they guessed incorrectly, they had to eat the snack. The prize for guessing correctly was a night in a luxury RV, and the orange team, husband and wife Heda and Ed, won the temptation. The orange team also won the kayak challenge and the prize of an RV to take home, an odd gift in these gas-expensive times. Speaking of presents — Coleen of the yellow team turned 24 and all the contestants celebrated with kind and encouraging words as well as a small cake.
To see how the teams fared once they headed back to the ranch and who was eliminated, just read more
This actress has a naturally thin frame and is often judged for it. When asked if she's happy with her appearance she said:
"I'm fine with it. I can't really do much about it. It's what it is and that's all right. If I was younger I would be (self-conscious), but I've been dealing with (the criticism) for a while."
Despite its arrival being evidence that Winter is coming, October is one of my favorite months of the year. From the gorgeous colors of the trees to being able to go for brisk runs after work, Fall feels like it's officially here. Keep in mind that October also kicks off the beginning of the holiday season with Halloween, which means it's time to enjoy all the goodies, but still keep an eye on what we're putting in our bodies in the interim. Staying fit this month will pave the way to a happy and healthy rest of 2008.
Today at the gym I realized that like almost every other day, a crowd of people gather around one of the fitness rooms before group exercise classes. Several people start waiting a good 10-15 minutes before the class starts and I can't help but think what a waste of time that is.
If you find yourself waiting around for a class or machine, make use of that time. Jump on a treadmill and get five minutes of walking in. Do squats, crunches, or lunges. Do anything really. I don't know about you, but getting to the gym can be a difficult task at times so maximize that time to get the most out of your workout. Five minutes getting warmed up is not going to hurt you, in fact it'll just prepare you for the exercise you are about to begin and you'll burn more calories in the end.
Belstaff
John Frieda
Marithe' F. Girbaud