GET SIX PACK ABS IN 6 MOVES

Try these 6 quick exercises to get the six pack you've been wanting.

The hallmark of fitness is a nice six pack, because it not only represents a certain level of effort in the gym, but also maintaining a relatively low bodyfat percentage.

For this, both diet and exercise play important roles, but the reward is a set of abs that are the envy of everyone you know. Here are six ab exercises to get you that highly sought, but rarely achieved, holy grail; the six pack.

THE WORKOUT PROGRAM

Perform one set of each exercise 3 times a week. These exercises are of sufficient difficulty that one set will be a good start. Shoot for a rep range of 8-12. Once you can consistently get 15 reps with good form, and still make it through the workout, add another set.

Rest: 90-120 seconds

1) THE PIKE

Lie faceup with your legs straight, arms at your sides, palms facing down. Raise your legs and torso 45 degrees off the floor. (You should look like a "V".) Reach your hands alongside your legs as high as you can without rounding your back.

Key Point: This one is tough, but focus on contracting the abs to move your body.

2) CABLE SIDE BEND

Attach a D-handle to a low-pulley cable and stand so your left side faces the weight stack. Grasp the handle with your left hand, keeping your arm by your side, and place your right hand on your hip. With your head facing forward, slowly bend to the left. Return to standing, repeat for reps, then switch sides.

Key Point: Granted, obliques aren't abs, but this movement is an integral part of any ab workout.

3) WEIGHTED CRUNCH

Lie faceup with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms toward your knees, holding a lightweight plate with both hands. Keeping your arms extended, slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor moving into a full crunch.

Key Point: Again, focus on contracting your abs to do the work. Use a light weight and anchor your feet if needed.

4) OVERHEAD CRUNCH

Lie faceup with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms extended overhead with your hands clasped together. (Your upper arms should be alongside your ears.) Keeping your arms straight and alongside your head, curl your torso forward, raising your shoulders off the floor. Pause, then return to the start.

Key Point: Another great way to hit the abs with extra overload. Perform shortly after the Weighted Crunch for a deep burn.

5) BALL PLANKS

Get into a push-up position on an exercise ball: hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and your legs extended behind you, feet up on a ball. Maintain a straight line from head to toe, and push back slightly such that your arms are out in front of you. Hold this position for up to 60 seconds.

Key Point: This ain't your grandma's plank. Your abs and entire midsection will be screaming by the end of this.

6) WINDSHIELD WIPERS

Lie faceup and tuck your hands under your pelvis, palms down. Keeping your legs straight and feet together, raise your legs so your heels point toward the ceiling. With your head and shoulders flat on the mat, lift your glutes off the floor and lift your feet toward the ceiling. At the top of the movement, twist your hips to the left (your feet should point to the left). Lower your legs back to the start (feet suspended off the floor), then lift up and twist to the right. Alternate sides for reps.

Key Point: A great way to finish off your abs. Start with your hips on the ground if needed and progress to the exercise as described.

Get Huge, Ripped, and Perform Better Than Ever With the Rock Hard Challenge Workout

The Secret Behind Supplements

After being diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia, I started to take an Iron + Vitamin C supplement every day.  I also started to eat foods with a higher iron content more often. So, this makes me wonder:  how much do people spend on supplements compared to their grocery bill? According to the National Institutes of Health, $33.9 billion was spent on alternative medicine in the year 2008. That is more than what the National Football League (NFL) is worth! Also, more than half of Americans are popping multivitamin pills daily and about one-third are using some sort of alternative medicine (vitamins or herbs in a pill form).

Whether you choose to take dietary supplements or not, it is vital to eat foods packed with various vitamins and minerals, such as fruits and vegetables, every day.  Even though it may be possible to save money when buying a supplement to take place of food, this is not always the case.  Plus with food you get more than just the particular nutrient listed on the label.

So how much does the cost of a dietary supplement compare to a similar food?  Check out this table.  Prices are from central Iowa in June 2012.

Supplement	Price perserving	Nutritional value per serving	Food item with comparable nutrients	Price perserving	Nutritional value per serving
Muscle Milk, Ready to Drink Chocolate Flavor	$3.99	20g protein	3oz chicken breast	$.60	25g protein
Nature Made Fish Oil 1000mg	$.29	900mg Omega 3	¼ cup of walnuts	$.87	2,500mg of Omega 3
Benefiber Powder, Sugar Free, Orange Flavor + Calcium	$.48	3g fiber	1 medium apple	$.40	4.4g of fiber
Viactiv Milk Chocolate Soft Chews + Vitamin D	$.20	1000mg calcium	8oz skim milk	$.17	300mg of calcium

If you decide to buy a dietary supplement, you should do your research on the supplement first. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does NOT regulate dietary supplements. Visit the manufacturer’s website for product information or the FDA’s website for more information on dietary supplements: http://www.fda.gov/food/dietarysupplements/default.htm

3 Exercises To Make You A Better Runner

Even if their goal isn’t getting huge, runners often make the mistake of doing no lifting at all. (And as big-time endurance guys like Dean Karnazes will tell you, that’s not only wrong—it’s just plain dumb.) With these three exercises, combined with Pose training, you’ll be running farther, and safer, than ever before.

Box Jump

Place in front of you a box that’s high enough to make it somewhat challenging to jump up onto. Quickly bend your hips and knees and swing your arms back to gather momentum, then jump up onto the box. Land softly in the center of the box with hips and knees bent. Step off. That’s one rep. Perform three sets of 5 reps

Goblet Squat

Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell by one of the bell ends with both hands under your chin. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed out at about 30 degrees. Take a deep breath and bend your hips back and lower into the squat, pushing your knees out and keeping your lower back in its natural arch. Squeeze your glutes as you come back up. Perform three sets of 8–12 reps.

The goblet squat allows you to perform a deep squat with little risk of injury to the lower back. Squatting develops your entire lower body and is arguably the best exercise for building running speed.

Walking Lunges

There’s no weight-training exercise more sport-specific to running than a walking lunge. It trains your body both to accelerate forward and decelerate, controlling the body’s momentum. It builds balance and coordination in addition to strength.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and stand with feet at hip width. Step forward and lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your rear knee nearly touches the floor. Come up and immediately step forward with the opposite leg. Do three sets of 10–12 per leg.

Resources: http://www.mensfitness.com/training/cardio/3-exercises-make-you-better-runner

Protein - Why it's important in your diet?

Protein is an essential nutrient which helps form the structural component of body tissues and is used within many biological processes, for example protein is used to make enzymes, antibodies to help us fight infection as well as DNA the building blocks to life. It’s also needed to make up muscle tissue which in turn helps to keep our bodies active, strong, and healthy.
Proteins are believed to increase performance in terms of athletics. Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are used for building muscle tissue and repairing damaged tissues. Protein is only used as anaerobic fuel when carbohydrates are low, or as aerobic fuel when lipid resources are also low.

Most protein is stored in the body as muscle, generally accounting for around 40-45% of our body’s total pool, so it makes sense that if you increase activity, perhaps to improve health and fitness or body composition, you also need to consider protein as an important food group in your diet.

Protein is found in dairy, meat, eggs, fish, beans and nuts, as well as in our protein shakes. A sensible approach to meeting your daily protein requirements is to include a combination of these foods within your diet every day. Check out our Protein Calculator to assess your goal based protein needs and whether you are currently achieving this through protein dominant foods alone

Conquer Stress and Master Sleep for a Richer Life

It’s no secret that when someone is tired, motivation and mood suffer and stress becomes more difficult to cope with. Feeling stressed may also make it harder for a person to get a good night’s sleep, which can create a vicious cycle.

Prioritizing healthy sleep habits and awareness of stress-management skills can help propel people to succeed in multiple ways, whether their goals are in business, academics or even fitness.

Staying well-rested not only can improve mood but can also keep people healthier, improve performance and cognition and boost coping and problem solving.

Keep reading to learn how to achieve balance and cultivate success by prioritizing sleep and dealing with stress more effectively.

Related: 3 TED Talks That Will Convince You to Get More Sleep

Why sleep should be a top priority

Sleep often gets pushed aside by busy people. Dealing with a stressful schedule can make it harder to receive enough quality rest.
It might feel sometimes like those extra two hours could be better spent working toward goals than wasted in dreamland, but the truth is that long-term sleep deprivation can result in significant cognitive and physical impairment.
An adult needs on average seven to nine hours of sleep each night. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, however, 30 percent of American workers receive only six hours a night or less.
For a Surrey University study exploring mild sleep deprivation, researchers allowed participants about six hours of sleep a night for one week. After just seven days, they found more than 700 instances of changes in genes related to circadian rhythms and metabolism in addition to suppressed immune response and increased inflammation.
According to the Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation book by the National Institutes of Health, a lack of sleep affects motivation and moods, decision-making abilities, cognition, attention, creativity and analytical thinking, memory and learning. It increases the likelihood of errors and accidents as well as the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also impairs the immune system.
When all these effects are considered, sleep deprivation clearly has a significant impact on people's ability to work toward their goals and perform at their best. Personally, I've found that staying healthy and keeping sleep and work in balance helps me avoid mental burnout. A reduced risk for illness also means perhaps less time will be taken away from achieving goals.

Related: 8 Ways to Drive Entrepreneurial Stress Out From Your Life

Strategies for managing stress
For many people stress and anxiety serve as sleep stealers. Many individuals experience temporary insomnia before a big meeting or when dealing with a pressing issue.

When it becomes habitual for someone to experience stress at night, though, this can create bigger sleep problems. And the lack of sleep can make it more difficult for the person to manage the stressors that can lead to frustration, anger, lack of motivation and more stress.

One of the best ways I've found to avoid stress-related sleep problems is to practice techniques for calming down and tuning out before bed.

A few stress-management strategies that have been found effective include deep breathing, visualization, music relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation and regular exercise. Many of these methods can be used at any time of the day and can also be helpful for falling asleep.

Deep breathing is a way to invoke physical relaxation and calm the body’s stress response. The Harvard Medical School’s Family Health Guide website suggests sitting or lying down in a comfortable place with the eyes closed. Start breathing in slowly through the nose, letting the abdomen fully expand. Then breathe out slowly through the mouth or nose. The breaths should become progressively deeper. Focus attention on the very process of breathing or a calming image or phrase.

Visualization or using guided imagery is a proven technique that involves immersing one’s self into an imagined scene. Self-help books, online videos, recordings and therapists can help people practice this technique. It involves lying in a comfortable place with closed eyes and imagining a relaxing scene. The person is guided to see, hear, feel and smell the surroundings while keeping his or her thoughts on the image and continuing to relax. An Oxford University study found visualization helped people fall asleep faster, as well.

Music relaxation involves tuning in to calming music while in a relaxed state. As with the other techniques, the person begins by lying or sitting in a comfortable space with eyes closed and breathing calmly. A University of Nevada, Reno, counseling website says that slow-tempo music with about 60 beats a minute helps stimulate relaxing brain waves. The website provides a few samples of appropriate music: Recommended types include Native American and Celtic music, light jazz, classical or easy listening music -- whatever can induces a calm and relaxed state in a listener.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves gradually relaxing each part of the body. As the American Holistic Nurses Association website explains in detail, this technique involves tensing a specific group of muscles for several seconds while breathing in, then relaxing these muscles while breathing out. The person works on each major muscle group progressively, from the feet to the head, while focusing fully on releasing tension and anxiety.

Regular exercise and activity releases mood-boosting chemicals that help fight stress. According to the American Psychological Association, people who exercise regularly report less anxiety and depression. The release of norepinephrine potentially helps the brain moderate stress responses. Endorphins also provide a short-term mood boost. Another benefit of regular exercise is that it may improve sleep efficiency and sleep duration, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Additional possible ways to relax include practicing yoga, doing meditation or praying, journaling, writing down tomorrow’s to-do list or reading -- things that help a person wind down and clear stressful thoughts.

Things to avoid in the hours before bed include doing work, writing emails, messaging on social networks, checking bank accounts or paying bills (or any other activity that might induce stress).

Also avoid stressing about not getting enough sleep. Keep thoughts positive at night. Rather than saying, “I can’t believe it’s already midnight! I’m going to be so tired tomorrow,” start an internal dialogue with something that's more like “I will fall asleep and wake up well-rested tomorrow!”

Pairing an emphasis on healthy sleep with effective stress-management techniques helps prevent emotional and physical exhaustion and keep the mind in top shape to tackle challenges. By taking care of yourself and keeping sleep, stress and work balanced, it's possible to achieve goals and be more successful.

What helps you balance work and health? How do you reduce stress? Share your experiences below.

Related: 6 Secrets to Surviving on Little or No Sleep

DON’T TEXT ON THE TREADMILL

It is obvious why while driving, you should not text. Distractions may cause an accident. New research from Kent State College suggests that texting or phone calls while running on a treadmill can limit the potential health benefits by reducing the intensity of exercise.

The researchers asked 44 students to participate in four separate half-hour treadmill session. In time, they have access to a telephone number. While in others, they either participate in music, talk or send text messages. Music increased exercise time and intensity, such as heart rate measurement, and talking sports do seem to be more fun, while also reducing the speed. Texting reduce speed and heart rate.

The real strength of the moment: Previous studies have shown that music, especially inspirational beat tunes, can help you longer and harder to keep it in the gym. This study suggests that distractions like talking and texting how to stop you.

What Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Can and Can’t Do

Boost energy, lose weight, beat stress, improve performance, and reduce wrinkles! Do these phrases sound familiar?

These are just a few of the promises found on the labels of vitamin and mineral supplements. But can vitamin and minerals really live up to these claims, or is it more hype than truth? Is there evidence that a vitamin or mineral supplement really can turn a bad diet into a healthy one, melt pounds away, or put the zip back in your step?

Experts say there is definitely a place for vitamin or mineral supplements in our diets, but their primary function is to fill in small nutrient gaps. They are " supplements" intended to add to your diet, not take the place of real food or a healthy meal plan.

WebMD takes a closer look at what vitamin and mineral supplements can and cannot do for your health.

Food First, Then Supplements

Vitamins and other dietary supplements are not intended to be a food substitute. They cannot replace all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods.

"They can plug nutrition gaps in your diet, but it is short-sighted to think your vitamin or mineral is the ticket to good health -- the big power is on the plate, not in a pill," explains Roberta Anding, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and director of sports nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

It is always better to get your nutrients from food, agrees registered dietitian Karen Ansel. "Food contains thousands of phytochemicals, fiber, and more that work together to promote good health that cannot be duplicated with a pill or a cocktail of supplements."

What Can Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Do for Your Health?

When the food on the plate falls short and doesn’t include essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, some of the nutrients many Americans don’t get enough of, a supplement can help take up the nutritional slack. Vitamin and mineral supplements can help prevent deficiencies that can contribute to chronic conditions.

Numerous studies have shown the health benefits and effectiveness of supplementing missing nutrients in the diet. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found increased bone density and reduced fractures in postmenopausal women who took calcium and vitamin D.

Beyond filling in gaps, other studies have demonstrated that supplemental vitamins and minerals can be advantageous. However, the exact benefits are still unclear as researchers continue to unravel the potential health benefits of vitamins and supplements.

Anding offers these tips to guide your vitamin and mineral selection:

• Think nutritious food first, and then supplement the gaps. Start by filling your grocery cart with a variety of nourishing, nutrient-rich foods. Use the federal government's My Plate nutrition guide to help make sure your meals and snacks include all the parts of a healthy meal.
• Take stock of your diet habits. Evaluate what is missing in your diet. Are there entire food groups you avoid? Is iceberg lettuce the only vegetable you eat? If so, learn about the key nutrients in the missing food groups, and choose a supplement to help meet those needs. As an example, it makes sense for anyone who does not or is not able to get the recommended three servings of dairy every day to take a calcium and vitamin D supplement for these shortfall nutrients.
• When in doubt, a daily multivitamin is a safer bet than a cocktail of individual supplements that can exceed the safe upper limits of the recommended intake for any nutrient. Choose a multivitamin that provides 100% or less of the Daily Value (DV) as a backup to plug the small nutrient holes in your diet.
• Are you a fast food junkie? If your diet pretty much consists of sweetened and other low-nutrient drinks, fries, and burgers, then supplements are not the answer. A healthy diet makeover is in order. Consult a registered dietitian.
• Respect the limits. Supplements can fill in where your diet leaves off, but they can also build up and potentially cause toxicities if you take more than 100% of the DV.
• Most adults and children don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D, or potassium according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Potassium-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat are the best ways to fill in potassium gaps. Choose an individual or a multivitamin supplement that contains these calcium and vitamin D as a safeguard.

Keep these additional tips in mind when selecting a vitamin or mineral supplement:

• Iron and folic acid are also on the list of nutrients of concern for women in their childbearing years (14 to 50).
• The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend that people over the age of 50 get most of their vitamin B12 from synthetic sources, either from fortified foods or dietary supplements.
• Limit supplemental folic acid to 1,000 micrograms a day. Taking more than this amount increases the chance of developing nerve damage from vitamin B12 deficiency. Grains can be highly fortified with folic acid, with upwards of 100% of the DV in one serving.
• Women past menopause and men need a very low iron or no iron supplement.
• Women should be discouraged from getting excess vitamin A as it may cause birth defects if they becomepregnant.

Remember to take your supplements. They won’t do you any good if you forget to take them. Set up a routine of taking them with meals or before bed.

What Supplements Can’t Do

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It is unlikely a vitamin or mineral can deliver on a promise like helping you lose weight. A promise like that goes beyond the function of a supplement. "Don’t expect a vitamin or mineral to do anything more than it does in food," says Anding.

Promises on labels can stretch the letter of the law by using carefully worded claims that suggest exaggerated results. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA as drugs are, and some manufacturers may imply that their products have greater powers than the scientific evidence shows.

Multivitamins have long been considered a secret weapon to aid health and preventing chronic disease, but according to several studies, that may not be the case. The National Institutes of Health convened a group of experts to evaluate the evidence on multivitamins and the effect on chronic disease prevention. Researchers found few studies to make general recommendations for or against multivitamins to prevent chronic disease.

An overall healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent chronic disease, not supplements, says Anding.

Who Needs Vitamin and Mineral Supplements?

Anyone whose diet lacks the 40-plus nutrients needed for good health may benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements. In general, the following groups can be helped, but they should consult their doctor or a registered dietitian when deciding if they need a supplement or choosing one:

• Pregnant and lactating women
• Vegans and some people on vegetarian diets
• Anyone on a low-calorie diet (intentional and unintentional)
• Certain disease states (including people with a history of cancer)
• People who suffer from food allergies or intolerances
• Picky eaters who limit food groups, or have limited variety within food groups
• Anyone with a poor diet
• People taking certain medications

Vitamins and minerals can be helpful when it comes to providing the missing nutrients in your diet, but don’t trust the clerk in the health food store to tell you what you need to take.

Resource : http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nutrition-vitamins-11/help-vitamin-supplement