PECULIAR DIET IDEAS

Hehehee... Diet, diet... A hot topic which will never go out of time - especially after festive seasons! You know, the times of the year when we'll just indulge in all the good foods on offer without having the consequences crossing our minds. And when we're finally back to our good old routines, the clothes seem to look wrong somewhere and the waistlines somehow seems tighter? Then reality hits and you go "Oh, nooo...!!!" Sounds familiar? Hehehee...

If you bring up the subject, everyone will start pointing out their flaws, trying to outdo each other. And before you know it, it becomes a contest of 'Who Fares Worse'. Hahahaa...

Common problems include :

1. Flabby upper arms

2. Big hips (some claim that their's look like bells!)

3. Bulging tummy (especially for guys)

4. Fat thighs (they call it elephant legs)

Anyway, to combat all the unwanted fats in the body, everyone seems to have their own strategies and theories to lose it - whether or not it works!

1. Replace regular meals with sour plums. To take 2 sour plums for each main meal of the day, i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meaning to consume only 6 sour plums per day and that's about it. To continue till desired weight is achieved.

2. No food intake for 1 whole week. To only live on green tea and apple cider to combat hunger.

3. Replace water intake with black coffee. This is to increase bowel movement, i.e. to drain out food consumed in the shortest time possible and to avoid the food being digested and absorbed into the system.

4. To consume only meat and fat, minus carbohydrate and vegetables.

5. Fast for 7 consecutive days and have colonics to cleanse the system and of course, to wash away fats.

6. Limit food intake to only 2 meals per day. To eat whatever that the heart desires in no specific serving size for lunch. In other words, you may eat as much as you like. However, this is for lunch only. Dinner time, to restrict diet to fruits and vegetables. Good news is that there is no restriction on serving size as well.

7. To fast and cleanse the system with a combination of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

8. To fast and drink a cup of olive oil mixed with 3/4 cup lemon juice per day - again, to cleanse the system.

9. Food monogamy. Now this is interesting. The idea is to decide on a food, and to stick to it for as long as you can. When you're eating the same food everyday, you'll get bored of it and eventually decrease your intake due to lack of appetite.

So these are what I can recall at the moment. Peculiar but true...

Please feel free to share if you have a method or two that may or may not work. It'll definitely be interesting to read! Hehehee... In the meantime, happy dieting or should I say, keeping in shape. ;P

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOGA AND PILATES

Ballet, a definite no no... :D Yoga or pilates? Yoga or pilates?? What's the difference anyway? How to choose when both seems to be the same thing? Both involves stretching exercise and breathing techniques, and done on a mat placed on the floor - well, at least that's what I derived from TV shows! Hahahaa... There must be some difference between them, but what? Well, I've got the answer! Read on to find out more...

Yoga vs. Pilates : Which Is Best For You? by Kathy Smith

When people speak of the physical benefits of exercise, they tend to focus on the three S's : strength, stamina and slimming. With this in mind, their training programs usually consist of weight lifting to build muscle, with some form of aerobic activity to build cardiovascular endurance and burn calories. But there's a second tier of benefits we're starting to value. These include flexibility, coordination, posture and stress relief. It's not that these secondary benefits weren't always important -- it's just that they're more in the spotlight these days thanks to the growing popularity of so-called "softer" training modalities. Two of the most popular of these are yoga and pilates.

Yoga, of course, has been popular in the U.S. for decades. I started practicing yoga more than 20 years ago and it's still one of my favourite ways to tone my body and calm my mind. Pilates though is a newer trend that apparently still has many people baffled. I often get letters inquiring about the difference between pilates and yoga, and asking which I recommend. As with most "which do I recommend" questions, the answer depends on your physical goals. Simply put, the difference between yoga and pilates is that between East and West. Both systems build strength and flexibility; the difference between them is not so much physical as it is philosophical.

A Tale of Two Workouts

Let's take yoga first. Yoga is based on the Eastern idea of moving energy through your body. The more freely the energy flows, the healthier and more energetic you feel. Physical tension hinders the flow; over time, areas of tension in your body can become tight and rigid, even painful. The goal of yoga is to keep the body supple through movement and stretching. But there's another dimension. Yoga is a holistic spiritual discipline with its roots in Eastern forms of meditation. The physical postures, although they condition the body, are really aimed at the mind. They symbolize the goal of living your life in a state of balance and composure. When I spend an hour in a yoga class, I melt into a kind of meditative state and emerge wonderfully relaxed and refreshed.

Pilates on the other hand is physical conditioning first and foremost -- and there's nothing quite like it. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, was looking for a way to rehabilitate injured soldiers after World War I. He developed an assortment of curious machines with names like the "Reformer" and the "Cadillac." Using cables and trolleys and unusual body positioning, pilates exercises stretch and strengthen and are unique in their ability to encourage coordination between the muscles that stabilize the body.

Pilates techniques quickly became a hit with dancers, who found them a highly effective way to improve body awareness and alignment and promote graceful, fluid motion. Machine-based pilates actually has more in common with weight training than with yoga since it involves moving against resistance (provided by springs) with the aim of overloading the muscles. In particular it resembles functional strength exercises such as squats or cable pulls. There's also a new form of pilates, the pilates mat class, which relies more on callisthenic-style exercises and stretches. This form is physically more similar to a yoga class though the emphasis is still on physical change rather than on spiritual development through postures and breathing.

The Choice Is Yours

Generally speaking, I think it's fair to say yoga is more about how it makes you feel while pilates is about how you look -- how you carry yourself and move. So if you're looking for a limbering, rejuvenating workout that will provide as much of a lift for your brain as your body -- and you're not too concerned about building muscle -- I'd recommend yoga. If you're interested in a more dynamic system of muscle conditioning -- or if you just want to try something new and different -- pilates may be the answer.

In fact, it doesn't have to be an either-or choice. After all, no single training system can give your body all the types of conditioning it needs. That's why my week includes a variety of activities, from weight lifting to hiking, running, yoga and more. My best recommendation is to try everything -- experience it all -- and see what works best for you. East or West, the important thing is to explore!

BODY TYPES

This is interesting. Makes a lot sense, especially in how it's showing each time I gained some weight and why I can never achieve the 'Kate Moss look'. Damm! ;P Turned out that I'm a mesomorph! No wonder... Sounds like a type of butterfly or something. Hahahaa... Anyway, so read on and you'll know what I mean.

The Right Workout for Your Body Type by Jeanette Jenkins

Have you every looked around the gym and wondered "What's wrong with me?" Whether you're the thin girl that can't build muscle to save her life or the curvy girl that would give anything for thinner thighs, it's time to stop beating yourself up. There's nothing wrong with you, it's your workout and expectations that may be the problem. Everyone's bodies react differently to workouts, and it's time to find the one that's best for you. Find out the three different body types, celebrity examples of each and which workout will give you the shape you want.

There are three scientific body types:



ECTOMORPH : Ectomorphs have a model-type figure, long and lean, naturally thin.

MESOMORPH : Mesomorphs have athletic genes, their bones are stronger and their muscles are thicker.

ENDOMORPH : Endomorphs are fleshy and have the most difficult to losing body fat because endomorphs are starting off with more adipose tissue.

People think they can convert from one body type into another, but they can't. I tell clients to aspire to look like a celebrity with the same body type as them.

Gisele Bundchen is a perfect example of an ectomorph. Ectomorphs have small, lean bones and muscles. They can put on fat and still look skinny because they don't have thick muscles beneath the fat. This body type is most idolized by people, but ectomorphs have trouble gaining muscle and have their own set of fitness woes.

Jessica Simpson is a perfect example of a mesomorph. Mesomorphs have strong bones and thick muscles. When a mesomorph puts on a little bit of body fat, it makes them look like they weigh a lot more than they do, because the body fat goes over their natural muscles.

Queen Latifah is a perfect example of an endomorph. Endomorphs are soft and fleshy.

Popular culture and the media usually favor the ectomorph body type, but in the past five or six years endomorphs and mesomorphs are popping up in the media and on the cover of magazines.

You body type is determined by your genetics. A great example of this are the Williams Sisters. Venus Williams is ectomorph, and Serena Williams, mesomorph. They have the exact same training regimen, but their body types and shapes are different. Venus and Serena are genetically programmed to look the way they do.

Training Options

All three body types should do regular cardio, but you should keep in mind your body type's tendencies when you choose your cardio routine.

Ectomorphs are more apt to have bad posture, so they should do postural exercises to open their shoulders and stand erect. Typically, their bones are weaker, and weight training adds bone density. Ectomorphs will never look bulky with weight training, they will just look toned.

Mesomorphs tend to want to have a longer leaner look and don't want to look bulky. They should do exercises to lengthen their muscles like ballet, pilates, or yoga.

Endomorphs tend to have more muscular skeletal issues because they are carrying additional weight. There should be a higher focus on cardio and weight training (high repetition), to tear down the muscle fiber without building up size.

More Training Options
All three body types can hit the treadmill, but for different types of workouts.
Mesomorphs should do intervals of jogging and walking.
Endomorphs and Ectomorphs should walk on incline to lessen impact on joints.

For Resistance Training
Ectomorphs should lift weights, performing 6 to 10 reps of the heaviest they can comfortably lift.
Mesomorphs should try yoga, pilates, high-rep, low weight training.
Endomorphs should try yoga and pilates.

So does this mean that it's time to enroll myself into a ballet class...?? ;P No lar... Too old for that. Can't imagine myself hopping around, being surrounded by 4-year-olds! Hahahaa... Perhaps yoga or pilates. But heck, I can hardly find the time to go for self-pampering. And instead, you want me to go for regular fitness classes?? Are you outta your mind?

But then, if I don't, I'd stay this way? Is there an easier way to do this? Anyone?

B... How...? *sob sob*

REALLY...?

Stumbled across this article that claims that normal dieting and stomach crunches which most people do actually don't work! Huh...?? Read on...

5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)

1. Many so-called "health foods" are actually cleverly disguised junk foods that can actually stimulate you to gain more belly fat... yet the diet food marketing industry continues to lie to you so they can maximize their profits.

2. Ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are actually the LEAST effective method of getting flat six pack abs. We'll explore what types of exercises REALLY work in a minute.

3. Boring repetitive cardio exercise routines are NOT the best way to lose body fat and uncover those six pack abs. I'll tell you the exact types of unique workouts that produce 10x better results.

4. You DON'T need to waste your money on expensive "extreme fat burner" pills or other bogus supplements. I'll show you how to use the power of natural foods in more details.

5. Ab belts, ab-rockers, ab-loungers, and other infomercial ab-gimmicks... they're all a complete waste of your time and money. Despite the misleading infomercials, the perfectly chiseled fitness models in the commercials did NOT get their perfect body by using that "ab contraption"... they got their perfect body through REAL workouts and REAL nutrition strategies. Again, you'll learn some of their secrets and what really works.

Anyway, this is only the introduction. The actual article is so damm long, I don't have the patience to finish it. Hahaa... But the conclusion is that this guy claims that conventional, trusted ways don't work!

Please read (click on the link above), and let me know whether it makes sense or whatever. If it does, tell me how. If you decided to purchase any products, let me know also. Hehehee... Enjoy!