Weight Loss For The Over 40's


Whether you are in your 20's your 40's or whatever age you are, weight loss is an issue, especially if you are the sort of person who puts weight on easily despite all your best efforts.

As we get older it would appear that our metabolism slows down and we tend to need less food than we did when we were younger. Inevitably we are concerned about keeping our metabolism fired up to ensure that weight loss doesn't become an issue for us - keeping that belly flat becomes even more important as we attempt to look and feel our best.

Although people will tell you that diet alone will get rid of that stubborn weight, the truth is that it isn't enough for consistent and sustained weight loss. Exercise is an important part of the equation. However what a lot of people don't realise is that only certain types of exercise will give them the desired results.

You may have read an article that said hundreds of crunches, leg lifts and twists will do the trick. Well you may feel as though you are doing all the right things but I can guarantee a six-pack will be nowhere to be found. Sound familiar? If so, it's time you made a change because the only way you're going to achieve the shape you want is to reduce your body fat.

What can be more irritating than seeing men and women on the front of fitness magazines with the most perfect bodies imaginable? Most of them will have a body fat percentage of less than ten per cent. And, as you can tell by looking at them, they definitely have ab muscles. The truth of the matter is - so do you; the only difference is you can't see yours, because they're hidden behind a layer of fat.

If you seriously want to get rid of this fatty layer and expose your six-pack, stick to a well balanced diet. No simple sugars (that includes white flour products), eat plenty of good quality protein, and follow a cardio program that works for you.

If you really want to see results I would suggest that you incorporate a form of exercise that works for you (whether it be walking, swimming, going to the gym or using a fitness regime such as the Wii Fit) 30 minutes per day for at least 3 days per week and you will start to notice a difference, however this will be gradual, do not expect results overnight just keep at it and imagine how you will feel in a few weeks time. It is important to know that even though your goal may be to lose weight, you may find that your weight loss becomes a weight gain in the short term due to the fact that muscle weighs heavier than fat.

Contrary to popular opinion, these types of exercises are not just for the younger generation but also for the older generation. In fact, I was recently at a Physiotherapy Unit where I was chatting to one of the Theraprists and she told me that exercise games are very popular for getting back into shape and helping with the building up of muscle for ALL ages. It is thought that general health is improved in the elderly if they have a sensible fitness regime It is also worth remembering that as our metabolism continues to slow down as we age, correct eating habits and appropriate fitness programmes become even more important if we are to have sustained weight loss and are to enjoy full health and fitness as we approach our later years.

Whatever your age remember to eat a well balanced diet and take part in a fitness regime, at least 3 times a week.

Health and fitness are the most important aspect of your third age, as this is a time when you need to be fit enough to enjoy your retirement and the opportunities that are open to you.


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by Alison Cormack

Shape Up for Summer

Lose Weight and Be Healthy
There have been a growing number of people who are suffering from weight problems, however if you really want to lose weight, there are lots of ways to do it.

There are a lot of people who tend to neglect their health which may be the reasons why they suffer from obesity or weight problems. They usually eat whatever they want and don't find time for physical activity as they are too busy with their work which in many cases requires them to sit for eight hours in front of a computer.
So a lot of people are getting fat, because they tend to neglect themselves.

But it doesn't mean where you are obese or have weight problems, you have to give up hope, there are lots of things you can do in order to lose weight - what it really takes is focus and determination.

If you are really determined to lose weight, find a Herbal Remedy that can help you - you can use a Herbal Remedy like Hoodia which is one of the most popular diet pills that can help you lose weight. It comes with a money back guarantee in tablet form and it can also be in a liquid form if you prefer.

There are lots of Herbal Remedies out there in the marketplace. Check them out and choose which you believe is best for you, but in choosing make sure that it has certification in order for you to know that it will really work effectively and with no harmful side effects.

You can choose and purchase a Herbal Remedy which suits you and use it in conjunction with your daily regime. Please do not think a Herbal Remedy will work on its own, you still need to eat a healthy diet.

If you want to lose weight and be healthy, you have to do something about it. Maintaining a balanced diet is advisable. You have to be aware of the foods you eat and their calorie intake as this is helpful for losing unwanted fats. Eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables daily.
Eating the correct amount of fruits and vegetables can help you to lose weight and can make you healthy and strong.

Another important thing you need to give time to is exercise. Walking, cycling, swimming or something that suits you for 30 minutes each day can be helpful in losing weight and becoming healthy.

So to summarise, in order to lose weight and be healthy - purchase a Herbal Remedy such as Hoodia and add it into your daily healthy eating plan, keep an eye on those calories and exercise for 30 minutes each day if you can

Also, if you are unsure then ask for help from your doctor. You can consult him or her and let them know your plans and the Herbal Remedy you are considering taking. Your doctor can give you advice on the best plan of action for your weight loss.

If you are having weight problems, then I hope this has helped you on your way to your weight loss journey. Start taking good care of your health and soon you will start to see great results
Good Luck

by Alison Cormack

Mother's Day 18/3/12

Mother's day is almost here and it is time to shower the female loved ones in your life with some extra special attention.The most important person in your life is your mother. She is the one that brought you into this world and since your mum is such an important figure in your life, you need to recognise her each and every year on Mother's Day. It is the one day out of the year where you take care of your mum instead of her taking care of you.

Mother's Day has become a time for families to get together. A vast amount of cards are sold on Mother's Day and florists also experience one of their biggest days. On that day, one splendid gift idea is a family outing or a picnic.(Weather permitting)
Take your mum to one of her favourite restaurants, she will really appreciate this. If your mum is 'watching her figure' or trying to lose weight then please take this into consideration when choosing a place to eat or if you prefer, you could make something for your mother and she will love it as this will show her that you made an effort to make her something special.

One of the best gift combinations that never fail is the duo of flowers and a card. It is such a simple but meaningful gift. Make it even more special by giving your mum her favourite flowers.

Also, congratulations to all new mums and Happy First Mother's Day. I'm sure you will receive something very special with daddy's help.

Lastly, let's not forget all those mums that are no longer with us, to all of them Happy Mother's Day

Lent

Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

Not all Christian churches observe Lent. Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics. Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Orthodox Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday (called Clean Monday) and Ash Wednesday is not observed.

Pancake Day

Why the World Celebrates International Pancake Day

The Pancake Day Feast

Flipping the pancake with a neat flick of the wrist, niftily maneuvering the pan with the right hand - is a scene thought of by both young and old on Pancake Day.

For many people worldwide, the passion of pancakes began with the old tradition of a day of pancake distinguished throughout the world beginning in England on Lent leading to Shrove Tuesday and now celebrated as Pancake Day. It is a day celebrated on different dates in different countries associating the beginning of Lent, a period of fasting in the Christian calendar.

Pancake Day, or "Shrove Tuesday", is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Since Lent is the time of abstinence, it is the time of giving things up, or using up foods that are not allowed during Lent. In an effort to use up all of the household's dairy products, fats and eggs, it became a routine to mix these ingredients altogether to make pancakes.

The Pancake Day Race

On Pancake Day, there is also a traditional activity known as the Olney Pancake Race. This started in the village of Olney in Buckinghamshire, England in 1445 with a woman and her actions. When she heard the shriving bell while she was making some pancakes, she didn't' want to be late for the church service so she ran all the way to the church in her apron and frying pan.

This old and amusing pancake race is now world famous and is a longed-for episode of Pancake Day Feast. Participants have to be local housewives wearing an apron, a hat or scarf carrying a frying pan containing a hot pancake. Competitors must toss the pancake three times during the long course before sprinting to the finish line. Even kids today can play the game for some fun.

Pancakes are splendidly charming and delicious. The experience of this round soft velvety piece of cake in a pan has been ongoing for many years, and when combined with the comfort of home cooking there goes the feeling of a special day. It is a day shared by children and parents everywhere when all forms of tasty pancakes are eaten. Even though rolled pancakes in butter and maple syrup can be totally appealing, pancakes do not need to be always thick, stodgy and smothered in syrup. With the many pancake cookbooks we have today, you can get ideas on how to make your own Pancake Day a sweet day not necessarily loaded with calories.

A lot of people compliment this tradition as a great way to present information about the Christian festivals which is very much needed in the world today. Thru this Pancake Day, many people who do not know about these festivals will put prominence on the beauty of conviction along with everyone's experience of faith, regular worship, or attending church on Sundays.


By Terry Retter

Why is Valentines Day Celebrated?

>Happy Valentine's Day<

Valentine's Day is no doubt one of the most popular days that is celebrated all over the world. Globally, people plan different and unique ways to celebrate and surprise their loved ones on this very romantic occasion making them feel special by expressing their love for each other through different ways like small gifts, cards, romantic meals and much more.
There are so many people who celebrate Valentine's Day but are not aware of the story behind celebrating this day of love.

There are different stories that people have associated with the Valentine's Day celebration though it is quite obvious that the real man behind this is St. Valentine. As per one of the stories associated with the celebration of Valentine's Day is that this is the day when St. Valentine died in his prison cell. Before his death, St. Valentine wrote a letter to a girl whom he loved very much. He ended his letter with "From Your Valentine" along with his signature.
After his death considering him a true lover, lovers all over the world have adopted this as a way of expressing their deep love to their loved ones.
Today, you see these wordings on cards and gift cards. This means that you are relating your deep love for your partner with the historical love St. Valentine had for his girl.

Also, according to another legend it is stated that Valentine was a priest in Rome and he served during the third century during the rule of Emperor Claudius II.
The Emperor announced that no single men were allowed to get married as he believed that in order to get better soldiers for the security of the country it was important to keep all the young men single so that they didn't have wives and families to distract their attention from their responsibilities and duties.
As a result St. Valentine raised his voice against Emperor Claudius II as he thought that his decision to outlaw marriage for young men was injustice of the decree. Defying Claudius, St. Valentine secretly continued to perform marriages for young lovers. After some time when Claudius got to know about Valentine's actions he ordered his execution.

There are some who believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of the February to commemorate the death anniversary of Valentine's which took place in around 270 A.D.
St. Valentine sacrificed a lot for the sake of love even his life, therefore, today we celebrate Valentine's Day to remember him.

For many years we have been celebrating Valentine's Day with great respect all over the world. This day is also considered as the day of love and young couples globally celebrate this day with great passion by coming up with different ideas to mark the day. There are different specially designed gifts and cards available in shops that people use to express their love to each other.

Oranges and Lemons

Oranges:
Oranges and lemons are both citrus fruits. But while lemons are very sour and not really consumed as a fruit, oranges can be sweet to taste and are eaten as fruits.
Oranges and lemons both are rich sources of vitamin C and citric acid.
Orange juice is very popular as a breakfast beverage. Given its orange colour, naturally makes it a good source of carotene and beta-carotene, and vitamin A. Both, lemons and oranges belong to the protective food group as they help build up the body’s immune system.
The vitamin C present in these citrus fruits helps in the absorption of calcium and iron in the body. Oranges have high levels of beta-carotene which have anti-oxidant properties, and thus help in protecting our body cells from damage.

Indian oranges sometimes have green coloured peels, but the fruit is sweet to taste.
Orange peel and orange extract are also ingredients of skincare products such as face peels, face masks and face washes. Take a segment of freshly peeled orange and rub on the face. Leave to dry for about 15 minutes and then wash off. Your skin will look and feel fresh.
Oranges can be consumed as fruits, juice, jams, jellies, orange pie, orange souffles etc. To get maximum benefits, consume the orange uncooked as it will give you all the nutrients intact. Cooking often destroys the nutrients such as ascorbic acid and vitamin C.

Lemons:
Lemon is an easily available citrus fruit, inexpensive most of the times, but in summer its price may escalate; it is popular for its culinary and medicinal uses.
It is very high in natural vitamin C and citric acid. Though it is a fruit, lemons are very sour and not really eaten as they are but the juice of lemons is used to prepare a variety of food and beverage recipes such as lemon rice, lemon chicken, lemon pickle, lemon tea, lemonade, lemon meringue pie and many others. Also at Cocktail Bars they are widely used. A slice or lemon garnishes many a cocktail glass.
In addition to lemon juice being a part of many recipes, it is also used as a garnish or to add flavour to the food . In India, when one is served food in a traditional way, a slice of lemon is part of the meal, along with salt, pickle, and chutney. Dahl and rice taste excellent when a few drops of lemon juice are added to the mixture just before eating it.
Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C but Vitamin C is destroyed when heated, thus if you want to get the most of the Vitamin C present in a lemon, it is best to have it fresh and uncooked as in the form of adding lemon juice to water or fresh lemon juice added as a garnishing to foods. In addition to Vitamin C, lemons are a good source of Vitamin B6, Iron and Potassium, and an excellent source of Dietary Fibre. They are very low in Cholesterol, Saturated Fat and Sodium.


Lemons also have a number of health benefits:
Weight loss: take a glass of lukewarm water; add a tablespoonful of fresh lemon juice. Drink early in the morning before eating anything else. This can help with losing weight. You can add a dash of honey to the mixture if you wish.
Lemon water helps cure throat infections and common colds as it has high vitamin C content.
Lemon juice is also effective in treating bleeding gums.
Diluted lemon juice when applied on the skin may help hydrated skin from the sun for example
Lemon juice has stringent properties and is an ingredient of many face packs, skin treatments and face washes. Lemon is harsher on the skin compared to oranges, so never ever apply undiluted lemon juice to your face.
If you suffer from dandruff, cut up one lemon and squeeze the juice. Apply this juice to your scalp and leave for 20 minutes and then shampoo or rinse off. You can mix the lemon juice with some hair oil if you wish.
To decide whether a lemon is of good quality or not, good-quality lemons will be firm, smooth-skinned and heavy for their size, medium to large sized lemons are generally better and have more juice.
Avoid buying lemons that are soft, spongy, wrinkled or have bumpy, rough or hard skin. Coarse, thick-skinned and light lemons will have less juice.

Pub Grub

The Pub Grub Guide
Pub Grub can be salty, fatty and tasty but that doesn't mean we have to rule it out completely
Here's how to enjoy the grub without gaining those extra pounds

Most pubs cater to drinkers first and diners second, which often means a limited menu. However instead of nuts and crisps try making some smarter choices

"High Fat, High Calories and Big Portions are the Big Sellers,"
It's very tempting. You don't want to sit there not eating whilst everybody else is

When deciding what to order, look for the lower calorie but filling options, such as big salads, tomato or broth-based soups, or fish choices with new potatoes

Also:
1. Don't drink on an empty stomach
Alcohol enhances appetite, If you intend to eat a meal, it's best to order it right away before the alcohol takes over your healthy choice

2. Do your homework
If the pub offers its menu online, take a look at it and decide what to order before you get there. That way you won't be rushed into making a bad decision.

3. Fill up on fibre
When you choose dishes based on starchy foods, such as bread, pasta and potatoes, go for whole-grain options where possible, for extra fibre

4. Cut down on salty foods
Avoid salty snacks such as crisps and nuts, and heavily salted foods such as bacon, cheese and pickles, and try not to add extra salt.

5. Make meals low in fat
If you're having a baked potato, ask for a low-fat spread instead of butter or, if you are having pasta, choose a dish with a sauce made from tomatoes or vegetables instead of cheese or cream. Steer clear of bacon, sausages, battered or deep-fried foods and creamy desserts.

6. Choose a dish with plenty of vegetables
A portion is roughly three heaped tablespoons of vegetables. Salads and vegetarian dishes are good options. If a dish comes with fries and vegetables, ask for new potatoes instead or ask for extra vegetables.

7. Go for grilled, boiled, poached, steamed or stir-fried dishes
These involve less fat in the cooking. If you can't tell from the menu how a dish is cooked, ask the waiter

8. Opt for fruit
If you want a dessert, choose a fruit salad or apple crumble.

9. Look for pubs that prepare food on the premises
That's where it will be more practical for you to request healthier options.

10. Think drink
There is nothing wrong with having drinks with your meal, you are having pub grub after all. However, alcohol is high in calories, so be sure to keep track.

Tip of the Day

Apple Cider Vinegar

There is limited scientific support for the claim that apple cider vinegar can promote weight loss. However, one small study (published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry in 2009) found that obese people who consumed acetic acid daily for 12 weeks experienced significant decreases in body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference, and triglycerides.


The Facts on Apple Cider Vinegar
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated September 15, 2011

Tip of the Day

Add 1 teaspoon of Lighter than Light Margarine (approx. 19 calories) to Wholemeal Pasta for a healthy, delicious, creamy taste

How To Lose Weight Quickly - 3 Tips for Massive Results

Happy New Year

Wow can't believe that's Christmas/New Year over once again!!

I don't know about you but I've decided that 2012 is going to be the BEST YEAR EVER
My friend has just started a new diet and I have just watched the video.  If like me you are looking to lose weight then it's worth a look at www.coreworld.co.uk 

Take Care
Alison

New Year New You

Make 2012 the year for you.  

Lose weight the natural way.  Please enter your details in the box for a Free Gift