Powerful Potassium

Beet juice is high in potassium, which helps regulate fluid in the body. Unsurprisingly, some studies show that adequate potassium intake is essential for athletes. The performance daily intake of potassium for physically active men and women is 2,500 to 4,000 milligrams. Those who typically train in a hot climate, where they lose more body fluid through the sweating process, should get even more. One cup of beets contains more than 500 milligrams of potassium, which is a good start for helping athletes reach their daily goal.

Cardiovascular Health

Beet juice is loaded with dietary nitrates, which recent studies have found to contribute to lower blood pressure and a healthier cardiovascular system. Studies conducted at Barts and the London School of Medicine last year showed that ingestion of dietary nitrates contribute to a decrease in blood pressure, both immediately and over a 24-hour period. The study suggested that regularly drinking beet juice could play a role in maintaining a healthier cardiovascular system and might play a significant role in reducing high blood pressure. The vegetable also contains a high number of antioxidants, which may also play a part in heart health.

Inflammation Reduction

Many athletes worry that the wear and tear on their bodies from training may take its toll on the body over time. Chronic inflammation that may result from overworking muscles and joints can contribute to a number of risk factors, including osteoarthritis.

Beet juice contains a high amount of betaine, which provides similar benefits to choline in reducing chronic inflammation. In addition to the advantages to athletes, the reduction of chronic inflammation can also decrease the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and type-2 diabetes.

Beet Greens

Beet greens aren’t typically found in beet juice, but their nutritional benefits to athletes are clear all the same. Beet greens are higher in even higher in iron than the highly touted spinach greens. Iron is an important element for healthy blood flow, which means oxygen is more efficiently carried to muscles and energy levels are maintained throughout workouts. While you are enjoying that refreshing glass of beet juice, eat a few spoonfuls of beet greens for maximum benefit.

Beets and beet juice are an excellent addition to an athlete’s diet. With a powerful punch of vitamins and nutrients and a relatively small caloric content, beets provide one of the biggest returns for your nutritional dollar. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a serious athlete in training, you can enjoy the many health benefits of this root vegetable.

Celsius is a dietary supplement that was created to help people achieve their fitness goals. Drink it 15 minutes prior to your workout, and Celsius will aid in reducing body fat and building lean muscle. They have created the “Ultimate Workout Challenge” to push people to get in shape and get healthy.

Within the Challenge, Celsius is encouraging participants to upload their “Ultimate Workout Secrets” on YouTube and share “before and after” photos with fellow challengers. It’s easier to overcome a daunting task if you know that other people are supporting you, and Celsius wants people to know that they’re not alone in their battle.

Participants of the Challenge can register to win prizes that range from free Celsius, to home gyms, to a trip to LA to meet Mario Lopez, who is working with Celsius to help people get fit with his new book, “Extra Lean”. The time is now. Don’t put it off another day. Start small, and over time, achieving your fitness goals will get easier and easier. Visit and register for Celsius “Ultimate Workout Challenge.” At the very least, you’ll win an immediate coupon to try Celsius. At the most, you’ll change your life. Get out of your own way.

Buy a Treadmill

A treadmill is a great way to get in shape from home. Going to a gym or going for a run on the street might not be something you are confident enough to do at this point, therefore, treadmill is the perfect solution. If you are going to buy a new treadmill, try and read as many treadmill reviews as you possibly can so that you make an informed decision about which treadmill is going to be right for you. Try to find people with your same body type and goals so that the treadmill will best suit your needs. If you are going to be purchasing a treadmill secondhand, make sure you do so with the utmost caution. A lot of the time treadmills on craigslist won’t be of very good quality. You will find that people have purchased discount products and realized that they weren’t necessarily very good at all and are now trying to sell them. If you are going to be purchasing a treadmill that has been previously used, make sure that it had been used rather lightly and that it still works as well as the day it was purchased.

Get Some Proper Weights

As important as cardiovascular exercise is, strength training is also essential to building a healthy lifestyle. After you have your treadmill set up, you might want to start looking for some dumbbells and weights so that you can start building muscle to fill out your newly slim body. Dumbbells aren’t nearly as intricate or complex as a treadmill is so as long as they feel good in your hands and look to be of good quality, buy them. As great as it may seem to lift jugs of milk or water for strength training exercise, if you hold them incorrectly, serious injury could occur to any number of your joints and muscles. Please only lift weights that are designed to be lifted repeatedly and you will reap the benefits in only a short amount of time.

Find Exercises To Do on YouTube

In the past, I may have suggested that you go out and buy some instructional videos on how to do exercises in your home but with modern services such as YouTube, there are some really creative and intelligent health professionals that have really made a name for themselves online. You should be able to find some of the best workout tips anywhere just on YouTube. Search around for some exercise videos and find some trainers that you like and watch more of their videos. There may be some exercises you can’t do at home but I guarantee you that you will find plenty of really good ideas to help you get in shape without leaving. Another thing worth mentioning is that the human body hasn’t changed much in the last really long time so even workout videos from the 80s that you can find the library and thrift shops are going to be excellent sources of information. The library will probably even have a lot of new videos but don’t turn your nose up at the stuff that was made in the 80s just because of the legwarmers.

Join and Online Support Group

Find an online fitness support group or journaling program to help you stay on track. These groups are absolutely incredible for motivating the members of the group into becoming better people. You will find people that are in the exact same places you and often, realizing you’re not alone is one of the greatest ways to get over any single problem. These people will keep you accountable for your goals and are always a great means of helping you achieve them. Make sure that you don’t just sign up to the community but that you actually take part and give back to it because these people really do want you to get healthier and you should want to help them as well.

Create a Rigid Routine and Stick To It

Quite often it will help to get a professionals advice and perspectives on matters like this, but seeing as you are probably not going out due to embarrassment or lack of time, this may not be the best option for you. There are plenty of online resources available to those of us who want to learn how to build a proper workout regimen and stick to it. Perhaps after you have joined your online support group, you could ask them as to where a good place is to start creating a workout regimen. I’m sure that a number of them will be willing to help you create one that is perfect for your life and you can probably customize it how you see fit. It is, however, a great way to figure out how often to work out and for how long.

The road to physical fitness is long and quite honestly a lot of hard work but please, don’t let this hard work discourage you, even if it has numerous times in the past, because that feeling that you get when you look in the mirror and aren’t embarrassed anymore about who you are quite simply can not be put into words. You will be running more than a few miles; lifting tons of weight and doing push-ups and crunches until you ache but the reward at the end is unlike anything you’ve ever felt before. It will be one of the defining moments of your life and one that you will never forget. Once you get there, it will really only be the start of the new you and you will see your life improving in all aspects.

The good news is that there are ways to effectively tighten the butt and trim the hips and thighs, and many of the exercises can easily be done right at home. Check out these tips and you will be on your way to the sexy lower body of your dreams.

Fat Burning First

Before you can tone your hips, butt and thighs, you must burn off the excess fat that is covering that shapely body underneath. This involves fat burning – and plenty of it, so you have a leaner, meaner canvas with which to work.

To tone muscles while you are burning fat, try walking every day. You can make the most of your walking workout by practicing interval training, which consists of moderate activity interspersed with bursts of fast, intense walking. Just 30 minutes most days of the week will get you on the road to those seriously sexy hips, buttocks and thighs.

Squats

Once you’ve worked on fat burning, it’s time to concentrate on the muscles of the lower body. By tightening and toning the muscles of the hips and thighs, you will see a shapelier contour that looks quite attractive in your favorite pair of blue jeans.

To tone the entire area at once, try a variety of squats. Basic squats involve standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart, your back straight, and your arms held directly out in front of you. Slowly bend your knees and lower your upper body into a sitting position. Hold for a few seconds, and then stand up straight again. Repeat this step as many times as you can; usually 10-12 reps every other day is sufficient.

Lunges

Lunges also work the entire lower body in one movement, and they are particularly effective if you hold light weights in each hand as you complete the exercise.

Begin by standing up straight and tall, with feet shoulder-width apart. Place one foot out in front of you and bend the knee to a 45? angle. Hold the position for a few seconds, and then slowly stand back up again. Like the squats, repeat the lunges as many times as you can, with 10-12 repetitions being a good range. Switch legs and then repeat the entire sequence with the other foot in front to work both legs equally. Hold five to 10-pound weights in each hand as you perform the lunges to create even more resistance and improve your results.

Getting a tighter, sexier lower body is all about burning fat and toning muscle. When you faithfully commit to these three exercises every week, you will be on the road to the hot butt, hips and thighs you have always wanted.

Antioxidants

Eggplant is considered one of the top five antioxidant foods. Our environment is filled with free radicals that get into our bodies and accelerate the aging process. Some free radicals also increase the risk of some types of diseases.

Antioxidants bind with free radical molecules, effectively removing them from the body. A diet rich in antioxidants has been shown to reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Antioxidants also act as an antimicrobial that could prevent a number of other illnesses as well.

Cholesterol Regulation

Eggplant also contains chlorogenic acid, which has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol in some circumstances. While the evidence of this benefit has not been proven fully in clinical trials, the other nutritional benefits of eggplant make it a good choice for this purpose as well. Chlorogenic acid is also considered a good antioxidant that acts as an anti-cancer, antimicrobial and antiviral agent in addition to its potential for affecting cholesterol levels.

Fiber Enhancement

Eggplant is rich in fiber, which provides numerous health benefits. Fiber-rich foods have been found to be beneficial to the heart and cardiovascular system, the digestive system and weight management. The American Diabetes Association recommends eggplant in the diet to help manage type II diabetes, due to its high fiber and low fat content. A single cup of eggplant contains almost 10% of your recommended daily fiber intake.

Nutrient Rich

It may seem like the antioxidants, fiber and cholesterol-regulating ingredients would be enough reasons to try new eggplant dishes. However, we aren’t done yet! This single vegetable also provides a high content of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper and magnesium. Vitamins included in this vegetable include thiamine, vitamin B6 and niacin.

This is a powerful punch of nutrients indeed, particularly when you consider that a full cup of eggplant only contains 27 calories as well. In fact, some nutrient tables show eggplant with as many as 80 nutrients in a single serving.

What Eggplant Doesn’t Have

In addition to the many positive substances eggplant does possess, there are many significant characteristics lacking as well. For example eggplant is low in both fat and sodium, two substances the American Heart Association urges us to each in smaller amounts daily. Eggplant is also low in calories, making it a good choice for those on a weight loss program or interested in ongoing weight maintenance.

Eggplant is a versatile food that is often overlooked on many dinner tables today. If you are looking for a versatile vegetable that provides ample nutrients, fiber and antioxidants in every serving, eggplant might be just the ticket. Check out the many eggplant recipes available and take your family to a whole new level of health.

Water

Water is an obvious part of any workout routine, yet we often forget it. Most gyms sell bottled water, but at a pretty big mark-up. If you want to save money and the earth, pack a bottle and fill it up at a water fountain at the gym. Rather than interrupting your workout to head over to the water fountain, you can stay hydrated while on the exercise equipment.

Try not to reuse commercial plastic water bottles – these bottles you pick up at the convenience or grocery store are meant to be one-use only containers. They can’t be effectively cleaned or sterilized, so reusing them multiple times after exposure to saliva and sweat is a recipe for bacteria. Aren’t you at the gym because you want to be healthy?!?

Toiletries

You’ve probably already got your shampoo and soap (or better yet, an all-in-one shampoo and body wash) packed in your trusty workout bag, but, whether you’re a guy or a girl, don’t forget the face wash. You may be resistant to washing your face more than twice a day, but you can’t skip this important post-workout step. Sweat and humidity increase oil production, which can exacerbate skin problems if you’re already prone to breakouts. Look for skincare coupons so you can pack your gym bag without worrying about spending money on extra products. Get facial cleansing wipes or travel-size products from makers like Proactiv or Burt’s Bees.

Ear Buds and Headphones

Music isn’t a nice-to-have when you’re working out – for some of us, it determines whether we’ll last 10 minutes or 40 minutes on the treadmill. Take some time before your next exercise session to make a playlist with inspirational or high-energy songs (Eye of the Tiger, anyone?). You’ll be surprised how invigorating the right song choices can be, and you’ll see the impact on your workout immediately. For a change of pace during your cool-down time or non-aerobic exercise, consider downloading audio books. If you’re the type of person who’s always short on time, listening to books while working out helps you cross two items off your to-do list at once – you’ll be in better shape and better read all at once!

Extra Towels

Many gyms rent towels or offer complimentary ones, but some of us just can’t handle used towels. It’s easier to just pack a few and close them up in plastic bags after they’ve been used and need a wash. Call us cynical, but we’d rather not trust that the towels have been through the extra-super-hot sanitizing cycle, thanks.

Change of Clothes

A bit obvious, right? Everyone knows a change of clothes is an obvious element of any gym bag, but Here’s a protip for packing your gym bag – always pack two outfits in your bag. We know you hate to have an overstuffed bag, but it’s worth the extra weight. Have you ever spent the rest of the day in a less-than-flattering outfit simply because it was what you had packed in your gym bag?

A friend recently had us in stitches at a happy hour relating this story: She finished her workout at a well-known gym in New York City, showered, and threw on the change of clothes in her gym bag as she was in a hurry to get to an event across town. She had noticed a little powder or dust on her dark shirt and skirt, but thought nothing of it as she tried to dust it off. Little did she realize the hip event she was at featured blacklights, which picked up on what she later determined was crumbled deodorant stick – her entire back was polka-dotted under the lights, which everyone (save her) found hilarious. Needless to say, it’s easy to accidentally pack a shirt with a tear, two left shoes, or some other wardrobe malfunction you may not notice until it’s too late. By having a spare set of clothes, you’ll guarantee you have another option when you realize you’ve forgotten to pack a pair of pants.

Three Ways to Find Doctors in Your Area

#1: Word of Mouth. This is the most traditional way to learn about any care provider, but it’s still one of the best. It’s a lot easier to trust someone’s opinion of a particular doctor when you know that person. You can also ask your friend, neighbor, or family member about important details, and getting these questions answered will help ease your mind. Additionally, if you’re speaking with friends who live in your area, chances are the doctor that they’re recommending is local too.

#2: Your Insurance Provider. Insurance providers don’t cover services provided by all doctors in any given area, and to help you find a doctor who is in your network, the insurance companies generally provide a list of approved physicians. This list will sometimes be a long list for your zip code, city, or county. However, insurance companies increasingly are using powerful online tools that will let you conduct a search for doctors in your community.

#3: Through online searches. Web based searches, including basic searches on Google and more complex searches through medical websites, can be a very good way to find medical care providers in your area.

How to Find out if a Doctor is Qualified

Now that you have a long list of doctors who may meet your needs, you will want to start weeding out the ones you may not want to see. One of the most important things about doctors is their educational and professional background. There are several places to look to find out about these qualifications.

The information provided on doctors’ websites will generally include the school from which they graduated, the year they graduated, and their areas of expertise. You can also find this information on a number of other valuable websites, including the “vitals” website, which is packed to brimming with doctor information. You can check with your state to see if they are licensed, and you can also verify that they are board certified.

Learning More About their Reputation

Getting the degree is only one part of becoming a good doctor. Bedside manners, the ability to diagnose and treat accurately and effectively, the intelligence and integrity to avoid unnecessary tests and costs for patients, and the desire and skills to educate patients all play essential roles. You can check out reviews of the doctors on your list by visiting one of the many online review sites. These sites allow you to find out about a doctor’s reputation from patients. Doing a web search for the doctor’s name can also dig up some valuable insights.

So, you’ve been eating healthy…working out hard… loving the results that you’re seeing. So how do you celebrate this? Every woman needs to feel good, and there’s definitely some ways that you can show off your results, to yourself and with yourself.

1. Do not keep a scale around- This may seem like the opposite of what you would do, if you wanted to indulge in the fact that you’re slowly losing weight. Don’t keep one around! This will only make you obsessive about your weight, and will do the complete opposite of what you’re hoping. Ignore it and live by what your body looks like, not how much you weigh.
2. Buy new comfortable/form fitting yoga pants and pajamas- Celebrating the smaller size that you are, or even that toned feeling you’re having, goes hand in hand with having PJ’s or work out pants that fit snugly. You’ll notice the difference. Plus, your husband or boyfriend will too.
3. Buy some fancy new rectangle mirrors to hang around your bedroom, so you can take in the results- They always say that people shouldn’t watch themselves walk by, or obsess while looking at a mirror- but when you look great, it’ll be a super self esteem boost to see yourself every day. It will make you want to keep going and improving your workouts.
4. Indulge in some home spa facial kits so that your skin on the outside is as glowing and radiant as you feel inside.
5. One word- CANDLES! This may seem like a strange thing to suggest, but scent is one of the strongest correlations to mood. If you’re feeling great in your new PJ’s….after you do your facial and look at how amazing you are in the mirror, the perfect compliment would be the yummy smell of vanilla. Or whatever scent you prefer.

All of these things may be bits and pieces of what you do from day to day, but you may not realize the impact that all of it is having on your mood. When you look good, you feel good. Keep pampering yourself after your workouts and you’ll have the motivation to keep on truckin’.

Firstly, work out exactly what you want your treadmill for. Are you going to walk, jog or run on it? Do you want to lose weight fast or train steadily for annual marathons? The strength of the motors inside treadmills vary, so you need to work out how much strain that motor is going to be under.

Obviously if you’re running on it every day then you’ll need a slightly stronger one (2.5 HP or 3.0 HP). Nobody should go below 1.5 HP or the motor will wear out fairly rapidly. One tip here is to look at the warranty. You should preferably have one that lasts five years or more. Anything under two years suggests the motor is of bad quality and will not last very long.

Secondly, you should consider the space you have in your house or apartment to fit the treadmill in. Is it limited? If so, you’ll want to consider a folding treadmill. Also, if you’re particularly tall then you should bear in mind that your legs need a longer belt when you run, walk or jog, so you’ll want to go for one of the maximum lengths (between 148cm and 152cm).

We advise that you don’t buy directly from a shop or sports equipment dealer unless it is your cheapest option for that model. Treadmills are very often on sale online, so if you see one you like in the shop, find out the price and compare it on the Internet. You could save hundreds!

Finally, keep everything relative. A low cost treadmill (under $1000) is not going to last you more than around four years with extensive use, but if you’re looking for a machine to walk a mile on every other day then you certainly won’t need to pay anything over $2000. Remember to take good care of your warranty details and you will have no problems.

1. Don’t eat too close to bedtime. Some experts advise stopping all eating two hours before retiring. You can try this or go by how you feel. You should be comfortable but not stuffed. Herbal teas before bed are both relaxing and keep you from mindless snacking. Not eating before sleep helps to ensure you not only sleep well but wake up with a healthy appetite.

2. Have a glass of water upon rising. It revs up the metabolism and gets the digestive system primed; alerting your body food is to come. Squeeze some lemon in it if you wish!

3. Have healthy, real, easy to prepare food available. In a world with so many highly processed, heavily sugar and fat laden foods that are there for the taking we should remember how easy it is to get truly nutritious foods in during the first meal of the day. Make a point to have fruits available, preferably fresh or frozen, and an assortment of your favorite go to breakfast favorites. These might include whole grains, eggs, and dairy or dairy substitutes.

4. This is the perfect meal to get a in a serving of fruit, especially if you do not snack between meals. To get that much needed fiber, try to go for the whole fruit as opposed to the juice on most days and save small glasses of juice for once in a while occasions.

5. Try to get a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. This will provide the energy you need to start the day and keep you full until lunch without weighing you down.

6. Think out of the breakfast box. In Japan breakfasts include soup, rice, fish, pickles, and seaweed. In China small amounts of meat and vegetables are eaten. Breakfast is not limited to foods like pancakes and waffles. A hearty vegetable soup with vine ripened sweet tomatoes as its base makes for a deeply soul satisfying morning meal. If eggs and toast are not your thing look to other foods you enjoy and balance them accordingly.

7. Experiment with how eating breakfast makes you feel. Try having oatmeal and berries one morning and pay attention to your energy, concentration and satiety levels. Another day have white bread toast and apple juice and do the same thing. You will find your health and moods drastically affected by making the right choices for you. (I bet you never do the white bread breakfast again either!)

8. Make breakfast an enjoyable experience, something you look forward to eating. This might mean a serene meal before the rest of your household gets up or a joyful meal shared with the family. Eating breakfast is a simple ritual that can enhance our lives if honored as such.

9. If it must be a breakfast on the go, stop at the grocery market and not the drive thru. There are so many healthy choices at the market including fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, granola bars and, depending on the store, you can even get whole grained baked goods if there is a bakery there. There is nothing to recommend from a fast food breakfast, in my opinion, and I can’t think of a situation I would advise making that your choice.

10. Get adventurous! If breakfast means corn flakes to you try a mango smoothie instead. If oatmeal makes you feel heavy and sluggish try a spinach and egg muffin. Try having breakfast in your pajamas one day and fully dressed the next. Light candles on the breakfast table or crank some peppy pop tunes. Consider starting a morning tradition of sharing what each person at the table is most looking forward to that day. The best way to reinforce good habits is to make them something you look forward to doing. You are not just making a meal; you are creating moments and memories.

Dining well is considered one of life’s greatest pleasures and it seems we reserve that joy for the evening meal and the occasional brunch. We can though welcome breakfast to our lives with open arms and a smile…like greeting a new friend who comes bearing a special gift. When friends stop by we feed them. Why not be your own best friend and treat yourself to the gift of a healthy balanced breakfast every morning.

Written by Clearly Composed, the pen name of Emma, a freelance writer, avid blogger, daydreamer, domestic goddess, budding athlete and eternal soul dedicated to sharing the development of a healthy and balanced life filled with wellness, personal fulfillment, beauty and joy. Visit her newest blog at http:/livingabalancedlife.wordpress.com