More on Weight Loss and Fat Loss Supplements

Yesterday, we looked at 7 of 15 weight loss and fat loss supplements profiled in the June 2008 edition of FitnessRx for Women magazine. Today, we will look at the final 8 supplements that can help you to achieve and maintain the body weight and fat composition you desire. So, let's go.

1. Green tea - It contains high amounts of caffeine, which is proven to increase metabolism. Although still under some debate, green tea has also been shown in recent studies to promote fat-burning and reduce bodyweight in overweight individuals.
   
2. Hoodia - Hoodia is an appetite suppressant that has been used extensively in South Africa and has been shown to reduce body mass through decreased food consumption.
   
3. MCT oil - Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) are similar to fish oil and CLA in their ability to burn fat. Studies of overweight individuals have shown that consuming MCTs results in greater fat loss versus consuming LCTs (long-chain fats like beef fat). Research with obese women who supplemented with MCT oil showed greater metabolic rate and fat oxidation when compared to subjects who consumed a diet rich in LCTs.
   
4. Yerba mate - A South-American drink of the ancient Indians, yerba mate is an herbal drink that is gaining popularity in other countries. When consumed in capsule form as an herbal mix along with guarana and damiana, yerba mate has been shown to reduce bodyweight in overweight individuals. The herbal mix also increases a feeling of fullness for an extended period of time.
   
5. Dietary protein and leucine - Adequate protein intake is important to help maintain muscle tissue during dieting. Conserving muscle helps keep metabolic rate higher, thus resulting in more fat-burning during and after exercise. Protein also helps to maintain a feeling of fullness and to control sugar balance. An essential amino acid found in protein is leucine, one of the BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids).
   
6. Leucine - Leucine promotes protein synthesis and suppresses protein catabolism. In other words, leucine helps to build muscle and decrease muscle loss or wasting. In studies with mice fed a high-fat diet, increased dietary intake of leucine resulted in lower body mass, better sugar control and a positive cholesterol profile. This was due in part to an increased metabolic rate.
   
7. Soy - Soy is a high-quality non-animal protein source that helps to increase lean muscle mass in adults who do resistance training. In a recent study, subjects who consumed a soy protein drink or a soy protein bar had similar lean muscle mass gains. As mentioned previously, more muscle equates to more fat-burning, resulting in greater fat loss and weight loss. See Soy Protein: What is the Truth About Soy? for more information.
   
8. Whey and casein - Both whey protein and casein protein supplements have been shown to increase muscle gains in individuals who strength-train. However, in a 3-month study of active students who consumed both whey and casein, the whey protein group showed a lower body fat percentage and greater improvements in exercise performance.

So, there you have it. Another 8 dietary supplements to consider that can help you achieve your fat loss and weight loss goals.

Have a great day!

Sandy Huard, Women's Health Supply International

Type 2 Diabetes: Risks, Signs and Prevention

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Research studies continue to show increases in the percentage of adults, as well as children who are contracting this disease. What are the risks? What are the signs and symptoms? Can you do anything to prevent yourself or your loved ones from developing type 2 diabetes? Let's find out.

Diabetes is a disease characterized by above normal levels of glucose in the blood. People who suffer from the disease are not able to effectively use the energy from food. The insulin that is produced by their bodies is not used appropriately to help convert glucose into usable energy. As blood levels of glucose rise, the cells of the body are starved of energy. Over the long term, a host of complications occur, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputation and kidney disease.

The risks of developing type 2 diabetes include:

1. Being older and being overweight
   
2. A family history of the disease
3. Native American, African American, Hispanic or Asian American background
4. Gestational diabetes or having at least 1 baby born weighing greater than 9 lbs
5. Being inactive and exercising less than 3 times per week
6. High blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol levels
7. Having polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
8. Having a history of heart disease or of insulin resistance
   

Unfortunately, millions of people (over 6 million Americans included) have type 2 diabetes and don't even know it. Eventually, they seek medical attention when they are having heart trouble or blurred vision. Common symptoms include:

1. Increased thirst or hunger for no apparent reason
2. Need to urinate frequently, especially at night
3. Unexplained weight loss
4. Open sores that are not healing
5. Lack of energy and fatigue
6. Blurred vision as mentioned above

Diabetes is a long-term progressive disease that will be with you throughout your life. The complications mentioned previously can be delayed through proper medical treatment along with lifestyle changes, however "prevention" is the key. You can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by:

1. Losing weight (even 10 lbs if you weigh 200 lbs will help reduce the risk)
2. Exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes most days (walking, gardening, etc.)
3. Eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables and keeping saturated fat levels low.
   
4. Quitting smoking and reducing your intake of sodium (salt) and alcohol.
5. Taking your blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medication as prescribed by your doctor.

The above recommendations also apply to you if you do develop type 2 diabetes. You should also take care of your feet and see your physician, eye care specialist and dentist on a regular basis. Consider adding yoga or meditation to your weekly regime to help manage any additional stress.

And of course, all of the recommendations apply to your loved ones. Be active and eat well as a family, supporting each other in the achievement of a healthy, fit and fulfilling life.

Have a great weekend!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength-training Exercises: Beautiful Arms and Thighs

As promised in Know Your Muscles, I will be providing you with strength-training exercises for the final 2 muscle groups of the frontal physique. To date, we've looked at the chest, the abdominals and the front shoulders, now its time for the upper arms (the biceps) and the thighs (quadriceps).

Some exercises that work the biceps include:

1. Barbell curls
2. Dumbbell curls
3. Preacher curls
4. Concentration curls
5. Cable curls

Exercises that work the quadriceps include:

1. Barbell squats
2. Front squats
3. Smith machine squats
4. Leg extensions
5. 45-degree leg press
6. Horizontal leg press
7. Hack squats
8. Lunges

Finishing up with the supporting muscle groups of the frontal physique, we have the forearms (flexors and extensors), the sides of the waist (obliques), the inner thighs (adductors) and the shin muscles (tibialis). Sample exercises are as follows:

Forearms:

1. Dumbbell wrist curls
2. Barbell wrist curls

Obliques:

1. Side bends
2. Dumbbell side bends
3. Broomstick twists
4. Bicycle crunches
5. Twisting crunches
6. Trunk twists

Hip Adductors:

1. Seated adduction machine
   
2. Cable single-leg adduction

Tibialis anterior (shin):

1. Ankle dorsiflexion
2. Band ankle dorsiflexion

Want instructions on how to perform any of these exercises? Reply to this post with your comments. Again, I am providing you with many exercises for your frontal physique so that you can add variety to your workout and you can structure a workout that will give you a well-balanced and sculpted physique.

Next week, we'll work on the rear physique, including the lats, traps, rear shoulders (deltoids), lower back, triceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves. When we are all done, you will structure a 2-3 set workout with varying levels of weight and varying repetitions to keep your body guessing and your muscles growing. By summer, you will look fantastic!

Have a great day!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Work Those Abs With These Great Exercises!

Earlier this week, I gave you strength-training exercises for the chest. As promised, today I am following up with a list of exercises that work another major muscle group of the frontal physique, the abdominals (rectus abdominis). I will describe many of them because they are not self-explanatory.

1. Crunches - I described basic crunches in a previous post.
2. Full sit-ups
3. Reverse crunches - Lie on your back, hands resting on the floor at your sides. Keep your hips and knees bent at a 90 degree angle with your feet off the floor. Contract your abs while lifting your knees toward your chest. Return your feet to the starting position, keeping them slightly off the floor. Repeat.
   
4. Bicycle crunches - Lying on the floor with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle and your hands behind your ears, start bicycling. Bring your left knee toward your chest and twist your body while aiming your right armpit at your left knee. Then bring your right knee toward your chest and twist your body while aiming your left armpit toward your right knee. Continue this bicycling motion.
   
5. Machine crunches - There is a machine found at your local gym that is specifically geared for working the abdominals. Tuck your legs under the bar provided, grab the handles behind your head and contract your abs while pulling down on the handles and bringing your legs up towards your chest. Repeat.
   
6. Raised leg crunches - Lie flat on the floor, legs extended straight out and off of the floor. Bring your knees up together toward your chest while contracting your abs. Return your legs to the starting position. Repeat.
   
7. Cable crunches - This is an exercise performed in a gym. Kneel on the floor and grab the cables from above. Pull down on the cables while contracting your abs. Repeat.
   
8. Leg raises - I described leg raises in a previous post.
9. Bent-leg knee raises - Leg raises with knees bent. Just lightly touch the floor between reps.
   
10. V-ups - Lie on your back with your legs and arms extended. Contract your abs while trying to touch your toes. Be sure to keep your arms and legs straight. Repeat.
    

Choose a variety of exercises (about 3-5) from the above list so that you are working the abdominals effectively. Some exercises such as the "bicycle crunch" work both the lower and the upper abs, others focus more on one or the other. So be sure to mix up the exercises frequently.

Try starting out with 2-3 sets of 20-30 reps of the less difficult abdominal exercises such as crunches and 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps of the more difficult abdominal exercises such as v-ups. Every other day, increase the number of reps until you've effectively exhausted your abs by the end of your routine.

Good luck getting great abs just in time for summer. The sooner you start (hay, it's only February 20th), the sooner you'll be in shape for the beach!

If you want any additional information about the abdominal exercises above, just reply to this post with your comment.

Have a great day!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Strength-Training Exercises to Work Your Chest

Today, I wanted to give you some strength-training exercises for the chest, one of the major muscle groups of the frontal physique discussed in my recent post entitled A Lesson in Anatomy: Know Your Muscles.

If you remember that post, I explained that you need to know your body's muscles in order to be able to use proper form during your strength-training workouts. In addition, with the lists I am going to provide you, you can construct any number of workout routines. The variety will keep you motivated and will keep your body "guessing", resulting in greater strength gains and better fat-burning results.

In order to work the chest (pectorals) effectively, you can choose from the following 12 strength-training exercises:

1. Flat bench press (middle chest)
   
2. Flat dumbbell press (middle chest)
   
3. Flat dumbbell flyes (middle chest)
   
4. Cable crossovers (middle chest)
   
5. Pec deck machine (middle chest)
   
6. Push-ups (middle chest)
   
7. Incline barbell press (upper chest)
   
8. Incline dumbbell press (upper chest)
   
9. Incline flyes (upper chest)
   
10. Decline barbell press (lower chest)
    
11. Decline dumbbell press (lower chest)
    
12. Decline flyes (lower chest)

In your chest workout, be sure to choose exercises that work each of the middle, upper and lower chest to ensure that the pectorals are effectively trained. On Day 1, do 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with a weight you can handle. On Day 2, do 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps with a heavier weight. On Day 3, mix it up. Remember to work a major muscle group on non-consecutive days to give your muscles time to recover.

The exercises above are straightforward. Should you want information regarding proper form and a description of any of the above exercises, than comment to this post. I would be happy to describe each of these exercises to you in greater detail.

Later this week, I will provide you with a list of great exercises that work another major muscle group of the frontal physique, the abdominals (rectus abdominis). I will describe some of these exercises in more detail as they are not as straightforward as the chest exercises listed above.

Have a great day!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

A Lesson in Anatomy - Know Your Muscles

To develop your physique correctly, you need to understand what muscles to train. The basic anatomy lesson presented here will help you to develop a well-balanced, strong and lean physique. If you concentrate on only a few "problem areas" such as your glutes and hamstrings, you could end up with imbalances in strength, which can lead to injury. So, get your school caps on!

Your frontal physique consists of the following major muscle groups:

1. The chest (pectorals)
2. Abdominals (rectus abdominis)
3. Front shoulders (deltoids)
4. Upper arms (biceps)
5. Thighs (quadriceps)
   

Muscles that support or assist these major muscle groups in doing their job include:

1. The frontal neck (Sternocleidomastoid or SCM)
2. Forearms (flexors and extensors)
3. Sides of the waist (obliques)
4. Inner thighs (adductors)
5. Shin muscles (tibialis)

A well-rounded strength-training regimen should include exercises from all of the muscles noted above. Now, for the rear body.

Some very large and strong muscle groups are found at the back of the body, including:

1. The lats (latissimus dorsi)
2. Traps (trapezius)
3. Rear shoulders (deltoids)
4. Lower back (erectors)
5. Rear upper arms (triceps)
6. Buttocks (gluteus)
7. Rear thighs (hamstrings)
8. Calves (gastrocnemius and soleus)

Other notable rear body muscles include: the teres major (assists the lats) and the infraspinatus (part of the rotator cuff).

As with the front of the body, a well-rounded workout regimen should include the rear body muscles noted above.

In subsequent posts, I'll give you examples of exercises that work each of these muscle groups, so that you'll be able to create your own strength-training workouts quickly and easily. This will add variety to your routines and increase your overall body strength more rapidly. Before you know it, you'll be lean, strong and ready to take on any challenge.

Take good care of yourself. Have a great night.

'Healthy. Fit. Living Fully.' for all!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

The 6-Minute Abdominal Blasting Workout

Here is a 6-minute abdominal workout that really works:

1. Start with basic crunches. With hands behind your head or at the sides of your head and with legs bent and your feet flat on the floor, try to do 50 slow repetitions. Next add 20 repetitions of the Russian Twist, which consists of raising your shoulders off the ground and slowly twisting your torso from side to side. In this variation of the basic crunch, your right elbow should turn toward your left knee and your left elbow should turn toward your right knee. Be sure to use strict form.
2. Next, move quickly into leg raises. Extend your legs in front of you, making sure that your feet do not touch the floor. Start with your feet together about six inches off of the floor and then raise them to a 45-degree angle. Keep your hands at your sides. Be sure to use your abdominals, not your back muscles throughout this exercise. Do 25 repetitions if possible.
3. Back into another set of 50 basic crunches and 20 crunches with the Russian Twist.
4. Next move into a set of pikes (or v-raises). Lie on your back with your arms and legs extended. Raise both your arms and legs at the same time and try to touch your toes. Repeat for 25 repetitions. On the last repetition, leave your legs straight up in the air so your toes are pointing toward the ceiling. Do 30 crunches using proper form.
5. Back into another set of 50 basic crunches and 20 crunches with the Russian Twist.

The abdominal workout just described is advanced, so do your best and work up to the number of repetitions over the next 2-3 weeks. Before you know it, you will be able to do the entire routine in the recommended 6 minutes. You will feel fantastic and look great and you will have improved your core strength considerably. This will help keep your back injury free as well.

I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday, I was sick in bed most of the day. Even if one of your goals is to be healthy, those viruses don't seem to care.

Until tomorrow!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

The Benefits of Yoga

Too often, people begin to have back problems as they age. One probable reason is a weakness in your core area (your abdominals and lower back). One great exercise that helps you to build strength in your core and significantly improve your posture is Yoga. This practice also gives you a more elongated look, increases your flexibility, builds muscle tone and can significantly reduce your stress levels as well.

For a guide to popular Yoga styles, such as Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Kundalini, visit about.com.

Aside from providing all the great benefits mentioned previously, yoga is great fun and can be a great workout as well. If you'd like to work out at home and are new to yoga, try some of the DVD's offered by GAIAM for your Mind, Body and Health. I am a newbie myself, however I find the instructions in the DVD's for Beginners to be easy to follow and very well explained.

Of course, if you are more advanced and can't get to a class, you can also find a great selection of intermediate and advanced DVD's as well. You'll even find DVD's for kids.

Yoga Journal is a great place to start if you want to learn more about Yoga and its meditative, health, and other great benefits. You can also order a subscription online to the magazine, which is excellent.

Until tomorrow, have a great night!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

Power-Walking: A Cardio Workout for Women of All Ages

Tonight, I thought I'd talk about one of my favorite exercises that is perfect for women of all ages, and that's power-walking.

Power-walking can give you a great cardio workout, without putting tremendous strain on your joints. It is also good for relieving tension and provides a boost to your metabolism. In addition, it will help strengthen both your legs and abdominal muscles.

Of course, your number one priority should be to purchase a quality pair of walking shoes. Shoe fit is extremely important. It is critical that you are able to wiggle your toes and that you can squeeze a finger between your heel and the inside of your shoes. If you are in between sizes, always choose the larger size.

First off, do a dynamic warm-up, which consists of warming up the muscles prior to walking. Be sure to emphasize your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles. Power jumps are great for this type of warm-up and consist of standing stationary, then doing a squat and jumping with full power. Repeat 5-10 of these power jumps to ensure an adequate warm-up.

Although people walk every day, there is a power-walking technique that ensures that you get the most benefit from this exercise. Walking of course is a heel-to-toe exercise whereby you should always land with your weight on your heel before rolling onto the balls of the feet. Then, push off with the ball of your foot before landing on the heel of your opposite foot.

Throughout the stride, keep your arms at a 90 degree angle at your sides and pump them with fists closed. At the top of the pump, your fists should reach your forehead, while at the bottom of the pump, your fist should reach your waist. Keep your back straight, your eyes positioned forward, your chin up, your shoulders straight, and your chest pushed forward. Keep your stride steady while maintaining proper balance, form and speed.

Many power-walkers prefer to use weights, whether held in the hands or strapped to the legs, because walking with weights can build additional strength and endurance. Other power-walkers do interval training to ensure they get the most fat burning possible. This would consist of walking at different speeds for different set time periods. You can make up your own intervals or search online for some great interval workouts.

After only a few weeks of power-walking, you are sure to notice an increase in your stamina and a change to your physique, due to the strengthening of your heart, legs and abdominals and an increase in fat-burning.

So women of all ages and athletic ability, give it a go. And then let me know how you feel.

Have a great day tomorrow.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International

The Top 10 Essentials for Your Home Gym

Here are my recommendations for "the Top 10 Essentials for Your Home Gym." I have all of these items myself. Since I am a busy working mother like many of you, I find that having these items at home helps me to get in my workout, no matter how busy the day gets. I can also break up a workout pretty easily if the kids or responsibilities are too distracting.

None of these items are expensive either. Most can be purchased for $10-25 at your local online or retail store.

1. One or more Medicine Balls
2. An Exercise or Body Ball
3. A set of Free Weights
4. Cables and Bands
5. CD's - Yoga, Pilates, TurboJam, or whatever exercises you like best.
6. Mats - Yoga or Pilates
7. A Pedometer
8. Fat Calipers
9. An Ab-roller
10. Pull-up and push-up bars

I'm going to add another one of my favorite tools for shedding fat and staying slim and that's your good old run-of-the-mill "skipping rope".

You'll find a lot of these products at Wal-Mart, at Amazon.com or at may online retail stores.

Good luck building your home gym. Depending on your budget, you can add an item every few weeks. Pretty soon you'll have a complete Women's Health and Fitness arsenal.

I'm off for Sunday night dinner with the family.

Until tomorrow. "Healthy. Fit. Living Fully."

Sandy Huard, President
Women's Health Supply International

My Top 10 "Women's Health and Fitness" Magazines

I had mentioned previously that in the past 2 years, I have read over 200 health and fitness magazines for Women (cover to cover). I wanted to highlight my choice for "The top 10 Women's Health and Fitness Magazines."

There are a lot of great "women's health and fitness" magazines and magazines that "discuss women's health and fitness". Some are focused on the everyday woman who is a health and fitness enthusiast, others are geared toward the bodybuilder or fitness model, others are more diversified in their approach (e.g. discussing things like beauty products and applying make-up).

Before disclosing my "absolute favorite" Women's health and fitness magazine, I wanted to give you a listing of the other 9 of my favorites. In no particular order, here are the ones I've read regularly and find to be highly useful and informative. Depending on my frame of mind, I may choose to read one over the other on any given night, but as a group they give me everything I want and need (i.e. motivation and information).

1. Oxygen Magazine
2. Women's Health Magazine
3. Shape Magazine
4. Self Magazine
5. Fitness Magazine
6. Prevention
7. Muscle and Fitness Hers
8. Health
9. Anything from Ediets.com (although it is online only)

Now for my "Absolute Favorite Women's Health and Fitness Magazine" .... Drum Roll Please...

My Absolute Favorite Women's Health and Fitness Magazine is FitnessRx.

It is excellent in every sense of the word. For those of you who are serious about knowing as much as you can about health, fitness and wellness, you are sure to find what you are looking for in an easy-to-read format. There is so much scientifically-based information, rather than a whole lot of fluff, that you are guaranteed to have a great take on current research in the Health and Fitness industry. The scientific findings and information are also laid out in very manageable chunks. Not only is it easier to absorb smaller articles, but the articles are written in an interesting way, so as not to present the research as dry and uninteresting.

But it's not just "all science" for the information-geek like me. It has something for every woman. From yoga, to pilates, to strength-training, to cardio, to body-sculpting, to nutrition, to advice about your sex life, you'll find it all. I particularly like the section called "MediterrAsian diet", which gives great information and fantastic recipes based on this heart-healthy diet.

In addition, I like the "body particulars" section that highlights one area of the body and gives you one or more strength-training exercises to work that area. The anatomy is very well-explained, giving you a good understanding of where the particular muscle group is located and how it is structured. This helps you to target that area more effectively.

I could go on for hours about "Fitness Rx". But, I'll leave it to you all to check it out.

I'm off to work out again late in the evening ... So, until tomorrow.

"Healthy. Fit. Living Fully." is worth it.

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International