How to do a shoulder raise

Video: This exercise targets the shoulder muscles.

Leg curl using a stability ball

Video: This exercise targets the hamstring, glute and calf muscles.

Hemp Seed and Avocado Salad Recipe

Ingredients

5 leaves red fire lettuce – torn into small pieces

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1 chopped avocado

1 chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup raisins

Juice of half a lemon

5 basil leaves chopped

5 cilantro leaves chopped

1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast

1/4 cup hemp seed oil 1 tsp sea salt

Directions

Mix everything together in a bowl and enjoy.

Mediterranean Feta Cheese Dip

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages fat free cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) package regular or low fat feta cheese, crumbled

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic, and dill with an electric mixer. Cover the mixture, and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Best served with crackers or bread.

Feel the Burn with Arnold Presses Shoulder Exercise

Video: A fitness professional shows how to do Arnold dumbbell presses, an exercise aimed at the shoulders, but also uses your tricep muscles.

4 effective back exercises

Video: A trainer demonstrates 4 different exercises that target your back muscles.

Low Fat Lunch Chicken Tortilla Wrap

Ingredients

4 fat-free flour tortillas (10-inch)

1 pound boneless, skinned chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 medium-size sweet hybrid onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups green leaf lettuce, cut in shreds

2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fat free ranch salad dressing

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in 350 degree F oven 10 to 15 minutes or until warm. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add chicken, onion slices and garlic; saut until chicken is no longer pink in center, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce; add salt and pepper. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Top each with lettuce and tomato. Drizzle each with 2 to 3 tablespoons dressing. Roll up the tortillas and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Improve Your Workouts by Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

There is more to exercise than just getting up each morning and going for a daily walk or visiting the gym. Exercising correctly involves making changes in your entire lifestyle. Why? Because this is the best way to derive the most benefit from exercising.

To start with you can choose to do a low impact exercise routine such as walking, swimming or even lifting light weights. Your aim is to exercise for at least 20 minutes and have your pulse rate increase by approximately 75 Sipping on water during this time is recommended to help keep you hydrated.

Before you begin your actual workout you should eat a small meal that consists of carbohydrates and some protein. If you attempt to exercise while hungry your body will start to feel weak and you won?t have the energy to complete even twenty minutes. Try to eat about an hour before you are due to begin your workout.

Stretching is really important as it allows your muscles and your core body temperature to increase. Have you ever noticed how dogs and cats stretch after getting up? They very rarely get up and run, unless of course someone is at the front door!

After your workout if you feel hungry you should eat a piece of fruit. It has been shown that eating fruit after exercising allows your body to use the simple sugars in the fruit more effectively.

During the day you should try to eat six small meals that consist of plenty of fresh vegetables and small amounts of protein. In addition to this you want to drink around 64 oz of water as this will help to remove toxins and other unwanted waste from your body.

Sleep is another essential part of exercising and living healthy. Without enough sleep you won?t have the energy and drive to exercise regularly. It is recommended to get around 8 hours of solid sleep if possible. If you have trouble sleeping try purchasing a new pillow which conforms to your body. It is possible to get pillows that are specifically designed for those who sleep on their backs, stomach and/or side.

Trying to reduce stress is important for everyone and less stress will allow you to concentrate on getting the most out of your workout. In addition try to limit your consumption of alcohol and avoid smoking.

If you follow the above advice you will notice that you can really reap the most benefit from each and every workout session.

Beware the Dangerous Diet Plan

There are many diet books and plans on the market today, each claiming to be the best way to lose weight. If you believe the hype, you can eat only carbs and lose weight, eat no carbs and lose weight, eat only cabbage and lose weight. the list goes on and on. These plans would not be popular if people didn’t follow them, but it is important to be reasonable, as well.

When choosing a diet plan, avoid fad diets. These plans come and go each season, and some can even be harmful to your health. Take the time to consult your doctor, and design a weight loss plan that works for you. Your plan should allow you to lower your calorie count, while consuming foods from all major food groups.

Follow these guidelines to avoid dangerous diet plans:

Avoid Massive Calorie Cuts Some diets drastically restrict the amount of calories you take in per day. These diets can lead to malnutrition, so avoid them at all costs. Instead, consult your doctor for a target calorie count per day. He or she can take your height, weight, age, and medical conditions into account to design a diet plan that is safe and effective.

Avoid Cutting out Food Groups Just say no to diets that cut out entire food groups. Your body is designed to function at an optimal level by eating a variety of foods. Cutting out an entire group can cause severe health issues, such as malnutrition or organ failure. Choose a diet that balances grains, protein, dairy, and fruit and vegetables. Your body needs these nutrients to function.

Avoid Crash Diets or Pills – If your diet comes in a box, it’s probably not the healthiest option. Most diet pills and supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so use them with extreme caution. Avoid stimulant medications and crash “cabbage soup” types of diets. You may lose weight quickly, but it will come back as soon as you’re off the diet or supplement.

Use these guidelines to develop a diet plan that’s right for you. Avoid unhealthy calorie restrictions, cutting out entire food groups, or diet pills. Take the time to consult a medical professional and tailor a diet to meet your caloric needs. You’ll be able to lose weight, and keep it off effectively, if you use a combination of diet and exercise to do so.

This article entitled “Dying to Lose Weight Why Kill Yourself” is not medical advice. It should not be used as or substituted as medical advice; from a medical professional. This article is for informational purposes only.

Cucumber Lime Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

4 limes

3 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup finely chopped green onion

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeo or serrano (including seeds)

4 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Remove peel, including all white pith, from lime with a sharp paring knife. Cut segments free from membranes and finely chop segments, now combine with remaining salsa ingredients in a bowl. Serve with lime tortilla chips.