Dear inner-thigh fat,
I'm so sorry to see you go.
Love, yoga.
If your inner thighs could use some attention, here are nine yoga poses that'll fire up this area. Be prepared - you'll instantly feel the burn that lets you know your thighs are getting stronger and more toned.
I can't function before my first cup of coffee. I've been sipping the dark stuff every day since I was 15 years old and picked up a more serious habit during my college years. While I've backed off those twice-a-day doppios (I know, I can't believe it either), I still enjoy a cup of strong black coffee every morning. For years, I toyed with the idea of giving up caffeine for good, but lucky for me, there's a ton of research out there supporting my java habit.
It eases muscle pain: Drinking coffee before a workout has been proven to prevent post-workout soreness. One University of Georgia study found that moderate doses of caffeine can reduce the pain by nearly 50 percent - and anyone who has dealt with DOMS knows that it is no laughing matter.
It improves your memory: There's promising research that the caffeine in coffee has a positive effect on memory and thought processes, specifically when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. Mice with the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's disease who consumed caffeine-spiked drinking water experienced a reduction in the levels of a protein in the brain that is a key aspect of the disease.
It keeps you regular: Coffee may help you "go" for a few reasons. Drinking warm liquids gets things moving, and just the fact that it's a liquid helps as well, since staying hydrated is one way to prevent constipation. And coffee itself is a powerful stimulant that encourages muscle contractions in the digestive tract.
It fights against disease: The antioxidants in coffee have been shown to decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, gallstones, and Parkinson's. These risks might not seem pressing right now, but your future self will thank you for doing whatever you can to prevent these health issues from happening.
It increases endurance: Running a race soon? You might consider sipping on a cup of joe before heading to the starting line. Studies have found that drinking a cup of coffee before can help increase your endurance.
With all that said, I hate to admit it, but coffee isn't a miracle beverage. Drinking too much can contribute to high blood pressure, sleep issues, headaches, and digestive problems. Just be sure to stick to 300 milligrams or less of caffeinated beverages a day to keep your java habit in check and your body in tip-top shape.
The claim: Carbonated drinks leach calcium from bones, causing lowered bone density; contributing to higher acidity in the body and tooth decay. The truth?
The post True or False: Fizzy Waters are Bad for You appeared first on A Black Girl's Guide To Weight Loss.
Including more fruits and veggies in your daily diet is known to help with weight loss, but a new study proves that choosing specific types of produce can help you drop pounds faster.
The study followed 117,918 men and women in their 30s and 40s from 1986 to 2010 (24 years), checking in on the individuals every four years. They found that after four years of adding an extra serving of fruit or veggie to their day, it led to less weight gained - 0.25 pounds less for vegetables, and 0.53 pounds for fruit.
The fruits and veggies that had the greatest impact were berries, citrus fruits, tofu or soy, apples, pears, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and leafy greens. On the other hand, eating more starchy vegetables, including corn, peas, and potatoes, was associated with weight gain.
Other factors in this study could have played into weight changes including physical activity and smoking, but the bottom line is eating more fruits and veggies that are high in fiber and low on the glycemic index are the way to go if you're trying to lose a few.
When you're hungry, busy, and surrounded by fast-food options, choosing a wrap over a burger can seem like the healthier option. But according to a UK government group, some wraps may have far more calories, sodium, and fat than that Big Mac.
The group, called Safefood, surveyed sandwich shops, cafes, and delis around the UK and Ireland and found that, of the 240 sandwiches they analyzed, the average calorie counts of the wraps ranged between 465 for chicken and salad wraps and 564 for chicken and caesar salad wraps, along with a substantial amount of the daily recommended limit for fat. Many wraps, they found, were much larger than a regular serving size, and some clocked in at almost 1,000 calories and had over 100 percent of the recommended daily amount of sodium. By contrast, a Big Mac contains 540 calories and 1110 milligrams of sodium (about 43 percent of RDI).
This survey is a good reminder that not all healthy-seeming foods are as good for you as you may think. While making a conscious decision to opt for healthy options during lunch is a good step toward weight loss, being extra vigilant about what that means is the key to seeing actual results on the scale. When choosing ready-made wraps, be aware of the size (if it looks large, save half for the next day and supplement your lunch with a salad), choose grilled meat over fried chicken or sodium-filled lunchmeat options, and choose whole wheat bread over a whole wheat wrap, which typically has more calories. Even better: make one of these healthy wrap recipes so you know exactly how many calories you're eating for lunch.
The good news is that you made it to the gym; the bad news? You have no idea what to do. While dropping in on a class or shelling out money for a personal trainer are both effective ways to work out without having to think about it, sometimes you just want to DIY. When that's the case, take this advice from celebrity trainer and Cybex spokesperson Harley Pasternak on how to have a plan of attack and create a no-fail workout.
First, realistically strategize based on what's going on in your life. "The plan has to take into account the rest of your week, your current injury/health status, your goals, and your fitness level," Harley says. These are important to remember in order to stay safe and sane during a busy week or when you're nursing an injury. Guidelines recommend working out at least five days a week, for 60 minutes at a time, in order to lose weight.
Once you've determined your frequency, it's time to create your workout. According to Harley, these three elements make the perfect workout:
In Harley's world, it's not a full workout unless it hits all aspects. "I consider a workout a resistance program sandwiched between a cardio warmup and cardio cooldown," he says.
Harley is famous for his 25-minute 5-Factor workouts, all of which follow his formula: 15 minutes of strength training (repeating the circuit four times) between five minutes of cardio to warm up and cool down. Check out his favorite 25-minute circuit workout, which works your butt and legs, arms, and core for total-body conditioning.
Now try it yourself: pick one move from each category below to make a three-move, 25-minute circuit. Make sure you do five minutes of cardio before and after you repeat this circuit four times.
If you have time for a longer workout, do a 30-minute elliptical workout or 30-minute treadmill workout before your circuit or add more moves to the circuit. End with five more minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. Feel free to play around with different combinations and workout lengths until you hit on what works for you.
