10 Tips To Break Through Your Weight Loss Plateau

Anyone who has ever been on a diet knows how discouraging it is once you lose the first 10 pounds but can’t seem to shed the rest. You get stuck in a rut, and even though you keep doing the same things that worked last week, they don't seem to be working for you anymore.

You might try doing something more drastic like eating even less or exercising even more, but that's only good for another pound or two – and then you're stuck again. So what do you do?

1. Make sure you don't get bored with your diet.

One of the main reasons that people fall off the diet wagon is because they don't have enough food choices. If you restrict what you eat that far, you won't have anything you like, and you'll start sneaking snacks and bites of things you really shouldn't be eating.

Don't reach for that candy bar! Instead, spend some real time at the grocery, looking around at what's offered and finding the best choices for you, so you'll have a wider selection of options to pick from. It can help keep your diet on track because you won't have to give up everything you like.

2. Make your choices realistic.

If you tell yourself that you have to diet and then cut out everything you like to eat, you're not being realistic. The best way to 'diet' is not to diet at all, but to cut down on your caloric intake and modify your eating habits to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

Eat low-fat ice cream instead of the regular kind, wheat bread instead of white, and baked potato chips instead of fried ones. These are very simple things to do, but they go a long way toward reducing how many calories and how much fat you're taking in.

That means that you can still eat the things you like, and you can eat almost as much of them as you used to. You should still lose weight, especially if you get a little exercise, too.

3. Remember to zig-zag.

One of the problems with weight loss is that your body adapts to the new exercise and caloric level fairly quickly. Then it stops losing weight. Instead of limiting yourself to 1800 calories a day, for example, have 1500 calories one day and 2100 calories the next day.

Some people zig-zag on a weekly instead of a daily basis, but that can be dangerous and lead to 'pigging out' in the week when you eat more calories. Daily zig-zagging is safer and reduces that chance. You can also zig-zag your workouts so you don't do the same thing each day. Your body will get used to that, too.

4. Don't make your math 'fuzzy.'

It can be so easy to miscalculate how many calories you take in and how many you're burning with the work that you do during your daily exercise routine.

Be honest with yourself. Calories can come from a lot of places that you might really not notice, such as salad dressings and other condiments. You have to count the dressing you put on that salad or the mayonnaise on your sandwich if you want to be honest and truthful about caloric intake.

5. Get more protein.

If you don't already get 1 gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight each day, give that a try – but try not to go higher than that amount; it can actually be bad for you. If you shift some of the carbohydrate and fat calories that you normally get over to protein calories, evidence shows that you might be able to get past that plateau and get your weight loss going again.

6. Don't cut your calories down too much.

When you ingest fewer calories, your body slows its metabolic rate to compensate for the fact that it's not getting enough food. You can't lose fat that way and it makes you hungry all the time.

If you know your calorie mantenance level, you can go just slightly under that and continue to lose weight. If you go too far below that level your body will just slow down and you'll be tired all the time instead of losing those pounds.

7. Visualize.

It might sound like some hokey, new-age mumbo-jumbo, but it's not. If you picture yourself healthy and fit and thin, and if you keep a positive attitude about your weight loss even when things get difficult, you have a higher chance of succeeding. This is true even if your weight loss goals are big or even if you've hit a plateau that you're having trouble shaking.

8. Know that you're normal.

That might be hard for you to get comfortable with, but weight loss plateaus really are normal. You'll lose weight for a while and then you'll hit a place where you don't lose weight. Then you'll start losing weight again. It's normal and to be expected, and if you panic about it you might end up sabotaging your weight loss goals or giving up on them without really meaning to or understanding why.

You have to relax and assess whether anything has changed, being really open and honest with yourself. If you do that, you can continue to succeed and you won't have to worry so much about it. Worrying and being anxious or depressed can cause you to eat more than you normally would, compounding the problem.

9. Eat something bad for you…but just one thing!

Don't fall completely off the wagon, or you might get caught under its wheels. Some evidence suggests, though, that you can lose more weight and more consistently if you occasionally eat something you “shouldn't.” It gives your metabolism a little bit of a boost and can stimulate more weight loss. Don't do it too often or you'll sabotage yourself and make things worse – no more than one (reasonable) cheat once a week, something like a candy bar or a normal-sized hamburger.

10. Get the support that you need.

Calorie-shifting and all kinds of other ideas work well, but if you're going it all alone, it can really be difficult. It's discouraging and lonely, and when you do enjoy some success there's no one to brag to and no one to encourage you. That's unfortunate, and it can be really troubling.

Join a group if you need to, or just make sure you have friends around to encourage and help you. Ideally, pair up with someone else who is also committed to weight loss so that you can help each other when there are setbacks and share in each other's joys.

Following the tips is no guarantee that you'll drop the rest of those pounds. You have to be disciplined and not give up, and you have to find what works the best for you. You have to make a serious commitment to your health and well-being. In doing that, you'll have the highest chance for continued weight loss success.

From: www.dietpillrating.com

Lose Weight Without Counting Calories

I've never been a big fan of counting calories. In fact, in the past year, I have lost about 30 pounds without counting a single dietary digit. Sure, I know recording everything you put in your mouth can help peel off pounds, but I also know that obsessing over calories makes you more likely to eat lowfat, low-fiber foods that wouldn't satiate a starling.

Instead of crunching numbers, I munched on healthy food to become a weight loss success. If a food lover like me can do it, you can, too! Try these tips:

• Pick up produce. Have at least one fruit and veggie at every meal. On busy days when I know my lunch won't have a smidge of green in it, I have two fruits at breakfast; I toss berries or peaches into my nonfat Greek yogurt and sprinkle it with granola. I love asparagus, green pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, sprouts, endive and more. Fruits and veggies are high in fiber, which staves off hunger. Shoot for nine servings daily. It sounds like a lot, but if you don't have to be a rabbit to reach that goal. Eat a salad at lunch or dinner, and you're there.

• Snack smart. Add protein (such as a stick of lowfat string cheese or Parmesan) to your between-meal bites. Research suggests protein may enhance the effect of leptin, a hormone that reins in appetite. I love hummus and dip veggies into it instead of pita bread or crackers. Protein is also filling and can help curb cravings for chips, cookies and the like.

• Sip more water. Dieters who swapped sugary drinks for water lose weight, but those who gulped the most H20 peeled off the most pounds, according to a study at the meeting of Obesity Society in Boston. Don’t love agua? Try the flavored kind but check the label for sugar content (it should be below 8 grams per serving).

• Map out your meals. A little attention to portions can help you eat less and still stay satisfied. Start by using a salad dish (8 inches in diameter) and divide it into quarters to help keep helpings healthy. Half the plate should get veggies, top another quarter with lean protein (3 to 6 ounces of fish, chicken or tofu) and the last quarter with whole grains (1/2 to 1 cup of brown rice, sweet potatoes or whole wheat pasta).

• Eat every meal. When you wait longer than five hours between bites, your body may release extra cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite. I call it "hangry." I get hungry and angry: My stomach starts to burn and my brain gets annoyed at every little thing. Then I eat whatever is in front of me, usually a cookie or other sweet, empty-calorie treat. I realize I'm putting out the "hangry" fires, but it is better not to get there in the first place!

from yahoo health

5 Pseudo-Healthy Foods—and 5 That Are Healthier Than You Think

Pseudo-Healthy Food: Diet Soda

It may seem like the perfect way to save calories and slash your sugar intake, but studies show that diet drinkers actually weigh more than regular soda drinkers. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese tied to a 2-can-a-day habit is 57 percent compared to 46 percent for regular soda drinkers. Diet soda may throw off your natural appetite regulation, causing you to eat more sweets. It may also trick you into thinking it's OK to indulge in high calorie foods because you "saved" by choosing diet soda.

Pseudo-Healthy Food: Pretzels

­The label may shout 'fat free' and seem like a better alternative to chips, but they're made with refined white flour stripped of its vitamins and antioxidants. They're also dense so they pack a ton of carb calories for a very small amount and they’re not filling. Think of it this way—one 15- ounce bag contains the equivalent of 24 slices of white bread.

Pseudo-Healthy Food: Spinach Wrap

It looks green and good for you but spinach powder is only a scant ingredient. These wraps are typically made from refined white flour and the green hue primarily comes from food colorings (Blue No. 1 and Yellow No. 5.). In other words you can't rely on the immune boosting vitamins A and C found in fresh spinach and it's much higher in calories. One cup of cooked spinach provides 65 calories, 105 less than a spinach wrap, which doesn't count as a veggie serving. Not to mention the fact that the fillings often include ingredients like fried chicken, ranch dressing, cheese and bacon!

Pseudo-Healthy Food: Blueberry Scone

Even a trans-fat-free wild blueberry scone packs over 400 calories (the amount an entire meal should supply) and over 50 percent of the maximum amount of artery-clogging saturated fat intake for an entire day. They also don’t count as a serving of fruit and they’re devoid of dietary fiber.

Pseudo-Healthy Food: Vitamin Water

Yes, it has vitamins, but at up to 200 calories per bottle (50 per serving with 4 servings per jug), just one of these a day can cause a 20 pound weight gain in a year's time if the calories aren't burned off.

Gets a Bad Rap: Dried Fruit

Here's the flip side of the so-called unhealthy foods that really aren't—these 5 often-criticized foods don't deserve to be shunned. Here's why and how to eat them:

It's simply fresh fruit with most of the water removed. When you buy unsweetened dried fruit, no sugar has been added, so aside from shrinking in size (i.e. grape vs. raisin), all the good stuff (vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, etc.) is maintained. You can find dried versions of just about every fruit these days (berries, mango, peaches) but one of the healthiest is figs—two dried figs provide just 100 calories but are chock full of nutrients, including 20 percent of all the dietary fiber we need daily, plus potassium, calcium, and iron. They're also loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants called polyphenols—the same type that make red wine and tea so healthful (polyphenols are linked to lowering the risk of both heart disease and cancer, our nation's top two killers). Just stick with unsweetened and since they’re 'shrunk,' limit the portion to about the size of a golf ball to control calories.

Gets a Bad Rap: Frozen Vegetables

A recent study found that the vitamin C content of fresh broccoli plummeted 56 percent in seven days, but dipped just 10 percent in a year's time when frozen at -20 degrees Celsius. In addition, the levels of a disease fighting antioxidant called anthocyanins, and some minerals, including potassium (which helps control blood pressure) actually increased after freezing. Just look for veggies with one ingredient (the veggie itself) and no additives, preservatives and sauces.

Gets a Bad Rap: Bananas

It's true that bananas are low in water compared to other fruits. That means there's more carbohydrate (and therefore more calories) per bite compared to watery fruits like melon. But—that doesn't mean you should shun them—even if you're watching your weight. Bananas provide no fat, cholesterol, or sodium, and they’re incredibly nutritious. You’ve probably heard that they're high in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. But they're also a good source of vitamin B6 (which helps maintain blood sugar levels and is needed to build protein in the body as well as nerves and immune cells), vitamin C (for immunity) and fiber (for cholesterol control and digestive health). To keep calories in check, just choose "baby" bananas, the ones about the size of long fingers, which are naturally portion controlled (and neatly wrapped!). One of these little guys provides just 50-60 calories (less than a small apple) and amounts to about half a cup when sliced.

Gets a Bad Rap: White Potatoes

When scientists from the USDA tested more than 100 potato varieties, they discovered 60 different vitamins and antioxidants. Spuds are also packed with resistant starch, a fibrous substance that could help you burn more body fat and lose weight. One cup (size of a baseball) of a baked potato with the skin provides over 25 percent of the vitamin C we need daily, along with 15-20 percent of a day’s vitamin B6, copper, and potassium—all key nutrients for health. In fact, a tater provides more potassium than a banana, and scientists have linked a natural spud substance called kukoamines to blood pressure control. And, the calorie price tag is minimal—about 130 per cup (roughly 6% of an average healthy adult's daily calories needs). They also pack about 3 grams of filling dietary fiber.

Gets a Bad Rap: Juice

It does have less fiber than whole fruit and juices go down fast but cup for cup, 100-percent juice counts as fruit, and some common juices score very high as antioxidant-boosters. One recent study found that adding citrus juice to tea boosts the antioxidant absorption by up to 13 times. Another ranked the antioxidant capacity of several juices and found the 8 highest were: pomegranate juice, Concord grape juice, blueberry juice, black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, and apple juice. Juices do contain sugar, but it's natural, not added—natural sugars are those put there by Mother Nature, and don't create the same negative effects in the body that added sugars do (the refined kinds food manufacturers mix in)—and those natural sugars are naturally bundled with lots of important nutrients.

from MSN Health

Are you worried about Weight Loss After Pregnancy?

Are you worried about weight loss after pregnancy? Well you can now stop worrying about all those extra pounds that you will put on during pregnancy. Today’s moms can easily get back their pre-pregnancy figure within a year. With the help of daily regime, workouts and a good diet. Generally moms think that right diet means dieting. But they are wrong, Right diet does not mean that you start dieting right after you deliver.

concentrate on nourishing yourself through a proper diet. You can start exercising along with a good diet intake. After some months, your see your body returns to its normal level and then you can start your loosing weight. Maximum moms have questions:

How Many Months Before I Return To My Normal Weight?

Weight gain in pregnancy is the normal thing (20 – 30 pounds). Healthy weigh loss process takes time but ensures that your weight loss is at the right pace and safe. Post pregnancy period usually leaves the new moms low on self esteem. Some would be still coping with massive weight gain; some would constantly worry about milk stains on their clothes. Maximum moms might not get enough time to take even a proper bath. Women do tend to get depressed for these reasons and do not know how cope with the change in their life. Maximum women constantly worry about sex after long nine months. They do not feel very comfortable indulging in intercourse as their body is out of shape.

All these problems can be easily solve with, if you work towards your goal with a healthy weight loss regime. You should be planned in consultation with your doctor. You should also keep in mind your physical condition before making a diet or exercise plan.

Weight loss through exercising:

In weight loss, balanced diet plays a vital role. Weight loss exercise also plays a major part. Before start any weight loss exercise, you have to consult with your doctor for weight loss exercise because sometimes exercise may harm your body. Weight loss exercise also helps to increase your self confidence and lends you a hand if you are dealing with depression. Exercising affects breast milk is a myth and you should not bother about it.

Weight Loss through Breastfeeding:

1. Breastfeeding also helps moms lose weight. Actually breast feeding releases hormones which help your body to return to its normal level which in turn helps you regain your normal weight.
2. Breastfeeding is not a fool-proof method of weight loss after pregnancy. In most cases, women start losing weight only after they stop breast feeding.
3. Also relying on breast feeding may make you careless towards your diet and workout routine.
4 Never take low fat diet with breast-feeding. Do ensure that you are taking at least 1800-2000 calories per day.

One point you have to remember that your body has gone through a lot of strain and changes. Post pregnancy care is very important for your body to heal and also to ensure weight loss after pregnancy.

From: www.healthyweightlosshelp.info

How to Get Rid of Freckles

The brightest freckles are found in young adults, usually having blonde and especially red hair. The skin tends to freckle in spring and summer, but as fall comes and winter approaches, they turn pale and disappear. The color and brightness of freckles, however, depend not only on the color of your hair and skin, but also on how long and intensely your skin is exposed to sunlight.

Anti-Freckles Diet

In spring, you should eat more foods rich in vitamin C such as fruit, green onion, red or black currant juice, sauerkraut and wild rose tea. Vitamin C makes the skin less sensitive to sunbeams.

Whitening Masks against Freckles

Skin care masks have a positive cosmetic effect, too. You can make them with handy ingredients (tomatoes, currant, strawberry, radish, apples), using one or several components. Whatever berry or vegetable you are going to use, you first need to remove their seeds and then mash or grate them. Grate the radish, add several drops of vegetable oil and mix everything well. Use the following application method. Fold a gauze napkin in half or in thirds, put the paste on it, apply and leave it on for 15 minutes. Then wash it off with warm water. Apply a cold pack to finish.

Cucumber Mask to Get Rid of Freckles

Cucumber facial masks are very popular. Grate cucumbers, apply a paste to face, cover with a gauze napkin and leave it on for 20 minutes (you can use thin slices or cucumber skin instead). Wipe leftover moisture off with paper napkins to finish. You can also make facial masks with milk, cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs and berries, starch and vegetables.

How to Bleach the Freckled Skin

If you need to bleach, smooth or refresh you skin, try facial masks made with black currant leaves, sorrel, elder leaves and elder-berries or rowanberry, lemon or horseradish juice mixed with sour cream or sour milk (1 tablespoon per 1 tablespoon of paste or leaves juice). Parsley juice helps bleach the skin, too (finely chop parsley, pour boiling water in, strain and let cool; wash your face with the mixture 2-3 times a day).

Bleaching Masks Application Rules

You should apply facial masks regularly, 2-3 times a week and preferably in the evening (15-20 masks in total). Don’t forget, that you won’t get bleaching effect right away. You may additionally use bleaching creams daily in the evenings (15-20 applications in total).

Pigmented Spots on Skin

All mentioned skin care remedies also work for women whose skin shows brown pigment spots in spring. Be careful about overbleaching, though, as it leads to premature withering of the skin and makes your face look unnatural, as if powdered with chalk.

From: geniusbeauty.com

Beauty lies in eyes

Eye is a very sensitive organ. Today many of us spend long hours sitting in front of a PC or laptop. Using these gadgets actually strains our eye muscles and causes dryness. Besides, pollution, diseases like diabetes, sinusitis and thyroid can also effect the eyesight. If you are suffering from redness of the eye continuous headaches, blurred vision eye fatigue, the urge to keep your eyes closed, itching in the eyes, spots and strings floating in your field of vision , then you need to get your checked immediately.

Exercise:
Eye exercises help in keeping the six eye muscle, which help the eyes to rotate, flexible and strong If the muscle become stiff, it becomes painful to move the eyes and close the lid. Exercising also helps to relieve the pressure on the optic nerve that transmits information from the eye to the brain. Remember if the optic nerve is damaged, it cannot be repaired.

Here are a few eye exercises that will help your eyes to relax. Most importantly, you can do anywhere.

Eye Massage:
Close your eyes tightly for 5 to 6 seconds and quickly open them. Repeat this for at least 7 to 8 times.
Close your eyes and massage them with the tip of your third finger (ring finger) in circular movements.
Close your eyes. Place three fingers of your hand on your upper eye lids, apply a little pressure and hold for 1-2 seconds, then release. Repeat at least 5 times.

Eye Movement:
This exercise is recommended to people who generally sit for long hours in front of the computer.
Sit and be relaxed. Now roll your eyes first in clockwise direction and then in anticlockwise direction. Once a circle of movement is completed blink your eyes to rest the eyes. Repeat this at least 5-6 times

Clock Exercise:
Imagine yourself standing in front of a really big clock. Now imagine looking at the middle of the clock. Slowly look at any hour mark and that too without turning your head. Then look back at the centre and look at another hour mark. Do this at least 10 to 12 times. This exercise is also beneficial if done with closed eyes.

Focus A Mark:
Sit Near a window and keep a distance of about 50 cm from the window. Make a mark on the glass of the window with a small sticker or a felt pen at your eye level. Look or focus on something far away for 10 - 15 seconds through this mark and then return back to the focus.

Scribble On Wall:
Stand in front of a wall and pretend that you are writing with your eyes, without turning your head. This is very good exercise, which might seem difficult in the beginning but slowly you will enjoy it. Remember the bigger the letters, the better the effect.

Blink Exercise:
Blinking is not actually an exercise but it is very important. Starting at an object uninterrupted for a long time also causes strain and this should be also avoided. So make a rule to blink often.

Good to remember:

• Have a diet that is loaded with beta-caretene, a vitamin especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. Fruits and veggies like carrot are rich in beta-carotene.

• Contact lenses should never be worn for more than 12 hours. Wearing contacts for long cannot only cause extreme uneasiness, but permanent sight damage.

• Place cold cucumber slices or tea bags soaked in cold water and press gently for 10 minutes before going to bed. This pacifies your eyes and also prevents puffiness.

• Always wear UV protective sunglasses while getting out in the sun.

from whatevertips.com

Exercise can improve your mood

Because we've heard it so often -- and because we feel pretty good after we exercise ourselves -- we've never examined the axiom that exercise floods the brain pan with miracle motes known as endorphins, triggering a natural high. But when we heard that human and rat studies on exercise and mood called that maxim into question, we stopped to take a look.

First, the basic stuff: "We know [from studies] that exercise is good for the brain," says Daniel Galper, senior research associate in the mood disorders research program and clinic at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Brain imaging studies show that exercise boosts activity in the brain's frontal lobes and the hippocampus. But those effects are complex and, says Galper, "it is hard to identify the physiological processes" responsible for the benefits. In the 1970s researchers detected a significant rise of endorphins, morphine-like peptides, in the blood of marathon runners, and quickly tied this to the "runner's high" so widely claimed during that era.

But, says John Ratey, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, later research in rodents and people showed that "endorphins don't cross into the brain easily. They get metabolized." (Endorphins do reduce pain, which is why you get a lower pain response when you exercise.) Still later research showed that physical activity promoted the creation and survival of neurotransmitters -- molecules that shuttle messages between neurons. In animal studies, exercise boosted levels of three neurotransmitters -- serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine -- that are associated with elevated mood. (Many antidepressant drugs, including Prozac, are designed to raise the concentration of those molecules in the brain.) Still, studies have not concluded that the effect causes positive emotions.

On a more practical level, consensus is also lacking on how much exercise yields emotional benefit. "Some studies have shown that a five-minute burst of exercise improved mood," Ratey says. A study at Duke University last year showed that walking for 30 minutes had a significant effect in depressed patients. But those results were self-reported and not conclusively tied to chemical changes in the brain.

Exercise-related chemical processes in the body happen fast, Galper says, but the fuller antidepressant effect can take many weeks.

More recent research in rodents and humans has shown that exercise promotes the production of a beneficial substance called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF.

BDNF appears to cause antidepressant effects, says Madhukar Trivedi, psychiatry professor at UT Southwestern and principal investigator of an ongoing study on exercise and depression. Ratey agrees. "I call [exercise] 'Miracle Grow for the brain.' Exercise keeps these cells healthy in a way that even playing chess [and other highly cognitive activities] does not."

The takeaway? Self-reported evidence links exercise and emotional uplift. But next time someone launches into the endorphin speech, scurry to the rat wheel, slap on the iPod and tune out.

From: www.revolutionhealth.com

Walking for fitness: How to trim your waistline, improve your health

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. It's one of your body's most natural forms of exercise. It's safe, simple, doesn't require practice, and the health benefits are many. Here's more about why walking is good for you, and how to get started with a walking program.

Benefits of walking

Walking for fitness can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. For example, you can:

• Reduce your risk of a heart attack. Walking keeps your heart healthy by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). A regular walking program also reduces your risk of developing high blood pressure, a factor that also contributes to heart disease.
• Manage your blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, walking may reduce it.
• Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you're a woman, overweight and at a high risk of diabetes, walking can improve your body's ability to process sugar (glucose tolerance).
• Manage your diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, taking part in a regular walking program can improve your body's ability to process sugar, lower your blood sugar, reduce your risk of heart disease and help you live longer.
• Manage your weight. Walking burns calories, which can help you manage your weight. For example, middle-aged women who walk more than 10,000 steps a day have lower levels of body fat than do women who are less active.
• Manage stress and boost your spirits. Going for a brisk walk is a great way to reduce stress. Regular walking also can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
• Stay strong and active. As you get older, walking for physical fitness can prevent falls, help you stay mobile and maintain your independence.

Prepare yourself before you go walking

Take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters on your feet or muscle pain.

Wear walking shoes and comfortable, protective clothing
Before you set out, be sure to select comfortable footwear. Also dress in loosefitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.

Warm up
Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm. Warming up your muscles reduces your risk of injury.

Stretch
After warming up, stretch your muscles for about five minutes before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch, lower back flexion stretch and chest stretch.

Getting started: Design a program that works for you

To help ensure your success:

Start slow and easy
If you're a seasoned walker, keep doing what you're doing. If you've been inactive and tire easily, it's best to start slow and easy. At first, walk only as far as or as fast as you find comfortable. If you can walk for only a few minutes, let that be your starting point. For example, you might try short daily sessions of three to five minutes and slowly build up to 15 minutes twice a week. Then, over several weeks' time, you can gradually work your way up to 30 minutes of walking five days each week.

Use proper technique to avoid injury and setbacks
Walking is a great exercise because it's so simple to do. But if your posture is poor or your movements exaggerated, you increase your risk of injury.

Measure the intensity of your workout
As you walk, measure the intensity. Knowing your level allows you to increase the intensity to maximize your workout or slow down to avoid overdoing it. You have these options:

• Talk test. If you're so out of breath that you can't carry on a conversation with the person you're walking with, you're probably walking too fast and should slow down.
• Borg scale. This method is a self-assessment of your perceived exertion. You rate how hard you think you're working on a scale that ranges from 6 (no exertion) to 20 (maximal effort). Aim for at least moderate intensity (12 to 14) as you walk.
• Monitor your heart rate (pulse). To find out if you're exercising within the range of your target heart rate, stop exercising to check your pulse manually at your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery). Another option is to wear an electronic device that displays your heart rate.

Keep track of your progress
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year.

Record these numbers in a walking journal you create for yourself or log them in a spreadsheet on your computer. Another option is to use an electronic device to calculate time and distance for you. Options include:

• Pedometers. These devices, which you usually attach to your belt or waistband, detect body motion and count your footsteps, displaying the number of steps on a small screen.

  Although many pedometers have extra features, such as displaying calories burned and the distance walked or run, you may want to begin by using its primary feature - counting steps.

• High-tech devices. Devices that use GPS satellite technology cost more than pedometers do, but they can track the total and current distance you walk, and even calculate your speed or pace. You may have to program these devices. Some allow you to download stored data to your computer as a way of keeping track of your progress. You wear these high-tech devices on your wrist or attached to your waistband, shoe or arm.

Cool down after each walking session
To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches.

Walk with smooth movements. As you walk forward, roll your foot from heel to toe. Avoid coming down hard with your heel on the ground.

Stay motivated: Set goals, have fun and stay in the game

Starting a walking program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. But when you think of the potential health benefits, it's well worth your effort. Over time you'll likely feel more invigorated. To stay motivated:

• Set performance goals. People who stick with a new behavior for six months usually make it a habit.
• Make it fun. If you don't like walking alone, invite your spouse, partner, friend or neighbor to join you. You might also join a health club and use a treadmill.
• Vary your routine. Plan several different walking routes for variety. But if you're walking alone, be sure to tell someone which route you're taking.

Sometimes things happen to keep you from sticking to a regular walking program. Don't be too hard on yourself when this happens.

You don't have to let a few days off sabotage your plan to reach a higher level of fitness and improved health. Follow these tips to get back in the game:

• Think positively. Don't let negative self-talk, such as "I'm a failure," get in the way of starting again. Shrug it off as a temporary break in your walking program.
• Re-evaluate your goals. If your goal is to walk two hours a day 365 days a year, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Set realistic goals for yourself, such as 30 minutes five days a week.
• Get going. Build walking into your schedule today. Just do it. Walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break.
• Continually plan. If you're taking a trip or working overtime, think of strategies for incorporating short walks into your day to keep your plan on track.

You'll be glad you started

Even though the first steps of any journey can be the most difficult, it helps to keep your goals foremost in your mind. So remember, once you take that first step, you're on the way to an important destination - better health.

Beauty Tips for The Big Day—Ready for Your Close Up?

Whether getting ready for your wedding day or another momentous occasion, the following tips and reminders will ensure that you look beautiful in person and in photographs: Keep in mind that regardless of the product, shade, or application technique, makeup is only as good as the skin it covers. Take time in the months leading up to the big day to treat your skin well and avoid using products that cause irritation or can cause side effects such as dryness, flaking, or redness. Anticipate your skin’s needs based on its history and the weather (is the event in a location where it will be more humid, arid, or cold than your skin is used to?) then choose products accordingly. Do not have a facial, microdermabrasion, peel, or any other spa or dermatologist treatment within two weeks of the event, especially if you have not had such procedures performed in the past. The last thing you want to deal with is the complications that could result. If a trip to the spa is part of your bridal bliss, use the time to get a stress-relieving massage or manicure and pedicure rather than a facial. Anticipate being photographed and take into account the lighting. Outdoor wedding photos demand different makeup than indoor photos. Outdoor lighting is most flattering in late afternoon as the sun begins to set. If possible, avoid scheduling an outdoor wedding ceremony and photos for midday when the sun is directly overhead. This casts unwanted shadows on your face and is universally unflattering. Less makeup is preferred for outdoor weddings. Use a sheer, satin-matte foundation, a light dusting of pressed powder, powder blush, soft eyeshadow colors that are matte or barely shiny, and eyeliner that is dark brown or slate gray rather than black, which can look too harsh in daylight. Lips can be any color, but keep in mind that opaque lipstick with sheer makeup can look too contrasting. Generally, outdoor makeup looks best with creamy lipsticks. For mascara, choose brown if you have blonde hair (dyed or not). All other hair colors should stick with black mascara, preferably waterproof unless you’re sure you won’t cry! For indoor ceremonies, you must take flash photography into consideration. A camera's flash tends to emphasize pink or ruddy skin tones, so proper camouflage with a neutral- to yellow-toned foundation is a must. Avoid foundations and powders with sunscreens in which titanium dioxide or zinc oxide are the active ingredients. Both of these mineral pigments have an opaque, reflective quality that can make your face look whiter than the neck in photos. A small amount of titanium dioxide in your foundation or powder is fine; it just shouldn't be an active ingredient where the concentration is considerably higher. Be sure your foundation matches your skin color exactly. Check to be sure there is no line of demarcation at the jaw, hairline, and temples. In general, liquid foundations with a soft matte finish work best because they are versatile and let your natural skin tone show through. Cream-to-powder and stick foundations tend to offer heavier coverage that, unless carefully blended, can look mask-like. It may be tempting, but do not mix a liquid shimmer product with your foundation to make skin look more radiant. In photos, even when used judiciously, shimmer can make skin look slick and greasy instead of luminescent, especially after wearing it for a few hours. And once the event begins, stealing away for touch-ups is unlikely. Seek a powder that closely matches your skin tone. Pressed powder is more portable and easier to use than the loose version. Look for a pressed powder with a silky texture and skin-like finish. Today's modern powder formulas (particularly those from Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, M.A.C., Prescriptives, and Maybelline) make skin look beautifully polished, not powdered or ultra-matte. Apply the powder with a professional brush, not a puff or sponge. If you have normal to dry skin, only powder the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and leave the cheeks with the soft matte finish your foundation provides. For blush, powder formulas tend to photograph best and hold up over the long haul. If in doubt about which shade to choose, opt for those in the rose or pink family if you have fair to medium skin and choose rosy-plum tones if your skin tone is medium to tan. Do not make the mistake of under-applying blush, especially for indoor photos. Wedding makeup is formal, and requires more color than you may normally wear. Make sure your blush is in the same tonal family as your lipstick (for example, pair a pink blush with a pink, berry, or rose-toned lipstick). The color of your makeup design should come from your blush and lipstick, not your eyeshadow. Keep tones muted and matte so that they emphasize, not compete with, your natural eye color. As a general rule, you can't go wrong with eyeshadow colors that have a brown, tan, taupe, or neutral base. Think earth tones (slate, shell pink, bronze) and "food" tones (cream, caramel, coffee). If you want to add a touch of shimmer to your eye makeup, find the sheerest product possible, apply sparingly to highlight your brow bone or the inner corners of your eyes, and make sure you like how it looks in photos before the big day arrives. Pay attention to your eyebrows. Do not attempt any new tweezing techniques or patterns, but do see a professional brow groomer who has loads of experience shaping brows so they frame your eyes as attractively as possible. A brow pro can also show you how to make the most of sparse, thin, or barely-there eyebrows. For wedding makeup, use brow powder, a matte powder eyeshadow, or tinted brow gel rather than traditional brow pencil to shape and define. Be sure to carry your lipstick and lip liner with you for touch-ups after the ceremony and before the reception. It is also helpful to carry a pressed powder and small powder brush, as well as a clean makeup sponge in case you need to buff or smooth any aspect of your makeup, especially lipstick marks from over-zealous relatives or friends. From: www.cosmeticscop.com

How To Get Better Results In Less Time At The Gym

As an experienced strength trainer, one of the biggest mistakes I see new members make is working out for too long, too often. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s two-hour, twice-daily workouts back in the 1970s are the stuff of legend, but times have changed.

Schwarzenegger was a pioneer, but he was also a genetic freak – what worked for him almost certainly won’t work for you. Lifting weights was Schwarzenegger’s life – this is a luxury working people can rarely afford.

Here’s the good news – you can achieve outstanding results by spending less time at the gym! Just follow these simple tips:

Everything Is In The Preparation

The time you spend at the gym is not limited to those minutes when you’re actually working out. Getting your gym kit ready, driving to the gym, getting dressed, getting undressed, showering afterwards, driving home – all this stuff adds up. Get in the habit of considering your total gym time, which includes all of these things plus the actual workout itself. Now, consider what you can do to shave off some precious minutes before and after your workout.

For example:

• Join a gym that is close to home.
• If possible, only visit the gym at off-peak, or less busy times
• Prepare your gym bag the evening before your workout.
• Consider showering when you get home, rather than at the gym.

Lift Weights No More Than Three Times A Week

As a new gym user, it’s easy to want to get the most value out of your expensive membership, and it’s not uncommon to see people hitting the gym five, six or even seven days a week! Even for a veteran this is counter-productive – your muscles need rest and recovery. By overtraining them you will encourage atrophy. Not only will they not grow, they might even shrink!

For the first 4-6 months of your membership, three visits to the gym each week is more than sufficient to obtain great results without risking damage to your health. It’s also a regimen that is easy to maintain.

Don’t Worry If You Miss A Workout

Life has a habit of putting things in your way, particularly when you’re trying to do something productive. From time to time something will happen that will mean you will have to skip a workout.

Here’s the thing – don’t worry about it. Just make up the workout the next day, or as soon as you can. One great method I’ve used to ensure I get to workout three times per week is to not plan my days off in advance. Many people like to take the weekends off, or only go to the gym Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. That sounds great on paper, but what if life gets in the way?

While it is essential that the body gets sufficient rest (see below), if you don’t plan your days off and attempt to go to the gym whenever you possibly can, you will find that you miss very few workouts. Think of your gym visits and recovery periods as constantly ongoing – by taking a day off in between each visit, you’ll automatically hit your target of three sessions each week.

Do A Full-Body Workout

None of us are professional bodybuilders, so why do so many of us attempt to follow their workouts? Bodybuilding magazines are notorious for this, endlessly publishing the routines of modern pros that are far too advance and strenuous for regular people.

A full-body workout is a great time-saver but also a regimen that offers the most benefits for beginner and intermediate gym users. Many new gym users concentrate entirely on the so-called ‘beach muscles’ – chest, shoulders and particularly biceps. This is counterproductive, as the largest muscle groups – back and legs – are often completely ignored. The body likes to grow proportionately, so by favouring some muscle groups over others you won’t see the best results.

Focus on the larger muscle groups through compound exercises. These move the body through multiple joint movements and provide complete muscle fibre stimulation, as opposed to isolation exercises, which focus on a single joint.

Example compound exercises include barbell squats, pull-ups, dead lifts, bent-over rows, bench press, military press, dips and lunges. (Tip: search YouTube for working examples of all of these exercises.)

Each full-body workout should contain six or seven of these compound exercises, performed in reverse-order of muscle size, i.e., legs, back, chest and then shoulders. (See example workout below).

Workout For No More Than 40 Minutes!

Your total time at the gym should take no more than 40 minutes, which includes preparation. Ideally, you should be lifting weights for no more than 30 minutes in total, which includes all exercises and rest between sets. Keep the intensity high.

To achieve this, it’s important to look at your workout program intelligently. Each exercise should be broken down into ‘warm-up’ and ‘working sets’ – the former prepares the muscle for the more intensive shock of the latter, which should be heaviest possible weight you can lift while maintaining proper form.

The size of the muscle group will determine the number of sets and repetitions necessary. Additionally, as a muscle group is warmed up there is less of a need for ‘warm-up’ sets with each new exercise.

Here’s an example workout:

LEGS
Barbell Squat: 2 x 10 (warm-up sets), 2 x 8 (working sets)

BACK
Pull Ups: 2 x 10 (weight-assisted), 1 x 8
Dead Lifts: 1 x 10, 1 x 6-8
Bent-Over Rows: 1 x 6-8

CHEST
Bench Press: 2 x 10, 1 x 6-8

SHOULDERS
Military Press: 1 x 10, 1 x 6-8

Total Exercises Performed: 6
Total Sets: 15

Each set, with rest, should last about two minutes, which makes 30 minutes in total.

Superset

A superset involves performing two exercises back-to-back without rest. For best results you should use opposing muscle groups. For example, one could superset back with chest by doing one set of pull-ups immediately followed by one set of dips. This counts as one superset. Then rest and repeat. It’s a great way to save time and produces great results. Consider using the superset method on alternate months, as the impact on the body, particularly with compound exercises, is significant.

Rest!

Rest is essential to muscle gain. If you visit the gym too regularly or don’t have sufficient rest between sets, your progress will suffer.

A good rule of thumb is to rest 45-60 seconds between each set. Consider resting an additional 30 seconds between exercises (i.e., 90 seconds). Be mindful of your total workout time!

If you plan to workout three times per week, you need a minimum of 48 hours of rest between workouts. This is essential. Your body needs the recovery time, and trying to do too much will lead to poor results.

Don’t Waste Time

Increasingly gyms have become places for people to meet and chat with their friends. Don’t waste time chatting at the gym. Leave your mobile phone in your locker and if you workout with friends, keep it as professional as possible.

By following the advice above, you can ensure that your gym sessions will be as productive as possible. Because you’ll be spending less time there but still seeing great results, you'll also have a strong motivation to keep going.

7 Ways to boost your metabolicrate and lose weight

Being fit and healthy isn’t just about six-pack abs or buns of steel. It means losing fat and staying lean, not losing weight and staying thin. The safest path towards physical fitness is through your metabolism.

Boost your metabolic rate or the amount of energy spent in a given time so the next time you sit in front of the television, you are burning 100 calories, instead of just one. With a simple tweak in your lifestyle, you can improve your health significantly and obtain the body you’ve always wanted.

1. Meal Time Management

When you sleep, your metabolism slows down too. It will only resume its normal rate after your next meal. If you skip breakfast, your body burns only a few calories so you still have enough energy to survive until your next meal. On the other hand, eating a solid 350-calorie breakfast revs up your metabolic rate instantly and maintains that pace throughout the day.

Load up your breakfast with high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole grain cereals, egg whites and fruits. Compared to fats, it takes some time before your body absorbs these carbs. This is good because you won’t get hungry easily and avoid overeating during meals.

Likewise, avoid any midnight snacks, especially right before bedtime. Since you don’t do any physical activity in your sleep, food becomes fat instead of energy. Go light on your dinner and reserve the bulk of your appetite for the next day.

2. Eat All Day

Consume five to six small meals rather than three large plates each day to keep your metabolism active. Despite how odd this strategy seems, it helps you avoid an empty stomach and considerably improves your digestion. Contrary to popular belief, not eating after six pm does not make you lose more weight. You can savor a healthy meal until three hours before you hit the sack.

Eat a small meal every three to four hours. For your lunch and dinner, add more protein sources like chicken, tuna, fish and legumes. Protein is even harder to break down than fats and carbohydrates. Your body will certainly burn a few calories getting rid of them. Grab a combination of yogurt, fruit and low fat food as snack.

3. Spice Up Your Life

Add a pinch of pepper to your noontime tofu or dinner soup. Spices temporarily heighten your resting metabolic rate by releasing more stress hormones like adrenaline. More jalapeno and cayenne peppers mean more burned calories.

Making your meal extra spicy also tends to make you feel stuffed faster even if you’ve only consumed half your plate. Don’t forget to maintain a low-fat meal before ordering a box of Indian curry or Bicol Express.

4. Calorie Counting

Nobody likes crunch numbers, especially during meals. However, calorie counting is a great way to monitor your fitness level. Remember that your body will always try to normalize your system, including your weight. If you start reducing 1,000 calories from your diet, your body responds by slowing down your metabolism because it assumes that you are starving.

There is no golden rule in determining the ideal amount of calories you need to take. This isn’t exact science so reduce your calorie intake in moderation and never do anything drastic to your diet.

5. Drink Water

Despite how simple this sounds, many people take drinking water for granted. Metabolism needs water to digest food. If you want to speed up your metabolic rate, you need to drink more water. Drink at least eight glasses or two liters of water a day and add an extra cup or two if you do heavy exercises.

Skip the cocktail or beer during meals. Water, not alcohol, makes up roughly 60% of your body. Liquor also causes people to eat more. When you drink, your body burns the alcohol first while the rest of your meal becomes nothing more than fat. Now you know how a beer belly is formed.

6. Do Sweat It

No physical fitness program is complete without the right amount of exercise. Nobody wants to do it but everybody needs it. Lifting weights greatly increases your metabolic rate, even when you aren’t doing anything. If you have enough muscle density, you can burn at least 100 calories by watching television alone.

Diet and exercise go together like Crockett and Tubbs. They are absolutely essential to your health and fitness. Muscle burns more calories than fat, while running endlessly in place won’t get you far either. Combine cardiovascular activities with intense strength workouts to lose fat quickly. The weight you lose must be from fat, not muscles.

7. Relax, Rest and Retire

Finally, something easy! Getting ample sleep of at least seven hours is also an integral part of obtaining physical fitness. If your sleeping pattern is messed up, your body doesn’t function properly. If your body is tired, it doesn’t have enough energy to burn calories.

When you don’t sleep, you get stressed easily. When this happens, your body releases a wave of stress hormones that increases your appetite and produces more fat. If you exercise regularly and have a normal diet, getting a good night’s sleep shouldn’t be a problem.

Win the battle of the bulge by incorporating these simple adjustments to your daily routine. Attaining physical fitness should never be a chore. Instead, use it as motivation so you could add a little more pizzazz to your daily experiences and get the most out of life.

From: lifehackery.com

9 Common Health Myths Debunked

Myth: A high-fiber diet will prevent colon cancer

Not even if you eat a pine tree, cones and all. Research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that no matter how much fiber study subjects ate--from 10 grams a day to 27--it did nothing to reduce their risk of recurrence of precancerous polyps. "The fiber hypothesis dates from an old epidemiological study," says James E. Allison, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. "It was presumed that the shorter intestinal transit time accompanying a high-fiber diet decreased a person's exposure to potential carcinogens."

Reality check: Despite the myth, keep eating a high-fiber diet (it can help lower cholesterol and prevent diabetes), but don't count on it to cancer-proof your colon. For that, you need folic acid. Studies have shown that this B vitamin significantly lowers a man's risk of colon cancer, with research from Louisiana State University linking it to a 60 percent reduction. If your multivitamin (or cereal) doesn't contain at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, buy one that does.

Myth: A soy burger is healthier than a beef burger

Here's the problem: Soy, in all its forms, contains phytoestrogens--that is, plant estrogens. And while having some of the female hormone in our bodies is okay, and even normal, having high amounts of the plant version isn't. In fact, Australian researchers found that men who consumed a soy-rich diet had significantly lower testosterone levels than beef eaters. And as for red meat's artery-clogging reputation, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that eating lean beef can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL levels.

Reality check: At only 10 percent fat, ground round is the leanest hamburger meat at the market. It also has the potential to taste the worst, since less fat generally means less flavor. Stick with ground chuck, which, with 15 percent fat, still qualifies as lean. And make sure you pick a package with little "juice" pooled in the Styrofoam tray. "It comes from water in the protein molecules called 'free water,' which is released over time," says Mike De La Zerda, Ph.D., beef-quality manager for the Texas Beef Council. "The more free water that has drained into the package, the less juicy your burgers will be."

Myth: Ginkgo biloba will improve your memory

This popular herbal supplement gained a reputation as a smart pill after certain medical studies suggested that it could improve brain function. And it does--in Alzheimer's patients. In healthy people, "we found no evidence that ginkgo has any effect on memory or cognitive function," says Paul R. Solomon, Ph.D., director of the memory clinic at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Solomon's research team debunked the myth when they found that the people taking Ginkgo biloba for 6 weeks did no better on 14 tests of learning, memory, attention, and concentration than those taking a placebo. "There is nothing in our research to justify taking ginkgo," says Solomon.

Reality check: Go take a nap -- one that lasts 10 minutes. Australian researchers studied the effects of three naps of differing lengths and found that the people who grabbed 10 minutes of shut-eye concentrated better and had more-accurate memories than the rest. Still feel addled? See your doctor. You could be suffering from sleep apnea, a nighttime breathing disorder that deprives your brain of restorative REM sleep.

Myth: Antibacterial soap is better than regular soap for beating germs

Like antitank missiles and antimatter rays, antibacterial soap just sounds more destructive than, say, Dove. Thing is, the germs don't know the difference. In a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, researchers asked 222 New York City housewives (who better, right?) to wash their hands with either antibacterial hand soap or regular soap. Then, on two separate occasions, bacterial cultures were taken from the women's hands, but the results were exactly the same: "We found that antibacterial soaps provide no added value," explains Elaine Larson, Ph.D., R.N., the study's lead author. Even more worrisome, washing exclusively with an antibacterial soap can cause bacteria to become resistant to the soap's germ-killing ingredient.

Reality check: If you want to commit germicide with regular soap, take your time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends scrubbing for at least 15 seconds. And pay particular attention to the area under and around your fingernails. "This is where most bacteria tend to collect," says Howard Donsky, M.D., a clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of Rochester. For those times when your hands aren't visibly dirty, you can use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer gel. Squirt out a dollop and rub it on for 30 seconds. Repeat.

Myth: The higher the SPF of a sunscreen, the better

To a point. "There is a property of diminishing returns at work," says Martin Weinstock, M.D., Ph.D., director of the American Cancer Society's skin-cancer advisory group. Here are the numbers: SPF-15 sunscreens block 93.3 percent of the sun's burning ultraviolet rays, compared with SPF-30 products, which block 96.7 percent. But making the leap to SPF-45 offers only an additional 1 percent of protection (97.8 percent total), and SPF-60, just 0.5 percent more than that (98.3).

Reality check: You don't need 1 percent more protection. Unless you have a family history of skin cancer or look like the prototypical burner -- fair skin, red or blond hair, green or blue eyes, and freckles -- "reapplying SPF-30 throughout the day is the best you can do, as long as you're really slathering it on," says Dr. Weinstock. Just as important, make sure the bottle contains Parsol 1789 (a.k.a. avobenzone), zinc oxide, or micronized titanium dioxide; these compounds will block dangerous UVA rays that some sunscreens let through.

Myth: Only women get breast cancer

Men don't have breasts, per se. Therefore, men shouldn't get breast cancer. But we do, to the tune of 1,500 new cases a year (with 400 men dying of the disease annually). "The biggest problem is that most men, and even many doctors, don't recognize it," says Sharon H. Giordano, M.D., a professor of breast oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. "Men will dismiss a lump, while a woman knows exactly what it is." Nor do men understand the three major risk factors: age (60 years or older), family history of the disease (male or female relatives), and obesity (the extra tonnage messes with a man's hormone levels).

Reality check: Having even one risk factor is reason enough to do a quick self -exam every 3 months. When you're in the shower, "feel under the nipple and across the chest with the tips of your fingers, looking for any unusual lumps," says Dr. Giordano. "The lump will feel small and hard, like a knot or pea." And, lump or no lump, if you have any discharge or bleeding from the nipple, ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist in male breast cancer.

Myth: Aerobic exercise is the only workout that will keep your heart healthy

Despite what the Dupont heirs would have us think (they hold the patent on Lycra), pumping iron may also prevent a coronary. In a recent Harvard study of 44,000 men, researchers found that the men who weight-trained for 30 minutes or more a week had a 23 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who didn't lift at all. "Weight training increases your muscle mass and your resting metabolic rate, both of which contribute to a decreased risk of heart disease," says Mihaela Tanasescu, M.D., one of the study authors. "It also leads to better glucose control and decreased insulin resistance, which further reduce the risk to your heart."

Reality check: If you're lifting for life insurance, make sure your workout is high intensity (one way to do this is to try supersets--pairing two exercises that work different muscle groups). In the same Harvard study, the researchers noted that increasing the intensity of an exercise also reduced the risk of heart disease. "This increase was independent of the type of training," says Dr. Tanasescu, "and although we didn't study it, I suspect that weight training for longer than 30 minutes a week would be of additional benefit."

Myth: A PSA of 4 or higher means prostate cancer

That's the health myth some urologists have led us to believe. "Most men think elevated PSA levels can only mean prostate cancer," says William Catalona, M.D., a professor of urology at Washington University in St. Louis. "But any trauma or inflammation can cause PSA to leak into the surrounding tissue [of the prostate], where it is picked up in the bloodstream." In fact, everything from a bacterial infection to a long bicycle ride can cause a minor jump in your PSA level.

Reality check: PSA scores between 4 and 10 fall into a diagnostic gray zone, where, until recently, the only way to confirm the presence of cancer was with a biopsy. Now, however, doctors can follow up with a complexed PSA (cPSA) or percent-free PSA exam, tests that, according to Dr. Catalona, measure different molecular forms of PSA. "It's the best way to determine whether your PSA is elevated due to cancer or a benign condition." If your PSA is even 2.5, ask your urologist for a cPSA or percent-free PSA exam.

Myth: Only old men develop Alzheimer's disease

Forget the myths about Alzheimer's disease. Each year, 5 percent of its four million victims are younger than 60 years of age. It's called early-onset Alzheimer's disease, and it even strikes men in their 30s and 40s. "The symptoms are no different from those of late-onset Alzheimer's disease," says Bill Thies, Ph.D., vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. "The main difference is that people afflicted with early-onset Alzheimer's are still working and trying to support a family."

Reality check: "The biggest risk factor is a strong family history [of late- or early-onset Alzheimer's]," says Thies. Have an afflicted relative? Now's the time to see a neurologist about genetic testing. If it turns out that you have one of the three known trigger genes, you might want to start taking that Ginkgo biloba or, even better, drinking an occasional glass of red wine. In a study published in the journal Neurology, researchers discovered that people who drank wine just once a month were half as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who didn't raise a glass at all. Why red wine rather than white? It's much higher in flavonoids--the compounds scientists believe confer the brain-saving effect.

From: MSN Health