5 Juices that Help You Lose Weight Quickly

It is easier said than done. When it comes to losing weight, the efforts always fall short. Most of the people who do not find success for a month or two give it up. How good it would be if you could have something that could expedite your weight loss and help with your weight loss efforts?

Well, there are a lot of foods that can help in weight loss, but experts prefer juices over solid foods, as juices can be easily absorbed by body and contain ample vitamins, minerals, and all other vital nutrients. Today, I let you know top 5 juices that help you lose weight quickly!

Carrot Juice

Carrot juice is one of the most easily available and healthiest juices you can ever consume, as it is extremely rich in vitamin A. Carrot juice also has ample of vital minerals like magnesium, potassium, and calcium. It is also a rich source of carotenes. Regular consumption of carrot juice not only strengthens your body’s self-defense mechanism, it also helps you lose weight at a faster rate. Consume a glassful after every gym session!

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry is one of the richest sources of vitamin C, which helps break fat. Cranberry juice is also renowned to treat UTIs and other bladder infections caused due to E. coli. Have it in pure form or mash in a banana to your glass! It is a nutrient-full juice that will help you lose weight.

Pear Juice

Pear juice is power-packed with essential vitamins and minerals. It is uber-rich in vitamin C and has ample of phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium – all highly essential for the body. Have a glassful everyday to expedite your weight loss!

Blueberry Juice

I, particularly, love its color which also lets you know the richness of antioxidants in this fruit (juice). Blueberry juice is one of the richest in antioxidants. In addition to strengthening your body’s self-defense, it cuts down your body’s fat reserves. It is a less-calorie juice and can be had on a regular basis. Rich in fiber and vitamin C, the delicious blueberry juice will help you get your body in shape!

Pomegranate Juice

Now, I don’t think nobody needs to be told about the goodness and richness of pomegranate juice. A glassful of pomegranate juice is extremely rich in nearly all kinds of antioxidants. Apart from being extremely tasty, a glass a day will help you lose weight and stay fit.

These juices are surely a tasty and healthy way to vanish your fat layers!

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Benefits of Yoga - Why Yoga Exercise is Good for You

Yoga books tell us that Yoga, as we all know, is aimed to unite the mind, the body, and the spirit. Yogis view that the mind and the body are one, and that if it is given the right yoga kit and tools and taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and heal itself. Yoga therefore is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of the foremost reasons why people want to start Practicing Yoga - to feel fitter, be more energetic, be happier and peaceful.

Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is consists of Ancient Theories, observations and principles about the mind and body connection which is now being proven by modern medicine. Substantial research has been conducted to look at the Health Benefits of Yoga - from the Yoga Postures (Asanas), Yoga Breathing (Pranayama), and Meditation. The information on Yoga Poses & Benefits are grouped into three categories-physiological, psychological, biochemical effects. Furthermore, scientists have laid these results against the benefits of regular exercise.

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

Stable autonomic nervous system equilibrium
Pulse rate decreases
Respiratory rate decreases
Blood Pressure decreases (of special significance for hyporeactors)
Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases
EEG - alpha waves increase (theta, delta, and beta waves also increase during various stages of meditation)
EMG activity decreases
Cardiovascular efficiency increases
Respiratory efficiency increases
Gastrointestinal function normalizes
Endocrine function normalizes
Excretory functions improve
Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase
Breath-holding time increases
Joint range of motion increase
Grip strength increases
Eye-hand coordination improves
Dexterity skills improve
Reaction time improves
Posture improves
Strength and resiliency increase
Endurance increases
Energy level increases
Weight normalizes
Sleep improves
Immunity increases
Pain decreases
Steadiness improves
Depth perception improves
Balance improves
Integrated functioning of body parts improves
Psychological Benefits of Yoga
Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase
Social adjustment increases
Anxiety and Depression decrease
Hostility decreases
Concentration improves
Memory improves
Attention improves
Learning efficiency improves
Mood improves
Self-actualization increase
Social skills increases
Well-being increases
Somatic and kinesthetic awareness increase
Self-acceptance increase
Attention improves
Concentration improves
Memory improves
Learning efficiency improves
Symbol coding improves
Depth perception improves
Flicker fusion frequency improves
Biochemical Benefits of Yoga


Glucose decreases
Sodium decreases
Total cholesterol decreases
Triglycerides decrease
HDL cholesterol increases
LDL cholesterol decreases
VLDL cholesterol decreases
Cholinesterase increases
Catecholamines decrease
ATPase increases
Hematocrit increases
Hemoglobin increases
Lymphocyte count increases
Total white blood cell count decreases
Thyroxin increases
Vitamin C increases
Total serum protein increases
Yoga Health Benefits versus Exercise Benefits

Yoga Benefits

Parasympathetic Nervous System dominates
Subcortical regions of brain dominate
Slow dynamic and static movements
Normalization of muscle tone
Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments
Low caloric consumption
Effort is minimized, relaxed
Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)
Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups
Noncompetitive, process-oriented
Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite)
Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness

Exercise Benefits

Sympathetic Nervous System dominates
Cortical regions of brain dominate
Rapid forceful movements
Increased muscle tension
Higher risk of injury
Moderate to high caloric consumption
Effort is maximized
Fatiguing (breathing is taxed)
Imbalance activity of opposing groups
Competitive, goal-oriented
Awareness is external (focus is on reaching the toes, reaching the finish line, etc.)
Boredom factor

Reference: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/beginnersguide/yogabenefits.asp

Yoga for weight loss

Is using yoga for weight loss the best way to lose weight? Well that depends on the person, the style of yoga we are talking about and other environmental factors that may be present.
First we must understand what it means to lose weight. For most of us it means to lose fat.
How does our body lose fat? This is what we need to understand if we are going to be successful in loosing weight.
In reality there is ONLY ONE WAY to lose weight (fat), you must use more calories then you take in. With ALL the products and marketing out there it all comes down to that one statement.
This is why diets do not really work, Yes you do need to watch what you eat, but not eating is worse for you then eating to much. We need to have a balanced diet that gives us the nutrition we need and also keeps the calories to a manageable level. For more information on that visit my Yoga Diet page
However sometimes there are things that influence how much weight we can lose, and how effective our weight loss program can be. Let us talk about a few of the things that can inhibit your Yoga for weight loss program.

Stress is a common factor in people who have the extra pounds. When we are stressed our metabolism suffers and because of that we retain more calories and calories retained become fat. there will be many posts on this site that will deal with stress and stress reduction. Just be aware that the more stress you have the harder to lose the weight. So be kind t yourself and one piece of good news is regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress. When you use yoga for weight loss it also helps reduce our stress.
The level or intensity of our training will also affect how much weight comes off. If you are like me you like to work out very hard and push yourself to your limits and then past them. However this is NOT the best strategy to loosing weight. For me the hardest part of my training for weight loss was not getting to the gym, but making sure I did not work out too hard. For some of you this will be great news since you do not want to work out hard anyways *SMILE*. More on this will be added on a separate page detailing my program. When we use yoga for weight loss, it fits perfectly with this philosophy, since yoga is a more balanced form of exercise. For more mainstream exercise fitness you can visit my friends site.
What you eat is more important then counting calories. Yes, you do need to make sure you have a calorie deficiency to lose weight, and it takes a 3500 calorie deficiency to lose 1 lb of fat, in using yoga for weight loss you will have all the calorie burning power you need. However you will have the best results by making sure you have some calories from Carbohydrates before your workout (not a lot but some). It is really funny since we all know carbs turn into fat, but most of us do not know that the body cannot burn fat without carbs. There is a quote I like: Fat burns in a carbohydrate flame. Remember it. Also vegetables, fruits and fish are best to eat during fat loss. You can still eat red meat, but try to cut back on it if you can… fish and beans can give you the protein you need. When using yoga for weight loss, you should also think about your diet, you can see my page on yoga diets for more information. Remember the main thing is a calorie deficiency to lose weight… But maintain the calories you need for life, for most of us that is about 2,000 Calories a day.
DO it with a friend. Having someone to keep you motivated really helps and having some friendly competition will keep you honest outside the gym during the day, when you need to watch what and how much you are eating. Also with two people using yoga for weight loss, if becomes more fun.
People say dieting does not work, and they are right. To lose weight and keep it off you need a healthy lifestyle. Your diet is part of that, just remember your diet is what you eat and it is not stopping eating.
A key thing to remember is that natural weight loss is very important. All the artificial products out there are not good for you, almost every weight loss drug has undesirable side effects. Do it naturally and there are no side effects. All you need is Nature, knowledge and you.
How a yogi would lose the weight if a yogi needed too.
How would a yogi use yoga for weight loss? He would do it with a healthy lifestyle of course and by listening to his body. This includes a number of things.
Here are some of the topics that would be thought of.
Yoga conditioning for weight loss
Yoga and your diet
Research on what supplement can speed up your weight loss.
Internal body cleansing
Another thing to add to your Yoga for weight loss program would be of course weight loss through ayurveda - Stay thin with a slender waist. Ayurveda is a perfect ancient science of life; the word AYUR literally means life and VEDA the science or knowledge. Ayurveda briefly explains the knowledge of the do’s and don’ts one has to follow, which favors the well being of each individual to lead a healthy, happy, comfortable and advantageous life physically, mentally & socially. Ayurveda also emphasizes “prevention is better than cure”.

Read More At: http://www.the-wandering-yogi.com/yoga-for-weight-loss/

Building Endurance and Stamina

Practically everyone can improve their stamina—at any age. At the same time that you walk or run/walk for half an hour, two times a week, you can improve vitality and improve your mental clarity. On each of the weekend workouts, you'll improve endurance by gradually pushing back the distance of a longer walk or run/walk. And you don't have to hurt!.

Don started running when he was 50 years old. Within months, he noticed that at the end of the workday, he wasn't as tired as he had been as a sedentary person. Curious about his limits, Don trained for a marathon, using my gentle beginner program, and finished his first 26 miler within 12 months of having taken his first running steps. While he made a few mistakes during the marathon and experienced tired legs for several weeks after this event, he was hooked on the unique satisfaction and accomplishment bestowed by distance walks and runs. Don will turn 75 this year and is now running a marathon about every month with several friends in their 70's and 80's. He doesn't have any joint issues and has sustained energy all day long to enjoy his busy retirement schedule.

Don's story is similar to accounts I hear from many long distance walkers, every year. By gradually increasing the distance of longer sessions, with liberal rest breaks (see sections below) the muscles, feet, bones and energy systems will adapt, giving you more stamina for everything you want to do in life. The teamwork of mind/body/spirit keeps you going during any long or stress-filled day.

If you're beginning to run, start by inserting a 5-10 second jog, every minute, into your gentle walk. When this feels too easy, increase the jog by 5 seconds and decrease the walk by 5 seconds. Gradually move the ratio to 30 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking.

1. Increase the long one every other week. A good first goal is to walk or run/walk for an hour by adding 5 more minutes, every other weekend. Do half the current long weekend amount, on the alternate weekend.
    
2. Have two 30 minute “maintenance sessions during the week. These can be done at a very easy pace. After 1-2 months, you may increase this workout gradually to an hour if you are recovering fast, and want to do so.
    
3. Go very slowly for the entire distance. Speed does not help your endurance. Only by increasing the distance of the long one do you improve stamina. Runners should be running at least 2 minutes slower than their current marathon pace, or 3 minutes slower than current 5K pace. Walkers need to walk slowly enough so that they are not huffing and puffing.
    
4. Walkers should take 20-30 second  during longer walks. Every 3-5 minutes, shorten your stride to and move the legs slower. This will allow the walking muscles and tendons to rest. If you need to take 40 or 60 seconds of shuffling should do so. For more information, see my book WALKING.
    
5. Runners should take walk breaks. When increasing the distance of a long workout, insert a one minute gentle walk, according to the pace chart below. For more information, visit www.RunInjuryFree.com or GALLOWAY TRAINING PROGRAMS.
    
6. Be regular! If you don't have time for a workout, just walk slowly for 5 minutes. This minimal amount will help to maintain most of the adaptations. Besides, if you get out there for 5 minutes, you'll often do 10 or 20 minutes.
    

Walk break frequency for runners

9min/mi pace—run 4 minutes/walk 1 minute (4-1)

10 min/mi pace—3-1

11 min/mi pace—2:30-1

12 min/mi pace—2-1

13 min/mi pace—1-1

14 min/mi pace—30 seconds-30 seconds

15 min/mi pace—run 30 seconds-walk 45 seconds

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WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BUILD ENDURANCE?

Endurance allows people to work out at a certain intensity or for an extended amount of time (hello, marathon!) [1]. But we can’t simply observe how hard we're breathing after a long run to measure stamina. VO2 max, the highest rate of oxygen the body consumes during exercise, is the most popular measurement of aerobic capacity, although it’s unclear if it’s necessarily the most accurate [2] [3]. Another common clue is an athlete's lactate threshold, the intensity of exercise that corresponds to an abrupt increase in lactate [4]. To improve lactate threshold, Greatist Expert Noam Tamir says tempo runs may do the trick. For some other hints, endurance athletes often have a high proportion of slow twitch muscle fibers, which efficiently use oxygen to produce more fuel [5].

When it comes to running, one of the most popular endurance activities, traditional training recommends the gradual adaption principle — that is, slowly and steadily increasing mileage and speed. There are ways to do this safely to avoid injury, from running on soft surfaces, to getting enough sleep and drinking tons of water. Yet, sticking to the same ol’ training plan may not build endurance all on its own, and dominating that final lap isn’t thanks to any (long) walk in the park.

SUREFIRE STAMINA — YOUR ACTION PLAN

To help bump up that endurance a notch, try these tips. With some smart training and nutrition guidance, that Ironman may totally be within reach!

• Rest up. To go long and hard, athletes need fresh muscles, says Greatest Expert John Mandrola: “Go hard on hard days; go easy on easy days; and never string hard days together without adequate rest.” Feeling fresh can help you go the distance.

• Eat right. When it comes to exercise nutrition, carbs are key, since the body uses glycogen for fuel when the goin’ gets tough [6]. Once glycogen runs out, the body turns to energy from other sources, like fatty acids. For extended cardio sessions, consume 30-60 grams of carbs every hour, depending on body weight. Studies have also found a mix of carbs and protein can enhance endurance performance and reduce muscle damage — win! [7] [8] [9] [10]. Keep in mind, the best mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein varies considerably amongst athletes, says Mandrola. Experiment, experiment, and experiment some more to find the right combination for you.

• HIIT it up. It might sound crazy, but often less really is more. High intensity interval training — quick bouts of intense exercise — can help improve endurance in conjunction with traditional training [11] [12]. Need some ideas? Give a stadium run a try, or hit the track for some speed. Just remember to get plenty of recovery after these workouts — they’re intense!

• Add some strength. When it comes to endurance training, variation is important. Resistance training can strengthen our bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles — helping improve overall fitness and help with that final sprint to the finish [13]. So mix up aerobic exercise with kettlebells, dumbbell, and body weight exercises to help improve stamina [14] [15] [16]

• Turn on the tunes. Could it be as easy as pumping up the volume? Listening to music has shown to boost endurance performance while walking, so it doesn’t hurt to work out with a little Rihanna or Jay-Z. The mind-body connection is especially strong among endurance athletes, and any pick-me-up can really help when the going gets tough [17].

• Work on what’s weak. People often find their fitness niche and stick to it. Yet Mandrola advises to work on endurance, people should do mix it up: Marathoners should work on speed work, and flat-landers should stomp those hills. Getting to that personal best means working on what’s most challenging.

• Drink beet juice! Yup, it’s science. A recent study found nitrate-rich beets may help increase stamina up to 16 percent by reducing oxygen intake in athletes. (It remains unclear if other nitrate-rich foods produce similar effects [18].) So consider drinking some beet juice along with that bowl of pasta the night before race-day. You never know. Just remember that beet juice can be high in sugar, so use in moderation.

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7 Ways to Boost Your Endurance and Stamina

“When people think of endurance and stamina, all they tend to focus on are cardio activities like running or cycling,” says Will Torres, a New York-based personal trainer and founder of the personal training studio, Willspace. “But that’s only a small part of the equation—you also need to improve your strength.” For example, Torres explains that by building your leg muscles, you’ll be able to propel yourself further in every step you take while running. “The added muscle also helps absorb the impact that would otherwise put stress on your joints,” he says. So here, Torres gives you seven sneak tactics (ones you’re probably not trying) to boost your endurance and stamina.

1. Combine strength days with cardio days.
It’s a simple equation: the more muscle you can get working, the more it will challenge your heart and your cardiovascular system. Instead of building cardio-only workouts (the pitfall that’ll prevent you from building endurance) make sure to weave strength days into your training. “Most people reserve one day for strength and another day for cardio. Try combining the two instead,” says Torres. “Use a bench press, immediately followed by pull-ups, then run a mile as fast as you can… and repeat.” Another good example: Jump rope for a minute, followed by squats, an overhead press, and finally sit ups. Repeat.

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2. Reduce your amount of rest.
Men typically give themselves between 30 and 90 seconds of recovery time in between sets, but if your goal is greater endurance, be prepared to sacrifice break time. “By the end of your sets, your muscles should be burning—you should be breathing heavily and sweating,” says Torres. “Only take a break if you physically can not continue.” Torres suggests selecting a series of movements like 10 pull-ups, 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups. Do three rounds of the series back to back, taking as minimal a break as possible.

3. Do fast-paced, high-intensity lifting.
“When you use weights at an extremely rapid pace, it will not only improve your strength, but also carry over to improve your endurance activity,” says Torres. “It’s one of the best ways to ignite your metabolism. When people do an excessive amount of endurance-only training, they actually slow down their metabolism because it starts to eat away at your muscle tissue.”

4. Choose compound movements over isolation.
Compound moves that require using more than one joint—like squats, step-ups, push-ups and pull-ups—will improve your endurance more so than exercises in isolation. “Isolated exercises like bicep curls and leg lifts aren’t going to stimulate you enough to increase your stamina,” he says.

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5. Remember: Routine is the enemy.
Switching up your workout is essential to building endurance and stamina. According to Torres, the human body gets used to a workout after two weeks. So if you’re always running, start doing Muay Thai instead. Or if you’re an avid cyclist, change it up by running stairs. “You need to move the muscles in a different way so that you don’t develop overuse. Plus, it becomes more motivating,” he says. “It’s important to keep the mind guessing.”

6. Go for hybrid exercises.
A squat with an added overhead press (a “thruster”), jumping pull-ups, and lunges with bicep curls are all great hybrids: exercises that take two separate movements and combine them. “The more muscles you can get working in a movement, the more it will stimulate your heart muscles, which in turn improves your stamina.”

One Off Workout: The Absolute Mass Builder >>>

7. Add explosive movements to your workout.
Explosive movements that take a lot of energy challenge your strength, endurance and stamina simultaneously. Once you become more explosive, you’ll notice that you’ll actually start moving faster. Torres says: try adding things like burpees, box jumps, jumping knee tucks and power push-ups to your workout routine.

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3 Exercises to Increase Your Lung Power

Just before you crest a hill or reach the end of a speed interval, your lungs go into overdrive. Your breath becomes shallow and rapid. You think if only you could pull in more air, you could surge up that hill or maintain your pace. But the more your chest heaves, the more you struggle. You may even end up exhausted, bent over, gasping for air.

"Runners think about training their heart and legs, but they rarely think about training their lungs," says Mindy Solkin, owner and head coach of The Running Center in New York City. "A strong respiratory system can improve your running. It's a simple equation: Better breathing equals more oxygen for your muscles, and that equals more endurance."

Just as we strength-train our hamstrings and calves to improve our ability to power over hills, we can tone the muscles used for breathing. "Exercise improves the conditioning of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs and enable you to inhale and exhale," says Everett Murphy, M.D., a runner and pulmonologist at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe, Kansas. "When you take a breath, 80 percent of the work is done by the diaphragm. If you strengthen your diaphragm, you may improve your endurance and be less likely to become fatigued."

This was backed up by researchers from the Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at Brunel University in England, who recently measured fatigue levels of marathoners' respiratory muscles and leg muscles. They found a direct link — runners whose breathing was the most strained showed the most leg weakness — and concluded in their study that the harder the respiratory muscles had to work, the more the legs would struggle in a race.

The key to preventing lung- and leg-fatigue is breathing more fully. "When you take deeper breaths, you use more air sacs in your lungs, which allows you to take in more oxygen to feed your muscles," says David Ross, M.D., a pulmonologist at UCLA Medical Center. "When I'm running, I concentrate on taking slow and deep breaths to strengthen my diaphragm."

Most runners, says Solkin, are "chest breathers" not "belly breathers." To help her clients see the difference, she has them run a mile at a pace that gets them huffing a bit. Then she has them stop and place one hand on their abdomen and one hand on their chest and watch. The lower hand should move with each breath, while the upper hand should remain relatively still (usually the opposite occurs). "Every time you breathe in, your belly should fill up like a balloon," says Solkin. "And every time you breathe out, that balloon should deflate. When you chest breathe, your shoulders get tense and move up and down. That's wasted energy — energy you should conserve for running."

Chest breathing can be a hard habit to break-especially while you're preoccupied with keeping pace or calculating splits. One way to make the switch easier is to work on belly breathing when you're not running, and the skill will eventually carry over to your running. To make this happen, some elite runners turn to Pilates, a program originally developed as a rehabilitation program for World War I soldiers. Pilates aims to increase flexibility, strengthen the core, and improve breathing. "I try to do Pilates twice a week," says 2004 Olympic marathoner Colleen de Reuck. "It stretches my intercostal muscles and lengthens my spine, which helps my breathing and my running." 

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