Get More Sleep

Like many other people out there, I constantly have an over-flowing to-do list with so many things to fulfill that I’d rather pull my hair out strand by strand than to complete any of the tasks at hand. The everyday to-dos include fitting in exercise, job responsibilities, being stable financially and making time for my family. I used to be so bad at worrying about all of those other things that I started taking time from my sleep. I would stay up too late, then drag myself to the gym at 6 a.m. and then to work, and blah, blah, blah! Big mistake! My days seemed so non-existent, the same routine over and over, and I was always exhausted! I actually had to go to my doctor a few months back because I was very under the weather. He did his usual thing and asked me the same old questions, and then asked me about how much sleep have I been getting. I answered him, and he informed me that it could be the reason why I was currently sick. He went into more detail and explained to me how getting sufficient sleep could improve several aspects of my life including losing weight.

Some major studies have recently found that clocking too few zzz’s may increase your appetite, which is what used to happen to me. I would replace the calories burned during a spinning class or after my workouts because I felt absolutely depleted. People who log a concrete eight hours, on the other hand, tend to weigh less. Ample shuteye encourages your body to produce more of the fullness hormone leptin and less of the hunger hormone ghrelin, plus it helps ease anxiety and depression, both of which can trigger emotional eating! Ladies, I know you know what I’m talking about! You may also avoid injury with appropriate amounts of sleep. Skimp on sleep, and you’re more prone to clumsiness, which could mean a crash, fall, burn, you get the drift! A tired brain processes information more slowly, stalling reaction time so that even simple movements (pedaling a bicycle, swinging a tennis racket, you get the drift) can feel awkward.

If You Don’t Use It, Will You Lose It?

If you’ve been sidelined by an injury, or you’re considering taking a break from exercise, you might wonder if you’ll lose your hard-earned strength and endurance. Some loss of fitness is inevitable, but there are ways to help minimize it.

Here’s what happens to your body when you take a break from exercise.

Matters of the Heart – The degree to which cardiovascular fitness declines during a period of de-training depends upon what kind of shape you were in to begin with. Individuals who are extremely fit, such as highly trained athletes, experience a rapid drop in fitness during the first three weeks of detraining, after which the rate of loss tapers off.
A significant level of fitness—higher than that of an untrained person—is retained for about 12 weeks. Individuals with low-to-moderate fitness levels show little change in cardiovascular fitness within the first few weeks, but their abilities rapidly decline in the weeks immediately following that period.

Performance Jitters – The ability to perform a given sport or activity, whether it involves swinging a bat in softball or running 10Ks, invariably declines when the sport is abandoned for any length of time. Marathoners experience a noticeable reduction in endurance performance during a maximal aerobic treadmill test after just 15 days of inactivity. Similarly, swimmers experience a decrement in arm strength within as little as a month layoff from their normal training regimen.
Numerous variables come into play when analyzing the ability to perform a particular sport-specific skill, making it difficult to analyze the effects of detraining. Some are like riding a bike—you never forget how—while others, such as the ability to deliver an accurate serve in tennis, involve specific timing and well-trained muscles.

Speaking of Muscles – With the exception of a genetically blessed few, most of us have to work at building strength through formal or informal strength-training workouts. Again, well-trained athletes have the edge, because the positive effects of training remain evident for weeks, sometimes even months, after training is stopped. Lesser-trained individuals can expect to see their muscle strength and conditioning levels decline at a slightly faster rate, though not at the levels seen in sedentary individuals.

Stem the De-Training Tide – Experts agree that the best way to avoid losing much of the health and fitness benefits you’ve worked so hard to achieve is to do something. If you can’t find the motivation to run for a few weeks or longer, try walking instead. Cross-training is popular because it is a viable means of maintaining, or even increasing, one’s fitness level.

Runners can give their knees a break by switching to cycling, swimmers can work their legs on a stair stepper, and aerobics enthusiasts can take their workouts outdoors by hiking through a local park or reserve. If an injury is keeping you from your favorite activities, take your worries to the pool. Of course, it’s always advisable to check with your physician before resuming exercise after an injury. Regardless of which activity you choose, be sure to progress gradually.
If boredom is the problem, now is the time to try that sport you’ve been considering for so long. In-line skating, tai chi, boot-camp workouts—whatever strikes your fancy. The key is to keep your heart and muscles challenged to minimize the de-training effects that come when you are taking a break from your usual routine.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

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Loving Chocolate? 10 Smart Nixes and Healthy Fixes

Candy is obviously not the go-to food when you’re trying to lose weight. It’s kind of like shopping for Manolos on a Payless budget. But we adore our shoes and our sweets. And if metallic is the new black, then cocoa is the color of confection. In our recent snacking poll, 23 percent of you admit to a weakness for candy, but of those, 21 percent say it’s all about chocolate.

True, we’re always reading stories about how chocolate is a health food; its flavonoids seem to reduce blood pressure, and a good portion of its fats don’t clog the circulatory system. But that’s when you nibble on it—and minus the chewy, gooey, truffley, nuggets that make us eat it in large, caloric amounts.

1. Raising the Bar. Read the labels!

2. Fattest Bites: The Lindt Classics chocolate sampler averages 230 calories and 10 grams of saturated fat for three pieces. Most assorted chocolates have similar numbers. For fewer calories and zero fat, you can have 10 times as many candy corns. Or suck on a chocolate Tootsie Pop—no fat and only 60 calories—and it will occupy your taste buds much longer than these three sampler nibbles.

3. Sugar-free Calorie Bombs. Don’t be fooled by the “free.”  For example there is a sugar-free chocolate bar that contains 300 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat. Bottom line is you’re better off with your Snickers!

4. Worst Health Fakers: Just because a bar sits in the healthy display stand, doesn’t mean it’s any better than the candy on the other side of the racks. Although Kashi makes some great products, their GoLean Chewy Chocolate Almond Toffee bar is 290 calories, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 7 teaspoons of sugar. The Cookies N’ Cream flavor is about the same. Did we hear “lean”? How is that healthy?

5. Just Beans: How much could chocolate-covered coffee beans set you back—they’re mostly java, right? The answer is, about 200 calories and 7 grams of fat for a handful.

6. Total Insanity: If you ever wondered how to fit almost 1000 calories in the palm of your hand, just pick up a deep fried Mars Bar. Some versions come in for less, but there are so many better ways to spend your calories.

4 Healthy Chocolate Fixes

Next time you have a craving, try these low-cal, nutrient rich alternatives.

Chewy Chocolate Nuggets: Take 4 dates and roll them in unsweetened cocoa powder. You get a load of antioxidents and 3 grams of fiber for only 100 calories.

Cake Batter Candy: Mix 3 tablespoons of chocolate cake mix and 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of water, depending on how gooey you like your batter. (75 calories.)

Frozen Chocolate Banana Chips: Slice an overripe banana into coins, drizzle with a tablespoon of sugar-free chocolate syrup, and lay them flat in a zipper plastic bag. Freeze. (About 112 calories – You can try this with Strawberries too.)

Banana Lick-ity-Split: Take 1/2 a banana, roll it in unsweetened cocoa powder, and top with 2 tablespoons of fat- free whipped cream (70 calories, 0 grams fat.)

White Chocolate Yogurt: Just add 1 to 2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to a 6-ounce tub of light vanilla yogurt. (About 100 calories.)

The Team at i-Supplements.com

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30 Day Beauty Secret

30 Day Beauty Secret by FutureBiotics is a full spectrum herbal/vitamin therapy that is formulated exclusively to help nourish a woman’s beauty from the inside out.

Substantially doing far more than a basic multivitamin, the 30 Day Beauty Secret can replace your daily multivitamin and mineral aid. The 30 Day Beauty Secret contains 30 daily packets, each individually wrapped to ensure freshness and the highest quality as well as undeniable convenience.

The secret to natural beauty lies deep within you. Your body requires essential building blocks to support the supple skin, lustrous hair and strong nails you desire. That is why the most effective beauty care you can give yourself is the glowing good health of superior nutrition – the kind of nutrition provided by The 30-Day Beauty Secret.

Get your 30 Day Beauty Secret today at www.i-Supplements.com.

4 Reasons Diets Can and Most Often Fail

1: You’re not fully committed

Weight loss is at least 50 percent attitude. If you’re not truly ready to make a full-time commitment to losing weight, chances of long-term success are pretty slim. That’s because when efforts are half-hearted from the get-go, people typically lose interest in their diet soon after they start. The sad truth is, it’s not really worth starting a weight loss program if your head isn’t in the game.

2: You expect miracles

Individuals who launch a new diet with unreasonable expectations regarding how much weight they’re going to lose each week–or who have an unrealistic goal weight in mind–are signing themselves up for trouble. If you can’t match your desired pace of weight loss, you’ll more than likely end up terribly disappointed and quickly jump ship.

3: Your plan isn’t sustainable

If you’re following an extreme weight loss plan that doesn’t even slightly resemble “normal” eating, there’s a good chance your efforts won’t last. And, in my opinion, subsisting entirely on shakes, smoothies, cookies, or tonics isn’t normal eating. When you view a diet as a short-term deviation from your typical eating habits, rather than a long-term lifestyle change, you will almost certainly have a hard time maintaining your weight loss.

4: You can’t forgive your slip-ups

This is an incredibly common diet pitfall. When people inevitably give into temptation and subsequently “fall of the wagon” for one meal or one day, they tell themselves they’ve blown their diet and throw in the towel for good. To be successful, you have to learn to overcome these temporary setbacks. You can’t let one binge or one “off day” turn into a full week, or month, of splurging. Unfortunately, it can be incredibly difficult for some individuals to break this cycle of negative thinking.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

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Don't Let Your Pesky Period Slow You Down

Although you might often feel more sluggish on a run when it just happens to be “that time of the month”, researchers have recently found that women can sprint just as fast when they’re menstruating as they are capable of doing any other day.

So don’t let your pesky period hold you back from pushing your hardest to achieve your fitness goals. Be satisfied in knowing that for once you have the upper hand on Mother Nature herself, now conquer her!

Extra bonus fact: Exercise will also help relieve those tempermental menstrual cramps, so get up and get moving!

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Diet Blunders That Can Slow Metabolism and Prevent Weight Loss

You probably don’t need scientists to tell you that your metabolism slows with age. But they’re studying it anyway—and coming up with exciting new research to help rev it up again. The average woman gains 1 ½ pounds a year during her adult life—enough to pack on 40-plus pounds by her 50s, if she doesn’t combat the roller coaster of hormones, muscle loss, and stress that conspires to slow her fat-burning engine. But midlife weight gain isn’t inevitable.

We’ve found eating strategies that will tackle these changes. But first, the basics: To boost over-40 weight loss, make sure your meals are around 400 calories, the amount needed to fuel your body while keeping you satisfied, translating into effortless weight loss. Follow the metabolism-boosting food rules below to lose the weight with age, not gain it! Learn how to adjust your eating plan and keep your fat-burning furnace ignited all day long.

1. You don’t eat enough You need to cut calories to lose weight, but it’s important not to overdo it. Going too low delivers a double whammy to your metabolism. When you eat less than you need for basic biological function (about 1,200 calories for most women), your body throws the brakes on your metabolism. It also begins to break down precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue for energy. Eat just enough so you’re not hungry—a 150-calorie snack midmorning and midafternoon between three meals (about 430 calories each) will keep your metabolism humming. By eating a meal every 3 to 4 hours, you’ll stay satisfied and keep from overeating later in the day.

2. You avoid caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java jolts can rev your metabolism 5 to 8%—about 98 to 174 calories a day. A cup of brewed tea can raise your metabolism by 12%, according to one Japanese study. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost.

3. Your carbs are white
Boost your fiber intake by switching to whole wheat bread, pasta, and eating more fruits and vegetables. Research shows that some fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30%. Studies find that women who eat the most fiber gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day—the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables.

4. Your water is room temperature
German researchers found that drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that’s 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily—enough to shed 5 pounds in a year. The increase may come from the work it takes to heat the water to body temperature.

5. Your food is covered with pesticides
Canadian researchers report that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experience a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lose weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. Other research hints that pesticides can trigger weight gain. Always choose organic when buying peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, and pears; non-organic versions tend to have the highest levels of pesticides.

6. Your meal lacks protein
Make sure protein is a component in every meal. Your body needs it to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Research shows protein can up postmeal calorie burn by as much as 35%.

7. Your diet needs to pump iron
Iron-rich foods are essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat. Until menopause, women lose iron each month through menstruation. Unless you restock your stores, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and spinach are excellent sources.

8. You’re missing this crucial vitamin
Vitamin D is essential for preserving metabolism-revving muscle tissue. Unfortunately, researchers estimate that a measly 4% of Americans over age 50 take in enough through their diet. Get 90% of your recommended daily value (400 IU) in a 3.5-ounce serving of salmon. Other good sources: tuna, shrimp, tofu, fortified milk and cereal, and eggs.

9. You’ve had one tipple too many
Skip the second cocktail. When you have a drink, you burn less fat, and more slowly than usual, because the alcohol is used as fuel instead. Knocking back the equivalent of about two martinis can reduce your body’s fat-burning ability by up to 73%.

10. You’re not getting enough dairy
There’s some evidence that calcium deficiency, which is common in many women, may slow metabolism. Research shows that consuming calcium through dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Rest Up!

Every exerciser needs to give her body a break every once and awhile. Recovery is vital and key to looking and feeling your best 24/7! Follow the simple tips below to give yourself a break and continue being healthy and happy for a lifetime.

1. Have a snack. Refuel within at least 15 minutes of working out, when your body can turn food into muscle-healing glycogen three times faster than normal. Combine carbs and protein to do so, hello protein shake, bottoms up!

2. Skip the gym. Yes you read that right. Head to a movie or the mall instead. Without the frequent mental breather here and there your motivation may wander. Exercisers who were found to be more mentally fatigued stopped 15% earlier than those whose brain wasn’t so spent.

3. Go to bed early. Clock at least 7-8 hours or restful, peaceful sleep every night. During REM sleep – the deepest phases in your nightly rest – your body produces human growth hormone, which stimulates tissue repair in your muscles and tendons. Hurry up, lights out!

4. Get pampered. In an animal study, muscles given a massage post-exercise had less swelling and inflammation than muscles that simply rested.

That is that. Remember that it doesn’t hurt to give yourself a break once and awhile, if anything it always ends up helping out in more ways than you ever thought of!

The Team at i-Supplements.com

Boosting Daily Productivity with Food

An extra hour added to every day might make it easier to accomplish our goals, but we know that will never happen. What’s a person to do when there is just never enough time? For starters, you might want to take a bite of some salmon, plums, or cauliflower.

Certain foods are linked to productivity in humans, whether they are tied to increasing energy and brain function, aiding in digestion and sleep improvement, or the prevention of colds and other illnesses.

Need some energy and brain food, load up on eggplant, figs and hummus. To improve sleep and digestion, you might eat brown rice, avocado and ginger.  For eyesight, strawberries, carrots, smoothies, and flaxseeds can be beneficial. To control blood pressure and maintain better heart health, the list includes bananas, scallops, grapes, olives, kiwi fruit, romaine lettuce, and dark chocolate. To prevent colds, one should try to drink more orange juice and green tea, and eat bell peppers, pumpkins seeds, apricots, cranberries, and garlic. And looking toward long-term health and cancer prevention, a proper diet should include blueberries, kale, cabbage, tomatoes, leeks, and broccoli.

An important part of the day is the night, when obtaining the proper amount and type of sleep will dictate how one feels and operates the following day. At the top of list for foods to aid in getting good sleep, as well as food digestion, black beans and bran cereal are the most integral to the diet. Also in this category are avocados, apples, brown rice, onions, grapefruit, pound cake, pinto beans, celery, cucumbers, peppermint, soybeans, ginger, pineapple, melon, and asparagus.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs

1.  Almonds -

These delicious and versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They’re also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. What makes almonds most interesting is their ability to block calories. Research indicates that the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all of their fat, making them an extra-lean nut.

2. Eggs –

You won’t find a more perfect protein source. Eggs are highly respected by dietitians because of their balance of essential amino acids (protein building blocks used by your body to manufacture everything from muscle fibers to brain chemicals). We like them because they keep our hands out of the cookie jar. Researchers  found that when people ate eggs in the morning, they felt less hungry throughout the day than when breakfast consisted of complex carbohydrates like bagels.

3. Soy

Soybeans are a great source of antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile. Snack on dry-roasted soybeans, toss shelled edamame into soups, and slip a spoonful of silken tofu into your morning smoothie. Liquid soy also makes a good meal replacement:

4. Apples

Recent studies have found that overweight women who consumed three apples or pears a day for three months lost more weight than their counterparts who were fed a similar diet with oat cookies instead of fruits. Apples contain quercetin, a compound shown to help fight certain cancers, reduce cholesterol damage, and promote healthy lungs

5. Berries

Most are loaded with fiber, every dieter’s best friend! The more fiber you eat — experts say that it’s best to get between 25 and 35 grams every day — the fewer calories you absorb from all the other stuff you put in your mouth. That’s because fiber traps food particles and shuttles them out of your system before they’re fully digested. Berries (and other fruits) are also high in antioxidants, which not only help protect you from chronic diseases like cancer but may also help you get more results from your workouts. Antioxidants help improve blood flow, which can help muscles contract more efficiently.

6. Leafy Greens

Their cancer-preventing carotenoids won’t help shrink your waistline, but their low calorie count definitely will. One cup of spinach contains only about 40 calories, while a cup of broccoli has 55 calories and satisfies 20 percent of your day’s fiber requirement. Most leafy greens are also a good source of calcium, an essential ingredient for muscle contraction. In other words, they help fuel your workouts.

7. Yogurt

People who get their calcium from yogurt rather than from other sources may lose more weight around their midsection, according to a recent study. The probiotic bacteria in most yogurts help keep your digestive system healthy, which translates into a lower incidence of gas, bloating, and constipation, which can keep your tummy looking flat.

8. Veggie Soup

Researchers found that people who ate broth-based (or low-fat cream-based) soups two times a day were more successful in losing weight than those who ate the same amount of calories in snack food. Soup eaters also maintained, on average, a total weight loss of 16 pounds after one year. Plus, it’s a simple way to get your vegetables.

9. Salmon

Seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These uber-healthy fats may help promote fat burning by making your metabolism more efficient. An Australian study showed that overweight people who ate fish daily improved their glucose-insulin response. Translated, this means that seafood may help slow digestion and prevent cravings. If that doesn’t hook you, consider this: Seafood is an excellent source of ab-friendly protein.

10. Quinoa

Never heard of it? Pronounced KEEN-wah, this whole grain contains 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein per half cup. Cook it as you would any other grain (although some brands require rinsing). Quinoa’s nutty flavor and crunchy-yet-chewy texture are like a cross between whole wheat couscous and short-grain brown rice.

The Team at i-Supplements.com

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