JustNutri Blog

Three Practical Body Building Tips for Cheapskates

If you take the body building plunge and decide that you want to have a rocking body, don’t let a lack of finances hold you back. Joining a fitness club and getting a personal trainer aren’t the only ways to delve into body building. Below are some tips for the body-builder to be on a budget.

Cost-Effective Body Building Tip #1: Buy Your Own Bench

Body building benches are fairly inexpensive new, and if you frequent yard sales, you’ll probably run across a cheap used bench every so often. I got my body building bench for $5 (it was a 50% off day!) and have only had to put in about $20 for extra weights. New ones can run around $100-$300 depending on the size and quality. A bench is pretty much a one-stop body building machine. If you get a bench a leg attachment, you’ll be able to build up your thighs and glutes. A nice addition is a squat rack, though it’s not absolutely necessary if you have some dumbbells.

Body Building Tip #2: Get Some Multi-Weight Dumbbells

If you get multi-weight dumbbells, you can use the same weights that you use for your body building bench. Getting fixed-weight dumbbells is kind of nice since you don’t have to take the time to change weights all the time, but going the multi-weight route is much more flexible, especially as you start to lift more weight.

One more plus is that you can increase the weight of your dumbbells to do squats, whereas 75-150 pound fixed weight dumbbells can be very expensive. Since body building is about using a variety of exercises, you can count the adding and removing of weights as some additional variation to your workout.

Cost-Effective Body Building Tip #3: Buy Tuna, Frozen Chicken and Bulk Soy Protein

If you’ve read any body building books, you know that a lot of protein is required in order to keep building up new muscle after your workouts break them down. There really is no special body building protein, except that it needs to be a complete protein. Body building protein bars are a common source of protein, though they are also very expensive. If you’re an omnivore, you tuna and frozen chick are some inexpensive ways to include protein in your diet. If you’re a vegetarian, combining beans or tofu with rice or bread products is your best bet. Soy protein is also a great body building protein, since it’s a complete protein in and of itself. At bulk food stores you can usually get some isolated soy protein for cheap.

Body Building Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

Body building can be done on a budget, no question about it. I personally think this is probably the best way. It’s better to use the money you save for something more fun than a bow flex machine decomposing in the corner. May the abs of steel be with you!

The most effective treatment for fibromyalgia is exercise.  Which seems totally weird, because most people with fibromyalgia hurt worse and are more fatigued after exercise, and they may feel that way for days.  The key is the right amount of the right kinds of exercise.

If you are new to exercising within the constraints of fibromyalgia, it may be helpful to enlist the help of a trainer, physical therapist or exercise physiologist to design a program specifically for you.  Every person with fibromyalgia has a different exercise capacity, so you need an individualized program.

Another important concept related to exercise is your “baseline.”  Each person has a different baseline.  It is the level of exercise that you can maintain over time.  It does not mean that you are pain-free, but that the pain doesn’t interfere with your lifestyle.  You also need to remember that you’ll always have good days and bad days.  You don’t stop or reduce your exercise because of a bad day.  (Although you may reduce it for a while if you have a bad flare-up that lasts days or weeks.)

Exercise training for someone with fibromyalgia begins with stretching.  Stretching reduces the stiffness and keeps ligaments and tendons from shortening over time.  Stretching should be gentle and it should feel good.  It is usually a good idea to warm your muscles with mild aerobic activity, such as walking, for a few minutes before stretching.

Daily low-impact, gentle aerobic exercise is the next step.  Aerobic exercise has tons of health benefits.  It specifically helps reduce fibromyalgia symptoms because it improves flexibility, causes your body to release endorphins and other happy chemicals and reduces stress.  Walking and bicycling are excellent low-impact exercises.  It is important to start at a level suitable to where you are and increase your level of exercise slowly.  If you get fatigued after five minutes of walking, start there and increase your time by a minute or two every week or two.

Some activities are especially good for fibromyalgia.  Water aerobics and swimming are wonderful.  The buoyancy of the water supports your sore muscles and allows you to exercise with less pain.  Swimming has a double benefit of gentle stretching along with aerobic exercise.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong and Yoga emphasize slow, gentle movements that are ideal for people with fibromyalgia.  All three exercises include breathing and focusing, which decrease stress.  You also learn to be aware of your body and learn to recognize signs of stress.

Pilates is another exercise system where you work with your body, stretching and toning it.  Pilates is a non-weight bearing exercise, like chair aerobics. It is a gentle way to tone your body, and gentle is the word for exercising with fibromyalgia.

People with fibromyalgia can add some strength training slowly as they build up exercise tolerance.  Resistance bands provide plenty of strength training for a while.  Strength training must be undertaken carefully and gently, and it might be wise to get help from an exercise professional before adding it.  There are many benefits to strength training, and it could be a very beneficial addition to your exercise, especially when you are feeling well.

Whether we are talking about exercise or sleep, pacing and routine are important if you have fibromyalgia.  Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps with sleep.  Exercising at the same time every day helps with exercise.  Your body begins to respond to routine. 

Exercise must be paced, too.  That means starting at a low level, increasing gradually, and incorporating rest into your routine.  You exercise, then rest, then exercise some more. Over time, you can shorten the rest periods and/or lengthen the exercise periods.  Rhythm and pacing make a big difference in how much exercise you can tolerate.

It is recommended that you consult your doctor before starting any new exercise regime.

To find out more on why exercise can be so beneficial please visit Eliminate Fibromyalgia

Author: Anna Dewsberry

How do you know if you have a good life and a fit body? When you
visit your doctor, do you ever bother to ask him that question?
Good life and fitness are somehow synonymous, but not all people
will agree to that. If you’re fit, then you’re bound to have a
good life in terms of being healthy and not being prone to
illnesses. If you have a good life, it doesn’t necessarily
mean that you’re already fit, because chances are, you’re one of
the many people living an unhealthy lifestyle.

So how will you find out if you have a good life and fitness
altogether?

First, define what good life means to you. For some people it
may mean having all the luxuries in life or having lots of
money. Other people may think of good life as living a healthy
life. If the latter is your definition of good life, regardless
if you have lots of money or not, then you chose the better one.
If this is your life’s belief, then you might be physically fit
as well.

So if you have a good and healthy life, you will have the
chance to earn more money because you seldom get sick. You can
work for long hours if you like, and you can buy all the things
that you want. Whereas, if you’re not healthy, you will always
get sick and most of your expenses will be for medications and
other medical costs.

Therefore living a good and healthy life will always mean that
you’re into fitness activities. Fitness exercises are great ways
to stay physically fit and healthy. You can join health clubs or
fitness gyms if you like, if you think that is the way to stay
on track. Some people prefer to do their exercises at home, and
that is quite convenient because you can do it at any given
time, and on any part of the house.

So the next step is to assess your lifestyle now. you should
ask yourself these questions to determine your physical shape.
Are you currently involved in fitness exercises? Do you have
vices? Do you often get sick? If you think that you’re not
having a good healthy life, then don’t you think that it’s
high time that you change your unhealthy ways?

How will you go about the process? Well, it may sound easy to
say that you can start any time you like. But this can happen
especially if you’re really determined to go for a good and fit
life. Start changing your unhealthy ways gradually because it’s
quite impossible to change overnight. Little by little, you will
notice the changes taking place, and you will thank yourself for
it.

If you have difficulty in changing your eating habits, you can
seek the help of a dietician so that you can be provided with a
sample of healthy menus that you can eat everyday. Purchase
cookbooks and it would be more beneficial to prepare your meals
if you have the time.

About the author:
I have been interested in keeping fit all my life and want to
pass on to others the joys of working out. 24 Hour Fitness the
new way to maintain your health and beauty

  Fat loss doesn’t have to be painful. Try these simple
       tips and you’ll see just how easy it can be.

                      By Nick Nilsson

1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your
metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body
can more efficiently process smaller meals. Instead of
having 3 large meals in a day, try to break them up into
5 or 6 smaller meals.

2. Drink more water - regular water intake helps to flush
away waste products in the body. Get at least six to eight
8 oz. glasses per day. An easy way to do this is to keep
a water bottle handy and drink from it frequently.

3. Be inefficient - do you need to go to the kitchen to
get a couple of things? Break it up into two trips even
if you can do it in one. Being inefficient like this can
easily double your activity level, burning calories without
even trying.

4. Eat more protein - sources of protein include foods such
as chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lean red meats, etc.
Your body burns more calories processing protein than either
carbohydrates or fats. Protein also helps to support your
muscle tissue, which burns calories all day long!

5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator - any time you
can add in a little more physical activity, do it. This
doesn’t mean you need to slog up 20 flights of stairs. Even
a flight or two done regularly will add up.

6. Don’t let yourself get hungry - when you get hungry you
will have a much greater tendency to overeat when you do
finally get something to eat. As well, because your body is
starting to go into starvation mode, it will be much more
likely to hold onto whatever you give it.

7. Order small portions at restaurants - it’s tough to
order small french fries when “supersizing” your order is
such a great “value.” Take note, however, your real savings
will occur in the calories that don’t end up on your
backside.

8. Eat more fiber - fiber is very filling. By eating more
fiber you will find yourself full sooner. This feeling of
fullness will last a long time as well.

9. Wait 20 minutes between servings - your brain takes at
least 20 minutes to register that you’re full. By waiting
that long, you’ll give your brain a chance to realize that
you don’t really need any more food.

10. Cheat on your diet - one thing I always make my
clients promise is that they will cheat on their diet.
The only thing I ask that they do is to cheat ONLY when
they have planned to cheat. By planning when you are going
to eat the foods you crave, you take back control of your
eating habits.

This way you no longer “give in” to your cravings. You
“reward yourself” for sticking to proper nutritional
habits. Do this once or twice a week and you will feel far
more in control of your eating.

In conclusion, if you follow even a few of these 10 easy
tips in the long term, you will certainly notice a
difference in your overall weight and health.

Nick Nilsson is Vice-President of BetterU, Inc., an internet-
based personal training company. He has been training for
more than 14 years and has been a personal trainer for more
than 8 years. He is the author of the training eBooks “The
Best Exercises You’ve Never Heard Of”, “Gluteus to the
Maximus” and “Specialization Training”. Go to
(http://hop.clickbank.net./?loumar5/betteru) for more
information on these books.