Vitamins, So Many To Choose From-How To Make A Good Choice

imagesIn this day and age you can get vitamins anywhere.  Any corner store is going to carry a cheap name brand or you can spend quite a chunk of change on some options.  How do we pick in choose between all of these options.  Are there some that are better for us?

Well, first and foremost the biggest difference in most vitamins is how they are made and what they are made with.  Our bodies are not built to digest synthetic non-food material and a lot of companies are making vitamins that are chemically and synthetically made.  So here people are taking vitamins trying to keep or make themselves more healthy and they aren’t even able to digest and put those vitamins to any use.  These synthetically made vitamins are actually stressors on our bodies because we are trying to digest and break down something that we aren’t built to.  So the first thing to look for are plant based whole food vitamins.  Vitamins made only from foods or our natural products from our environment, nothing synthetic or chemically made.  This way our bodies will actually digest what we are looking to enhance them with.

I know another big difference is the measurement of how much of each nutrient the vitamins contain.  Just remember that more isn’t necessarily better.  It goes back to again the plant/food based vitamins or the synthetically made ones.  If you choose a synthetically made vitamin then it can contain a very high amount of nutrients but because your body isn’t able to digest them you really aren’t doing yourself a favor.  It is much better to have a low amount of those nutrients that your body can acutally put to use and not stress itself over trying to digest.

So when buying your vitamins do a little research, read the lables, see what they are made of, if there are any additives.  It’s important!  Why spend the money on things with good intentions  when they can’t be put to use.

Top Ten Reasons to Exercise

j0407396Sometimes when you reach a lull in your workout routines, you need a bit of motivation. Nothing motivates me more than thinking of all of the reasons for maintaining my health. There are countless reasons you should partake in a regular workout program. Listed here you will find some that I consider to be the top ten reasons to exercise.

 

1. Longer Life. If this isn’t the most motivating factor, than I don’t know what is. Optimal health leads to a longer life, period. Work out, live longer.

2. Self Confidence. For me, this definitely deserves a place in the top ten reasons to exercise. The better you feel about yourself, the better your whole outlook on life is.

3. Decreased Stress. If you’ve ever skipped several days in a row of working out you will really see just how much exercise does for your stress level.

4. Increased Immune Health. Recent studies show that regular exercise encourages your immune system, making it easier to fight off illnesses when they attack.

5. Increased Flexibility. As you age, making exercise part of your daily plans will decrease stiff muscles and maintain your ability to reach and bend properly.

6. Better Cardiovascular Health. With cardiovascular disease at an all time high, exercise is a crucial aspect of keeping your heart and lungs functioning as they are designed to.

7. Keep Up With the Kids. There’s nothing more depressing than watching your kids grow and not being able to play with them like you’d like to. Regular exercise means a game of family softball or tag is always an option.

8. Lower Healthcare Costs. Better health equals less doctor’s visits and fewer prescription drugs. By keeping yourself fit you are keeping your bank account in shape too.

9. Improved Sleep Quality. When you regularly exercise it is easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, making you ready to go when the alarm goes off in the morning.

10. Appearance. While some people might put this as #1 in the top ten reasons to exercise, the fact is that if a leaner you is the only goal in your exercise maintenance, you will find it harder to stick with the program long term. While fitting into those jeans is a great feeling, don’t forget the other 9 reasons!

 

The top ten reasons to exercise may vary for you. Perhaps the hour of solitude you get each day when you are working out deserves a spot on the list. Whatever reasons make your top ten, remember them when you are feeling down about your workout.

 

If you are looking for extra reason to enjoy your fitness plan, consider shaking things up with a new DVD workout system. The Hip Hop Abs Dance Party Series is a fun and effective way to get fit. We also have the P90X Special Package for those people who are ready to step up their fitness game and get serious about looking and feeling their best.

Effective Thigh Exercises

j0438371Strong legs are a great asset. Not only do they look good in shorts or a skirt, they can dramatically improve your athletic performance. Thigh exercises are those that work the major muscles of the legs, including the hamstrings and the quadriceps. Many thigh exercises simultaneously work the calves and the glutes too, making them great lower body work. Whether you are looking to add a “leg day” to your workout schedule or simply want a few moves that focus on the gams, I have some great thigh exercises for you.

 

The #1 of all thigh exercise, in my opinion, is the lunge. Some people prefer to step forward into a lunge, while others step back. Some even prefer the “walking lunge”. When you find the lunge that suits you best, start out with 3 sets of 15. As those get easier add more or consider holding weights.

 

Another great one in the world of thigh exercises is the squat. This is an excellent way to firm up the muscles in your thighs as well as your hips and butt. There are many approaches to squats but remember the safest ones don’t allow your knees to go out past your toes when looking down. Sit back into a squat, keeping your upper body as straight as possible for maximum benefits. When straight squats get too easy, add some hand weights.

 

P90X includes several great options when it comes to lower body work and thigh exercises. The “Legs & Back” DVD offers a great way to firm up the lower half. Tony Horton will walk you through an extreme lower body workout with this one and include the back muscles for some variety and a much needed break.

 

On the cardio end of things, the Kenpo X DVD provides a different approach to thigh exercises. With all of the kicking and solid stances in this workout, you will definitely have a high energy alternative to the typical thigh exercises.

 

When working your thighs make certain to keep it safe. Sore muscles are a sign you are making progress. Pain, however, is a sign that you are injured. There’s nothing quite like the soreness after a good thigh workout though to keep you coming back for more.

The 10 Healthiest Foods

j0422959According to the Mayo Clinic and several other sources, there are several foods that are the ultimate as far as being nutrient dense and at the top of their game. Over the past few years, several sources have published their version of the “10 Healthiest Foods”. While many of these lists contain some of the same foods, there are slight variations. Because of their reputability and visibility online, I tend to like the Mayo Clinic’s 10 Healthiest Foods.

 

According to their list, those on top include: almonds, apples, blueberries, broccoli, red beans, salmon, spinach, sweet potatoes, vegetable juice, and wheat germ.

 

The 10 Healthiest Foods as chosen by Mayo Clinic are said to have qualified under 5 standards including being a good source of nutrients, high in phytonutrients and antioxidants, low in calories, readily available, and able to help in the reduction of heart disease and other health conditions.

 

If this were my 10 Healthiest Food list, I would replace wheat germ with steel cut oatmeal. It is highly available and has numerous health benefits. As a matter of fact, many similar lists include oatmeal in their top ten.

 

One of the good things about this list is these foods are easily incorporated into your diet. Almonds and blueberries on your oatmeal make a great breakfast. A spinach salad with apples is perfect for lunch and salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli make a super nutritious and filling dinner. By adding some of these foods into your daily diet, they can take the place of higher calorie, less nutritious things you may be eating.

 

Small simple changes can make a big difference in your diet. For additional information on healthy foods and good recipes to easily incorporate them into your diet, check out these entries in About.com’s Low Calorie Cooking Blog.

Having Fun With Fitness Tests

j0401038Fun with fitness tests? Yes, that’s what I said. Fitness tests can be a great way to have fun with your workouts. While some at home fitness programs require a fitness test before starting, some people use testing techniques to keep their motivation high and to track their performance progress. For a little fun, consider testing yourself once a month or every other month to see how you are progressing. Depending on the intensity of your training, you may be surprised at just how much progress can be made in a month’s time.

 

While you can feel free to come up with your own fitness test, there are many tests available online as well. The United States Army uses what they call the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) to ensure their soldiers are maintaining a basic level of fitness. This particular test includes sit-ups, push-ups, and a 2 mile run.

 

Soldiers must get at least a score of 60 on each to pass.The APFT allows for men and women to do as many push-ups as possible in a 2 minute time. A man, aged 27 to 31 must get at least 19 push-ups while a woman of the same age needs to get 17. For sit ups, both men and women need to get 45 for a minimal passing score. Women get 20 minutes and 30 seconds to finish their 2 mile run and men get 17 minutes.

 

Keep in mind, this is a minimal passing score. The U.S. Army would like people to do better than the minimum. Additional scores can be found online. See how you measure up.

 

Depending on your fitness goals, you may want to add some additional steps to your test. Check out the fitness test in your P90X Fitness Guide for some ideas or simply use that test as your monthly gauge of progress.

 

Watch over time how the numbers on your fitness tests change. You will be able to see your hard work pay off if you keep track of the results over the long run. Fitness is hard work but it can also be fun. This is just one way to mix it up and have a little incentive to working out.

Are You Having P90X Problems?

j0409661P90X is one of the best selling home fitness systems currently on the market. It is popular and highly effective. Its effectiveness is no doubt part of the reason that it has become so popular. People all over the world are seeing major results with the P90X program and talking about it all over the web. Just like any workout program, however, some people have P90X problems. Whether it involves changing the workouts to nurse an injury or having questions about the nutrition plans, we can help.

 

The first thing we recommend when someone is experiencing P90X problems is that they thoroughly read their Fitness Guide and their Nutrition Guide. All of the answers to P90X questions can be found in these volumes. If the P90X problem you are having is simply due to not receiving your Nutrition Guide or Fitness Guide with your purchase, we may still be able to help.

 

If you purchased P90X here at ExtremeBody Workout and something was missing with your order, contact customer service immediately for assistance. Have your order number ready so that we can be of the most help.

 

If your P90X problems are somehow related to your health and/or customizing the workout to work around an injury in some way, you should first consult your physician. P90X is a tough workout system and we wouldn’t want anyone doing it against their doctor’s recommendations. Aside from that, play it safe. If you are injured and uncertain if P90X is right for you, take time to recover before diving in. Working out too early after an injury can cause long lasting problems.

 

There aren’t many issues that we foresee people having with the P90X program. It was developed by professionals and has been tested again and again by people around the world with intense fitness goals. If, however, you have any questions about the system, get in touch with us and we will do everything we can to help you out.

Using Metabolism Boosting Workout Supplements for Big Results

activit-metabolism-iWhen you are in pursuit of weight loss or fitness goals, every little bit helps. Every additional pound of fat lost and every pound of muscle gained is a step closer to reaching the body you’ve always wanted. Both exercise and diet play a role in reaching your fitness goals. There is one additional component that can be added to push you even closer: supplements. Workout supplements come formulated for a variety of goals. One of these, boosting metabolism, is great for those of us who want to lose that extra fat.

 

Metabolism boosting workout supplements like Activit are designed to increase the rate at which your body uses calories for fuel. A faster metabolism means you are burning additional calories throughout your day, even when you are at rest! While gaining muscle is the best natural way to increase your metabolism, adding a workout supplement can only improve your results.

 

In the past, workout supplements like metabolism boosters were given a bad rap. This is because they often contained components, like Ephedra, that were effective but highly dangerous. In addition, they made people feel bad. The jittery feeling of drinking way too much coffee was a common side effect of these supplements. Now, however, the supplement industry has evolved.

 

All natural ingredients like Green Tea Extract and Pyruvate have been shown to boost the metabolism without these unpleasant side effects. And best of all: they encourage retention of lean muscle mass.

 

The best thing about the Activit formula that we sell here is that it doubles as a multivitamin supplement. Proper nutrition is a difficult endeavor and a good multivitamin provides those minerals, vitamins, and nutrients you may otherwise be missing out on. When a product like Activit can include multivitamins and the benefits of a metabolism boosting workout supplement, it’s like getting two high quality products for the cost of one.

 

Diet and exercise are the primary ways to get fit. Adding a supplement that can boost your metabolism just makes it a little bit easier. You can’t always trust supplements that claim to be a magic pill or the instant solution to quick weight loss. However, a high quality supplement that offers all natural ingredients designed to naturally stoke the fires of your metabolism is a wise investment.