Category: health

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What are the Best Home Remedies for Arthritis?


Click on Here to Discover How You Can Completely Heal Any Type of Arthritis In 21 Days or Less

Home Remedies for Arthritis – An Easy Way to Improve Arthritis

When you are diagnosed with arthritis, the typical treatment involves a visit to your doctor, who then prescribes you painkillers and sends you home. This incurs the doctor’s consultation fee plus the medication costs and, worst of all, the side effects.

But the authors of a new study published in JAMA Network Open asked themselves whether this was really the only effective treatment for arthritis.

So, they set out to test another treatment option. A much healthier one. And the results were astonishing.

The researchers compared the effectiveness of an internet-based consulting treatment for knee osteoarthritis with that of routine self-management which, in most cases, involved over-the counter painkillers together with arthritis information.

They recruited 146 participants, 105 of whom were eventually included in the analysis. They were all 45 years or older with an average age of 66 and a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis.

They were divided into two groups: one group received a smart phone app that allowed them to connect with a registered therapist who educated them and assigned them daily exercises online; the other group received a knee osteoarthritis information package, including dietary and exercise advice, after which they were left to their own devices with doctor’s visits recommended when needed.

After six weeks of these programs, the online treatment group improved their pain scores by 41%, while the self-management group improved theirs by only 6%.

But that wasn’t the only area where the online treatment group enjoyed greater benefits than the self-management group.

They improved more on a 30-second sit-to-stand test and a Timed Up-and-Go test both of which measured stiffness and knee function.

They also improved more on a series of questionnaires that measured pain, stiffness, and physical function.

These improvements were not just better than those experienced by the self-management group, they were also clinically significant, meaning that they were as good or better than anything one could expect from the best available programs and that they resulted in genuine advances in functioning.

This shows that good online information can beat most other treatment options for arthritis.

Which is no surprise to us, as our simple online Arthritis Strategy has already helped thousands of people to completely reverse their arthritis. You can access the strategy here…

Home Remedies for Arthritis – Can’t Sleep? Why Not To Worry About It

If you’ve been having trouble sleeping for a long time, you’ve probably tried all kind of tricks, pills and other gimmicks to fix this problem.

And with every method that fails, you probably grow more and more anxious about it.

After all, isn’t good sleep important to your health?

And don’t sleepless night ruin your next day?

Actually, this may be the misconceptions that are actually keeping you up. Especially if you are also suffering chronic pain. But there is an unexpected twist to this.

Researchers from the University of Warwick have just published a study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine that explains how negative beliefs about sleep can ruin your ability to sleep.

The scientists were motivated by the fact that they could not find a reliable test to measure people’s beliefs about the relationship between insomnia and pain. They then invented their own questionnaire to do so.

They recruited people who suffered from both chronic pain and insomnia and gave them a collection of questionnaires to complete.

– The first questionnaire tested participants’ pain-related beliefs and attitudes about sleep,
– The second measured the severity of their insomnia,
– The third tested their dysfunctional beliefs about sleep,
– The fourth evaluated the level of their anxiety and preoccupation with sleep,
– The fifth tested the extent to which pain interfered with their lives.

All these questionnaires told a consistent story.

The more people in chronic pain worried about their ability to sleep and believed that the pain would prevent them from sleeping well, the worse they slept, and the worse they slept, the more they struggled to cope with their pain.

As such, negative beliefs about the relationship between pain and sleep kick off a vicious cycle in which chronic pain and insomnia exacerbate each other.

The British researchers took it one step further, giving their participants some cognitive behavioral therapy for pain and insomnia. They wanted to find out whether tackling people’s negative beliefs about sleep and pain would break this destructive cycle.

The point of cognitive behavioral therapy is to identify those of your negative beliefs that adversely affect your life and to replace them with new beliefs that will allow you to function better.

After the therapy, the study participants held more positive beliefs about the relationship between sleep and pain than before, slept better, and coped better with their pain.

The main thing is of course to be able to relax your mind and body, which leads you into a deep-deep sleep throughout the night. Here is a simple technique that does just that and works for everyone…

If chronic arthritis pain is keeping you up, use this step-by-step strategy to overcome arthritis in 28 days or less…

Home Remedies for Arthritis – The Worst Weather for Arthritis Pain

Many arthritis sufferers that one specific weather condition worsens their pain significantly, to the extent that they can even predict when it is coming.

New research from the University of Manchester now shows they’re right.

In this 18 month study, people report their level of pain directly once a day via a smart phone app.

The app also submit information of the weather conditions that prevail when the participants report their best and worst levels of pain.

The study is currently only halfway, but the scientists decided to report some preliminary findings at the recent British Science Festival in Swansea, partly because it is interesting, and partly because they are still looking for new participants to join the 9000 who have already signed up and downloaded the app.

If you are interested to sign up, the study is called “cloudy with a chance of pain” and is open to all residents of the UK who are over the age of 17.

The preliminary results are based on the inputs of participants from Leeds, Norwich, and London and show that their level of pain improved as the rain decreased from February to April, but that it worsened again in June when the amount of rain increased and the overall numbers of hours of sunshine dropped.

The researchers express the hope that a study that links pain severity to weather conditions can help people to prepare and organize their activities around the times when their pain is likely to be at its worst.

Alternatively, if there is no reason for you to be in Europe during its rainiest months, large parts of the southern hemisphere are dry and sunny from September to May.

Some previous studies have indicated that high barometric pressure and moisture may contribute to arthritis pain but, as Robert H. Shmerling, MD, the faculty editor at Harvard Health, admits after reviewing the available research, the studies are currently by no means consistent. Still, he does say that science clearly shows there is something to it.

Oddly, in a review of the research, scientists at the Arthritis Foundation draw attention to studies that show that air pressure continues to have an effect on the joints of cadavers, with one study showing that air pressure can move the ball of the hip joint by about one third of an inch.

This British study will almost certainly be the biggest of its kind once it is completed, which may add some sorely missed reliable data.

Hopefully the researchers have not interfered with their findings by releasing preliminary results and creating an expectation in participants that rain would worsen their pain.

But know what worsen pain is no help if you can’t cure it.

Watch this video – 9 Ways to Get Relief from Osteoarthritis Naturally (Joint Pain)

The good news is that thousands of people have already, completely healed their arthritis following the step-by-step strategy found here…

This post is from the Arthritis Strategy Program. It was created by Shelly Manning, a former arthritis sufferer and a health consultant.

A Brief Background on the Author

Like you, Shelly Manning also suffered from arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis. This was due to her weight and desk job. Her condition eventually took a toll on her relationship with her (former) husband.

It was when she went to Hong Kong that she met Janerdquo, an old woman who owned the restaurant where she ate. Janerdquo supposedly offered her a bowl of a weird-smelling soup, which helped ease her joint pain. She ate there each day for 10 days until she was completely healed from arthritis.

Shelly Manning decided to research this natural remedy and to create a step-by-step treatment plan to others who are suffering from different types of arthritis, such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and psoriatic arthritis.

That’s why she created “The Arthritis Step by Step Strategy.” According to her claims, this unique strategy will get rid of joint pain and stiffness, repair your damaged joints, and treat the underlying cause of your arthritis.

Shelly teamed up with Christian Goodman, the owner of Blue Heron Health News, a publishing company that aims to help people to take responsibility for their own health by using natural health alternatives for preventing arthritis in fingers and knees naturally.To find out more about this program, go to Home Remedies for Arthritis

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Here are 8 Foam Roller Exercises to Flatten Abs


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Are you up for a challenge? Increase the intensity of your workout by incorporating these eight foam roller exercises for abs!

Using a foam roller strengthens your core faster, while burning more calories. The foam roller creates an unstable environment, recruiting additional core stabilizer muscles to keep you balanced during the exercise. The more muscles you recruit, the more calories you burn.

(Watch this video: 6 Ab Workouts That Are Better Than Crunches)

A strong core yields both functional and aesthetic benefits:

  • A strong core allows your body to maintain proper movement patterns during exercise and day-to-day activities. When you are moving efficiently, your risk for injury and/or developing muscle imbalances decreases.
  • A strong core also improves posture. It can both alleviate and decrease your chance of developing lower back pain.
  • The aesthetic benefit of a strong core is one that we all would love to have—a tight and toned tummy that makes you feel confident and proud to show it off!

Core training is an essential component of any fitness plan and should be included in your workout routine two to four times per week.

If you’re just beginning your fitness journey, practice these exercises in a stable environment (i.e., on the floor) first. When you demonstrate proficient control and form in a stable environment, incorporate and master one to two of the foam roller exercises at a time. Aim for two sets of 15-20 reps.

(Read: 20 Reasons for Bloating and How to Get a Flat Belly)

If you’re more advanced, combine five to six of these exercises into a killer circuit-style workout. Try two or three rounds of 10-15 reps per exercise and take up to two minutes of rest between rounds.

Additional tips:

  • To make the exercises more difficult while lying on the foam roller, place your feet closer together on the floor. While completing the exercises, draw in the area on your stomach that is just below your navel.
  • During all other exercises, make a conscious effort to brace your core throughout the movement.

Engaging in both of these tips will increase the number of deep core stabilizers that become activated during the exercises, thus increasing core strength and stability.

1. Plank

Bend at your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms. Make sure your elbows and your shoulders form a straight line. Adjust the foam roller so that your shins are resting on top, and squeeze your core while keeping your body in a straight line.

Hold this position for as long as you can. The Plank exercise is great for toning the entire core at once.

2. Sit Up with Reach

Lay on the foam roller vertically so it rests between your shoulder blades. Extend your arms in front of you to form a 45-degree angle with the roller. Place your feet on the floor with knees bent and toes pointing straight ahead.

Contracting your abdominal muscles, lift your torso towards your thighs. Lower your torso after it makes a 90-degree angle with your thighs. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

3. Cross Climbers

Place your hands on the floor with fingers pointing straight ahead. Shift your weight onto your hands, keeping your arms fully extended. Your shoulders should form a straight line with your hands. Adjust the roller so that your ankles are resting on it.

Squeeze your abdominals and bring your right thigh towards your stomach, bending at the knee. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

4. Leg Pull-In

Sit on the foam roller horizontally so your weight is on your glutes. Shift some of your weight onto your fingers as you place them on the floor behind you, pointing towards the foam roller.

Lift your legs off of the floor and extend them straight ahead. Using your abdominals, pull your legs towards your stomach as you bend at the knees to form a 45-degree angle.

Repeat for the desired number of reps. The Leg Pull-In exercise especially tones the lower abdominal muscles.

5. Knee Pull-In

Place your hands on the floor with fingers pointing straight ahead. Shift your weight onto your hands, keeping your arms fully extended. Your shoulders should form a straight line with your hands. Adjust the roller so that your upper shins are resting on it.

Using your lower abdominals, pull your knees towards your hands, allowing the foam roller to move along your shins until it is resting below your ankles. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

6. Opposite Hand to Leg

Lay on the foam roller vertically so it rests between your shoulder blades. Extend your left arm behind your head while lifting your right leg off of the floor. Contract your lower abdominals to lift your right leg into the air while contracting your upper abdominals to lift your upper back off of the roller.

Bring your left arm to your right leg and squeeze your abdominal muscles before returning to the starting position.

Repeat for the desired number of reps and then switch to the right arm and left leg.

7. Twist

Sit on the foam roller vertically so it rests between your glutes. Place your feet on the floor with knees bent. Hold a medicine ball, plate, or dumbbell in your hands, keeping it a few inches away from your body.

Pivot your torso by contracting your oblique muscles and shift the weight from side to side. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

8. Side-to-Side

Lay on the foam roller vertically so it rests between your shoulder blades. Place your feet on the floor with knees bent and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold a medicine ball, plate, or dumbbell in your hands and extend your arms fully, creating a 90-degree angle with your torso.

Move the weight from side to side as much as you can while keeping your arms fully extended and your spine firmly on the foam roller.

Repeat for the desired number of reps. The Side-to-Side exercise especially targets the obliques and upper abdominals.

Watch this Video – 8 Foam Roller Exercises to Flatten Abs

Written by Kayla MacArthur

Author Bio:

Both an IAWP Certified Wellness Coach & NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Kayla MacArthur works with women who are experiencing a rocky point in their lives. She helps them find strength both inside and out so that they can be their best self. For daily tips on personal growth, follow Kayla on Instagram.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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Here are 18 Workouts to Get Toned Upper Arms


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

18 Workouts for Strong and Sculpted Shoulders

Want to get toned upper arms? Try these workouts specifically designed for sculpted shoulders!

Sometimes doing the same old exercises can get boring, and we know how that can be. So, to spice things up a bit, we’ve created a list of 18 of the best shoulder exercises to build strength, tone and increase muscle, and increase both flexibility and stability through the shoulder girdle.

Add any of these exercises into your upper body routine to shake up your shoulder workout.

Standard Overhead Press – Stand with feet hip-distance apart and bring your weights and hands up to a goal post position with your palms facing forward and your elbows bent at 90 degrees.

Press the weights overhead without arching your back. Bend at your elbows to bring the elbows back into that 90-degree bend. 

Can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.

Neutral-Grip Overhead Press – Stand with feet hip-distance apart and bring your weights up above your shoulders and in front of you with your palms facing each in and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Press the weights overhead without arching your back.

Bend at your elbows to bring the elbows back into that 90-degree bend. The weights should always be slightly in front of you. Can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.

Arnold Press – This combines the neutral-grip and the standard overhead press into one exercise as was one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s favorite exercises.

Start by standing with feet hip-distance apart, and bring your weights up above your shoulders and in front of you, with your palms towards you and your elbows bent at 90 degrees.

Use your shoulders to open the arms out into a goal post position, then press the arms overhead. Bend at your elbows and reverse the motion to come back down to your starting position, and repeat.

(View this video for a demonstration.) 

Can be performed with dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.

Front Raise – Stand with feet hip-distance apart, holding dumbbells by your hips and your palms facing you.

Raise your arms up so that they are just about parallel to the floor with palms facing down, and lower back down to repeat.

Relax the neck and make sure to stand in good posture with shoulders pulled back (they may try to creep forward during the exercise!)

Lateral Raise – Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding dumbbells by your sides, palms facing in.

Making sure not to use the traps, and pulling your shoulders down, raise your arms out to the side so that your arms are parallel to the floor.

Lower your arms back to your sides and repeat. 

Can be performed with dumbbells, kettlebells, a cable machine, and resistance bands.

Rear Deltoid Raise – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding your dumbbells with palms facing in. Hinge from your hips and lower your torso down towards the floor so that it is almost parallel to the floor.

With a very slight bend in the elbows, squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise your arms out to the sides. Slowly and with control, lower the weights back down. Be sure to relax your traps and neck as much as possible.

Upright Row – Start by standing with feet hip-distance apart and holding weights with your palms facing in towards you. Starting from your elbows, pull the weights up to shoulder-height, thinking about squeezing the shoulder blades together in the back.

Your elbows should be in line with your shoulders and think about drawing your shoulders blade down your back to relax the muscles in your neck. Can be completed using dumbbells, a barbell, or resistance bands.

High Pull – Stand with feet hip-distance apart and hold your weight in front of your thighs, bending at your knees and hips so the weights hang just above your knees.

Explosively press your hips forward almost as if jumping and pull the weights up to shoulder level with elbows wide apart, as in an upright row. Can be performed with dumbbells, a barbell, or a kettlebell.

(See a demonstration here.)

Clean and Press – Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hinge at your hips, keeping your back flat, as you lower down into a deadlift position, grabbing a barbell.

Start with the bar close by your shins, and your elbows pointing out to the side. As you begin to straighten the knees, simultaneously begin to pull the barbell, and press your hips forward, as you shrug and high-pull the bar.

As you extend through your hips, drive the bar up with momentum as your feet should come slightly off the ground. Bring yourself under the bar in a mini-squat, rotating the elbows below the bar, into a racked position across the chest. As you straighten the legs, continue the movement of the bar to press it overhead. Lower back down in the reverse fashion.

(View a full demonstration here.)

Cable Face Pull – Using the double rope handle in the cable machine, and with the pulley positioned at shoulder height, start sanding with arms extended straight in front of you.

Tighten your core as you engage the back of your shoulders to pull the rope towards your face, bringing the elbows just outside the ears. Squeeze the shoulder blades together, and slowly release the arms back straight to repeat.

(See this video for a demonstration.

Internal Rotation – Sit or stand next to a pull cable machine, with the pulley elbow-height. KEEP THE WEIGHT LIGHT, this exercise can do damage to your rotator cuff when too heavy. Position your elbow in by your waistline, with a 90-degree bend in your elbow.

Grab a single-hand cable handle, with your hand facing towards the pulley. This is your starting position. Internally rotate the arm to pull the handle in across your stomach, and then rotate back open.

(Watch a video example here.)

External Rotation – This is the same as the exercise above, only start with the arm reaching across your stomach as you keep your elbow in towards your waistline.

Externally rotate the arm to pull the cable out, away from the cable machine, and control to come back in. Remember to keep the weight light.

(See a video example here.)

Stability Ball Pike – Start in a full plank position with your feet on the stability ball and your shoulders over your hands. Use your abs, especially your lower abs, to lift your hips up to the ceiling, rolling the ball in towards you.

Use your shoulders to stabilize you and keep them directly over your hands the entire time. Slowly lower back down into a plank position and repeat.

Pike Push-Up – Start in a downward-facing dog position, with a wide hand position and your weight shifted more into your hands. Look up at your belly button to keep your neck in line with your spine. Bend the elbows out to the side and lower until the crown of your head just hovers above the ground, then press back up.

Handstand Push-Up – You can start in a handstand with your feet against a wall for support (recommended, if you’ve never done these before). Just as with the pike push-up, lower down by bending the elbows and then press up to straighten the arms.

It’s okay if you can only lower a few inches or so; you can work you way up to full range. If you want to get fancy and are strong enough, you could even do a freestanding handstand push-up (please only attempt this if you can do a handstand and hold it for a period of time).

(See a full demonstration and video here.)

Shoulder Taps – Starting in a full plank position, keep your hips as steady as possible as you reach your RIGHT hand to tap your LEFT shoulder. Place the RIGHT hand back into its starting position, and then tap the LEFT hand to the RIGHT shoulder. Continue alternating as fast as you can without wiggling the hips.

Lateral Plank Walk – Start in a full plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-distance apart. Slightly shift your weight into your left hand and leg as you step your RIGHT hand and foot out about six inches to the right.

Slightly shift over to the right side of your body as you step the LEFT hand and foot to come back underneath you. Continue stepping your hands and feet over to the right for 5-10 “steps,” and then step back to the LEFT.

Inchworm – Start by standing at the end of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Bend forward to reach your hands to the mat in a forward fold, reaching your hands flat on the mat (your knees may bend slightly).

Walk your hands out about a foot at a time all the way out into a full plank position. Hold in the plank for a second or two, walk your hands all the way back into the forward fold, and repeat.

Watch this video – Toned Arms Workout | 15 min Upper Body Burn

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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How to Fix the 6 Common Mistakes in Pushup


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Mastering the Perfect Pushup (and Common Mistakes to Avoid)

We know. This isn’t the first time that you’ve heard that pushups are one of the most effective upper body exercises, and it certainly won’t be the last. Today, we’ll not only show you how to do the perfect pushup, but also the biggest mistakes to avoid.

Pushups are perfect for those of us that don’t want to pay for a gym membership, travel frequently, or love working out outside. They work every major muscle group in the body, including the legs!

It’s obviously effective for the chest, but did you also know that they help to strengthen back muscles, too? They also work both biceps and triceps, as well as the core.

The only major problem with pushups are these common mistakes, BUT with the directions and a few little technique fixes, you will be able to master pushups once and for all and get a great upper body workout with no equipment at all.

How to do The Perfect Pushup

Get into a Perfect Plank

  • Start on a mat or on the floor on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, and spread your fingers nice and wide. Be sure to place your weight into your knuckles and fingers, this will take some pressure off of the wrists.
  • With your weight in your fingers, engage your chest muscles by slightly pulling your chest up to the ceiling. The muscles across your shoulder blades should almost feel as if they are pulling away from each other.
  • Once your weight is in your fingers and your chest is engaged, step one foot back at a time, and ground your toes into the floor. You should now be in a full plank position.
  • Engage your abdominals by tilting your pelvis slightly towards your nose. This should tighten your abs, lengthen your lower back, and will help to keep your hips in the correct position.
  • Once your abs are tight, start to engage the muscles in your legs. Tighten your quadriceps, or the front of your thighs, as you squeeze your glutes.
  • Keep your gaze about one foot in front of you, so that the back of your neck stays long and in alignment. Hold here and take a few breaths. By now you should feel every muscle in your body working.

Lower Towards the Floor

  • Now we’re moving! Start to bend your elbows by keeping them close in by your sides. This means they should start to point back towards your feet. By the end of the movement, your elbows should be bent at about 90 degrees.
  • Keep your gaze slightly in front of you as you lower down, making sure not to look too far forward, which would result in cocking the neck.
  • Be sure to keep your abdominals and legs engaged as you lower to keep your torso and legs in one straight line. At the lowest point of your movement, your hips should be at the same height as your shoulders.
  • As you lower, inhale through your nose and focus on drawing your shoulder blades down your back.

Now Pushup

  • Focusing on keeping the weight in your fingers and knuckles, begin to press into your hands to lift your body back up.
  • Exhale as you keep the elbows close in by your sides and you use the muscles in the chest and triceps to straighten the arms back up.
  • Be sure to keep your hips moving up with you as you go. This is an easy place for those hips to sag! Keep the abs extra tight.
  • Repeat your pushups 10-20 times until you can complete 3-4 sets with good form.

Common Mistakes and How to fix them

1. Letting your Hips Sag

Allowing your hips to drop too much can put a lot of excess pressure on your spine and vertebra. Sagging your hips is an indication of not properly activating your core.

How to fix it

Start by engaging your abs and tilting your pelvis towards your nose. This should lengthen your lower back and take away a lot of pressure you might be feeling. Lift your hips slightly so that they are just lower than your shoulders.

2. Hips Too High

Just as easily, you may also face the issue of your hips being too high. This is also a clear sign that your abdominals are not engaged. Because a correct pushup is a full-body exercise, it’s important to make sure you are getting all the benefits throughout the exercise.

How to fix it

Engage your glutes by squeezing your glutes together. This should allow your hips to lower slightly. Try keeping them just about shoulder height at the bottom of your pushup.

3. Arms too Far Forward

A lot of people make the mistake of placing their arms too far in front on them. This is bad for two reasons. First, this can place strain on the elbows and shoulders, and second, it’s extremely inefficient, and will work the chest very little.

How to fix it

Be sure to place the hands directly under the shoulders. Try to perform your pushups next to a floor-length mirror and make sure your arms are straight up and down, like pillars.

4. Flaring Arms out to the Side

If you are doing a standard pushup with your hands directly under your shoulders (not a wide pushup) allowing your elbows to bow out to the side will put a lot of stress on the shoulders.

How to fix it

When lowering into your pushup, keep the elbows in close by sides, and bend the elbows to 90 degrees at the bottom. If this is too challenging for your upper body strength, try practicing a modified pushup on your knees until you work up enough strength.

5. Straining Your Neck

Looking too far in front of your not only puts stress on your cervical spine, but can also inhibit your breathing while performing your pushup.

How to fix it

Be sure to look down while doing your pushups. Before you start, while in your plank position, find a focus point about one foot in front of you. As you lower into your pushup, continue gazing at that point, and then push back up. This will ensure you are not cocking your head during the movement.

6. You Don’t Go Low Enough

Lots of people don’t get enough depth in their pushups to really get full muscle engagement. Many go only halfway, and doing them this way won’t improve your strength like a full pushup would.

How to fix it

When you lower into the pushup, make sure your elbows are bent at at least a 90-degree bend, and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. As you push back up, be sure to fully extend the arms.

Pushup Modifications

These are the two most common modifications, both to regress AND progress your standard pushup. Once you have these down, try these 10 different pushup variations to shake things up!

Regression – Knee Pushups

To find the right position, start in a full plank on your hands, with your hands directly under your shoulders and a straight line from head to feet. Without changing your position at all, just lower your knees to the mat, continuing to keep the straight line from your head to your knees (make sure you are not directly on your knee caps).

Engage your abdominals and lower down, bending the elbows. Focus on pressing through your knuckles to push up, to prevent discomfort in your wrists.

Progression – Single Leg Pushups

Starting in your plank position, engage your abs, and specifically your obliques.

Squeeze your glutes and raise one leg up off the ground. It doesn’t have to be too high, just focus on squeezing your glutes and not shifting your weight too much to the side. Perform your set of pushups with the leg lifted the entire set. On your next set, raise the opposite leg to work both sides evenly.

With these common mistakes corrected, you should be well on your way to strengthening your upper body and can soon start adding other pushup variations into your repertoire.

Watch the Video Here – How to Fix the 6 Common Mistakes in Pushup

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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25 No-Equipment Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do at Home


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

No Equipment, No Problem – 25 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do at Home

Who needs a gym when you can work out in your own living room? Here are 25 home bodyweight exercises to tone every inch!

We get it, some days it’s hard to leave the comfort of your own home.

As much as you want to get a workout in, you really just don’t want to drag yourself to the gym. So, we’ve compiled a list of 25 of the best home bodyweight exercises to tone and strengthen every muscle from head to toe.

Full Body & Cardio

1. Burpees – Start standing with feet together, lower into a deep squat position to bring your hands down to the floor. Jump your legs backwards into a full plank position on your hands. Jump your feet back into your low squat position and jump up, reaching your hands overhead. (For a modification, take out the jump and just stand up.)

2. Inchworm – Start by standing at the end of your mat with your feet hip-distance apart. Bend forward to reach your hands to the mat in a forward fold, reaching your hands flat on the mat (your knees may bend slightly). Walk your hands out about a foot at a time all the way out into a full plank position. Hold in the plank for a second or two and walk your hands all the way back into the forward fold, and repeat.

3. Jumping Jacks – Start standing with feet together and your arms by your sides. Jump the feet out wider than shoulder-width apart, as you bring the arms out to the side and overhead. As you jump the feet back together, bring the arms back down. Be sure to get the heels all the way down with each jump and repeat for 60 seconds. (I promise they won’t seem as easy as when you were 5 years old!)

4. High Knees – Start by jogging in place, focusing on bringing the knees up in front of you. As you get into the rhythm of things, start to go faster, bringing the knees higher and higher. Keep going for 30-60 seconds.

(Read: A Dynamic Stretching Warm-Up to Activate Your Muscles)

5. Skaters – Start by standing with most of your weight in your RIGHT leg as you bring your left foot behind you. Slightly lower down to help you propel yourself up, hopping your LEFT leg out to the side and landing on the left foot, bringing the right foot behind you. Continue hopping side to side, landing on one foot on each side. Complete 20 repetitions for a total of 30-60 seconds.

6. Mountain Climbers – Start in a plank position on your hands. Keeping your abs engaged and your shoulders directly over your hands, drive your RIGHT knee in towards your chest, using your abs to pull it in. Quickly reach that leg back and drive your LEFT knee in towards your chest. Go as quickly as you can while maintaining abdominal strength. Complete for 30 seconds to a minute.

7. Push-Up Jacks – Start as if you were going to be doing a standard push-up. As you lower down with your upper body, quickly jump your feet out wider than shoulder-width apart. As you push up, hop the feet back in, together.

Legs

8. Squats – Bring feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and knees and toes slightly turned out. Place your hands behind your head and retract your shoulders together to open the chest. Squat down, sitting back as if sitting into a chair, keeping the weight in the heels and the chest open. Power through the heels to come back up to standing, squeezing the glutes at the top.

9. Jump Squats – Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, and knees and shoulders very slightly turned out to the side. Lower down into a squat, keeping your weight in your heels. With power, drive through your heels to propel yourself up into a jump straight up. Land softly, rolling from the toes down to the heels, and sink down into your squat to repeat. Perform 15-30 jumps, depending on your ability.

10. Lunge – Start with both feet together and slightly shift your weight into your RIGHT leg. Keeping your balance, step your LEFT foot behind you onto your toes. Bend both knees to about 90 degrees and lower down into a lunge position. Keeping your weight in your front foot, press into the heel to engage the hamstrings and glutes to stand back up.

11. Single Leg Bridge – Lay on your back on a mat and bend your knees so your feet are flat on the ground. Bring your feet parallel and hip-distance apart. With your heels, close in towards your glutes. Extend your LEFT leg up to the ceiling. Using the RIGHT leg, press into the heel to lift the hips up, creating a straight line from your knee to your shoulders. Be sure to keep the hips parallel to the floor and squeeze the glutes. Lower the hips back down and repeat. Switch to complete all repetitions on the other side.

12. Single Leg Deadlift – Stand with feet together and holding dumbbells by your sides. Shift your weight into your RIGHT foot, making sure to keep most of the weight in the heel. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back straight and lift your LEFT leg so that your torso and leg are parallel to the floor.

You should feel a stretch in your RIGHT hamstring and the crown of your head should be reaching forward. Pressing through the heel and engaging the hamstring, straighten back up to standing. Repeat all repetitions on one side, then switch legs.

13. Wall Sit – Find an open, flat wall and stand next to it with your back flat against it. Walk your feet forward about 2 feet or so (about your own thigh-length away from the wall) and lower down into a squat position with a 90-degree bend in your knees.

Make sure to keep your knees in line with your toes, press your tailbone into the wall, and keep your shoulders back. To make this more advanced, you can hold a dumbbell in each hand or on your thighs. Hold for 30 seconds to start, and progress to 60 seconds as you become stronger.

Arms

14. Push-Up – Come into a full plank position on your hands, and position your hands directly under your shoulders for a narrow push-up, or wider than shoulder-width apart for a wide push-up. Lower down into a push-up with your elbows in by your sides for a narrow push-up, or out wide to the side with a 90-degree bend in your elbows. Press back up to the plank and repeat. This can be modified by lowering down to the knees if needed.

15. Lateral Plank Walks – Start in a full plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-distance apart. Slightly shift your weight into your left hand and leg as you step your RIGHT hand and foot out about six inches to the right. Slightly shift over to the right side of your body as you step the LEFT hand and foot to come back underneath you. Continue stepping your hands and feet over to the right for 5-10 “steps,” and then step back to the LEFT.

16. Alternating Shoulder Tap Planks – Starting in a full plank position, keep your hips as steady as possible as you reach your RIGHT hand to tap your LEFT shoulder. Place the RIGHT hand back into its starting position, and then tap the LEFT hand to the RIGHT shoulder. Continue alternating as fast as you can without wiggling the hips.

17. Military or Dynamic Plank – Starting in a basic plank position on your elbows, you will be pressing yourself up to a full plank. Place your RIGHT hand directly where your RIGHT elbow was to lift up, and as you do so place the LEFT hand where the LEFT elbow was. You should now be in a full plank. To lower back down, bend the RIGHT elbow and place it on the floor where the RIGHT hand was, and repeat with the LEFT. Aim to complete 10 repetitions with the RIGHT arm leading the movement, then repeat starting with the LEFT arm leading.

18. Pike/Handstand Push-up – This starts taking the decline push-up to another level. This push-up will focus primarily on the shoulders and can be performed in a pike position (shown), with feet elevated in a pike position (similar to a decline push-up), or in a handstand with your feet against a wall for support. If you want to get fancy and are strong enough, you could even do a freestanding handstand push-up (please only attempt this if you can do a handstand and hold it for a period of time).

For the pike push-up, start in a downward facing dog position, with a wide hand position and your weight shifted more into your hands. Look up at your belly button to keep your neck in line with your spine. Bend the elbows out to the side and lower until the crown of your head just hovers above the ground, then press back up.

Perform the same movement in an elevated pike position of a handstand position. Start with fewer repetitions and work your way up.

Core

19. Plank – Come onto hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders. Brace through your abdominals and extend your legs back, placing the balls of the feet on the mat behind you. Create a straight line from the crown of your head to your feet. Be sure not to let your lower back arch, and keep your abs tight the entire time. Hold for 30 seconds for beginners and work your way up to 60 seconds.

20. Side Plank – Lay on your RIGHT side, stacking your hips and feet. Position your bottom RIGHT elbow directly under your RIGHT shoulder. Lift your bottom hip off the ground to create a straight line in a plank. Your should be lifting from your bottom oblique and feel a slight pinch in the waistline. Reach your top hand towards the ceiling or place it on your top hip. Be sure to complete the side plank on both sides, you may notice one side is stronger than the other (that’s normal, but we want to fix that as much as possible). To modify this exercise, keep your bottom knee on the ground.

21. Straight Leg Crunch – Lying on your back, extend your arms and legs straight up to the ceiling. Pull your navel into your spine and use your abs to lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat to reach the hands towards the feet. With control, lower your head back down. If you need more support for your neck, place your hands behind your head, but be sure not to pull on the neck.

22. Bicycle – Lay on your back on the mat and place your hands behind your head. Bring your knees up in a 90-degree bend, with your knees directly over your hips. Using your abs, lift your chest and your head off the mat a few inches and rotate to the RIGHT, reaching your LEFT elbow to your RIGHT knee, and simultaneously reaching your LEFT leg out straight to hover off the mat. Come back into the center with your knees over your hips, and repeat on the other side.

23. Leg Lowers – This crunchless ab exercise really focuses on those lower abs, but as you perform this exercise you will feel all over those abs and even feel the muscles in the back help stabilize your torso. Lay on your back and raise your legs into the air. With control, lower your legs towards to floor but keep the lower back glued to the mat. You don’t have to go down too far, just be sure to keep the abdominals engaged. Use the lower abs to pull those legs back up.

24. Windshield Wipers – Lay on your back with your arms out in a “T” position and your legs extended straight up to the ceiling. Engage your abdominals and keep your shoulders glued to the floor as you let your legs drop over to the RIGHT a few inches, allowing your left hip to come slightly off the ground. As you feel like you just start to lose control, use your LEFT side obliques to pull the legs back up to the center, straight up. Repeat on the other side for one full repetition.

25. Superman – Laying on your stomach on your mat, extend your arms over your head with your palms facing down. Reach the crown of your head forward and let your nose hover an inch off the ground. Draw your shoulder blades down your back as you lift your arms and legs a few inches off the ground. Think about squeezing your glutes and pulling your shoulders together to engage your entire back. Lower your arms and legs, and repeat.

Watch this video – No Equipment Bodyweight Workout – At Home Core, Butt and Thighs Workout

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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A Dynamic Stretching Warm-Up to Activate Your Muscles


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

A Dynamic Stretching Routine You Can Do in Under 5 Minutes

Start every workout with this dynamic stretching warm-up to activate your muscles and take your workout to a new level.

For years, traditional static stretching was the standard that most people follow when exercising. Until recently, only athletes and professionals used dynamic stretching as a way to stretch and warm up for their workouts.

However, dynamic stretching isn’t for athletes only. Here’s how you can benefit from dynamic stretching, and how to do it.

What is Dynamic Stretching?

Unlike static stretching, which involves holding still, dynamic stretching is done with movement. While static stretching is best when performed after a workout, dynamic stretching is meant to warm up the muscles that you will be using during your workout or in specific sports.

These stretches bring joints or muscles through a repetitive motion, moving that part of the body further with each repetition. Warming up the muscles like this will help to prepare the joints and muscles for better movement and activation.

Dynamic stretches should be done after warming up the body for five to 10 minutes with a light jog or other light cardio activity. A proper warm up increases blood flow, raises core body and muscle temperature, and enables the muscles to stretch better.

Here are a few things that dynamic stretching can do:

  • Activate the correct muscles. You should dynamically stretch the muscles you plan to use during your workout. For example, if you’re going to do weighted lunges in the gym, a proper dynamic warm up would be walking lunges. This will warm up your legs, hips, glutes, core, and stabilizing muscles before you add additional weight.
  • Increase range of motion. Lets take the walking lunges as an example again. Walking lunges require greater range of motion through the hips, and especially through the hip flexors. Adding dynamic stretching before your workout will allow you to get deeper into each movement to get the most muscle engagement for each exercise.
  • Strengthen muscles. Dynamic stretching allows you to “wake up” underactive muscles that would otherwise remain inactive, even when performing the exercise with weights. For example, if you warm up with prisoner squats (shown below), you can comfortably get deep into a squat position while minimizing risk of an injury from extra weight.
  • Enhance body awareness. When you perform dynamic stretches, you challenge your balance and coordination. This enhances the nervous system and helps improve motor ability. It also forces you to focus and concentrate on the muscles you are using, as well as the workout you will perform.

Start your workouts with this total body dynamic stretching routine that will warm you up in less than five minutes. Remember to warm up with light cardio for 5-10 minutes before stretching.

Arm Swings | 20 reps

  1. Stand with your back straight and abs engaged.
  • Gently swing your arms out to to the side and then across the front of your body, alternating which arm swings on top. Gradually start making the swings larger so that you can feel a slight stretch in your chest and between your shoulder blades.
  • Swing your arms for a total of 20-30 times.

Walking Toe Touches | 20 reps

  1. Start standing with your feet together.
  • Reach your arms out in front of you. Kick your RIGHT leg forward into the air, reaching to tap it to your LEFT hand. Repeat with the LEFT leg reaching to the RIGHT hand.
  • Continue alternating for 20 reps.

Prisoner Squats | 15 reps

  1. Bring feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and knees and toes slightly turned out.
  • Place your hands behind your head and retract your shoulders together to open the chest.
  • Squat back and down, as if sitting into a chair, keeping the weight in the heels and the chest open. Power through the heels to come back up to standing, squeezing the glutes at the top.
  • Repeat for 15 reps.

Walking Lunges | 20 reps

  1. Start standing with your feet together, and plenty of room in front of you. Put your hands on your hips or by your sides.
  • Step your RIGHT foot forward far enough so that when you lunge down, your right thigh is parallel to the floor. You should feel a stretch through the front of your left hip.
  • Press though your RIGHT heel and power up to bring your feet together and stand up.
  • Next, step the LEFT foot forward. Continue alternating for 10 steps, then turn around and lunge 10 steps back to your starting point.

Plank Rotations | 20 reps

  1. Start in a full plank position.
  • Rotate so that your weight shifts to your RIGHT hand as you lift your LEFT arm up in the air above your shoulder. Lower back down and rotate to the other side, lifting the RIGHT arm up.
  • Continue for 10 reps per side. Make sure to keep your shoulders steady and don’t lift your hips too high.

As you can see, many of the common exercises you do in the gym can be used as a dynamic stretch when only using your bodyweight. Practice this routine and see if you can improve your range of motion during your workouts!

Watch this video – 6 Best DYNAMIC Stretching Warm Up Exercises

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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5 Sneaky Ways You’re Slowing Your Metabolism Despite Exercising


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

5 Sneaky Ways You’re Slowing Your Metabolism (Even If You Work Out)

Are you slow to lose weight, even though you work out regularly? Here are a few sneaky things you might be doing that are inadvertently slowing your metabolism — and how to correct them.

You’re eating right.

Sticking to healthy real foods just like our Paleo ancestors.

And you’re working out, too. Running, lifting weights, doing yoga or CrossFit.

Whatever your thing is, you show up at least a few times a week.

Quick question: Why aren’t those last few pounds coming off?

Your metabolism should be humming like a race car engine. But it feels more like a horse-drawn carriage – too sluggish to get you as lean as you want to be.

Some of us are doing this to ourselves without even realizing it. The way we eat and live slows down our metabolism and makes it nearly impossible to shed those last few pounds.

Keep reading to see why… and how to fix it.

Exercise Boosts Your Metabolism, but It Might Not Be Enough

You’ve probably heard how exercising boosts your metabolism.

It’s one of the first things doctors and nutritionists recommend if you’re trying to lose weight. Just find more ways to move around. Get active.

Exercise affects your metabolism by a process called exercise-associated thermogenesis. Physical activity puts higher energy demands on your body than staying still. Some types of exercise do this better than others, but all of them beat a sedentary lifestyle.

Your metabolism is more complicated than you might realize. Your age, gender, and other factors outside your control all affect your metabolic rate. But getting physically active is under your control. That’s why so many people looking to increase their metabolism (and lose weight) start there.

Exercise is a great start…

But it might not be enough to get you as lean as you’d like. There are other factors at play.

Speeding up a Slow Metabolism

Exercise will ramp up your metabolism much better than relaxing on the couch. But there are other factors under your control – things you might not realize you’re doing – that play a part.

Once you identify them, you can make a few tweaks to your Paleo lifestyle to bump up your metabolism and burn those last few pounds.

So let’s start there. Here are five sneaky things that might be disrupting your metabolism right now:

1. You Don’t Eat Enough Calories

Yes, you read that right.

Wouldn’t you want to eat less if your metabolism is sluggish?

That’s the natural reaction. If you have a few pounds to lose, it’s easy to assume they’ll eventually come off… as long as you cut your calories enough.

But if there’s anything our bodies do well, it’s adapt. Our bodies are constantly working to maintain an energy balance between what’s burned and what’s consumed.

If you’re working hard and getting a lot of exercise, consider adding more starchy carbs and healthy fats to keep your metabolism humming.

When you try to lose weight, you throw that balance out of whack. Eating way fewer calories than before – not enough to meet your body’s energy demands – causes your body to respond by lowering your resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn just to stay alive).

It sounds counterintuitive, but drastic calorie restriction can slow or even reverse weight loss. You get caught up in a cycle where you eat way too little, your metabolism adjusts, and you try eating even less to overcome it. Then you wonder why you’re starving all the time but can’t lose weight!

If you’re eating the right foods, deliberate calorie restriction usually isn’t necessary. And it’s just as easy to under-eat on the Paleo diet (especially if you’re a beginner) because the foods are so much lower in calories, but higher in nutrients, than processed foods.

Maybe it’s time to take a step back and find out how much you’re really eating. Track your calorie intake for a few days if you have do – the results can be eye-opening. If you’re working hard and getting a lot of exercise, consider adding more starchy carbs and healthy fats to keep your metabolism humming.

2. You Don’t Eat Enough Protein

You might be eating enough calories, but your ratio of fats, protein, and carbohydrates could be throwing a wrench in your metabolism.

The issue?

Not enough protein. Not all calories are created equal, despite what mainstream nutritionists try to tell us. 

Eating carbohydrates creates much different effects in the body than eating protein.

The wrong kind of carbs – grains, processed carbs, sugars – spike your insulin levels, leading to inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and many other health issues.

Eating protein has a much different effect: no huge insulin spikes, just a sustained energy source that keeps you feeling full for a long time.

One study compared two groups of volunteers who stayed at a hospital for 12 weeks.

The researchers deliberately overfed both groups, but their diets were different. One group followed a low-protein diet, only getting five percent of their calories from that macronutrient. The other group got 25 percent of their calories from protein. The groups ate the same amount of calories. The only difference was the source: carbs or protein.

What happened?

The low-protein group lost about 1.5 pounds of muscle and gained 7.5 pounds of fat. But the high-protein group gained over six pounds of muscle. They did gain fat because they were being overfed. But they gained significantly less fat than the low-protein group.

Storing less fat and gaining more muscle is a recipe for a faster metabolism. Eating plenty of protein makes that possible. Also, eating protein stimulates thermogenesis more than carbs or fat.

If you can’t lose those last few pounds, maybe you aren’t getting enough protein. Try to have a high-quality source of protein – like meat or eggs – at every meal. Eaten in moderation, high-protein nuts and seeds (walnuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.) make great snacks, too.

3. Your Workouts Aren’t Intense Enough

Working out is a great way to boost your metabolic rates. That isn’t the issue. The issue is how some of us work out.

Fitness enthusiasts will argue all day about which type of exercise is best to kick-start the metabolism and drive weight loss…

But there’s no reason to get sucked into that debate.

Strength training – whether it’s with weights or your own body weight – has been shown to boost metabolic rates by building lean muscle mass, making the sympathetic nervous system more active, and increasing insulin sensitivity.

(Read: 10 Effective HIIT Workouts to Work You into Shape)

Cardio works, too. Studies have found a connection between regular cardio exercise and an increase in resting metabolic rates. How? Researchers suspect it’s due to better insulin response and blood sugar control.

So you don’t have to choose between resistance training and cardio…

But you can make them more effective by cranking up the intensity.

It all comes down to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, known by fitness types as the “afterburn effect.” This is the limited period of time when your body expends extra energy after you exercise.

More intense exercise regimens produce a greater EPOC effect. Short bursts of high intensity effort, followed by brief rest periods, will help you get more metabolic “bang for your buck” than steady-state activities like jogging.

Take a look into sprinting, interval training, and other HIIT-style workouts. They might be just what you need to stoke your metabolism.

4. You Don’t Drink Green Tea

Did you know that drinking green tea speeds up your metabolism?

It’s true.

It’s actually one of the few foods or drinks that can help. Green tea contains antioxidants called “catechins.” These are thermogenic compounds that affect your metabolism.

One study divided healthy men into three groups and gave one group green tea supplements which contained catechins. The group given the green tea extract burned about 4 percent more calories than the placebo group, as well as the group who got straight caffeine.

The supplements were a relatively low dose, too – nothing more than you’d get from drinking a few cups of green tea a day.

Four percent more calories might not sound like a huge difference. But if you’re looking to lose a few pounds, it could be the tipping point between losing weight or maintaining it. It’s definitely worth a shot!

5. Your Gut Is Unhealthy

More and more evidence is coming out revealing gut bacteria’s incredible impact on our overall health. These bacteria, which outnumber all of the cells in your entire body ten to one, affect everything from how we store fat and handle blood sugar, to how the hormones regulating our appetite function.

An imbalance here – even early in life – can have serious consequences months and years later.

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that differences in gut bacteria in infants let researchers accurately predict whether they’d be overweight or obese when the infants grew up.Leaner people have a greater variety of gut bacteria.

If your gut bacteria are imbalanced, it could very well explain why your metabolism is sluggish. And too many bad bacteria can throw your hunger signals out of control, making it practically impossible to lose those last few pounds.

Leaner people have a greater variety of gut bacteria. One study, comparing sets of twins who were either both lean or both obese, found that the leaner twins’ bacteria profile had many more diverse species than the twins who were overweight.

(Read:  4 Simple Steps to Fix Your Gut Bacteria Imbalance)

Look out for the tell-tale signs of an unhealthy gut. Do you feel hungry all the time? Dealing with chronic digestion issues? Fatigued or even depressed? It might be time to take action.

Start supplementing with probiotics (healthy bacteria) and incorporating more healthy fermented foods – like sauerkraut – into your diet. Healing your gut could be a big step in increasing your metabolism.

Watch this video – Why You Have a SLOW METABOLISM | 5 Things That DAMAGE Your Metabolism & How to FIX It

Your Turn

Physical activity is a great way to increase your metabolism…

But you might need to make a few more adjustments before those last few pounds come off.

Your metabolism isn’t entirely under your control. Following the tips above, however, will help make yours as efficient as possible.

And remember the fundamentals! If your diet’s poor, or if you haven’t been getting enough sleep or managing your stress, start there. Putting those pillars in place will get you 90 percent of the way there. Then you can worry about the final tweaks to lean out as much as you want.

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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How to Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health


Click HERE to Discover How You Can Maintain & Stabilize Your Blood Pressure Naturally

Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health – This Oil Cures High Blood Pressure (no, it’s NOT olive oil)

Some lifestyle changes are very difficult to commit to. Others are decidedly more simple—even as easy as switching out the oil you normally buy.

Today we will look at a study researching the effects of an oil whose popularity is rising at breakneck pace, and for good reason.

A group of scientists in Brazil recently offered up convincing proof that an easy-to-find oil has very powerful effects on lowering blood pressure.

The biotechnologists at the Federal University of Paraiba wanted to see if there was any merit to the recent claims that coconut oil has positive effects on blood pressure.

What they found was clear and convincing. In their study, rats were separated into four groups: those that were fed coconut oil into their diets but were sedentary, those that were given no oil but exercised, those that were fed coconut oil and exercised, and those whose diets and exercise didn’t change at all.

What the scientists found wasn’t altogether surprising. They saw a drop in hypertension (high blood pressure) in rats who exercised, which they knew would happen. They also saw a drop in blood pressure for the sedentary coconut-oil-fed rats.

But the biggest drop—in fact, the cure—occurred when rats were made to both exercise and consume coconut oil at the same time.

The scientists have attributed the positive effects to the medium chain fatty acids in the oil. These act as extremely powerful antioxidants, eliminating the oxidative stress of free radicals attacking heart and blood vessel tissue.

Moreover, scientists found that the rats were more resistant to stress of all kinds in the coconut oil group, leading the researchers to conclude that there was an insulating effect in the baroreceptors in the heart tissue.

Coconut oil, due to its rising popularity, is becoming more easily available on store shelves all over the world. People use it in their salad oils, recipes, and even in smoothies. You can also replace butter in most cases with coconut oil.

With all this in mind, it is highly recommended that you use coconut oil as often as you can.

But how about exercise? How do you use it to double down on the nasty effects of high blood pressure?

The easiest, most effective way to lower blood pressure is by using three easy blood pressure exercises. Thousands of readers have used these exercises to bring their blood pressure below 120/80—sometimes from the very first day.

Learn more about these easy blood pressure exercises and try them out for yourself here to lower your blood pressure and boost health…

These Beans Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health

Beans have long been praised for having various health benefits. But a new study from Mexico shows exactly how one particular type of bean beats high blood pressure with a knockout blow.

Not only does it load your body with antioxidants that lower blood pressure, it also removes dangerous chemicals that cause high blood pressure and other diseases.

Many of the most heart-healthy recipes flying around social media sites recommend the use of black beans.

From hot dishes to cold salads, these beans seem to be almost magical in not only their culinary versatility but also in the incredible health benefits they provide.

Researchers from the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico recently isolated two very powerful proteins in black beans—fasolina and pectin—both of which were found to have extremely powerful antioxidant properties.

Blood pressure increases when the body undergoes any kind of stress. In environmental stress, for example, free radicals from an unhealthy habit like smoking can attack heart and blood vessel tissue. This is oxidative stress. Antioxidants combat the free radicals, stopping the cycle of destruction.

This, in turn, causes blood pressure to drop because the threat has passed.

Researchers also found in computer models looking at the proteins that they also have a chelating effect, meaning that they can remove heavy metals from the body.

These are just two explanations as to why black beans have always been so effective at reducing blood pressure. Experts have for a long time been able to observe their benefits, but hadn’t been able to understand, until now, the molecular processes behind the reaction.

Many health-conscious people already incorporate high amounts of black beans in in their diets because they are an incredible source of delicious protein that doesn’t come with the added calories found in high-protein alternatives such as meat, eggs, or nuts.

You should be able to find black beans in your local supermarket or health food store. If not, most other types of beans also hold tremendous health benefits.

But eating beans may not be enough to completely cure high blood pressure. For that, you need a set of three easy exercises.

These easy blood pressure exercises have been proven to lower blood pressure below 120/80—starting today…

Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health – This Safe Herb Cures High Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs

Stunningly, a cheap, safe, common herb has now been proved to be as effective as one of the leading blood pressure medications, without any side effects.

What’s more, in this double-blind study, the herb also optimized cholesterol levels in participants – whereas the drug had no effects on cholesterol.

Olive oil is famed for its heart health abilities but other parts of the olive tree may be even more effective.

In a study published in the medical journal Phytomedicine, a group of people with stage-1 hypertension were recruited. For eight weeks, half the group received the ACE inhibitor drug Captopril while the other half received 1000 mg of olive leaf extract daily.

ACE inhibitors are the most common blood pressure medications in use. They’re also some of the most dangerous in terms of side effects.

Just a few examples of common side effects are dizziness, headache, drowsiness, diarrhea, low blood pressure, weakness, cough, and rash. More serious side effects are heart attack and stroke, exactly the causes of death that they are supposed to prevent.

After eight weeks, all the subject’s blood pressure was measured, and as expected, the drug group had lowered their blood pressure. However, the olive leaf extract group had also lowered their blood pressure, and by just as much.

But that was not the end of the story.

Researchers also measured the triglyceride levels in all the subject’s blood.

Triglyceride is sometimes called “the third cholesterol” in addition to LDL and HDL cholesterol, and it’s considered the worst of them all.

The oil leaf group had significantly lowered their triglyceride level whereas the ACH drug showed no improvements in cholesterol level.

So, if you have high blood pressure, it’s your choice:

A dangerous blood pressure drug with a long list of side effects; or a safe herb that, in addition to giving the same blood pressure benefits as drugs, also improves cholesterol levels and many other health markers.

The fact remains that with all the side effects blood pressure medications bring, they almost never manage to bring people’s blood pressure down to a healthy level: 120/80. Neither do herbs.

The ineffectiveness of drugs is one of those “secrets” everyone in the medical system knows, but never really admits, in order to fill the pockets of everyone involved.

If you want to heal your high blood pressure, you also need to make some lifestyle changes.

By far the simplest and most effective method I know to heal high blood pressure is a set of 3 easy blood pressure exercises.

Watch this video – Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health

Follow the example of thousands of readers who have used these easy blood pressure exercises successfully here to lower your blood pressure and boost health…

And if your cholesterol level is too high, learn to bring it down to normal by cutting out this one ingredient you didn’t even know you were consuming…

This post is from the High Blood Pressure Exercise Program. It was made by Christian Goodman Blue Heron health news that has been recognized as one of the top-quality national health information websites. 

This program will provide you the natural high blood pressure treatments, natural recipes to cook healthy meals and useful strategies to build a healthy diet with the aim to help you to maintain, stabilize and get your blood pressure down in minutes permanently and naturally.

To find out more about this program, click on Lower Your Blood Pressure and Boost Health

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Fight Inflammation with this Daily Morning Turmeric-Lemon Drink


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Fight Inflammation with This Turmeric and Lemon Morning Elixir

Starting the day with your morning routine may suit your needs just fine. A bit of yoga, maybe meditation, a shower, a healthy breakfast with organic coffee, and then out the door.

Does this sound familiar? If so, your morning routine is already exceptional. But we have a mighty elixir that can compliment your regimen wonderfully.

You may have heard that warm lemon water will get those pipes working in the morning and optimize your health. You may even drink warm lemon water with Himalayan salt, or warm lemon water with honey in the morning.

However, have you heard of warm lemon water combined with honey, cinnamon, and the most essential ingredient to this morning elixir, turmeric?

If you have yet to try this one, you may be missing out on an excellent way to begin your day. All-natural lemon and turmeric are especially powerful ingredients that boast a wealth of beneficial properties.

Lemons offer a tasty, tart flavor with many health-promoting properties. According to a study published in the Chemistry Central Journal (2015), lemons possess a treasure trove of natural metabolites.

The study authors state, “Citrus fruits exhibit plentiful bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antimicrobial and anti-allergy activities, as well as cardiovascular effect, neuroprotective effect, hepatoprotective effect, obesity control, etc.”

Lemons are indeed a healthy ingredient to enjoy at the beginning of the day. However, when you couple lemon with turmeric, your health and wellness benefits increase significantly.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a yellow-orange spice that is part of the ginger family. Native to tropical South Asia, turmeric is well known in traditional Asian medicine and cuisine. More recently, its health benefits have been recognized in Western medicine.

According to a study published in the Journal of Nephropathology (2012), “Turmeric, a neglected Asian traditional drug might reemerge as remedy and/or preventive tool for various illnesses including different type of cancers, obesity, type-2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, CKD [chronic kidney disease] and ESRD [end stage renal disease], which are steadily increasing globally, claiming many lives and tremendous amount of resources worldwide.”

One active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has been the focus of several academic studies.

Curcumin may alleviate inflammation: According to research from the Department of Stomatology at the University of California, San Francisco, curcumin possesses anti-inflammatory properties. The research, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2004), found that curcumin, “may exert its anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of a number of different molecules that play a role in inflammation.”

Curcumin’s anticancer potential: Curcumin may play a vital role in cancer prevention, according to a study published in BioMed Research International (2014). Previous research has highlighted curcumin’s antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumor properties, according to the study, which concluded, “Curcumin, a vital constituent of the spice turmeric, is an alternative approach in the prevention of cancer.”

Therapeutic applications of curcumin: According to a review study published in the AAPS Journal (2013), “curcumin has shown therapeutic potential against a number of human diseases,” including multiple types of cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, peptic ulcers, psoriasis, H. pylori infection, Alzheimer’s disease, acute coronary syndrome, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and respiratory tract infections.

Tip: I would highly suggest always making sure to take turmeric with a source of FAT… taking turmeric with fat greatly helps your body absorb it. So you could add a splash of MCT oil (coconut based) or even olive oil to this daily drink concoction to help your body absorb it better …

Turmeric and Lemon Morning Elixir

Recipe by the Alternative Daily

All-natural lemon and turmeric are especially powerful ingredients that boast a wealth of beneficial properties.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 of a lemon, squeezed for juice
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 cup warm water, and/or coconut milk (the coconut milk adds healthy fats, and helps absorption of turmeric)

Instruction:

Mix the lemon juice, turmeric and honey into your cup of warm water or milk. You will want to stir these ingredients well. Add cinnamon on top and continue to stir your morning elixir as you drink it — this will ensure that the turmeric does not settle at the bottom of your cup.

Watch this video – My Top 3 Anti-Inflammatory Drinks for WEIGHT LOSS + INFLAMMATION

Written by The Alternative Daily

Author Bio:

The Alternative Daily seeks to inform, encourage and empower readers to make healthy choices that will positively impact individuals, families and our planet.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Posted on

Here is Why Fat Doesn’t Really Make You Fat


Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Let’s address the absolutely ridiculous idea that fat makes you fat.

If fat made people fat, wouldn’t anyone who ever consumed lots of extra virgin olive oil (like in the traditional Mediterranean diet) be morbidly obese? Or what about the Inuit, who consumed a very high fat, low carbohydrate diet? Using this logic, they would have been larger than anyone in the United States today, despite current obesity rates being as high as they are.

The problem doesn’t lie in fat, but rather in sugar and refined carbohydrates. Take, for example, the following debate, which occurred in 2011 and consisted of high-ranking professors and researchers from Harvard University and other top schools in the United States.

Here is one of many passages which completely debunk this outdated and ridiculous concept.

“Total fat doesn’t matter, nor does saturated fat seem to. The traditional Diet-Heart paradigm is based on ecologic studies, biomarker studies, and animal experiments. These are best for hypothesis generation, not solid conclusions.”

This is a quote from Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H, who is one of the most well respected minds in the world of nutrition and health.

As can easily be seen, suggesting that fat of any kind is unhealthy is both foolish and inaccurate. There are, unquestionably, certain fats that are problematic.

However, when we see any kind of information come out suggesting that fat is bad for you, it is usually based on a flawed studied or inaccurate and/or biased interpretation of the results.

The Evidence

For example, we see many studies which claim that “high fat feeding promotes the metabolic syndrome.” However, what one must do in cases such as these is look at the actual studies to determine what the diet actually consisted of and what type of animal the study was performed on (human, rat, mouse, etc.)

If one is unfamiliar with the scientific literature, they may be shocked to learn that nearly 100% of these studies consist of diets that are not at all what one in the health world would consider a “high fat” diet.

Gone are the almonds, heart healthy extra virgin olive oil, avocados and other staples like coconut oil.

Instead, many of these studies feed their subjects ridiculous concoctions of “food.”

Here is what one actual high fat diet consisted of: powdered Purina 5001, hydrogenated vegetable fat, with casein, L-methionine, AIN-93 vitamin mix, and AIN-93 mineral mix.

Before we get into just how ridiculous and unhealthy this “food” is, here is the actual table for the study, in case one wants to research this further.

The Details

Let’s start with the Purina 5001 and what it truly is, because last time I checked, you couldn’t buy that “food” at a Whole Foods or farmer’s market. If we go to the actual website for this diet, we find that Purina 5001 consists mainly of: ground corn and dehulled soybean oil.

For those extra curious, there are over 30 total ingredients (none of them much better than the 2 main ones) and they can all be read here.

So, we are starting this “high fat” diet with ground corn and soybean oil. Hmm. Okay. Then we are adding hydrogenated vegetable fat, dairy (casein), an amino acid, and a vitamin mix, along with a mineral mix. Does this look like a high fat diet that anyone in his or her right mind would consume? I didn’t think so.

Is There A Bias?

Where are the avocados, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, etc.? Where are the quality, wild caught or grass-fed, sources of protein? Where are the quality sources of carbohydrate? Exactly. They’re all missing.

This is like saying you are consuming a nutrient-dense diet – all the while you’re actually eating at McDonald’s. It simply makes no sense, is inaccurate, purposefully misleading, and dangerous to those who don’t review the scientific literature carefully.

By the author’s own words, around 17% of total fat in this “diet” was trans fat (!). They then go on to state that “this diet was used because of the more pronounced obesity it has produced in rats in our laboratory than have several commercial high fat diets.”

Does anyone else see the problem here? They know, going into the study, that by using this monstrosity of a “diet,” the rats (who aren’t humans, by the way) will get obese. So, what exactly is the point of their study?

Any scientist can run a study and then claim that “high fat diets promote the metabolic syndrome.” This is especially true if feeding the subjects trans fats and not basing the diet on anything resembling an actual high fat, low carbohydrate diet.

If one were to, instead, look at human, high fat, low carbohydrate studies, they would find very different results.

The Reality

Take this study, for example, which followed (human) subjects over 12 months and compared a low fat diet with a high fat diet. The results?

“The low-carbohydrate diet was more effective for weight loss and cardiovascular risk factor reduction than the low-fat diet.”

So, when performed on actual humans, eating actual food (not rat chow), a high fat diet, over the period of 12 months, resulted in more weight loss than a low fat diet, as well as besting the low fat diet in the following categories:

  • greater decreases in fat mass
  • better ratio of total-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
  • better triglyceride level
  • greater increases in HDL cholesterol level

Well that seems to contradict all of the propaganda of high carb, low fat diets, now doesn’t it? Maybe the problem isn’t the fat, but rather the carbohydrates. Mind blowing, I know.

The specific problem is sugar. And even more specifically, the problem is hyper-palatable food and fructose. This is a problem that is killing not just our health, but also our economy.

All Fat is Bad?!

To bring the ridiculous nature of this problem to an even further front, if fat was bad, why would we be supplementing with fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) every day? Why would proponents of these low fat diets tell us to eat nuts, which are loaded with fat?

Perhaps it’s because the problem is the kind of fat, not the actual fat. Furthermore, there are essential fats. These are ones that your body cannot produce endogenously.

However, there are no essential carbohydrates.

Surprised? I’ve used but 3 small examples in this argument today and yet I think it is blatantly obvious that anyone touting the benefits of a low fat diet is beyond confused and is, quite frankly, scientifically wrong.

Those not consuming fats quickly run into a multitude of problems, especially cognitive. Too many carbohydrates in the diet cause a multitude of problems and they also make it very easy to over-consume calories, resulting in obesity.

The Bottom Line

So what to eat? Well, a nutrient dense diet consists not only of healthy fats but also quality sources of protein and good, starchy, carbohydrates. A little bit of fruit can be good, as well. Vegetables are your best friend, and help not only with cognitive and heart health, but also with cellular functioning and weight maintenance.

Any diet that contains lots of vegetables, quality sources of protein, and healthy fats, will be ideal. Note that what is not included are trans fats, processed foods, liquid calories, excess sugar, and anything made by man and not by nature.

The ideas and concepts behind a healthy diet aren’t complex, but sticking to one can be. There are many stressors in modern life and many around us are completely unhealthy and addicted.

Whether it’s to alcohol, caffeine, sugar, or stress, those in the world that are addicted can be so oblivious to what is actually healthy that they simply just live in denial until a disease or health condition makes it too late to act.

But you don’t have to live that way. Start today. Right now.

Change your unhealthy habits. Get rid of any things in your life that are causing you grief, stress and unhappiness. Whether it’s a friend who drains you, a romantic relationship that isn’t really worth it, or a job you are terribly unhappy in.

Life is too short to live in a sick, addicted state. A simple, healthful diet can help turn everything around. And a simple, healthful diet contains many healthy fats.

Watch this video – Adam Ruins Everything – Low-Fat Foods Are Making You Fatter | truTV

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

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