Healthy Reasons To Drink Coffee | Benefits of Coffee


Coffee is healthy for your heart.
A landmark Dutch study, which analyzed data from more than 37,000 people over a period of 13 years, found that moderate coffee drinkers (who consumed between two to four cups daily) had a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease as compared to heavy or light coffee drinkers, and nondrinkers.


How it works: There is some evidence that coffee may support heart health by protecting against arterial damage caused by inflammation.

Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat
Did you know that caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement?
There’s a good reason for that… caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning.
Several studies show that caffeine can boost the metabolic rate by 3-11%.
Other studies show that caffeine can specifically increase the burning of fat, by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people.

Coffee may lessen your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A growing body of research suggests an association between coffee drinking and a reduced risk of diabetes. A 2009 study found that the risk of developing diabetes dropped by 7 percent for each daily cup of coffee. Previous epidemiological studies reported that heavy coffee drinkers (those who regularly drink four or more cups daily) had a 50 percent lower risk of developing diabetes than light drinkers or nondrinkers.

How it works: Scientists believe that coffee may be beneficial in keeping diabetes at bay in several ways:  by helping the body use insulin and protecting insulin-producing cells, enabling effective regulation of blood sugar;  preventing tissue damage; and and battling inflammation, a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.  One component of coffee known as caffeic acid has been found to be particularly significant in reducing the toxic accumulation of abnormal protein deposits (amyloid fibrils) found in people with type 2 diabetes. Decaffeinated coffee is thought to be as beneficial, or more so, than regular.

Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels.
This is because it contains a stimulant called caffeine, which is actually the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels into the brain.
In the brain, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
When that happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine actually increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons.
Many controlled trials in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function. This includes memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function.

Data Courtesy Via http://www.onemedical.com & http://authoritynutrition.com

What Are the Benefits of Doing Crunches?

Crunches are exercises that require you to lie on your back, tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your head and shoulders upward. When you perform them properly, they can improve the strength of your abdominals and provide a variety of other benefits. However, when performed improperly, they can trigger pain and/or injury in your lower back.

Strengthening Your Abs
 Crunches are an exercise that target your abdominal muscles. When you perform crunches and exercises such as pushups, side planks and glute bridges, you teach the muscles in this region to work in a coordinated manner. Since most athletic activities require core movements, this coordination can significantly improve your balance during organized sports or exercise, as well as in everyday life.

Additional Benefits
 Regular performance of crunches can help you tone and strengthen the muscles in your abdomen. Since you don’t need any equipment to perform them, crunches are available to you at any time, whether you’re at home, in the gym or on the road. Proper performance of crunches also makes you slow down and pay attention to your exercise technique. In addition, crunches and other core exercises provide an often-overlooked component of a full-fitness program and fit well into your existing aerobic, strength-training and flexibility routines.

Back Pain
 In addition to the muscles at the front and sides of your abdomen, crunches and situps engage muscles called hip flexors, which run from your thighs to the front of your lumbar spine in your lower back. When you repeatedly perform the motions required for a crunch or situp, or perform them with improper form, you can overwork and tighten your hip flexors and produce significant symptoms of lower-back pain. If you develop pain while performing a crunch or situp, you can use side planks, front planks, glute bridges and other core exercises called standing lifts to relieve your symptoms and make crunches unnecessary.

Modified Crunches and Considerations
While traditional crunches and situps help you tone your abdomen and stabilize your core, other exercises typically do a better job of helping you achieve this objective. They include exercise ball crunches, reverse crunches, vertical leg crunches, the captain’s chair and the bicycle maneuver, as well as abdominal hollowing, pelvic lifts and pelvic tilts. Consult a certified fitness instructor to learn how to perform these exercises properly. You can also ask your doctor or a fitness trainer for more information on the benefits of crunches and other core exercises.

This Article Courtesy Via LiveStrong.com

How Long Should You Walk to Lose Weight?

How Long Should You Walk Each Day?

Walking continuously for 30 minutes or more is best for fat-burning. At a brisk walking pace, you will cover a distance of 1.5 to 2 miles or 2.5 to 3.3 kilometers in 30 minutes.

Walk most days of the week for at least 30 minutes to burn an extra 1000 to 3000 calories per week and to improve your metabolism each day.

  • A walking workout of 30 to 60 minutes at 50-70% of your maximum heart rate is recommended for walking for weight loss. Use the Target Heart Rate Calculator to find the right heart rate, which varies by age.
  • Start with walking at an easy pace for 5-10 minutes.
  • Stop and do some stretches and flexibility exercises.
  • Walk at a brisk pace at your target heart rate for 30-60 minutes.
  • Cool down at a slower pace for 5 minutes.
  • Finish with some gentle stretches.
  • For longer walks, walk 30-60 minutes at your target heart rate and slow a bit to complete 90 or 120 minutes at a comfortable pace.
  • Maximize your 30-minute walk

What if I Can't Walk for 30 Minutes?
  • Start with the Beginners Walking Tutorial or our daily Let's Get Walking 4-Week Beginners Course to build up your time and endurance.
  • If your schedule doesn't permit walking continuously for 30 minutes, break it up into walking twice or three times a day for shorter periods of at least 10 minutes at a brisk pace. Always warm up for 5 minutes at an easy pace no matter what duration you will be walking.
  • Mazimize Your 15-Minute Walk

How Long Should I Walk Each Week?
  • For weight loss, walk most days of the week.
  • Time spent walking per week should be 5-10 hours.
  • On your non-walking days, try some strength training exercises.
  • If you find yourself worn out, take a day off. But be sure to get back walking the following day.

5-Minute Workout to Lose Belly Fat at Home

Losing belly fat cannot be done with just exercise. You must create a caloric deficit daily, by reducing your calories to help burn fat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests cardio training most days of the week for 30 minutes to lose weight; however, adding a five-minute abdominal routine after your aerobic training can help you lose more belly fat. You can also complete several five-minute workouts throughout your day to banish your belly fat.


 Cardio Training
Cardio training scorches calories and promotes fat loss from your entire body, including your abdominals. The American Council on Exercise suggests that the most effective way to cardio train is to train with intervals. Interval training burns more calories than traditional cardio in a shorter amount of time. Interval training requires short bursts of high intensity followed by a recovery period. You can complete five rounds of intervals in five minutes. Choose a cardio exercise, like running high knees. Run high knees in place for 30 seconds at a high speed and slow your speed for 30 seconds. Repeat this interval for five minutes to burn calories and melt belly fat.

Pilates
Pilates was created to elongate and strengthen the muscles of your body. You can create lean muscle in your midsection and lose your belly with Pilates training at home. Pilates moves like the scissor kick and rollups are all designed to tighten your midsection. Scissor kicks are performed lying on your back with your neck relaxed on the floor. Lift your legs up, allowing your toes to point to the ceiling. Slowly lower your right leg until it hovers above the floor and lift it back to center. Slowly lower your left leg. Alternate legs, completing three sets of 20 repetitions. Complete rollups by beginning on your back with your legs extended and your arms above your head. Slowly lift your arms up and roll your back up off the floor, using the strength of your abdominals. Let your hands touch your toes, folding over your body and slowly lower back down.

Yoga
Yoga can also help define your midsection. Yoga uses your own body weight for resistance, allowing you to build strength in your core. The "Yoga Journal" explains that poses like plank and side plank can help develop the obliques, transverse abdominals and the rectus abdominus. Hold each yoga pose for 30 seconds and build your way up to a minute with proper form. Complete a plank by beginning at the top of a pushup. Your hands are directly under your shoulders and your back is flat. Draw your navel in and hold your pose. Begin your side plank by starting in plank pose. Slowly transfer your weight into your right hand and right foot and stack your hips. Hold this pose, keeping your abdominals engaged and hips lifted off the ground.

Considerations
Consider monitoring the foods that you eat when trying to lose belly fat. You can exercise, but if your diet is high in calories, you may not see any results. Choose to consume foods that fuel your body and keep you feeling full, which prevents overeating. Lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables are encouraged. Processed foods, fast food and soda should be consumed less often.

Courtesy LivingStrong

Exercises That Burn 1000 Calories a Day

Burning 1,000 calories a day is not an easy task, but with dedication and intensity, it can be accomplished. The amount of calories burned depends on a person's weight and fitness level, as well as the intensity level and the type and duration of activity. Exercising at a high level of intensity burns more calories due to energy expenditure. An overweight person burns more calories because the body requires more energy to move while exercising. To burn 1,000 calories a day, you can perform exercises all at one time or break them up into segments over the course of the day. Wearing a heart rate monitor or using a calorie burn calculator can help accurately calculate calories burned.

Running

 Running burns a large amount of calories in a short amount of time. According to Prohealth.com's Exercise and Activity Calculator, a 150-lb. person running at 6 mph (10-minute mile) burns approximately 1,022 calories in 90 minutes. Increasing speed burns more calories in a shorter period of time. The same person can burn 1,020 calories in 60 minutes running at 9 mph (6.5-minute mile). Running stairs burns 1,020 calories per hour.

 Jump Rope

As one of the highest calorie-burning exercises, jumping rope burns about 11 calories per minute. Varying speed and increasing intensity while jumping can burn up to 20 calories per minute. Prohealth.com's Exercise and Activity Calculator estimates that a 150-lb. person jumping rope at a moderate level (140 revolutions per minute) burns 1,022 calories in 90 minutes. Jumping rope at a fast pace (180 to 200 revolutions per minute) burns around 1,020 calories in 75 minutes.

Biking

Calories burned while bicycling depends on intensity and terrain. The amount of calories burned will differ when riding a stationary bike versus an outdoor bike. Based on Prohealth.com's Exercise and Activity Calculator, a 150-lb. person bicycling at a racing pace (16 to 19 mph) for 75 minutes burns about 1,020 calories. Biking 14 to 15.9 mph (vigorous effort) burns close to 1,022 calories in 90 minutes.

Courtesy livestrong

How To Get Your Legs Stronger To Jump Higher

Anytime you work your legs, you have the potential to build strength to propel you higher in your vertical jumps. Targeting the right muscles makes this more effective, but you can't stop there. Practicing some explosive jumping moves helps train the leg muscles to work together, increasing the strength of the upward-thrust so you can reach your jumping goals -- even if you only need them on your driveway basketball court.

Step 1
Target your jumping muscles, such as your quadriceps, hamstrings and the gastrocnemius and soleus in your calf, during your normal leg workout. Perform lunges, squats, calf raises to build strength in these muscle groups.

Step 2
Add weights to increase the intensity of your leg workout and build additional strength. Use a barbell when you squat and perform calf raises and dumbbells when you lunge, for example. When performing a farmer's walk with weight plates or dumbbells held by your sides, walk on your toes instead of on flat feet to build your calves.

 Step 3
Incorporate plyometric training, which builds strength while conditioning your leg muscles to work together as you jump. Plyometrics employs fast, powerful moves to build jumping strength. Perform jump squats, where you raise your arms and jump as you lift out of each squat, for example, or do tuck jumps, in which you jump quickly eight to 10 times in a row while trying to bring your knees up to your chest. Another option is lateral leg hops -- jumping from side to side using only one leg.

Step 4
Add water resistance. Doing basic jumps in a pool can help build your jump height, or try exercises such as bounding, in which you jump forward on one leg at a time -- almost like an exaggerated run. Try other plyometric moves such as the squat jump, making sure the water isn't so deep that it goes over your head as you sink into the move. Pool plyometrics can result is less soreness and joint pain than plyometrics on land, according to Ohio State University.

Things You'll Need

 Barbell
Dumbbells
Weight plates

Courtesy Live Strong

Handmade Resin Bracelets Preserve Flowers For Eternity -

You know how a flower folded and pressed inside a diary or a book has an eternal and timeless beauty to it? 


That same beauty was put to use by Sarah Smith, the artist based in Oregon who’s behind


 She uses pieces of bark, flowers, leaves etc, to make bracelets and bangles out of resin.


This technique allows the vegetation to be preserved inside for a long time and it looks raw and natural and so it also looks beautiful.


Feathers, flowers, seashells all preserved inside a crystal shape is a sublime sight. And it takes quite a while to prepare a piece.


Sarah says it takes her 2 to 3 weeks to make one and despite that she also takes custom orders to make bracelets from bark and shells people send her.



Courtesy Via http://www.thescienceworld.com/