health and wellness

I have been studying and reading Louise L. Hay’s books for five years now, and I have gained an enormous amount of strength from her life teachings and lessons. Author to international bestseller, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay has dedicated her life to those seeking personal growth and self-healing. Through difficult times, she has offered great wisdom and healing to many worldwide for well over 25 years. Today, I dedicate in extending some of her profound words of healing to Holly Fannin, who is struggling with breast cancer, and to others all over the world who are also in need. I ask everyday that our hearts be open and our prayers extend.

Louise L. Hay - Words For Healing:

• Think positive, peace-filled, loving thoughts. Every cell in your body responds to each thought you think.
• Allow the love from your heart to wash through you and cleanse and heal every part of your body and emotions.
• Be assured that every day, your body’s natural desire is to be healthy, whole, and complete.
• Feel the glorious, dynamic energy that is flowing through you today.
• Feel privileged to live in the wondrous, magnificent machine that is your body.
• Inhale the precious breath of life. It is your connection to your Higher power.
• Know that your Mind and body are in perfect balance. You are healthy and in harmony with the universe.
• Bring into your life every person, place and thing that you need for your complete healing.
• Love every organ, muscle, joint, and cell in your body.
• Release all negative thinking. Focus on the perfect state of health that you desire.
• Remember that you are never alone. Your guardian angels are part of your life and have helped to keep you healthy since the day you were born.
• Be aware that your Higher power is always leading you and guiding you. Your prayers for good health and healing are always answered.
• Make sure your internal dialogue is positive. What you think affects every aspect of your health.
• Inject a lot of laughter into your life - it’s one of the best medicines there is!
• Bless all the healers of the world with love; appreciate those in both the conventional and alternative medical worlds. They all have a lot to offer.
• When it comes to health decisions, trust your intuition. Listen to that still, small voice within because it always knows just what to do.
• Send love and healing energy to everyone in your world. You all contribute to the overall health of the planet.
• Accept the challenges and responsibilities involved in taking care of your health and healing. Know that you are always supported by life.
• Accept perfect health as a natural and normal part of your being. Send love to every area of your body.

And lastly, I offer the world peace, love and joy. To all, let us pray,

All is well in my world. Perfect health be ours today and always.

            -written by Angela Doss

Legumes are vegetable plants that have pods with tidy little rows of seeds inside. These include beans, peas, and lentils. Some people consider peanuts as part of the legume family as well. Legumes are very good sources of protein and fiber and can be eaten fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Beans are the best source of folate and are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Because of their being high in fiber, they have good cancer fighting characteristics and have been especially linked to lower the risk of colon cancer. Other high sources of nutrients found in legumes are Niacin, Thiamine, Riboflavin, B6 vitamins, and much more. Additionally, they are rich in complex carbohydrates.

All of these nutrients combined, are what’s necessary for normal growth and for the building of body tissues. Beans are high in potassium which is required for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles. Just one cup of beans contains more potassium than a banana. In fact, beans have more calcium and iron per cup than three ounces of cooked meat but contain no cholesterol and is with less calories. The Mayo Clinic  provides a list of the various beans in the legume family, and offers suggested recipes on ways you can add legumes to soups and stews etc.

Why Eat Legumes?

• Low in fat
• Rich in antioxidants
• Excellent source of protein
• Good source in fiber
• Contain iron, zinc, calcium, selenium, folate, potassium, and so much more.
• Provide a low glycemic index (GI)/ glycemic load (GL)
• May help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cancer.

Vegetarians often look to legumes in which to get their daily protein from. Even for non vegetarians, they offer an alternative source of protein since legumes have such a high nutritional value, and are so low in fat, and high in fiber.

How To Cook Legumes

Legumes usually come with cooking directions on the packages of dried beans, but they are usually washed real well to remove any debris, and then are left to soak under clear water. Once done, most people boil them with plenty of water to cover, and are cooked anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending upon the bean. Some people choose to cook them slowly in a crock pot in the morning and let them go until evening. After the beans are cooked, many add their flavorings, along with any meats and/or vegetables to finish their recipe of choice. Others simply add their beans with cooked rice. Either way, they store nicely in the refrigerator for a week, and easily freeze well for up to 6 months.

Next time you are looking for a low fat and high nutritional meal - filled with protein, complex carbs, and high fiber - legumes are always a winner of choice.

        -written by Angela Doss

references:
Legumes
Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center

Legumes: Using beans, peas and lentils instead of meat
Mayo Clinic
www.mayoclinic.com

Fiber: Start Roughing It!
Harvard School of Public Health
www.hsph.harvard.edu

Protein in Diet
Medline Plus - A Service of the US National Library and the National Institute of Health

Protein is the building blocks for our body and it is required for the body’s growth, maintenance and the repairing of all cells. Protein is the major component of all muscles, tissues and organs and is responsible in the process of  metabolism, digestion, and the transportation of nutrients and oxygen in the blood. Protein is also necessary for keeping our bones, and nails strong and healthy. It also keeps our hair shiny, and our skin youthful and healthy. Protein is needed to help form the hormones for the body’s sexual development.

Essential And Non-Essential Amino Acids

The Harvard School of Public Health can provide us with resourceful information on the value of protein. Protein is made up of 22 elements called “amino acids.” When protein is consumed, it is broken down through digestion into individual amino acids and then is absorbed to be used by the body in making new ones. These 22 amino acids make up two groups: essential and non-essential amino acids. The human body can produce 14 of these amino acids called “non-essential” without the aid of an outside food source; hence, the term “non-essential”. 

The other 8 amino acids are called “essential” because these cannot be produced by the body, and therefore, must be obtained through certain foods we eat. Both essential and non-essential are imperative in order for our bodies to function properly. 

Complete And Incomplete Proteins 

Complete Proteins tend to come from animal sources such as eggs, milk, dairy products, red meats, fish, shellfish, liver, and poultry. These contain all of the 8 essential amino acids that cannot be manufactured by the body alone. Eggs are the best source of protein since they contain the highest amount of essential amino acids. Fish is the next best source and is then followed by meat, and milk.

Incomplete Proteins lack some or all of the important essential amino acids and usually come from sources such as corn, rice, beans, grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits.

Vegetarians have found ways in which to use a combination of two or more incomplete proteins, in order to supply a complete essential amino acid. For example, combining beans with rice and/or with possibly corn and milk. 

How Much Protein Should We Eat Daily?

Protein should be consumed every day, although our body does not need as much protein as it does other types of food such as carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits.

However, expert nutritionists recommend that the average adult needs 8 grams of protein per 20 pounds of body weight. This equates to 45 to 70 grams of protein daily for most adult females and males, respectively. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends that adults get 2 to 3 servings of meat and 2 to 3 servings of milk group products everyday. Low-fat selections are best. A serving of meat is 3 to 4 ounces or about the size of a deck of cards. One serving of milk is one cup and for cheese, a serving is about 2 ounces.

Try to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables and include a variety of protein-rich foods, particularly oily fish, at least three times per week which contain important essential fatty acids.

       -written by Angela Doss

Cholesterol 

There’s no denying that a healthy diet is an important defense against rising cholesterol. “If you eat a predominantly plant-based diet - with lots of fruits and vegetables plus some fish - you are on the right track to keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level,” says Lisa Dorfman, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the The American Dietetic Association .

That said, certain super-foods can actually help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL). Ideally, you want to shoot for a total cholesterol under 200, with the bad one (LDL) under 110 and the good one (HDL) greater than 35. So try to incorporate more of these foods into your daily diet:

Almonds

Studies have found that eating a quarter cup of almonds a day can lower your LDL by 4.4 percent, according to dietitian Leslie Bonci, who is also the director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Eating nuts, especially almonds, which are high in good-for-you monounsaturated fat, is better than simply eating a low-fat snack like pretzels,” says Bonci. Of course, they can also be high in calories, so stick with a small serving and choose almonds that are dry roasted without oil.

Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids are widely considered to be the best of the “good” fats, and the best place to find them in is fish - especially fatty fish like salmon, halibut and tuna. According to Dorfman of the ADA, you want to get 1.5 to 3 grams per day of omega-3. A 4 ounce fillet of salmon will give you close to 3 grams, and you can also get these fatty acids from walnuts and flaxseed (two tablespoons of flaxseed provides 3.5 grams) and in fish oil supplements. If you are looking for a change to eating salmon try this delicious Blackened Salmon sandwich that was recommended to me by a wonderful chef in San Diego, CA.

Oatmeal

A daily serving of this hot delicious cereal will provide dramatic drops in cholesterol levels. Those great results are due to the high levels of soluble fiber found in oatmeal. “The soluble fiber binds to the bile acids that are the precursor to the development of cholesterol and help flush it out,” says Bonci. It is noted that it doesn’t matter how you get your oats - instant or traditional, slow cooked.

Red Wine

A glass of red wine, which contains flavanols, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help lower cholesterol and stave off heart disease. But in this case, more is not better. “For women, the recommendation is one drink a day and for men, it’s two,” says Bonci. More than that will, literally, dilute any potential benefits. These flavanols can also be found in red grape juice and dark cocoa.

Soy

Soybeans, soy nuts and edamame, plus any products made from soy such as tofu, and soymilk, can help to reduce the production of new cholesterol. A little can go a long way - aim for about 25 grams of soy protein daily (the amount in a cup of edamame). It is noted, however, that those who are at an increase risk of breast or prostate cancer may want to eliminate it since too much soy can act similarly to the body’s own estrogen which may activate some hormone-dependent tumors.

references:
Sally Wadyka for MSN Health & Fitness
Lisa Dorfman for American Dietetic Association
Leslie Bonci for University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Many people think eating fruit and drinking fruit juices are one and the same in regards to its nutritional value, and many people just don’t see a big deal in the need to know. But the truth of the matter is; it really is a big deal. The reason for the emphasis on whole fruits versus fruit juices is simple: regardless of the fruit and regardless of the method used for juicing, the most diverse and intact collection of nutrients comes to you through the whole fruit!

What’s Missing In Fruit Juice

Whole fruit provides you with a whole lot more nutrition than fruit juice. When looking at two very important components of fruit - the skin and the pulp - it will help to clarify why there is such a big difference between the two.

Fruit Skins

The edible skins of many fruits such as apples, apricots, blueberries, figs, grapes, pears, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, and strawberries are all part of the important biological activity in the life of the fruit. The skin is one of the places where the fruit interacts with sunlight, and forms a variety of colored pigments that absorb different wavelengths of light. These pigments, including carotenoids and flavonoids, are well researched as nutrients that protect our health and nourishment. The skins of whole fruits like grapes have actually been studied for their ability to help lower risk of cancer and help provide protection from ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, when fruits are juiced, we don’t always get to enjoy the fruit’s skin. That is because many juicing processes remove the skin, and do not allow for its full benefits to get into the juice.

Fruit Pulp

In addition to the skin, which is an important source of fiber in most fruits, the pulpy part of the fruit is also a source of fiber and other nutrients. Orange juice makes a good example of the health difference when you focus on the issue of its pulp. The white pulpy part of the orange is the primary source of its flavonoids. The juicy orange-colored sections of the orange contain most of its vitamin C. In the body, flavonoids and vitamin C often work together, and support health through their interaction. When the pulpy white part of the orange is removed in the processing of orange juice, the flavonoids in the orange are lost in the process. This loss of flavonoids is one of the many reasons for eating the orange in its whole food form. Although many commercial products will say “pulp added” on their labels, the “pulp added” many not even be the original pulp found in the whole fruit, and it is highly unlikely to be added back in the amount removed.

Is Fruit Juice Unhealthy?

The answer to this question depends on how it’s consumed, and what foods it replaces. Fruit juice that has been robbed of its fiber and broad range of nutrients is basically just a concentrated source of sugar that lacks the supportive nutrients to help it digest and metabolize. Fruit juice elevates blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit, and the level of sugar that can be obtained from fruit juice is higher than the level found in whole fruit.

Additionally, many fruit juices that are sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit juice, and contain added sweeteners (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup). As a result, it is easy to consume a large amount of calories without getting any actual nutrition when you consume these beverages. Make sure you read fruit juice labels carefully! Turn over on the back of the jar or bottle, and look over the ingredient list - you may be surprised to see exactly where the fruit itself fits in!

Practical Advice

If fruit juice is the only “convenience” choice for replacing a can of soda pop, we’re all in favor of fruit juice versus soda pop. If fruits are juiced together with vegetables, the pulp is retained, and juicing allows a person to increase his intake of vegetables substantially, then we also would support this step (especially if you use a home juicer that allowed close to 100% retention of the pulp and skin.) However, in most cases, the switch from whole fruit to fruit juice can only be made at the expense of full nourishment and health.

references:
Birt, D. F.; Pelling, J. C.; Nair, S., and Lepley, D. Diet intervention for modifying cancer risk. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1996; 395:223-34.

Boss, P. K.; Davies, C., and Robinson, S. P. Expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes in red and white grapes. Plant Mol Biol. 1996 Nov; 32(3):565-9.

Kootstra, A. Protection from UV-B-induced DNA damage by flavonoids. Plant Mol Biol. 1994 Oct; 26(2):771-4.

Protecting your skin from over exposure to the sun is vital as we approach summer. Most skin cancer can be avoided by paying extra close attention in making sure our skin is properly shielded from the sun especially during the hot, long summer days. Guarding your skin will also help prevent from the prematurity of wrinkles. Lord knows we all love the sun, and it always seems to bring about a cheery countenance to us all, but there are important rules to follow since skin cancer is most common, and indeed, no laughing matter.

Ways To Avoid Sun Exposure 

Obviously, the best way to avoid a sunburn is to avoid sun exposure. But knowing which daylight hours that are the sun’s most intensity is just as important. Staying out of the midday sun from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon is safest. You should always have shade available should you intend or need to be outdoors. You can also calculate how much ultraviolet (UV) exposure you are getting by using the shadow rule: A shadow that is longer than you are means UV exposure is low; a shadow that is shorter than you are means the UV exposure is high. Additionally, it should be noted to be especially cautious of cloudy days. These are sometimes the most deceiving of all since many people mistakenly think they are safe when the sun isn’t exposed, but this is quite the opposite. One can become terribly sunburned on a very cloudy day and becomes even more intensified nearer to water or on a boat.

Other ways to protect yourself from the sun includes wearing protective clothing, such as:

• Hats with wide 4 inch (10 cm) brims that cover your neck, ears, eyes, and scalp.
• Sunglasses with UV ray protection.
• Loose-fitting clothing that covers your arms and legs.

Protecting Children From Sun Exposure

You should start protecting your children from the sun when they are a baby. Their skin is most fragile, and because they spend a lot of time outdoors playing, they get most of their lifetime sun exposure in their first 18 years. Babies should avoid sun all together for at least the first 6 months; and if sunscreen is needed, a small amount can be applied evenly. In addition, it is important in teaching your children the ABCs of how to protect their own skin from sun damage.

Sunscreen Protection

Many times, sun cannot be avoided, and it is those times that sun protection factor (SPF) should be applied of 30 SPF or higher. As a rule of thumb, apply the sun block 30 minutes before going into the sun or water. Apply sunscreen generously and evenly to all exposed areas of the skin including the nose, ears, neck, scalp, and lips. Reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours while in the sun and after swimming or heavily sweating. Sunscreens come in lotions, gels, creams, and ointments.

Lip Balm

Lip Balm is very important in preventing chapped, chafed, cracked, and sunburned lips. Your lips are very sensitive and should be treated the same as your skin. There are many lip balms on the market with a high SPF, and it is highly recommended to always wear lip balm any time you are outdoors.

Tanning Beds

Tanning beds can cause wrinkles, skin damage, and increase the risk of skin cancer as well, and therefore, should be avoided. Should sun burn occur, Aloe Vera is one of the best natural remedies for its healing properties as well as for its cooling affect. Aloe Vera is also a wonderful moisturizer to apply to your skin any time after a day outdoors since the wind, sun, and heat can severely dry and crack your skin.  

There are many ways to safely enjoy the summer and outdoors if we properly prepare, and always remember to follow these crucial rules.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy summer!

       -written by Angela Doss

What Are The Benefits Of Fiber?

The benefits of fiber not only promotes overall health but include lowering cholesterol, preventing colon and breast cancer, constipation and hemorrhoids, and helps tremendously toward weight loss. Furthermore, fiber can help lower blood sugars thereby aiding in better management of diabetes. Getting around 30 grams per day is optimal.

Types Of Fiber: Soluble Fiber And Insoluble Fiber

Soluble Fiber, which can be digested by the body, dissolves in liquid and forms in a gel in the digestive tract and works to keep the rate of food passing through the system from progressing too quickly. This also helps lower blood sugar and prevents a rush in insulin and also helps to lower cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. At the same time, it allows the nutrients derived from food to be absorbed into the system before the bulk is excreted. The Harvard School of Public Health suggests we start roughing it!

Food Sources:

• Fresh fruit
• Oat/oat bran
• Legumes
• Nuts
• Barley
• Flax seed
• Psyllium husk
• Vegetables

Insoluble Fiber, which cannot be digested by the human body, does not dissolve in liquid so it is eliminated in the stool, supplying the stool with needed volume to help prevent constipation, colon and rectal cancer. As such, this type of fiber fulfills the important function in helping to keep the digestive tract free of anything that could cause a blockage. Insoluble fiber absorb liquid and expand in the tract, in order to speed the process of moving bulk through the system while cleaning the interior walls of the tract. In addition, insoluble fiber helps to move the fat out of the body. Because insoluble fiber cannot be digested by the body, it passes through the digestive tract taking along both the fiber and the fat.

Food Sources

• Whole wheat
• Whole grain
• Corn and Corn bran
• Vegetables such as green beans and green leafy vegetables
• Fruit skins and root vegetable skins such as potato skins etc.
• Seeds and nuts

Both sources of fiber are needed as part of a healthy daily diet as each type of fiber provide specific functions and specific health benefits. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are needed to maintain the proper functions of the digestive tract, and makes a huge impact on your overall health. So be sure to include these in your daily diet and allow fiber to aid in your weight loss program as one of its added benefits.

        -written by Angela Doss

references:

Fiber: Start Roughing It!
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/

Marlett JA, et al. Position of the American Dietetic Association: health implications of dietary fiber.
Jounral of the American Dietetic Association 2002; 102(7):993-1000

We all strive for flatter and more defined abdomens. We know how hard we work for them, but do we really know how to get them? Let’s start by looking at the most common myths and facts about abs so that we can learn the truth about abs . Then we can understand how better to achieve them.

The Most Common Myths And Facts About Abs Dispelled

Myth: Fat always deposits in the abs.

Fact: The fat in your body will deposit where it is genetically programmed to.

Some people are apple shaped: they put on flab around the waist, chest and back first. Others are pear shaped: they put on flab first on the hips and thighs. Upper body fat is unhealthier as people with upper body fat have more chances of heart disease than people with lower body fat.

Myth: Spot reducing abs is easy.

Fact: You cannot spot reduce those abs!

Myth: Abdominal exercises will remove fat in my midsection.

Fact: You need to remove excess fat around your stomach in order to see your abs. The only way you are going to do this is with a low-calorie diet and a weight-resistance program while adding cardio exercise. Ab exercises will develop muscles, but they’ll still be hiding under a layer of fat until you lose the body fat.

Myth: You have to train your abs everyday.

Fact: The rules of weight training state that you should give your muscles at least a day of rest to recover, and this applies to your abs as well. Instead of working them everyday, do them every other day or even just three times per week. They need a break just like the rest of your body parts. The trick is to train them hard though.

Myth: Doing ab exercises gets rid of abdominal fat.

Fact: There is no such thing as spot reduction. People assume that if you have fat deposits on your abdomens, exercising the muscles underlying the fat will make it go away. But they assume wrong. You can’t get rid of the fat over a muscle by repeatedly exercising that body part. The only way to burn fat from your tummy is through prolonged exercise and a healthy, low calorie diet.

Myth: High repetitions are required to make gains.

Fact: As stated earlier, abs are just like every other muscle in your body. That means, you should train your abs the same way as the rest of your muscle groups. To make strength gains with your abs, you have to overload your muscles.

Myth: If you have a bad back, training the abs will worsen it.

Fact: Training your abs will strengthen your back. The opposing muscles in your body always assist each other. So if you have weak ab muscles, the load of the work fails on the back. So strengthen the abs, and your back will become stronger as well.

Myth: Men and women should train their abs differently.

Fact: Men and women all have the same muscles and should always be trained the same way. If a woman wants a firm midsection, then she’s going to have to eat correctly, follow a cardio program and train her abs the same way a man would.

Myth: If I stop training my abs they will turn to fat.

Fact: Muscles don’t turn to fat. If you stay active and watch what you eat you’ll keep your abs even if you stop training. But if you stop exercising and start eating junk food, your abs will disappear again under a layer of abdominal fat.

So don’t waste any more time by falling victim to common ab myths. Train intelligently in accordance with scientifically based training techniques and get the super abs you’ve always wanted! As we continue to move along, we will discuss some of the best ab exercises to help achieve our fitness goals.

        -written by Angela Doss

reference:
Mike Geary, the truth about abs

Understanding Our Sticking Points 

We all know how hard it is once we’ve hit a sticking point. It can crush us emotionally and cause us to quit striving toward our fitness goals if we don’t know how to ward it off or move through and around it. This is a crucial point to be aware of, well in advanced, and to understand what to do when it happens. There are many that fall prey to its discouragement, but it is a part of any growth no matter what the arena. Trust me, I have been there, in the dumps, enough times until I finally learned what to do about it, and therefore, I will share with you some important tips to apply in order to have continued success in all your fitness goals.

Why The Sticking Points?

First of all, you must understand the body and how it works, and once you do, you will learn to appreciate the body’s operative mechanism even more. You must first realize that the body always wants to heal itself; it doesn’t want to be sickly, and believe it or not, it is not acting out against you - it merely does what it is told to do. The body is designed, and most happy, to be a fast mean running machine. It’s instincts are for the well being and to its survival based on the principles of our cave man era. Therefore, the body knows by instinct how to protect itself, to preserve itself, and how to heal itself. But the body also knows how to adjust itself to whatever demands, or lack thereof, it is placed under. The body gets use to these shifts very quickly, and thank God! If we were ill, and lay to rest, our body would immediately take over by instinct and begin to repair itself. Likewise, if we exercise or attempt to lose weight, the body will automatically adjust to its new demand and this is GREAT! But here is where the sticking points occur once the body has adjusted itself to this shift, and this is where you come in and use the mind to trick the body into doing whatever you want it to do. So next time you are upset with your body, or discouraged with its performance or outcome, look inside your mind for the answers on how to make the body respond to your demands once again. The body is the most fascinating machine to have ever walked the planet, but it’s the mind that houses its control. Simply put, the body hasn’t a mind and it only works on survival instinct or auto-pilot, if you will.

Don’t Let Sticking Points Rain On Your Parade

Have you ever noticed that when you start working out and making healthful shifts to your diet that your body responds amazingly quick, but then after about a month or so, all of a sudden, everything seems to come to a screeching halt? The scale may change a little or may even go up a pound (water retention) and you may just feel completely out of sync. Whatever you do, DO NOT STOP!! It’s like a child that doesn’t seem to be growing and then over night, literally, he springs up from nowhere. At that very moment, you can just hear their grandparents with such exclamation in their voices, “Oh my Goodness! Charlie’s grown like a weed since the last time I saw him a mere month ago!” What is happening is your body may not appear to be changing on the outside, but it is definitely making the changes inside, and this too is part of the necessary process in order to continue to make outward shifts appear. But what can we do to minimize and speed up these sticking points? A whole lot! So let’s get to it.

Tips On How To Work Through Our Sticking Points

As I have emphasized in the past, it is crucial to log everything in your daily journal. Write down the weights you chose, the reps, sets, rests, and the routine you are following. What you ate and drank etc.

After a month, completely change your entire routine. I could write a hundred ways in how to change a routine while still exercising the exact same body parts. It is endless, but crucial. But one must also understand the importance of what to do during that month on a particular routine: You must change each week using some form of ”progression” technique. This would include, as stated before, a heavier weight load, another set, perhaps more reps, or less rest periods. This is vital to your success, and including one or two of these techniques per week is optimal. Once the month is over and after having used progressive techniques each week during that month’s routine, it is time to change the program entirely, while always remembering, that with any routine, to apply one or all of the progressive techniques each week.

As far as weight loss goes, you also must do the same by shifting calories around often enough for your body to continue to respond. Give yourself a cheat day, or even two; every 10 or 11 days, and watch the weight keep coming off. Keep your body guessing, and it has no other choice but to respond. I hope this helps and good luck!

        -written by Angela Doss