Archive for September, 2009

Sep 30

Fitness and Free Printable Exercise Logs



One of the top goals for many individuals is to become a healthy and fit individual. Many will need a way to keep track of calories and food, personal fitness goals and accomplishments. Keeping track of your fitness plans can be an easy task with the help of a free printable exercise log. An exercise log can be used by anyone from the person who has been exercising for a while to the person who is just beginning. When many start a fitness routine, lack of motivation is usually a big problem. A free exercise log can provide you with the visual you need to help keep you motivated, which can help you to continue to strive towards your goals.

A free printable exercise log can help you to remain focused and on task so that you don’t get sidetracked. Remaining focused is key to accomplishing fitness success and a exercise log to write down your fitness information can assist you with your efforts. An exercise log is a great way to hold yourself accountable. Holding yourself accountable to your workout can help you to follow through with your short term and long term goals. When beginning a fitness routine people often find that it is very difficult to stay committed to their exercise regime. Commitment is a necessary component when trying to achieve any type of fitness goal and with this exercise log you can stay committed to your workouts.

Free printable exercise logs can be found online and is an excellent way to look at your overall accomplishments. Being able to take out an actual visual that can show where you began when you started your program and where you are now is a great way to monitor your progress or lack of progress. When you are able to do this it can allow you to make needed adjustments to your routine. Being able to make adjustments to your routine is a way to improve your fitness methods. This log saves you the time and effort of trying to remember everything related to your personal fitness.

A free Printable exercise log can also be used as an inspirational tool for others. Friends and family can benefit from seeing your triumphs and setbacks and become motivated to began their own quest for fitness success. The type of information that a log can contain is a record of workouts, weight, body fat, muscular endurance, cardio, food intake, day of exercise, time spent on exercise etc.. You can have your exercise logs custom made to better fit your personal and individual needs. When you choose to have your log custom made, you have a greater sense of control over your success.

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Posted in Health And Fitness

Sep 30

Food List for South Beach Diet – Progressing Through The 3 Phases



The South Beach Diet is one of the favorite diet programs for people who would like to lose weight. Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, has formulated it. It is claimed that the food list for South Beach diet can help you lose weight from 8 to 13 pounds in the span of two weeks. This two-week span is just for the first phase of the program.

Principles of South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is a diet that focuses on the intake of carbohydrates and fats. The diet has three stages. Each stage is called a phase. The first two phases introduces the gradual changes in your diet while the third phase is the diet that you will use for maintenance after going through the first two phases.

The South Beach Diet is a program where you are allowed to eat three meals a day with two snacks in between the meals. It aims to transform your eating habits from eating bad carbohydrates to eating good carbohydrates.


Phases of the South Beach Diet

As previously mentioned, the South Beach Diet has three phases.

Phase 1 is the start of the program. The Phase 1 stage will run for two weeks. During this span of time, you are allowed to eat three times a day with regular servings. Your food will not be measured at all. But in this phase, all forms of carbohydrate are not allowed. There will be a total absence of carbohydrates for a span of two weeks.

The food list for this phase includes meat like chicken and turkey – ensure that these meats are skinless. All meat should be lean meat like tenderloin and sirloin. Peanuts and pistachios nuts are also acceptable. Fishes, any type of it, are also acceptable.

Eggs and cheese plus oils like canola and olive oils are also allowed in the Phase 1 diet. Green vegetables like salads, cucumbers and broccoli are permitted. In addition to these, make sure that you drink lots of water to help in the metabolism of fats.

On the other hand, the following are excluded from the food list for this phase: red meat like rib steaks or honey-baked ham; dairy products other than low fat cheeses – examples are yogurt, ice cream, whole milk, low-fat milk and soy milk; vegetables with pure carbohydrates, such as potatoes, corn and carrots. All types of fruits, alcohol, starchy foods and sweets should also be avoided. Starchy food includes all pasta, rice, oatmeal and bread. Sweets, on the other hand, include candies, ice cream, cakes and cookies.

Phase 2 Food List

Phase 2 stage is a breather as compared with Phase 1. Under Phase 2, the goal of the program is to reintroduce carbohydrates. This time, you are only allowed to eat good carbohydrates. There are some people who stay longer than two weeks in Phase 1 but it is not recommended.

Phase 2 of the South Beach diet has a slower rate of weight reduction. It will only take off 1 to 2 pounds per week. There is no definite span of time for this phase. You can stay in this phase for as long as it takes to reach your ideal weight.

The foods that are allowed on this phase are the same with the foods that are allowed in Phase 1, plus some that are added. The additional Phase 2 food list for South Beach diet includes: fruits and milk, which are fat-free, like non-fat milk and soymilk. In Phase 2, you are allowed to eat whole grain starches and barley. A little alcohol is allowed, in the form of red wine.

Others carbohydrate-rich foods are also allowed but should be taken moderately. These are potatoes, carrots, beets and refined wheat baked goods. Fruits like bananas, watermelon and pineapple can be eaten sparingly.


Phase 3 Food List

This phase is for weight maintenance. This phase can last for a lifetime if you wish. Once you have achieved the weight that you desire, you will now just continue your current diet program.

For this phase, all food categories are allowed, but make sure that you only eat foods with good carbohydrates and with low glycemic index. Refrain from eating processed foods that contain lots of bad carbs and bad fats.

The food list for South Beach Diet is not that difficult to implement and this diet program is one of the most feasible among the many diet plans out there. You will just have to adhere and follow the restrictions to be able to maintain the weight that you have been dreaming of.

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Posted in Dietary

Sep 24

What Are The West Nile Virus Encephalitis Symptoms?



The West Nile Virus is a potentially fatal mosquito-transmitted virus that affects parts of the USA from early summer deep into autumn. The disease was first discovered in Uganda, Africa in women in 1937 and the first diagnosis in the USA was in 1999. Since then, the virus has received a lot of media coverage, due in part to the large spread of areas in which humans can be infected. The West Nile Virus has 3 different forms. In the first stage, which everyone who is infected goes through, no symptoms are felt and the infected human will not even know they are infected. Between a fifth and a quarter of those infected progress to the febrile form of the virus, known as West Nile Fever. The unlucky few – around 1 in 150 – however suffer the severe disease of West Nile encephalitis. The encephalitis symptoms are unpleasant and can lead to death in a small percentage of instances.

Encephalitis is a general term for a neuroinvasive condition that results in an acute inflammation of the brain. The following are some of the West Nile Virus encephalitis symptoms:

-Headaches

-Neck stiffness

-Paralysis

-Very high fever

-Disorientation

-Reduced consciousness, perhaps coma

-Tremors and convulsions

-Muscle weakness

If you have recently been bitten by a mosquito and seem to be suffering any of the aforementioned encephalitis symptoms, you should certainly seek the advice and diagnosis of a doctor. Unfortunately since there is no vaccine or cure for West Nile Virus encephalitis there is not a lot that can be done if you have encephalitis symptoms. Since it is a viral infection, antibiotics are of no help since they can only battle bacterial infections. The only thing that can help the afflicted person is to be hospitalized and receive supportive treatment for the encephalitis symptoms. These include injections in their veins, ventilator support and protective action against development of secondary complications such as pneumonia.

So, if you have recently been bitten and are exhibiting encephalitis symptoms you should certainly look for medical help, especially if you are in the higher risk category – over 50 and having a weaker immune system.

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