Green Tea the Benefits of Health Over the past 15–20 years, a number of other research studies have been conducted to determine what health benefits can be attributed to consumption of green tea and its extracts. This research has shown that green tea has a variety of potential health benefits. These benefits include anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, and benefits in cardiovascular disease and oral health. While much of this research has been performed in vitro, and a significant amount of the research done in vivo, using animal models, this will focus mainly on studies conducted with human subjects plus pertinent information from the other types of studies. Anticarcinogenic Properties of Green Tea Cancer is currently a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Billions of dollars in research monies have been poured into cancer research over the past 50 plus years, and yet we do not seem to be any c
Get Fit
At Home Exercise And Nutrition Plan
This no-equipment workout program will help
you achieve a healthy weight and increase your overall fitness level for a more
toned and lean body. Designed specifically around these goals, the comprehensive nutrition and exercise
plans will not only help you shed a few pounds of excess weight over the 8
weeks but also make you feel healthier, fitter and more energized just a
couple of weeks after starting!
One of the main aims of the program is to
get your metabolism burning and get your cardiovascular system more active
through a balanced
diet and high intensity workouts. Exercise is a great stress reliever and this program will get
you feeling great by getting endorphins pumping in the brain.
This program requires no equipment, so you
can do it at home, in your backyard or the park. The exercise plan includes
five short but high intensity full body workouts as well as a pre-workout
warm-up and post-workout stretching routines. Each training session is under 20
minutes and you will exercise five
times a week. The selected exercises will improve your cardiovascular fitness, core strength, and flexibility, joint range of motion and upper/lower body strength.
Exercise Plan
The Program Calendar outlines the 8 week get progressively harder
and their timing
in the week is designed
to be challenging in order
to maximize your results at the end of the program. Follow
these guidelines:
Ø Try to keep the timing
of the day consistent when exercising, as getting into a routine
is very important when training and will make consistency easier.
Ø Follow the program and do your best not to
skip workouts thinking that you can double up the day after – this will cause you to
burn out, feel less motivated and will negatively impact the overall effectiveness of this program.
Ø Use your rest days wisely;
these should be active rest days used for recovery
– go for a walk and
don’t just sit in front of the television inactive, snacking on junk foods.
Ø Use the weight tracking table in the Program
Calendar along with the Fitness Test to monitor
your progress.
Ø The order of exercises in the workout
plans is left to right.
To maximize your results and avoid injury,
make sure that you are performing the exercises
in correct form. Refer to the Exercise
Descriptions section as needed.
Warm-up & Dynamic Stretches Each of your workouts will begin with the Warm-up & Dynamic
Stretching routine. A proper warm- up is an essential part of this training
program and its importance should not be underestimated.
The warm-up part of this routine:
Ø Prepares your body and mind for physical activity
Ø Raises your body’s core temperature
Ø Loosens your muscles and prepares them for training
Ø Increases
your heart rate and breathing, which sends blood and oxygen
to the working muscles
This routine also includes dynamic stretches
that are equally important in preparing your muscles for training. The stretches
will lengthen both muscles and tendons to increase range of motion
and help prevent
injuries. Perform each
exercise at medium
intensity for 30 seconds, taking
15 seconds in between
to catch your breath and get into position for the next one.
Workout
Routines
There are five high intensity workouts (A
through E) that are designed to increase in difficulty as you progress through
the program. Have the exercise illustrations handy and perform each workout
immediately following your warm-up and stretches set. Work through each
exercise at medium or high intensity
for the prescribed time, taking
10 seconds to catch your breath and get into
position for the next exercise. Remember to be well hydrated
through your workout.
Cool Down
Stretches
Follow your workout with the 4-minute static
stretching routine that will help to reduce stiffness, soreness and muscle
injury, while letting your body cool down. To stretch safely and correctly,
assume the stretch position and slowly lengthen each muscle to the point where
you just feel a slight pull or resistance. Stretching should never be painful.
Aim to hold each stretch
for 20 seconds without bouncing or
moving
Exercise Intensity
The exercise program
is based on high intensity
interval training (HIIT)
and is a great way to burn fat
during the exercise and after the session has finished. This is called the
after burn and HIIT training is a quicker method of burning fat than
conventional cardio e.g. exercising at a steady state for 30-55 minutes, 3-4
times per week.
A simple way to gauge the intensity is the
Talk Test, using the following measures:
Low intensity – You can talk and sing.
Moderate intensity – You can talk but not sing.
High intensity – You can’t say than a few words without
gasping to take a breath.
Exercises
in your program
are marked with suggested intensity – follows these
instructions to get the
most our of your session.
Training Tips
& Guidelines
Focus on starting
The prospect of a 30 minute workout or run
can be daunting, especially if you’re just starting to exercise. If you focus
on the whole task, thinking how hard it will be, you are more likely to put it
off or give up altogether. Instead, focus on starting – laying out your mat and weights
or lacing up your
running shoes. It’s much easier and once you start, your motivation will kick in and keep you
going through your workout.
When to work out
There’s not really
a “right” time of day to exercise. It really depends
on your body and what time
of day you’re at your peak. Some people struggle to get up in the morning
whereas others can hop out of bed ready for a training session.
Whichever time of day you prefer to work
out, don’t exercise for about three hours after a heavy meal (see the nutrition section
for advice on what to eat when).
Exercising right after a big meal will more likely
leave you feeling
nauseous and you may experience stomach cramps and
discomfort. If you’d prefer to work out in the morning but simply can’t find
the energy try these tips:
Get adequate rest which is vital for energy levels.
It is recommended that we get 7 – 9 hours
of sleep a night.
If you’re getting the right amount of sleep
but still feeling groggy in the morning this could be due to being in a state of ketosis from fasting during
sleep. This is when your body uses fat for energy if you aren’t eating
sufficient carbs and the result is low energy levels. Also make sure you are not lacking oxygen
during the night
(have windows open or ventilation running).
Try drinking green tea, coffee
or green juices for an energizing boost before your workout.
Nutrition Plan
The Importance of a B
Nutrition plays a vital part in any training
p and the nutrients you intake.
Your success with this training
program will require
a combination of a
controlled diet with the high intensity exercise plan. You will also benefit
from the multitude of other benefits balanced nutrition carries:
Ø More energy throughout the day and delayed fatigue;
Ø Enhanced results of your strength training;
Ø Strengthened your immune system;
Ø Improved cognitive performance such as
concentration and focus;
Ø Help in maintaining a healthy BMI.
One of the key factors
in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
is being aware of what you
are eating and how much you are eating at the same time. Knowledge is power
when it comes to weight control and is not all about cutting everything out
that you love about food; it is about
moderation, control and retraining your
brain/taste buds into substituting the ‘bad foods’ with the ‘good foods’.
The following nutrition plan is designed to
work along with the exercise program to achieve healthy weight loss of 1.5 - 2 pounds
per week, while taking into consideration your caloric and nutrient
requirements and adhering to the principle that your body’s energy needs should
be satisfied with 15% good fats, 25% proteins
and 60% carbs.
Nutrition for
a Healthy Weight
Many people in the Western world are on a
diet that is high in the wrong types of fats, high in sugary processed foods,
low in nutritional value, high in sodium and have major health risks associated
with this e.g. cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is on the increase and some of
the main culprits are hidden fats, sugars and lack of portion control.
Meal Plan
Meal Timings & Suggestions
Breakfast
Half hour after waking up
The body is in a fasted state
after about 12-14
hours of sleep.
This will have the following impact on the body:
Ø Carb reserves will be depleted
Ø Fat mobilization is slowed down
Ø The muscle will be in a mild catabolic state
Breakfast is the most important meal of the
day and is intended to rev up the metabolism and fat burning within
the body and to replenish glycogen stores within
the muscle and liver. Ideally
taken within 30 minutes of
waking up, your breakfast’s nutrient composition should be high in complex
carbs, a fast acting protein providing essential amino acids and a portion of
essential fatty acids such as flax seeds or
walnuts.
Mid-Morning
Snack
2 hours after breakfast
After a breakfast
high in complex
carbs, your body will have an insulin
lag, blood sugars
will start to dip and you may start to feel hungry. The mid-morning snack should be eaten two hours after Exercise Descriptions
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