What is Tabata?

Among the multitude of workouts that are available to people out there, there are a few
that stand above the rest as innovative and effective routines. CrossFit was one of the
first in a crop of brand new workouts that took the fitness world by surprise and created
an entirely new niche. As time has marched on, more people have been asking for
workouts that challenge and excite them. This demand grew, and a new high intensity
interval training was developed. One of the most popular workouts in this group is called
Tabata.

Tabata History

Scientist Izumi Tabata and a group of his peers studied two groups of athletes and
documented their aerobic and anaerobic progress over a fixed period of time. After
observing the differences between one group performing at moderate levels of intensity, 
and another group performing at high intensity intervals they discovered that they
second group was already performing quite a bit better after only 6 weeks. This second
group became the scientific foundation on which the Tabata method was built.

How It Works

Today, Tabata is quickly becoming one of the most well-known workouts in the high
intensity interval training category. It uses eight rounds of high intensity sets in a timed
interval of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, to achieve fast and pleasing results. 
Whichever movement or exercise you choose, to be properly done Tabata style, you
must do that one exercise and go as hard as you can for the designated intervals for an
entire 4 minutes. This is far more challenging than it sounds and that intensity will take
you out of the game for a bit afterwards. In fact, itís even been said of Tabata, that if
youíre not completely exhausted after youíre done, then you didnít do it hard enough. 

Important benefits

Essentially, one of the biggest benefits of the Tabata workout, is that you donít need to
dedicate a lot of time to get your fitness in a day. Since the workout only take a total of 4
minutes, you have your entire day ahead of you. To keep things interesting, it would be
very easy to switch things up and make sure that you have something different to focus
on each day. You can even do a Tabata workout along with a short normal intensity
workout and achieve extreme results. 

Try out Tabata when you want a short, intense workout that burns a lot of fat and calories.

---

What is the Green Tea Diet Plan?

Eating and dieting these days do not usually involve your favorite beverages like green tea and coffee. But this is not always necessarily the case. With some bit of planning and a lot of discipline, your diet plan and weight regime can include your morning cups of coffee or green tea.

South Beach Diet Plan

An idea formulated by Dr. Agatston, the South Beach Diet plan is not low-carb, nor low-fat. According to its originator, the South Beach Diet plan teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats.

This diet plan is comprised of three phases Banishing your Cravings, Reintroducing Carbs, and A Diet for Life. Using artificial sweetener and low-fat milk in your coffee or green tea during all three phases is one way to go on losing weight without having to give up your brewed cup. Going decaf with your coffee might also be a good idea since the objective of this diet is maintaining even insulin levels. If you're a green tea drinker, then there is less worries for you. Green tea contains only very few amounts of caffeine.

The Zone Diet Plan

The Zone Diet plan was developed by Barry Sears, a former biotechnology researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This diet plan is based on the maintenance and consistency of insulin levels. Because this diet plan also concerns itself with insulin control, the issues that arise are handled similarly as that with the South Beach Diet plan. Taking decaffeinated coffee and green tea is all right as long as these beverages don't spike up your insulin. The eating program of the Zone Diet plan requires you to use artificial sweetener and low-fat milk in your coffee or green tea.

Blood Type Diet Plan

The Blood Type Diet plan is a weight loss regimen where the foods you eat are based on your blood type. The eating program of the Blood Type Diet plan is more restricted compared to the South Beach Diet plan, the Zone Diet plan, and the Atkins Diet plan. For instance, for people with blood types A and AB, coffee is highly advised. But for those with blood types O, adding coffee to the Blood Type Diet plan should be avoided. Green teas on the other hand are acceptable for any blood types. However, adding natural sweeteners like sugar, honey, stevia, or maple syrup in green tea should be avoided in this diet plan.

Sugar Busters Diet Plan

The name of the diet plan says it all. Subscribers to this diet plan are highly cautioned against sugars. Coffee and green teas are perfectly fine but only use artificial sweeteners.

Atkins Diet Plan

Another low-carb diet plan variety, the Atkins Diet plan works best with caffeine-free coffee and green tea. For best results, artificial sweeteners in your green tea and coffee are advised to keep your carbs down.

Paleolithic Diet Plan

Also called the Stone Age Diet plan, this diet plan is based on the consumption of simple, unprocessed foods that our Neanderthal ancestors would have eaten. This diet plan is perfect for green tea drinkers. Green tea is simple and 100% natural steamed dried leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. If you're a coffee drinker, you might be in for a tougher choice since you might have to give up coffee all together with this diet plan. Sugars in green teas are still a big no-no, especially the refined kind.

As you can see, there are plenty of options available to help you with your diet plan, and enjoying the benefits of green tea is a great place to start.

---

What Is The Mediterranean Diet?

In 1993, the Harvard Medical School released the results of research that studied the diets of those countries bordering on the Mediterranean. Their findings suggested that fat and carbohydrates were NOT the main culprit in obesity and heart disease, but rather that the RIGHT fats and carbohydrates should be the base for a healthy diet. The study pointed to low rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease throughout the region as proof of their contention. 
  
Exactly what is the Mediterranean diet and can it help you lose weight? There actually is no 'Mediterranean' diet - it's a compilation of the way that people in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea eat. Despite the differences in actual specifics, all of those studied based their diets on the same proportions of food groups and calories, and all included olive oil as their main source of fat. In fact, their diets contained far more than the recommendations made by the USDA - 40% rather than the 30% recommended for most healthy Americans. Still, the evidence was irrefutable. Therefore, it must have been the KIND of carbohydrates and fats that make the difference. 
  
The Mediterranean diet consists of the following guidelines: 
  
60% Of Total Carbohydrates From Grains, Fruits And Vegetables 

Those include whole rice, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grain breads and cereals, polenta, pasta (made with whole grain, not refined white flour) 
  
Sparing Use of Red Meat, Fish And Poultry

The typical adult Mediterranean consumes about 15 ounces of red meat and poultry per week. Another 5-15 ounces of fish per week account for the bulk of their meat protein intake. Compare that to the typical American diet which might include a 1 pound steak for dinner one night, a 1/2 pound chicken breast the next, and on and on. 
  
Olive Oil

Olive oil is not a miracle oil. It is, however, mono-unsaturated - a good fat. Mono-unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol rather than raising it, and are healthy ways to add fats to your diet (and yes, even though we think of fat as a dirty word, your body does need some, or it can't use many of the vitamins you feed it!) 
  
The other important component of the Mediterranean lifestyle was activity. The typical Mediterranean day includes walking rather than driving, physical activity in the fields or the home and recreation. Physical activity is vital in helping the body to lose weight, and to maintain your new weight once you reach it. 
  
The secret to losing weight with the Mediterranean diet is to base your meals on healthy carbohydrates - leafy green vegetables, brightly colored vegetables, whole grains and meals. Use meat sparingly - no more than 3-6 ounces per day. Derive dietary fat from vegetable sources or from fish oil. Exercise regularly to rev up your metabolism. The Mediterranean diet isn't a weight loss regimen. It's a new way of eating that will help you reach your goal weight and stay there when you get there.

---

What Is The South Beach Diet?

The South Beach Diet was developed by cardiologist Arthur Agatston to help his patients lose weight and maintain a healthy diet for a lifetime. It is designed in phases, like the Atkins Diet, with different eating recommendations in each phase. All phases have the same underlying philosophy, though. Weight loss and maintenance depends on establishing a balanced diet that avoids 'bad' fats and carbohydrates. 
  
The proponents of the South Beach diet claim that you can lose weight and maintain the weight loss without counting calories, weighing portions or depriving yourself of good-tasting, satisfying foods. This is accomplished by cutting out empty, high-carbohydrate foods like sugars, potatoes, rice and white bread. Each phase is specially designed to accomplish a particular goal. 
  
Phase I: Adjusting your Metabolism

In Phase I, you eat three meals and two snacks daily, eating until you are no longer hungry. The phase lasts two weeks, during which time your body will shed 8-13 pounds. 
  
These items are not allowed during Phase I: bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, sugar or alcohol
  
Phase II: Weight Loss

The aim during Phase II is to lose weight, with loss averaging 1-2 pounds per week. During this phase, you will gradually add the restricted foods from Phase I back into your diet, but you will eat less of them. The daily diet on Phase II should consist of: 
  
All the protein you want
Minimum of 4 1/2 cups of vegetables
Up to 3 servings of fruit
Up to 3 portions of starch
1 1/2 cups of milk/dairy (including yogurt) 
3 tbs. fat
  
In real terms, a typical menu for a meal on the South Beach Diet might include something like this: 
  
1 grapefruit
2 scrambled eggs mixed with Monterey Jack cheese and salsa
1 slice of whole grain toast
Decaffeinated coffee or tea, fat-free milk and sugar substitute if desired
  
The eating plan recommended by the South Beach Diet emphasizes low carbohydrate foods, restriction of sweets, processed starches, white sugar and 'unhealthy fats', and all the protein you want. It specifies minimum amounts of low carb vegetables to be eaten daily that are remarkably close to the recommendations made by the USDA and the American Diabetes Association. 
  
A key concept in the South Beach diet is the Glycemic Index. Foods are ranked on a scale of 1-100 according to their Glycemic index - the amount by which they raise blood sugar levels after meals. The focus of your diet should be on foods low on the GI level, such as yogurt, cucumbers and broccoli and whole grain cereal, while avoiding those high on the GI scale such as white bread, potatoes and pretzels. 
  
In addition to the above, the South Beach Diet offers the following guidelines: 

* Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water and other decaffeinated beverages per day (excluding fruit juices) 
* Limit your intake of caffeine-containing beverages to 1 cup each day
* Take one multivitamin and mineral supplement daily
* Take between 500 and 1,000 mg of calcium daily
  
Phase III: 

The lifetime maintenance plan is nearly identical to the weight loss phase, with more portions of foods allowed. 
  
Dr. Agatston cautions that patients being treated for diabetes, impaired kidney function, pregnancy or other chronic illness should consult their physician before embarking on any weight loss regimen.

Weight Lifting Tips For Beginners

Men everywhere are turning towards fitness in attempts to improve their appearance and quality of life. Have you been thinking about beginning a trying a weight lifting routine, but are unsure about where to start? Even it it has been a long time, or you have never tried weight lifting, there are a practically never ending well of resources that can help you to get started. In this article we will be looking at a few easy weight lifting exercises for beginners. 

Lifting Etiquette

Most of us aren't fortunate enough to own a fully equipped workout room, so it's very likely that you will have to obtain membership to a gym of some kind. This means that you will be sharing space with a lot of other people so to prepare you for this, it will be important to learn a few tips about gym etiquette. 

• Always bring a towel with you. This is to wipe down equipment so it can be ready for whoever uses the equipment after you.

• Be sure to return any equipment you use to the state in which it was found.

• Don't spend excess time resting in equipment that has people waiting for use.

• Leave cell phones off of the gym floor, as it can be distracting to other patrons..

Mistakes To Avoid

Now that you know what some of the rules of etiquette are, it's time to focus on safety. If you aren't careful, poor lifting technique can cause serious injury. 

• When lifting avoid swinging or throwing the weights around. This can put a strain on joints that culminate in injury.

• Don't go through reps too quickly. Going too fast can reduce the effectiveness of a lift. Most of the benefit comes from engaging the muscle groups in a slow and controlled manner.

• The recommended rest period is between 30 and 90 seconds, so anymore than that can diminish the effectiveness of your workout.

Start Slow

Also make sure you start slow and easy with any new weight lifting regimen.

• It is easy to go straight to 50 reps like your gym neighbor is doing, but are you sure you can handle this much on your first day?

• There is nothing wrong with starting at 10 reps using low weights, then gradually increasing it as you go along. This helps to avoid injury and burnout.