Green Tea – Helps you to lose belly fat and much more

Losing belly fat is not simply a cosmetic issue. Abdominal fat - also known as central obesity - is associated with increased risk for heart disease, hypertension, insulin resistance, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Diet and exercise are the main weapons in the battle of losing abdominal fat, but an article in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition gives us another option on how to shave a little more to the midsection area: drink tea.

Catechol is the antioxidant found in tea. Previous research has suggested that the catechol in tea could reduce body fat and weight. This study was a step further to look at the effect of weight loss in catechol-induced exercise.

All studies involved 132 participants in an exercise program of at least 180 minutes a week. Half of the group drank a tea drink with catechol. This group tended to lose more weight and decreased abdominal fat.

In statistical terms, the results were not significant. They rather showed a trend or a suggestion of the advantage. Kao Corp., a Japanese company whose product line includes some teas, funded the study.

However, another newspaper article demonstrated the association between green tea and reduced risk of breast cancer. Add this to previous studies showing that green tea reduces the risk of heart disease and the only question you could ask is: Why am I drinking this soda instead of green tea?

If you brush your teeth after drinking to avoid staining, there is no disadvantage of drinking tea. The price for a cup of tea brewed at home runs about 12 cents. This is an economic and healthy indulgence.

Four Tips To Flatten Your Tummy

Summer is approaching and more people are beginning to worry about their physical appearance. The belly is the first thing that stands out from a swimsuit and shows ugly on the beach or pool.

One of the areas of our body to focus our fitness efforts is the abdomen. There are mistaken beliefs about how to permanently solve the problem of the "abdominal fat". Having a flat stomach, toned and well marked is not the privilege of a fortunate few. Everyone can have a lean flat stomach with no fat, it's just a matter of committing themselves to a plan that addresses all the factors involved for that to happen. Sometimes people wonder how taking two months doing tummy exercises have not lost any tummy flab. The reality shows that if you perform hundreds of repetitions of abdominal exercises has little benefit and generates more harm than good (eg thicker abdomen and back pain). Today we can recover our abdomen and define it in just 8 weeks of training (2 months), provided we follow an overall fitness plan and not doing just tummy exercises alone.

It is necessary to clarify in advance that if you have any health problems (in the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc..) Or muscle (tear, stretch, contraction, etc..) you should consult with a physician before doing any exercise .

Remember that a person who seeks only to lose belly by starving themselves or using slimming products with rich diuretics, they never achieve the results they want. The combination of a lean diet, aerobics, abdominal work and drink lots of water will give us the desired results in a short time, always according to the consistency, determination and dedication.

THIS IS THE PLAN:

1. Balanced diet: One of the most important aspects to eliminate the "abdominal fat" is the daily diet you follow. There is a need for a balanced diet that includes all the necessary nutrients for the body. Avoid fried foods, chocolates, alcohol, desserts, sweets and excessive consumption of red meat. Whole grains, skim milk, fruits, vegetables, legumes and a limited consumption of chicken and fish should form the basis of your daily diet.

2. Regular aerobic physical activity: Many believe that only with the abdominal exercises you can remove the fat in this area. This is an error, as only a supplementary aerobic activity will help you burn belly fat. With 25 minutes three times a week is sufficient, although up to 40 minutes is better. The ideal activities are: cycling, jogging (jogging or running), swimming or aerobic exercise (such as steps or aerobox)

3. Tummy Exercises: Abdominal exercises are essential for muscle toning and firmness. No need to spend long hours training, and a few minutes spread over 5-7 sets is more than enough. I recommend abs every day except Sunday (used as a day of rest). The key is continuity rather than quantity. With eight weeks of continuous training, the belly is just a thing of the past. To keep the abdomen toned, the training must always be consistent (beyond the 8 weeks).

4. Drinking water: The daily consumption of water is a natural aspect that should not be neglected. Recommended 2 liters per day (about 8 glasses) to eliminate toxins and purify the body. Unlike other beverages, water only produces benefits for the body. However, drink adequate water away from meals (at least 30 minutes before or after eating), during and after physical activity, always in small sips or drinks and no large quantities at a time, try not to drink too late at night to avoid getting out of bed to go to the bathroom.

Simple Fitness Tips to Follow When you are at work

Exercising while you are at your office would certainly be beneficial for your health. However, your work is most of the times not the proper place for doing any kind of exercising for obvious reasons. There are however some simple tips that you can follow during office hours:

• Park your car a little farther away from work in order to walk to and from the building. You will soon see a difference in your silhouette even from the first week.


• When talking on the mobile phone make sure to walk or stand up instead of staying on your office chair.


• Use the stairs instead of the elevator. If, however, you work on the top floor of the building then use a combination of both stairs and elevator. Doing so will help your cardio system.


• If you need to ask something your boss or your colleague, prefer to get up from your seat and go to their office. The e-mail or phone are precious but when these are used extensively they increase your ... weight!


• Every hour do a short break to stretch your limbs and walk. You will feel much better and then you will have more energy for work.


• If your work is close to a gym, do not hesitate to subscribe. It will be probably the best move you will ever do as your energy and productivity will be enhanced.

Flatten your Tummy with Aquasize

A swim at the local pool is refreshing when the weather begins to warm up. This gives the added benefit of providing the opportunity to work the muscles of your tummy. The pool is an amazing place for exercises designed to flatten the tummy region due to the natural resistance provided by the water. There is less strain placed on joints since aquasizing is low-impact despite the water providing increased resistance. The next time you visit the pool give the following tummy exercises a try. Any new exercise routine should be discussed with a physician before being begun and try to avoid injuries with the performance of a proper warm up.

The jump and dig is the first tummy exercise you should try in a pool. This set consists of two moves one for the lower body and one for the upper body. The abdominals are worked with the second move and the oblique with the first move. The water you are in should come over your belly button but below your chest as you are standing in the pool. Place your feet a good distance apart to work the lower body which includes the abdominals, and jump up to bring your knees to the surface of the water and down again. To achieve the correct form you should picture a frog while performing the exercise. Bring both your hands and make a scoop at the top of the water to begin working the upper body. Put the scoop below the top of the water and scoop off to the side and up. Work the obliques on both sides by alternating sides. Perform the two moves for three minutes each separately to begin with. After you have acquired experience with the exercises, you can work both sets of tummy muscles by performing both exercises at the same time.

The resistance of the water can be increased with the addition of water gloves as you gain endurance and strength. The tummy exercises can be performed faster meaning more repetitions can be completed in the three minute time period. The key is form. Form should not be sacrificed to gain speed. It is more important to do it right than fast. Fitness goals should be set and a gradual pace used to work toward them. You shouldn’t push yourself too hard too quickly. While you might want quick results, your workout goals will be delayed if you have a serious injury. Keeping your limits in mind, start slowly and gradually build.

Here are some additional tips while the midsection is your focus. Any fitness routine must include a proper diet which is essential. Improper eating habits can completely negate a nice hard workout. In everyday life and during workouts you must stay hydrated. To get the amount of water you should drink each day take the body weight in pounds divided by two to get the number of ounces required. The body is aided in functioning at its highest level this way. Lastly stay rested. You must get the right kind of sleep in addition to getting enough sleep. You will wake up with a sore back which makes it hard to perform tummy exercises if you sleep on your stomach all night. The muscles need a chance to rebuild and rest so there should be off days incorporated into the routine. You now have a great start for a flat, toned stomach.

Exercises to Reduce Tummy Fat

There are an enormous amount of people that want to see a reduction in their tummy size since the midsection is an area that causes lots of problems to people. To help the process, there are some incredible tummy exercises to compliment the amazing start a balanced diet gives you. The tummy exercises below are designed specifically to help with the reduction of belly fat which reduces the size of the tummy. This makes them ideal. Give these exercises a try when you start out since they are aimed at beginners. You can move onto something more challenging after mastering these. It is vital to move slowly and keep control so momentum doesn’t take over. Be sure to speak with a professional prior to beginning a workout routine and perform a correct warm up to avoid injuries.

Vertical Leg Crunch
The focus of this variation to the traditional stomach crunch is on the reduction of tummy fat. Begin by lying on your back on the floor or other flat surface to start this exercise. Cushion your spine with a towel or mat. Your hands should be placed behind your head so you can’t see your elbows. With knees bent slightly and ankles crossed lift your legs straight into the air. Lift your shoulders, your upper back and head at an angle approximately thirty degrees while contracting the abdominals. Don’t lift your body with your hands or lead it with your head.

Long Arm Crunch
Your knees will be bent and your feet being flat during this exercise which you perform while staying on the floor. You want to lie back and stretch your arms straight back on the floor like you would when reaching above your head. Slowly lift your head, shoulders and arms to a thirty degree angle above the floor as you contract the abdominal muscles and hold. Then slowly lower the shoulders toward the floor and repeat for until you have done a complete set. Keep your arms straight beside your head to prevent leading with them.

Reverse Crunch
This stomach exercise is performed on the back as well with the use of a towel or mat for cushioning the spine. Turn your palms toward the ceiling and place your arms beside you. You want your knees bent slightly to form a ninety degree angle as you put your legs in the air. Your hips and torso should form approximately a ninety degree angle as well. The knees should be as straight and unbent as possible. You want to feel like the belly button is moving closer to the spine as you contract your ab muscles. You should be lifting your hips gently from the floor simultaneously. With legs extended directly upward raise your hips up a few inches and hold before releasing. Now lower your hips to the floor slowly and repeat for a complete set.

Exercises To Get a Flat Tummy

A variety of exercises are available for achieving a flat tummy. While some just need motivation and determination along with some space on a floor to lie on, some others require special equipment or machines. Every exercise will work the stomach muscles even when focus is on the legs, arms or other areas of the body. An example of such exercises is when performing a Pilates program that exercise several muscle groups at the same time.


Many people get the desired results while performing some very basic movements. The basic crunch is the first basic exercise you should master. Crunches don’t put pressure on the back as much as sit ups, making them better for the body. Raising the upper portion of the body off the ground while lying on the back until the strain is felt in the muscles of the stomach is how crunches are performed. Making sure the work is being performed by your tummy and not the arms or head is the key to the movements. Don’t lift your head more than the back or shoulders since it is important to remain straight. There are many available resources on the Internet, in books and on videos for more detailed information on the performance of this tummy exercise movement. The side crunch which works the oblique, or love handles as they are sometimes called, is another amazing tummy exercise that should be done in conjunction with the basic crunch. The body is twisted slightly to the side but the movement is the same as a crunch. There are numerous resources available to get a more accurate description of the proper form.


People should include a variety of exercises to achieve a flat tummy and to work the entire stomach region, which includes the upper and lower section of the stomach in addition to working the dies and mid section of the abdominals. Focusing on a specific stomach muscle group won’t do a person any good. Exercises for a flatter tummy can be found on the Internet, at the library or book store and on video and several other places. A person might have trouble figuring out which exercises would be of benefit with so many options available for achieving a flat stomach. Trying several options and choosing the one that works best for you as an individual is the best suggestion to follow in this case. An exercise that worked fine for one person may be too strenuous for another. At the start, a beginner might have to focus on one movement instead of a series of movements during a workout session while someone in better shape might be able to perform a variety of exercises they can.

No exercise will work properly if performed incorrectly and inconsistently even though some tummy flattening exercises work better than others. In order to get a flat stomach a person must decide which exercise they are capable of doing and can stick with for a long time. The person may not be able to commit to an exercise that is too complicated, requires special types of equipment or takes too long to perform. Regardless of the exercise used you aren’t going to get a flat tummy overnight. It will take time, patience and dedication.