Do You Know How You Can Be More "Toned"?

By Caleb Lee

If you want to look more "toned" more muscular and more "ripped" every day then read this article.

People (women mostly) say they want to be more "toned". Meaning they don't necessarily want to build more muscle mass, but they want the muscle that already have to look more in shape, toned, and defined.

How most people screw up making an effort to get "toned"

A number of people completely screw this up. They make an effort to get in shape by "going for the burn" when training. They do this for the reason that

1. Someone told them heavy weights make you big

2. Their muscles feel and look toned when they "Feel the burn" when exercising with high reps.

Here's why you shouldn't "go for the burn" when working out if you want to get toned

The Burn is lactic acid buildup

The reason you feel hard during and after the 'burn' is the same reason a corpse is stiff. Your muscle fibers are like mouse traps-they go off by themselves, but need energy to be reset to contract again. A dead body is out of ATP, the energy compound that relaxes the muscles, that's why their muscles are permanently contracted.

A high rep workout exhausts ATP in your muscle and leads to a temporary hardness very similar to what happens to a dead body. But you probably don't want to be dead, and yet you still want to be toned. The solution?

Real Muscle Tone - Tension

To get lasting tone, you need to train your nervous system to keep your muscles half flexed when you are relaxed. This is what muscle tone is-residual tension in a relaxed muscle! The kind of tension that comes from neurological activity, and not energy exhaustion.

Increased muscle tone is not a physical transformation of your muscle. It is the result of the nervous system being more alert. It keeps the muscles partially contracted all the time.

Strength = Tension = Tone

Strength and tone training is the same thing. If you learn to produce tension to achieve strength, instead of building more muscle, then the stronger you are, the harder you will be. This means you need to concentrate on strength training to get that the body of your dreams. Max tension - max strength.

For Females

* Want buns of steel? Extreme, high-tension deadlifts work your butt WAY more than butt squeezes, 'fire hydrants', or similar silly moves popular in 'muscle sculpting' classes

* Want toned abs? Heavy, high-tension deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, ab wheel routines, planks, etc force your abs to generate high tension

* Want toned, sleek, sexy hips and thighs? Deadlifts, squats, and other full body movements done with high tension, heavy weights are the ticket.

For men:

* Want a Big Chest and Shoulders? Heavy, High Tension Overhead Presses and Bench Presses will get you there

* Want a barnyard back? Weight Pullups and Bent over Rows to build those lats

* Sculpt a killer six-pack? Squats, Deads, Overhead Squats, Overhead presses, Ab Wheels and planks like the ladies

* Want big arms? Heavy presses and other overhead work.

You Can Go Into Strength Training Without Getting "Huge"

Here's how you strength train without getting bulky: keep the number of repetitions at a low level. Then you will get stronger, harder, and more toned without getting any bigger. Keep the total number of reps short for every workout. A general rule is 10 reps or less. So two heavy sets of 5 would work with the major exercises.

If you want to get big, and build muscle: Lift more volume during your workout. Keep the reps low though so you're still able to lift with maximal tension and build more strength. 5 sets x 5 reps as an example for each major exercise.

So there you go. If you want to build a hard body with muscles of steel - lean, hard, energized physique. As well as sculpt a killer six-pack, then you need to build strength. - 17273

About the Author:

For more info on muscle buidling and nutritional supplements visit the author's informative websites.

The Evolution of Authentic Mexican Food

By KC Kudra

Mexican food is popular all over the world and for great reasons. There is such a variety when it comes to Mexican dishes. You can taste combinations you never have before. Many people appreciate the great Mexican minds that created popular Mexican foods. The foods thrill our taste buds, the smells excite our minds, and the looks please our eyes, enrich, and inspire our souls.

A lot of Mexican food today is based on the traditional Mexican recipes from thousands of years ago, when the Aztecs and Mayas first made them. Some exotic and authentic Mexican food recipes include spider monkeys, rattlesnakes, and iguana. These ingredients are not unheard of but few modern Mexican recipes include them and you will not find them in Taco Bell!

In addition, Mexican food evolved more when the Spanish colonists arrived, bringing new cookery ideas, methods, and different ingredients to incorporate in existing Mexican food dishes. Chili pepper has been a staple ingredient in Mexican recipes for thousands of years and is still very popular. Some Mexican dishes, especially those originating from the Yucatan and Vera Cruz, have a Caribbean influence. Other Mexican dishes, such as bolillo, have a French influence. Bolillo is a popular Mexican bread.

Mexican foods provide many health benefits if they are prepared correctly. There is, however, a lot of difference between traditional Mexican recipes and the modern equivalents. Taco Bell does not use authentic Mexican recipes. America has altered these traditional recipes and added fats to make them appeal to the American palate and preservatives to keep them fresh for longer. This obviously has an impact on the health benefits. Traditional Mexican dishes are rich in fresh ingredients such as garlic, onion, tomatoes, and peppers, which are all very good for you.

Foods differ in the different regions of Mexico. It depends on the climate and geography of the area along with ethnic differences. Northern Mexico is known for its dishes that contain meat, while in Southern Mexico, dishes popular include vegetable and chicken. Seafood is commonly served in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Vera Cruz is a Mexican state that is very long and tropical with lowlands that runs up and down the Gulf of Mexico. It is easy to get fish such as red snapper, snook, grouper, and mojarra. Mojarra is a prized fish in the area. Crab, lobsters, and oysters are abundant.

As well as the ocean, over forty rivers run through this state. There are many types of shellfish and freshwater fish available. These seafood recipes are prepared in different ways. Seafood can add a different taste to popular authentic Mexican recipes and it is a very healthy part of the diet.

It is fascinating to realize that Mexican food differs all over Mexico and it is great fun to try new flavor combinations. With such a colorful history, Mexican food will always be popular and the number of Mexican restaurants springing up all over the world is a testament to that. The more you know about the history of Mexican food, the more interesting it will be to cook and taste a variety of Mexican food recipes. - 17273

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Looking for traditional Mexican recipes with a real authentic Mexican recipes flare try our selection of classically inspired Mexican dishes.

Hazardous Weight Loss Methods

By Ricardo d Argence

The world today promotes the super thin as ideal and perfect body types. It does not to fit into that ideal body type as the thing is only more than 80% of the world. That leaves many people feeling like failures, and sometimes this leads people to go to drastic measures.

Today some would do just about anything to be thin, resulting in the fact that many if not most are killing themselves in pursuit of that perfect thin body. Too often, these practices may lead to developing what is known as an eating disorder.

In the pursuit of the perfect bodies some people abuse laxatives to rid their bodies of unwanted calories. The problem is that the body has already absorbed the calories and the only resulting weight loss is from loss of fecal matter and fluid, which will return within a day or two. The return of fluids will result in the person feeling the need to use the laxatives again.

Repeated us of laxatives when unneeded can result in the end user not being able to go to the bathroom without the use of them. Ultimately, laxative misuse may result in permanent injury to your bowels and possible fatality.

Another often used process is throwing up, a person may force themselves to throw up manually by sticking fingers down their throat or chemically. Syrup of Ipecac is a favorite among people with this type of eating disorder, what they don't know is that the normal use of this chemical is poisoning. It causes the user to immediately regurgitate everything in their stomach.

This practice puts a body under enormous stress, and contributes to irritation of the esophagus and erosion of tooth enamel. The chemicals can cause complications as well. Ipecac syrup has been linked to potentially fatal complications such as erratic breathing, an irregular heartbeat, and heart attaches.

Another method for fast weight loss is the use of diet pills or diuretics. There are several kinds of medications that are used in weight loss. They include diet pills, which can increase your metabolism, control food cravings, or both. Diuretics function by eliminating excess fluids from your system. A lot of these have gotten FDA approval, but that doesn't mean they are a completely safe option for weight reduction.

There are always some type of weight lose pills on the television or at the store. But you never know what they will do to you. So you have to really read the warning signs on the bottle. Make sure you read all the side affects that it could have if you took the pills. But there is nothing that works better than just simple exercise and watching what you eat.

By following safe weight loss methods you can lose weight and enjoy a healthy life. - 17273

About the Author:

Do you want the best Weight Loss Program in the World? Don't look anymore... We Have Ranked 100's of Diets and Come Up With the Fabulous 5! Servidores Dedicados

Cholesterol Blood Test - Why You Need One

By Adrian Fletcher

When you are at your doctors office for the next medical check-up, inquire about getting a cholesterol blood test if it has never been done before. This will help to assess if there are some lifestyle changes you need to make to maintain good health. After you attain a certain age, testing for cholesterol and other medical tests are done at regular intervals to keep you fit and as healthy as possible.

The results of the cholesterol blood test indicate to your doctor whether or not your cholesterol is too high and whether you need to make changes in your lifestyle or eating habits to correct this condition. If it is too high, the most common first treatment step is a change in diet and an exercise program, followed by prescription medication.

Your cholesterol levels are significantly affected by your food intake. If you desire to improve or stabilize your cholesterol numbers, eating properly is crucial for this and for your overall health. However, you don't need to give up your favorite foods. It is helpful to seek help from a dietitian who will assist in developing a diet plan for you that will decrease your cholesterol levels and maintain them at healthier ranges. You most cases it is a simple case of portion control and switching certain ingredients.

If you are attempting to lower your cholesterol, there are many tasty foods available to you, and many different ways you can prepare them to maximize their nutritional value; finding healthy ways to eat the foods you love the most will help you stick to your diet and will help you get the best results.

You will be amazed at the vast array of cookbooks, online recipe columns, informative magazines, and heaps more available to you to help you prepare healthy, low cholesterol foods. Good, cholesterol friendly cookbooks will give you extensive lists of foods and just as importantly, teach you how to prepare them. Learning how to plan and prepare heart healthy, low cholesterol meals can be challenging and fun, and learning this new skill will help you incorporate these good habits into your lifestyle.

Your family's cooperation and support with your heart healthy cholesterol lowering diet will be paramount in your success. With their cooperation you will be able to clean your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer and replace all the foods that have contributed to high cholesterol with new, delicious, heart healthy choices. The changes you make could well have benefits for your family too if they eat some of the meals you prepare.

Within a few months of implementing your new habits, your health care provider will want you to have a new cholesterol blood test. A regular cholesterol blood test is the best way to ensure that your new habits are having the desired effect of lowering your cholesterol levels; if you are not making sufficient progress, you might need to make some additional changes. In addition to the test results, the way you feel will also indicate that you are moving towards a healthier lifestyle. - 17273

About the Author:

Find out more about getting a cholesterol test and what to expect of a cholesterol home test .