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Top yoga poses to reduce arm fat

There are mornings that you get up and you have a surprise waiting for you! I practice yoga and meditate because I feel good. I have few yoga poses on my YouTube channel. But I’m not a yoga teacher by any means! So imagine my surprise when the 101YogaStudio team told me that they had included me in their article “The best yoga poses to reduce fat on the arms”. I can only say: Namaste, I will continue practicing!

Please, read this interesting article and encourage yourself to practice some of these yoga poses that, without a doubt, will bring you many benefits.

Top yoga poses to reduce arm fat

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How to fix rounded shoulders

how to fix rounded shoulders

Rounded shoulders are a common problem nowadays that affect a lot of people. In fact, if you’re reading this, there’s a very good chance that you have rounded shoulders.

Today we´ll learn how to fix rounded shoulders through stretching and exercise. It’ll take time to fix your shoulders, don´t expect to correct them just in a couple of sessions.

What causes rounded shoulders?

Rounded shoulders are typically caused by: 
  1. Poor posture habits like looking at computers at work or at school, or looking down at smartphones and computer tablets. Any activity that causes the body to look down and forward for long periods of time can contribute to slumped shoulders. Over time this postural adaptation causes the muscles and fascia to get shorter in the front of the chest. This continuous bad posture results in muscular imbalances between the muscles that pull the shoulders forward and the muscles that pull the shoulders backward. When we slouch, the shoulders roll forward and the neck follows suit, craning ahead of our bodies. This shortens the muscles of the chest and weakens the scapular (upper back) muscles, setting the stage for a hunchback appearance.
  2. Sleep posture can leave you achy if you’re not properly positioned. If you’re a side sleeper, use a pillow that keeps your spine aligned by supporting your head so that your neck isn’t held at an awkward angle. Also, when you lie on your side, your top knee drops, pulling down on your back, so place a pillow between your knees to stay aligned.
  3. Focusing too much on certain exercises: the most popular exercise in the weight room is the bench press. Those whose workouts focus on the bench press at the expense of other muscle groups are susceptible to having rounded shoulders due to the overdevelopment of the pectorals and the anterior (front) deltoids, muscle groups that when they contract can pull the shoulders forward. while neglecting the upper back.
Besides presenting an unhealthy appearance, there are many serious medical conditions that can result from having rounded shoulders. In the short-term, round shoulders cause chronic tension on the infraspinatus and teres minor, making these muscles more susceptible to injury. Another characteristic of round shoulders is decreased mobility in the shoulders, increasing the risk of shoulder impingement and even dislocations. In the long-term misalignment of the cervical spine increases the risk of osteoporosis and disk degeneration (cervical osteoarthritis).
Stretch the muscles that are tight and to strengthen those that are weak will help correct rounded shoulders.

Test to determine if you have Rounded shoulders

  1. Stand up in normal posture in front of a mirror.
  2. Keep your arms relaxed by your side.

If your  palms are facing backward  it may indicate that you have a tight chest and a weak upper back.

how to fix rounded shoulders

If this is the case, and you  have rounded shoulders, then you need to stretch tight muscles:

  • Pec major/minor
  • Subclavius
  • Subscapularis
  • Latissimus dorsi
  • Teres major
  • Upper trapezius
  • Serratus anterior
and you need to strengthen weak muscles because they are not pulling the shoulder back into a neutral position:
 
  • Mid/lower trapezius
  • Rhomboids
  • Posterior deltoid
  • Rotator cuff

Here´s what we´re going to do to fix your rounded shoulders:

It is important that we first release tight muscles to enable the shoulders to be re-positioned correctly.

Stretching

Aim to practice these stretches for 30-60 seconds:

If you have completed all of the above exercises, your shoulders should be feeling much more flexible. Now, you need to strengthen the muscles to keep your shoulders in the correct posture.

Perform 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions of each exercise. Rest one minute between sets.

Now that you know the formula for how to fix rounded shoulders, remember that it can take time to correct them. Just as rounding them didn’t happen overnight, it will likely take some time to correct them.

Any questions? Leave me a comment down below.

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Top fitness tips to succeed this year.

Top fitness tips to succeed this year

It’s the second week of the new year and I think it’s time to offer some of the best fitness tips to succeed this year. According to statistics some have already abandoned. Do not throw in the towel so soon because this is a long distance race.

Set your goals

Many people skip this part and unfortunately, it is key. First of all, reflect on what you want to accomplish and why you want to do it. Paint a clear picture of your objectives and of what drives you. Write out three or four sentences with what your goals are for the year. Keep the language simple and avoid words like “hope,” “maybe,” and “try.” Instead, use words like “will” and “must.”
Read out loud these two sentences and feel the difference:
A: “I hope to lose 30 pounds and maybe workout 4 times per week.”
B: “I will lose 30 pounds and I must train 4 times per week.”
The second statement is much more assertive and is a more powerful message. 
Your goals should be realistic but it doesn´t mean you shouldn´t be ambitious. W. Clement Stone wisely said:
Top fitness tips to succeed this year

And Bruce Lee reminds us:

Best fitness tips
Consider shifting your mindset from goal orientation to path orientation. You are on a journey to get fit. You set your goals but you still have to walk the path. Enjoy your journey and refer to your objectives often to remind why you started in the first place.

Log your workouts

There are a number of reasons why logging your workouts could be beneficial.
Progression. This is the number one reason to keep a training log. Two huge and common mistakes I see in the gym are those who increase their training volume in huge jumps, likely resulting in injury or burnout, and those who stay stagnant at the exact same weights/sets/repetitions for months and months, and wonder why they aren’t seeing any progress. The principle of progression, one of the seven main principles of exercise, states that overload of exercise should occur in gradual progression rather than in major bursts. Keeping track of your workouts will allow you to analyze your progression, as well as ensure that consistent, yet gradual gains are being made.

Motivation. Similar to keeping a food journal, logging your workouts will help motivate you to continue with your training plan. Knowing that must put in a workout before you can record reps or instead leave the page blank, can be enough incentive. Further, physically seeing the weight add up on paper is motivation to continue making progress with your training.

Keep you accountable. Training logs distinguish wishful thinking from reality. It’s easy to fool yourself into thinking you had a great (or horrible) workout, but by writing down what you did, how you felt, goals achieved, etc. this will tell the real story. Training logs keep you accountable for what you’re doing on a daily basis.

Build confidence. Athletes often take a critical view of themselves, always looking for areas that need improvement. Keeping a log of daily success forces you to recognize your progress and success, and this leads to and builds confidence.

Trial and error. After a particularly successful training cycle in the gym where you made gains, or perhaps a training cycle you struggled through. Having access to particular statistics and notes on your training will aid in building future training plans. Keeping a detailed training log enables you to better find the factors in a good or poor performance. For example, you may find your performance flattens when you get less than six hours of sleep, or that after a stressful day at work you struggle with your motivation. You can scrutinize what you have done to look for trends or patterns, so you can make any needed changes.

Training diary

The training log is your own personal history of your training and performances. It can, and should, be used to see what works and what doesn’t for you in training to meet specific performance goals. Most athletes and individuals use training logs to keep track of the basics such as the number of repetitions and weight lifted. Limiting your training log to this basic information is only scratching the surface of the potential of what a training log can really provide.
While each athlete should structure a training log to meet their needs, a good training log might include:

  • The facts of the workout such as the number of reps, weight, miles laps, weather, the time of the workout, etc.
  • Goals for the workout and the extent to which each goal was achieved.
  • How you felt, physically.
  • How you felt, mentally.
  • Hours of sleep the night before.
  • The diet the day before, especially the last meal before the workout.
  • What you need to work on in the future based on today’s results.
  • A success from the training session, i.e. what you did well or accomplished.
  • These lessons learned or reminders that can be applied to competition.

There is no single training log template that will meet the needs of all athletes. There are e-versions, pre-populated version, the good old notebook. The point, no matter what type of journal/log you use, you need to take the time to develop a training log in a format that you’ll use and will work for you. Your journal should be unique to you. Your thoughts, your workouts, your ideas are going into there. It should fit YOU.

Practice patience and celebrate small successes

Take your workouts week by week or even day by day. Look at Day 1 and focus only on what you have to do that day. Tomorrow you should only be focusing on Day 2. Keep your mind from wandering and letting the overwhelming future lead you astray. So focus on today.
Many people give up on their resolutions within the first seven days because they don’t see the results they want and grow discouraged. 
I think it’s because they don´t notice the small signs of success, the small wins. If you’ve never trained before and followed through for two weeks, that should be recognized. Also, huge results take time. It’s about keeping track of small wins. You may not lose those 10 pounds quickly, but if you lost 2 pounds, then you’re 20 percent closer than you were before, and you are on the right path. That’s great! 
Appreciate the small improvements you’re making, because without them, the big improvements won’t happen. As long as you look forward, figure out how to overcome the obstacles and commit to being the best you can possibly be. Each day you finish, you get one step closer. 
Fitness tips

Get yourself help

What Kris Gethin, The Rock and J-Lo have in common? They all have trainers (actually, Gethin has three.) 
Recently, the Rock posted a photo of himself in “movie-shoot-ready” shape, explaining that it took 18 weeks of extremely disciplined diet and exercise (he travels a lot so will often be found working out at 2:30 AM somewhere).
Also notice in his caption: He has an entire TEAM of people devoted to supporting him.
It’s the Rock’s FULL TIME JOB to be in shape. People pay him money (a lot of money) to be jacked, and then an army of other professionals is along for the ride to make sure he does it.
Regular people often think that:
 
  • this is a realistic outcome for an average person.
  • that they could a pro fit level eating and exercising into a normal life.
  • that they need to do everything themselves, and
  • that there’s something wrong with them if they can’t do everything themselves.
It doesn´t work that way. This is not a normal life or outcome.
No knock on the Rock, but do you think he (or anyone else) would stay on such a strict diet and training schedule if he wasn´t getting paid to be jacked? If he didn’t have a team helping him?
He has kids and a wife. What if he was just a regular dude with a commute and and high-stress job with long hours, and had to mow his own lawn?
 
Don’t know where to start? Just want someone to tell you what to do? There will be plenty of moments with self-doubt, and having the right people in your corner can mean the difference between success and another year of looking back, wishing that you’d achieved your goals. You don´t have to do this alone. Having a trainer will help you stay motivated, hold you accountable, and give your best day in and day out.

Follow these simple tips and make this year your best EVER!

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Superfoods List – Boost Your Inner health and Outer Beauty

superfoods list

Whether you are looking for ways to keep your skin glowing or you want to maintain your health, eating the right food is the best option you can take. The food that you eat determines your overall health. If you are healthy and your whole system is functioning well, it will be reflected through the condition of your skin. This is why you have to choose the foods that are beneficial to your body.

To help you start a healthy diet, here is a list of superfoods you should have in your table:

Avocado

An avocado is tagged as a superfood because of the different benefits that it can provide to the body. It contains vitamins A, B complex and vitamin E. Aside from that, you will also get fibre, magnesium, lecithin, potassium and sterolin from this food. With its amazing taste and its anti-inflammatory features, you will certainly get a well nourished skin. And not only that, avocado also contains omega 3 fatty acids that are good for the heart. So hurry up and add avocado to your meal now.

Berries

If you are looking for the best source of anti-oxidants, go for berries. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in anthocyanin, flavonoids and resveratrol. Aside from its anti-aging properties, it also have regenerative properties that is good for the whole body. If you are looking for the best natural food, you can consume a handful of berries and you will certainly feel satisfied with what you have eaten.

superfoods list

Broccoli

Broccoli is a green superfood  that is rich in vitamins C and K. It is also an excellent source of folic acid and potassium. It is known as one of the best superfood because of its properties that can help build collagen and is very helpful in forming the bones and the body tissue. One of the best things that broccoli can do to your body is to protect it from the damaging effects of free radicals that cannot be avoided at times.

Beetroot

The best thing about beetroot is its properties that can help bring and recover oxygen to your muscles. It is also a great natural food for the elimination of toxins from the liver and blood. So, if you are looking for the best way to detoxify, you can just consider making beetroot juice. Aside from those that were already mentioned, beetroot helps boost strength, strengthen digestion and it also lowers blood pressure. This is great for people who want to lose weight.

Dark Chocolate

 Eating a small portion of dark chocolate daily can be beneficial to you. This is a fact that is backed up by scientific evidences. Dark chocolate is a powerful source of antioxidant and it can help you improve blood flow. Aside from that, it can also protect you from the risk of heart disease. So, instead of eating junk food and stuffing yourself with unhealthy food during your snack time, why don’t you just get some dark chocolates.

Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit is low in cholesterol and trans fat. It is high in fiber and it is healthy for the heart. With its high potassium and vitamin C content, you can be sure that you will get the best benefits for your body, heart and skin.

Fish (the oily variety)

Fish is known as one of the healthiest food because of the different nutrients that it contains. With its protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D content, you will surely get incredible benefits for your body and brain.

Green Tea

Instead of having unhealthy beverages, you should go for green tea. This is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that have incredible benefits to your system. Aside from enhancing your brain function, it can also help in lowering the risk of cancer. Most importantly, it is a great beverage for people who want to lose weight.

Nuts and Seeds

Peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios and walnuts are just few of the nuts and seeds that are powerful enough to provide the needed vitamins and minerals for the body. Walnuts are known to be effective in reducing the risk of heart related diseases.

Oats

This is one of the incredibly nutritious foods that you can eat with fruits. It contains soluble fiber and antioxidants. It helps in controlling blood sugar and it is recommended for people who want to lose weight.

Quinoa

If you are the type of person who is gluten intolerant, quinoa is a great food for you. Aside from its high protein property, you can also be sure to get the amount of amino acids you need. Quinoa is higher in fiber compared to other grains.

Spinach and kale

Kale contains nutrients that can help you deal with different health problems. Its fiber, calcium and antioxidant content can help improve your body. Spinach on the other hand is one of the most nutritious green that you should add to your regular diet.

If you want to achieve holistic health, you should consider looking at the benefits of the food that you are eating.

Josh

Josh

Josh is a writer who loves to write articles on health & fitness. He is always involved in fitness. He believes health is wealth and to stay healthy, and for that, we need to have green superfoods along with detox drinks!