Author: Alien.

Gel nails

Gel nails, or gel systems as they are also called, are a newer type of nail enhancement that are created by applying layers of resin to the nail; these layers combine and harden to form a solid nail. Depending on the formula a particular nail technician uses, nails are hardened with an ultraviolet curing light or under ordinary room lighting. Gel nails are among the most natural-looking of the nail enhancements - something to keep in mind if you want nails that look like your own, only longer and stronger.

Using nail tips

Nail tips are one of the oldest forms of nail enhancements. Preformed plastic nail shapes are applied to the natural nail plate with nail glue. Sometimes they cover the nail from the cuticle to the end, but more frequently they are applied midway down the nail plate. To get a smoother finish, some nail techs may apply acrylics, gel, or wraps over either the natural “untipped” nail or both the natural nail and the newly affixed nail tip. The entire shape is then sanded and filed into the length and shape you want.

Nail art

Perhaps you’re a showy type, someone who loves to express herself through her appearance. For you, a shockingly bright, trendy-colored nail isn’t enough. You want to set yourself apart from the manicured crowd. From the sound of it, you are a nail art kind of gal. Nail art is not so much a way to augment nails’ length as it is a way to enhance their appearance.

There are several ways you can dress up nails. Decals - much like the decals you got from boxes of sugared cereal, and stuck on windows or your own body as a kid - are an easy way to add whimsy to your nails. Most nail salons have a selection of seasonal (jack o’lanterns, snowflakes) as well as standard (roses, stars) designs. These are embedded in slightly sticky nail color. When nail color is dry, a swipe of top coat keeps decals secure.

Decorative nails

Nail jewelry can be expensive 14-karat gold, but it is usually made of cheaper silver­or gold-colored metals. Most nail jewelry comes in simple designs, such as initials, stars, and hearts; it is applied just like nail decals. For those with very long nails, there is another type of nail jewelry: earrings for nails. If you’re interested, your nail technician will actually pierce one of your nails and install a stud or a small hoop. Nail detailing, sometimes simply called nail art, uses extra-fine paintbrushes and several colors of nail polish, which your nail technician uses to paint scenes onto the nail. The finished product depends greatly on your nail technician’s skill as a fine artist.

About the Author:
Read more on Lipsense and senegence lipsense.

Author: Alien.

Do You Need a Conditioner? Not every hair type requires it but most of us do. Conditioner adds moisture to the hair - some of the product may even sneak under the protective cuticle layers to infuse the inner strands with a temporary surge of moisture. It lubricates strands, helping to reduce static electricity, keeping hair from getting dry and brittle, and making locks easy to brush.

Conditioner acts as a temporary spackle that fills in chinks in the cuticle layer. This keeps strands from tangling around each other as you brush and style your hair. Conditioner also forms a protective seal around hair, which forces the cuticle to lie flat - this flat surface reflects light and makes hair shine.

Lubricants and emollients are used in conditioners. They attract and lock in moisture. These can include vegetable oils, mineral oil, plant oil, and vitamin B derivatives. Proteins are popular conditioner ingredients and can include collagen, elastin, and amino acids, which are small, natural building blocks of hair that penetrate the cuticle to strengthen strands. Some conditioners contain shine enhancers such as dimethicone, which helps to smooth cuticles.

Choosing an after-shampoo conditioner

Because there is a wide variety of hair types and hair needs, there is also a wide variety of after-shampoo conditioner formulas. Sometimes called rinse-out, regular, everyday, or instant conditioners, these products are the ones you apply after every shampoo, leave on for 1 to 5 minutes, then rinse out.

Detanglers are very light conditioners. Their main purpose is to smooth strands and keep hair from tangling. Because they are not moisture­rich, detanglers are best for fine hair, oily hair, or for use whenever you don’t need a lot of moisturizing but still want hair to behave.

Body-building conditioners are great for fine, lank hair. Because they are so light, they don’t add a lot of moisture. Instead they detangle hair and leave strands looking firmer, thicker, and fuller. Balancing or normal hair conditioners are middle-of-the-road conditioners that are not too light, not too heavy. This makes them ideal for normal hair. For those of you who can’t give up your blow dryers, look for thermal formulas.

Low pH products cause the hair’s cuticle layer to clamp tightly shut, which protects the inner strand from moisture loss and creates terriftc shine. For the glossiest results, look for a conditioner with a pH of 3.0 to 3.5.

Conditioners for dry or damaged hair

Conditioners for dry or chemically treated hair are heavier than those for normal hair and take into account the special needs of moisture-starved dry or chemically treated hair. These conditioners leave a bit of residue to lubricate and protect strands.

Conditioners for damaged hair use high concentrations of lubricants and proteins to nurture hair that is fragile, frayed, ultra-dry, or injured by color, permanent waves, or relaxing services. Damaged hair formulas leave some protective residue on strands to keep locks moisturized and insulated from further damage.

Spray-on conditioners are great for those of you with dry, damaged, wavy, curly or frizz­prone hair. Just mist on craggy ­looking spots whenever needed.

 

About the Author:
Read more on Lipsense and senegence lipsense.

Author: Alien.

Combs and picks aren’t necessary for everyone: some people use them, others simply rake gently through hair with their fingers. If you are a comb or pick user, look for a model with rounded, widely spaced teeth - these are gentler on hair than pointy­tipped, fine-toothed combs. Furthermore, make sure each individual tooth is smooth, without cracks or burs that can catch hair and rip away strands’ cuticle layer. Hard rubber, hard silicone, and polished wood are the most hair-friendly materials

Brushing techniques There are two reasons to brush your hair. The most obvious one is grooming - your coif looks messy, so you brush it into submission. For this type of brushing, work gently and do as little as possible: too much brushing can upset your style: The other reason for brushing is sclap and hair health too much brushing can upset your style. The other reason for brushing is scalp and hair health. Now I realize that a bit of controversy surrounds this type of hair brushing. Some people believe the less you brush your hair, the healthier it will be; other folks claim that faithful brushing keeps the hair and scalp healthy by clearing away debris from the scalp and strands, massaging the scalp, and distrbuting moisturizing sebum through hair.

Regular brushing gives hair a natural shine and is said to create locks that are healthier, more manageable, and easier to style.

My own opinion is what I call “moderately pro-brushing.” Through experience I’ve found a thorough brushing not only makes my hair look prettier, it dissuades oil from pooling around my roots and lifts dry flaky skin cells off my scalp. The best time to give your hair a thorough brushing is right before you hit the shower. I’ll admit this is a bit arbitrary so if you want to give yourself a thorough brushing in the middle of the day or before going out at night, go ahead. However, be aware that intense brushing loosens dead scalp flakes, which gives your hair a “dandruffy” look. Also, if you have wavy or curly hair, an in-depth brushing can create an electric, high-frizz finish. (Now you see why I like to hit the shower after brushing!)

Handy hints

You’ve been brushing your hair for years - do you really need someone to tell you how to do it? Maybe not, but I’m nonetheless going to tell you what I’ve picked up from several dozen hairdressers. Before you whip out the brush, take a wide-tooth comb or use your fingers and gently go through the ends of your hair to remove tangles, knots, snarls, and so on. Bend over at the waist. Start at one ear and, working around the neckline, brush in long strokes from scalp to tip.

I do not believe in giving tresses 100 strokes a day - after all, too much of any good thing can, with time, create damage. Each section needs only two or three “rake-throughs” before you move on.

After you’ve finished working the neckline, remain bent over and separate your hair from nape to crown as if you were creating two ponytails. Starting at the nape and working toward the crown, brush strands on one side of the horizontal part. Repeat with the hair on the other side of the part.

Only dry hair should be brushed. Damp or wet hair is weak and vulnerable to breaking. If you must detangle wet hair, do it in the shower while you have conditioner in your hair. Work gently and use a wide-tooth comb or hair pick.

Stand up. Brush hair around the hairline by starting at one ear, moving toward the opposite ear, and directing hair back off the face. When you’ve finished, part hair in the center. Brush the hair on one side of the part. Repeat on the other side. Note: Those of you with curls or very thick hair may have to create a few more sections to ensure that every part of your scalp and hair gets brushed.

Those of us with longer hair, fragile hair, or hair that we’re trying to grow must be more mindful of how we handle our strands.

About the Author:
Read more on Lipsense and senegence lipsense.

Author: Brett MacPherson.

Often exercise and health professionals will prescribe aerobic exercise (cardio) to their clients looking to lose weight or to improve their health. The suggestions are usually something like 15-30 minutes of Cardio training done at a steady pace, 3-5 days a week, at a medium intensity level. This advice is common, but is it really the right thing to do or are we just running in place doing long slow boring cardio destined to fail. I’d like you to consider some recent research that shows that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

The first thing we need to understand is our bodies are designed to work for short periods followed by recovery, or with a natural stop and go movement rather than the constant repetition you get with cardio exercise. New research are showing that changing the physical patterns when exercise is a very important thing to consider. We can see this in nature as all animals use variable movement, they don’t use the same movement for an hour straight. We are the only ones that attempt these endurance activities. Most sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) all use changeable movement patterns with short bursts of exercise. To look at an example of the different effects of endurance versus short burst exercise, look at the bodies of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters have a body that is very lean, muscular, and strong looking, while the average marathoner is more often bony and sickly looking. Which would you rather look like?

Another thing to know about the benefits of variability of movement is the internal effect that different types of exercise gives us. Scientists have known that too much steady state endurance exercise (1 hour plus of exercise most days of the week is too much for most people but we are all different) increases free radical production in the body, can breakdown joints, decrease immune function, cause muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. Variable exercise on the other hand has been linked to an increase in anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory effect, a better nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with fat loss).

The big aspect of variable exercise that makes it far better than steady state exercise is the recovery period in between bursts of exercise. Recovery is crucial for the body to promote a healthy stimulus from exercise. Another benefit is that it is much more interesting and is more likely to keep you training until you reach your goal.

Variable exercise can provide benefits like the following: better cardiovascular function, better anti-oxidant protection, increased immune function, decreased risk for joint degeneration, decreased muscle wasting, increased metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased ability for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. One of the best modes of variable exercise to decrease body weight and increase muscular definition is to do sprinting.

In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is a great training method that uses short burst and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:

Warm-up for 5 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 - run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 3 - run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Repeat this 4 times to get an intense 20 minute workout
.
Using Interval exercise with your weight loss program as well as weight training will drastically improve the benefit of your training program. Try them and feel the difference they can provide.

Often exercise and health professionals will prescribe aerobic exercise (cardio) to their clients looking to lose weight or to improve their health. The suggestions are usually something like 15-30 minutes of Cardio training done at a steady pace, 3-5 days a week, at a medium intensity level. This advice is common, but is it really the right thing to do or are we just running in place doing long slow boring cardio destined to fail. I’d like you to consider some recent research that shows that steady pace endurance cardio work may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

The first thing we need to understand is our bodies are designed to work for short periods followed by recovery, or with a natural stop and go movement rather than the constant repetition you get with cardio exercise. New research are showing that changing the physical patterns when exercise is a very important thing to consider. We can see this in nature as all animals use variable movement, they don’t use the same movement for an hour straight. We are the only ones that attempt these endurance activities. Most sports (with the exception of endurance running or cycling) all use changeable movement patterns with short bursts of exercise. To look at an example of the different effects of endurance versus short burst exercise, look at the bodies of marathoners versus sprinters. Most sprinters have a body that is very lean, muscular, and strong looking, while the average marathoner is more often bony and sickly looking. Which would you rather look like?

Another thing to know about the benefits of variability of movement is the internal effect that different types of exercise gives us. Scientists have known that too much steady state endurance exercise (1 hour plus of exercise most days of the week is too much for most people but we are all different) increases free radical production in the body, can breakdown joints, decrease immune function, cause muscle wasting, and can cause a pro-inflammatory response in the body that can potentially lead to chronic diseases. Variable exercise on the other hand has been linked to an increase in anti-oxidant production in the body and an anti-inflammatory effect, a better nitric oxide response (which can encourage a healthy cardiovascular system), and an increased metabolic rate response (which can assist with fat loss).

The big aspect of variable exercise that makes it far better than steady state exercise is the recovery period in between bursts of exercise. Recovery is crucial for the body to promote a healthy stimulus from exercise. Another benefit is that it is much more interesting and is more likely to keep you training until you reach your goal.

Variable exercise can provide benefits like the following: better cardiovascular function, better anti-oxidant protection, increased immune function, decreased risk for joint degeneration, decreased muscle wasting, increased metabolic rate following exercise, and an increased ability for the heart to handle life’s every day stressors. One of the best modes of variable exercise to decrease body weight and increase muscular definition is to do sprinting.

In addition, weight training naturally incorporates short bursts of exertion followed by recovery periods. High intensity interval training (varying between high and low intensity intervals on any piece of cardio equipment) is a great training method that uses short burst and recovery periods. For example, an interval training session on the treadmill could look something like this:

Warm-up for 5 minutes at a fast walk or light jog;
Interval 1 - run at 8.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 2 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 3 - run at 10.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Interval 4 - walk at 4.0 mi/hr for 1 minute;
Repeat this 4 times to get an intense 20 minute workout
.
Using Interval exercise with your weight loss program as well as weight training will drastically improve the benefit of your training program. Try them and feel the difference they can provide.

About the Author:
For 5 Facts You MUST Understand if You Are Ever Going to Lose Your Belly Fat & Get Six Pack Abs go to www.homefitnesstrainer.com.au/truthaboutabs.htm

Brett is the designer of www.homefitnesstrainer.com.au a website which provides fitness and nutrition information to home exercisers

Author: Rachel Broune.

Traditional Swedish Massage uses five main strokes, and many variations, to achieve its relaxing and healing effects. Massage as a holistic treatment means treating the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. Many therapists use a variety of techniques. Massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies are often complex mixtures of holistic healing practices involving physical, emotional and spiritual components. Massage involves acting and manipulating the patient’s body with pressure (structured, unstructured, stationary, and/or moving), tension, motion, or vibration done manually or with mechanical aids.

The father of Swedish gymnastics and a pioneer of modern physiotherapy, rediscovered massage forgotten in the West for centuries since the collapse of the Roman Empire. Massage can be performed by a professional Massage Practitioner, or by other health care professionals, such as Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Athletic trainers, and/or Physical Therapists. The very idea of treating the body as a thing of beauty and to indulge in pampering it was considered blasphemous. This resulted in massage as a form of relaxation and as a form of medicine being ostracized and it remained so for several centuries. Mechanic has many different tools and tricks for keeping your car running smoothly; massage therapists have a dozen different techniques and complimentary therapies to keep the human body healthy, happy and balanced.

Many of our now popular modern massage techniques were created in order to heal specific health conditions. Massage does not include the diagnosis of a specific pathology, the prescription of drugs or controlled substances, spinal manipulation or those acts of physical therapy that are outside the scope of massage therapy. Consult a doctor before having a massage if you have phlebitis, thrombosis, varicose veins, acute back pain, cancer, a personality disorder, psychotic illness or any undiagnosed pain, lumps or bumps. Therapeutic massage can be thought of as an extension of Swedish massage, where a massage therapist uses a variety of special techniques to promote rehabilitation, provide pain relief, and improve flexibility and mobility. . Aromatherapists and reflexologists are among complementary therapy practitioners who make use of massage techniques. Each massage session will last 60-90 minutes, and will take place in a quiet room on a massage table. The patient will lie down undressed and the therapist will cover the parts of the body not being worked on with towels.

Benefits of Massage therapy and techniques
variety of intensive care
relieves tired and aching muscles
health club
lowers heart rate
health clinic
reduces tension headaches
hospital settings
mental relaxation
What are the techniques of massage?
The massage system may include lot of techniques which are give relax and healthy health.

vibration
compression
stroking
effleurage
gliding
percussion
friction
passive stretching
petrissage
kneading

About the Author:
Rachel Broune writes articles for health care. He also writes for home remedy and getridofstuffs.

Author: Dr Barry Eppley.

Facelifting is an inherent part of plastic surgery and one of the earliest cosmetic procedures performed. But yet to the general public, it still remains largely misunderstood.

The general public’s perception of a facelift….based on TV shows and the internet…is someone after such surgery being bruised from their eyes to their neck and their face wrapped up in a big dressing…like they had been involved in a major accident. And that it will take weeks to even look good enough to go out in public. In fact, this belief is quite inaccurate.

Facelift as the name of the surgery is misleading. It does not really describe what the surgery actually does or what the objectives of the procedure are. More accurately, a facelift should be called a neck-jowl lift, for this is what it actually helps. It is ideal for tightening that neck and lifting those jowls. The original name for a facelift, rhytidectomy, should be more accurately described as a necklilft or cervicoplasty. (reshaping of the neck) However, the name facelift persists and always will as it is embedded in our plastic surgery nomenclature.

Therefore, when you realize that only the neck and jowl are affected by the procedure, many of its misconceptions fade away. In isolation as a stand-alone procedure (which half of my ‘facelift’ patients only have), a facelift causes no bruising or swelling from the nose up. While many facelift patients get their eyes, forehead, nose and other facial procedures done at the same time, this is not a requirement and is only done if one wants the ‘total face’ rejuvenated. I find that after an isolated facelift, one can look pretty good in about a week and can easily be out in public in a few days with a little make-up in the neck area. No swelling occurs around the eyes at all!

One of the great misconceptions about a facelift is what is actually done in the operation. A facelift operation is all about tissue layers and vectors of lifting. The lifting off of the skin from the underlying tissues over the side of the face (to the cheek area) and across the neck through incisions placed in and around the ears is obvious in any diagram of a facelift operation. And movement of loose skin pulled back and over the ears at about a 45 degree angle to the face probably accounts for about 80% - 90% of the result created by a facelift. And often this is the only tissue moved in a facelift. This is the simplest, quickest and safest approach. More recent facelift developments have been to lift up tissue layers deeper than the skin. These deep layer that can be moved independent of the skin, is a special layer of tissue over the muscle. This tissue, known as SMAS, is raised and sutured up in a more vertical direction compared to the direction of the skin pull, closer to 60 degrees usually. Erroneously, the public is under the impression that facial muscles are moved whichi can not be done. On top of the muscle sits the SMAS. There is considerable debate as to whether the ‘deeper’ versions of the facelift produce better long-term results than skin movement only.

The neck-jowl lift, known historically as a facelift, can lift two different layers of sagging facial tissues in two slightly different up and backward directions.

About the Author:
Dr Barry Eppley operates a private plastic surgery practice at Clarian Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .

Author: Joey B..

If you are seeking a well known stay at home abs routine you have found the right place. You are probably like several people who don’t have countless hours to go to the gym, and hope to get sexy abs at home. Beach season is among us and several people want an easy way to get in shape before they go to the beach.

Most people want a quick and easy answer to getting flat abs, but in reality there is not a simple way to lose stomach fat. But there is a way to get flat abs fast just by using the internet and using a stay at home abs routine!

Now let me make it clear, if your goal is to be a fitness model, then you may need to go to a gym at some point. The stay at home abs piece of your program will be the nutritional dedication and discipline that you will put into your daily routine.

First, I am going to let you in on a couple of big secrets. Abdominal exercises such as crunches, sit-ups, and ab machines are not the most effective method of getting flat six pack abs.

Abdominal exercises alone will not burn fat away from your abs. This can only be accomplished through a much more effective complete body training regiment that concentrates on both your metabolic response and your hormonal response to your training. Mike Geary’s Truth About Six Pack Abs program focuses mainly on this issue. Click here to get an honest review of the Truth about Six Pack Abs Program.

Many people feel that ab muscles are one of the sexiest muscles in the body, and unfortunately one of the hardest muscles to develop. Every person has a nice six pack, it is just a matter of trimming the fat that hides them.

People do not have to spend countless hours training at a gym any more, since there are so many better ways to diversify your routine!

In order to get lean abs you MUST incorporate a full-body training program as well as a strategic exercise combination to stimulate a fat-burning hormonal response in your body. Not only that, but you will need a nutritional strategy and a fully detailed dietary plan that will actually have you enjoying food again and getting lean for life.

You will need motivation. Many people lose motivation when they don’t go to the gym because there is no one around to keep them motivated. The Truth About 6 Pack Abs Program has proven to be one of the most effective programs for maintaining motivation.

It exposes the secrets to exposing your abs, and it can be considered one of the best at home abs programs on the market. But to be honest you will still have to exercise, including going to the gym at some point! It’s important to change it up though like going for a walk or swimming. You can’t stay home all the time, but at least you won’t be wasting any money on the next gimmick ab machine which you have stuffed away in some closet.

The thing about buying a program online is that you have instant access to the ebooks which will allow you to start right away and have tight abs before beach season. You don’t even have to leave home.

Remember, exercise is not enough to get 6 pack abs. It is necessary to develop a diet plan that works. A major sign of an effective at home abs program is one that includes both a nutritional and physical component with it.

Mike Geary is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist, and he has developed the Truth About Six Pack Abs Program. He is the expert of his field and The Truth About 6 Pack Abs Program is currently the most sold fitness e-book on the Internet.

So there you have it, the first secret to getting six pack abs is to begin now with an at home abs program!

About the Author:
Visit Quality Life Fitness Free Online Magazine!

Author: Charlie Cory.

So, you have now decided that a knee brace is required: from where can one be purchased? Presuming that you have had the relevant medical diagnosis and advice, probably the most obvious place to start would be the Internet. Any search engine will bring up a plethora of sites, all intent on parting you from your cash for a huge variety of knee braces! If, on the other hand, you prefer to acquire your knee advice, as well as the knee brace, from the Internet, then there are sites which combine the two!

Aside from the basic decision between the functional knee brace and prophylactic knee brace, there are all sorts of different materials from which to choose; there are even hinged and unhinged knee braces! There are knee braces specifically for arthritic conditions; post’op knee braces; magnetic knee braces; one designed for sports injuries; professional knee braces and even paediatric knee braces from those tender, young knees! Ultimately the matter depends on the type of ligament injury and the problems which you might have with knee movement.

From some sites, which claim to be constructed by orthopaedic surgeons, comes a whole litany of advice appertaining to fitting the specific knee brace to the physical problem. Whether the particular symptoms are related to definite injury to one of the four main ligament groups, or to the more generalised and vague “knee giving way”, there is a hinged, unhinged, or lightweight knee brace for you. Some exotic names belie the mundane nature of the product: one might choose “Extreme”, “Legend” or the exotic “Playfair” or simply the rather more prosaic “Comfort”.

One site that is related to the prevention of ligament damage to those knees exposed to the rigours of motorcross, or motor biking in general, gave graphic descriptions of the dangers of riding without a protective knee brace. Fortunately the injury sustained in this particular incident, was not due to an accident of dramatic proportions. However, it served to demonstrate that even the simplest scrape on a bike can cause harm to the delicate knee ligaments. The author went on to recommend several knee braces with “Terminator”-style letter/number combos.

Nevertheless, as the sites researched for this article pointedly recommend, most knee braces, particularly the prophylactic kinds designed to prevent injury must be fitted! Therefore they suggest that an extensive visit, in person, to a qualified medical practitioner, or sports-injury specialist is a must!

About the Author:
Charlie Cory makes his living from computers as a consultant, and has been creating web sites and marketing them for a number of years. His website about Knee Brace Support gives you a wealth of information about Knee Support and related matters.

Author: Shane Wilson.

If you are looking to lose weight there are some things you need to consider and quick weight loss is one of them. We are constantly bombarded with quick weight loss solutions that in the end, only hurt us. With so many people wanting to look their best for the summer or simply feel better about themselves, the desire for a quick solution is more apparent than ever. Losing it fast is not the answer and you’ll know why shortly.

When people lose weight too quickly like on 1,000 calorie per day diets or even worse on crash diets, they may be setting themselves up for medical problems. Crash diets for example can lead to a loss of water and muscle which ultimately does not help in their weight loss efforts. Here’s a fact: when someone crash diets, each pound of weight loss contains more lean tissue(muscle) and less body fat than a moderate weight loss diet. When you are trying to lose weight you want to burn the fat, not the muscle.

When an individual engages in a quick weight loss regimen they will begin to feel tired and sluggish more often. This is due to the lessened amount of calories being taken in. When this happens, the body’s metabolic rate slows down. The results of a slower metabolic rate are less energy and more fat storage. Your goal is to speed up the body’s fat burning engine, not slow it down. This can be accomplished by eating more small meals throughout the day. Your goal is to burn the fat and not store it.

Along with an increased fat store, crash dieting can have long term effects. One big problem is the bodies inability to maintain the weight that was lost. This is due to the fact that the body has lost lean tissue and it’s metabolic rate has begun to slow down. What people often don’t know is that when you do regain the weight coming off a crash diet it will not be muscle, but more fat. For most, this turns into a vicious cycle of crash dieting, lost energy and continued loss of lean muscle mass.

When trying to lose weight it pays to be patient rather than resorting to these tactics. There are many reasons for this. First, when you gradually reduce calorie intake it gives your body time to adjust, helps the body preserve lean muscle mass and will help you sustain energy. Second, you’ll be able to maintain your strength and stamina. Finally, you help the bodies ability to process oxygen which aids in fat burning for fuel.

In closing, when you lose weight gradually, you not only look better but feel better as well. Crash diets will be around for years to come but don’t fall prey. They will only hamper your efforts for permanent weight loss.

About the Author:
Shane Wilson is an avid health nut with many years experience in quick weight loss that he discloses at Apexweightloss.com. For more information on quick weight loss he invites you to visit his site at Apexweightloss.com today.

Author: Simon White.

For full development of the chest muscles, you’ll need to perform a variety of chest exercises that target your pecs (pectoral muscles) from a number of different angles.

Building the upper pecs is very important for creating a full, powerful looking chest. Just focussing on the lower chest muscles can create a saggy appearance. Targeting both upper and lower pecs with different exercises will ensure you get the best chest development possible.

There are many different exercises to choose from. Here are a few of the best chest exercises to get you started.

Bench Press

The bench press works the overall chest and triceps muscles and can be performed using either a barbell or with dumbbells. Using dumbbells will recruit more stabilizer muscles to keep the weights steady, so you’ll probably not be able to lift as much as you can when using a barbell. If you don’t have a spotter, using dumbbells is slightly safer than using a barbell as you can drop them to the sides, if needed, rather than getting trapped under a bar.

The angle of the bench can be changed to target different parts of the pectoral muscles. A flat bench will work your overall chest, whilst increasing the incline will place more focus on your upper pecs. However, any more than a 45 degree angle will start to target your shoulders muscles (anterior deltoids). If your gym has a decline bench, where your head is lower than your chest, you can also perform the bench press on this to work the lower chest muscles.

How to do it:

1) Start by lying face up on a bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground.

2) Tighten your abs to flatten your back against the bench. This will protect your lower back.

3) Keep your shoulder blades pinched together to focus the lift on your chest rather than the front of your shoulders.

4) Push the barbell or dumbbells towards the ceiling squeezing the chest muscles as you go. Make sure you don’t lock the elbows at the top of the movement.

5) Lower the bar until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Lowering any further can place excessive train on the shoulder joint.

6) Repeat the movement.

Seated Chest Press

This exercise is similar to the flat bench press except you’re sat down and using a machine. The motion is stabilised by the machine and so the effort is focussed on the chest muscles.

Because the seated chest press uses a machine, it is safer than using a barbell on a bench press so you won’t need a spotter and you’ll be able to lift a heavier weight. And heavier weights mean more muscle building (as long as you use good form).

How to do it:

1) Sit in the seat with the height adjusted so that the handles are at the same height as the middle part of your chest muscles.

2) Push the handles forward concentrating on squeezing your chest muscles.

3) Slowly lower the weight to the starting position just before the weight stack touches down and then repeat.

Dumbbell Flyes

Like with the bench press, you can perform flyes with the bench at different angles to vary the emphasis on different parts of the chest.

How to do it:

1) Lie on the bench after adjusting it to the required angle.

2) Hold the dumbbells out to the sides with your elbows slightly bent.

3) Move the weights up and over your chest in an arc.

4) Lower back to the starting position.

Cable Crossovers

This is a similar motion to dumbbell flyes. However, whilst dumbbell flyes are a great exercise, the tension on the chest muscles reduces as we bring the weights in until there is almost no effort in the pecs when the weights are overhead. Cable crossovers, on the other hand, keep more of the tension on the pectoral muscles at the apex of the movement. This helps to develop the hard-to-get inner pecs. Using both exercises in your chest workout programme will make you get the best all-round chest development.

How to do it:

1) Lock each pulley into a high position, above the level of your head.

2) With your arms out to the sides, grasp one pulley handle with each hand. Your body should form a t-shape.

3) Stand with one foot in front of the other.

4) Bring your arms down and together in front of you. Squeezing your chest muscles and holding for one second at the peak of the movement.

5) Let the weights slowly pull your arms back to the start position, giving your chest muscles a good stretch. Then repeat the motion.

Muscle Building Tips for all these Chest Exercises

The concentric phase (lifting the weight) should take about 1-2 seconds.

The eccentric phase of the exercise (lowering the weight) should take about 3 seconds. Much of the muscle building power of resistance exercises comes from this ‘negative’ part of the exercise so, once you’ve lifted the weight, don’t waste it by just dropping it.

At the top of the movement, make sure you don’t lock out your elbows as this can put excessive strain on the joint. Always keep a slight bend.

Always make sure you’ve warmed up and have stretched the muscles before training. This will help prevent injury. Resistance training tends to shorten muscles, you should always stretch the muscles you’ve trained after your workout to prevent this effect. Stretch your chest muscles to ensure they don’t pull your shoulders forward giving you bad posture.

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