Courtesy of Dennis SylvesterHurd 

Over the past 5 years I have lost 130 pounds and kept it off.  Many people ask me how I did it, and I tell them that I exercise daily and watch what I eat.  But there is really more to keeping off those extra pounds besides those two things.  I was reading through health articles the other night on the internet and I ran across this great article .  Personally, I think this is one of the best list of tips that I have read on maintaining a healthy weight.  If you are looking to lose a few pounds, read through this list and ask yourself, ”how many of the 10 tips do I incorporate into my life?”  My two favorite tips from this list are weighing yourself on a regular basis and do not surround yourself with temptation foods.  You don’t have to weigh yourself multiple times a day, but you should weigh yourself at least once a week.  That way you catch a minimal weight gain before you need to buy a new pair of jeans.  Also, keep those temptation foods out of the house, especially the foods with multiple servings per container.  You know what I am talking about, one minute you are opening a new bag of chips or container of ice cream and the next minute you realize that the junk food is almost gone!  I suggest if you want some junk food in the house, buy junk food which contains individual servings such as ice cream sandwiches or normal sized candy bars.  This prevents you from over eating because you have to make a conscious effort to open a new package.

Click on the link below to read the top 10 reasons how people have managed to stay skinny their whole life or have managed to lose weight and keep it off.
http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100218116&imageindex=1

Popularity: 32% [?]

Did you know that tonic water and vodka have a good amount of calories? In fact, a 12 ounce can of tonic water has 124 calories and  ounces of vodka carries 128 calories. This means a Grey Goose Tonic, my preferred drink, carries almost 250 calories! I had no clue this drink had so many calories! After a month of traveling in October, I found out that I packed on 10 pounds. At first I thought it was because of the over-eating, lack of exercise and sleep. Tonight I learned, to my horror, that the drinks I had drank almost every other night may be one of the main causes of the extra weight.

I think I had an average of 3 Grey Goose Tonics each time I was out drinking, that’s in addition to the wine during dinner and shots that would follow later on. With a Snickers bar having about the same amount of calories as a Grey Goose Tonic, that means I ate at least 3 candy bars each night! That’s crazy!

Popularity: 20% [?]

Photo Courtesy of mattjb

With Thanksgiving about a week away, keep this article in mind when you are thinking about going back for seconds or eating an extra piece of pie.  Excess belly fat has been linked not only to an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, some cancers, diabetes and even age-related dementia, but it has also been linked to premature death.

360,000 Europeans enrolled in this massive health study.  Reasearchers discovered that people with the most belly fat had approximately double the risk of dying as compared to people with the least amount of belly fat.  The risk of death increased with waist circumference.  Individuals with the largest waistbands (greater than 40 inch waists for men and greater than 35 inch waists for women) had approximately twice the risk of premature death as people with the smallest waists (less than 34 inches for men and less than 28 inches for women).  For every 2-inch increase in waist circumference, the chances of death increased by 15%.

Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 20% [?]

Photo courtesy of Barack Obama

Barack Obama manages to keep up a workout routine while running for President in one of our most historic elections. Barack does weight training 2 times a week and the cardio 2 times a week. For cardio, he does 30 minutes of basketball, running on a treadmill, or goes for a 3 mile run.

Here is Obama’s weight training routine, witnessed by Politico and documented by Gyminee.

Tricep Pushdowns - Rope
3 sets: 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps
Same as the Tricep Pushdowns except with the rope attachment. At the bottom o…Same as the Tricep Pushdowns except with the rope attachment. At the bottom of the movement you should pull the rope “apart” to get the best contraction in your triceps.

Shoulder Press - Dumbbell, Seated
3 sets: 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps
Raise a barbell to your shoulders. Sit at the end of a bench, with your feet …Raise a barbell to your shoulders. Sit at the end of a bench, with your feet at about shoulder width, flat on the floor. Keep your chest high and your back straight. Press bar to arm’s length overhead. Use a slow, steady motion, without swinging. Lower slowly to starting position. Can also be done standing or with dumbbells.

Barbell Step Ups
3 sets: 10 reps, 10 reps, 10 reps
Place a barbell on your shoulders like you would if you were doing Barbell…Place a barbell on your shoulders like you would if you were doing Barbell Squats. Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then step up with your right leg so you are now standing on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat, starting with your right leg this time. Be careful not to fall! Use lighter weights. Can also be done with two dumbbells in your hands instead of a barbell. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 21% [?]

Photo courtesy of beetlechickster

I have a lot of friends and family members who smoke cigarettes.  Many times in my life I have tried to convince people that they should give up smoking, and almost everytime my message to quit smoking goes up in smoke.  Typically people ignore me and respond by saying that they “only smoke when they drink” or that they “plan on quitting next year.”  Is a quick buzz worth the risk of dying prematurely?  Do you smoke and think that you are invincible?  Click on following links to see what it looks like to have mouth or throat & lung cancer.
Mouth Cancer Video
Throat and Lung Cancer Video

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for them.  But have you ever looked at the ingredients of a cigarette?   Cigarettes contain many harmful ingredients including ammonia, arsenic, lead, nickel, and turpentine to name a few.  Do you know all of the negative side effects that smoking?  Smoking has been found to permanently alter genes which are associated with cancer and tumors; these effects are irreversible and can occur even if you have only smoked for a short time.  Smoking causes wrinkles, erectile dysfunction, and low sperm count. Smoking also increases blood pressure which in turn increases your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.  After reading all of these depressing side effects, is anyone ready for a smoke break?

Helping people lose weight is the main goal of this website, but Beer Belly Blog also promotes maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Please read the click on the following link and read more about the negative side effects of smoking.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/digest-a-cigarette.htm

Popularity: 25% [?]