Creating a workout routine that works great for you is not an easy task. Many trainers will have different opinions based on personal experience and education.

In order to clarify this, here is the simplified explanation that will help you understand the differences between each workout types and how to create your own workout routine.

THE BASICS

Before going into details, each week you must train your entire body. This includes:

– Shoulders

– Chest

– Back

– Legs

– Core

– Arms

Ideally, you should do resistance training at least 3 times a week with one day of rest between each training. During a single workout, you should group 2 muscle groups.

Day 1 = Chest + Shoulders

Day 2 = Legs + Back

Day 3 = Core + Arms

Depending on your objective the exercises, the weight and the speed will change.

It is also imperative that you eat healthy and often. It is recommended to eat five small meals each day, every 3 hours. Each meal must contain proteins and low fat/low sugar foods. And, drink a lot of water. You should drink at least 1.5 liter of water a day.

TO LOSE BODY FAT

Body fat is lost when you burn more calories in a day then the amount of calories you ate and burned through normal everyday activities. Each pound of fat is worth about 3500 calories. In order to lose weight and stay healthy you need to combine a healthy diet with a steady and frequent aerobic workout. Ideally, you should workout 5 days a week and focus mainly on aerobic exercises as follow:

Day 1 = 30 minutes of cardio at a steady moderate pace, finish with chest + shoulders workout.

Day 2 = 60 minutes of cardio with interval training (mix of low and high intensity).

Day 3 = 30 minutes of cardio at a steady moderate pace, finish with legs + back workout.

Day 4 = 60 minutes of cardio with interval training (mix of low and high intensity).

Day 5 = 30 minutes of cardio at a steady moderate pace, finish with core + arms workout.

Each exercise should be done with lighter weights and higher repetitions, usually 2 series of 15 to 20 repetitions for each exercise (between 30 to 40 total repetitions for a muscle group). You should aim to not be able to complete more than 20 repetitions per series (adjust resistance as needed).

TO GAIN STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE

Any to all exercise will eventually build strength and endurance. The difference between working out a routine that is made to increase your overall strength and endurance and just any other exercise is the intensity and amount of rest you take between sets.

The best kind of exercises that increase both strength and endurance are called supersets. They consist on mixing multiple exercises inside a single set that are done without any pause between them. For example, if you are doing chest + shoulders, instead of working out the chest muscles and complete your shoulders exercises after, you would do them back-to-back inside a single set with no pause. Such a routine plan would look like this:

Day 1 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Chest + Shoulders.

– Push Ups + Pull Ups, 4 sets of 12.

– Front Dumbbell Raise + Lateral Dumbbell Raise, 4 sets of 12.

– Military Press (Dumbbells) + Butterfly (Dumbbells), 4 sets of 12.

– Bench Press (Dumbbells) + Overhead Pull (Dumbbell), 4 sets of 12.

Day 2 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Legs + Back.

– Leg Press + Back Leg Raise, 4 sets of 12.

– Cab Raise + Jumping Squats, 4 sets of 12.

– Deadlift + Plank, 4 sets of 12, up to 60 sec.

– Bent Over Row (Dumbbells) + Weighted Back Lift, 4 sets of 12.

Day 3 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Core + Arms.

– Hammer Curls (Dumbbells) + Triceps Extension (Dumbbells), 4 sets of 12.

– Sit-ups + Oblique Plank (left then right), 4 sets of 12, up to 60 sec.

– Weighed Chin Ups + Dips, 4 sets of 12.

– Bicep Barbell Curls + Triceps Barbell Extension, 4 sets of 12.

Day 4 = 60 minutes of high intensity cardio. No anabolic exercises this day.

TO GAIN MASS (Bulking Up)

While losing body fat is all about cutting down calories with proper eating and aerobic exercises, gaining muscle mass and strength is the opposite. In order to gain muscle mass you need to eat approximately 500 extra calories a day from lean meats or other high protein low fat and low carb foods. Many bodybuilders take protein supplements in order to increase their protein intake dramatically without eating addition fats and carbohydrates. Your daily protein intake in grams should be close to 0.7 to 1.0 times your lean body weight (without your body fat) in pounds. For a 5’10” with a lean body weight of 180 lbs, he would need to eat between 126 and 180 grams of proteins each day, divided in each of his 5 meals as equally as possible.

Also, in order to gain muscle mass, you need to do a lot of anabolic exercises, especially compound exercises. These exercises usually have very heavy weights and require to do less repetitions per set. Such a routine is progressive as you increase weights each set and it would look like this:

Day 1 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Chest + Shoulders.

– Bench Press, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Military Press (Barbell), 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Butterfly, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Pull Ups, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Any complimentary chest or shoulder exercise, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

Day 2 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Legs + Back.

– Squats, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Leg Press, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Deadlift, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Seated Row, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Any complimentary legs or back exercise, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

Day 3 = 10 minutes of light cardio (to warm up, this is optional). Core + Arms.

– Hammer Curls (Dumbbells), 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Reverse Bicep Curls (Triceps, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Weighted Chin Ups, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

– Weighted Sit-Ups, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight..

– Any complimentary core or arms exercise, 5 sets of 6 to 8. Max weight.

This concludes clarifying the different types of workout routines.

Have fun and train safe!

 Muscle   building  is a way to modify the body by performing intensive  muscle  exercises but sometimes bodybuilders are not able to acquire the form that they are aspiring for.  muscle   building   tips  serve as useful guide for performing intensive muscular exercises. They are simple and easy to follow and have been proven to work successfully. These  muscle   building   tips  can be implemented without modifying much of your usual  muscle   building  routine:

1. Eat as protein food, fats and carbohydrates.  Muscle   building  needs much energy so consume at least 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight and at least 3 to 4 grams of carbs. You will also need healthy fats contained in flax seed, olive oil and natural peanut butter. To maintain your calorie requirements, cut off on season cardio.

2. Basic movements are your reliable aids in building a powerful body. You can rely on these basic arsenals whose usefulness have been tested by time, like the bench, squat and deadlift. You can also add the basic barbell curls and the military press.

3. Train extensively. According to most  muscle   building   tips , there is no letting go when it comes to training. Exercise hard and extensively. The rule here is to train at 60% to 80% of your one rep max or add poundage where your allowable crunch is about 6 – 10 reps per set at full intensity.

4. Rest is important. So much attention has been given to the body that rest is forgotten. While doing training in the gym, your  muscles  are being torn down but while you are sleeping, these  muscles  are being rebuilt again. There is no need to specify the number of hours required for sleeping since your body knows when you have enough sleep.

5. Do not overdo your training. There is such a thing as too much; overdoing your training will revert months and even years of what you have gained so far. Consider each body part and train each weekly. Consider your sets; you have more than a dozen. Utilize twelve total sets for each body part. For each body part, perform a couple of basic movements about 3 to 4 set; and perform 3 to 4 sets for each exercise. Each training session must not last for more than 90 minutes or one and a half hours.

6. Home is the place for you to take a rest not in the gym. Between sets, you are allowed only two minutes of rest. You will just have enough time to catch your breath within 90 to 120 seconds and then continue with the next set working at it with the highest intensity. Then rest for another two minutes in between sets. Once you lose the pump, you might also invalidate your training.

7. Observe consistency and variations. Be consistent in training for there is no acceptable excuse to take a break. Commitment is the keyword for a successful  muscle   building  program. If you cannot stand the effort then get out. You can make some variations by mixing the order of your exercise. Vary the grip here and there; add some sets as variation.

These 7  muscle   building   tips  hold a lot of promise in giving you the kind of body you are working to achieve. These will always be available to guide you.

A lot of people find pleasure in eating. Eating allows you to connect with your family and friends in pleasant surroundings. This connection creates pleasant memories. In social situations it is ease for one to make food choices that may not be conductive to good health.

Hunger is the physiological need for food. Appetite is a psychological desire for food. When the body signals hunger, that is the indication that there is a decrease in blood glucose that supplies the body with energy. If you ignore the signal and hunger becomes intense it is possible to make poor food choices. The choices that you make will determine your  nutrition  status. A person whom habitually chooses to eat, or not to eat, as a way of coping with life’s emotional struggles may be suffering from an eating disorder.

Once foods have been eaten, the body must process it before it can be used. Nutrients is the result of the processes whereby the body takes in and used food for growth, development, and the maintenance of health. These processes include digestion, absorption, and metabolism.  Nutrition  determines the height and weight of an individual.  Nutrition  also can affect the body’s ability to resist disease, the length of life, and the state of your physical and mental well-being.

Good  nutrition  enhances appearance and is commonly exemplified by shiny hair, clear skin, clear eyes, erect posture, alert expressions, and firm flesh on well developed bone structures. Good  nutrition  also aids emotional adjustments, provides stamina, and promotes a healthy appetite. It helps establish regular sleep and elimination habits. Contributing to healthy habits will lead you in the right direction.

Are you looking to start working out but just don’t know where to begin? Perhaps you are a mother who wants to shed the extra pounds of pregnancy. Perhaps you are a teenage boy who has packed on a few too many pounds eating potato chips and playing video games, but now you’ve met the girl of your dreams.

Let me help. Two years ago I was 40 pounds overweight. Today I have dropped the weight and have completely turned my life around. How? Let me tell you.

There are two ways you can start: at home or at the gym. Many people are intimidated with the gym because they feel self conscious. So let’s build confidence at home first. Working out can be as simple as walking around the block for your cardio exercise. Once you get in the habit of this you can start going on hikes in the forest.

You should also be weight training. You can start with body weight exercises at first such as pushups and pull-ups. But, you will eventually want to get a weight bench and some dumbbells. Look for these things at garage sales. When weight training the exercises you should focus on are “compound” exercises such as the bench press, squats or deadlifts. These exercises work more than one muscle group unlike curls which only work the biceps.

Once you’ve built up your confidence it’s time to get a membership to a gym. Don’t worry. Nobody’s looking at you. They’re too busy looking at themselves.

While machines are nice sometimes it is always better to lift with free weights. Free weights require you to balance them which adds to the muscle building and fat burning experience. Did you know that the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn? Did you also know that, while running a long distance will burn more calories, doing some short sprints will increase your metabolism so you will be burning calories even when not working out? There are a number of tricks that you can learn to improve the benefits of your workout.

The difference a good workout routine can make is astounding. A bad routine may cause you to overwork muscles, which will lead to no gains and maybe injury. A bad routine can go the opposite and ignore different areas of your body. This will lead to an awkward lopsided look, neither of these are things that you want.

The opposite is true about a good routine. A good routine will keep all of your muscles in tip top shape and make you look like you want. A good routine will not overwork you and will give your muscles adequate time to rest. A well planned routine is a general must.

Get a good amount of rest

A good muscle building workout routine will give you the amount of rest your body needs. Your body builds muscle not while working out, but while you sleep. This is why working out three times a week can end up being more of a bad idea then a good one.

High weight, Low reps If you want to make fast gains this is the general rule. The high weight and low reps will make your body grow at large rates allowing you to gain the body you want. Once you hit the size you want you can then up the reps and begin to go towards your next goals (whatever they may be).

Hit all muscle groups once You want to hit each muscle group about once a week, a good example of this is this quickly made routine:

Monday : chest, Triceps, quads, glutes

Wednesday : Biceps, forearm, cardio (optional) You can also throw in abs

Friday: Back, shoulders, hams, calves.

Following these steps should lead you to a great muscle building workout routine, remember you must work to gain it!

Dieting. Not many people like it, but lots of people have tried it. What some people don’t realize is that diets, some laughable and some scary, have existed long before the Atkins diet became popular.

1800s

Vinegar Diet – British poet Lord Byron claimed to have lost 60 pounds by soaking his food in vinegar before eating it, although some historians believe he had an eating disorder.

Graham’s Diet – Sylvester Graham, father of the ever-popular Graham Cracker was a Presbyterian minister who believed people should avoid coffee, alcohol, tea, spices, and meat. His followers, “Grahamites”, ate pure water, fresh vegetables and fruits, high fiber foods, and whole wheat.

Zander Rooms – If you’ve ever watched an old movie, chances are you’ve seen people attempting to lose weight by wrapping a vibrating strap around their body. Believe it or not, this was an actual fad started by Dr. Gustav Zander from Sweden.

Banting Diet – William Banting, an English casket maker who struggled with his weight, wrote “Letter on Corpulence,” which was the first the first popular diet book. Banting said he lost 50 pounds by eating a diet made up of dry toast, lean meats, unsweetened fruit, and green vegetables.

1900s

Fletcherizing – Horace Fletcher of San Francisco became known as “The Great Masticator” when he shared his unusual diet that encouraged people to chew their bites 32 times and then spit them out. Fletcher claimed he lost more than 40 pounds on this plan, devised after he was denied health insurance because of his weight. Fletcher said this diet allowed people to absorb nutrients, enjoy the taste of the food, and not gain weight. Famous followers include Henry James, John D. Rockefeller, and John Harvey Kellogg.

Calorie Counting – “Diet and Health, WIth Key to The Calories,” by Lulu Hunt Peters, sold more than 2 million copies. The book advocated the consumption of only 1,200 calories a day. Calorie counting is still a popular dieting technique, but the numbers and approaches have changed over time.

Cigarette Diet – It seems shocking today, but when the health risks of cigarettes were just beginning to be discovered, cigarette companies tried to advertise their brand with a healthy spin. Prime example: Lucky Strikes’ tagline was “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.”

The Inuit Meat-and-Fat Diet – Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson spent time living with the Inuit people and then wrote a book, “The Fat of the Land,” advocating their meat-and-blubber rich diet. Cardiologist Blake Donaldson continued to promote this diet, which he called “Strong Medicine” into the 1960s.

The Hay Diet – During the Depression era, Dr. William Hay advocated separating food and eating different kinds at different times because he believed the body can’t process proteins and starches at the same time. What started as a way for the doctor to deal with his high blood pressure caught on as a diet fad. The diet reappeared in another form in the 80s when Judy Mazel’s book “New Beverly Hills Diet” hit book stores everywhere.

Weight Loss Soap – Soaps with names like “Fatoff” and “La Mar Reducing Soap” claimed to help people loose weight just by taking a bubble bath.

Bananas and Skim Milk Diet – In one of the first known instances of a company creating a marketing campaign that attempted to sell a produce by encouraging people to eat healthy, the United Fruit Company endorsed Dr. George Harrop and his bananas and skim milk diet.

First Diet Pills – During World War I workers in a munitions factory seemed to be losing weight. It turns out that dinitrophenol, an ingredient used in dyes, explosives, and insecticides, raised people’s metabolism, causing them to burn calories more easily. The ingredient was made into a pill and about 100,000 people in the U.S. used to to lose weight. Three years later, the pill was no longer sold due to reports of blindness and even death caused by the drug.

The Tapeworm Diet – People who really wanted to lose weight without having to go through the hassle of exercising could take a pill, get the parasite, and then take another pill after the tapeworm had eaten away at their insides.

Cabbage Soup Diet – The cabbage soup diet professed to help people lose 10 pounds in a week.

Weight Watchers – When Jean Nidetch lost 72 pounds on her diet, she started Weight Watchers to help others meet their weight-loss goals. The diet has stood the test of time and remains a popular diet even today.

The Calories Don’t Count – Dr. Herman Taller, an obstetrician, believed people could eat as many high protein foods as they wanted, take his pill that contained three ounces of polyunsaturated vegetable oil, and lose weight. His book “Calories Don’t Count” sold more than 2 million copies. Taller was later convicted of mail fraud over issues relating to his diet program.

The Drinking Man’s Diet – Robert Cameron published a book in which he stated that men could eat steak and drink martinis freely and still lose weight. This diet, which The Harvard School of Public Health deemed unhealthy, is considered to be one of the first low-carbohydrate diets.

Atkins Diet – Dr. Robert Atkins overcame weight issues by sticking to a low-carbohydrate diet and then published the diet in a book so people every where could reap the benefits. This diet remains popular.

Scarsdale Diet – Dr. Herman Tarnower started this diet that promotes eating certain percentages of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The diet went for 14 days and suggested that followers consume only 1,000 per day.

Diet Pills – The diet pill Dexatrim, which reduces appetite, was sold in stores, then pulled from the market 2000 but was sold again later. Some people still question its safety.

2000s

The Zone – This diet focuses on eating certain percentages of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins at each meal. It also works to control insulin levels.

Vegetarian Diet – While there are several different types of vegetarian diets, one thing all vegetarians have in common is that they don’t eat animal based foods, except eggs, dairy products, and honey.

Vegan Diet – Similar to the vegetarians, vegans abstain from eating animal based foods, but they do not eat eggs, dairy products, or honey.

South Beach – This diet, started by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, and Marie Almon, a nutritionist, works to control insulin levels and unrefined slow carbohydrates.

The best beginner workout routine is one that you could start very easily, but may still push you and allow you to feel afterwards that you had a great workout. You can start out doing any basic routine, however if it is not pushing you will not see any results from your effort. You will wish to be doing a number exercises which are pushing you to added heights.

Any workout can be done with just your body. You do not need any distinctive weight set or equipment. In fact, the best beginner workout routine may include exercises in which you can get started from the comfort of your own home without necessary to buy a gym membership or any distinctive equipment. This allows you to get adjusted to your own workout strategy prior to spending a lot of money.

After you get started you can slowly incorporate weights and other equipment into your workout. This is precisely what I did when I lost 40 pounds in 2008. I found a workout routine that started out with some easy bodyweight workouts and then I started free-weights and utilizing other equipment as I learned greater and became more advanced.

Regardless of your workouts, you ought to also focus on what you consume. a little of the correct healthful eating facts I have received is to plan out your meals for the week and under no circumstances should you deviate from that menu. If you fail to plan you may end up eating greater than you ought and no amount of exercise can make up for those added calories from unexpected meals and deserts.

When you bring together the best beginner workout routine along with some eat healthy techniques you cannot fail as long as you stay committed to your goals. If you have not made any goals yet go ahead and do that now. If you are looking to lose weight you can estimate about 1-2 pounds a week as a reasonable goal depending on how much you need to lose. If you stick to these goals and stay committed to your nutrition and exercise routine there ought to be no reason for you to fail.

This best beginner workout routine which I can recommend for you is the Turbulence Training program. These workout routines include both bodyweight workouts while adding free weights and other equipment as you become more advanced. If you enjoy the bodyweight workouts, you can also receive the Turbulence Training Bootcamp Workouts which includes additional workout routines for the person that is past the beginner stage.

Muscle Building is actually much simpler than many “experts” would have you believe. However, just because its simple, don’t think its going to be easy, it isn’t! If it was that easy everyone would have a body like a Greek god, but building muscle takes time, effort and dedication. There are 3 main things you must have right to see the serious muscle gains you are looking for. These are

1. A good weight training regime
2. Good Nutrition
3. Effort and Dedication

This page will focus on number 2. Good Nutrition, which is perhaps the most important factor in building muscle. You can do all the weight training you like, but if you aren’t providing your body with the right nutrients and fuels, you are going to get nowhere.

Many people who workout regularly are still underweight and don’t put on as much muscle as they should. This could be down to genetics, but 9 times out of 10, it is down to a poor Muscle Building Diet. Numerous people look for quick, easy methods to build muscle and to put on weight but all they need to do is sort out their diet. A diet high in Calories and Protein, along with a good weight training regime will equal results.

The major part of your Calorie and Protein consumption should come from the foods you eat, not supplements. Supplements are handy in providing you with extra portions of these nutrients but shouldn’t be the main source. Your body needs the natural nutrients found in Poultry, Fish, Lean Meats, Vegetables and Carbohydrates.

A diet consisting of high amounts of Protein, complex Carbohydrates (not processed), essential Fats and high in Calories is essential for Building Muscle and can be aided by Supplements. The best time to take supplements is directly after you have completed your weight training, as this is the time you body needs protein the most. I also like to take a small protein shake just before I go to bed, as you will be going 8 or 9 hours without eating, so the body will be starved of protein for a long amount of time. When you wake up, if you feel pain in your muscles from the previous days workout, you should also take a protein shake, or eat foods with high protein. If your muscles are in paid, this means they are still healing and growing and therefore are in need of protein.

What are good sources of protein? Chicken, Fish, Lean Red Meat, Eggs, Beans etc. are all great sources of protein and should be a large part of your diet. As for your intake of Carbs, these should mainly come from Vegetables, Whole Grains such as Oats, Brown Rice and 100% whole wheat bread, and potatoes.

Not only is what you eat important, so is when you eat. As the body needs a constant supply of protein to build and repair the muscles, you should be eating 5 to 6 small meals a day, each with roughly the same amount of protein and carbs in each meal. Remember you should be eating 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh. So for example if you weigh 180 pound, you should be eating roughly 180 grams of protein and this should be spread equally between the 5 or 6 meals. By doing this, not only do you give you body a constant supply of protein, you also increase your body’s metabolism. The body stores fat so that when you go for large periods of time without eating, it has enough energy. But if you eat every 2 to 3 hours, you are telling your body that there is no need to store fat, as it will be getting a regular intake of food. As a result, the body burns up the food more quickly and the metabolism increases. This will dramatically reduce your amount of body fat.

Foods to Avoid
There are some foods that I will only eat very occasionally, i.e. when I’m having a “treat day” and there are some I will never touch:

1. Processed Foods
Processed foods are basically packed with un-natural ingredients that the body finds it difficult to digest. Preservative, colorings, additives, salt, sugar and fats are all added to ready made and packaged foods. These are not needed and will slow down you body’s metabolism as it struggles to digest them. You want your food to be as natural and preservative free as possible. I know that it can be difficult to cook your own meals from scratch every time, as we lead busy a busy life. But whenever possible, avoid processed and ready made foods.

2. Soda Drinks
This is one from the never touch category. I see many people ordering great high protein, low fat meals, then go and spoil it by drinking a Soda with it. Why? Sodas are packed with sugar and are full of empty calories that give the body absolutely no nutrients. Not only that, but these empty calories actually make you more hungry, as the body has to digest them, without getting any good nutrients from them. You also get a sugar rush from Soda, but when this wears off you will “crash” and have little energy. If you are serious about building muscle, Sodas are a big no go.

3. Deep Fried Foods
These are probably the worst things you can eat, and are definitely something I never touch. They are full of saturated fats and are essentially a poison, as the body simply cannot digest them properly. Eating these will again slow down the body’s metabolism and will leave you will a layer of fat no matter how hard you train.

Soy Products
This may come as a surprise but foods made from Soy are not good for a Muscle Building Diet. Soy milk, Soy Protein, Tofu etc. has been cleverly marketed as some sort of super healthy food. But a large percentage of the Soy products have been genetically modified and are very unhealthy for you and can block the body’s intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Also soy products are known to increase the body’s production of estrogen, which will reduce your levels of Testosterone.

In conclusion if you can change your diet to include plenty of quality protein sources, quality carbs and plenty of fruits and vegetables you will start to see real results in your Muscle Building Efforts. And if you manage to avoid the 4 foods/drinks listed above you will greatly reduce your body fat, so you can actually see the muscles developed.

The FDA has made it a requirement for the food nutrition facts to be clearly labeled on all packaging. The majority of the people pay little attention to this unless they have a food allergy. Who has time to go grocery shopping and read every label in their shopping cart? Understanding the food labels is essential to a healthy diet and critical to those who are experiencing weight problems.

The labels describe the food nutrition facts and other important information about the foods that your children eat. From calories, fiber, and fat grams, to the total of all other food ingredients. Knowing how to read the food labels will help you to provide the healthy nutrients that your family should eat such as: calcium and fiber, and at the same time know about the unhealthy ingredients, like fat, saturated fat, sodium,and cholesterol.

Serving Size: The serving size and number of servings per container or package is critical. Many times people overlook this data. Quite often containers or packages contain more than one serving. If you were to eat a small container yourself when it is labeled as 2 servings you are consuming twice the portions. This is a common way that people overeat. A solution would be to purchase single sized portions or portions just big enough to feed your family. A rule of thumb: 40 calories per serving is considered low in calories, 100 calories per serving is considered moderate in calories, 400 calories and up per serving is considered high in calories.

Total Fat Grams: Learning about the amount of total fat in the foods that you eat will help to maintain a low fat diet. Understand that unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats and trans fats. It is recommended to keep your fat intake at 30% or less of which saturated fats should consist of 1/3 or less. For example: A serving that contains 100 calories should have 30% or less total fat and 10% or less saturated fats. In addition solid fats contain a lot of saturated and/or trans fats. Examples would be: butter, beef fat, pork fat, vegetable oils, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and shortening. Some animal by products also contain a lot of saturated and trans fats. Vegetable oils, however, consist of more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Palm kernel oil and coconut oil being the exception.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are sugars and starches that our bodies process into glucose, which our cells and muscles need for energy. For children half of their caloric intake should come from carbohydrates. It is important to know that there are good carbs and bad carbs. Rather than eat foods that are high in simple sugars you would be better off choosing more starchy foods such as: whole grain breads, rice, potatoes, pasta, and cereals. Whole wheat pasta, whole wheat breads, brown rice, and whole grain cereals are good choices for whole wheat foods. When reading the ingredients on the food nutrition facts label try to avoid added sugars and if they are listed as the first few ingredients look for better alternatives. Some common added sugars are high-fructose corn syrup, juice concentrate, sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, and maltrose.

Dietary Fiber: Eating a high fiber diet is an important part of a healthy diet. High fiber diet helps prevent cancer, heart disease, obesity, and other ailments. For children the amount of daily fiber should be their age plus 5 in grams. Example: 16 year old would need 21 grams of fiber. 16+5=21g. According to the food nutrition facts fruits, vegetables, breads, and whole grain cereal are excellent sources of fiber.

Vitamins And Minerals: The food nutrition facts also contain data on certain vitamins and minerals that children need including calcium and iron. Keep in mind that less than 5% of daily value is considered low in vitamins and minerals and over 20% of daily value is considered high in vitamins and minerals. A happy medium would be between 10% and 20% of the daily value per serving. Generally calcium rich foods consist of 20% to 30% of a child’s daily value per serving. If your child doesn’t get enough milk or other dairy products, which are high in calcium, check the food nutrition facts for foods that contain high calcium to compensate. Teenagers, on the other hand, need more than 100% of the daily value of calcium. 130% is about right as listed on the food container.

Cholesterol And Sodium: It is important to limit the amount of sodium and cholesterol in your childrens diet. Knowing that less than 5% of the daily value is low and over 20% of the daily value is high should help you choose foods that are in the normal range. When reading the food nutrition facts look for foods with under 140mg of sodium per serving. If the packaging lists the sodium as low or very low in sodium it is a good choice. Foods that are low in cholesterol should be under 20mg per serving.

Proteins: Proteins are needed to maintain lean muscle mass and are a critical element to overall health. Generally protein should be between 10% and 12% of your child’s daily calories. Be aware that many children get more protein than they need particularly if they consume eggs, meat, and dairy products. Beans, nuts, and soy also contain proteins.

Percent Daily Values: Since less than 5% of the daily value is low and over 20% of the daily value is high for food ingredients; fat, cholesterol, sodium, saturated fats, and trans fats should be low in daily value percentage. A rule of thumb is to eat less than 100% of the daily value for these components. On the other hand, you should eat at least 100% of the daily values for calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and dietary fiber.

Healthy Results

Those are the main food nutrition facts. Eating healthy and getting exercise is a matter of survival. Too much of one or not enough of the other is asking for trouble. Amazing things happen when you get good nutrition.

The demands and time constraints working mothers face sometimes make it nearly impossible to find time for fitness. Using the following strategies, working mothers can find the time to sneak fitness into their daily routine:

1. Determine ahead of time which day and times you can exercise, then schedule it on your calendar. This may mean getting in exercise in the early mornings or late evenings. One of the best times to squeeze in a  workout  is in the morning. “Do your  workout  first thing in the AM before ‘mom’ duties begin and before your hectic schedule starts,” says Jeff Wooten, Certified Fitness Trainer and president of The Body Mechanic.

2. Make exercise a priority. In order to take care of your family you must first take care of yourself. “Fitness must be on the same level as brushing your teeth or showering, otherwise it won’t get done and you will make excuses. Decide that you must exercise as much for mental health as well as physical health,” says celebrity trainer and co-founder of Itrain.com, Grace Lazenby.

3. Find exercises that can be done in the home because they are more convenient. Purchase exercise videos, such as in-home walking, yoga, Pilates, strength training and cardio kick boxing. Most routines require very little equipment and if you keep several videos in rotation, you will keep your  workout  routine interesting and varied.

4. Discover  workout  routines that involve your baby. There are many  workouts  including yoga for mothers and infants that will allow for participation of both mother and child. Many gyms offer mommy and me classes.

5. Your lunch break provides a good opportunity squeeze in a  workout . If you don’t have the time to get to the gym, put your sneakers on and take a brisk walk after lunch.

6. Get your family involved in fitness. Plan hikes, bike rides, or play sports with the entire family on the weekends. Working out on the weekends also allows you to get in longer  workouts .

7. If you can’t find a block of 30 to 40 minutes of interrupted time to work out, work out in spurts. Two or three ten minute blasts of cardio are just as effective as one 30 minute  workout . It all adds up.

8. Stroller fitness (walking or jogging with your child in a fitness stroller), is a great option for working mothers. This is a  workout  which allows you to spend time with your child while still carrying out your jogging or walking program.

Fitness does not have to take a backseat to motherhood or work obligations. With a little creativity and time-saving tricks, you can take advantage of the little time you have to incorporate fitness and well-being.