Top 10 Pros And Cons Of Personal Trainer

Should we hire personal trainer or continue rely on your knowledge.

Pros
1. A personal trainer can look at your physical condition and write a workout plan that will help you meet your specific physical fitness goals.

 If, for instance, you have been steadily exercising for years but you have seen very little muscle development, a personal trainer can help you tweak your workout to fit your fitness level and your body type, thereby ensuring that the strength of your biceps (or your triceps or your gluteus maximus or all the muscles in your whole body) are seen by everyone you know. A personal trainer can help you work out through injuries by ensuring a workout that gets your heart rate up but does not exacerbate the damage. A personal trainer can help you lose weight, develop muscle definition, or lower your BMI. Often, a personal trainer can help you do all of this and more.

2.Accountability

This is probably the primary reason people pursue a trainer. If someone makes me show up, then I have to show up! If I’m paying someone to train me, I definitely will be there! One of the biggest issues with making fitness a lifestyle versus a temporary roller coaster ride is accountability. We have created such strange aversions to working out and in some cases, have actually convinced ourselves we hate working out! I can’t wrap my head around it. Here’s the deal, our bodies were MEANT to move. Guess what else? The stories we tell ourselves over and over are what become our reality. Guess what else? No one else on this planet can tell your story for you. Shocking right? Sharing a favorite quote of mine from a well-known Crossfitter and current residency student, Julie Foucher.

“Someone told me before to listen to the story that you’re telling yourself…Because a lot of the times we make our reality by the stories that we’re telling, and you can tell any story in a positive way or in a negative way, and so it helps to stop and ask yourself, ‘OK, what is the story I’m telling myself: Is this really a reality, and how can I change this story to make it a better reality?’”

How powerful is that?! So YES, working with a trainer can help keep you accountable and create positive habits for yourself. There’s nothing negative about it.  

3. A personal trainer will watch you exercise and will be able to make sure that you are using the correct form. 

We all like to think that we are using correct form while in reality we just cannot watch ourselves exercise the way someone else can. Incorrect form can lead to, at best, a lack of results, and at worse, some very serious injuries.  

4.Everyone Starts Somewhere

This definitely overlaps with number 3 above. If you are just starting out on your workout journey, it can be challenging to know not only what to do, but how to not injure yourself and overdo it. Personal trainers are qualified and educated to get you started in the best possible way. Any fitness is better than no fitness. If you need to start with an expert, go for it.

5.Higher Intensity Workouts

This is not always the case but in most cases, I’d argue that someone standing over you, pushing you further, adding extra reps and motivating you will lead to a better workout than if you were doing this on your own. Another great pro.

Cons

6.Trainers are salespeople first, personal trainers second

There’s a reason most first-time gym goers are ferried into an introductory training session. Training is big money for gyms. Not only are the training sessions themselves profitable, gyms use their trainers to push nutritional products on clients, like protein bars and powders, which are usually heavily marked up. And many commercial gyms have their own proprietary workout accessories that are mainly sold to trainees.

As much as I hate to suggest it, I’m starting to believe that this is all a giant conspiracy. Trainers play into the business model of a gym — get as many people paying a monthly fee, but not actually using the facilities — as possible. If they really showed you how much fun working out could be via compound and Olympic lifts, you would actually use the facilities.

7.Cost

Personal trainers are often expensive, usually starting at $1/minute. Three 45 minute sessions per week could mean spending $540 per month. If you can commit to working out on your own for the majority of the week, one session per week could be enough, but if you are going to pay a personal trainer, you might as well let them do their work, which means letting them take a lot of your time and a lot of your money. You could look at this point in a different way: when something costs money, that thing becomes more valuable. Then, perhaps the cost of a personal trainer will create more accountability.

8.Lack of Self-Sufficiency

This is a biggie for me. Working out with a personal is great for all of the reasons above but it can also create a dependency. If you only work out when you have a scheduled training session, that’s not a great thing. You should be able to, eventually, get in a workout on your own accord, regardless of where you are or who you are with. This is why I mentioned above that’s it’s good for those just getting started. When you show up for a training session, you should be ready to learn as well. What can you take away from that session that you can do on your own? Also, if something changes in your life that requires you to stop seeing a trainer, it shouldn’t be a reason to stop working out!

9. Are they certified?

 Some gyms have created their trainer certifications, which may or may not comply with state and federal trainer certifications. Any trainer should be able to tell you details on their certification and prove that it is current. Finding the answers is simply a matter of a little research on your part, but you should do the research.

10.Lack of Variety

I do want to preface this by saying that not all trainers fall under this category. I am confident that there are plenty of amazing and well-rounded trainers out there. In my own personal experience, the trainers I have encountered and seen do not offer enough variety during the training sessions. In their defense, I think the people they are training are not coming often enough to really be able to take them outside their comfort zone. If you are going 1-2 times a week, they don’t have as much time and experience with you to increase your routine, weights etc.

Generally speaking, if you aren’t doing the things that really push you outside your comfort zone, then you are likely not making enough progress. If working out was easy as pie, you everyone would be doing it all the time! Challenge and struggle come along with being better. If you choose to work out with a trainer, don’t ever hesitate to tell them you are ready for the next step, harder workouts, heavier weights etc.

Looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources:www.inkin.com,www.pinkfortitude.com

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Top 10 Weight Loss Tips That Are Actually Evidence-Based

So much info out there how to loose weight, but what is true and what is pure myth.

  1. Drink Water, Especially Before Meals

It is often claimed that drinking water can help with weight loss — and that’s true.Drinking water can boost metabolism by 24–30% over a period of 1–1.5 hours, helping you burn off a few more calories (1, target=”_blank”2).

One study showed that drinking a half-liter (17 ounces) of water about half an hour before meals helped dieters eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight, compared to those who didn’t drink the water

2.Trying intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a pattern of eating that involves regular short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter time period during the day.

Several studies have indicated that short-term intermittent fasting, which is up to 24 weeks in duration, leads to weight loss in overweight individuals.

3.Have Barley for Breakfast

“Barley is the new oatmeal,” says Jackson Blatner.

Barley got its hunger-fighting reputation after Swedish researchers found that eating barley or rye kernels for breakfast kept blood sugar on an even keel. That’s because the carbs in barley and rye kernels are “low glycemic index,” meaning they raise blood sugar more slowly than some other carbohydrate foods. This helps you avoid a spike, and then a drop, in blood sugar, which can leave you feeling famished.

One caveat: “Buy hulled barely, not pearl barley,” Jackson Blatner says. The Swedish researchers used minimally processed hull barley, and they can’t vouch for the same effects for more processed forms, such as pearl barley.

4.Try WW (Weight Watchers) Diet

Although still used to shed pounds, with a focus on living healthier, Weight Watchers is about far more than its name might indicate. Its WW Freestyle program, launched in late 2017, builds on its SmartPoints system, which assigns every food and beverage a point value, based on its nutrition. The newest program expands dietary options that are 0 points from only fruits and vegetables to more than 200 foods. A backbone of the plan is multi-model access (via in-person meetings, online chat or phone) to support from people who lost weight using Weight Watchers, kept it off and have been trained in behavioral weight management techniques.

5.Eat Less Refined Carbs

Refined carbohydrates include sugar and grains that have been stripped of their fibrous, nutritious parts. These include white bread and pasta.

Studies show that refined carbs can spike blood sugar rapidly, leading to hunger, cravings and increased food intake a few hours later. Eating refined carbs is strongly linked to obesity.

If you’re going to eat carbs, make sure to eat them with their natural fiber.

6.Eating protein for breakfast

Protein can regulate appetite hormones to help people feel full. This is mostly due to a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a rise in the satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin.

Research on young adults has also demonstrated that the hormonal effects of eating a high-protein breakfast can last for several hours.

Good choices for a high-protein breakfast include eggs, oats, nut and seed butters, quinoa porridge, sardines, and chia seed pudding.

7.Stock Up on Frozen Vegetables

Sure, fresh vegetables are delicious and nutritious. But faced with the need to scrape a carrot, wash and slice a zucchini, or cut broccoli into florets, many of us say, “Too much trouble!” and reach for chips instead.

To make things easier, stock your freezer with frozen vegetables, Blake tells dieters.

8.Use Smaller Plates

Using smaller plates has been shown to help some people automatically eat fewer calories.

However, the plate-size effect doesn’t appear to affect everyone. Those who are overweight seem to be more affected.

9.Eating plenty of fiber

Dietary fiber describes plant-based carbohydrates that it is not possible to digest in the small intestine, unlike sugar and starch. Including plenty of fiber in the diet can increase the feeling of fullness, potentially leading to weight loss.

Fiber-rich foods include:

  • whole-grain breakfast cereals, whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread, oats, barley, and rye
  • fruit and vegetables
  • peas, beans, and pulses
  • nuts and seeds

10.Turn Down the Thermostat

Spending time in a chilly house — about 61 degrees Fahrenheit — may boost the fat-burning power of the “brown fat” in your body.

Brown fat is considered “good” fat, as opposed to regular or white fat, which stores calories and tends to accumulate. Researchers believe that lean people have more of the brown type of fat, and that the amount of brown fat a person has declines with age.

Scandinavian researchers found that exposure to these chilly temperatures boosted the metabolic rate of brown fat 15-fold, helping burn more calories.

But Jackson Blatner cautions not to expect too much: “It’s not going to be any kind of a miracle,” she says. And beware if you’re the type who eats more when you feel cold.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources:www.healthline.com,www.medicalnewstoday.com,www.webmd.com

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Top 10 Bad Habits That Lead to Weight Gain

Let’s be honest 90% people can blame only they’r self for weight gain. But what are the most often habits that leads to weight gain

1.Genetics

Obesity has a strong genetic component. Children of obese parents are much more likely to become obese than children of lean parents.

That doesn’t mean that obesity is completely predetermined. What you eat can have a major effect on which genes are expressed and which are not.

Non-industrialized societies rapidly become obese when they start eating a typical Western diet. Their genes didn’t change, but the environment and the signals they sent to their genes did.

Put simply, genetic components do affect your susceptibility to gaining weight. Studies on identical twins demonstrate this very well.

2.Ageing

People begin to lose modest amounts of muscle as they get older, largely because they become less active. Muscles are an efficient calorie burner, so a loss of muscle mass can mean you burn fewer calories. If you’re eating and drinking the same amount as you always have and are less physically active, this can lead to weight gain. “To reduce muscle loss, you should stay active and try to do regular muscle-strengthening exercises,” says Collins.

3. Eating amnesia.

Very often, this condition is TV-induced. “Your hand is stuck in the bag, and you don’t realize what or how much you’re eating,” Zelman says. “That big ol’ bag of chips can disappear pretty fast.”

4.Engineered Junk Foods

Heavily processed foods are often little more than refined ingredients mixed with additives.These products are designed to be cheap, last long on the shelf and taste so incredibly good that they are hard to resist.By making foods as tasty as possible, food manufacturers are trying to increase sales. But they also promote overeating.

Most processed foods today don’t resemble whole foods at all. These are highly engineered products, designed to get people hooked.

5.Stress and low mood

People respond differently to stress, anxiety and depressed mood. Some people may lose weight, while others may gain weight. “People can turn to food as a coping mechanism,” says Collins. “It can lead to a vicious circle. Weight gain from depression can make you more depressed, which can lead to further weight gain. If you know you’re an emotional eater, you need to find other forms of distraction, such as exercise or a hobby, calling a friend, going for a walk or having a soothing bath.”

6. Starvation-mode shopping.

Face it, grocery stores and extreme hunger just don’t mix. You end up buying the first quick-fix item you see. Slow down. Eat a little something — something healthy — before grocery shopping. Suggestion: Get a sandwich on your way to the grocery store — grilled chicken breast, that is. “Then you won’t be so hungry, so tempted,” says Zelman. Also, shop with a grocery list and stick to it.

7.Food Addiction

Many sugar-sweetened, high-fat junk foods stimulate the reward centers in your brain.

In fact, these foods are often compared to commonly abused drugs like alcohol, cocaine, nicotine and cannabis.

Junk foods can cause addiction in susceptible individuals. These people lose control over their eating behavior, similar to people struggling with alcohol addiction losing control over their drinking behavior.

Addiction is a complex issue that can be very difficult to overcome. When you become addicted to something, you lose your freedom of choice and the biochemistry in your brain starts calling the shots for you.

8.Tiredness

Some studies have shown that people who sleep less than seven hours a day are more likely to be overweight than those who get nine hours of sleep or more. It’s not clear why, but one theory is that sleep-deprived people have reduced levels of leptin, the chemical that makes you feel full, and higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger-stimulating hormone.

“If you’re always feeling tired, you are more likely to reach for high-calorie snacks to keep your energy levels up throughout the day and do less physical activity, which means you burn fewer calories,” says Collins.

9. Drinking without thinking.

Beer, alcohol, wine, soft drinks — they all go down easy. But the calories can really add up. “Save your liquid calories for when you really want them,” says Zelman.

10.Misinformation

People all over the world are being misinformed about health and nutrition.

There are many reasons for this, but the problem largely depends on where people get their information from.Many websites, for example, spread inaccurate or even incorrect information about health and nutrition.

Some news outlets also oversimplify or misinterpret the results of scientific studies and the results are frequently taken out of context.Other information may simply be outdated or based on theories that have never been fully proven.

Food companies also play a role. Some promote products, such as weight loss supplements, that do not work.Weight loss strategies based on false information can hold back your progress. It’s important to choose your sources well.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources:www.healthline.com,www.nhs.uk,www.webmd.com

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Supplements Vs Real Food

This question is very important, bellow will give you some variants, hope will enjoy this.

1.Protein powders

Protein powder comes in lots of different forms and flavours to suit what you need, there are of course pros and cons of taking these though:

Pros

Protein powders are a really quick source of protein and provide a quick digesting hit that you can take anywhere with you.

A big positive I find in taking these is that depending on the supplement company you use – they can actually be cheaper than eating whole foods.

Another slightly strange positive for me is that they come in sweet flavours which I find helps me when I am eating clean because you don’t get to eat the food they are modelled on. Protein powders also require next to no preparation which saves a lot of time.

Cons

The biggest downside to supplements is that they aren’t real food. By this I mean you don’t get all of the nutrients and other vitamins that you get from actual food.

When you eat, for example, beef, you get around 25g of protein per 100g serving which is roughly similar to that of most protein powders.

However, you also get plenty of vitamin B12, Zinc and Iron along with Creatine, all things you don’t get from protein powders. As another benefit, food is filling! It fills your stomach for longer which means you will feel you have more energy and will be able to perform better.

Which is better?

In my opinion, I will choose food over supplements for my protein intake every time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t use them.

I think they are very useful as long as you use them sensibly and don’t neglect whole foods as the main bulk of your protein intake.

In simple terms, food is better but supplements are helpful!

2.Vitamin And Mineral Supplements

Vitamins and minerals supplements can give you the vitamins and minerals needed by your body to support a variety of functions.

Pros:

  • These supplements can help you maintain optimal health, especially if your food consumption is low.
  • They can improve a wide range of bodily functions and help maintain your mental health.
  • They decrease your risk of vitamin deficiency.
  • They help you digest much better.
  • They allow a person to get a regular daily intake of essential vitamins, which is especially important for children.

Cons:

  • Excessive vitamins and minerals can have an adverse effect on a person’s overall health.
  • Fat-soluble vitamins, for instance, can be contained in your tissue, especially if you take more of them than you need.
  • Excess vitamin A can cause congenital disabilities and liver problems.
  • Too many minerals, such as calcium, selenium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, are dangerous for the health as they can led to toxicity. Excess iron, for instance, can cause digestive complications, while excess calcium might increase your risk of forming kidney stones.

3.Creatine

Creatine is an amazing supplement – easy to take, relatively cheap, brings on some amazing improvements to your body and your overall performance, but is the 5g you should have a day better from food or powder?

Pros

Taking Creatine is super simple. Usually, to get your 5g it can either be one small scoop of powder.

Or to make it even simpler most pre-workout supplements have your daily intake of Creatine already put into them.

For me though the biggest advantage of taking Creatine as a supplement is because of how much food you need to eat to get your 5g, here’s a rundown:

  • Pork = 5g per Kilo
  • Red meat = 4.5g per Kilo
  • Herring = 6.5g per Kilo
  • Salmon = 4.5g per Kilo
  • Tuna = 4g per Kilo
  • Cod = 3g per Kilo

So as you can see you need to eat a LOT of food to get that Creatine intake from food alone.

Cons

As with everything on this list a supplement doesn’t carry the nutrients of real food, but in this situation, the amount of food you would need to eat may mean it isn’t realistic!

I think though the biggest con for people is some of the negative impacts it can have.

The biggest thing to remember with Creatine is it makes you hold more water, which in turns means you put on weight (I tend to put on about 1.5 kilos in the space of two weeks when I start Creatine).

Another thing it’s known for is making you feel and appear bloated (this isn’t for everyone, however) but this should clear once you stop taking it.

On that subject, when you stop taking it – it usually states on the supplement to cycle Creatine but I don’t believe it’s necessary – you tend to lose all of the water weight very quickly and it can make your muscles look flat.

Which is better?

As with everything here, food is always going to contain more nutrients and other benefits than just taking a small scoop of powder every morning, in this case.

However, I will hold my hands up and say I would prefer to take the powder instead of eating a kilo of Herring every day!

My advice, choose a supplement which allows you to take in 3g Creatine per serving instead of the full 5g, then your daily protein intake should allow you to get the additional 2g you need. Best of both worlds really.

4. Calorie Supplements

Calorie supplements, also called weight gainers, are notable for their benefits of giving a person the ability to increase his lean muscle mass and increase the strength of his muscles as well. These are the supplements commonly used by most bodybuilders to help them build their great physiques. Although these products are proven to be effective, they are not without side effects.

Pros:

  • These supplements can help a person gain muscle mass quickly. They contain a high amount of carbs and proteins that are essential to gaining weight. These supplements contain low amounts of fat so you can rest assured that your weight gain is muscle instead of fat.
  • They also contain amino acids that help you acquire lean muscle mass. Calorie supplements contain arginine, which helps the body produce more nitric oxide, which improves the flow of blood to growing muscles.
  • These supplements can also give a person energy and stamina to last him through all his training and workouts.

Cons:

  • One common side effect of using these supplements is insomnia. These supplements contain caffeine to give you energy.
  • Too much caffeine, however, can keep you up all night.
  • These supplements are also shown to cause damage to the kidneys, especially after long-term use.

5.Omega 3/fish oil tablets vs Food

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are not produced naturally by the body so you must get them in another form, supplements are by far the easiest way to get these into your daily diet.

There isn’t a set guideline on how much you should consume on a daily basis but as a general guideline, the average person needs around 500mg per day.

Pros

Despite the fact that this supplement is commonly known with keeping the elderly mobile it also is fantastic for athletic performance, as it is one of the healthy fats it has great fat burning qualities to keep you leaner.

Along with other benefits like healthier hair, skin, brain, heart and joints – basically, it’s pretty good stuff!

Most supplements contain between 500mg – 1000mg a day so you get your whole allowance in one instant hit.

Cons

It isn’t fish (or seeds, or nuts, or really any other fatty foods).

You can actually get around 500mg of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids per 100g of oily fish like mackerel, not only do you get the fatty acids but plenty of protein as well.

Other foods you get plenty of omegas from are:

  • Pork = 5g per Kilo
  • Red meat = 4.5g per Kilo
  • Herring = 6.5g per Kilo
  • Salmon = 4.5g per Kilo
  • Tuna = 4g per Kilo
  • Cod = 3g per Kilo

All of these foods will help to build up to your daily intake but you will get plenty of other nutrients with these as well.

Which is better?

If you are eating plenty of oily fish and other foods listed above I would imagine you are getting your daily intake of Omega 3 and 6 so don’t need the supplement, but if you’re like me and don’t eat these foods every day then the supplement is a good idea.

The biggest thing to remember is that diets rich in omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to help to reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure, all of which will keep you healthier for longer, and isn’t that the aim with it all?

To Sum Up

The biggest thing to remember with dietary supplements is that they are just that, there to supplement your daily diet.

If your diet sucks, no amount of supplements is going to give you the results you want. Focus on real food as much as you can, then use supplements to fill in the gaps.

If you are looking for workout clothes check out out fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources:www.musclefood.com,www.organic4greenlivings.com

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10 Reasons You Should Never Stop Wearing Leggings

Leggings (compression pants) have so many benefits and they are beautiful.

1.Reduced Muscle Fatigue

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Purchasing compression shorts, and wearing them during workouts, helps improve athletic performance by reducing fatigue. UPMC Health Beat says that wearing compression shorts helps reduce muscle soreness and fatigue during and after workouts, resulting in better, faster and longer runs without feeling quite as tired when you wear compression garments. This is an excellent reason to try a pair!

2.Warmth

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One of the most obvious benefits of opting for tights over shorts or even sweatpants is the warmth they offer during the colder months. While it’s true that you need extra warmth for winter running, you also don’t want to be weighted down or get too hot during your run. Tights offer extra warmth from the length and, if constructed from a performance fabric, can help wick sweat away from skin so you stay warm — but not too warm — to continue training through temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, suggests The Competitive Runner.

3.FIT AND COMFORT

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The slim fit of tights provides the obvious yet crucial benefit of not riding up during a run. In addition, the tightness will eliminate friction that baggier clothing can cause against your skin. While the concept may seem restricting, tights are made of stretch fabrics — polyester and spandex, for instance — that allow flexibility and freedom of movement. Contoured waistbands can ensure both comfort and a flattering look, and many ASICS tights also feature flatlock seaming, meaning the seams are flat and therefore more comfortable.

4.Strain Prevention

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Believe it or not, compression shorts also help reduce your risk for strains. Additionally, Healthline says compression garments even aids in strain recovery. So if you’re prone to this type of sports-related injury, compression shorts may be right up your alley.

5.Protection

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Even if it’s not too cold out, running tights can pull double duty by protecting the skin on your legs from the elements. Whether it’s the hot sun or whipping wind, an extra layer on your legs gives you more protection. Because avid runners hit the pavement no matter what the weather, tights are an ideal way to protect skin without having to compromise on gear

6.PERFORMANCE

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Some tights even double as compression gear. Compression in general can have a wide range of positive effects on performance, including improved recovery and increased muscle efficiency.

A number of our running tights also have elastic panels for muscular support, using COREBALANCE® technology to compress leg and lower back muscles in specific areas.

Running tights also offer an aerodynamic advantage for runners looking to reduce wind resistance and increase speed. In 1986, a study by the journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that runners who wore tights or minimized exposed hair were able to decrease wind resistance by two percent. This might not seem like much, but that’s 5.7 seconds over the course of a marathon.

7.Increased Power & Better Jumping Ability

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Want more power during and after workouts, and better jumping ability? Compression tights may help improve jumping performance in athletes after endurance events. According to Runner’s World, compression gear makes it easier to regain maximum jumping ability post-workout, which is a bonus when you’re looking to get back on the track, field, or court after an intense workout.

8.Better Recovery After Strenuous Exercise

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Recovering from strenuous exercise can be a lengthy process and muscle soreness is more likely to occur when you’re new to intense training sessions. Luckily, compression shorts can aid in muscle recovery after strenuous workouts. Pressure (compression) garments may have greater advantages to improve recovery following an exercise bout, says Human Kinetics.

9.Groin Support

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Need a little extra groin support, or need a sturdy place to hold a cup)? Compression shorts with cup pockets are for just this purpose. Theyprovide a convenient, comfortable way to protect sensitive body parts while you train or compete. Shorts with cup pockets are perfect for baseball and football players who need extra protection, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort.

10.Better Muscle Oxygenation

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Your muscles need oxygen to function properly during workouts. Compression garments are designed to increase the amount of oxygen that they recieve, according to a publication by Research Gate. Compression are designed to promote blood flow and improve oxygenation of muscle tissue, which can enhance athletic performance during short bouts of exercise.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources:www.mcdavidusa.com,www.secretdesires.in,www.asics.com

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Top 10 Best Fitness and Health Gift Ideas

What to give to someone the is working out, or have a healthy lifestyle.

  1. Yoga Mat

Our partners over at Women’s Health and \backslash\fit created a fitness product that’s really incredible, and it will change your favorite yogi’s practice for good. This smart, nonslip yoga mat will talk the user through the practice, making yoga easy AF. Plus, it takes just one motion (a click!) to roll it up in an instant. 

The smart technology works by pairing with Women’s Health Yoga on Amazon Alexa. Trust us: If you have a yogi in your life, this is the gift she’s secretly dying to receive.  

2. THE TOUGH TRAINING GLOVES

Ladies who lift will appreciate these Wodies Workout Gloves. They offer wrist support plus full palm protection to prevent calluses during weightlifting and pull ups. Plus, they come in a variety of colors and sizes to suit nearly anyone.

3. Onnit Iron Man Kettlebell

The only thing cooler than doing kettlebell swings with a 40-pounder? Doing them with a 40-pound kettlebell that’s been cast to look like Iron Man. Onnit’s entire Marvel Hero Elite line of fitness equipment will make you feel superheroic, but no piece stands out more than this Iron Man kettlebell. Get it for the friend who heads to the gym daily trying to carve a superhero torso.

4. Gym Bag

Spoil your favorite fitness addict with a cute bag she’ll want to carry everywhere she goes. The metallic fabric and rainbow straps make a serious statement all the way from the front door to the locker room. 

5. THE ‘HOW DID NOBODY THINK OF THIS?’ LEGGINGS

If every woman’s going-out dream is a dress with pockets, her fitness wish list includes the same for yoga pants. Enter: These lightweight Athleta leggings that, yep, have pockets.

6. CycleOps Magnus Smart Trainer

Don’t feel like paying $35 for a spin class? Pop off the back wheel of your bike and set yourself up on the indoor smart system from CycleOps. 

7. Dulcii 2.2L Dumbbell Shape Water Bottle

This unique water bottle will inspire fitness freaks to work their biceps with each sip. The best part? The more you hydrate, the easier it is to curl the dumbbell. 

8.NEW BEST BUDS

These sweat-proof, waterproof, wireless buds boast an in-ear heart-rate monitor and an app that measures VO2 max, possibly making these the most high-tech items she’ll ever stick in her ears. Oh, and the sound quality is really, really good, too.

9. 2XU Men’s MCS Run Compression Tights

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Start your recovery before you even finish your workout. 2XU’s compression tights have anatomically targeted spots to up your blood flow so you feel better post-activity.

10. Fitbit Charge 3

Know someone worth a splurge? The Fitbit Charge 3 is a water-resistant, user-friendly fitness tracker, and it features continuous heart-rate tracking, GPS, a handy touchscreen, and swappable wristbands.

In addition to tracking health data and delivering smartphone notifications, the tracker can also help users unwind via personalized breathing exercises. Plus, we love the host of fitness-tracking programs and extended battery life this updated version comes with. Time for an upgrade! 

iF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WORKOUT CLOTHES CHECK OUR FITNESS AND YOGA LEGGINGS PAGE. Sources: http://www.bestproducts.com, http://www.menshealth.com

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Top 10 Fitness Alternatives To Get in Shape

If you hate the gym but want to get in shape this article is for you.

1.Go For a Swim

If you don’t like the gym due to your distaste for humanity, you may not like swimming in a public pool much, either.

But if you don’t have access to a private pool and don’t mind the prospect of getting elbowed by teens doing water tricks, going for a half-hour swim a few days a week will burn 207 calories a pop, as well as tone and strengthen your muscles and give you the opportunity to 

Water is twelve times denser than air, which means that propelling yourself through it provides consistent resistance, safely working your muscles to strengthen and tone them. Swimming has also been shown to increase bone strength in post-menopausal women, making this workout great for helping to prevent osteoporosis.

After your swim, do some yoga positions while you’re still in the pool. The water helps support your weight as you master positions that require good balance, such as Eagle, Tree, King Dancer and Warrior III poses.Shop Fitness ProductsSports & Fitness

2. Look Silly, Feel Great

If you’re not self-conscious about exercising, Kangoo Jump shoes will spice up your typical workout. The funny-looking shoes actually add gravitational force to your body — they double the resistance of your aerobics while wearing them. Originally designed as a way to relieve the stress on runners’ joints, they reduce joint stress while still making you work up a sweat.

3.Outdoor fitness

Ideal for anyone who hates to exercise alone, these outdoor bootcamps and fitness are group focussed, with emphasis on cardio and resistance exercises to target all of the major muscle groups. They strive to make the sessions fun and varied (and suitable for all abilities), and there are held at a range of locations around Leeds, including Kirkstall Abbey, Temple Newsam and Roundhay Park.

4.Hula Hoop

Hula hoops are cheap and fun, and hooping is an enjoyable workout for your whole body.

Better yet, just 30 minutes of hooping burns 216 calories.

And if you’re up for a challenge, you can learn all sorts of neat tricks to entertain party guests.

Start with the classic hula hoop move. Put the hoop around your waist, start it rotating with your hands, then let your hips do the work.

Move your hips from side to side as if you’re doing The Bump. Do this move as long as you can, starting the hoop up again as soon as you mess up.

Next, stand with your feet staggered, one slightly in front of the other. Start the hoop and keep it going by rocking back and forth on your feet, thrusting your pelvis out and back, out and back. Keep your abs engaged while you move. Again, do this move for as long as you can, and start the hoop right back up if you lose momentum.

5. Bounce To A New You

If you thought you outgrew trampolines, think again. Mini-trampolines — known as rebounders– are taking fitness by a storm. Trampolines provide an intensive workout that you can do at home or in the gym. They’re a fun way to get your cardio in without it feeling like a chore. Keeping steady while busting a move will tighten your abs and improve leg power and strength — without increasing pressure on your joints.

6.Aerial Yoga

This unique approach to traditional yoga uses low hanging fabrics to support the weight of the body through a variety of postures, relieving pressure on the joints and offering much deeper stretches to improve both strength and flexibility.

7.Perform Intervals

If you enjoy jogging, you can get a much more effective workout by doing intervals.

Instead of going for a half-hour jog, which burns 238 calories, interval training will bump up your calorie burn to 356 calories in just 32 minutes.

Warm up with a moderately fast walk for five minutes, and then start your intervals.

The first interval is a one-minute all-out run that should make you feel like you’re going to die, followed by a two-minute slow jog that feels like heaven and gives you a chance to catch your breath. Repeat the interval seven times, and then walk to cool down for three minutes.

8. Dance Yourself Thin

Whether you’re the first one on the dance floor or an uncoordinated wallflower, salsa dancing has something to offer. The seductive dance is cardio-heavy, and an hour of dancing will torch around 600 calories. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll get. And if you’ve been looking for something to do with your partner, it’s a great workout for couples — or, if you’re single, to find a new partner.

9. British Military Fitness

It may sound intimidating but these military fitness classes are designed to cater for all abilities. Held at various parks around Leeds, the sessions incorporate cardio, strength and teamwork activities, and are run by serving or former members of the armed forces who will help to keep you motivated and on track.

10.Run Stairs

For some, running up and down stairs is nothing short of torture.

For others, the delicious burn in the glutes and legs is a sure sign that a slimmer body and toned muscles are right around the corner.

If you enjoy the challenge of running stairs, you can burn a whopping 422 calories in a half hour, as well as tone the heck out of your butt.

You can run stairs anywhere: The local stadium, the park, your office building and the steps that lead to the courthouse are all fair game.

Proper technique is extremely important when you’re running up and down stairs in order to protect your knees and joints from pain and injury.

Push off from your toes rather than your heels, and keep your movements controlled to avoid falling. Pump your arms to help propel you and maintain good balance.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page.
Sources: http://www.workoutplan.com, http://www.huffingtonpost.com, http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

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Top 10 Inspiring Movies To Help You Get Fit

We all need motivation to start working out, sometimes good movie can inspire us to lift up our butts and do something.

  1. Pumping Iron

This documentary from 1977 introduced many Americans to both the sport of bodybuilding and its best athlete, one Arnold Schwarzenegger. So in addition to being a great film about fitness, we also have it to thank for The TerminatorConan the Barbarian, and Total Recall. (Also, Jingle All the Way and his “Governator” years, but still …)

2. Hoosiers


Set in a time before Nike, Hoosiers is the classic underdog story of a scrappy basketball team from small-town Indiana that makes it to the state championship. Watching Gene Hackman yell out the “picket fence” play to the team is the emotional equivalent of a post-game high five. 
Make it a double-feature: Hoop Dreams
Take it off the couch: Every baller needs to work on their jumping skills. Get the power to drive down the lane and spring into the air by following these foolproof pointers for increasing your vertical jump.

3.Pain & Gain

Marky Mark and the Rock star as gym rats who plot to kidnap an unscrupulous businessman played by Tony Shalhoub. What’s not to love? This story is a great takedown of the “bro subculture” of guys who value brawn more than brains. 

4. Rocky

Sly Stallone tried five times, but he never topped (and never will top) the original Rocky. The Best Picture Oscar winner from 1978 contains some of the most inspiring training scenes ever committed to film. Just watch Rock go!

5. Remember the Titans


Football movies are plentiful and range in quality, but Titans gets our vote for pure inspiration. Consider the ingredients: A dash of Denzel Washington, a splash of historical setting, a heap of underdog scrappiness. Mix them together and you’ll get this uplifting Disney movie. Result: the best pep rally ever.
Make it a double-feature: The Blind Side
Take it off the couch: Do a halftime hustle. Instead of stuffing your face during halftime (or looking at kittens) get off your duff and do this routine (warning: jump squats). Then claim some healthier victory nachos.

6.The (original) Karate Kid

Wax on, wax off. Paint the fence. Training balance while standing on the bow of a rowboat. It could be argued that Pat Morita as karate instructor Mr. Miyagi was one of the original trainers to feature movement-based training as a key component of his workout regimen. Eighties heart throb Ralph Macchio portrays underdog Daniel who is training to compete in a karate tournament. “No bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do,” is one of Mr. Miyagi’s most memorable quotes, and one that is applicable to any fitness effort. 

7. Warrior


Tom Hardy goes beast mode in this great MMA film from a few years ago. He doesn’t say much as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with his brother in the finals of a major tournament, but looks physically capable of tearing someone’s head off. 

8. 300

This over-the-top violent movie put Gerard Butler on the map, but if you don’t want to go hit the gym after watching the Spartans in action then you don’t have a soul. 
One of our most popular workouts ever is inspired from this blockbuster about the 300 Spartan men who went to war against thousands of Persians. (Try the workout for yourself.) It’s the film that made Gerard Butler (and more notably, Gerard Butler’s abs) a star.

9.Step-up

Yes, I have seen this movie because of my wife (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it), but we can’t have a list of top fitness movies without including Channing Tatum. In this movie, he’s a ne’er-do-well teen who turns to dancing in an effort to fit in and turn his life around. The soundtrack and dancing scenes will make you want to push the coffee table out of the way and boogie in your living room

10.Fight Club, Snatch and Troy

It was hard to decide which Brad Pitt movie was most worthy of recognition on this list—hence, the three-way tie. Whether it’s as Mickey, the bare knuckle-fighting Irish gypsy in Snatch; Tyler Durden, the scrappy anti-hero in Fight Club; or the warrior Achilles in Troy, each role featured Pitt’s physical prowess. Guys like these movies for the action, while women like these movies because of Brad. Regardless of your reason for watching, these films have the power to boost your motivation for training.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page. Sources: http://www.menshealth.com, http://www.greatist.com, http://www.acefitness.org

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Top 10 Worst Diets For Fat Loss

They are too many diet out there, many of them does’t work at all.
So what are the top 10 worst diets for fat loss?

1.Carnivore Diet

The increasingly popular carnivore diet requires eating mostly meat (along with some eggs and fat, like cheese). There’s also a popular version that involves eating only beef. Although you can find carnivore dieters’ success stories online, don’t even think about it, says Gorin: “This is not a healthy or sustainable diet, and there are healthier ways to lose weight.”

“Not only is the carnivore diet extremely high in saturated fat, which can put you at risk for increased cholesterol levels, it also leaves out a lot of foods that are really good for you,” Gorin says. That includes fruits and veggies, which are known to promote weight loss and help fight disease.

Bottom line: Avoid this diet — or if you’re determined to try it, be sure to run the idea by your healthcare team and get their take first.

2.The Baby Food Diet

Why It’s Nuts: “Baby food is basically pureed fruits, vegetables, and meats,” says Sharon Palmer, author of Plant-Powered for Life.  “So there’s no real reason why eating baby food would help you lose weight.”

On top of that, a baby food diet is unsustainable, says Palmer. When food is liquefied, the body doesn’t pick up fullness cues, which can make you feel hungrier after eating a sufficient amount of calories, she says.

Better Move: Eat in a way that you could sustain for the rest of your life without feeling miserable, says Palmer. Practicing common-sense portion control, mindful eating, and eating more minimally processed plant foods such as whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits, which are rich in nutrients and low in calories should get you to your goals.

3.Alkaline Diet

Restriction is the name of the game when it comes to the alkaline diet. Based on the concept that eating more alkaline foods, and shunning foods that make your body produce acid, will vastly improve health, this diet requires cutting out entire food groups. Meat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, and anything that could be deemed sugary or processed are banned from your plate.

While the emphasis on fresh produce and healthy foods like seeds and nuts is great, it isn’t an easy diet to follow. There’s no science backing up the alkaline diet’s claims that it will perfectly balance your pH levels. That’s something your body already does naturally (and efficiently), so there’s no need to drastically change your diet for the sake of your pH.

4.Whole30

There’s nothing wrong with the foods that Whole30 asks you to eat, like fresh fruit and veggies. In fact, proponents of the plan say that focusing on whole foods instead of packaged, processed ones may result in weight loss and other health perks, too, like higher energy and improved sleep.

But the Whole30 plan prohibits eating many dietary staples — not just unhealthy foods like added sugar and alcohol, but also legumes, dairy, and grains. And while your body doesn’t need those healthy foods to function, Whole30’s restrictions can make the program difficult to stick with.

Furthermore, those rules can create a cycle of guilt around food, says Anne Mauney, a registered dietitian in Washington, DC. Even if you follow through on the entire 30-day program, at the end you’re likely still going to feel down on yourself for eating what was once deemed “bad.”

Plus, when you go back to eating these foods, “you may likely end up eating more of it than you need or want, because there’s that sort of ‘screw it’ mentality where you’ve already started eating something you ‘shouldn’t’ have, so you might as well keep going. This can often turn into a sort of ongoing restrict-binge cycle over time, where you limit certain foods and then end up overdoing it on those foods later, before going right back to restricting and trying to be ‘good,’” she says. That’s no way to live.

5.The Air Diet

Why It’s Nuts: You hold your empty fork up to your mouth and pretend to eat high-calorie foods instead of giving into cravings, says Rebecca Scritchfield, R.D., author of Body Kindness. It’s easy for most people to see why this one is crazy. It promotes disordered eating and, thanks to a drastic drop in calories, lowers your metabolism and leads to muscle breakdown. It also increases leptin resistance, which crushes your ability to get a sense of fullness when you start eating again.

Better Move: “Your cravings will only increase if you try to avoid eating a specific food, and you’ll end up making a choice you regret,” says Scritchfield. If it’s sweets you crave, fruit will give you a boost of quick energy and hydration. If you’re looking for a tasty snack, try nuts, beef jerky, and hard-boiled eggs, which have a mix of protein and fat and will leave you feeling satisfied, she says.

6.The Military Diet

Often touted as a way to lose 10 pounds in one week, this extreme meal plan isn’t just miserable, it’s also dangerous. With no actual association with any branch of the military, the Military Diet is something that seems to have sprung to life on the Internet. Meals are small, unvaried, and include bizarre combinations. Example meals include “1 cup cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, 5 saltine crackers” or “1 cup tuna, 1/2 banana, 1 cup vanilla ice cream.”

7.Keto Diet

If you want to lose weight quickly, this diet, which researchers designed to help control epilepsy in children, has become a popular way to do so.

But there’s a lack of definitive research proving that keto is safe and effective for the long haul. What we do know is this high-fat, moderate-protein, and very-low-carb diet has a reputation for being challenging, especially if you’re doing it without medical supervision. When you go off the plan, you might gain back all the weight you lost.

What’s more, for all the buzz about the health benefits of keto (for type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and more), long-term randomized, controlled trials in humans are lacking, Harvard notes. “Keto restricts foods that help fight cancer and heart disease, like whole grains and legumes,” says Tiberio.

What’s more, there are so many ways to approach keto, and not all of them are healthful. “Though you should be eating a lot of spinach and kale on keto, people generally eat bacon and eggs,” says Tiberio, which leaves out important disease-fighting nutrients, including fiber.

8.The Tapeworm Diet

Why It’s Nuts: This diet requires ingesting a tapeworm, which feeds on the food you’re eating, so you don’t absorb the calories, says Alexandra Caspero, R.D., author of delishknowledge. Eventually (hopefully) the worm will leave your body through your digestive tract. “It’s important to realize that these are parasites and can be very difficult to remove,” says Caspero. There’s also no guarantee that the worm won’t move to other parts of the body, which can lead to severe side effects like weakness, headaches, nausea, and diarrhea. Just no.

Better Move: “Focus on eating foods that are lower in calories and higher in nutrients, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins,” says Caspero. Those will fill you up for less calories. No tapeworm required.

9.Blood Type Diet

The notion behind the blood type diet is that certain foods react differently with each blood type. In other words, proponents of the diet suggest some foods might be healthy for one blood type, while causing severe damage to another. Type A dieters must go vegetarian, type O has to stick with lean meats and fresh produce, and type B is required to avoid a random assortment of foods including chicken, tomatoes, sesame seeds, and peanuts.

The main negative of the diet is its complex rules and that it requires many blood types to cut out healthy, everyday ingredients. Developed by a naturopathic doctor, there’s no scientific evidence (despite several studies) that the blood type diet is effective when it comes to health or weight loss.

10.Atkins

Of course, the Atkins diet was the original low-carb diet, made popular decades ago. Now that keto is on the scene and there’s a general carb phobia, you may be thinking again about going on a low-carb diet like Atkins. (Atkins and keto differ in that Atkins allows for more protein, whereas keto limits protein.)

“Like many diets, you lose weight quickly on Atkins. But it does not work long term,” says Tiberio. On the U.S. News rankings of best diets, Atkins falls near the bottom because of worries about safety and negative impact on heart health.

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page. Sources: http://www.everydayhealth.com, http://www.womenshealthmag.com, http://www.cookinglight.com

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Top 10 Detox Drinks To Try

Detoxing is very important in our time, so what are the best drinks to help your health.

  1. Lemon Ginger Morning Detox Drink

This classic detox drink blends ginger and turmeric for powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Low-toxin and antioxidant-rich lemons also mix into this zesty morning tea for added liver support. Use organic lemons, pick up fresh ginger, and choose raw honey (added right before you drink it) for a more Bulletproof beverage.

2.The Original Day Spa Apple Cinnamon Detox Water

This classic recipe was first made famous by Audrey Johns on her blog LoseWeightbyEating.comback in 2012. Since then it has turned into a worldwide phenomenon and has helped open up a new infused water craze.

Not only does this recipe taste delicious (the apples and cinnamon in this recipe help make any day feel like Fall), it also has a lot of health benefits. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

And the cinnamon also has a lot of great health benefits, too, making this an ideal detox water.

Apple Cinnamon Detox Water Ingredients:

  • 1 Apple thinly sliced, I like Fuji but pick your favorite. Cut away the seeds.
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick. I don’t recommend using powdered cinnamon, it clogs the water.

3.Super Green Detox Drink

From celery to kale to parsley, this drink contains what you need to boost the body’s detox system. The recipe includes apple, which takes the edge off the veggie flavor for those of you who don’t naturally savor green things.

4.Slim Down Detox Water

This cucumber detox water is an ideal starting point for all dieters. The diuretic properties guarantee that all moisture will be rapidly flushed from the system. Tart grapefruit delivers a revitalizing rush of flavor, and the fruit is packed with fat-burning enzymes. All of the citrus contained within this refreshing beverage is designed to heal the internal digestive tract. Mint leaves briskly finalize the drinks ability to easy any tummys woes while losing weight fast. This tasty brew only takes ten minutes to prepare, and it yields 8 potently cleansing servings. All ingredients are simply combined 2 hours before consumption.

5. Collagen Charcoal Beauty Elixir

This dark and dreamy nightcap contains collagen peptides to support smoother skin and activated charcoal to wipe away toxins while you snooze. Mixed with fragrant lavender, this detox drink brews up into a sweet and soothing beverage.

6.Blueberry and Orange Detox Water

This blueberry detox water recipe is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to drink.

This recipe is not exactly a “detox” drink, but let’s be honest here, water is the key! If you can get in your water each day, you’ll naturally increase your metabolism and flush your system. This fruit water recipe was made to simply make water taste more delicious, and we can get behind that. But that doesn’t mean the other ingredients don’t do their part as well.

The mandarin oranges are packed full of Vitamin C which is known to increase metabolism and help tone up skin.

The blueberries are packed full of antioxidants and fiber making them a super food that makes you healthier, more beautiful and best of all, they naturally curb appetite.

Blueberry and Orange Detox Water Ingredients:

  • 2 Mandarin Oranges, cut into wedges
  • Handful of blueberries

7.Morning Lemon Mint Water

Refresh your body first thing in the morning with this detoxifying drink recipe—a smart alternative to sugar-filled processed juices or calorie-laden takeout coffee drinks. It’s super simple to prep, so you can mix a glass no matter how bleary-eyed you feel.

8.Watermelon Detox Water

The latest dieting trend has reached a new level of evolution with this insanely flavorful watermelon detox water. There are plenty of antioxidants stored within the juicy melons, and its nutrient contents are through the roof. One of its key compounds is the phytonutrient known as lycopene. This generous ingredient is an extraordinarily strong antioxidant, and it also is known to foster anti-inflammatory effects. Amino acids are also provided to aid in blood flow and cardiovascular well-being. This is great for anyone with a rigid fitness routine. Seedless watermelons are preferred for this blend, and the final product is a ruby red wonder!

9.Metabolism Boosting Mango Ginger Water

This is one of my most popular recipes on my Pinterest page, as well as on my blog. The taste is amazing! The ginger and mango gives this infused water recipe a terrific flavor, while providing some beneficial ingredients to make you feel good.

Mangos are not only known to boost metabolism, they also aid in digestion, help boost your memory and can even help increase your libido! (9)

This Mango Ginger Detox Water will do a lot of good things for your health, so make a big pitcher today and enjoy.

Metabolism Boosting Mango Ginger Water Ingredients:

  • 1 inch Ginger Root, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup Frozen Mango- fresh is fine too

10.Raspberry Orange Detox Water

This detox water recipe combines two of my favorite infused water ingredients, raspberries and oranges! Oranges are not only delicious, they provide a tremendous boost of vitamin C, which is an important antioxidant that helps fight inflammation, premature aging, and even helps fight the common cold.

The raspberries are a yummy little fruit that always reminds me of summers at my grandparent’s farm. My grandmother would pick a huge batch of raspberries and we’d eat them with milk and sugar.

This recipe makes a great summertime treat, so try making a batch of this fruit water on a hot day and you’ll understand what makes this drink so good.

Raspberry Orange Detox Water Ingredients:

  • 1 thinly sliced orange
  • 1 pint raspberries (lightly crushed)

If you are looking for workout clothes check our fitness and yoga leggings page. Sources: http://www.blog.bulletproof.com, http://www.loseweightbyeating.com, http://www.skinnyms.com, http://www.54health.com

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