500 Calories Diet - Why the 500 Calories Diet is No Good For You

There are good diets and then there are bad diets. The 500 calories diet is another one of those fad diets that has gained popularity over time, but at the end of the day, what damage is a diet like this having on your body?

A normal low calorie diet is one which caters for 1200 calories per day. 500 calories is less than half that so you can only imagine what sort of an impact that level of calories would have on your body. The whole idea of embarking on a low calorie diet of 1200 calories a day would be to lose weight and lose weight quickly. To reduce this even further to 500 calories a day is fraught with danger and if you were contemplating doing this, you should first visit your doctor or dietician to get a clearance for this step. It would be extremely dangerous to do this without supervision.

The problem with fad diets like this is that they interfere with your metabolism meaning that your body will slow down to conserve energy. This means that you will feel lethargic and have less energy than normal as your body dives into starvation mode. The real problem begins once you go back to your normal diet. For most people they see the weight loss return and probably more for good measure.




What are the alternatives for losing weight and keeping it off? First, you need to have a look at your overall lifestyle - are you skipping meals, are you eating lots of take-aways, are you doing enough exercise? Think about these questions before you do anything and determine what needs to change in your life. One of the basic mistakes that most people make is that they over eat and under exercise. You need to find a proper balance between the two. There are plenty of really good weight loss/lifestyle programs out there and you need to find one which suits you.

The issue of weight should be a lifestyle one and not one based on fads because you need to lose weight, like tomorrow. It's all about looking after your body, eating a proper well balanced diet (no skipping meals) and daily exercise. Your weight should be looked as part of your investment for the future. Look after your body today and you will encounter less medical problems tomorrow. Forget about a fad like 500 calories diet and the like and start looking after your body today by making sensible lifestyle changes.

Did you know that fad diets are not sustainable for permanent weight loss nor are they solutions for sustainable good health.

To lose weight and keep it off, a sensible well balanced diet and an appropriate exercise programme is the way to go.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Marty_Barton/300609

3 Static Belly Exercises to Tone Your Abs Without Moving a Muscle

When most people think about ab exercises they immediately think about crunches, sit ups, or leg lifts. These are all worthy exercises that can help you strengthen and tone your abs. However, there are other kind of workouts which can help you get a flatter stomach: static exercises.

Static exercises are done by holding your muscles in a contracted mode without moving them. This has a different effect than regular workouts and can help you achieve better and faster results. Practically every regular exercise can be combined with a static element. You simply hold your body in the position in which you are at the greatest muscular strain.

For instance, if you do a crunch, you can hold for a second just before you lower your body back to the starting position. This is a static muscular stimulation.

However, there are a number of strictly static belly exercises that you should include in your regular workout routine. Here are 3 of them:




Stomach vacuums - You stand or sit with your back straight. Breathe deeply in and then exhale all the air out of your lungs. Suck your stomach in and hold it for 20 seconds or more. Make sure not to bend your back and to keep your stomach muscles clenched.

The plank - This is a classic and well loved exercise that is usually performed at the end of your workout session. You position yourself similarly as you would for a push-up but rest on your forearms instead of your hands. By holding this position, with a straight back and neck, you will get an awesome workout which works both the inner and outer abs.

A variation of this workout is the side plank which is also a static exercise. You rest on one forearm and position your body sideways. This works the waist and obliques.

A third static exercise can be done by lying on the floor with straight legs and then raising them off the ground at a height of about 5 inches. By holding this position for 30 seconds or more you target the lower abs. Make sure to keep your lower back closely attached to the floor. This exercise can make your back arch which can be risky, so be sure to take care.

The best ab workout includes static exercises and variations as well as regular full range exercises. This will help you get a fuller and better workout.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_Davenport/92959