Bottled Water Vs Tap Water-And the Surprising Best Water Is…

November 20, 2008

We are first going to let the experts weigh in with their opinions concerning tap water and bottled water, and then we are going to see what we can conclude. Finally, we will make our choice for the best way of getting good, healthy water.

Okay, let the first salvo in the water wars be fired at tap water…there are those who believe it is not safe to drink.

This is what the water gurus are saying. What’s your opinion?

1. According to a USA Today-Special Report, “How Safe Is Your Water?”, “Each day, millions of Americans turn on their taps and get water that exceeds the legal limit for dangerous contaminants.”

2. The US Council of Environmental Quality weighed in with: “Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine.”

3. Ralph Nader received government documents through the Freedom of Information Act and his Research Group reported, “U.S. drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer.”

4. “Weed killers were found in the tap water of 28 out of 29 cities tested.” Environmental Working Group Report, “Weed Killers by the Glass”

5. The Associated Press investigation found a vast array of pharmaceutical drugs in the drinking water of at least 41 million Americans.

This array of drugs included: antibiotics, sex hormones; drugs for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, mental illness, heart problems, anxiety, epilepsy, cancer, and more.

Well, it looks like in the future we may not have to leave our homes to have our prescriptions filled. So, let’s look at the bottled stuff.

1. The World Wildlife Fund commissioned a university study that showed the only clear difference between some bottled water and tap water was, “…it is distributed in bottles rather than pipes.”

2. Stephen Kay, as spokesman for the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), said, “Bottled water standards in the United States are at least as protective as those for tap water.” (That’s comforting!)

3. The EPA sets the standards for tap water and the FDA sets them for bottled water. Since the EPA has the stricter regulations, this statement from Jon Coifman makes sense, “Bottled water is not tested as throughly or as frequently as tap water.”

4. The same study in item one added that 1.5 million tons of plastic are used each year to bottle water and “Toxic chemicals can be released into the environment during the manufacture and disposal of bottles,” the study reported.

5. Most of the bottled water suppliers that do filter the water they sell, proudly advertise they are selling “pure” water. Often this means chemically “pure” water or, H2O, which has been stripped of its natural minerals. In this state it is an acid with a pH below 7 and it is believed by some to be dangerous over long-term consumption because:

(a) Water normally has a neutral pH and acidic water and it will naturally try to return to that state. If we drink this acidic water, it will neutralize itself by taking calcium from our bones, teeth, or cells. Also,

(b) In an acidic environment cancer seems to thrive and the number of free radicals increase, both lead to increased risk for cancer.

I took a break from writing this report today and went to the store to find the cheapest bottled water I could. It came in at about $5.00 a gallon, much worse than gasoline. And the bottlers didn’t have to acquire oil leases, find the oil, drill for it, get it to a refinery, refine it, etc.

Not bad (if you’re in the BW business)!

From this article alone you’ve seen how destructive tap water is for our health, and we have seen that bottled water’s regulations are even more lax. Twenty five percent of their bottlers do take water right from the tap according to the IBWA.

So, what can we conclude?

1. We can say tap water is very harmful to consume and we have no real assurance bottled water is any better.

2. Plus, there can be serious health issues regarding drinking chemically pure bottled water, as well as environmental issues with the plastic bottles, and it is expensive.

If bottled water and tap water were our only choices, it’s clear WE would be the losers in the war of bottled water vs tap water.

Fortunately, bottled and tap are not the only choices and a far better solution is to bottle our own water, in reusable bottles, with the use of home water filtration units.

Fast weight loss

Many people need to lose some weight, that’s a fact. Walk around where people gather, you’ll notice the fat. Look in the mirror, unfortunately you’ll likely see it there too. When your goal is fast weight loss, keep a few simple things in mind to lose the pounds quickly and safely.

Skipping meals is one of the first things people often try when they want to lose weight. Hey, if eating fewer calories is the goal then why not skip breakfast or lunch. Doesn’t weight loss come with eating less calories? That’s correct but skipping meals isn’t the right way to reduce calories. When you skip meals your body goes into starvation mode. It starts to retain fat to counteract what it perceives as being starved. When you skip meals you’ll end up hungrier at the next meal. The result is binge eating. Skipping meals is the worst of both worlds that results in gaining even more weight. Don’t do it.

Have a plan on how much to eat. It’s called portion control and it’s as important as eating the right foods. Too much of even a healthy food will still result in weight gain. Portion control isn’t easy when large portions are so common. Restaurants and even most people in home cooking serve portions far larger than needed.

The FDA and other sources list recommended daily allowances. If you must eat out, keep portion size in mind. You’ll likely have to cut down on what a restaurant serves.

Replace white foods such as white bread, white rice and sugar with whole grain foods. Whole grains are lower in fat and higher in nutrients. The fiber in whole grains helps you become full faster, and feel fuller longer. Finally, whole grains add nutrients that many people lack in their diet.

Consume more water. Replace juice and soda with water since that juice and soda adds 90,000 calories to an average person’s diet every year. Drink water between meals too. The goal is 8 glasses of water each day. It seems like a lot, but it’s not. Drinking water also promotes health in general by keeping you well hydrated and helping to avoid overheating.

In order to maintain proper blood sugar eat healthy snacks between meals since the body needs food every three to four hours. Healthy snacks also help control eating at meal times.

Fast weight loss is realistic with some knowledge and planning. It won’t be long before you’re slimmer and trimmer.

How to Build Muscles, The Best Way to Get Six Pack Abs

Infomercials are to be seen if you watch television late at night. A good portion of those are probably promoting ab related products. You will encounter equipment, drugs, fad diets and exercize regimens that guarantee to provide you the perfect set of abs. There are a lot of other theories floating around, but none of them are guaranteed to work.

People move on to the next breakthrough invention once the vast majority of fads do not last very long and are exposed for not working as they say. Is there a way to get flat abs if these fail?

This is the best time tested approach to getting yourself a six pack abs. The best way to achieve this goal is through a healthy diet and exercise, but you might not want to hear this. There really aren’t any legitimate shortcuts to getting the body of your dreams. If you have discovered how to lose weight quickly, you will soon find out how quickly you will put it back on.

After deciding to do exercises, you need to decide what kinds of exercises are suitable for your requirements. It is not like you join the bandwagon and start doing exercise like crazy. Will this give you the six pack of your dreams? Actually it won’t do much at first. Most likely your ads are under a layer of fat. To see these abs, you need to have no fat in the way. In what ways can you rid yourself of excess weight?

Most people believe that they should get on the treadmill and do hours of cardio. However, this is a common misconception as well. The best way to burn fat quickly is through the use of interval training and weight training. Weight training burns calories while you work out, but it also helps you burn calories when you are resting as well.

Once you develop your muscles, they will act like incinerators that continuously burn calories in order to keep themselves going. This will help to burn much more fat in a very short time. Weight training, jogging and running are great methods to improve your fitness.

Besides the right exercises, you should also try to eat healthier as well. If you’re always on the couch, cramming your face full of nachos and beer, you probably won’t be getting a six pack anytime soon. Getting different results in your life requires you to take different actions. If you want a six pack, you’ll need to change what you’re eating. Eat healthy foods and drink a lot of water. Put good things into your body and it will give you good results.

Overall, obtaining a six pack is very achievable. Just don’t expect it to be easy, you’re not going to wake up tomorrow with a six pack. This can be a lengthy process, depending on how much fat you have to lose, just know that it can be done if you stick with it.

The Importance of Proper Hunger Control

When we talk about hunger control, it almost sounds like something you would hear at a rehab clinic. It sounds difficult, like a monster lurking in the shadows of our psyche that, once unleashed, will ruin our lives. The reality is, hunger control will simply ruin a healthy diet. It’s a vital part of an overall weight-loss strategy.

Hunger is an alert, telling us that we need energy input. Simply we need to eat. But while eating, rarely can we know exactly how many calories we are consuming. So we have to be cautious and also learn to control our hunger instincts to reduce weight

Although hunger comes from a biological need, controlling our hunger is more psychological. In order to control hunger, we must have the mental strength to convince ourselves, psychologically, that the hunger will pass, that we will survive one a modest meal (as opposed to the greasy fast-food we may think we are craving). With that in mind, hunger should not be ignore completely. Since hunger starts as a chemical reaction that sends a message to the brain, it graduates to stomach contractions (ok), hunger pains (not so great, but tolerable) and ultimately to the loss of senses (definitely not good and unacceptable).

Clearly, losing your senses hardly warrants weight loss of any type. Therefore, missing meals is never an option. Even missing a couple of meals a day is not recommend as this leaves you weak and leads you to over-eat later in the day or week. This is particularly true of breakfast. Instead, consider having several small meals throughout the day. Not only does this generally satisfy the hunger response, but it spreads the intake of energy throughout the day, allowing heavier foods eaten at breakfast to burn off.

Another great and vital ingredient to healthy weight loss is water consumption. Not only does water help with hunger control, but it keeps you hydrated in the process. This is also one of the reasons for fruits and vegetables being so popular among diet fanatics - they have huge water content and consequently offer great hunger control benefits.

Overall, hunger control is not about starvation. Instead, it is about a healthy approach to weight loss through dieting. To see amplified results, look at getting into an exercise routine. Something as simple as a brisk walk for twenty minutes every day will yield quicker results and will also help with hunger control. It’s a win-win!

Chest Muscle Building - How Important Is Bench Press?

November 19, 2008

By following this training program you can not only enhance your muscles in the chest region but it will also benefit you body in every possible ways. Mike’s training is personalized and when buying the Critical Bench Program you need to tell him where you stand, interns of your current one-rep max. You receive a training program accordingly. You will have to follow the tips mentioned to have that goal accomplished.

The workouts can be designed to work with your body type and create the kind of look that you are seeking. It is important that you follow all of the tips in the program to realize all of the rewards that are possible.

A huge collection of books related to bodybuilding are included in this program, which is very helpful. Ken Lian, the world class bencher’s exclusive interview and also his “matrix” program is included in this book. The best bench workout of Shawn Lattimer is an add-on. You also get Charles Staleys’ book, which is quite a good one and is a great collection of Staleys articles. Some famous writers have also given essential tips on bench.

Well, I would complain about the spotters issue, Mike’s program reveals his reliance on partners. I wasn’t sure; I felt that bench press can be done at home. But Mike says that if your goal is tough and you want to attain it, you need to move out of your comfort zone and push yourself hard. From the very first time you should follow this as a rule that will help you fetch quick gains.

You will learn how to spot for others and help with your partners program as well There are some modifications that can be made to your program, but make sure that you are not going outside of the rules.

The program is ten weeks long and at the end you will have achieved some great results. Remember, that your bodybuilding will be very hard work and you will have to stretch beyond your limits. The physique that you create at the end of the program will be well worth all of your hard work.

The program that is designed by Mike will help you to take advantage of his vast knowledge. The programs that are available cannot compare with what you will receive with the Critical Bench program. You can share it with everyone you know who is into bodybuilding. The education that you will receive is astounding and you owe it to your workout to give it a try.

If you want to have a great result from your bodybuilding, you should invest in a quality program that delivers results. There are many books and programs out there, but this is a great addition to your collection. Show your friends who are into bodybuilding as well and you may be able to work as partners to have a great body at the end of the program.

Fitness tips for countering an unhealthy state of mind

No matter if you’re in the gym every day, or just a normal person trying to lose a little weight, there is a single way of thinking that could ruin all your fitness plans: the I NEED THIS state of mind. Everyone experiences opportunities to choose a healthy food choice, like a fruit-cup, or an unhealthy choice, such as potato chips. Unfortunately, many people have made up their minds before they actually need to make a decision (they go for the chips).

This mentality hampers people’s ability to drop weight and get fit, exemplifying that people would rather have the instant joy of tasty chips than the benefits of a vigorous, muscular body.

Eating unhealthy food is all in your mind. Everyone knows that eating bad food will harm your body, but it’s hard to stop. Your overall view of food is what needs to change.

You might envision high-calorie foods as bringing an instant sense of satisfaction, so much satisfaction that its easy to ignore the potentially deadly effects that eating bad food has on your body in the future. This is the wrong way of thinking! While getting healthy from eating right may take longer than the taste of the food you enjoy today, nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

There are a couple of tricks you can use to keep yourself from getting to that point. First off, never let yourself get to the point of starvation. Starvation mode is survival mode which means you will do anything you can to get food in you. Think about it this way, when you’re starving, do you feel like eating something healthy? Didn’t think so. Plan your meals and snacks so you are never caught off guard.

The next thing that really helps is to ask yourself questions. This is one of the most powerful things you can do because it makes you aware of the food you’re about to eat. When you go out to eat and you feel yourself saying, I HAVE TO HAVE THIS, ask yourself a couple of questions.

1. Is this really more important than my health and physique?

2. Will this ruin the carefully planned diet I’ve been trying to follow?

3. How am I going to feel after I eat this unhealthy food?

Each of these questions is going to lead to an answer that will steer you clear of your HAVE TO HAVE IT food and will slow down the momentum that that mentality can cause. Your goal should be to come up with at least five momentum-breaking questions you can ask yourself to get you on course and keep you there. Try asking them before you have that bad meal and see what happens.

Having your favorite unhealthy foods every once in a while will not ruin your body. All you need to do is keep track of when you have them and treat them more as a reward for doing a good job with your diet. However, if you choose to have them whenever you want and completely ignore the present and future of effects of eating poorly, it won’t matter if you run everyday, you will never reach your fitness objectives.

The Truth About Chest Muscle Building - Bench Press

The number one concern of those who are bench pressing is the amount that they can bench. When the Muscle Building Program is used you will be able to increase this number in ten short weeks. The program will let you acquire a fifty pound increase in your bench in the ten weeks of the program.

You might be wondering if it is even possible to gain an increase like this in such a short period of time, but you can. You will have to pay attention to the guidelines that are presented in the program. When you use a program that will offer you the kind of results like this, you will have to do it in the correct manner and focus on the results that you are trying to achieve. The program emphasizes the recovery period that your body will need after such an intensive workout.

A 50lb might seem a superficial goal to attain, but it is realistic for people can work hard. The Author, knows almost everything you need to seriously put weight. He has proper explanation and says that pressing bench isn’t just about your pectoral muscles, all your muscles are well utilized by the compound lift. Most of the job is done by your delts, triceps and muscles, but if there are any weak links in the body, it will revel in your bench.

The program will help you with these tips to get the kind of results that the program guarantees. The position that you use is one of these tips that you will get some great information on. Stretching, breathing and the grip that you use will also be discussed to make sure that you are making the most of your bench pressing activity. One of the most important factors that should be discussed is your mind. You must be in the proper mindset to achieve your results.

Your outlook will be an important part of your workout. You will learn how to train your mind while you are training your body. If you set a goal and stick to your plan, you will realize that goal. There is also an inclusion of meal plans and supplements that will benefit your workout routine.

You can expect an overnight improvement with the help of these tips and techniques. People who are inexperienced have the tendency of overdoing these trainings. It doesn’t help really. I know its good to maintain a routine, but anything done rigorously is of no help, trainings should be methodical.

This is the most intelligent approach to your workout. The program will use a five day plan for training with two days off for rest. Only on the first day of your workout will you be bench pressing. The rest of the training period will be used to work on the weak parts of your bench and improving on those areas. This will help you figure out why you are not achieving the results that you want in your bench. When you do this program it is imperative that you do not overwork your muscles.

The Right Way to Create a Bodybuilding Diet

All right, so you want to get physically fit at the gym, and lift heavy weights. If only weight lifting were as simple as pumping the weights up and down.

An important aspect of both repair and growth is nutrition. Bodybuiding diest are always changing for the simple reason muscle mass increases, putting muscle on means eating more, losing muscle means you will need to eat less. How do you stay on top of what is going on inside the body?

First you will want to monitor your weight and see if your goal of adding muscle is causing your bodyweight to increase. If the weight is stay as it is, then we need to look at increasing the food taken in. You are eating too much if your weight is increasing and if your stomach is growing. Be careful, as initially your weight will increase with lifting, and you want to monitor for increased in the dreaded fat.

Using body fat calipers is a great technique to assess whether muscle or fat is increasing. You can use the calipers every other week. If muscle seems to be going down according to your calipers, that is the evidence that you are not eating enough good nutrition. If the calipers reflect that the percent of bodyfat is increasing then you will have to consume less.

Decent gyms should offer a set of calipers, which should give you true readings as to the results as long as you ensure the same person takes measurements each time. Using the callipers and finding the millimeters and your bodyweight you can use the chart and find the percentage bodyfat you have.

If you get yor bodyweight in pound and then multiply it by the percentage of bodyfat, that will give you your total bodyfat. Total bodyweight less the resulting figure will equal one’s fat free mass. Although the figure has organs and muscle we use the entire model for the calculations including organs and bones.

You should record and keep the figures you calculated for total body fat and for fat free mass. When you have your measurements taken you can check to see if the percentage of bodyfat has increased. If you do the correct exercise and eat correctly then your body fat will go down. And with the decrease of body fat, you will find that your muscles and fat free mass will go up. If you are not eating correctly you will discover that your fat free mass, muscle is decreasing and the bodyfat is increasing.

What Are The Best Muscle Building Supplements? - Creatine!

November 18, 2008

Putting together a muscle building program has begun to include the use of creatine. It has a very exciting and effective role to play in your regimen. There is information that is available in a Creatine Guide that will help you to learn how to use this supplement in your routine. You will learn how to achieve the best results from the supplement which will allow you to get the most out of your muscle building workout. You won’t be using creatine like a typical supplement, but the method that you use will allow you to get the best possible results. It is important that you learn what you can about the supplement to use it in the proper way in your workout routine.

The Creatine Guide teaches you the proper implication of the supplement, its dosage and related effects. You’re also taught the ways of handling, maintaining and the washing out phases of a supplementation. You will also be taught the techniques like cycling and others and how these help in increasing the efficacy and safety of use. A proper supplementation of creatine can produce dramatic results. I know that the whole idea of learning something new is not that exciting for everyone, but it’s effective for sure.

The e-book not only deals with the supplementation part, but also includes the meals to be taken pre and post workouts. The Author believes in creating an anabolic environment and presets the guidelines for doing so. He also emphasizes on the glutamine content, proteins and other supplements. He also narrates the role of every supplement on human body; which is unique and quite helpful.

The guide also runs through the different supplements that you can buy on the market. You will find out how safe some of these products are and which ones you should consider buying. The questions that most people have about this supplement are also gone over in great detail. This is all of the real information that you will need when you use creatine in your muscle building workout. There are some myths out there about creatine and the guide will help you sort through this information and find the truth behind the use of the supplement.

The different processes used for creatine synthesis is mentioned, he prefers the use of higher creatine quality than the rest. He also has a list of manufactures who can give us the best quality stuff. Part 4 consists of the glossaries and appendices supporting the book, including the dosage, meal plans pre and post workout and much other essential information.

The guide will come with a lifetime of updates so that you are never out of step with the latest research on creatine. The use of creatine is a relatively new idea. That is why it is so important that you stay current on the latest information. When you use the Creatine Guide, you will be getting the best information that is currently available.

The book is well organized and easy to use. The continuous updates make it a very inexpensive way to learn about creatine. The Creatine Guide is a must have for those who are interested in using this supplement in their workout.

You will have a clear understanding of creatine, its use and effects. You will get a lot tolerant about muscle building and also about meal plans. So much of information and at a price as cheap as $20, its great. All of us can use creatine, but its optimal use is only meant for people who have learned and have an understanding of the product.

How to Design Your Own Low Carb Diet

Carbohydrates are the foods that contain sugars and starches. These foods are the ones that provide the fuel and energy for our bodies. You should remember that a balanced diet is very important and includes all food groups, including carbs. The idea is to enjoy foods in healthy moderation and choose complex carbohydrates when possible.

When people talk about Carbs is the shortened name for these energy items. When people discuss Carbs, they are usually targeting those foods with higher concentrations of sugars or starches. If you check, you will notice that carbohydrates are contained in a majority of the foods that we eat.

A lot of the foods that have a lot of carbs in them are junk food items, in addition to sweets, white bread, potatoes and pasta. Fresh produce is a staple of the low-carb diet. Avoid canned goods. Stick to unprocessed foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. Plain oatmeal is a tasty treat for cereal lovers.

Carbohydrates exist in two forms, simple and complex; with simple carbs being found in sugars, pastas, white bread and rice, candies and a few of the natural fruits. This is the body’s top source for energy. Complex carbohydrates finish second in creating energy. These carbohydrates make you feel full longer, because they take longer to digest. Vegetables, certain fruits, beans, potatoes, pasta and whole grain breads are some of the best sources of carbohydrates.

When partaking in a low carb diet, one should be sure that their daily intake does not exceed 20-50 gm per day. If you are maintaining your weight, 180-300 gm per day of carbohydrates will work nicely. Choose lean turkey or other protein rich foods if you want to maintain a low number of carbs in your daily diet.

A low carb diet causes your body to look for energy sources if it is not able to find the carbohydrates in the bloodstream, it will take glucose from your liver. If you have no carbohydrates, you body will begin to burn some of your own fat supply.

Vegetables are usually low in carbs, but there are some exceptions such as, corn, potatoes, a few mushroom varieties, green peas and rhubarb; which carry a higher carb content and may derail your diet if eaten too often. Even Shiitake mushrooms are almost 25% carbohydrate. Generally, cucumbers are low in carboyhydrates, but if you are watching your carbs, the 10 gm they have can really add up. Good for low carb diets, most lean meats can be enjoyed baked or grilled. Beans are an excellent option even though they can put a minimal amount of carbs in your daily total. Don’t eat processed foods, sugary foods, and starches in big quantities–and leave canned food items alone.

Remember to do your exercises if you want to diet correctly. Even a low carb diet is not enough to successfully and quickly burn fat. You must exercise everyday to promote the process of fat burning. Exercise is good for you but there is a tip for you to use. Any exercise can boost your heart rate to where it needs to be, try a walking quickly for a quarter of an hour.

For next 30-45 minutes,your body will be burning fat cells to provide you energy, if you do this. The reason for this is because it requires approximately 15 minutes for your body to use the glucose reserves. Dont eat, you do not want to have extra carbs in your bloodstream for your body to burn, you want to target the fat.

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