Monday, September 22, 2008

The Cand Weight Control

Taking exercise will help with your weight loss...

The zone diet

The zone diet is a low-carb diet based on the principle of regulating levels of insulin and other hormones in the blood within recommended levels (The Zone). The idea behind the diet is to eat the correct balance of food at the right intervals to keep you in this zone

How does the zone Diet Work?

The zone diet suggests a balanced intake of 40% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 30% fats. The diets inventor Dr Barry Sears claims that a 30:40 ratio of protein to carbohydrates helps maintain a balance between the hormones insulin and glucagen which is optimum for fat-burning. Dr Sears also suggests that this balance of food types could help promote the production of natural anti inflamatory chemicals within the body, improving your health and making you less prone to certain illnesses.

Fats should be monounsaturates where possible - sources include olive oil and nuts. Fats to avoid are animal fats and some types of vegetable fats such as coconut oil and sunflower oil. Dairy products are also high in unsaturated fats and consumption of these needs to be watched carefully on this diet.

Eat at Intervals

The zone diet suggests that you eat five times a day - three main meals and two snacks. You should eat within an hour of getting up and a similar amount of time before going to bed. You should not go for more than five hours without a meal or snack. You need to drink plenty of water too.

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Omega 3 fish oils are recommended as a part of the zone diet and many users take omega 3 supplements. These are widely recognised by nutritionists as having a highly beneficial effect on general health including helping to reduce incidences of heart and cardiovascular problems. They are also good for joint and bone problems and asthma.

General principles

The general principles of the diet are commonsense and not too hard to follow: Make sure you try and keep the protein part of each meal as lean and low-fat as possible. Exercise, gently at first if you haven't exercised for a while and try to do at least half an hour a day even if it's just taking the dog for a walk!

Consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

zone dietWhat foods does the zone Diet suggest?

A days eating on the zone diet might look like this:

Breakfast

  • Scrambled egg

Lunch

  • Omelette or
  • Stuffed Mushrooms

Dinner

  • Grilled fish with veggies and salad or
  • Chicken with mushrooms and pepper or

Advantages of the zone diet

The zone diet is easy to follow once you have mastered serving the right size of portion and is seen as a 'balanced' diet suitable for reaching and maintaining your ideal weight.

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The weightwatchers diet and weight control

diet group picture

it is much easier to lose weight if you have support and encouragement

The weightwatchers diet

Weight watchers is the most popular of the diet 'clubs' with thousands of meetings held every week around the world. There is also an online version if you can't or don't want to attend meetings.

There is a lot of useful free information on the website and a subscription service where you can sign up for the benefits of full membership.

How does the weightwatchers diet work?
The weight watchers program is a low-fat, low-calorie option which comes in two types of diet, the core plan and the points plan.

The points plan allows you to eat and drink anything within the limits of your daily points allowance. All foods and drinks are assigned a points value which is calculated to a formula which takes into account the amount of fat, calories and portion size. When you join, your group leader will tell you how many points a day you should eat to lose weight.

The group leader (or calculator in the online version) will take into account a number of factors including your gender, activity level, starting weight and height. You'll receive a list of points values for foods and drinks and information on how you can increase your daily points allowance (for example by exercising).

The core plan lets you choose from a list of healthy core foods. You're allowed to eat as much as you want ( within moderation) from a list of food which includes fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, chicken and eggs, carbohydrates such as brown rice and potatoes and lower fat dairy products.

You are allowed three main meals a day and you can eat untill you feel reasonably satisfied.

What happens at weightwatchers

When you first attend a meeting you'll have an assessment with the course leader who'll be able to discuss your weight loss goals with you before recommending the best way to achieve them. The assessment and weigh-in are confidential.

In subsequent weeks you'll be weighed to see how you're doing and then be able to discuss your progress with the course leader. Many slimmers find that the weekly weigh-in gives them a real incentive to stay on the straight and narrow. There is also a group discussion covering weight loss related subjects where members can share tips and ideas.

Consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

Pic of a Healthy DietWhat foods does the weightwatchers diet suggest?

A days eating on the weightwatchers diet might look like this:

Breakfast

  • Bacon and eggs or
  • Scrambled egg with salmon

Lunch

  • Cheese omelette or
  • Burger with salad

Dinner

  • Grilled fish with veggies and salad or
  • Chicken with mushrooms and pepper or
  • Steak and salad

Advantages of the Weightwatchers diet

It offers an easy to follow diet system with the flexibility to swap between the two diet plans to find the options that suit you best.

Most people who use weight watchers are appreciative of the huge amount of help and support they get from both the meeting leader and from fellow class members.

If you have willpower problems (and who doesn't now and again!) the extra boost you get from being part of a 'club' and meeting other slimmers with the same goals as you can make all the difference between the success and failure of your weight loss program.

The Glycemic Index and Weight Control

Image of woman eatinh high GI food

It tastes nice - but watermelon is high GI and will raise your blood glucose fast

The GI diet

As with all diets, the best way forward is to treat it sensibly.

The GI diet is considered by nutritionalists to be much closer to a healthier diet than previous faddy diets. It is important that you picture of fruit in basketdo not choose your food entirely on the basis of its GI value and you should consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan. The GI diet was originally developed for diabetics who need to keep their blood sugar level at steady levels rather than experience alternating high and low blood sugar levels.

The GI diet assigns a value from 1 to 100 for carbohydrates - The higher the value, the faster the food is absorbed into the bloodstream so that fast release foods such as sugar, honey and baked potatoes have a high GI value (see chart). Glucose is rated at 100 as it is most quickly absorbed.

The great thing about lower GI foods is that they're satisfying and healthy too. Combining a low Gi food with a high Gi treat will lower the overall Gi of the meal.

GI snacks - Fruit loaf with fruit spread, a pot of natural yoghurt with fresh raspberries or strawberries, small carton of fruit juice,

Protein foods and fats don't have GI values - choose the healthier options : low fat chicken and fish rather than red meat, olive oil rather than saturated fats. Processing tends to raise the Gi of foods.

How does the GI diet work?

The principle behind the GI diet is that eating low GI foods will result in a slow and controlled release of sugars into the blood. This in turn keeps blood sugar levels at a more constant level which helps to reduce feelings of hunger. This accounts for much of its popularity over the past few years as the absence of hunger pains makes a diet easy to follow!

GI Diet - image of salmon and beansWhat foods does the GI Diet suggest?

A days eating on the GI diet might look like this:

Breakfast

  • Porridge with a small serving honey or
  • Medium Cereal with strawberries or blueberries or
  • Toasted wholegrain bread with baked beans or honey
  • Low fat milk or orange juice

Lunch

  • Chicken sandwich with wholegrain bread or
  • Pasta Salad with a tomato sauce

Dinner

  • Grilled fish with veggies and new potatoes
  • Fruit salad or apple crumble

Advantages of the GI diet

The GI Diet is thought to be a healthy option for the long term and although you may not see the rapid weight loss experienced with some 'crash diets' the weight does tend to come off and stay off

Calorie Counting

calorie counting fruit and veg

Delicious and low calorie too...

How does calorie counting work?

Calorie counting is just that! You count the number of calories in everything that you eat and drink - if your daily intake of calories is less than the amount your body needs, you'll lose weight. The chart to the right will give you an idea of the amount of calories used by the average man and woman per day so if you consume less than this, you'll start to see the pounds drop off.

Eat 500 calories a day less than those figures and you should lose around a pound a week. As always, you should ensure that you eat as balanced a diet as possible.


lose weightThere are many books and websites which list the calories in foods and drinks and of course take a look at the food packaging which will show the amount of calories and other nutritional information. As well as calorie counting, use this information to make your diet healthier - avoid saturated fats and go for food with low salt and low sugar options.

Once you've been on the diet for a week or two, it'll become easier to follow as you'll get to know how many calories are in the foods you like to eat. Many people find that keeping a food diary helps them witth a calorie counting diet, at least in the initial stages.

What is a Calorie?

The calorie is the amount of energy required to heat 1gram of water by 1degree centigrade. Just to confuse the matter however, in diet terms what we refer to as calories are actually kilocalories or the amount of energy required to heat a kilogram of water by one degree (kcal). Approx 3,500 kilocalories = 1 pound of body weight. When we refer to calories on this site, we mean the food calorie or kcal.

The calorie works both ways so that the energy your body expends doing everything from sleeping to jogging is also measured in calories (kilocalories) for example sleeping will lose you 60-80 calories an hour while a jog for the same time will burn off 500-600 calories. The amounts vary according to your bodyweight but the chart right gives a rough idea for someone of 150 pounds (10 stone, 10lbs or 68 kg). If you're heavier than that, you'll burn more and less if your lighter.

The Atkins diet and Weight Control

picture of cat considering a low carb diet

A low carb diet can be appealing if you love meat and fish...

The Atkins diet

One of the highest profile diets of recent years, the Atkins diet - named after its inventor the late Dr. Richard Atkins is a four stage low carbohydrate diet.

How does the Atkins Diet Work?

Restriction of carbohydrate intake causes a change in the body's metabolism which induces dissolving of fat or lipolysis within the body. This changeover of the body's metabolism from burning glucose to burning body fat begins when the body enters a state called ketosis because it has run out of surplus carbs to burn and use as energy.

Basically - stop eating carbohydrate and your body will start to burn up your fat as a source of energy - resulting in fast weight loss.

The Induction Phase

During the initial 14 day induction period, carbohydrate intake is restricted to 20 grams a day - the of this first stage idea is to 'kick start' the process of burning fat from your body rather than from the food that you eat. Fruit and many vegetables are off limits in this stage.

Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) Phase

In the OWL phase, you are allowed to graduallly increase your daily intake of carbohydrates by five grams a day up to a limit of around forty grams.

You need to carefully watch your carbo intake level untill you find the amount of carb that allows you to lose one or two pounds a week. This is your Critical Carbohydrate Level. Foods you might start eating at this stage could be some dairy products and low carb vegetables.

Pre-maintenance Phase

Rather like gently applying the brakes on a car to ensure a smooth stop, the pre-maintenance phase is started when you are 5 -10 pounds short of your ideal weight.

You adjust your Critical Carbohydrate Level so that you are losing around one pound a week which prepares your body for the maintenance phase without too much of a shock.

Maintenance Phase

When you have reached your ideal weight and found the highest level of carbohydrate at which you can maintain it you are in the maintenance phase.

It's given this name because like all diets, you can't just lose weight and then revert to your previous heating habits without gaining the pounds again - your new weight requires maintenance!

During this stage ( the rest of your life!!! ) you can experiment with adding good (unprocessed or partially processed) carbs such as Fruits, Vegetables, nuts and seeds to your allowed foods to create a more balanced diet.

Consult your doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet or exercise plan.

Atkins Diet - image of SteakWhat foods does the Atkins Diet suggest?

A days eating on the Atkins diet Induction Phase might look like this:

Breakfast

  • Bacon and eggs or
  • Scrambled egg with salmon

Lunch

  • Cheese omelette or
  • Burger with salad

Dinner

  • Grilled fish with veggies and salad or
  • Chicken with mushrooms and pepper or
  • Steak and salad

Advantages of the Atkins diet

The four stages of the Atkins diet make it easy to follow and some users have reported significant weight loss in the two week induction phase making it a good option if you need to lose weight fast.

If your a confirmed carnivore, it's probably the most attractive diet for you.

Conversely if you're a big fan of vegetables and dairy products other diets might suit you better.

Free weekly diet plan

successful dieters celebrating

Stick to that diet and you'll soon have something to celebrate...

Here's a suggestion for a weeks worth of dieting. You don't have to follow it to the letter, just use your common sense and think how much you want to be slim before you hit the chocs and ice cream.

Breakfast is optional but don't skip it if you think it'll lead you to graze or pop out for coffee and Danish at 11 AM. Don't overdo the cereal and stay clear of high sugar breakfast cereals.

Lunch is best made at home and taken with you to work, it's cheaper, healthier and you've got a far better chance of staying slim if you keep out of the canteen / deli / restaurant / pub at lunchtime.

Keep off ready meals and processed foods if you can, they are generally much higher calorifically than natural and home-made meals and can contain a lot of salt that you'll be healthier without.

Use low-calorie spreads and dressings rather than butter and you'll be surprised how many calories you'll save.

Day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Remarks

Monday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Cereal

Sandwich - Ham salad

Grilled chicken breast, new potatoes and salad

Fruit salad - One Glass of wine

Tuesday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Toast with low-fat spread

Sandwich - Egg with low-cal mayo

Spaghetti in tomato sauce

Strawberries

Spaghetti? - yes but think portion sizes and stay away from heavy sauces

Wednesday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Cereal

Sandwich - Chicken
Seafood and rice. Fry up some prawns, squid and scallops in a tiny dash of olive oil, add some pureed tomatoes and simmer - serve with boiled rice.

Thursday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Cereal

Wholemeal pitta with mackerel or tuna

Small ! lamb chop with peas and mashed potatoes

Apple and custard

Lamb chop? - yes but note the singular and don't eat the fat...

Friday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Cereal

Soup with wholemeal bread roll

Grilled salmon fillet with garlic and herbs, new potatoes and baby sweetcorn and mange tout.

Small serving ice cream or low-calorie pudding

One Glass of wine or 1 bottle beer

One glass of wine. Yes I know it's Friday night but how much do you want to be slim?

Saturday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Cereal, Toast with low-fat spread

Bacon Sarnie - 2 rashers of lean back - trim off all the fat and then grill it - go back to square one if you fry!

Beef curry and rice - Home made curry using lean beef and no cream.

Small serving ice cream or low-calorie pudding

One Glass of wine or 1 bottle beer

One glass of wine. It's Saturday after all and you kept yourself to one glass yesterday?

Sunday

Tea or Coffee (No sugar or use sweetener)

Orange Juice

Low-fat croissant

Any of the above - 'tis Sunday and a new week of losing weight awaits you. Keep up the good work!

Roast Chicken, two small roast potatoes and choice of cabbage, sprouts, green beans, peas or cauliflower.

Fruit Salad

Take a walk for a couple of hours today. You'll burn some calories and set yourself up mentally for next week's goals.

Emma's Daily Diet Tip diet tip image

Avoid alcohol - as well as being a source of empty calories, it'll lower your willpower


Top diet tips and weight loss advice - incentives for dieting

diet tip motivation picture

I'm glad you printed out that diet tip page back in January and stuck it to the 'fridge door...

Whatever diet you're on, you'll find this list of diet tips and tricks useful.

Remember that most diets fail because the dieter sets themselves targets which are unatainable so be realistic and find an eating/exercise balance that you'll be able to stick to. Take the time to find the diet which you'll find easiest to follow.

It took you months or years to gain the weight you have - allow yourself sufficient time to lose it.

Think about why you're eating - is it it because you are hungry or are you trying to fill another need with food. Are you sad, upset or just plain bored?

Diet Tips

Just say no - Practice what you're going to say when you are offered food. You can refuse that dessert/muffin/invite to lunch!

Drink plenty of water or low-cal soft drinks in the summer. It's good for you and will help stop you feeling hungry.

Don't overdo the fruit juice - It contains calories too...Try zero cal mixers such as fizzy water or zero calorie lemonade

Eating out? Don't be scared to say you're on a diet and ask for a child's portion, order one meal between two or ask for a doggy bag. If you don't feel confident enough for that then skip dessert or stay in!

Don't impulse buy in the supermarket - write a list before you go shopping and stick to it. If you don't have ice-cream, chocolate or cake in the house, you can't eat it!

diet tip girl

Don't worry about leaving food on your plate at the end of your meal. We've all been conditioned to eat portions that are too big and a bit of wastage while you get down to the right portion size won't hurt.

Put your fork down between bites - it'll make you eat more slowly and you'll feel fuller on less food.

Eat several smaller meals instead of a single huge one.

Don't give up your favourite food treat completely. Just have a sensible amount of it.

If you need a quick burst of energy, forget sugary drinks or snacks, try a ripe banana instead!diet tip girl

Don't skip breakfast - you'll end up eating 'elevenses' or scoffing a big lunch!

Latest report about the importance of breakfast in diets (BBC)

If you're out for the night drink a glass of water or a soft drink alternately with alcoholic drinks.

Whatever diet you're on it's important to stay hydrated so drink plenty of water. It'll help to kill your appetite too.

Brush your teeth immediately after your meal to discourage yourself from eating more.

Avoid alcohol - as well as being a source of empty calories, it'll lower your willpower.

Plan your shopping so you always have healthy food in the house.

Trim all the fat from meat before cooking it.

Portion sizes have grown hugely over the past few years and so have we - so eat what you usually do but make the portions half the size - you'll soon get used to it.

Write down everything you eat for a complete week. You'll be able to see what you need to avoid eating and when.

Never, ever shop on an empty stomach ( saves money too! )

Dont fry food - bake, roast, grill, boil or steam it

Drink water or low calorie soft drinks.



Top diet tips and weight loss advice - incentives for dieting

diet tip motivation picture

I'm glad you printed out that diet tip page back in January and stuck it to the 'fridge door...

Whatever diet you're on, you'll find this list of diet tips and tricks useful.

Remember that most diets fail because the dieter sets themselves targets which are unatainable so be realistic and find an eating/exercise balance that you'll be able to stick to. Take the time to find the diet which you'll find easiest to follow.

It took you months or years to gain the weight you have - allow yourself sufficient time to lose it.

Think about why you're eating - is it it because you are hungry or are you trying to fill another need with food. Are you sad, upset or just plain bored?

Diet Tips

Just say no - Practice what you're going to say when you are offered food. You can refuse that dessert/muffin/invite to lunch!

Drink plenty of water or low-cal soft drinks in the summer. It's good for you and will help stop you feeling hungry.

Don't overdo the fruit juice - It contains calories too...Try zero cal mixers such as fizzy water or zero calorie lemonade

Eating out? Don't be scared to say you're on a diet and ask for a child's portion, order one meal between two or ask for a doggy bag. If you don't feel confident enough for that then skip dessert or stay in!

Don't impulse buy in the supermarket - write a list before you go shopping and stick to it. If you don't have ice-cream, chocolate or cake in the house, you can't eat it!

diet tip girl

Don't worry about leaving food on your plate at the end of your meal. We've all been conditioned to eat portions that are too big and a bit of wastage while you get down to the right portion size won't hurt.

Put your fork down between bites - it'll make you eat more slowly and you'll feel fuller on less food.

Eat several smaller meals instead of a single huge one.

Don't give up your favourite food treat completely. Just have a sensible amount of it.

If you need a quick burst of energy, forget sugary drinks or snacks, try a ripe banana instead!diet tip girl

Don't skip breakfast - you'll end up eating 'elevenses' or scoffing a big lunch!

Latest report about the importance of breakfast in diets (BBC)

If you're out for the night drink a glass of water or a soft drink alternately with alcoholic drinks.

Whatever diet you're on it's important to stay hydrated so drink plenty of water. It'll help to kill your appetite too.

Brush your teeth immediately after your meal to discourage yourself from eating more.

Avoid alcohol - as well as being a source of empty calories, it'll lower your willpower.

Plan your shopping so you always have healthy food in the house.

Trim all the fat from meat before cooking it.

Portion sizes have grown hugely over the past few years and so have we - so eat what you usually do but make the portions half the size - you'll soon get used to it.

Write down everything you eat for a complete week. You'll be able to see what you need to avoid eating and when.

Never, ever shop on an empty stomach ( saves money too! )

Dont fry food - bake, roast, grill, boil or steam it

Drink water or low calorie soft drinks.



Lose weight fast for your holiday

Getting slim for your holiday

Even if we don't worry most of the year, we are still all too conscious of how we are going to look on the beach...

Planning ahead or looking for a last-minute crash diet?


If you have a few weeks to go before your hols you can still achieve a slimmer look if you are determined.
Combining diet and exercise will speed things up, research proves again and again that this combination is the key to long-term results. We all need to incorporate exercise into our daily life - just 30 minutes of walking is enough to make a difference to your figure and your health.

A popular and effective diet strategy is to restrict your carbohydrate intake after 6 p.m, eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and try to drink at least 2 litres of water during the day (good for your complexion too), and look forward to your holidays!
Don't starve yourself in a desperate attempt to lose weight, crash diets are doomed as no one can maintain them and your body will react if it doesn't get enough energy by slowing down your metabolism.

Golden brown
Fake tanTreat yourself to a professionally applied fake tan
- a golden skin can make you feel slimmer and more glamorous.
It's a much healthier choice than sunbeds or sunburn which can age and damage your skin.

TIP: If you fake-tan it yourself -
Exfoliate your body before
Moisturise an hour before tanning, paying special attention to elbows, knees and feet

Don't forget to wash your hands afterwards, as tanned palms tend to give it away!

St.Tropez and Piz Buin are both good fake-tan products. Don't forget to take some with you on holiday to top up.
There are lots of body moisturisers now that have a fake tan product in them - your skin gets moisturised and also gradually builds up a golden colour.

Big pants


O.K Bridget Jones knew the secret - there are some brilliant underwear options that really smooth out your bulges and allow you to wear those gorgeous silky, summer, cut on the bias dresses and feel confidently great. Tights and knickers with tummy control panels can flatten your stomach for those special holiday evenings, so you don't have to hold yourself in all night.
TIP: choose flesh coloured control underwear as it is the most useful and less obvious.

Overall Mindset for Fitness and Fat Loss

Overall Mindset for Fitness and Fat loss

Stop weighing yourself, get fit and loss weight the right way. The weight scale is not the tool to use that will tell you if you are fit or fat. Your body tissue composition is the proper indicator to track you fitness and weight loss progress.

A great Place To Get Started

Here are some common body tissue composition numbers to be aware of for tracking your fitness and weight loss goals.

If a man’s fatty tissue is more than 14% up to 15% of his body mass, or if a woman’s is more than 20% to 22%, he or she is overweight, or more precisely, over fat.

A small amount of fat is needed for padding the internal organs and as insulation under the skin. Excess fat leads to medical issues like diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and gallbladder problems. The fittest survive not the fattest.

Your focus should be on how to resolve the weight loss and fitness problem. It really can be an easy problem to fix. Most people who want to lose weight tend to concentrate more on lowering their weight, according to the “ever reliable” results of the weighing scale. You can not rely on the weight scale for your weight loss and fitness results.

Let’s think of the human body as a heat-exchange engine that works on the basic principles of energy physics. The caloric balance equals the total calorie intake minus the total calorie expenditure.

This is one of the most basic and important weight loss tips.

Some of the calories people take in are used for basal metabolism. Basal Metabolism is: the amount of energy consumed by a resting organism simply in maintaining its basic functions.

As people age their bodies require fewer calories for this basic upkeep. Some calories are excreted as waste products. Some go into “work metabolism,” the energy expenditure required for any physical activity.

When people take in more calories than are used by these functions, there is a caloric excess. By the laws of physics, energy is transformed rather than destroyed. This is an eye opener each excess of 3,500 calories is changed into a pound of fat. If you want to lose fat you have to burn up 3,500 calories to lose a single pound.

Winning the War Against Fat, is it a war against Fat loss or is it just a simple process of relearning and creating a life style that promotes a healthy and fit you. Read on and let’s see where most people go wrong with their Fat loss programs and where you can simply adjust and win at the game of fitness and weight loss.

When you think of fighting fat with exercise, you probably think of hours of hard, sweaty exertion. If this is the case, then you will not get very far with your Fat loss and fitness program. Why, because mot people who are focused on losing more by exerting more tend to get bored easily or they don’t even get started.

Experts contend that when people exert more effort than what they are capable of doing it creates a tendency to develop fatigue and a weariness which in turn creates a loss of interest. They give up they stop doing their routine exercises and end up turning to what they are comfortable with sulking in the corner with a bag of chips that have all the bad calories that they are trying to get away from.

You might ask, “What should be done instead?” Here is your answer: Cross training combined with tracking or journaling.

Don’t over think these simple techniques they are effective and motivating. These are extremely simple and you should have a fitness and Fat loss mindset of logging your journey. Just keep it simple and being JUST DO IT!

After some intensive studies and experimentations, health experts were able to come up with the concept of incorporating cross training to overcome and break the monotony or newness in an exercise program.

Cross training refers to the integration of diverse movements or activities into a person’s conventional exercise routine.

The main purpose of incorporating cross training into an exercise program is to avoid overdoing excess muscle damages and to put a stop to boredom. Cross training helps you get through the beginning stages of your weight loss and fitness program. It will assist you in gaining that level of excitement and consistency with your health lifestyle and fitness routine.

Cross training offers a variety of benefits for fitness and fatloss. It builds up the strength and endurance of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. It has also some tranquilizing effect on the nerves, and it burns up calories as much as it makes your “losing weight” more bearable.

Keep this in mind and approach your weight loss and fitness program with the mind set and you will change your life for the better you are creating a new lifestyle and it takes time to get the routine down.

Your fatloss and weight loss program a fun, new and exciting journey. Turn it into a fun new game learn to play the game the best you can, be patient and have fun, start with easy accomplish able step that you can build on. Don’t over due it at first remember this is a new game that will forever improve your life and create the you that you want.

Take the steps that will create the result that you want and if you do stop start again and again. It really is that simple are you going to play the game or quit. Learn and adjust play and have fun but say in the game and you will win.

Don’t expect too much from yourself when you begin your healthy weight loss and fitness program. The fist and most important focus for you in the beginning is activity in your overall weight loss and fitness program. Focus on getting started and staying active in your fatloss and fitness program. Learn and adjust it really is fun and exciting the new you will forever be thankful.

The most commonly used activities whenever a person decides to engage into cross training are swimming, walking, running, body weight exercises, weight training and cycling.

In cross training tracking your activity is one way to enhance your activity levels as your condition improves. For this reason, you need to simply track and record you activities you will see results.

If possible, swim the course and measure the distance. If you will be using a running track, such courses usually are a quarter-mile per lap for a complete circuit.

Keep a journal of your body weight sets and the number of repetitions that you perform.

Walking and running can really give you an unfair advantage to increasing your fitness level. Track your distance and your time.

  • Set a goal to travel the same distance in less time or to increase the distance in the same amount of time. This really is an extremely effective way to increase your weight loss and fitness levels.

A great Place To Get Started

Cross training has three basic components:

  1. Endurance exercises to condition the heart, lungs, and blood vessels and to induce relaxation. Begin with a carefully planned walking regimen and then increase it as you go or start with a jogging regimen, depending on fitness level.
  2. Exercises to strengthen the muscles, particularly those important to good posture. This is one area that really promotes fatloss. Exerting more energy with less effort to Burn The Fat, Melt It Away! Strengthening your muscles will burn more fat than most of the other exercises that you will do.
  3. Exercises to improve joint mobility and prevent or relieve aches and pains. These consist of a series of static stretching positions that are safe and effective. This allows you to relax you and your muscles. Promoting blood flow and preparing yourself for exercise. Stretching also calms you muscles after you have worked them this is a must do part of your fitness and weight loss program.

Indeed, cross training is a great way to modify the concept of exercising and losing fat without having to endure monotonous activities. In fact the idea of exercising is to like what you are doing when you engage in cross training you will be aware of what you have already achieved and how to bump up your fitness and weight loss goals.

Boiled down cross training is certainly one way of having fun developing and enhancing your weight loss and fitness lifestyle.

Have fun and enjoy the new you. Be fit, sexy and living life to the fullest.

How Many Calories in drinks

Alcohol and your diet

before and afterIf, like me, you enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine after a hard day in the office, you've got some extra work to do to make your weight-loss plan effective.

As well as being 'empty' calories - i.e not necessary for nutrition, alcohol can also play havoc with your willpower and resolve.

A couple of glasses of wine and, as well as the calories shown below, you could find yourself reaching for the crisps or nuts if you're not careful.

We're all different so if you want to cut down on your alcohol consumption, you need to look at your own lifestyle and find your own way of doing it - here are a couple of ideas:

  • Give up alcohol completely for a set time - a week - a month - or untill you've hit a target weight - as well as helping your weight loss, it will also have benefits to your long-term health.
  • Don't drink in the week. If you like to go out with the gang after work on Fridays or to your favourite bar on Saturday, this could be the way forward BUT just because you've abstained all week, it doesn't mean you can binge on the weekend!
  • Have at least two or three alcohol-free days a week.
  • Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or low calorie soft drinks.

Alcoholic beverages contain very little carbohydrate - most wines and spirits have virtually none.

The official recommendations are a maximum of 14 units of alcohol a week for women and 21 alcohol units a week for men.

It's important that you have a couple of alcohol-free days a week to allow your liver a rest and most medical authorities agree that drying out completely now and again for a couple of weeks to a couple of months will help your long-term health.

Drink

Kcals

Measure

How many calories in Beer and Lager?
Beer - canned and draught bitter 90 - half pint
Beer - How many calories in Lager (ordinary 3-4% ABV) 80 - 85 - half pint
Beer - How many calories in Lager (premium 5% ABV) 90 - half pint
Beer - How many calories in Draught Mild bitter 70 - half pint
Beer - How many calories in Brown ale 80
Beer - How many calories in Bottled Stout 105
How many calories in Cider - Dry 95 - half pint
How many calories in Cider - Sweet 110 - half pint
How many calories in a glass of Wine?
How many calories in Dry white wine 85 - 125ml
How many calories in Medium white wine 95 - 125ml
How many calories in Sweet white wine 120 - 125ml
How many calories in Sparkling white wine ( Champagne, cava ) 95 - 125ml
How many calories in Rose wine, medium 90 - 125ml
How many calories in Red wine 85 - 125ml
How many calories in a glass of Spirits? 50 ml = pub double
How many calories in whisky, gin, vodka etc 120 - 50ml
How many calories in premium whisky, gin, vodka 140 - 50ml
How many calories in liquers, brandy 150 - 50ml
How many calories in a mixer ?
How many calories in tonic water 40 - 100ml
How many calories in cola 45 - 100ml
How many calories in caffeine based energy drink 45 - 100ml
How many calories in tonic, cola etc (slimline) 0 - 100ml

Hollywood Celebrity Diet?

before and after diet pic Hollywood Celebrity Diet?

- Don't believe everything you see!

Photo manipulation is worth a thousand words. The model is an average shape and size and the picture far left is an unmodified version. This is what she really looks like!

To get from the left to the right picture took not weeks of dieting, exercise and time with a personal trainer but around 10 minutes with a retouch expert.

The picture is reduced in size horizontally and by dint of some clever airbrushing our model becomes an instant size UK eight or US six !

Hollywood stars, celebrities and models are in good shape to start with but they all get a little help from the camera and computer from time to time.

Getting slimmer in real life involves a little work but we show you how to make it as easy and pain-free as possible.

more makeover pics: click pic for large version

makeover

Can Foods Enhance Your Beauty?

The new expanded and updated third edition of Eating For Beauty by David Wolfe. The third edition contains larger Kirlian photography, more detailed information, and an updated format.Proper nutrition is an art. It is an art form.In Eating for Beauty, describes how to cleanse, nourish, and beautify by utilizing the benefits of a fresh-food diet. You can apply the lessons contained within this book to improve your appearance, vitality, and health.

Beauty is the universal language. Whether it is skin-care, a fresh-food diet, vital energy, or any other facet of healthy living, David Wolfe is the authority. Contains over 100 full-color photos and illustrations and references the most unique and highest-quality natural beauty products in the world!

Table of Contents:

* Introduction
* Lesson 1: Cosmic Beauty
* Lesson 2: Beauty nutrition
* Lesson 3: The Acid/Alkaline Balance Simplified
* Lesson 4: The Three food Classes
* Lesson 5: Elements of The Beauty diet
* Lesson 6: Detoxification & Transformation
* Lesson 7: Alchemical Beauty Secrets (The Beauty Minerals)
* Lesson 8: Beautifying Foods
* Lesson 9: The Beauty diet
* Lesson 10: Beauty Recipes
* Lesson 11: Body Beauty (Skin, Hair, Nails, Teeth, Eyes, Voice)
* Lesson 12: Yoga & Beauty Sleep
* Lesson 13: The Psychology of Beauty Consciousness
* Testimonials
* What Is Beauty?
* Appendix A: Hot Springs
* Appendix B: Non-Beautifying Plant Foods
* References
* About Kirlian Photography
* Index
* About the Author
* Beauty Products

EATING FOR BEAUTY is now printed on Recycled Stock with Soy Inks. By purchasing this book you participate in helping us save 86 full grown trees, 20,438 gallons of water, 43,000,000 BTU’s of energy, 4,241 pounds of solid waste, and 6,817 pounds of greenhouse gases.

7 Celebrities and Their Sexy Hot Diet Secrets –Shhh… Don’t tell anyone


Celebrities always look fabulous hot and at their best. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate and captivate us with their larger than life presence. The truth is, it takes effort, dedication and commitment to look the way they do, and a proven method that will keep them on target. Being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances.

I am sharing this with you so that you will know that we are all different and there are plenty of methods that work for us to be as healthy, sexy and energetic as we want to be. You have to have a why and an action plan to get there.

Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.

So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous.

Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn’t want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.

1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method.

The diet consists of:

40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes

30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products

30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils

It is essential that every meal should contain macro nutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.

2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood. Kate Hudson found an action plan and worked it with tremendous results.

3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, Oprah Winfrey has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the treadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are low fat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah’s, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.

5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.

6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.

7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.

Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can and should have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look red-carpet worthy.

Have you noticed a theme that it is in this article about celebrities?

It is to reeducate yourself about foods and get active. Motion is a magic potion and so are the foods that you put into your bodies.

Know the truths and act upon them you are worth way more than you can imagine. I really believe in your ability and encourage you to find you way to that brighter healthier and fitter lifestyle you are looking to have. Be an active pert of it and make the difference.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Travel

Place to see In malaysia


Langkawi, Malaysia - The Bahamas of Asia

The Attraction: The Langkawi Island group has been compared to the Bahamas on a number of levels. Today it is sprinkled with resorts and covered with tourists, but historically (like the Bahamas) it was a pirates' nest. The thin strips of inviting beach -- some on completely unpopulated islands -- provide a refuge today for sunseekers and snorkelers. In the past the same islands provided harbors and jungle hide outs for the pirates...
The Setting: Just north of the Penang, Malaysia, in the azure waters of the Andaman Sea is a cluster of 104 small, idyllic islands: the Langkawi Islands. I spent a week on Langkawi Island (the chain's largest land mass) once. It was time well spent. A few moments stand out, but none more clearly than sitting at a nameless little Italian beachfront restaurant (complete with red and white checkered table clothes) drinking marguerites served in a carafe' while the sun sank into the Indian Ocean.
The Legends: Langkawi is also shrouded in legend. The most popular of these tells of a young woman who was executed after being wrongly accused of adultery. She is supposed to have cursed the island for seven generations, and the Malays of the island were attacked soon thereafter by the Thais. The island was severely plundered, according to the legend.
"Anna and the King": Parts of the movie "Anna and the King" were filmed on Langkawi and the 20th Century Fox movie set is among the island's newest attractions.
Activities: A huge variety of activities are available in Langkawi: snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, water skiing, wind surfing and more. There are a number of good beaches, including the black sand Pantai Pasir Hitam beach. Fishing is popular and chartered fishing boats are easy to contract with. And you can rent a car on the island and tour the interior to see the Malay villages and rubber plantations. Langkawi also has a number of beautiful bird species and some butterfly species that only exit on the island. The island also has a crocodile farm, a beautiful waterfall, and two underwater marine parks.

Tioman, Malaysia

Monkey Bay: This is a beautiful stretch of white sand beach near the village of Salang on the north end of the island.
The Marine Park: A designated coral sanctuary at Tanjung Mesoh, about 15 minutes from Tekek Jetty. This is a great place to swim and snorkel.
Tulai Island: This uninhabited island off Tioman's northwest coast is another great spot to snorkel or to dive.
Salang: A quiet village on the north tip of the island. there are a smattering of dive shops, restaurants, and bars in Salang. There are also a couple of resorts nearby.
Bali Hai in Malaysia's South China Sea :

If pictures of Tioman Island remind you of French Polynesia, there's a reason for that: the island was used in the filming of the movie "South Pacific." The Malaysian island of Tioman, in the South China Sea, is Bali Hai.

What do you want? Tioman boasts some of the most fabulous beaches in the world. The waters are filled with coral and marine life of every hue and shade. You can walk in near-virgin jungle, climb picturesque mountains, wade in glassy streams, and talk to friendly natives (though not many of them). And you can spend your sunsets walking on the white sand beaches...

Tioman is not a big island -- 23 mile long and seven miles wide. It is, however, the biggest of the 64 islands in its chain, just off the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. In the 1970's, Time magazine named Tioman one of the world’s 10 most beautiful islands.

The island is a diver's paradise. The water is clear to a depth of 100 feet. Gardens of coral ring much of the island and include lace-like sea fans, and the alyconarian soft corals, and multi-colored staghorn coral. Parrotfish and butterfly fish are common, and many of the fish have neon colorings.

The island's land areas are populated with natural attractions, as well. Tioman has five distinct ecological zones. Animal life includes monkeys, mousedeer, flying foxes and lots of reptiles and amphibians -- including the python (and 25 other species of snakes), the large monitor lizard (and over 30 other lizard species), and both land and sea turtles.

Accommodations on the island are not expensive. While you can spend a lot of money at one of the resorts, you can also get a hut on the beach (with a bathroom and ceiling fan) for about $7 US a night. Want more comfort? For $25 to $30 a night you can rent a small chalet with a television, fridge, hot water, bathroom, and air-conditioning.

Tioman is populated mostly with tourist resorts. The island can become very crowded during holiday period. Arriving without a reservation can mean that you sleep on the beach. That's not unpleasant, but be prepared for a crowd at times...

The boat trip from Mersing, Malaysia, takes about 90 minutes. From Singapore it is about four and a half hours (and Tioman is a favorite among the Singaporeans). Pelangi Air and Berjaya Air both fly to the island daily from Kuala Lumpur. Flights from Singapore also exist.





Malaysia photography


Penang Sunset

The Siam Temple in Penang

Penang shops

An Old Penang Mansion

Penang market

Langkawi, Malaysia

Langkawi, Malaysia

Langkawi, Malaysia

Langkawi, Malaysia

Khoo Kongsi Temple in

Penang

Khoo Kongsi Temple in Penang




Khoo Kongsi Temple in Penang






Indian Cultural Festival, Penang

Asia Travel Malaysia

Accommodations in Malaysia

BerJaya Langkawi Beach & Spa Resort
Nestled in the heart of Malaysia's famed island of legends. Approximately 15 minutes drive from the airport, the resort complements the natural beauty of this unspoilt island. The chalets are in rustic Malay architecture with a balcony or terrace. Free-from pool, spa, water sports.

BerJaya Tioman Beach Resort
The only resort of international standards on the island with its own 18-hole international championship golf course sprawls over 200 acers. Accommodation ranges from deluxe rooms and chalets to elegant suites in typical Malay architectural style. Many water sports available, horse-riding, tennis, boat trips to the nearby island and golfing are other popular activities. Top price range.

Burau Bay Resort
Neatly tucked among lush greenery fronting a placid bay, the resort commands one of the most scenic view on Langkawi.
Century Mahkota Hotel
Melaka. In the very heart of the city within a very short walking distance to major sightseeing and historical attractions of Melaka. Situated on the waterfront and close to Melaka's commercial nub, adjacent to the Mahkota Parade, Melaka's premier shopping and entertainment complex. Discount price range.

Hotel Equatorial Melaka
This 22-storey international business resort features 498 luxuriously furnished rooms and a host of food and beverage outlets including the award-winning Equatorial signature restaurants, the Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant and Kampachi Japanese Restaurant. Each room offers a generous view of the Straits of Melaka or historical St. Paul’s Hill. Mid-price range.

Hotel Equatorial Penang
Perched 150 metres above sea level, Penang's only golf and convention resort. Located 5 mintues from the Bayan Lepas Industrial Zone, 10 minutes from the Penang International Airport and 20 minutes from the city centre. The five star hotel is surrounded by award winning landscaped gardens.

Hotel Orkid
Centrally located near the bustling heart of Melaka town within easy reach of the city's commercial hub and the various places of interests in Melaka. Top range.

Kondo Istana
Gymnasium and swimming pool; complimentary breakfast; free daily newspaper; late check-out up to 3.00 p.m. parking

Langkawi Seaview Hotel
Ideally located for business travellers and tourists, being 30 minutes drive from Langkawi International Airport and only 5 minutes from Kuah Jetty.

Langkawi Village Resort
Set on a 10 acre verdant landscaped grove of coconut palms at Pantai Tengah, on the South West of Langkawi Island. With a golden beach-front of soft sand stretching over 400 metres

Lone Pine
Established in 1948, Lone Pine was the first hotel on Batu Ferringhi beach. Today, completely refurbished, Lone Pine still retains much of its old worldcharm with its privacy and idyllic setting of landscaped gardens. Budget price range.

Paradise Sandy Bay
A Retreat To Paradise Situated at Penang's White Sandy Beach, the city centre is just 10 minutes away. 333 sea-facing suites each have a private balcony and kitchenette.

Paradise Tanjung Bungah
Penang. Formerly known as Beachcomber Paradise Hotel. Located in one of Malaysia's most popular resort areas on the island. It is just 10 minutes away from the city centre and 45 minutes from Penang International Airport. The hotel has a beautiful stretch of beachfront, 200 rooms with hillviews or seaviews. For watersports enthusiasts: canoeing, parasailing, jet-skiing, catamaran etc. Also golf.

Penang Mutiara Beach Resort
Located on a prime beachfront at Teluk Bahang, known as the "Glowing Bay", it is nestled in 18 acres of landscaped tropical greenery. All 438 of its spacious rooms enjoy sea and garden views.

Penang Parkroyal Resort
On Batu Ferringhi. 333 guest rooms including 24 suites overlooking the sea. A five-star.

Primula Parkroyal
Along Kuala Terengganu's most pristine stretch of beach, the hotel offers a tranquil beachfront ambience, exciting facilities and well-appointed accommodation with Kuala Terengganu's friendly charm. Discount price range.

Seri Corta
Strategically located in the heart of Malacca and within walking distance from the major commercial, shopping, entertainment and historic attractions. Mid-price range.
Sheraton Langkawi Resort
All the luxury of a Sheraton in this island paradise setting.

The Casuarina Parkroyal
Ipoh. A private retreat. Centrally located, this city hotel in a garden setting is surrounded by limestone hills, a haven of warmth and comfort accompanied by impeccable service to make you feel right at home. Top price range. The Lake House Cameron Highlands. Reminiscent of a Tudor mansion from Shakespeare country, on a hill in the lush green surroundings of state reserve forest, overlooking the Sultan Abu Bakar lake. Mid price range.

The Best of Asia


12 Destinations that Make the Continent What it is...

They are the places that cry Asia! And if you want to be able to say that you've seen Asia (as opposed to being able to say that you've seen Thailand or India), you simply have to visit these places. None of them are perfect. Some of them are not all that great if you're looking for a pampered resort vacation. But these are the locations that personify the continent...

1. Guangzhou, China. At a point in time when Hong Kong was still an unnoticed piece of rock, ships came to this port not far away on China's Pearl River to trade. They brought the outside world to China and took some of China (silk, for example) back with them. Back, not to Lisbon, Amsterdam, or London, but to Bombay and Karachi, to Shiraz and Baghdad, to Damascus, Cairo, and Mekkah.
To the British it was Canton. The city is over 2200 year old. It is littered with temples and pagodas - and with old markets and new shopping malls. If Shanghai is the Whore of the East, this is where she bought her dress...

  • 2. Goa, India. The mingling of cultures on the warm coast of the Arabian Sea makes this former Portuguese colony truly exotic. Of the 75 miles of coast line in the Indian State of Goa, over 50 miles of it is beach. Inviting, near-tropical beach. And while the rest of Goa - its culture, food, inland scenery, and cities - are all well worth visiting, Goa's beaches alone make the place worth visiting. Colva Beach, with 12 miles of powder fine white sand, is Goa's longest beach. Calangute Beach offers a Saturday bazaar nearby with plenty of good bargains for shoppers. There is also a Tibetan market in Calangute and Kashmiri merchants frequent the area with carpets, embroidery, and more. But Dona Paula is my favorite: it is the beach where the ghost of a Dona Paula is said to walk unclothed except for her string of pearls in the waves where she drowned herself after her Portuguese father refused to allow her to marry her Indian lover...
  • 3. Suzhou, China. Perhaps the most beautiful place in China, and rich in history. Suzhou (pronounced "SUE-joe") is the seat of China's Wu culture; Wu is a dialect spoken by over 80 million people (making the Wu community about the same size as modern Germany). The city could remind a Westerner of Venice. Canals and street are interlaced. About 60% of Suzhou County is under water. Marco Polo visited the city while he was in China.
  • 4. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has become famous in recent years for its seven star hotel, perfect beaches, and relaxed atmosphere. The annual shopping festival draws literally millions of visitors into the tiny sheikdom to roam the air conditioned duty free malls and stomp through the dust at suoqs - traditional Arab markets that smell like the dawn of time. Words don't do Dubai justice, but pictures can help...

  • 5. Beijing. Possibly the most visited city in Asia. The sprawling city is packed with more things to do and places to see than I can talk about in a single feature: The Confucius Temple - Kong Miao, the Confucius Temple, is now the Capital Museum and houses a display on the culture and history of Beijing.
    • The Summer Palaces - The Old Summer Palace on Fu Hai Lake was sacked by the British in 1860 during the Second Opium War. Today the site is a public picnic ground. Close by, on Kunming Lake, the New Summer Palace (and the Garden of Cultivated Harmony) was started in 1888. Pink and green lotuses cover the lake during the summer.
    • The Temple of Heaven - Among the city's most visited parks. The Temple's complex covers an area of close to 700 acres.
    • Tiananmen Square - The spot where Mao proclaimed China a people's republic in 1949. His image still looks down upon the Square. The Goddess of Democracy was erected by students here in 1989; it was eventually torn down after the military dispersed democracy protests.
    • The Ming Tombs about 30 miles from the city.
    • The Western Qing Tombs about 80 miles outside Beijing.
    • The Great Wall not far away.

    The list is by no means complete. A trip to Beijing is essential in any well rounded Asia experience.


  • 6. Xi'an, China. Six thousand year of history. Xi'an sits on the inland edge of China's fertile lowlands. To the east it overlooks the densely populated river valleys that fed China and drive its industry. To the west is the beginning of the Silk Road and the arid Central Asian steppes that have supplied China with wave after wave of immigrants to absorb. But Xi'an is perhaps most famous for the Terracotta Warriors discovered there in 1974. It is one of the world's great archaeological sites. Some 8000 terracotta warriors guard the body of a Chinese Emperor.
  • 7. Henan Province, China. The cradle of Chinese civilization. It was here in the fertile valley of the Yellow River in Henan that the Chinese first developed settled agriculture. It was in this region that they learned how to feed 100 pounds of mulberry leaves to silk worms who would produce 15 pounds of cocoons that could then be turned into a pound of silk. It was in this province some 42 centuries ago that the Xia Dynasty (2200-1750 BC) established itself as the first central authority in China. And it was here that the Xia Dynasty was replaced by the Shang Dynasty (1750-1040 BC) – the dynasty that produced China’s first writing, the dynasty that produced the finest bronze ever made in any century. The attractions are numerous. Among them:
    • The Shaolin Temple, where both Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu were born.
    • Dengfeng and the Songshan Mountains Scenic Area with some of the world's most enthralling landscapes and a scattered collection of ancient temples.
    • The Longmen Grottoes, one of the most developed Buddhist historical sites in Asia, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
    • Kaifeng, the ancient capital of several dynasties, with its Memorial Temple of Lord Bao and the Iron Pagoda (Tie Ta) and Xiangguo Temple.
    • Luoyang, a capital more ancient than Kaifeng, with its Guanlin Temple, its Ancient Tombs, and the White Horse Temple.
  • 8. Tibet. The roof of Asia. Tibet's capital, Lhasa, is a fascinating city of history and culture. The historic Potala Palace, traditional residence of the Dalai Lama, is filled with art and mystique. But you don't have to be particularly interested in spirituality or history to love Tibet. Trekking in the Himalayas is not something quickly forgotten and the Chang Tang nature reserve in Tibet offers some one the world's most breath taking wildlife.

  • African Safari: Photos from Botswana

    The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a magnet for wildlife. The Okavango river cuts through the center of the Kalahari desert creating a unique ecosystem that gives life to a huge variety of birds and mammals. With a good selection of lodges and campsites to stay at, the Okavango Delta is fast becoming a favorite safari destination. It's a little more expensive than going on safari in Kenya worth it. Enjoy the wildlife photos below.because many of the camps are only accessible by light aircraft, but the experience is

    1. Lion at rest

    1. Spotted Hyenas

    1. Elephants Cooling Off

    1. Warthog

    1. Wildebeest



    1. Kudu



    1. Cape Buffalo



    1. Eland

    2. Vervet Monkey

    3. Newborn Elephant

    4. Male Lion

    5. Zebra

    6. Sunset Over the Okavango Delta

    Top 10 African Safari Destinations


    Africa's top safari destinations include wildlife parks in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Gabon. If you're looking for the best safari where you're almost guaranteed to see the "Big Five" you can't go wrong with these choices.

    1. Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya)

    Kenya is Africa's most popular safari destination and the Masai Mara Reserve is the most popular wildlife park in Kenya. From July - October you can witness the incredible migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra. The Maasai tribesman also offer cultural tours which will enhance your experience.

    2. Chobe National Park (Botswana)

    Chobe National park lies in Botswana's Okavango Delta and covers four distinct Eco-systems. The Savuti marsh in particular offers some of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa year round. Safaris in Botswana have a reputation of being expensive, but Chobe is actually one of the more affordable parks in the country.

    3. Kruger National Park (South Africa)

    Kruger National Park in South Africa boasts the highest variety of wildlife in Africa which includes the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, cheetah and more. Kruger is one of the best maintained parks in Africa which means it's ideal for a self-drive safari.

    4. South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

    Home of the "walking safari" South Luangwa National Park in Zambia offers a true African experience. There's plenty of wildlife and over 400 species of birds. The Luangwa river is filled to the brim with hippos and if you're lucky you'll spot prides of over 30 lions at a time. South Luangwa offers both budget and luxury safari lodging.

    5. Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

    The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania offers the absolute classic African safari setting. The grasslands make the Serengeti fantastic for spotting lion kills because you can see the whole spectacle clearly. The migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra starts here and because it's much larger than the Mara (see above), it is also less touristy.

    6. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda)

    Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda is home to almost half of the world's population of mountain gorillas. Besides offering a wonderful backdrop to Gorilla tracking, you can also see chimpanzees, and many other mammals. Bwindi has been designated a World Heritage Site.

    7. Etosha Natonal Park (Namibia)

    Etosha National Park is Namibia's top wildlife destination. Etosha is home to Africa's tallest elephants, the endangered black rhino, and 91 other species of mammal. Etosha is especially popular with photographers in the dry season who flock to the waterholes (along with the wildlife). Etosha doesn't offer scheduled game drives, it's a self-drive safari experience.

    8. Loango National Park (Gabon)

    Loango National Park in Gabon is probably the least well known park on this list but it's only a matter of time before it's discovered. Loango is the only place in Africa where you can see whales, chimps, gorillas and elephants in one park. In Loango you get to enjoy watching wildlife on the beach, savannah, swamp and forest in a single day.

    9. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)

    The Ngorongoro Conservation area in Tanzania includes the world's largest crater which acts as a natural enclosure for almost every species of wildlife found in East Africa. The Maasai still live within the conservation area, and it's also home to Olduvai where some of man's earliest remains have been found.

    10. Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe)

    Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is a personal favorite of mine because of its abundance of giraffes, elephants, and lions as well as 105 other mammal species. Hwange also has one of the largest populations of wild dogs left in Africa. There are several comfortable lodges to stay at for reasonable prices. The park is close to one of the world's greatest natural wonders -- the Victoria Falls.