4 Herb Alternatives for Juice Fasting

People follow juice fasts for several reasons, typically having to do with weight loss or detoxification. The Mayo Clinic asserts that detox, or detoxification, diets -- in which people fast or consume only liquids to rid their body of toxins -- have no scientific research proving their effectiveness. However, drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices is part of a healthy diet that centers around plant-based foods. Adding herbs to your juices increases their health benefits.
Powerful Herbs
Dr. Leo Galland, Director of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine, has identified two common herbs that do more than add flavor to your beverages during a juice fast. He names parsley as a top herb for raising your body's level of antioxidants. He also cites cilantro for its ability to control blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol levels, battle harmful bacteria and aid in detoxification.
Dr. Oz's Recommendations
Nutritional expert Dr. Mehmet Oz lists several international herbs as ideal complements to a healthy diet, including a juice fast. He cites the herb purslane, popular in Turkey, for its anti-inflammatory benefits. He says rosemary leaves build immunity and promote healthy joints, saffron is an antioxidant that fights cancer, and horseradish aids in digestion, detoxifies your blood and accelerates the passage of bile from your gallbladder to your intestine.
Herbal Teas
Consider broadening your juice fast to include unsweetened herbal teas, either from fresh or dried herbs. Combine chamomile, alfalfa, burdock, red clover, dandelion, milk thistle and rose hips into tea that cleanses your bloodstream.
Fresh Is Best
When picking or shopping for herbs, inspect them closely. The freshest herbs provide more health benefits and have a better flavor than those that have rotted or wilted. Select bunches with bright green leaves. When possible, opt for organic herbs rather than their commercial counterparts.
Considerations
A prolonged juice fast can sap you of the necessary nutrients and calories you require to stay healthy and energized. If you experience exhaustion, nausea, dizziness or dehydration, speak with your doctor. A healthy, diverse diet that you can sustain in the long term includes sources of protein and whole grains as well as fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Safety Precautions for Kettlebeell Exercise Training for Beginners

Taking safety precautions during fitness-training programs helps you avoid injuries. Kettlebell training is no exception. Safety considerations include the evaluation of your surroundings, choosing the proper kettlebell weight, using the correct technique and protecting your hands. If you are new to kettlebell training, work with a certified kettlebell trainer to learn the proper technique for each exercise and get a release from your doctor before starting the program.
Environmental Considerations
Be aware of your surroundings. Many kettlebell exercises involve a swinging motion, and you'll want to perform your exercises safely without interfering with other individuals, equipment or objects. If you train at home or in a gym, the surface must be flat and not slick. There may be a time when you have to let the kettlebell drop to the floor. Avoid damaging the floor by using padded mats.
Weight Considerations
If you are just starting a kettlebell training program, use a safe weight amount, one that is appropriate for your strength level. Kettlebells can range in weight from 5 pounds to more than 100 pounds. The American Council on Exercise recommends that women start with a 8- to 15-pound kettlebell and men start with a 15- to 25-pound kettlebell. As you perfect your technique and increase your strength level, instead of increasing the weight, increase the number of repetitions or the number of sets. You can also shorten the amount of recovery time between sets. If you find that after several weeks of training you need more of a challenge, increase the kettlebell weight.
Practice Proper Technique
Many kettlebell exercises require a swinging or lifting movement from a low to high position. To start the upward momentum, drive with your legs and hips. Keep your back arched, not rounded, and avoid hunching your shoulders; keep them pulled back and square. This is a safe technique to avoid injuries to your back, shoulders and neck. The safest position for your wrists is a neutral or straight position. If you lose your grip of the kettlebell during an exercise, instead of trying to catch the weight, quickly move out of the way and let it drop to the floor.
Protect Your Hands
Blisters and calluses commonly develop on your hands during kettlebell workouts, so it may become increasingly harder to maintain a good grip on the weight. Although it is possible to continue training if you tape up your hands, this compromises your safety, according to certified Russian kettlebell instructor Ron Jones. Jones recommends wearing smooth cotton gloves with the fingers cut off. If you have developed calluses, smooth them down daily with a pumice stone. For open wounds, Jones recommends using an antibiotic ointment, and he also suggests applying oil-free corn husker lotion daily to toughen your skin while keeping it soft.

Muscles Used in Halo Exercise Workouts

According to the American Council on Exercise, a study conducted with the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, reveals that kettlebells provide better lifting results than traditional weights. A kettlebell is shaped like a ball and has a handle so you can hold it easily while exercising. The halo is one exercise that requires the use of a kettlebell. The halo benefits your entire body, but might help tone and define certain muscle groups more effectively than others.
Core Muscles
When you execute certain movements holding kettlebells, you might increase their effectiveness. Kettlebells are an effective way to build and tone your muscles in a shorter amount of time compared to traditional weights. The halo requires you to move a kettlebell around your head in a circular motion. As you twist your abdominal muscles to form the circle, you are strengthening your internal and external obliques, and your rectus abdominis.
Lower Body Muscles
Your legs and rear end help you maintain your balance when you exercise. When you perform a halo exercise holding a kettlebell, your thigh and gluteus maximus muscles work harder to keep you upright. It might be difficult to execute the exercise without moving your feet and legs. Robyn Bova and Paul Bova, authors of "Body Strong Kettlebell Blitz: Beginner Program," recommend squeezing your thigh and gluteus maximus muscles while doing the halo. This will help prevent you from arching your back and give your gluteus maximus, hamstrings and quadriceps a more effective workout.
Upper Body Muscles
Your arms might benefit the most from the halo exercise. A kettlebell is a weighted piece of exercise equipment that can help tone and define your biceps and triceps. As you move the kettlebell around your head in a circular motion, all of the muscles in your arms are engaged. You also engage your chest, or pectoral muscles, as you move the kettlebell around your head.
Instructions and Considerations
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your kettlebell in both hands with the handle facing down. Move the kettlebell in front of your body at chin level. Keep the kettlebell low and close to your body. In one movement, slowly move the kettlebell around your head and back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise eight to 12 times. Do the move slowly to get the most benefit. Gradually increase the weight of the kettlebell you use. As your muscles get stronger, the kettlebell will not give you as effective of a workout. Choose a kettlebell that is 2 to 5 pounds heavier each time you add weight.

Best Dumbbell Weight Exercises

You don’t have to try too hard to find reasons to resistance train. From increasing muscle mass that can up your metabolism to achieving toned muscles, lifting dumbbell weights has many benefits. The only catch is that you must lift enough weight and often enough to build muscle. Understanding when to increase the amount of dumbbell weight you lift depends on your body and how fast you gain muscle given your overall training schedule.
Three Aspects
When you lift dumbbells, there are three factors that influence if you'll gain muscle: how much weight you lift, how many repetitions you perform and how many sets you do. Lifting dumbbells provides resistance for your muscles where they must resist against the weight to raise the weight. Over time, however, your muscles become accustomed to lifting a certain weight amount. If you want to gain strength or muscle size, you must lift more weight to effectively do so. That’s why it’s important to increase your dumbbell weight over time. You can use one or all of three strategies to accomplish this: listen to your body, increase at a steady rate and/or use a load-repetition percentage to determine how much you can lift.
Listen to Your Body
Sometimes determining how fast you can go up in dumbbell weight is a matter of listening to your body. By sensing when you've increased in strength, you can know when to bump up your weights. If the weight that you're lifting doesn’t feel challenging by the time you get to repetition 11 or 12, the weight likely isn’t heavy enough, and it’s time to step it up. If you increase the weight and you can perform between 10 and 12 repetitions, this is the right weight for you.
Steady Rate Increase
If you prefer a hard-and-fast rule about how often you can bump up your dumbbell increments, a general rule is increasing the amount of weight you lift every two to four weeks. You also can increase the amount of repetitions or sets you perform to further challenge your muscles. To increase the weight, you’ll generally step up to the next available dumbbell. For example, if you're lifting a 5-pound weight, you’ll likely increase to a 7 or 8-pound dumbbell. If you feel as if you can’t control the weight when increasing it after two weeks of weight training, you may need to keep with the weight that you were previously lifting.
Load-Repetition Relationship
Each weight lifter trains differently. You may prefer a heavy dumbbell with fewer repetitions or vice versa. Either way, there's a proportional relationship between the amount of weight and number of repetitions that you can lift. You can determine the amount of weight that you should lift by finding a weight that you can only lift one time. If you like to perform between 10 and 12 repetitions per set, use a weight percentage that is 70 to 75 percent of the maximum weight that you can lift. For example, if you can lift a 10-pound weight once, lift a 7-pound weight for 10 to 12 repetitions. You can retest the maximum amount of weight on a weekly basis to determine when you should increase your dumbbell weight.

Best Exercises for Tween Women

A woman in her tweens typically faces greater responsibility once she is in the working world. Balancing work demands, social engagements and fitness is essential in the transition to adulthood. An exercise plan that is enjoyable and fits into your schedule while meeting the physical needs of a young woman makes it easier to maintain or improve your fitness in your 20s.
Amount
At least 150 minutes of weekly cardiovascular exercise is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for adults 18 and older. Exercising more improves your physical strength and endurance for better overall health in your 20s. Getting yourself in the habit of exercising most days of the week sets you up for a healthy lifestyle as you age. The CDC also encourages two or more weekly muscle strengthening sessions.
Type
Cardiovascular, or endurance, exercises strengthen the heart and lungs to improve the overall physical condition. These activities vary in intensity from low-impact aerobics to high-intensity exercises such as running. Strength exercises use either your own body weight or hand weights to strengthen specific muscle groups. As your strength improves, you can add more repetitions or increase the amount of weight you use. Stretching exercises improve your flexibility. Balance and core strengthening exercises keep your core muscles strong to improve posture.
Scheduling
Scheduling your exercise sessions is often a challenge when you're balancing work and your social life. Start with a goal for the amount of exercise for the week. Break up the total over four to six days of the week so you're active most days. Pencil in your workouts at the beginning of the week to create an exercise plan. If you find yourself short on time, work exercise into your social calendar by meeting a friend for a walk or workout session at the gym. A recreational league for sports such as sand volleyball or softball gives you a chance to meet up with your friends while exercising.
Activity Ideas
While women in their 20s typically have greater bone density and more lean muscle mass than older women, each person needs to evaluate her own fitness level to find an appropriate exercise. Talk with your doctor if you aren't currently on an exercise plan to ensure you can handle the type of exercise you're considering. Low-impact fitness options include walking, swimming, cycling and yoga. For a higher intensity, try running, kickboxing or other cardio classes. If you don't like being stuck in a gym, take your fitness routine outdoors or join a recreational sports league.

Hula Hoop Exercise Guidelines for Elders

A simple hula hoop gives seniors a chance to relive the joy of childhood while being physically active. Hula-hooping is low-impact, unlike many other aerobic activities, making it easier on the joints of seniors. The activity helps improve balance and core strength in addition to the aerobic effects it provides. Hula-hoop moves that fit your fitness level are key to a healthy, safe workout.
Safety
Be sure to consult with a physician before beginning a hula-hoop routine. While the exercise is low-impact, it is an aerobic activity and you want to make sure your body can handle it. The motion is also potentially dangerous for those with hip or knee problems, including past replacement surgery. Seniors with back problems should also hula-hoop with caution to avoid further injury. Heavier, larger hoops are easier to use because they spin slowly. This means you don't have to work as hard to twirl the hoop and keep it up. Start with the larger hoops to make it a gentle activity. Ease into hula-hooping, starting with only short sessions of a few minutes and building up to longer workouts.
Core Exercises
The basic hula-hoop twirl around the midsection engages the abdominal muscles and raises the heart rate. Stand in a relaxed pose with your knees slightly bent. Hold the weighted hoop against your back, spinning it as you begin a front-to-back rocking motion. Hula-hooping with music makes the workout more interesting. To make the exercise more intense, take small steps forward or backward as you hula-hoop.
Other Exercises
While the core is the primary focus of hula-hooping, seniors have the option of working out other body parts with the hoop. A simple option is to twirl the hula hoop around your arm to work on upper-body strength. To stretch the body, hold the hoop over your head with both hands. Twist gently from side to side, only as far as is comfortable. Focus on slow, controlled movements that stay within a comfortable, safe range of motion.
Modifications
For seniors who aren't able to use a weighted hula hoop for exercise, a simulated hula-hoop move is a possible modification. The Ohio State University Extension suggests holding onto a chair to maintain your balance as you move your hips the same way you would when hula-hooping. This allows for a smaller range of motion, since you don't have to worry about keeping the hoop up. Another option is to use a motion-sensitive video game system, like the Wii, to perform the activity without an actual hula hoop. The system's Wii Fit Plus game offers a hula-hoop activity that allows you to twirl your hips to simulate a character in the game hula-hooping.

Calories Burned in Speed Roller Skating

Some people believe long, monotonous exercise sessions is the way to lose weight; this is not true. Do not let your body become acclimated to the same exercise program or you will plateau, or stop losing weight. Plus, the same program day after day will bore you. However, roller-skating is an easy way to burn calories in a short time and it is fun, too.
Aerobic Advantages
Roller-skating can furnish a solid cardio workout that burns fat and calories. Roller Skating International reports that roller-skating provides the same aerobic benefits as running if you skate at 10 miles per hour or more. However, skating reduces stress on your joints and ligaments, unlike running.
A 30-Minute Workout
If you are too busy for long workouts, try half-hour workouts. Many gym chains offer a 30-minute option in the form of a class or circuit training program for those on the go. According to Harvard Health Publications, roller-skating can burn between 210 and 311 calories in 30 minutes, depending on your weight.
Skate Off 1 Lb.
For each pound of body weight you would like to get rid of, you must burn off approximately 3,500 calories. A 150-lb. individual skating 11 mph burns about 10 calories per minute. This means a 150-lb. person skating 11 mph will have to skate six hours to get rid of 1 lb. -- 3,500 calories/10 calories = 350 minutes; 350 minutes/60 minutes per hour = six hours of skating
Skate Off 20 Lbs.
If you skate enough to burn another 800 calories daily, you will lose 20 pounds in approximately three months. By allowing yourself six months to shed 20 lbs., you only need to burn off 400 calories daily. The amount of roller-skating necessary to burn up 800 and 400 calories, respectively, varies widely from person to person, because it depends on your own body weight and how fast you skate.
Versatile Workout
Roller-skating is a good workout for beginners and veteran exercisers. It is best to begin slowly and skate for only 20 to 30 minutes per session. Skating works many major muscle groups as well as increases your heart rate. Once you get stronger, you can increase time and speed. Roller-skating can be done indoors in a rink or outdoors on concrete. Always wear protective gear like a helmet, knee pads and wrist guards in case you fall.

Knee Drive Tips for Sprinting

Having a good knee drive during sprinting can help increase your speed as well as prevent injuries caused by poor posture. A knee drive is propelling yourself forward using your knee. Proper knee drives aren't just important to competitive sprinters; they are also helpful to casual sprinters and those who sprint for exercise.
Identification
Sprinting is a competitive athletic run that includes all distances under 400 meters. In addition to competitive sprinting, many people sprint for weight loss or other health-related reasons such as cardiovascular strengthening and bone strengthening. Although sprinting seems easy enough, sprinting incorrectly can increase your risk of foot or leg injuries. However, simple techniques you can incorporate into your sprinting can reduce these risks.
Sprinting Technique
When sprinting competitively, a coach will look for four actions: tall, relaxed, smooth and drive. A tall action means sprinting erect on the balls of your feet. A relaxed action means sprinting with ease while all movements are fluid and relaxed. A smooth action is moving forward while sprinting, almost as if you are flowing across the ground instead of bouncing up and down. A drive is when you sprint by pushing off your rear leg and rear elbow while keeping the front knee high during the sprint. Perfecting your knee drive will propel your body forward faster during the sprint.
Knee Drive Importance
The knee drive is important to sprinters, but it is also important in other competitive sports that require running, such as football and soccer. The knee drive is often isolated as a drill to practice before taking part in the sport. A knee drive drill is used to strengthen and perfect the knee drive. According to 90 Strong, the knee drive is an excellent drill to increase speed and acceleration. Perform the knee drive drill by placing your front foot on a 4-inch jump box with your knee bent. Keep your other leg behind you and extended. Quickly switch to the other side while driving your knee up toward your chest each time your back leg comes forward. Repeat this action by alternating sides each time as quickly as you can .
Considerations
If you are unsure about how to perform a knee drill correctly, ask a fitness instructor or your coach. Performing them incorrectly could cause an ankle sprain or calf muscle injury. Start slowly when doing knee drive drills and gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable.

Benefits of Speed Skating for Weight Loss

Speed skating is a competitive sport requiring exceptional aerobic endurance. Due to a high intensity level, speed skating burns significant calories; the harder the exercise, the more calories it requires to perform. Speed skating may help you lose weight if it tips the scale between the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you utilize throughout the day. Get clearance from your doctor before beginning an exercise or weight loss program.
Weight Loss
Aerobic exercise, like speed skating, is one of three ways to burn calories for weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Strength training and simply moving around during the day uses calories too, but regular aerobic exercise is the most efficient method for losing weight. Even short bursts of exercise lasting 10 minutes can contribute to weight loss. You must burn 3,500 calories for every pound you wish to lose. Depending on how much weight you need to lose, it could take a significant amount of time to reach your goal through exercise alone.
Calories
Speed skating burns a high number of calories, but the amount depends on factors like weight and gender. Estimations assume a metabolism speed based on your age, but individual speeds vary. Even so, knowing approximately how many calories speed skating burns allows you to figure out how frequently to exercise to achieve weight loss. Heavier people burn more calories than lighter people. A 130-pound person burns around 885 calories per hour speed skating; a 205-pound burns around 1,396 calories. Gender is also a factor. A 135-pound female burns around 807 calories per hour, but a male burns around 872 calories.
Speed Skating
Taking up speed skating encourages you to lose weight because of the significant physical demands of skating quickly, according to an article on the My Primetime website by Rita Kennen. You need to invest in a pair of skates -- which may cost several hundred dollars -- and safety gear, including a neck guard, shin guards, knee pads and a helmet. Experienced speed skaters wear lycra suits, but if you are uncomfortable wearing skintight clothing you may instead opt for a long-sleeved shirt and pants that are less revealing.
Diet
To assist with your weight loss efforts, lower your caloric intake. Your doctor or a nutritionist can best work with you to develop a new eating plan with a target calorie range. To eat fewer calories, substitute high-calorie items like doughnuts and chips with low-calorie foods, such as peanuts or popcorn, recommends the Mayo Clinic website. Eat smaller portions and skip one high-calorie food per day, like a piece of pizza or a blended coffee drink. Combining caloric restriction with speed skating creates a larger deficit of calories to speed up weight loss.

Best Weekly Exercise and Meal Plans

One way to watch your calories and stay in shape is to follow your diet and exercise routine during the week and loosen up on the weekend. Knowing that you can go out to eat on the weekend without having to worry about the effects of a calorie-laden dessert can give you the incentive to stick to your plan during the week. On the other hand, binging on the weekend can sabotage an entire week's efforts, so this plan isn't for you if your weekends turn into an eating marathon.
Determining Your Caloric Needs
Knowing your calorie limit for weight loss during the week is essential. You don't need a rigid plan of 400 calories per meal, but you do need to know your total daily calorie allowance. If you know what you eat now, subtract 500 to 1,000 calories per day to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. If you don't know how many calories you normally need per day, use the Harris-Benedict formula to come up with a rough estimate. Figure this by using this rather complicated formula: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years) for women and 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in year) for men. Then, multiply by 1.2 if you're sedentary, 1.375 if you're lightly active, 1.55 if you're moderately active and 1.75 if you're very active to find your total calorie count.
The Best Eating Plan
The best eating plan during the week gives you both structure and a little bit of freedom. If you need to go out to lunch one day at work, plan ahead for what you can eat. Many restaurants have online menus, so if you know where you're going, look at the menu and plan your meal before you go. That way you won't be tempted by high-calorie offerings that sound good when you're hungry. Plan your meals during the week to include a low-calorie dessert once a day, such as a small dish of low-fat ice cream, to keep you from feeling deprived of all sweets, unless sweets act as a trigger for a sugar binge.
The Best Exercise Routine
The best exercise plan during the week is the one you'll actually do. If hitting the gym before work is best for you, go then. If going with a few friends after work keeps you motivated, then go for it. If briskly walking around the block with your neighbor after dinner keeps you in touch with what's going on and also provides the exercise you need, follow that plan. Aim for at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a minimum of three times a week and strength train two to three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. Strength training includes lifting weights, using resistance bands and weight machines and performing exercises such as pullups and situps.
Pitfalls
Although spontaneity is the spice of life, it can sabotage your diet and exercise routine. When friends suggest stopping off for drinks or dinner after work on your gym night, it's hard and not always practical to say no. Plan ahead for pitfalls. You can change your gym night or ask to put off dinner for an hour or so while you hit the gym first. You may even motivate your friends to stick to their own exercise routines before dinner. If you know you have dinner plans one night, have a light breakfast and lunch, but not so light that you're starving by dinner. Following a diet during the week shouldn't feel like a jail sentence. Keep it flexible enough to include the changes that make life fun.