The market is full of exercise machines that you can buy for your home gym. You will also come across many flashy advertisements promising you marvelous results with their exercise machines. But don’t blindly trust these advertisements. And don’t buy any home fitness equipment just because your friend or neighbor has it. You may end up wasting money on equipment you’d never use.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before buying home fitness equipment:

Do you need it?

Often our purchases get influenced by our friend or neighbor’s purchases. But what suits your friend’s needs may not suit yours. You should buy the equipment that suits your interests and needs. Using this equipment should feel challenging and enjoyable for you. Buying equipment is not a guarantee that you will use it. If you don’t enjoy it or find it too hard, it will end up gathering dust in a corner of your home. So only buy the equipment that you need and would enjoy using. It should be challenging but not so hard that you give it up in two days. It is a good idea to try the exercise machine in a gym or fitness center before buying it for your home. That way, you’d know what you are buying and how to use it.

Can you afford it?

You may be lured into wasting a lot of money on a home fitness equipment that promises quick weight loss or such results. But just because you bought expensive equipment doesn’t mean you’ll use it. Before purchasing any exercise machine, always consider whether it is worth its price. Does the machine’s quality justify its hefty price tag? Can you get a cheaper alternative that is also of good quality and matching your interests? Never go beyond your budget to buy home fitness equipment. Because if you do and then don’t use that equipment, it will be a waste of money that you needed for more urgent needs.

Can you buy used equipment?

If your desired home fitness equipment is beyond your budget, try to find it in the second-hand market. You may find a fabulous deal. You may even find equipment that looks good as new and is still available at a very low rate. Buying used equipment can save you a lot of money.

Do you have enough space for it?

Don’t do the mistake of buying a big machine without first considering where you’d put it. You may want a treadmill at your home. But do you have space for it? If not, then where will you put it? You may end up selling your unused treadmill at half the price because you had no space for it in your home. So consider carefully and plan where you’d put the home fitness equipment before buying it.

Is it safe for you?

Before buying any exercise equipment, make sure it is safe for you to use. Some equipment may be painful for you to use. The exercise machine you want may cause harm to your body. Research about the precautions needed for its use and who it is suitable for. And always consult your doctor before purchasing any home fitness equipment.

Visit a gym before buying any home fitness equipment.

It is a good idea to try the equipment at a gym before purchasing it. It will give you a better idea of whether a particular exercise machine is suitable for you or not. And the trainer at the gym can also explain to you its advantages, the proper way to use, and necessary precautions. This will reduce the risk of you wasting your money on exercise equipment you’d never use.

Conclusion:

Buying fitness equipment for home is a great idea. It can give you the freedom of working out any time you want within the comfort of your home. But don’t purchase an exercise machine in a haste. Research about it, understand it, understand your requirements and limitations, and then bring your desired exercise machine home.

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In this post, we are concentrating on men’s fitness. Besides a healthy diet, exercise is essential for your fitness. Men’s fitness can be improved by regular aerobic exercises and strength training. Cardiovascular work and strength training can help you get a fit and strong body.

Building muscles:

If you want to stay fit, you need to keep your muscles strong. Your fitness regimen should include a workout routine that builds your muscles. Remember that muscle mass decreases with age. Without muscle-building exercises, this loss may be greater and faster. As per studies, aging can take away five to seven pounds (2-3.2 kgs) of muscle mass every ten years in one’s adult life. But by staying active and keeping your muscles exercised, you can reduce this loss and keep your muscles strong.

Cardiovascular workout:

Cardiovascular exercises are essential for a man’s fitness. Flexibility exercises, strength training, and cardiovascular workout can help in maintaining your fitness. You should include all these exercises in your workout plan. But out of these, cardiovascular work is the most necessary. These exercises will also help you to strengthen large muscle groups. Cardio exercises include running, brisk walking, cycling, swimming, etc. In the gym, cardio exercise machines include elliptical trainer, treadmill, stationary cycles, rowing machine, stepping machine, and ski trainer.

Aerobic exercises:

If you are short of time, you can try aerobic exercises. You can do aerobics during whatever free time you might get. It may not help you developing biceps, but if you are doing a cardiovascular workout, then the blood pressure, heart and cholesterol levels will stay healthy. And good health will ensure optimum fitness levels.

Nutrition:

Exercise alone cannot ensure fitness. You also need to have a nutritious diet. Experts recommend eating whole and natural foods. And take small and frequent meals instead of eating large amounts in one to three sittings. Include healthy variety in your meals so you get all essential nutrients for a fit body. Always include the three important macronutrients in your diet. These are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Prioritize proteins over carbohydrates but don’t exclude any one of the three to follow some fad diet.

Tips for keeping a man’s fitness level high:

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and especially when working out.
• Exercise properly using the correct techniques. Never start an exercise without understanding it properly. Follow all the instructions given by your trainer.
• Always have a spotter when lifting weights.
• Challenge the muscles, but don’t go beyond the safe limits.
• Do stretching and warm-up exercises before working out. Give yourself time to cool down after sessions.
• Check the exercise equipment for safety before using them.
• Don’t overstrain yourself while exercising. It might do more harm than good. It might cause physical injury and may also exhaust your enthusiasm and kill performance.

Conclusion:

A man’s fitness doesn’t just mean bulky muscles or a lean body. You need to maintain good health by following a nutritious diet and exercising regularly. Choose exercises that keep your muscles strong and your overall health good. But research and understand your workout plan carefully. If you have pre-existing health conditions, consult your doctor before starting any exercise.

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For many women, weight is closely linked to their perception of themselves. In extreme cases, it may even lead to body dysmorphic disorder or eating disorders. Compared to men, women find it harder to lose weight. Men have more muscle, whereas women may have more fat. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, men often seem to lose weight faster than women. Menopause may also make weight management harder for women. And the food cravings caused by premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can destroy all diet plans.

But with a healthy diet and regular exercise, women too can achieve a healthy weight.

Tips for weight management for women

1. Eat a balanced diet:

Eating a healthy and balanced diet is the first step towards weight management.

Try to include more protein in your diet. Food items like Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt are rich in protein and keep you feeling full for longer. Cottage Cheese and Greek Yogurt also have Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which may help in weight loss. You also need to make your diet rich in fiber. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, berries, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all rich in fiber. And they are packed with various nutrients essential for good health.

Reduce your intake of Refined Carbs. These are commonly found in products like bread, pasta, and other packaged food items. Replace these with whole grain food items like oats, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, etc. Avoid processed food as much as possible. Processed food is high in calories, sugar, and sodium, but low in vital nutrients. So limit your intake of processed foods and stick to the natural goodness of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.

Avoid consuming added sugar. Sugar can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. So avoid sweets, candies, sugary drinks.

2. Avoid unhealthy drinks:

You don’t just eat calories. You drink them too. So, just eating healthy is not enough. You need to be careful about what you drink as well. Avoid sugary drinks. Choose fruits over fruit juice. Limit the sugar you put in your tea, coffee, etc.

Drink more water. Water keeps you hydrated. It may also help you calm down a food craving. Drinking water about a half-hour before a meal can help in reducing overeating. This leads to less consumption of calories. And according to a study. drinking 16.9 ounces (500 ml) of water may even increase the number of calories burned by 30% after 30–40 minutes.

3. Practice smart eating habits:

Eating habits matter a lot when you are trying to lose weight. Here are some smart eating habits that can help you in better weight management:

• Note down what you eat: Keeping a journal of what you eat can show you where you are going right or wrong. It can also help you plan your diet and motivate you to stick to it.
• Enjoy what you eat: When you eat food, keep your focus on it. Enjoy the food’s taste, smell, and texture. This will give you the feeling of fullness sooner. It will also make you more careful about what you are eating.
• Snack intelligently: Losing weight does not mean you need to starve yourself. Snacking between the meals might even help you lose weight by preventing food craving and binging later. But choose your snacks smartly. Instead of reaching out for that muffin or that packet of potato chips, reach out for healthier food. Choose fruits, berries, seeds, nuts, Greek Yogurt, etc, which are delicious as well as healthy to eat.
• Stop torturing yourself: Don’t torture yourself with over-strict or fad diets. Don’t fall into the trap of weight-loss pills. All these do more harm than good. A balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are what you need to lose weight without getting sick.
• Nibble, don’t gorge: Eating in small bites may also give you the feeling of fullness sooner. And when you are treating yourself to something that you know is unhealthy, nibble on it instead of taking big bites. Chew your food more slowly. Try to chew your food 50 times per bite. If you take a long time finishing one potato wafer, you are less likely to reach out for many more.
• Use smaller plates: If you don’t have enough space on your plate, you’ll put less food on it. This may help reduce your risk of overeating.
• Don’t starve yourself: An adult woman’s diet should contain no less than 800 calories per day. If you consume less than that, you might lose weight fast but might also develop several health issues. That is why it is a good idea to consult a doctor, nurse, dietician, nutritionist before you put yourself on a diet.
• Have a nutritious breakfast: A healthy breakfast that contains plenty of vital nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber can help you lose weight too. Skipping breakfast might lead to binge eating later. Having a nutritious breakfast can make your alert, improve your mood, and give you a feeling of fullness. Include items like oatmeal, Greek Yogurt, seeds, berries, fruits, etc. in your breakfast to begin the day on the right note.

4. Exercise right:

Along with a healthy diet, you also need to do regular exercise.

• Resistance Training: Resistance training is one of the best exercises for weight loss. It will help you build muscle and increase your endurance. It is especially helpful for women over 50 as it can also help in preserving bone mineral density. This resistance training can protect older women against osteoporosis. It also increases the rate of calorie burning while at rest. Resistance training includes exercising like lifting weights, body-weight exercises.
• Cardio: For younger women, Cardio or Aerobic exercise can work well. Cardio exercises increase your heart rate to burn extra calories. Try to include 20 to 40 minutes of cardio every day.
• HIIT: If you can’t exercise every day, you can also try HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). Doing HIIT a few times in a week can help you burn calories, reduce belly fat, and increase weight loss. An intense burst of movement alternating with brief periods of recovery keeps your heart rate elevated and helps in burning calories.
• Yoga: If you are not comfortable with intense exercises, try Yoga. Yoga can prevent weight gain and help you burn fat and calories. And Yoga is also beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety and prevent emotional binge eating.
• Walking: Walking is a moderate intensity exercise that can help in weight loss, strengthen your bones and muscles, boost your immunity, and give you various other health benefits. Being a moderate-intensity exercise, anyone can walk for weight management and good health. Minimum 30 minutes of walking per day is recommended. The advantages of walking go beyond physical fitness. It can even improve your mood and make you feel happier.
• Stay active: Even if you can’t exercise every day, you can still try to adopt a more active lifestyle. Travel short distances by walking instead of driving. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk whenever you have a few minutes free. As per an estimate, non-exercise-related activities may account for 50% of the calories burned in a day.

5. Sleep Well:

Irregular or insufficient sleep may also lead to weight gain. A study by researchers at the University of Colorado found that one week of sleeping about 5 hours in a day caused an average weight gain of 2 pounds in the participants.

Sleep deprivation can cause changes in the hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. It can reduce the hormone Leptin which suppresses hunger and also encourages the body to spend energy. Lack of sleep reduces the brain’s ability to make reasoned decisions. It may also affect your motivation to lose weight. Sleep deprivation may lead to binge eating too. All this may cause weight gain.

So, try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. And keep a regular sleep schedule. If you have difficultly falling asleep, consult a doctor.

6. Take Probiotics:

Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria. These helpful bacteria can improve your gut health and excretion of fat. Probiotics can also alter hormone levels leading to a reduction in appetite. All of this can help with weight loss. Lactobacillus gasseri probiotic can decrease belly fat and overall weight.

Probiotics can be consumed easily through food or supplements. Probiotics are naturally present in most fermented food. Food items that are rich in probiotics include yogurt, pickles, kefir, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread, and some cheeses.

7. Beat the stress and be happy:

Negative moods like stress, anxiety, depression can lead to emotional binge eating. Such negative emotions can also disturb your sleep cycle, demotivate you from your weight loss goals, and may lead you to give up exercise and start eating unhealthy food.

Try to relax by doing things you enjoy. Listening to soothing music, walking in the park, keeping a journal, socializing with friends, taking up a hobby, and other such pleasant activities can help. In short, stay happy. When you are happy, you are more likely to stick with your resolve to losing weight.

And when you set your weight management goals, be realistic. Unrealistic goals can lead to disappointment, demotivation, and derail you from your weight loss plans.

Weight management can be a hard battle for women. But it can be won. With proper modifications in your diet and lifestyle, you too can achieve a healthy weight.

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 How to build your immunity

1. Take proper diet to build your immunity:

A healthy diet is essential for a healthy body. When your diet is deficient in vital nutrients, it can weaken your immune system. A diet high in saturated fat can lead to unhealthy weight. Obesity reduces the number and function of White Blood Cells, leading to weak immunity.

Make sure your diet is high in vital nutrients like protein, vitamins, minerals, and low in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Include immunity-boosting fruits and vegetables in your meals. Many fruits and vegetables have vital nutrients that help in strengthening the immune system. You need a healthy combination of all of these to have strong immunity.

Some immunity-boosting food items are:

• Vitamin C: Citrus Fruits, Spinach, Kale, Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Papaya, Blueberries.
• Vitamin E: Peanuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Spinach, Broccoli
• Vitamin B6: Lean Chicken Breast, Cold-Water Like Tuna, Baked Potatoes, Bananas, Chickpeas.
• Vitamin A: Pumpkin, Cantaloupe, Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes
• Vitamin D: Fatty fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines). Fortified Milk, Orange Juice, Cereals.
• Iron: Chicken, Turkey, seafood. Beans, Broccoli, Kale.
• Folic Acid/Folate: Beans, Peas, Green Leafy Vegetables
• Selenium: Garlic, Broccoli, Brazil Nuts, Barley, Sardines, Tuna
• Zinc: Oysters, Crab, Lean Meats, Poultry. Baked Beans, Yogurt, Chickpeas.

2. Dietary supplements:

As much as possible, try to take a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you are still deficient in some vital nutrients, you can take dietary supplements. Taking fortified food like fortified milk, cereals, health drinks, etc. can help you. However, before you start any food supplement, you must consult a doctor. Don’t take any food supplements without first taking proper medical advice.

3. Take sufficient sleep:

Proper sleep is important for strong immunity. When you sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines to help promote sleep. They also help in managing infection, inflammation, and stress. Constant sleep deprivation can reduce the production of these protective cytokines. Lack of sleep can also decrease the production of infection-fighting antibodies.

In short, lack of sleep can make you vulnerable to infections and delay your recovery. Long-term sleep deprivation can also increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

So, take proper sleep. Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day whereas children and teenagers need up to ten hours of sleep per day.

4. Exercise & maintain a healthy weight:

Regular exercise doesn’t just help you lose weight. It is also important for a strong immune system. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of obesity and heart diseases. It can also weaken the immune system. So, regular exercise is important to stay fit and have strong immunity.

However, excessive exercise is also not recommended. It puts a strain on the body and may weaken your immune system. A moderate and regular exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, yoga for 30 minutes might work better to boost immunity.

5. Avoid bad habits like smoking, alcoholism:

Smoking and excessive intake of alcohol also have adverse effects on the immune system. So free yourself of these bad habits and choose better health.

6. Control your stress and stay happy:

Chronic stress and negative feelings like loneliness, anxiety, grief, etc can also affect your immune system.

When you are stressed, your body increases the production of a hormone called cortisol. This helps the body deal with the stress, temporarily limiting the bodily functions that aren’t needed in fight-or-flight situations. While short-term stress is not harmful, long-term chronic stress can reduce the immune system response. This means, you are left more vulnerable to viruses and infections.

Conclusion:

Having a strong immunity is vital for a healthy body. With a little care, you can strengthen your immune system. Just make good choices. Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, take proper sleep, and try to be happy and relaxed. Can you do that for yourself?

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