6 Rules to Live by for a Small Waist


So, you want a small waist, or maybe just a smaller one than you have now. Read on and find out what it takes for a thin mid-section.

First off - Your ribs and hip bone skeletal structure will have a big say in how small your waist can get, and the measurement it will naturally lean toward. However, the rest depends on the amount of fatty tissue covering your muscles and organs.

You have probably heard about diet pills, breathing exercises, electronic vibrating belts, or a routine of 200 crunches a day. None of these will work. If they did, I'm pretty sure that folks everywhere would be walking around with belts buzzing under their t-shirts. And doing 200 million crunches a day won't make your waist smaller. In fact, it will make it bigger, because you didn't do anything to shed fat - you just made your stomach muscles bigger.

Now that you've got some backround information, choose a goal for yourself. Write it down. Post it where you can see it and where it will influence you to make the right decisions. Near the TV or computer are great spots, since mindless eating usually happens in front of one or the other (or both.) The fridge is another good spot; it might prevent you from grabbing out that food in the first place.

As far as diet goes, there's no strict diet you have to follow. My advice to you (and to myself) is to just not buy junk food. If it's not in your cupboards, you're most likely not going to eat it. Shop around the outside of your supermarket. If you start eating your favorite fruit often (I loooove strawberries) you will eventually crave the sweetness of that fruit, rather than the refined sugar in whatever prepackaged box of crap you were bringing home before. Also besides reducing sugar, you may want to think about sodium and salt. These both make you retain lots of water, keeping you looking and feeling bloated. Reduce these things and you'll see a big change, before you even start on the rest of your plan.

I know you'll never believe me until you try it, but don't skip your breakfast. In fact, make your breakfast the biggest meal you have today. And every day. This is the time where you should be eating alot of your carb intake for the day. Mornings are best for carbs, because you've got the whole day to use it up and get them out of your system, so they aren't stored as fat when you go to sleep at night. This is also the reason why breakfast should be the largest. Think of it this way - the more hours you have ahead of you in the day until the time when you fall asleep, the more food you can allow yourself. So, eat a large breakfast, a medium sized lunch, and a light dinner. Try not to eat for 3 hours before you go to sleep at night. Your waist measurement will thank you for it the next morning, and you will be excited and motivated for another day of eating right.

Try to make most of your meals half veggies. Veggies should be the main staple of your diet. After breakfast, let protein take over. If you exercise after breakfast, make sure you have some low-fat lean protein with your veggies at lunch. A chicken breast, or an omelet (egg whites are lower calorie than whole egg) are two good choices. This is not to say you should eat no carbs after breakfast, but that time of day is where they should be focused for the most part. Besides, veggies are healthy carbs with lots of fiber. They won't make you bloated or fat. So fill up.

Make sure to get lots of cardio. You should be getting no less than 2 hours of cardio a week if you're serious about getting a nice stomach. Thats a half hour session, 4 days a week. I do at least 4 hours of cardio a week, but aim for 5. Do this much if you enjoy it, and if you eat enough (healthy) calories to sutain yourself. Don't try this much cardio on a low-calorie diet. Also, don't waste your time using going for a walk as your cardio. Don't just go through the motions, you have to push yourself to lose weight. If you're not sweating and your heart rate isn't up, then you're cheating yourself, and probably aren't doing yourself any better than you would be sitting at home in front of the TV. When the level of cardio you're currently doing gets easy for you, and you no longer feel that it's a challenge to finish the whole routine, step it up a notch.

Doing ab exercises are a good way to see definition. But if you have a medium to large layer of fat over your abs, you will not see any muscle until you use cardio and exercise to lessen it. Until your waist measurement is around 28 or lower, it's my opinion that doing alot of ab exercise will only be in vain. You will make your ab muscles bigger, they will push the fat out even more, and you will be discouraged that you got bigger as opposed to smaller. So to start, focus on cardio with light resistance ab exercises using your own body - never weights. Incline sit-ups are good, as well as leg lifts. Pilates is also helpful. Once the cardio starts getting rid of enough fat to see your tone, you can decide on how much definition you want to see, and go from there.

One last thing I need to get out there, and I know you've heard it before, is drink your water. Drink lots of it. Drink at least 2 litres a day. You may think that drinking water will puff your stomach out, and it may in the beginning. But the more water you drink, the less water your body holds on to. This means in the future, drinking water will not make you bloated, but actually get rid of bloat. You'll be well hydrated, and your system will be much better and faster cleansed. Everything will pass through much easier, excess fat will be flushed away and you'll spend less time with a puffy stomach. Which means flat abs for you!


So to recap -

1. Eat breakfast, and get your carbs.
2. Fill up on veggies, and finish with proteins.
3. Don't eat after 6 or 7pm.
4. Get lots of cardio - get that heart racing.
5. Tone up after slimming down.
6. Drink your water!

How the Cardio Machines Compare

Which cardio workout is your favorite? Can't choose one? Now you can.

I've done some research, and coupled with the knowledge from my own experience, here's some info about the cardio exercises you can do on machines at your gym:

running
calories burned: high
muscles toned: high
bulk added : low
Running is a great way to burn fat off your entire body, and tone the muscles underneath. You will get a very tight body with long lean muscles, without bulking them up too much. Most effects will be seen in the lower body. Many calories can be burned in a very short period of time. Incline can be added if you want to build muscle to your thighs or butt. Downsides can be the fact that running tires you out quickly, and can cause joint pain.


walking
calories burned: low
muscles toned: medium
bulk added: low
Walking is an option for you if running is too hard on your knees. The best way to get results from walking is to power-walk. You actually have to push yourself and walk fast to see results; not just a nice stroll around the block. You will not bulk up from walking, but can achieve some muscle tone. Most effects will be seen in the lower body. No joint pain should come from walking. Only downside is that at the speed you will have to walk to increase your heart rate to a fat-burning level, it may seem awkward and may not be sustainable for a long period of time.


jogging
calories burned: medium
muscles toned: medium
bulk added: low
Jogging is the happy medium to running and walking. It is easier to sustain for long periods of time than running or power-walking. Most effects will be seen in the lower body. It will tone your muscles, although not as efficiently as running will, and will not cause bulk. It may be just as bad for your knees as running though, because of the gate people take on when they jog. Try to drift forward rather than the bouncy, up-and-down jog.


elliptical
calories burned: medium
muscles toned: medium
bulk added: low
The elliptical is made for those who want to run or jog, but have bad knees. It has about the same effects as jogging, as far as calories and toning, but will not cause joint stress. If used correctly, it can help tone more than just your legs, since there are handles that can be pushed and pulled for a nice arm workout. Be careful though, it's easy to get lazy on the elliptical because it's so smooth and easy to do. Remember to check your heart rate often, to make sure that you're in your fat-burning zone.


stepper
calories burned: high
muscles toned: high
bulk added : medium
The stepper is a high intensity workout and will really challenge you. It will tone your body, burn a large quantity of calories, and add muscle to your thighs and butt. If you are trying to achieve a bigger, rounder butt, this is probably the workout you want to do. Fat-burning heart rate is pretty easy to maintain on a stepper, but you may not be able to do the exercise for long periods of time.


biking
calories burned: low
muscles toned: medium
bulk added : medium
The stationary bike is an easy exercise to do if you want to sit down and read a magazine while you workout. Even though you can sustain it for a long time, it does not burn as many calories as most cardio exercise, because you are sitting down, and only using your legs. This said, it is good if you feel your thighs are too skinny, because the bike, set on a high resistance setting, can add some bulk to your thighs. It will also tones both your legs and butt. No real effects on upper body, since it is not really being used, other than to sit up straight.


rowing
calories burned: high
muscles toned: high
bulk added : low
Rowing is great because it tones your whole body at once, and burns a high amount of calories. It does not add bulk, and does not put wear on your joints. You will see the effects of rowing on both your upper and lower body. It burns slightly less calories than running, but works on more muscle groups at once.

Jeans: The Secret to a Nice Bum

In all my time, I've found one thing to be true - it's so damn hard to find just the perfect pair of jeans. I have found one little tidbit of information which has been helpful to me, and hopefully to you as well.

So girls, do you ever try on a pair of jeans that look stunning, gorgeous - Beautiful - from the front. And then the dreaded moment comes when you turn around, and you then realize that they make your butt look... somewhat... not so good.

We've all heard about vertical lines, and low-rise, and big pockets, and pocket placement, and all those things. But one thing I've never heard anyone mention is that beautiful little stitch that sits just above the back pockets.

Not all jeans have it, but the jeans that will make your backside look amazing, they DO.
Have a look at the jeans above ( from Miss Sixty ). One small little thing makes a big difference, and it's visible on this pair. Notice the black seam above the pockets? This seam, when done correctly, can give you the butt you want. Things to note:

1. Direction and Curve: A good seam points down in the middle, and goes back up when it moves toward your hips, like an arrow. The ones that go straight across aren't so useful. This creates roundness to the top of your butt.
   
2. Placement: A good seam isn't too close to the belt buckles. One that's down just above the pockets is best. This creates the illusion of a short, perky bum, instead of a long sort of sagging one.

So, remember, if you want the look of a cute, round, perky bum, fresh from doing 200 lunges and squats at the gym, try this style. See what you think.

PS. Super skinny girls who already have a tiny bum can go ahead and disregard this. ;)

Healthy Baking: How to Make Substitutions

We all love good baked goods, right？
But, sometimes these sugary sweets can be holding us back from our goals - alot further than we think. So, that said, here's the plan!

Why don't we use our brains to think up healthy substitutes for diet not-so-friendly ingredients?
Here are a few suggestions for you to try! The bad ingredient is listed first, followed by a healthier alternative.

1. Sour Cream - You can completely substitute this by using low-fat buttermilk or plain yogurt. Both have fewer calories and less fat.
2. Butter - You can substitute for half margarine, and half fruit puree. Anything like low-cal applesauce or mashed up bananas or prunes will work wonders. Canola oil or mild olive oil is also a choice here. For the best results, use a mixture of these ingredients.
   
3. All-Purpose Flour - Whole Wheat baking flour. Whole wheat is always better for you than plain white.
4. Chocolate - For chocolate batters, switch melted or chopped up baking chocolate for cocoa powder. 1 ounce of chocolate for 3 tablespoons of cocoa should do the trick. Cocoa is zero fat.
   
5. Eggs - If you're using more than one egg, one of them can be switched for just the egg white to reduce calories and cholesterol. You can also find egg substitute in some grocery stores.
   
6. Milk/Cream - Substitute for skim milk. Lower fat, carbs and calories.
7. Whipped Cream - Chilled, whipped evaporated skim milk will have almost the exact same flavor, with a quarter of the calories and almost no fat.
   
8. Butter (to grease pans): You probably haven't considered this, but the butter you use to grease your pans melts into the things you're baking and adds fat and calories. Try using Pam instead.
   

Why HIIT is a hit!

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. It's become a very popular way to exercise by those who've discovered it's benefits. Personally, I love it, and can't believe I didn't find out about it sooner. Here is a little more education for you.

HIIT starts with a warm-up period of 2 or 3 minutes. After that, the workout ramps up to your maximum effort for a short period of time (about 30 seconds to a minute) and then has a short recovery period where you return back to a normal intensity (for another minute or two), but still are above your warm-up pace. It cycles back and forth between these two stages for anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, and is ended off by a normal 2 or 3 minute cool-down.

In short term, it's pretty much, slow, fast, slow, fast. Or easy, hard, easy, hard. Depending on how you're looking at it.

So why is HIIT great for you?

One short session of HIIT is better than a long aerobic workout. Studies have proven that HIIT burns more fat in a shorter amount of time, and also has longer lasting effects on your metabolism - which means your body is still burning fat more efficiently even when you're not working out. HIIT increases your RMT (Resting Metabolic Rate) for 24 hours after a session.

In addition to burning more calories, a higher intensity workout is will help you tone more. You can do 4 hours on the elliptical machine and still look like skin sack stretched over some old potatoes. The key is to tone what you've got, as well as lose what you don't need. HIIT is aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (muscle-toning) in one. And the more fit you are, the more calories you'll burn all day long.

Another point for HIIT sessions is that they are not catabolic. This means that muscles will not be lost to fuel your body, as with long aerobic sessions. HIIT will eat your FAT, not your hard-earned muscle.

The last great thing about this exercise is that it suppresses your appetite. What better accompaniment to a good workout than to not be starving afterward from all the hard work you've done?


Sources:
Benefits of HIIT
Wiki: HIIT

Looking Slim Before You Are

While you're on your quest to look slimmer, you might as well give yourself a boost until you look good in anything you put on. Here are some tried and true tips to look like a million bucks - even if you don't usually.

1. Black. Dark colors don't reflect as much light, so people just see less of you. And sometimes, less is more. If your lower body is your problem area, wear a dark skirt of pants, and a light top, to offset that area even more. You can switch this up as needed.

2. Lines. Everyone knowns about vertical lines. But there are some other lines that work well too. Shirts with a seam that goes across the waist accentuate the thinnest part of your torso, making you appear all over thinner. Also, jeans that have some stitching above the back pockets, but under the belt loops, can lift your bum, making it look shorter and rounder.

3. Skirt length. If you're sensitive about the size of your lower half, a short skirt will make your problem twice as bad. Go for a nice tapered pencil skirt that ends just at your knee. Too far below the knee will make your calves seem stocky and your legs seem short. Just covering your kneecap will make your legs seem longest.

4. Tightness. Don't wear tight clothes, hoping they will pull everything in. They will only make what fat you do have (even in the smallest amounts) bulge out wherever it can find a way. Girls who wear tight pants and have muffin tops are just gross. Wear clothes that fit you. A looser fitting top will make a seemingly smaller waist. Same goes for wider sleeves.

5. Heels. Heels in the right style can help you, but too many girls wear the wrong heels, and just end up looking worse. A few styles to avoid are shoes with ankle straps, which make your legs look shorter, chunky block heels, and spike heels, which if you're carrying extra pounds, will only make your calves and thighs look that make wider. Knee-height high heel boots are good for double-duty action, because they add height and conceal. Just make sure you go for pointed toe, as a longer foot creates the illusion of a slimmer calve.

6. Posture. The best advice I can give you is to stand up straight. Everyone looks better, healthier, taller, slimmer and more confident with good posture.

Low-Fat Apple Brownies

Low-Fat Apple Brownies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup canned apple or unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 egg whites
¼ cup cocoa powder

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a square non-stick baking pan (8 inch x 8 inch) with non-stick cooking spray.
Whisk the egg whites and then combine the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, blend well. Pour batter into pan and bake 20-30 minutes until cooked. To test if batter is cooked, insert a toothpick. If it comes out clean, brownie is cooked. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes in pan. Gently remove from pan; place on wire rack and when cool, sprinkle with icing sugar if desired. Cut into eight squares. Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts


Per batch: 954 cals, 324 carbs, 0 fat
Per serving (1/8): 119 cals, 40 carbs, 0 fat
Per serving (1/10): 95 cals, 32 carbs, 0 fat

My Review

I love these brownies. They're not too sweet, but they have a great , natural taste to them. They're unique and very addictive, and the best part of them is that they are low-cal AND fat-free. Pretty sure they have a few carbs, but in the end, I would say these brownies are pretty forgiving. :)