Friday, August 29, 2008

Beauty Freebies: Worth or not ?

A number of different product manufacturers and stores regularly offer free product samples. These free samples are also commonly referred to as freebies. Freebies come in all different size, shapes, and styles and they tend to include a number of different products. Those who just learn about freebies, possibly just like you, wonder if it is really possible to get beauty freebies? It is and if you would like more information on how you can go about doing so, you will want to continue reading on.

When it comes to getting beauty freebies, you will find that you have a number of different options. For instance, beauty freebies are most commonly offered by the product manufacturer. To get these types of freebies, you often need the internet to do so. What you will want to do is perform a standard internet search with the name of a beauty product manufacturer that you like or one that you have just heard of. If that manufacturer is offering free beauty product samples, there is good chance that the special offer would be outlined on the website’s main page. Although this approach is nice, it can be time consuming and you aren’t guaranteed to always find beauty freebies. That is why you may also want to explore your other options.

Another way that you can go about finding beauty freebies that are available for requesting is by performing a standard internet search. Instead of searching with the name of a popular beauty product manufacturer, you will want to search for free product sample websites or freebie websites. Individuals who just like requesting free product samples themselves often run these websites. Many just like to share what they find. On a free product sample website or a freebie website, you should be able to find information on how you can go about requesting a number of free beauty product samples. Be on the lookout for beauty freebies that require the payment of postage, as these offers are not truly free.

Although the internet is one of the easiest ways to go about finding beauty freebies, you can also try visiting one of your local beauty supply stores. It is not uncommon for a beauty supply store to offer free product samples on some of the beauty products that they carry for sale. By offering beauty freebies of their most popular products, a beauty supply store stands a better chance of selling the full size version of the product as well. Beauty supply stores are the best places to find beauty freebies locally, but it is also possible to occasionally find other retailers, like fashion stores or department stores, that also handout free product samples, including free beauty samples.

If you aren’t already requesting beauty freebies, you may want to think about doing so. In addition to getting something for free, you may find a great new product that you never would have otherwise tried. As a reminder, you can usually find beauty freebies by visiting the online websites of product manufacturers, free product sample websites, as well as by visiting your local beauty supply stores. Even if you are unable to find beauty freebies, you may be able to come across valuable moneysaving coupons that can be used on the beauty products that you may need or want to buy.

Beauty Books: Are They Worth Your Money?

Are you interested in improving your appearance? If you are, are you interested in learning what types of makeup is best for you, as well as how to properly apply it? If you are, you may have turned to the internet or to fashion magazines, but have you ever thought about buying a beauty book? If you haven’t or even if you have, you may be wondering whether or not beauty books are really worth the money.

When it comes to determining whether or not beauty books are worth the money, there are a number of important factors that should be taken into consideration. For instance, beauty books come in a number of different formats. If you are looking for something in particular, like how to properly apply and remove makeup, you may be able to find a beauty book that specializes solely on those tasks. Beauty books that are right to the point and contain the information that you are looking are the best and they are definitely worth your money.

In addition, when trying to determine if beauty books are worth the buy, you will want to individually examine each book that you are interested in buying. Books may cover the same topics, but the information inside of them may be presented in different ways. For instance, if you were looking to buy a beauty book that outlined the proper ways to apply makeup, you likely want to see drawings or pictures; right? Just so you know, not all beauty guides contain detailed pictures or drawings. That is why it is important that you learn as much as you can about a beauty book before deciding to buy one.

Although the beauty book or books that you would like to buy are important in determining if the book or books are the worth your money, so is the location in which you buy them from. You should know that beauty books can be found at an unlimited number of different locations. For starters, you can buy beauty books from your local bookstores, beauty supply stores, department stores, and fashion stores. In addition to storefront locations, you can also buy beauty books from a number of online retailers. You will want to think comparing prices first to ensure that you are getting the best deal or at least to make sure that you aren’t being overcharged.

If you are interested in buying a beauty book, but you are also on a tight budget, you may want to think about buying used books. There are a number websites, including online auction websites, where you can buy used books, including used beauty books. Also, if you like to attend yard sales or book sales, you may want to think about keeping your open for beauty books. Yard sales, thrift stores, and online auction websites often allow you to get a used book for fifty or even seventy-five percent off the normal asking price.

The decision as to where you want to buy a beauty book from, as well as which book you would like to buy is yours to make. With that in mind, however, it is important to make sure that you know exactly what you are buying. Just buying a beauty book without skimming through the book first or reading online reviews is almost always a surefire way to be met with disappointment or even end up wasting your money.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Heart Rate Monitors

Heart rate monitors used to be exclusively operated by physicians and nurses alone but that was soon rectified with today’s multi-tasking generation. Every person seemed to want to know about everything that was related to them and that of course included monitoring their own heartbeats.

What is a Heart Monitor
Also known as a cardiac monitor, a heart monitor is a piece of electronic equipment that can be used to track or observe heart functions continuously. It allows people to place a numerical value on their healthiness based on their heart rate and have a target heart rate to work for. The more complex versions of the heart monitor allow physicians to see any signs of deterioration or improvement and make the necessary adjustments immediately.

Types of Heart Monitors
Today, heart monitors are produced by the millions and designed to cater specific types of individuals. Some heart monitors are primarily designed for weight loss programs while others are meant for the use of athletes or fitness programs. Some are wireless or come as a built-in feature of exercise equipment like a treadmill or an exercise bike. It can be strapped to your wrist or of considerable size. It may or may not emit any electromagnetic waves, depending on its purpose. A fetal heart monitor, for instance, must not produce any waves at all as this may affect the health of the baby.

Factors on Selecting the Best Heart Monitor for You

ECG-Accurate Monitors with Chest Straps – Heart monitors that come with chest straps are more often not the most accurate of heart monitors. The chest strap is strapped around your chest, a few centimeters below your breast. It contains a device that’s able to detect electrical activity of your heart and transmit it to the brain of the machine – just like an ECG. The results are shown on the display monitor, which most of the times is attached to your wrist like a watch. Others however prefer results to be transmitted through audio messages via earphones.

Upon choosing heart monitors with chest straps, you need to remember to keep the strap constantly connected to your body lest you want the heart monitor to produce inaccurate readings.

Lastly, the only alternative against buying heart monitors with chest straps are the ones that rely on pulses on your fingertips. These however do not provide readings as accurate as those with chest straps.

Heart Monitor Features – Basic and lower end models tend to display only your heart rate and maybe the elapsed exercise time as well. This of course does not provide sufficient information if you want to know exactly how much you need to improve before you can be qualified as a completely healthy individual. Higher end models will naturally offer a wider range of features – for a price. Examples of such features are – but not limited to – heart rate zone alarms, timers and number of calories burned. It may also allow users to set pre-programmed workouts along with a targeted heart rate.

Ease of Use – Lastly, you must purchase a heart rate monitor that you will have no problems of using. What good would a high end heart monitor do if it takes you an hour to operate it? Are the numbers and words appearing in the heart rate monitor readable? Can it be used in no-light situations? Are buttons well-labeled and ergonomically positioned?

To Buy or Not to Buy a Heart Monitor
Heart monitors can be especially costly, more so if you are intent on purchasing higher-end models. If you have a limited budget, you should ask yourself whether or not you truly need to buy a heart monitor. You can of course purchase one of the lower-end models but low quality heart monitors can lead to inaccurate results and that sort of defeats the purpose of buying one.

If you are intent on purchasing a heart monitor, you need to ask yourself another question: do you need to make a solo purchase or is it alright with you to use the heart monitor that comes as a built-in feature of a treadmill? Lastly, you should remember as well that you can always pay your doctor regular visits and have him monitor your heart rate for you.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

How to Read Food Labels

You cannot measure every morsel that passes your lips, but it is a good idea to measure most foods and beverages until you get a feel for portion sizes.

It is a supersized world out there, and most people are surprised to find that their idea of a single serving is actually two or three.

If you are into bells and whistles, there are food scales that are preprogrammed with nutritional information, as well as scales that will keep a running total of your daily food and nutrient intake for you. The only tools you really need, however, are a simple and inexpensive gram scale, dry and liquid measuring cups, and idea on reading food labels.

Among all of the mentioned tools, reading food labels seem to be the most effective way of determining the right kind of food to be bought in the supermarket. It lets you make sensible food selections. Through the “Nutrition Facts” section in a particular item in the grocery, you can identify the amount of serving sizes provided in that product.

With food labels, you can clearly understand the amount and kinds of nutrients that are provided in the item. Usually, it contains the information on saturated fat, sodium, total fat, fiber, and cholesterol amount “per serving.”

However, understanding and reading these food labels can be very perplexing. A typical consumer would definitely ask what those numbers mean and how it will affect her diet intake if ever she will religiously follow the serving guide as stipulated on the food label.

To further have a clear and more comprehensive understanding of the items stated in the food label, here is a list of things that you need to know:

1. Serving size

This is the primary item you will see in a food label.

The amount of servings stated in the food label refers to the quantity of food people usually consume. However, this does not necessarily mean that it reflects your very own amount of food intake.

Moreover, serving size determines the amount of nutrients that enters the body. This means that if you will follow strictly what the serving size is, you will obtain the same amount of nutrients according to the serving size that was given in the label.

For instance, if the serving size says one serving size is equal to 54 grams, that would mean you have to measure 54 grams and eat that and you have just eaten one serving. So to speak, the amount of nutrients stated in the food label is the same amount that has entered your body considering the fact that you have just eaten 54 grams.

However, if you have eaten everything, and the food label says that each pack is equivalent to 4 servings, you have to calculate the amount of nutrients that have entered your body. This means that if the food label says 250 calories per serving that means you have to multiply it to four to get the total amount of calories you have taken.

2. Nutrients

This refers to the list of available nutrients in a particular item. It is also where the nutritional claims of the product based on the recommended daily dietary allowance are stated. Usually, the nutritional amounts are based on both the 2,500-calorie diets and the 2,000 recommended dietary allowances.

In order to understand the numeric value of each item, you should know that the “% daily value” that the food label indicates is actually based on how a particular food corresponds to the recommended daily dietary allowance for a 2,000 calorie.

If in the event that you have purchased an item that has a dietary allowance different from the 2,000-calorie diet, you just have to divide the stipulated amount by 2,000 and you will be able to identify the “%daily value” for the nutrients.

3. Ingredients

This refers to the list of the ingredients that were used to manufacture the product. The listing is usually arranged from the main ingredients that have the greater amount by weight up to the smallest quantity. This simply means that the actual quantity of the food includes the biggest quantity of the main ingredient or the first item and the minimum amount of the very last ingredient.

4. Label claim

This refers to the kinds of nutritional claims of a particular food item. For instance, if an item says it is sodium-free, it has less than 5 milligrams per serving or a low fat item actually contains 3 grams of fat or less.

Indeed, reading food labels can be very tedious and confusing. Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it would be easier for you to watch your diet because you can already control the amount of food that you take.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The Wondrous Benefits of Soy Protein

Soy protein is emerging as one of the great alternative protein sources for human consumption. Health experts are all excited about how soy protein can change the face of nutrition. What’s all the rage? Here are some great reasons to get with soy protein.

Soy Protein is Plant Protein
Soy beans contain complete protein and have one of the best protein digestibilities among all protein sources. Soy beans also contain little or no fat and have virtually no cholesterol. Lactose intolerant ones will be pleased to know that soy beans contain no lactose.

Being a plant protein, soy is free from steroids and antibiotics animal protein contains. It is also free from the parasites that contaminate some of these products. They also contain none of the diseases one can contract from mean sources such as Mad Cow Disease, and Foot and Mouth Disease.

Vegetarians love this bean as it provides a comparable – if not better – source of protein as compared to its animal counterpart. It provides a protein that is better and easier to digest and is comparable to most protein supplements.

Soy Beans are Very Versatile
Soy beans are very versatile. Various cuisines, especially Asian ones recognize the value of the humble soy bean. A variety of naturally yummy delicacies are all soy based: tofu, soy pudding, Soya milk, and meat substitutes – not to mention condiments such as soy sauce, and hoi sin sauce.

To counter the problem of world hunger, the growing of soybeans has been suggested. Not only are soybeans easy to grow and harvest, they will grow pretty much anywhere and produces much in a little time. There have been farmers reported to have replaced their entire crop line with soy bean plants. These hardy little plants produce much per harvest, and, as said earlier, can grow in even the most trying terrain.

The Great Substitute
Soy is low in fat and can be used to substitute most protein sources. When cooking, you may use soy substitutes instead of flour for a low fat alternative. This makes it a great protein source for those that are looking to lose weight without compromising their protein requirements.

Bodybuilders are considering how this can make their jobs a lot easier. Without the fat and with all the protein goodness – easily digestible at that – bodybuilding has just received a great blessing of a food.

Although these bodybuilders are currently debating how soy can be a help to bodybuilders, it doesn’t take away anything from what soy can contribute to the overall health of a person.

It is very advisable to stick to natural protein rather than processes protein if possible, as processed foods typically have some risk attached to them. The best use of this food can be attributed to how it perfectly fits into anyone’s low-fat, high-protein diet.

Soy products can be incorporated into shakes and drinks. And being lactose-free, lactose intolerant people will still be able to get their milkshake fix without having to suffer so.

Soy products are also a great source of other nutrients such as saponins, isoflavones, and phytosterol. Saponins help support a healthy immune system. It also combines with cholesterol to avoid increased absorption of cholesterol in the body. Phytosterols also help reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the body in the same way saponins do.

Isoflavones are powerful antioxidants and prevent the effects of free radicals in the body. They prevent many of the signs of aging and have been known to help prevent cancer. This alone makes soy a miracle protein source in its own right.

Isoflavones, along with vitamins A,C, and E are among the front liners in the fight against such disease – they also counter the effects of pollution, and stress.

How Much is Too Much
Unlike other protein sources, it is pretty safe to consume a wide amount of soy products. While allergies to soy products exist, cases are few and far between. When changing to a soy diet, however, it would be best to consult your physician or your nutritionist. Ask specifically if the soy interferes with any prescription drugs you are taking.

Soy can be great blessing for people who are looking for a great source of protein that does not entail the side effects of most of the other sources. It would be advisable for one to explore how it can improve one’s diet.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Exercise and Cellulite

When Mike turned 65, he was 25 pounds overweight. By strict dieting, he shed the extra pounds, but he lost more weight; he also lost his energy and vitality. He was always exhausted, and his friends, seeing his gaunt, drawn face, worried about his health.

By the time volunteered for a particular fitness program two years later, he had put 25 extra pounds back on. After 6 months of exercise and some willpower at the dinner table, Mike slimmed down again. This time he felt better than he ever had, brimming with energy and glowing with good health.

What made the difference? The first time Mike lost weight; the second time he lost fat. The distinction is important. According to research, a large portion of the weight lost by dieting alone is active tissue, such as muscle and connective tissue, while a smaller fraction is excess fat. Exercise has the opposite effect. It increased his lean body mass and decreased his excess fat.

Same thing goes with cellulite. Most people tend to think that cellulites are only present to people who are obese. That is why they sometimes associate cellulite with fats and obesity.

Actually, even if cellulite refers to the chain of wrinkled “fat cells” and “subcutaneous connective tissues” beneath the layer of the skin, it should never be associated with people who are fat or obese. In fact, there are many people who have cellulite but are not fat at all.

In reality, nobody knows the main reason why some people accumulate cellulite. However, there are some factors that health experts are considering such as the structure of the fat cells or the poison that entered the body. Some experts say it may be caused by some hormonal changes in the body. But none of these things has been proven to cause cellulites.

However, the only main reason why most of the cellulite cases are abundant in women is that the connective tissues of women are more rigid and firm than men. Hence, whenever a woman gets fat, the fatty cells tend to swell and get bigger. It creates a protruding appearance to the skin producing an “orange peel” look.

For this reason, women are more prone to cellulite than men. That is why it is important for women to be more careful on their body as they have higher chances of accumulating cellulite.

Fats and Cellulite

With the many cases of obese people having cellulites in their body, most of them believed that their cellulites are caused by being too fat.

Even though not all those who are obese develop cellulites, being overweight can really trigger the development of cellulites. This is because too much fat under the skin tend to push the connective tissue creating a strain on the skin. Thus, cellulites form.

However, this is still dependent on the structure of the cells. If an individual’s cell structure does not inhibit the tendency to bulge or expand even if fat deposits accumulate, then there will be no cellulites.

So, the most important thing to remember here is to keep those connective tissues firm and strong and avoid accumulating excess fats so as to avoid the development of cellulite.

How? Start an exercise routine program.

Transforming food into fat seems all too easy for most of us. Losing fat is far more difficult, and to accomplish this, we have only three alternatives: (1) decrease food intake and keep activity constant; (2) increase activity and keep food intake constant; or (3) combine both approaches: diet and exercise.

Physical activity can help reverse the results of inactivity. An hour of vigorous exercise burns up 300 to 600 calories. If you also cut 300 to 500 calories from your daily menu, you can also lose weight at the rate of one to two pounds a week.

Without exercise, you would have to eat 500 to 1,000 fewer calories a day to lose the same number of pounds in a week. Exercise is not for everyone who is over-fat, however. The severely obese person should exercise only under medical supervision to prevent strain on the cardiovascular system and connective tissue. And no one should restrict food intake drastically without consulting doctor.

Resorting to this kind of activity will only get the matter worse. Remember what happened to Mike? He thought that when he started dieting, he would eventually lose all the excess fats he has accumulated. The problem is that he lost those connective tissues rather than excess fat.

For people who are prone to cellulites, this will be a greater problem. Losing connective tissues instead of fat by strict dieting can only make the skin more prone to greater problems but the fat cells are still there. That only means that the problem is not solved at all.

Hence, if you wish to loose those cellulites, it would be better to loose those fats first. The idea here is to burn those fats by increasing your metabolism by 7.5% to 28% more than your normal rate.

It is for this reason that exercising is an important factor in losing cellulite. So for a more cellulite free body, always engage in an exercise routine.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Different Methods For Weight Loss

Regular exercises can really help but you will lose weight faster if you do different kinds of exercise every day. Latest research in United States proved that people who have practiced different exercises lost more weight and got better body shape than people who never tried anything beside their regular moves.

By changing your methods, your muscles will be “surprised” a lot of times and eventually your body will burn more fats and turn them into muscles. For example: you always jog 30 minutes per day. Tomorrow you should run on your garden 20-40 minutes per day. The next day you maybe should try other kind of exercise, like sit up or go to gym. Just try to do different exercises every day and build more muscles in different sections in your body.

One more, your body will burn fat faster if you try unique exercises (not basic moves). Well, you can find these unique moves everywhere, especially on the internet. If your body already get used to “sit up” or “push up”, it won’t give you many benefits anymore. However, if you try different moves, your body will be forced to get used to it and you can have better metabolism.

Different time of exercise per day is also useful. Don’t get used to “one hour per day” or “30 minutes per day” method in exercising. If today you have exercised for 30 minutes, tomorrow try for 40 minutes, and the next day after tomorrow try for 25 minutes. Different workout periods can really help. Try it for yourself if you don’t believe me. Also, you need different kinds of nutritious food every day. To lose fat, choose one of popular diet delivery services. You might also need to buy weight loss pills for several months so you will burn fat even faster than you can imagine. My point of this article is: Try to be creative, try to use variations in your exercise.