Here’s Why More Women Should Lift Weights
You’ve been doing a lot of exercise lately and finally, you see some visible changes! As the days go by that you stop exercising, you notice that you’re starting to gain weight again. “I’ve done a lot of cardio already, why am I still gaining fat?” If you’re running out of options and your daily morning jog isn’t cutting it anymore, weight training should be your best bet. But then again, most women would turn away from the dumbbells and it is pretty understandable. But there really are a lot of benefits and this article will hopefully convince you so.
You really won’t bulk up
The biggest assumption women make when it comes to lifting weights is that they’ll look too big and muscular when they lift weights. This is actually a grave misconception only brought about by the sight of actual men lifting weights. But actually, women won’t bulk up like men simply because they don’t have as much testosterone which is one of the main factors for muscular growth. That means you’ll have muscles that look toned but not big and bulging. And this, of course, can help you achieve a slimmer look.
Strength training can improve your weight loss efforts
Although cardio is still the superior calorie-burning exercise, lifting weights also has it’s own advantages when it comes to fat-loss. For one, while you burn calories, you also build muscle. Earlier we used an example of how when you stop exercising, you start to gain weight again. The simple answer to this is gaining more muscle through weightlifting. If you have more muscles than fat, your body will adjust accordingly so even if you do stop exercising, you won’t gain unnecessary weight easily.
It can also help protect your bones
If you don’t already know, osteoporosis affects about 80% of women mainly as a result of postmenopause. This is because the body will no longer produce estrogen after menopause which leads to loss of bone minerals and weaker bones overall. Lifting weights, in this case, is said to be the best defense against osteoporosis. This is because one of the known benefits of weight training is that it increases bone density. Of course, along with a healthy diet, you can fight and eliminate any chances of such bone disease.
It’s also a great way to fight stress hormones
One of the biggest reasons you lose motivation to exercise is because of stress. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, don’t get this wrong, but doing too much in one session can actually increase your stress hormones. This is especially true when doing cardio or endurance training. The longer you run or stay on a bike, the faster your stress levels may rise. This is something you’ll rarely get when you lift weights though. You can do it for 45-60 minutes and you can already consider it a great workout. You burn calories, gain muscle, and don’t even have to do it too long!
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5 Ways to Eat Healthy Even on Budget
Most people see healthy eating as an expensive habit to maintain. Healthier food options tend to cost more and if you’re struggling to make the ends meet, even a single dollar can already make a huge difference. Still, the cost of eating healthy meals shouldn’t come in between you and your health. With that in mind, we listed some of the best ways on how you could eat healthy while saving your hard-earned money.
Create a Weekly Meal Plan and Grocery List
After knowing what items are on sale or in season, schedule a time each week to create your grocery list and meal plan. Doing this will help in ensuring that you’ll only purchase what you need, as well as in keeping you from spending money on things that’ll just go to waste.
Know What Foods are in Season
Visit the website of your favourite grocery store to see what foods are on sale and are in season so you could plan your meals accordingly. Also, check goods that are in season, and if possible, purchase local produce to cut back on your expenses.
Opt for Marked Down Goods
Most grocery stores in Singapore have a dedicated area for marked down goods that are closing in with their expiration date. Don’t be afraid to purchase and consume these products though. If you’re going to freeze the products within the next few days, check out this deal the next time you visit your local grocery store.
Choose Plant-Based Protein Sources
Meat is the number one source of protein, but it can get really expensive. So rather than having meat as your primary source of protein, opt for non-animal sources like lentils, chickpeas and beans instead. They can be cooked in different, delicious ways and are very affordable. With this, you’ll be able to get your daily dose of protein sans spending too much.
Repurpose Your Leftovers
Avoid throwing your leftovers in the garbage. Instead, store them in a clean container and eat them the next day. If you have the skills, repurpose your leftovers into a salad, a soup or a wrap. Just make sure that you use proper storage containers so your repurposed dish will last longer.
Healthy eating doesn’t always have to be expensive. All you need to do is be smart in purchasing your groceries and in planning your meals, and you’ll definitely be able to enjoy affordable and healthy meals.
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Five Important Things You Need to Know About Sunscreen
Sunny days in Singapore may come and go, but UV damage can stick around and leave its mark on your skin for a long time, and that’s why picking the right sunscreen matters a lot. However, you don’t always get the sun protection you wanted even if you do apply it, and there are many reasons why: it could be that you’re not applying enough, or that it’s not actually good sunscreen.
Here are five things you need to know before choosing one for the next time you need or want to spend time outdoors:
Expired sunscreen does nothing
You might still believe that that bottle might still be good even though you haven’t used it in a long time, but that’s really not the case. In fact, keeping it in your car or in areas with high temperatures can make it clump faster, which makes it less effective.
Watch out for Vitamin A
Some sunscreens have added vitamin A, which does have its benefits – it’s a moisturizing antioxidant with great anti-aging properties – but it increases the risk of skin lesions when it interacts with sunlight.
Another think you should be looking out for is the SPF rating. While higher numbers give better coverage, keep in mind that the best rating is actually 50, which is all that anyone could ever need. SPF ratings higher than 50 do nothing against sunburn.
Not all sunscreen is water-resistant
Swimmers are especially prone to getting a bad case of sunburn, so if you love to take a dip to cool down in the summer heat, be warned that there is a limit to how long sunscreen can stay “water-resistant”. To be safe, be sure to re-apply your sunscreen as soon you get out of the water and dry off, or after every two hours.
Good sunscreen protects you from TWO types of radiation
Ultraviolet light from the sun comes in two types: UVA, which penetrates even the thickest layer of your skin, and UVB, which only stops at the skin. The latter is responsible for sunburns, but it’s the former that can do much more damage.
And because most sunscreen only protects against UVB, you want to look for sunscreens that contain ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which help protect againt UVA.
Sunscreen can’t prevent skin cancer
There’s simply no proof that sunscreen is guaranteed protection against sunscreen, so it wouldn’t be a smart move to count on that alone. Taking other steps like staying in the shade, and wearing a wide-brimmed hat along with applying sunscreen is the best way to stay protected against the sun.
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Get to Know the Good Bacteria in Your Food
You might have heard of the name good bacteria in advertisements of probiotic or super food, but do you know which microorganisms are considered beneficial and what they can do for our health?
Not all the germs we come in contact with or live in our body can cause diseases. In fact, a lot of bacteria help keep our bodies function properly, particularly by breaking down our food.
Probiotics
The word probiotic refers to both the method of preparation of a food or ingredient and the act of introducing good microorganisms into the body. Probiotic food often comes from fermented food, but fermentation has been overtaken by other methods of food preparation, that is why most of us don’t get the good bacteria in our food.
By adding probiotic food in your diet, you will improve not just your digestion, but your overall health because of the efficiency in nutrient absorption and conversion. The best probiotic food are yogurt, fermented milk like kefir, fermented soy like miso, fermented tea like kombucha, green pickle, and pickled sauerkraut like kimchi.
The Good Bacteria
These are the good bacteria you might find in your probiotic food.
Bacillus coagulans
This good bacterium is used to treat various gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. It’s even useful while recovering from respiratory diseases and immune response diseases. Bacillus coagulans is recommended as a dietary supplement besides the medication for treatment of these diseases.
Lactobacillus acidophilus
The most well-known good bacterium is the Lactobacillus acidophilus, but other lactobacilli (more than 80 species to date are considered probiotic) are also used in probiotic food and supplements to help in the digestion of food. L. acidophilus is naturally found in our intestines and is responsible for the production of hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid, which can create an unsafe environment for possibly harmful bacteria in our body. It’s not that hard to repopulate your L. acidophilus because they’re quite common in yogurt.
Streptoccocus thermophilus and S. salivarius
S. thermophilus is also used to treat diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, other digestion problems, and most importantly, lactose intolerance problems. They’re quite common in probiotic products such as mozzarella cheese, yogurt, and other fermented dairy food. Meanwhile, S. salivarius has been found to help improve the symptoms of bad breath, which is probably why its genus refers to the saliva.
Bifidobacterium bifidum and B. breve
Bifidobacterium bifidum is known to help people with stomach ulcers, because they can repair the damage caused by a harmful bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. On the other hand, Bifidobacterium breve is known to help improve the symptoms of childhood constipation according to several studies.
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These 6 Foods Could be Causing Your Body Odor
You know how sometimes you can just tell that the friend you’re hanging out with had garlic rice for lunch? That is because some food items can leave odors that can make you stink from a distance. Since these foods can cause you unpleasant body odor, it is best to avoid them based on your schedule. For instance, you may want to avoid going to Chipotle on a first date.
1. Cake
Actually, not just cakes, but anything high in sugar can cause you smelling unpleasant down there. Avoid smelling bad in your nether regions by swapping sweet treats with healthier food options, like veggies and low-sugar content fruits.
2. French Fries
Yes, your favorite side dish can cause body odor. French fries and any deep-fried foods stay in your stomach for longer time before they are totally digested. The oil will stay in your body for quite some time, turn rancid and can make you feel gassy—and worse, make you sweat out the scent. If you must eat anything deep-fried, pair it with green veggies to help with the digestion.
3. Asparagus
Have you experienced having asparagus for dinner and then noticed that your pee smells funky afterwards? It’s real and can be really gross. When going out on a dinner date, ditch the asparagus and have a mix of green leafy instead. The smell caused by asparagus isn’t just in your urine, but could also be found on other parts of your body.
4. Spicy Food
Skip the hot peppers: spicy food can make you stink. While it’s great for your metabolism and squashing your cravings, it can also lead to body odor due to the gases release through your skin’s pores. Plus, the stink can last for hours.
5. Red Meat
Slowing down on your red meat consumption isn’t just excellent for your health, but also for your scent. Red meat is naturally more difficult to digest, meaning it linger in your digestive system longer. When it does, it will interact with your body’s natural bacteria, causing your sweat to stink. No need to skip meat altogether, though. Just lessen your consumption and go for healthier alternatives like chicken and white meat.
6. Alcohol
Ever wonder why you smell weird after a night of booze with friends? That is because alcohol easily slips into the bloodstream, releasing a weird tangy smell wafting from you when you’ve had too much alcohol. During a night out, make sure to drink lots of water while also pacing your liquor intake to dilute the alcohol.
There’s no need to completely cut off any of these foods—moderation is key; or at least, avoid them on days that smelling fresh matters a lot.
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Tips to Maintain an Excellent Eyesight
Because of the importance and widespread use of smartphones and computers today, many of us fail to notice their effects on our eyesight. The importance of seeing well is already obvious. But if we take our eyesight for granted, it can lead to a lot of problems later in our life. So, here are some of the things you can do to keep your eyes sharp and clear.
The concern with electronic devices…
As mentioned early, electronic devices have become a staple in our everyday lives. But they can have negative effects on our eyesight.
Take regular breaks
If you have to look at your computer for long periods of time at work, make it a habit to take regular breaks. Take your eyes off the screen for just a minute or two to avoid strain. It will also help if you look at objects that are colored differently from your computer screen. If you keep staring at your phone or computer screens, it might eventually cause headaches and blurry vision.
Adjust your phone’s brightness
Adjust the screens brightness to match with the environment. If you’re in a dark or dimly lit room, don’t turn the brightness up. A lot of people like to do this for some reason but it really does your eyes more harm than good. The same case if you’re outdoors. If your screen brightness is too low, you’ll have to squint and you might strain your eyes from all the effort.
Everyday things you can do…
Drink a lot of water
Being well-hydrated has a lot of benefits. It has positive effects on our skin, organs, and even our eyes. One way having enough water can benefit our eyesight is that it allows our eyes to clean itself better when we are blinking. It can also help us avoid having dry eyes which can be annoying to deal with.
Have the right amount of sleep
Sleep is important simply because it gives the eyes much needed rest. You’re awake for most of the day and your everyday activities might affect your eyesight if they are not allowed to rest. Sleep also allows the blood vessels to replenish and flow to the eyes more efficiently. That way, we become less prone to any eye problems in the future.
Go exercise
Though it doesn’t look like it, having regular exercise can also benefit our eyesight. It doesn’t affect our eyesight directly though. Instead, it has something to do with blood pressure and the like. High blood pressure, for example, can negatively affect our eyes indirectly. High cholesterol could also contribute to certain eye problems. By exercising, we can lower the risk of such diseases which will also help us to protect our eyes.