The Dangers of Sugar and Especially Fructose

A few weeks ago I came across this video called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” and it really opened up my eyes to the dangers of all of the extra sugar that is going into our foods these days, especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup. It’s no wonder that there is an obesity epidemic in this country, we’re eating a TON more sugar than we used to.

If you have the time, I’d highly recommend watching this video so you understand more about the dangers of all this extra sugar in your food.

And, if you don’t have time for the full version of the video, here’s a really good recap of it from UndergroundWellness:

Comparison of Different Dieting Programs

I came across this infographic and thought it was a good representation of some of the more popular dieting programs on the market and their different pros and cons. Have a look and feel free to leave comments below about your own experience with any of them, agreements or disagreements with the statements.

Fun and Healthy Ways to Get Fit

Today’s guest post is from Haylee Taylor. This post covers some simple ideas for getting some exercise and staying fit. Enjoy!

Magic pills, eccentric diets of maple syrup; some people will do anything to lose weight. Whilst losing a few pounds might be a healthy decision for some people, others just want to find healthy ways to get fit. The key to a healthy heart is eating right, being more active, and cutting out harmful habits such as smoking (1).

Keep in mind that you should always check with your GP before starting a new exercise programme, as they will be able to advise you on where to begin (2). Once you’ve got the go-ahead, why not try one of the following fun and healthy ways to get fit?

The gym

Whilst the gym can seem like a daunting place to start your fitness regime, you are likely to find other people in your position there too who you can associate with. You can also make use of the knowledge of a personal trainer; someone who is likely to know about supplements such as whey protein and creatine, and exercises that can be matched to your needs.

Walking

Whether you live in the city or out in the sticks, walking is a great way to get daily exercise (3). This can be as simple as running around the shops, or as tough as scaling a mountain after your breakfast. Not only are you getting your muscles moving, but you are also engaging in aerobic exercise. Once you get the hang of pounding the pavements, you might find that you can do a few more steps than before.

Skipping

Jumping rope is not just for the kids anymore. We can get in on the twisty action for an excellent cardiovascular workout. Guides are available which can help you to choose the correct skipping rope for your size; after all, you wouldn’t want to keep hitting your head or feet with a too-small rope (4). You never know, you may end up being able to perform cross-over and double-under moves in time!

Footnotes:

1 Food Standards Agency. (2010). Healthy heart. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/healthyheart/

Which Vitamins Should You Be Taking?

We all know that vitamins are one of the most important part of any supplement regiment – whether you are going for just overall fitness, bodybuilding, or any other kind of competition or sports you need to make sure you’re getting the right vitamins and minerals into your body.

I came across this infographic about this topic and thought it was worth sharing. Read it over, it’s full of some great information!

Which vitamins should you be taking?

Some of the more interesting numbers:

• Only half of adults in the US take a multivitamin
• Sales for vitamins and supplements have increased 40% over the last decade (which means that way less than half of adults were taking vitamins 10 years ago)

These two points further convince me that not enough people are taking advantage of even a simple multivitamin. Are you one of them?

Tons of June Savings

Here are some great savings to take advantage of online right now.

First, Bodybuilding.com is running a sale on various fat burners and other stacks:

• 20% off USPlabs OxyElite Pro
• 20% off Nutrex Lipo 6
• 20% off MAN Vaporize
• 20% off MuscleMeds Methylburn Extreme
• 20% off S.A.N. Tight
• $23.70 off Higher Power Muscle Stack (expires 6/29/10)
• $16.45 off Higher Power Health Stack (expires 6/29/10)
• $28.45 off Higher Power Fat Loss Stack (expires 6/29/10)

A1Supplements.com is running a deal on the following:

• 10% off AppliedNeutraceuticals Super Charge Stack (coupon code SCS10)
• 30% off CytoGenix CytoStack (coupon code CYTO30)

DAMuscle.com is running the following deals right now:

• 59% off Gaspari SuperPump250
• 40% off Scivation Quake 10.0
• 66% off Meridian Naturals Fat Attack Stack
• 42% off Cutting Edge Labs Whey
• 34% off Sundesa Blender Bottle
• 38% off Cutting Edge Labs Liver Cleanse
• 53% off Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men – 180 caps
• BSN NO Xplode for $27.50 (expires 6/27/10)