How Does Stress Lead to Belly Fat?

Belly fat, or scientifically known as Visceral fat, is the excess fat that accumulates around your waist and tummy area. The culprit is mainly cortisol, the stress hormone which increases the tendency to store fat. Worst still, the highest amount of cortisol receptors is at the belly than anywhere else on our body. Therefore, the next time when your boss loads you with tons of work, think of belly fat and you might want feel less stressful!

Did You Know?

(New!)
[Fight Prostate Cancer thru Frequent Ejaculation]
Studies from the Australian Cancer Council show that ejaculation more than 5 times per week in your 20s - 30s reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer in later life by a 3rd. Its report also mention that masturbation is more effective than sex.

(New!)
Music can make you stronger, report scientists at Dalhousie University in Canada. In a recent study, researchers discovered that people who listened to tunes while lifting showed significantly greater strength gains in 4 weeks than those who wore noise-blocking earplugs. “The music may have reduced people's perception of effort during training, allowing them to work harder,” says the study author Jo M. Welch, Ph.D.

Smoking one single cigarette can destroy the level of Vitamin C in the body equivalent to that found in one medium orange

[Feeling discomfort from the squat bar?]
The metal bar, combined with the pressure of the weight and insufficient cushioning, can rub the bony vertebra at the base of the neck. [Tips: To mitigate this, position the bar about an inch lower than you usually would, to take the pressure off the bony protrusion. If the bar has no padding, wrap it with your gym towel and vary your squat routine with dumbbells instead].

[Less Carbs = Less Brains?]
A new study carried out by Tufts University in Boston shows that the ever popular low-carb diets may slim the waistline but they can also shrink the brain. The evaluations showed that the subjects on low-carb diet performed worse in attention span, long term memory, visual attention, and spatial memory. The researchers believe that low-carbohydrate diets reduce the amount of glucose, or blood sugar, which is carried to the brain and used by nerve cells for energy [Tips: Adhere balanced diet with sufficient nutritions for your body. Avoid any extreme diets which can lead to nutritions imbalance].

[Sleep to Build Muscle??]
Yes, it is true. During sleep, the body "shuts down", allowing metabolic processes to become more effective. Adequate sleep of at least 6 to 8 hours are important for maximal muscle growth and recovery, especially after a crushing workout. [Tips: Get out of bed when you first wake up. Do not roll over and snooze for another 10 or 20 minutes. The additional "sleep' will only make you feel more tired and groggy].

[Genes vs. Weight]
Have you ever wonder why your weight never seems to go down even you have already taken the effort to estimate your calorie intake with each meal while some people are able to maintain an optimum weight even when they ate a lot? This is because certain individuals posses a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) and fat catabolism rate attributed to their heritance of "good" genes from their parents (BMR declines as we grow older; our body losses muscle mass gradually. Therefore, older people puts on weight easier than adults).

[Exercise vs. HDL/LDL]
Do you know that exercise does no significant changes on the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels? Regular exercise however, improves the HDL (good cholesterol) levels based on the length and intensity of your workouts. To lower your LDL, avoid saturated fat!

Quotes

"I trained hard when I competed and my mental focus was to train like there was no tomorrow" - RICH GASPARI, 1st Arnold Classic Champion (New!)

"The shocking truth about training is that any high-intensity routine eventually runs its efficacious course and needs a change to shock it anew into further muscle growth" - FLEX (June'08)

"...there's always two sides to any story. Listen before speaking, and then listen some more. Be decisive, be curious, inquisitive, and alert to all the things around you as they always change. Aim for the sky and work hard to reach your goals" - TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD (Dec'08)

"Persistence is the true key to success. Keep working hard. Keep working smart. Enjoy your success." - Kevin Neeld, BODYBUILDING.com (Dec'08)

"Simplicity is the Key. Improvisation is the Master" - self (Jan'09)

"Do It Safely, Or Don't Do It At All" - INTC

"Attitude determines the Altitude of Success" - INTC

"The Fastest Path is not always the Right Path" - INTC

"There will always be people who do not understand and accept your point of views, but most importantly is how you feel about yourself" - Dr. Zaid Imbrahim, former lawyer and politician of M'sia

"Resting a muscle group properly allows time for it to heal completely, which is part of the growth process"

FITNESS LIBRARY

[10 Major Muscles Group]

Pectorialis Major (pecs/chest)
Deltoids (delts/shoulders)
Biceps
Triceps
Latissimus Dorsi (lats)
Rectus Abdominis (abs)
Gluteus Maximus
Quadriceps (quads/thighs)
Hamstrings
Calves

[Terms]

BMI - Body Mass Index, recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) as a simple classification index to categorize underweight, overweight, and obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight (in kilograms) divided by height-squared (in metres) [kg/m2]. The principal cut-offs per WHO's recommendation are: Underweight = 18.5 and below; Normal range = 18.5 to 25; Overweight = 26 to 29; and Obesity = 30 and above

Endorphin - a chemical naturally released in the brain to reduce pain, in which at large it may make you feel relaxed and/or energetic

Origin - muscle attachment that moves least, generally more proximal
Insertion - muscle attachment that moves most, generally more distal

Isolation exercise - the movement is restricted to one joint and one muscle group only, i.e Leg extension, concentration curls, front dumbbell raise
Compound exercise - incorporate the use of more than one muscle groups and include movement around two or more joints, i.e Squat, bench press, deadlift, pull-ups

Upper chest - Clavicular Pectorialis
Lower chest - Sternal Pectorialis

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