Treadmills vs. Exercise Bikes: Which is Better?

Many people in this day and age know that the key to a long life is to eat healthy and perform regular exercise.  This fact has made gym memberships and home health equipment surge in the last decade.  Many people choose the latter due to the fact of ease of use in their own home and not having to deal with gym rats.

There are hundreds of types of exercise equipment on the market, but the most popular are treadmills and exercise bikes.  The major problem most people find with at home exercise equipment is overcoming boredom.  The only thing that seems to work on boredom on a treadmill is a TV or watching an exercise program.

The same is true on an exercise bike, but some bikes allow you to plug into a TV or video game so that you may visually pedal thru a course.  Recumbent bikes allow your hands to be free so that you may use the phone, magazine or book.

Safety on a Treadmill or Bike

If safety is a major concern due to age or injury, obviously the exercise bike is the safest for either.  Not only while on a treadmill do you have to worry about a misstep, but also if you have children they can endanger the user or themselves.  If a ball or any other item is placed under the deck and belt the treadmill can abruptly stop, or little fingers and hands can be hurt by putting them in places they don’t belong.

With treadmills you also have to remember that you are putting much more stress on your joints.  With an upright exercise bike users may stress your back while trying to reach handle bars.  Recumbent bikes are said to sometimes improve existing back pain by forcing proper posture and giving you support while exercising.  Exercising on a bike compared to a treadmill will reduce joint stress and injury.

Calorie Burn

On average a treadmill will burn more calories per hour than an exercise bike.  NordicTrack conducted a study using different types of exercise equipment and they found that all at the same intensity the treadmill and ski machine burned more calories per hour than any other piece of equipment.

If you are interested in losing weight, a treadmill is the way to go!  If you are a healthy individual with no joint problems or health problems you can expect to lose about 750 calories per hour on a treadmill compared to 550 calories on a bike.  The key to losing weight is thru vigorous activity which a treadmill can allow.

Conclusion

Both exercise bikes and treadmills are wonderful options for anyone interested in losing weight or improving health.  The major decision is what you are truly interested in achieving, and if you feel that you will be able to stick with your program long term.  Long term success is determined by long term usage, so pick wisely, or even better choose both if your wallet can afford the investment.

5 Simple Tips to get you out of a Fitness Rut

1. Find the right workout buddy. When I’m training for a long distance race my older sister is my ideal partner- she’s a little bit faster and a lot more disciplined than me so it keeps me on my toes.  When I’m interested in building strength through weight lifting my boyfriend is more than willing to commit to a regular gym routine.  My best friend is my best bet when I’m trying to take it easy and want to spend regular mornings running intervals at the park. Name your fitness goals and find a buddy that fits them- your workout routine evolves so your go to buddy might need to, too!
2. Experiment with intervals. Research shows interval training works.  Try it out and see what you think- it’ll be hard to go back to your old routine!
3. Pick the right tunes. This seems so simple but can go such a long way.  I change my music based on my fitness goals all the time- full albums I love are great for long runs, up tempo music works better for weight lifting, and consistent beats are best for at home yoga practice.  Spend an hour or two updating some work out playlists and you’ll definitely reap the benefits.
4. Find a food and fitness routine that works for you. One of the biggest lessons I learned while training for my first marathon is what you eat before, during and after intense exercise matters and a one size fits all approach doesn’t work.  Pay attention to what you’re consuming when you work out and how you feel.  Mix up your routine to see if you can find a better combination and commit!
5. Try something new! With online discount sites like Groupon and Living Social it’s incredibly easy to try a new fitness routine without making a big commitment.  Are you a dedicated long distance runner who just finished your last big race of the season?  Try out the bar method?  Are you a devoted yogi who has plateaued in class?  Take Soul Cycle for a spin.  You might not start a new love affair with a new type of exercise but you’ll challenge your mind and body by mixing up your routine.

0 Point Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup Recipe

Ingredients 

3 cups nonfat beef broth (beef is the best) or 3 cups nonfat vegetable broth (beef is the best) or 3 cups nonfat chicken broth (beef is the best)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chopped cabbage

1/2 yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup green beans

1/2 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

salt & pepper

Directions:

1

Spray pot with non stick cooking spray saute onions carrots and garlic for 5 minutes.

2

Add broth, Tomato paste, cabbage, green beans, basil, oregano and Salt & Pepper to taste.

3

Simmer for a about 5-10 minutes until all vegetables are tender then add the zuccini and simmer for another 5 or so minutes.

4

I have tried different variations. Leaving out green beans. Adding chopped green onions in addition to the yellow onion.

5

All very good. You can customise it a bit.

Jamaican Mahi-Mahi Tacos With Tropical Fruit Salsa

Ingredients:

Serves: 4 Yield:8

tacos Units: US | Metric

4 (8 ounce) mahi mahi fillets (can sub tilapia or cod)

2 tablespoons canola oil

caribbean jerk seasoning (I used Dry Jerk Seasoning)

Tropical Fruit Salsa

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced

1 cup fresh mango, diced

1 cup fresh papaya, diced

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon grapefruit juice, can sub lime juice

1 tablespoon white rum

1 scotch bonnet peppers or 1 habanero pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 -2 teaspoon honey

1 garlic clove, finely minced

salt and pepper

Additional ingredients

8 soft flour tortillas or 8 soft corn tortillas

2 Avocados, thinly sliced with

1/2 lime, juice of

2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup jicama, finely julienned

2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon fresh lime zest

cilantro (to garnish)

Directions:

1 Brush fillets with canola oil and sprinkle evenly both sides, with jerk rub seasoning.

2 *Use 1 teaspoons seasoning per side per each fillet. More or less to taste.

3 Rub into fish evenly to coat.

4 Place fillets on hot grill and grill 3-5 minutes per side or til done and flakes easily with a fork.

5 Warm tortillas on grill.

6 Cut fillets into chunks, or coarsely shred with a fork.

7 Divide fish evenly onto 8 warmed tortillas.

8 Top each with fruit salsa, a slice of avocado, shredded cabbage, jicama, and top with lime sour cream.

9 Lime sour cream:.

10 Mix sour cream, lime juice and zest in small bowl.

11 Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

12 *Note: If scotch bonnet or habanero peppers are too hot for your tastebuds, a red jalapeno can be substituted! They are actually quite mild.

13 Enjoy!

14 Serves 4, two tacos apiece!

15 The seasoning is: Dry Jerk Seasoning by susie cooks, Dry Jerk Seasoning.

5 Ways to Improve Your Running Stamina

Having good stamina while you run makes the sport so much more fun. If you get out there and feel good while you run, and feel good afterwards, you are more likely to keep up running, and have fewer bad days. Doing these things will help you enjoy running more.

Here are a few tips that can help increase your stamina when running, and improve your all over physical performance.

1. Choose the right shoes.  Running shoes will set the stage for an excellent running session. If you run in the wrong shoes, you will feel pain sooner than later. My brother got some running shoes on sale at target last year. He joked about how he’ll be spending more on doctor bills than the most expensive shoes there were. He had a stress fracture within a week.

2. Warm-up properly. Many beginner runners skip the warm-up phase, this is a big mistake and will make you more prone to injury. You should always start with a quick walk, or slow jog for at least 5 minutes, then lightly stretch, this reduces any stiffness.

3. Relax . This may not sound obvious, but relaxation is the foundation of stamina. Stress robs you of energy and slows you down. Relaxation allows constant and unhindered flow of energy throughout your body, thus opening the door for a better running performance.

4. Build the intensity gradually. Don’t push yourself from the get go. Start slow and build up gradually. It does take time to build up your stamina. Stick to the 10% rule. Only increase your distance by 10%/week.

5. Recovery. Taking some days off doesn’t mean that you are lazy, it means that you are training smart and not letting your ego to get in the way of your success.  Recovery plays a vital role in your stamina as training does. You should plan your runs, and distances depending on the days you are taking off, or cross training while you recover.

Top 30 YouTube Channels for free workout videos

1. Diet.com video channel – This channel provide tips on diet, nutrition, fitness and lots and lots of free exercise videos.
2. DormFit – Workout programs that you can do inside of your dorm room, apartment, or room with next to no equipment.
3. LiveStrong Channel – Another site that provide numerous free diet and nutritional and exercise videos.
4. eHowFitness Channel – Of course this is another that makes the top list obviously.  Contains many free videos for almost anything you’re looking to do/learn.
5. CurtisPenner Channel – From befitandstrong.com, this channel provides lots of basic exercise videos.
6. START Fitness – Free military style exercise videos.  Nice collection.
7. Scooby’s Channel – This is the channel you want to subscribe to if you’re serious about body building.
8. Passion4profession Channel – Intends to promote through its multimedia contents, improvements in the physical condition and the development of a positive and winning state-of-mind, typical of sports environments.
9. Johnson & Johnson health channel – A very nicely organized channel by J&J, one of the most successful companies in the world.  Lots of free health, nutrition and workout videos.
10. SixPackExposed’s Channel – Get a six pack with these free videos.
11. Eat Stop Eat TV – Lose weight easily with the Eat Stop Eat method of flexible intermittent fasting.
12. Official KDT Academy Channel – FizFit Workouts, Kettlebell workouts, Crazy Monkey Defense, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
13. Inshape4u channel – Rocky Balboa style free workout videos.
14. HomeFitnessTV – Lots of quick and free exercise videos to stretch and strengthen core areas.
15. Natural Bodybuilding How To Channel – Increase muscle mass with these free bodybuilding videos.
16. Ask The Trainer Channel – Lots of free videos from a personal trainer.
17. The Best Way To Exercise – Many videos with tips and techniques on best and simplest ways to exercise.
18. SparkPeople’s channel – Provides free diet, nutrition and work out videos.  A very large community, tons of free exercise videos.
19. ZiddyFit’s Channel - Balance training.
20. Free Yoga Videos – Lots of free yoga videos in this channel.
21. Yoga Today- Another channel with free yoga videos.
22. VinceDelMonte channel - Advanced muscle building videos.
23. FATLOSS LIFESTYLE - free tips, videos on efficient ways to lose fat.
24. ThinQ Fitness – Free online workout videos for all ages.
25. The Best Way To Exercise – Largest list of free videos for full body workouts.
26. Runner’s World TV – Free videos for runners and cardio exercises.
27. DanceExercise – A set of fun low impact aerobic dance exercises.  Also has a DVD you can buy if you like the samples they have on YouTube.
28. Turbulence Training – Lose fat and gain muscle with combination of different exercises.  Lots of free workout videos.
29. Bodyweightcultureman’s Channel – Another channel that teaches unique ways to get into shape.
30. Deerunstoo’s channel – A certified public health educator, has lots of videos on YouTube that provide basic exercise videos as well as nutritional tips.

Raw Vegan Raspberry Pie Recipe

Base

1 and a half cups of ground almonds

1 cup Medjool dates

2 tablespoons almond butter

Filling

3 ripe bananas

2 cups of frozen raspberries

2 tablespoons coconut oil