Considering the acid diet

The alkaline acid diet advocates consuming more alkaline foods. Alkalizing foodstuffs are fruit and vegetables. A healthy vegetarian diet, not one with an absence of meat, eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables would be an example of the alkaline acid diet.

There are many dietary choices that can be followed to improve our overall health. Searching the internet today we can see that there are a variety of dietary choices that can be followed to better our physical well being. When choosing a diet it is important to think about what our goals are. Loosing weight, putting on weight or simply becoming healthier are all things we may be able to achieve if we select a diet that is right for us.

Initially for those thinking about changing their diet, thinking about what goals they want to accomplish is necessary. It is important to remember that exercise is also necessary if we want to achieve any of the goals above. Some important aspects to consider are that a new dietary regime might have a big effect on your life style. Are you ready? Further are diets that claim to promise speedy weight loss without any effort on your part to be believed?

There are 3 aspects of our lifestyle that are important as we work towards our ideal health goals. These are sleep, exercise and diet. Lacking in any 1 of these areas will make it much harder to achieve our aims.

The alkaline acid diet can be effective for those keen on weight loss or improving their condition overall. Bulking up is slightly more difficult although not impossible as very high protein consumption puts an acid load on the body.

Eating more fresh fruit and vegetables is good for our general health. As such, going on the alkaline acid diet for health is worthy of consideration.

Winsor Pilates

Pilates is a form of exercise that can help give a greater awareness of our own bodies. It aims to improve physical fitness and strengthen core muscles. Pilates can be used to improve posture as well as improve breathing.

It is a method of exercise that is designed to strengthen, elongate and restore the body to balance. Pilates is based upon an understanding of the body's muscular and skeletal functioning. Pilates teachers creates exercise programmes for their clients. Pilates classes are focussed on specific areas of the body whilst using other exercises to re-educate and restore the body to optimum muscular and skeletal functioning.

Concentration on muscles contractions is an important feature of pilates. This is similar to weight training using correct form. In weight training, throwing weights around trying to lift as much as possible is akin to doing Pilates all wrong. In Pilates, ensuring that all movements are carried out with precision and control is paramount. It is not simply a case of doing reps, the focus is on achieving perfect form.

There are different types of pilates that we can practice. From exercising with a Pilates reformer, working on a Pilates mat or even doing Winsor Pilates in front of the TV. Winsor Pilates fitness allows people to do Pilates in their own homes. This raises the question as to whether you can learn Pilates from a DVD or whether attending classes would provide a better method of instruction.


Pilates is a holistic approach to physical well being. It is recommend as one of the safest forms of exercise available today. Pilates can be beneficial for just about anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Pilates could potentially be used as a desk exercise to help avoid things like back ache.

abs exercises

I use four different exercises to develop my abdominal muscles. The first two will be know to most people who workout at a gym. The latter two exercises while being less common are probably more effective in developing your six pack.

Firstly I like to do sit ups on a decline bench. Rather than doing huge sets at a fast speed, I use a much slower exercise cadence of 4 up, pause for 2, then 4 down, hold for 2, then repeat, for 10 reps. all all stages of the exercise, my abs are being worked. By the end of the set my mid section is burning. This exercise works the upper abs in particular.

After a quick stretch I then go on to leg raises. My gym costs only $1 per visit so doesn't have all the equipment of more expensive places. For my leg raises I hang from a chin up bar and simply raise my knees towards my stomach. Again, using a slower cadence ensures a powerful burning sensation in the abs. Leg raises target the lower abs.

I usually only do two separate abs exercises on any one day. Next I will talk about two possibly less well known abs exercises.

The abs wheel, also known as an abs roller is a piece of exercise equipment that you can use to give your abs a serious workout. What I love about the abs rollers is that you don't have to do massive sets of 30-40 reps to get a good burn in your abs. Literally after 10 reps or so you know you've hit your muscles properly.

This is an excellent You Tube video showing you the correct form for exercising with an abs roller.

Finally I use the abs vacuum exercise. It is a really interesting exercise and versatile too. Once you get the technique down you can do it almost anywhere, e.g. sitting on a chair watching TV, standing in line or lying down at the gym.

The basic technique is to breath but rather than raise your chest, you raise your belly. Then exhale lowering your belly. Then rather than inhale again, you suck your belly button towards your spine which creates a kind of vacuum effect in your lungs. The more you suck your tummy in the tighter the vacuum becomes. Then when you relax, the vacuum is released and air floods back into your lungs again. It took me a while to feel this exercise but you know when you start to get it, it just feels right. This You Tube video provides a demonstration of the abs vacuum.