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Today I’d like to focus on an often forgotten part of the body – the calf muscles. All too often people overwork the rest of their legs and end up with puny little calf muscles that don’t have adequate strength to balance the upper leg muscles, both in appearance and strength. It’s simple enough to fix, and there are multiple ways to go about it.
One way is to stand on the edge of a set of stairs with only your toes on the step surface, the rest of your foot extended beyond the end. Slowly lower your body down as far as you can, pause, then slowly raise yourself into a tippy-toe position. That is called a rep., which is just short for repetition. Pause and repeat ten-twenty times, depending on your strength. That is called a set.(Don’t over do it, you’ll really pay for it later. Your muscles will become filled with lactic acid and be sore and tight, making walking a very painful endeavor). Step down and walk around for thirty second or so, and do another set. Do a total of three sets at least three times a week, gradually increasing to more reps as your body is ready for them. For bulkier muscles, you can hold hand weight in your hands.
So now you’ve become acquainted with a new exercise, what about a new food that you can introduce to your diet. In light of the surprisingly successful, recent popular Atkins diet (a Carb-free/low-carb diet), it may surprise you to learn that some carbohydrates necessary for a healthy diet. A baked potato, for example loaded down with fat like butter isn’t healthy, but there are enough ways to make delicious, healthy foods that you won’t even miss the butter!Whole grain bread is a good example of a healthy carbohydrate source, but again, not loaded down with fatty, empty calories. More good news: you’ll feel fuller longer, since whole grains and fiber take longer to digest. And research shows that filling up on high-fiber foods may help you to prevent weight gain—or even encourage weight loss.
Whole grains provide a healthy boost of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients and are also rich in carbohydrates, the body’s main fuel supply. Start your day with whole-grain muffins or yogurt topped with granola; try hearty salads with wheat berries or quinoa; swap out white rice or potatoes for sides of brown rice at dinner tonight. And here is a tasty recipe to turn you on to healthy cooking:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/roasted_red_peppers_stuffed_with_kale_rice.html
Enjoy!
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