The Jeffrey And Tracey Info Emporium

If you purchase a vehicle like a car or a motorbike, a custom-made machine, instead you’re given a pick of well engineered and designed machines that have required years of design and development. Nonetheless, websites seem to be a different issue entirely. Many business owners expect that their site will be designed and developed to their exact specifications. This is absolutely natural of course, and in a good deal of business cases it’s absolutely necessary.

But hold on - is that truly the best way to go about things for all cases? Take e-commerce websites as an example : feature-rich websites, with demanding security prerequisites, a backoffice area so the website owner can maintain the content. All of this, while requiring the website to be simple to use and purchase items for shoppers. Answering all those demands is no frivolous undertaking, and if a bug or other problem takes place, you have to go back to the web designer to request support. Tailor-made websites in this way are burdened with so much to consider.

Nevertheless, there’s an alternative to this method which is far more money saving, potentially gives you a lot more features, and offers more security, reliability, and stability - web templates.

Individuals realise now that custom-made websites often aren’t essential and that in numerous cases, it’s better to alter your business plan even ever-so slightly so they meet a strong, proven website template than it is to run a risk with a custom-made web design to match your business plan. But why is this? Due to the demands a modern website asks for. You want a secure, tried and tested codebase that runs your site, not recently written code that hasn’t been tested. Not only that, but templates usually are updated often and these updates patched to your website, so your site is following all the contemporary advancements on the internet such as being able to show your latest “tweets” on your site.

But maybe most compellingly, website templates are much more money saving than tailor-made sites. Why would you pay £8000 on a website if you can acquire a ste with more features for only £150, as an example?

These issues should make you think twice about your plans and whether to take a website template or go for a bespoke website.

Copyright 2006 Robert Ryles

This article will explain to you the principles that lie behind
the successful resolution of mechanical low back pain (and other
disorders). They are a series of logical simple to understand
steps that underpin successful treatment practice and effective
exercise prescription

DIAGNOSIS

The first step is diagnosing what the problem is. This is done
by doctors and therapists basically using two methods. The first
one being what the patient says or complains of and the second
being what is actually found by the practitioner from their
physical examination.

Both of these are vital suppliers of information for a correct
diagnosis. The sum total of all the information gleaned from
both methods should build a picture of the exact problem that
leads on to the diagnosis.

Sometimes it is possible to ascertain an EXACT diagnosis and
other times it is not. Having an exact diagnosis is desirable
but not absolutely essential to successful treatment. What is
important is that the existence or absence of certain conditions
is ascertained so that the correct treatment and advice can be
followed.

In the case of back pain it is important to be able to put the
cause of the pain down to a mechanical problem affecting the
back. With reference to back pain there are certain conditions
from other body systems that give pain in the back and these
must be ruled out before treatment of the back can begin

PAIN RESOLUTION

Before normal movement and function can be looked at the aspect
of pain must be considered. This is because in the initial
stages of an episode of back pain the pain is there to prevent
further damage occurring. It is important that this pain is
allowed to settle and further damage is not caused. A few days
of the CORRECT rest is normally sufficient to achieve this.
Longer than this and there are likely to be more negative
effects than positive from resting unless a specific reason is
given by a qualified medical person. There are modalities that
are helpful in resolving pain such as medication and
electrotherapy that can be beneficial.

MOVEMENT RE EDUCATION

The next stage is the regaining of the normal amount of movement
in the back. This is the stage at which most problems occur.
This is normally for a number of common reasons. These generally
revolve around the fact that there is a degree of overlap
between the pain stage and this stage and people are unsure of
when to begin moving, which specific movements to do, how many
to do and for how long.

It is here that is so often the KEY CRITICAL POINT in the
recovery process because with the CORRECT ADVICE INSTRUCTION AND
ENCOURAGEMENT regarding movement and exercise therapy most back
pain can be improved. If this point is missed problems begin and
little by little get bigger and more difficult to resolve until
ultimately if left long enough, which often can be just a matter
of weeks, you can become a chronic back pain patient, with all
its associated problems.

STRENGTH RE EDUCATION

The next stage once the movement is well on the way to recovery
is the re education of the muscles that control the area. Here
again the skill is knowing when to begin the exercises, which
ones to do, how many and for how long. With the back you may be
lucky and be able to resume your normal everyday activities
without needing any specific strengthening exercises. There are
however great many people with low back pain who would be so
much better and be much more able with again the CORRECT
EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION. For some it would undoubtedly totally
solve their problem.

NORMAL FUNCTION ACTIVITY RESUMATION

Following the successful resolution of pain, movement and
strength all these three come together to allow the patient to
resume their normal everyday activities. Here again the key is
the skilful and correct advice as to how much how soon. If the
previous three stages have been addressed properly this stage
will follow naturally but the correct advice is paramount in
preventing re injury.

SUMMARY

So there we have it. The basic stages behind the successful
resolution of mechanical low back pain. This can essentially be
transferred to many other musculo skeletal problems. Although in
black and white it appears relatively simple do not confuse
something being simple and think it means it is unskilled. It
requires specific knowledge at each of the particular stages.

In fact I would go as far as to say categorically how important
it is to get as far as possible a definitive diagnosis of your
problem before engaging in any form of therapy whether by a
third party or self help.

You do not need to measure and count everything you eat for the
rest of your life-just long enough to recognize standard serving
sizes. Here are some tips from NIH for managing your diet by
controlling portion size. Take a standard serving out of the
package and eat it off a plate instead of eating straight out of
a large box or bag. Avoid eating in front of the TV or while
busy with other activities. Pay attention to what you are eating
and fully enjoy the smell and taste of your foods. Eat slowly so
your brain can get the message that your stomach is full. Take
seconds of vegetables or salads instead of higher-fat,
higher-calorie parts of a meal such as meats or desserts When
cooking in large batches, freeze food that you will not serve
right away. This way, you won’t be tempted to finish eating the
whole batch before the food goes bad. And you’ll have ready-made
food for another day. Freeze in single-meal-sized containers.
Try to eat three sensible meals at regular times throughout the
day. Skipping meals may lead you to eat larger portions of
high-calorie, high-fat foods at your next meal or snack. Eat
breakfast every day. Keep snacking to a minimum. Eating many
snacks throughout the day may lead to weight gain. When you do
have a treat like chips, cookies, or ice cream, eat only one
serving, eat it slowly, and enjoy it! Research shows that the
more often a person eats out, the more body fat he or she has.
Try to prepare more meals at home. Eat out and get take-out
foods less often. When you do eat away from home, try these tips
to help you control portions: Share your meal, order a
half-portion, or order an appetizer as a main meal. Take half or
more of your meal home. You can even ask for your half-meal to
be boxed up before you begin eating so you will not be tempted
to eat more than you need. Stop eating when you begin to feel
full. Focus on enjoying the setting and your friends or family
for the rest of the meal. Avoid large beverages, such as
“supersize” soft drinks. They have a large number of calories.
Order the small size, choose a calorie-free beverage, or drink
water with a slice of lemon. When traveling, bring along
nutritious foods that will not spoil such as fresh fruit, small
cans of fruit, peanut butter and jelly (spread both thin)
sandwiches, whole grain crackers, carrot sticks, air-popped
popcorn, and bottled water. If you stop at a fast food
restaurant, choose one that serves salads, or order the small
burger with lettuce and tomato. Have water or nonfat milk with
your meal instead of a soft drink. If you want french fries,
order the small size.

I’ve gotten several inquires about how to attain the coveted
six-pack. The range of difficulty of getting shredded physique
with a washboard stomach will vary person to person (especially
in increasing idling America). And why is everybody so
infatuated with abs anyway? I once saw a guy’s t-shirt that had
an arrow pointing to his gut and exclaiming “fuel tank for the
sex machine”. Now a sense of humor can more sexier than a
six-pack!

To be painfully honest, getting shredded abs is not going to be
easy for anyone. But its not impossible. Let me give you little
story:

I have to pictures on my wall of when I was back in college.
They both had beaches in the background. Once was in Hawaii and
the other in California.

My Hawaii photo was taken on spring break. This was one week
after I competed in NCWA wrestling nationals. I had spent the
prior 2 months working my butt off training. Tons of cardio to
cut weight, weird dieting of vegetables, grains, lean meats. I
had to make weight (165 lbs for competition) and I was already
skinny.

Anyway to my unpleasant surprise I had a little stomach in my
Hawaii photo. This was even more surprising since I just
finished a 40 mile bike ride!

And then a few months later I started lifting heavy. During the
summer I did a body part training program with little cardio
except wrestling practice twice a week. It was early September
and I decided to visit Santa Monica on a whim (I live in
Denver). During this time I had to admit I’d been doing a little
bit of drinking too (hey it was my last year in college). To my
pleasant surprise, I had a shredded six pack at this time. Why?
My resistance training had increased my metabolism rate and
helped get rid of extra body fat.

So here are some tips for you guys (and girls)

1. Resistance Training: I recommend resistance training over
cardio but both are very important. Heavy lifting that promotes
muscle hypertrophy should be the initial approach of your
program. I’ll go into more detail about this in part 2.

2. Cardio: most people do this wrong. If you want abs you can’t
go for a 20 minute nice easy jog in the park and expect to
incinerate a ton of fat. Your cardio needs to be tough and
challenging. You needs to focus on INTERVAL training. My
favorite is doing repeat miles on the treadmill. You got 1 mile
at a very uncomfortable pace (but not to the point you can’t go
on) get off the treadmill and immediately hop on a stationary
bike (or elliptical machine) for a moderate 5 min recovery. Get
back on the treadmill for another mile. Repeat 4-8 times. This
will help boost testosterone levels and spike your metabolism.

Warning: although I think swimming is an awesome cardiovascular
workout I strongly advise against this method of training for
fat loss.

3. Dieting: this one is so complex I’m going save it for part 3.

4. Supplements: did someone ask for the magic pill for abs?
Almost as wishful as asking for the magic pill for financially
security or a significant other. Alright I take that back. There
are supplements available that can expedite your fat loss
training regime. I just don’t want you folks downing a bottle of
ephedrine everyday and doing nothing else. Here are my favorite
weight loss supplements (I linked to where you can find them).

Hot-Rox (http://www.discountanabolics/p/HRX) I used this while I
was getting ready for my last fight. I got my body fat down to
around 6% (it’s normally around 8-9%). Hot Rox will increase
your metabolism for up to 24hrs. Be careful though. Too much of
this will give you the jitters. I recommend taking a max 3
capsules early in the day.

Hoodia Gordonni (http://www.discountanabolics.com/p/AP04) This
supplement is very effective appetite suppressant. Might not be
a bad idea to help cut down on holiday/winter time binging.

Axis Labs SesaMAX (http://www.discountanabolics.com/p/AX04) -
This nifty little supplement works to control your appetite uses
the lignan sesamin which is a powerful thermogenic (fat
oxidizing) molecule. The SesaMax complex also contains flax seed
oil which help support healthy metabolic function, reduce
oxidative stress, and reduce cholesterol.

Now if you are going to approach your ab routine correctly you
should be doing heavy resistance training (you better not plan
on sitting on the couch and popping weight loss pills). I would
recommend some protein and ergogenic supplements.

Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey
-(http://www.discountanabolics.com/p/ON03) - Out of all the
proteins available I found this one to be the most economical
(much cheaper than myoplex). It’s also excellent for dieting
since its really low in carbs.

Muscle Milk (http://www.discountanabolics/p/CSMM) - this is
best tasting protein drink on the market. It also contains a
special MCT (medium chain triglycerides) that help promote
leanness. Muscle Milk is an awesome product, but just one
warning: don’t overdo it. I’ve seen many folks consume too much
muscle milk thinking that its “safe” since it’s a protein
supplement. Remember that muscle milk does contain a lot of
calories. One scoop before bedtime is what I suggest (I’ll get
more into this in Part 3 about dieting).

NE2 Nitric-Ester (http://www.discountanabolics/p/AX03) - While
you’re doing resistance training you should consider nitric
oxide supplements for quicker recovery. It’s believe to be more
powerful than NO2 since it keeps L-Arginine molecule is coupled
with ester to keeping the arginine intact is it passes through
the large intestine. I found that nitric oxide helped me become
leaner as well.

5. Patience, patience, perseverance

If you think your going to get a six pack in two weeks you are
out of your mind. You can only lose about 1-2 pounds of real fat
(any more is water and muscle) a week. You should plan on
sticking to your program for at least 3 months.

I got plenty more to write on this topic. Stay tuned for abs abs
abs Part 2 and 3.

OUR DIETS TODAY

Our diets today consist of entirely too much processed, high
fat, high sodium food. The nutrients and fiber our bodies need
to stay healthy are not found in most of the food we purchase at
restaurant chains, drive-through restaurants, take out food, and
processed or pre-cooked meals. The problem is, we are a nation
of individuals in a hurry, and do not have the time, nor take
the time, to eat healthy. We are raising our children on high
fat, high salt, fast - foods today. Our children will no have an
idea of what a healthy diet is if we do not model it for them.

The second leading cause of chronic health conditions today is
obesity. Why? Because, obesity leads to many other chronic
diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. At first, it may
seem that a healthy, balanced diet is boring and takes too much
time out of our day. If we want to live a long, healthy life,
however, a few minutes out of our day will save years of life
yet to come.

CHILDHOOD OBSEITY

Obesity rates in children have doubled since 1980.Children are
experiencing diseases usually only adults experience, diabetes
and high blood pressure. Did you know? Obesity is defined by
many practitioners as 20% above normal weight. If your child
should weigh around 100 pounds to be in the healthy range and he
or she ways 120 pounds, this is considered to be obese.

Other practitioners use BMI (body mass index) to determine
whether a child is obese. Today’s children are used to consuming
high fat, high salt diets, ordering what they feel like at every
meal, diets without fruits and vegetables, and sodas instead of
milk or water. The cost to our children is arteries starting to
show early signs of heart disease in the second decade of their
life. Children age two and older need to cut back on saturated
and trans- fat.

WHAT SHOULD OUR CHILDREN EAT?

Low fat lunchmeat, low fat cheese, regular (natural) peanut
butter-it is the good fat with zero grams of trans- fat.
Children should eat three or more colors at every meal-choose
red, green and orange fruits and veggies, with half of the meal
being fruit and veggies. Avoid pre-packaged meals and talk about
food choices with your children so they understand what healthy
eating is. Also avoid eating out at most meals.

The norm that is being served to kids at restaurants nowadays is
fried chicken fingers, greasy cheeseburgers, and fatty pizza.
Fries are served with almost every meal served to children
nowadays. In fact at half of the restaurant chains french fries
were the only side dish on the menu. The extras offered are:
fatty biscuits, corn bread, dessert, soda, and half the
restaurants serve free re-fills on only sodas-not milk. What
should be ordered at restaurants for children are baked or
grilled entrees, with salad and fruit. An occasional treat is
fine, but a steady diet of how fat-high sugar-high salt food is
the worst a child can have.

QUICK AND HEALTHY BREAKFAST IDEAS

1. One cup dry cereal (no sugar cereal) Fruit of choice Veggie
breakfast pattie

2. egg whites scrambled, or poached Fruit of choice One slice of
toast w/ no sugar jelly

3. Pancakes with light butter and syrup Fruit of choice veggie
pattie

4. 2 slices of french toast w/ light butter and syrup (use egg
whites and light bread) 1. fruit of choice.

5. 2 waffles topped with fruit Turkey bacon

6. Breakfast burrito with one whole-wheat tortilla 2 egg whites
scrambled and light cheese Fruit of choice

7. Breakfast parfait: Alternate layers of lowfat, low sugar
yogurt with cereal and fruit Whip 4 tablespoons of cottage
cheese into yogurt for protein

8 Egg McMuffin: 1-egg scrambled - use egg whites 1-english
muffin toasted 1 slice of low fat cheese Fruit of choice

9. One half - bagel with 2 tablespoons of low fat peanut butter
or cream cheese Fruit of choice

10. 1-cup low fat cottage cheese sliced with fruit Sprinkle with
two tablespoons of chopped almonds

11. One cup of cooked oatmeal with low fat milk Stir one scoop
of protein powder into cooked oatmeal Stir in fruit of choice

12. Morning Fruit crisp: Place 6 servings of frozen fruit in the
bottom of a baking dish Top with 3 cups of dry oatmeal. Dot with
butter (lightly). Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Top with vanilla yogurt Serve an egg, turkey bacon or veggie
pattie on the side. Serves 6.

13. Pour one cup of yogurt into cereal bowl. Stir in one - half
banana, add _ cup of cereal and 10 peanuts into yogurt.

14. Cook 6 cups of non-fat hash browns in a skillet. When hash
browns are Almost done, pour 6 beaten egg whites into skillet
and allow them to flow around the hash browns. Allow the eggs to
cook and set. Cut into 6 or seven even slices. Serve with fruit
or juice. Serves 6.

15. Smoothie: Combine one frozen fruit, a scoop of protein
powder and, milk. Sugar free yogurt may be added also. Frozen
fruit makes the best smoothie. If you prefer fresh fruit, place
it in the freezer the night before.

Children should have at least two small snacks a day with a
healthy balanced dinner in the evening. A small amount of
protein, with vegetables and fruit is a good way to end the day.
Dessert should consist of sugar free Jell-O, cocoa or Popsicle’s.

Remember what you feed your children now can affect them the
rest of their lives. Give them a good foundation to build
healthy, bones and teeth and enough nutrients to keep them
active and interested in school.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term used for a group of
illnesses affecting the digestive system. With roughly one
million sufferers in the United States, IBD is primarily
composed of two disorders: Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative
colitis.

What takes place with IBD, Crohn’s, and ulcerative colitis is
the body’s immune system has an exaggerated response to an
unknown bacteria or condition of the bowel system, releases a
large number of white blood cells to the affected area, and as a
result, the area becomes drastically inflamed. This swelling
causes ulcerations and injury to the bowel, as well as various
other negative side effects.

Although extensive research has been done, it is unclear what
causes the excessive immune response in IBD. Some believe it is
the body’s mistaken identification of good bacteria in the bowel
as being dangerous, while others believe it is a foreign agent
that triggers the immune system, which in turn, does not shut
down properly. Whatever the reason, this is a chronic condition
which will continue to be a problem for sufferers for an
extended period of time.

The primary difference between Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative
colitis is the location of the affected area. Crohn’s Disease
may affect any portion of the digestive system and may occur in
patches, with unaffected areas in between. However, Crohn’s
Disease primarily affects the end of the small intestine and the
beginning of the large intestine. On the other hand, ulcerative
colitis only affects the colon. Often, it is very difficult to
determine which form of IBD a patient is suffering from and
misdiagnosis is common.

Symptoms common of Irritable Bowel Disorder are diarrhea,
abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and occasionally weight loss.
These signs are often present with Crohn’s Disease, as well as
uncreative colitis. As a result of blood loss, many sufferers
also become anemic. This can be especially devastating to
pre-existing conditions. Likewise, complications can arise from
blockages that occur due to excessive bowel swelling and the
presence of scar tissue. For this reason, surgery is sometimes
necessary to remove damaged areas of the digestive system to
avoid obstructions. There are also side effects experienced in
other areas of the body in addition to the digestive system.

For the most part, IBD and Crohn’s Disease are often used
interchangeably. However, it should be understood that Irritable
Bowel Disorder does not necessarily translate to Crohn’s
Disease. There are other forms of IBD that may affect sufferers
in much the same way.

There are a growing number of people drawn to the health
benefits of yoga. For good reasons. The deep breathing exercises
taught in some schools of yoga cater to the healthy living of
every cell in our bodies. Many people don’t realize that every
cell in our bodies requires oxygen on a continual basis in order
to have active metabolism. The cells of all glands and organs
require active metabolism in order for those glands and organs
to be functional and productive, and we cannot maintain a state
of good health for long without their function.

Once we understand this basic principle we can look at our
modern sedentary lifestyle and see that it is not the most
conducive to health. Coming from nature where all the creatures
are moving the majority of the time - we also were designed with
motion in mind. When we do move two things spontaneously occur:
first, the activity engages muscles which produce carbon dioxide
through their metabolism; this triggers deeper breathing in
order to eliminate the carbon dioxide and to acquire more oxygen
for continued muscular activity. Second: the activity stimulates
better circulation in both the cardiovascular and lymphatic
systems, so that both oxygen and other nutrients can be
distributed throughout the body.

The lack of activity that usually comes with a desk job, or
sitting at a computer all day, is really not to our benefit. Not
only does our circulation become more sluggish and our breathing
very shallow but all the brain activity also requires fair
amounts of oxygen, and this type of activity does not stimulate
sufficient deeper breathing nor better circulation. Consequently
we fall into oxygen depletion. The result is known as the
oxidative stress, produced at a cellular level by cells in a
panic because they are suffocating, and communicated up to the
brain as stressful anxiety. Both this stress level and the
oxygen deficit are damaging to the entire body. When these
conditions remain for long periods of time they lead to a
degeneration of our internal organs and subsequent malfunctions.

How many people accept that they have stressful jobs? Yet this
situation could easily be alleviated by breathing breaks and
exercise breaks instead of coffee breaks, or even as well as
coffee breaks. Looking into the health statistics of our modern
society we can see rising numbers of a variety of immune
deficient and degenerative diseases. Should we continue to go
this route or would it be better to start applying some simple
solutions now? The science of yoga has many practical methods of
reversing the trend. It does not require amazing flexibility nor
acrobatic feats to promote a better state of health. Simple
movement and deeper breathing would suffice and these can be
done right in the office. Breathing can be practiced sitting in
an office chair for example, so why not change the direction of
our health trends. Deep breathing does not require a huge amount
of effort, and oxygen is still free, not even taxable.

Although there are a lot of positive things to be said when it
comes to herbal medicine, is still an undeniable fact however
that what we proof we have is not yet enough to make taking
herbal medicine completely safe.

Hence, when you’re about to try out herbal medicine please make
sure to check with your doctor first if what you’re doing
wouldn’t be harmful to your body. Secondly, it’s better to be
able to identify the different forms of herbal medicine so you’d
know if what you’re taking is the real thing or not.

Essence - This is also one of the most popular forms that herbal
medicine takes. Herbs in essential oils are processed through
cold pressing or steam distillation. This form of herbal
medicine is popular because a lot of people prefer to enjoy
massages with the use of essential oils because it supposedly
helps them relax more easily.

Pills and Capsules - People who violently resist the idea of
taking herbal medicine in its raw form may find other products
of herbal medicine in the form of pills and capsules. Herbal
medicine is ground into powder to take this particular form.
Usually, with this form of herbal medicine, the medicinal
purpose is general and not meant to be a specific cure. Ampalaya
capsules, for example, are taken simply to help improve your
diabetes.

Infusions - This process involves the delicate parts of a plant
like its leaves, seeds and fruits. The process simply takes
several minutes to finish.

Poultice - There are some situations that require patients to
take herbal medicine in the form of poultice. In this case, the
herbs are macerated or chopped into tiny pieces and are then
directly applied to the skin. After this, a hot, moist bandage
is used to cover the area.

Raw - It’s like going back to the primitive past when you’re
required to take this particular form of herbal medicine. Not
only is the process somewhat undesirable, the taste of it leaves
nothing to be desired as well. Many healthcare professionals,
however, advise people to steep these raw herbs into tea because
it’s said to release its healing powers effectively.

Tinctures - Herbal medicine in liquid form.

Decoctions - This process involves the extraction of certain
parts of a plant like the berries, roots and herb-bark. This
process usually takes 45 minutes till an hour and a half.

And now that we’re done with the list of forms of herbal
medicine, we do hope that you benefit greatly from whatever
herbal medicine product you’re taking!

Copyright 2005 Arina Nikitina

You will be surprised to find out how many people are actually
looking for a fast weight loss program. Why fast? Well, first of
all, most of us are impatient. We live hectic lives. We want
results now, we want to notice the change right away, and we
don’t want to work hard to achieve those results.

Most people eat what they want all year round, prefer TV over
exercising and dream about how next week (or month/year) they
are going to start a healthy lifestyle. Suddenly one day they
realize that it is just 2 weeks left before they have to go to a
Christmas party or that summer is coming up and they want to
look good in the new bikini. Usually around this time I get
hundreds of emails - all of them pretty much the same “I have
this event coming up in two weeks. I need to lose about 10-15
pounds. What is the fastest way to do it?”

Of course TV and Internet is full of commercials that promise
you to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. They even show you tons of
pictures of fit, smiling people with perfect bodies. Just pop a
magic pill 3 times a day and you will turn into a supermodel
right away. Sounds good, right?

I hate to disappoint you but this is just another scam created
to get your money. There is no such thing as fast weight loss.
I’m sure I’ll get some infuriated replies like “That can’t be
true! My friend Maggie lost 16 pounds in two weeks doing Low
carb diet!” Well you are in for another disappointment. Your
friend didn’t lose any fat. She lost water and muscle.

Human body is a well coordinated working mechanism. It has no
idea that you’ve decided to fit in a size 8 dress and doing some
new fad diet. It thinks you are starving. It’s too concerned
about survival to allow us losing weight fast. Instead your
metabolism slows down to conserve the energy. As soon as you’ll
start eating normal food you’ll gain all of your weight back and
some extra pounds in addition to that.

To make it simple fast weight loss is always followed by fast
weight gain. No exceptions. In addition to that when you lose
weight too fast, your skin does not have enough time to shrink,
it will become loose.

The right amount of weight that the average person can lose in
one week by eating correctly and doing exercises is around 2-3
pounds. That is a healthy, safe, effective amount to lose. Only
that way you can get long lasting results. I know it is not as
fast as many people would like to lose weight, but think about
it how long did it take you to gain weight? I bet you $1000
dollars you didn’t gain 20 pounds in two weeks. It is only
logical, that your body will not allow you to lose 20 pounds in
two weeks. Sorry!

I’m trying to save your money here, so repeat after me “There is
no machine, no special diet, no special workout program, no
special pill or special patch that will help me to lose weight
fast and healthy at the same time”. Repeat it to yourself every
time you have an urge to buy some “quick fix” no matter how
appealing it sounds.

Remember people who have created these commercials are
professionals who know what you would like to hear. Don’t let
them fool you. Just try to eat right and work out. Be
consistent. Make one little step at a time and you’ll be
surprised how far you can actually go.

If you’ve never seen a Water Rower before, prepare yourself for a revelation. The sleek design is so stylish and luxurious that you’ll never again see exercise equipment in quite the same way. The machine itself is a visual symphony of American hardwoods, anodized steel and the smoky, fluid curves of the polycarbonate tank that holds the water. The classic elegant design of the Water Rower fits right into the décor in most homes, like a carefully chosen piece of fine furniture. It’s specifically created for the home gym, and designed to fit into a small space. When it’s not in use, you can simply stand the WaterRower on end, and it takes up less space than a dining room chair. All in all, the Water Rower looks far more like an elegant, up-scale sculpture than a serious piece of fitness equipment.

Make no mistake, though. A serious piece of fitness equipment is exactly what it is. The Water Rower was designed by rowers for rowers, and that shows in everything from the tiniest details (like the non-slip grip on the aluminum oar) to the patented water paddle mechanism that makes the Water Rower the closest possible experience to rowing on the water. That makes possible a smooth, flawless rowing motion that exercises all of your large muscle groups at once – without putting undue stress on joints and bones. It’s stylish, timeless, elegant – and the best aerobic workout that you can find anywhere.

Short History of the Water Rower

Rowing machines have been around for well over 100 years. One of the earliest patents for a rowing machine was filed with the U.S. Patent Office in 1872, and when the YMCA decided to add gymnasiums to their facilities, indoor rowing machines were among the first exercise machines introduced. Those machines were nothing like the Water Rower, though. The old-fashioned rowing machine consisted of a seat that rode on a pair of rails as the rower pulled on ‘oars’ and pushed with his legs.

Since one of the key elements of the exercise in rowing is the drag on the oars as they pull through the water, older rowers used bands attached to the seat to mimic the water’s resistance. If you wanted a harder workout, you used stronger bands with more resistance. The first major design innovation to the rowing machine was the ergonomic rower, which replaced those bands with a flywheel that used air to mimic water resistance. Since 1981, when the ergonomic rower was introduced, people have used air, bands, chains, pulleys and even magnets to make rowing a rowing machine feel like rowing a boat. It wasn’t until 1988 that John Duke, a member of the U.S. National Team in rowing and a naval architect, patented his unique WaterFlyWheel design. The WaterFlyWheel is the heart of the Water Rower’s unparalleled rowing experience.

Why the WaterFlyWheel Makes the Water Rower Unique

One of the beauties of rowing as an exercise is that the harder you row, the more resistance there is against your oars. The more resistance there is, the stronger your workout. Most rowing machines use some mechanism to simulate that resistance. The most popular and well-known is the Concept 2, which uses a flywheel spinning in the air. It’s noisy, and the resistance needs to be manually set to change the level of your workout. Because the resistance is artificially set – or imposed – you run the risk of straining muscles by trying for a workout that’s beyond the limit of your capability.

Not so with a Water Rower. Because the resistance in the rower is provided by water, it works the exact same way that water does – makes sense, doesn’t it? Here’s how it works:

At the front end of the Water Rower is a tank of water. When you row the machine, you’re turning a paddle wheel inside the tank. The paddle wheel’s turning makes the water in the tank spin. The harder you row, the faster the water spins. The faster the water spins, the more resistance there is. The more resistance there is, the more you get from your workout. To get a more powerful workout, all you have to do is work harder.

Because the resistance is geared to your ability, it increases naturally as your own strength and abilities increase. There’s far less risk of overstraining yourself by setting the resistance higher than your body is ready to handle because the resistance is self-regulating. You never risk working your body harder than it is ready to work.

Filling the Water Rower

The first time you use your WaterRower, you need to fill the water tank with water. The manufacturer suggests that you use plain, ordinary tap water to fill the tank, because it contains chemicals that inhibit the growth of algae. After the tank is filled, the only maintenance it will need is an occasional chlorine tablet added (every 6 months to 2 years, depending on the amount of sunlight on the water tank.)

The amount of water that you put into the tank determines how hard a workout you’ll get. The suggested amounts are:

Children: 12-14 liters
Women: 14-16 liters
Men: 16-18 liters

There’s a handy level gauge marked on the side of the tank so that you know how far to fill it for each level of workout.

The Water Rower – As Close As You Can Get To Rowing Without a River

Rowing on a Water Rower is as close as you can get to rowing on the water without being on the water. The ergonomically designed, padded seat glides soundlessly and smoothly on anodized steel runners attached to wooden rails. There’s no clanking or banging, no mechanical sounds to break your concentration on the rhythm of your rowing. Instead of your ears being assaulted by the hum of the flywheel whirring through the air, the only sound you’ll hear is the pleasant, rhythmic rush and whoosh of water. The rhythm, say many rowing enthusiasts, helps keep the pace of your workout steady, and adds to the feeling that you’re gliding along on the open water.

Living with the WaterRower

The WaterRower is designed to fit into any lifestyle, into any style. It comes in three different “series” with several models available in each series. The Natural selection is crafted of solid ash, and stained in either oak, or rose and black. The Designer series is elegantly styled in different materials, including models in black walnut, cherry wood and stainless steel. The M series is designed for the commercial market, and features a low-rise and a high-rise model each designed in brushed stainless steel.

Each model is available with or without the computerized monitor, and there’s an option to add a monitor later if you choose to buy without at first. The monitor does far more than keep an eye on your speed or your heart rate. Through a variety of functions, you can use the S4 monitor (the latest upgrade) to monitor your progress, keep track of your workout statistics, tell you when you’re working at optimum benefit level – even tell you how fast you’re rowing and how many miles your machine has been rowed overall.

The Water Rower gives you all the benefits you’d get from taking a scull out on the river – a full, low-impact aerobic workout that works the arms, chest, back, shoulders, legs, thighs and glutes – all in the comfort of your own workout room. It does it with a machine that’s so well-designed and stylish that it fits into any room style and décor. Beauty, utility and unparalleled quality all rolled into one compact fitness machine. It just doesn’t get much better than this.

About the Author

Kristopher Gardner is a freelance writer and home exercise enthusiast providing information about indoor rowing machines at http://www.All-Rowing-Machines.com.

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