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So, have been going to pubs, bars or clubs but no luck to pick up any girl or guy? Tired of getting rejected?

I hope that you won’t give up that soon. Gym is probably another good place you want to try. However, it is never easy without a good pick up line. So, I have compiled top 10 pick up lines for both men and women. Use it accordingly. Otherwise, you may still end up to stand for one night instead of having one night stand.

Good luck.

For Girls To Pick Up Guys at Gym:

1. “You got a new iPod. Should I get the 10 gig or the 30 gig?”
2. “Can you close the bracelet for me?”
3. “Your gloves are nice. Where did you get them?”
4. “Do you think that class instructor good?”
5. “Can you teach me how to use this machine?”
6. “Do you know any workout to reduce the breast size? Mine is a bit too big to handle.”
7. “I never do this, but I think you’re cute and I got tired of waiting for you to talk to me.”
8. “That’s a stain on my bra top, isn’t obvious?” (pointing to the breast)
9. “They say missionary position help men to work out the chest and triceps, is it true?”
10. “Is that a train in your pants, or are you just happy to see me noticing how big your dick is?”

For Guys on Girls at Gym

1. “Excuse me, but I think I dropped something! My jaw.”
2. “Do you have a map? I just keep on getting lost in your eyes.”
3. “I’m afraid that I have to ask you to leave. Your sexy body is making other girls here look really bad.”
4. “Can I take your picture with my camera phone? I want Santa Claus to know exactly what I want for this Christmas.”
5. “I may not be the best-looking guy in here, but I’m the only one talking to you.”
6. “Are your legs tired? You have been running in my mind all day.”
7. “I’ve got a 6 inch tongue and please teach me know how to use it.”
8. “Hello. If I tell you my balls are bigger than my biceps, will you believe?”
9. “Hi, my name’s [name]. Remember it, you’ll be screaming it later tonight.”
10. “Nice legs you have! What time do they open?”

I like this final pick up line, though I have not used it before…

(Hold up a screwdriver) Wanna screw?

How is jumping rope to build fitness? Can you recommend a regimen?

I am not really interested whether Ryan Reynolds is still dating Alanis Morissette or Scarlett Johansson. What make me write about him is his solid body shape. Ryan Reynolds transformed his body when he was preparing for his role of Van Wilder in Blade Trinity. He did not only gain 20 pounds of muscles, but also reduced his body fat percentage from 11% to 3%.

Reynolds trained under the guidance from Darren Chapman. Many dropped their jaws after seeing Reynolds’ solid body on big screen. Read on to find out his secret behind this successful change which took about 5 months.

Before the transformation

After 5 months of workout and successful diet plan

Ryan Reynold’s Diet Plan

1) Eat More Smaller Meals
As Reynold has to gain mass, instead of eating three big meals every day, he ate more than 6 smaller portion every 2 to 3 hours. By doing this, he was feeding his body with just enough food and not storing fat.

2) Prepare Home Cooked Food
Reynolds cook himself and he prepared the food in advance. For example, he would made Irish steel-cut oatmeal and freeze it.

3) No more Carbs after 8 PM
He ate much carbohydrates after his workout, but never after 8 PM

4) Take Supplement
Reynolds took creatine, L-glutamine, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), whey, and multivitamin.

5) Diet Menu
Breakfast: 1/2 cup of egg whites, 1 cup of sugarless oatmeal, some “good” fat like a spoon of almond butter or slice of avocado.

• Midmorning snack: protein bar
• Lunch: albacore tuna wrap or chicken and salad
• Mid-afternoon snack: protein bar, protein shake (whey and water) or apple and almonds
• Dinner: broiled fish or chicken, brown rice, vegetables, and salad
• Evening Snack: protein shake

So, as you see, lots of protein, but plenty of carbs, too.

Ryan Reynolds’ Workout Plan

1) Do Abs Exercise First
This guy has great 6-pack. Rumor said that he did an abs implants. Really? Not true.

Contrary to common practice, Reynolds did his ab exercise first before he lift the iron. He found that it was more helpful in getting himself motivated. And damn, he did between 500 and 100 sit-ups.

Reynolds confessed that lower abs are the hardest muscle to develop. What he did was to hold use exercise ball between his legs and then lift the ball up and down, using his to anchor himself.

The other abs exercise he did is to put a 15 pound dumb-bell between his feet, and do leg raises while lying on the ground.

2) Lift Heavy Weight To Bulk Up
He lifted heavy weight to build the mass. Therefore, it is the typical 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

3) Six days Weekly and One Muscle One Day
He trained six days a week and he dedicated a day for only one muscle. So, he has one day for chest, back, shoulder, leg and arms.

After the movie, Reynolds no longer work out that hard to maintain his physique. He lost about 10 pounds out from the twenty pounds he gained. However, he still work out four to five times a week. This is his shirtless photo showing Ryan has slimmed down considerably from the build he had in Blade Trinity and Amityville Horror. However, he is still lean with good set of abs.

When your weight is 180 pounds, it does not mean that you are fat. Your bone, muscle and even blood are part of the weight. What is more important is to find out about your body fat.  Here is another article explaining Why Measuring Body Fat Is More Important Than Body Weight?

Here are some of the interesting facts about body fat you may want to know:

1) Types of Fat
We have fat (adipose tissue) all over the body. Two types of fat storage, one is subcutaneous fat (beneath the skin) and the other one is internal fat (also known as visceral fat) in the body cavity to protect internal organs. The former contributes as much as 80% of the entire body fat.

Not everyone is the same. Some of us have more subcutaneous fat to lose and others have more internal fat to lose:

• Men tend to lose more internal fat while obese women lose more subcutaneous fat. source.
• Regardless of gender, diet alone results in more internal fat loss (and less surface fat loss). Exercise seems to result in more subcutaneous fat loss. source. Therefore, diet plan and exercise are both needed for one to lose body fat.

2) Fat Storage
When comes to fat storage, women generally gain fat around the buttock and thighs - pear shaped; Men normally store fat around the abdomen - apple shaped.

3) Burning Fat
The fat normally go first from the most recent place it appeared. For instance, if the last place you see fat is your chest, then it will be the first to go when you burn fat. So, if your buttock started gain first, then it will be the last place for the fat to disappear from.

So, it is common that a guy (like me) may complain of getting thin in the face and yet still have spare tire around the waist. Lady may complain of a smaller bust and yet the hips measurement may stay the same.

4) We Do Not Absorb All Fat from Food
When you eat oily food, that fat is not completely absorbed into body. About 5% is eliminated in the feces (I mean, shit). However, this does not mean that you should simply eat oily food.

Now, those basic facts give you a better idea what body fat is and how you can lose body fat - but not necessarily have any immediate change in appearance. Doing sit up or crunches alone just to get rid of the fat at tummy is so difficult. In other words, spot reduction is almost impossible. Instead, you should just imagine the subcutaneous fat as layers of onion. We need to get the layer off, one layer by later from the whole body.

I know that it can be very frustrating. Be patient and stay committed to your training and nutrition. Never be influenced by the weight loss product commercials show perfectly proportioned sexy bodies. Learn the facts and and set realistic goals accordingly.

"300"

The So-Called Program

BY MARK TWIGHT

Buzz about the movie “300” increases in volume as its release date approaches. Because we were responsible for the fitness and appearance of the barely-clothed protagonists we are fielding calls regarding the training undertaken by cast and stunt crew. Since it was a Hollywood gig assumptions are made about the preparation, with a 50-50 split between accuracy and utter madness. The following explanation should help to rectify the more erroneous ideas about what actually happened.

There’s a decent introduction to the project here: http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_11337.html

Part of the Warner Bros press kit reads, “To support fight preparation the training emphasized athleticism by combining compound movements, lifting, and throwing. Primitive tools – medicine balls, Kettlebells, rings – were used instead of machines. Each session was competitive, with a penalty-reward system tied to performance and results posted daily for all to see.”

This sort of training seems perfectly normal to us but others find both the work and our language unusual. Gerry Butler commented that, "the first time anyone ever told me I was ‘fat’ was after I got this part." Many observers got hung up on the penalty part, or the fact that one penalty session was called “Loser’s Redemption”. One individual commented, “You call people ‘losers’? That’s unkind.” And the answer is that we’re not here to make friends; there’s a job and it’s got to be done.

The typical interviewer wants to know about the “magic” workout the cast did to make them look so good. Some were disappointed to learn that hard work is magic, while others marveled – as did we some days – that the actors would work so hard.

Vincent Regan pulling 295# blindfolded

The first misconception is that we used a bodybuilding-type program of progressive overload and over-feeding with the goal of making the guys look huge. We took the opposite route of calorie restriction to make them look like they lived off the land, in the wild, all sinewy and ripped. The diet was adequate to fuel effort and recovery, barely. And we prescribed random physical challenges to keep them off balance, to ensure they never knew what was coming, to cause a stress-reaction, to break them, to make them look bad in front of each other, which eventually led them to trust one another. Trust made them willing to go all the way to the edge in each other’s company because that’s what the film was about: laying it on the line. Because fight training and conditioning and eating took place in the same facility – essentially in the same room – the actors and the stunt crew did everything under the watchful eyes of everyone else. Dietary slip-ups were noted, nods given when a particularly hard effort put forth, and general awe expressed when complex choreography was executed without flaw.

Andrew Pleavin in the midst of a Man-Maker and Knees-to-Elbows countdown session

Our general approach and attitude, the movements and activities were new to many. Some, of course, resisted while others took to the process with unusual zeal. Our goal, outlined by director Zack Snyder was to “turn them into a gang,” a unified force whose trust and belief in one another would be obvious on the screen. The first step of any such project is to earn the respect and belief of the trainees. Zack helped by charging the cannons himself, training with us 3-5 days a week. On those days cast and crew arrived in the gym at 8:30am to find Zack’s workout already posted on the whiteboard. Knowing he got up and had already earned his calories for the day spurred them to higher levels of effort. “Some of us wake up, others roll over …”

Zack fighting through a workout called "Louder Than 11"

And dragging the big tire

The cast and stunt crew also had to be fit and athletic enough to handle the fight training, choreography and execution led by Damon Caro and Chad Stahelski. To achieve the objectives we adopted the following mission statement: appearance is a consequence of fitness and this ideal guided our work. My assistant, Logan Hood and I were part team-builder, part corruptor, part coach, and part punisher. We led by example and despite some overuse injuries, which are to be expected since we were in the gym 10-12 hours a day, five days a week for four months, our own fitness improved along with the men we trained. In one interview Gerry Butler summed up his experience with us when he said, "Pretty much anything Mark Twight offered up was so difficult in the kind of way where you wish you had never been born - and even more than that, wished he had never been born."

MFT with Robert Maillet who played the Uber Immortal … he and his wife live with 7 or 8 rescued racing greyhounds

To ensure that the guys would last for the entire project we addressed recovery as well as hard work in our process: we had a massage therapist on-site every day and a kinesiologist visited twice per week to treat anyone ailing. Our work had the unintended consequence of keeping the stunt crew healthy. "It was a tremendous help as far as injury prevention, stamina, and overall focus," says Caro. "With fight choreography, you only have a certain amount of time for physical training because it sometimes doesn’t mesh with the functional application. What Mark brought to the project was functional strength, not just sculpted biceps or ripped abs." In this case, “functional” means fitness appropriate to the task, and the positive result means the artificial training was highly transferable. The methods we used were right for this job. A different objective would be achieved by different means. In our work the task drives the method.

The method was sometimes harsh – anyone who fell off the bus over the weekend got smashed in the gym on Monday – the pressure turned some rough raw material into real gems. And this is apparent on the big screen.

Mathieu, one of the Montreal stunt crew. He worked hard and paid attention.

The second misconception surrounds the idea of the Spartan workout, aka “300”, how frequently it was done or who actually finished it. “300” is a one-time test, an invitation-only challenge undertaken by those deemed ready for it. By the end of our four-month project 17 people had done the workout (Logan and I were two of them). This constitutes about 50% of the cast and stunt crew. We supervised every test, evaluated each rep for quality and only counted those that achieved our standards for form and range of motion. Like many workouts “300” is not hard once you’ve done it but the apprehension built up ahead of it – something we encouraged – was enough to make some guys fear it to the degree that performance was compromised. This workout was a crucible that some passed through and others still have hanging over them.

“300”
25x Pull-up +
50x Deadlift @ 135# +
50x Push-up +
50x Box Jump @ 24” box +
50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count) +
50x KB Clean and Press @ 36# (KB must touch floor between reps) +
25x Pull-up
300 reps total

Stephane, another Montreal stuntman, and part of the Fast Motion crew (with Mathieu and Yan)

As for the training done on a regular basis there were no consistent, structured workouts. In fact, very few ever repeated a workout during the four-month voyage. The point was to improve fitness and facility across a variety of movements and through the three-dimensional range-of-motion required by the fighting. We did this by constantly changing the challenges, and focusing on athleticism to build a balanced foundation of general physical capacity. Butler commented that my idea of a workout is to "go until you are actually in fear of your life and then go further. Then, you do more." He drew the connection between the physical and the psychological when he said, "It was preparation, too, for the mindset of King Leonidas. The Spartans were trained to be the best, and why be bashful about being the best? We, the Spartans, know who we are so completely that there’s no way an outsider can understand." And, I suppose, this is more or less the way we described and prescribed the training for this project: the physical difficulties prepared the mind for the role.

Did it work? It worked for those who did the work, who paid attention, and who controlled what they put in their mouths. We reinforced those who started with their own self-discipline but we could not give discipline to anyone who didn’t already have it. In the end Vincent Regan shed 40 pounds in eight weeks, and took his deadlift from less than bodyweight (205) to more than double-bodyweight (355). He could pull 85% of 1RM blindfolded and recite Shakespeare in the midst of the toughest training session. Andrew Pleavin trained with us for just five weeks. He increased his maximum number of pull-ups from 6 to 23, rowed 500m in 1:25.6 and 5000m in 18:12, and he finished “300” in 18:11. Some of the stunt crew experienced similar changes, and their work capacity was – in most cases – higher. Even the ones who were relatively fit when they showed up increased their overall fitness by having weaknesses exposed and prodded.

Zack with the Stunt Team shirt … it’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees

This was an absolutely incredible experience and one I don’t think could be repeated. From writers to director, and actors to stunt crew, it would be difficult to reassemble such talent, dedication to craft, the willingness to work hard, and to work terrible, long hours when necessary. I am happy to have had an influence, and to have taught an ideal to some of the younger stunt crew. I learned as much as I taught. Yes, it’s the movie industry, and it’s make-believe, but the energy and effort behind it is human, and in this case some of them were very good humans indeed.

The Gym Jones shirt for the movie, earned by a chosen few

To see descriptions of what the cast and stunt crew of “300” were subjected to during filming search the calendar in the Schedule section. The workouts described there are not a recommendation, and this is not a program. What you see is a tool we used to do a job. There are many tools in the box. If you decide to do any of the workouts take responsibility for your decisions and for the load you use. You make your own bed. Be willing to lie in it.

Finally, read the essay about Quality (http://www.gymjones.com/knowledge.php?id=20) because the notion of full ROM affects the quality of any movement, and we don’t count short-stroked reps no matter how fast they get done. Even if you’re a Hollywood star.

All this while, I thought most golfers just have to focus in their skill in swinging the clubs. Why? Golfers don’t have to run. They don’t have to jump. They don’t have any body contact with other players. Just swing the clubs.

Really that easy? Not really. Two years ago, my friend has already told me that Tiger Woods actually does weight training. However, that time, we could not have any solid proof. Fortunately, I came across an interview article last week and it is true that Woods spend lots of time in gym.

Wait, who is Tiger Woods?

Nope, not a real tiger.

Tiger Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Woods was the highest paid professional athlete in 2006 with about $100 million from winnings and endorsements.

After 31-year-old Tiger Woods won his 13th major at Southern Hills in August 2007, he said this, “Other guys have gotten tired. You see their shoulders slumping and dragging. I feel fine. You should always train hard and bust your butt. Not everyone considers golf a sport and they don’t treat it as such. They paid the price.”

This championship in Oklahoma had the hottest conditions in major championship history, with temperatures reaching 39 degree Celsius during the final round. At least 264 people were treated for heat exhaustion. The ability to stay focus for the 4-day tournament was paramount. Woods believes that his renowned fitness has given him an edge in golf’s biggest events.

Yes, Woods’ effort working out at gym differentiates himself from others. Therefore, many amateur golfer wants to learn about his workout. They all think that it must be some special program that is never been done before. To make things more mysterious, Woods never talked about his gym workout openly. It was one part of his very public life that he kept private for many years. However, in Men’s Fitness July 2007 edition, he finally shared with us.

Even after being a father, Tiger Woods actually still finds time for workouts at gym as many as six days a week. His trainer, Keith Kleven, disclosed that Tiger Woods has gained about 30 pounds of muscles for the past 10 years. In 1996, Woods was 6-foot-2 and 158 pounds. He tried to gain weight, but his father told him that family history suggested he would not be able to do so. Even Woods continued to lift weights, results were not obvious. However, the change occurred about the time he won the career Grand Slam in 2000 at age 24. He was delighted that he finally felt strong and all his hard work has paid off.

Tiger Woods’ workout regimen at gym (which I compile from different sources and summarize them into a list):

1) Cardiovascular warm-up exercise (30 minutes) including treadmill, stair stepper or bike.

2) Total body stretching focusing on the muscles of the legs and trunk. A trainer assists him with physical therapy to help his body to prepare the joints for the rigors of swinging a golf club.

3) Core exercises (focusing in posture and balance)
These exercises are performed to strengthen the muscles that stabilize his body. Core training involves keeping the torso in place while taking his limbs through different movements. This workout helps to improve the muscles of the abdomen and back. These muscles are the key muscles needed for the twisting the body withstands during the golf swing. For example, Woods may sit on the medicine ball and perform dumbbell curl while trying to maintain his balance on the ball. He may also anchors long rubber bands to fixed positions and performs movements similar to the golf swing.

4) Endurance runs of seven miles (11 kilometers) and speed runs of three miles (five kilometers)

5) Weight training
Now, this is the most interesting part. On high-intensity days, he lifts 80 percent of his maximum weight doing exercises such as the bench press, the shoulder press and squats.

Keith Kleven did not disclose how much weight Woods is doing, but rumor said that Woods was bench pressing about 300 pounds (about 136 kilogram). Many doubt so. Yes, I do not think that he ever did that. Even if he does, he should not do it often. That load would put his shoulder joint at the risk of getting injured. Not a risk he is willing to take that might ruin his career.

Spy shots taken when Tiger Woods are doing bench press.

Tiger Woods trains with weight machines, free weights, dumbbells and medicine balls. However, what Woods does differently from a typical weight lifter is that he tries to perform various exercises in movements and positions that mimic the golf swing. He works on his golf posture and grip strength by lifting dumbbells. Since the golf swing is a very dynamic movement, I suspect that most of Woods’ exercises are done that way and not just sitting doing isolation exercise for individual muscles.

Tiger Woods said that he does not have any ego in the gym. He believes that it is important to listen to his body when comes to pushing weight. Therefore, he never hurt himself by taking too much load. It is no surprise that he opts for high repetitions with smaller weights. These workouts include leg-press (with machine) and biceps-curl (with machine too) nowadays.

5) Cool down
Woods stretches again to cool down.

Some people are saying that Tiger Woods is taking steroid to be that muscular. May be these people just refuse to believe that the world richest golfer is working at gym hard to be in shape.

I do not play golf. Not fan of Tiger Woods either. However, let’s agree that Tiger Woods is a champion. I hope that we can learn from a champion and not to discount his achievement by accusing him taking steroid. In fact, his physique is attainable by almost everyone, provided we work out like him consistently.

Some people also said that, “Hey, we all can build a physique like Tiger’s. Not that tough.” Yes. However, bear in mind that Tiger Woods is already 31 years old and to maintain the smooth range of motion on his swing while gaining that strength and mass, is just impressive. Don’t you agree?

Physical fitness is always a huge advantage in any sport. The fitter you are, the better you are in winning the games. So, the next time you see Woods winning another trophy, just remember that this guy trains hard at gym too. As he said, “I bust my butt to stay in shape.”

No joke, every champion works hard behind the scene.

Three months ago, was chatting in MSN with a friend who is working in US. Was told that she just bought a new weight loss pill, Alli. She was not a fan of weight loss pills. So, what really convince her to give Alli a try this time? I decided to do some research on it.

Found out that Alli is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a leading health care company with wide portfolio of pharmaceutical products. My childhood favorite drink, Ribena is done by GSK too. The name Alli comes from the need for an ally, or partner helping you to lose weight. The word Alli is pronounced as “ally” this case.

What makes Alli different from other weight loss products and in fact the key reason I blog about it is that Alli is the fist and currently the only diet drug deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be sold over the counter in the US (without the need of prescription). The other two FDA-approved weight-loss drugs currently on the US market are Xenical and Meridia, but both are available only with a prescription.The other key differentiator of alli is that it comes with a customized plan. The pills come with a starter kit to assist consumers understand how to find fat in their diets at home and when eating out. This plan was designed to give the customer the support to succeed with weight loss.

Since alli is sold over the counter, it contains only half as much of the active ingredient Xenical does. Yes, you can safely assume that it is 50% less efficient than the current best selling diet drug Xenical (which can only be purchased with prescription). Xenical (know as Orlistat too) is a famous fat-blocking drug.

If you wonder how Alli works, here you go: Alli has to be taken with meals. It works by inhibiting pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides in the intestine. Without this enzyme, triglycerides from the diet are prevented from being absorbed and are excreted undigested. In layman term, alli is a fat blocker pill that helps your body lose weight by limiting the amount of dietary fat that it can absorb while eating. The fat that is blocked will be passed through the body naturally.

According to GSK, alli stops the enzymes from digesting about 25% of the fat that is consumed. Alli only works in in the digestive track and this uniqueness keeps the consumer safe from side effects that are common in other diet pill products such as hyperactivity and restlessness. The company claims that with alli, one will lose about 50% more weight than with just dieting alone. In other words, if you could lose 10 pounds through dieting, you could lose 15 pounds with Alli.

As expected, some doctors are concerned about potential abuse of Alli, especially among youths. Yes, I hope that people will not abuse it by taking alli, followed by a couple of burgers, hot dogs and French fries - and hope miracle will happen.

What I like about GSK is that the company is being honest and upfront. You can watch the video above to judge yourself. The company has marketed Alli as part of the weight loss program rather than just a magic pill. The company does not want people to try Alli for the sake of trying. It wants the dieters to be committed to a low fat diet with exercise plan. In fact, the tag line used by the company - “If you have the will, we have the power.”

One cannot be passive about using Alli. Instead, from the way the company puts in, it obligate the consumer to take an active part in the weight loss process. It is selling a program, and not just pills. The company is bold enough to make the statement - “If you are not committed to limiting your fat intake and calories as part of the program, then you should not buy alli. Not right now.”

It is important to be aware of the potential side effects. The company emphasizes that people should only take Alli when eating 15 grams of fat at each meal. A higher fat consumption could lead to gastrointestinal issues. Loose or more frequent stools, an urgent need to go to the bathroom or gas with an oily discharge are the main “side effects”. Therefore, the company recommends that people wear dark pants or bring a change of clothes to work until they adjust to the drug. Sounds like a joke, but that official statement was issued in serious note. Again, it is good that the company has been upfront about it. Come to think about it, I guess this bowel movement side effect will remind the dieters to curb their appetites.

GSK plans to sell product in Europe, under a different name, in 2008. It also plans to submit Alli for regulatory approval in Canada, Latin America, China, Australia and New Zealand before the end of 2007. As for Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, no confirmed news yet.

Given a choice, I still think that losing weight without any drug aids is a better choice. But, for obese people, alli will be a great tool simply because it is a legitimate drug which has been tested and evaluated by a well known company, GlaxoSmithKline. It is not produced by the typical fly by night company (like the breast enhancement cream or penis enlargement magic capsules).

In short, alli is not just another weight loss product. It is part of a weight loss program for overweight people, not for everyone looking for a quick fix. Alli requires a commitment to living your life a new way as you learn to change your eating and activity habit.

Alli will be helpful, but it is not the answer. The answer is still your commitment. For those who want to give alli a try, alli is sold in these packages (available in Amazon), ranging between about $40 to $65:

• 60-Count Starter Pack
• 90-Count Starter Pack
• 120-Count Refill Pack

These days, it seems like everything is free of some unhealthy ingredient. Sugar-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free; every wants to buy a product that is free of that nagging aspect in their diet.

Check out the products at your local grocery store. You’ll probably find that everything is free of something. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean these kinds of products don’t come at a price.

Now, nobody disagrees that cutting down on some of the unhealthy ingredients in your diet is a bad idea. Still, there is almost no aspect that you can cut out of your diet completely. Almost everything we consume in our diet is useful to our bodies, even necessary, in moderation.

Take cholesterol for instance. Cholesterol is a fatty material that appears in many areas of the body: cell walls, blood, most bodily tissue, etc. Cholesterol usually enters the body through foods that are high in saturated fat.

Cholesterol is a necessary component for certain parts of the body to function, particularly for the membranes of cell walls. Ironically, cholesterol in healthy amounts also helps the body absorb the fat contained in the intestines. Unfortunately, many people maintain diets that are far too high in cholesterol.

When people consume too much cholesterol, their body can no longer use all the cholesterol effectively. Cholesterol gets stuck in the body, as it is difficult to metabolize, just like fat. This can cause injury to blood vessels which is a major cause of heart disease and stroke.

Fortunately, there is a bad kind of cholesterol and good a good kind of cholesterol that can be differentiated. The bad kind is called a low density liboprotein (LDL). This is the form that causes cholesterol to stay present in the blood, which increases the risk of heart disease. The good kind of cholesterol is called high density liboprotein (HDL), and helps bring cholesterol back to the liver where it can be eliminated.

Before you make a decision to purchase only products that are cholesterol-free, make sure you remember that some cholesterol, the right cholesterol, is good for your body. It will build up and maintain cell walls, is used to produce many of the natural hormones in the body, helps the body digest food efficiently, and is a key component of nerve and brain tissue.

In addition to that, About.com has an excellent list on things that can help increase your good cholesterol level, such as:
1. Stop smoking
2. Eat more fiber. It can be gained from nuts such as almond or various vegetables.
3. Reduce your alcohol consumption. (Read on my weekend drinking tips)

Going on a diet is actually simpler than you think. Most people put a lot of emphasizes in how many calories and carbohydrates they have in a meal without realizing there are other factors which are also important in diet. While doing exercises is also critical, many people still have problem in dealing with their eating habit. Here are my 6 list for better eating.

6. Plan your mini meals

If snacking becomes a part of your daily habit then try to have mini meals instead of snacking. Plan your mini meals beforehand so that you don’t end up eating too many of them. A bar of chocolate taken three times a day can easily ruin your diet, so the best bet you have is to plan your snacks and mini meals beforehand. At least you will sit down and think whether you really want to lose weight or not before planning your mini meals.

5. Don’t be a calorie geek

The golden rule of weight loss is that your calorie intake should be less than your outtake. But that doesn’t mean you should bring your calculator and count up your meals. Just do a general research on the internet about your menu and you’ll get the big picture. Diet is already stressing, don’t make things harder by unnecessarily counting up every calories that you are going to have. As long as you maintain a sensible portion then you’ll do fine.

4. Reduce your portion

An easy way to kick start your diet is to reduce your portion slightly. You don’t need to radically reduce your portion unless your current portion is too much. If your friends don’t frown at your current portion then chance is, you only need to reduce your current portion by 10 – 20%. Start small and reduce the first 10% first and give your body time to adapt itself to the new portion. The key is to start slowly and gradually, treat your stomach gently.

3. Calories are supposed to be eaten not drunk.

You already get tons of calories from your meals; you don’t need to add them up by drinking soda or other fizzy drink.

2. Discover your food fetish

Everybody has a fetish of something. For example, I have a fetish for béchamel based dish like this Salmon Doria. Most of the time, the food which you have fetish on is not the type of food which is kind to your waist. Allow yourself to eat things you shouldn’t occasionally. You won’t get fat instantly just because you have eaten something that you shouldn’t. In fact, you have just made your diet easier and a whole lot more pleasant by giving yourself an occasional treat.

1. Use your teeth
Chew your food! There’s a reason that you have teeth. Don’t gulp on your food but enjoy it slowly. Don’t eat in haste as you won’t likely to enjoy your food that way. By eating slowly, not only that you get to enjoy your food but you will feel more satisfied in the end.

One reason which makes people eat junk food is the lack of food ingredients which can be quickly turned into meals in their house. When you are terribly hungry, it’s easier to hop down to the nearest Burger King or to order it through delivery service rather than rummaging your lonely pantry for ingredients to cook.

In the morning it’s easier to grab Subway Sandwich on the way rather than preparing a tasteless sandwich from leftover ingredient in your pantry. There’s a saying that goes “one of the healthiest foods that you can eat is the one that you prepare yourself.” The only way to put this saying into reality is by having a well stocked pantry. Here are top 15 ingredients which you should have in your pantry and can be turned EASILY into a quick healthy meal.

1. Tomato
This juicy fruit can be quickly turned into almost anything. Add cantaloupe, bread and olive oil then put it into a blender, voila, instant gazpacho. You can easily chop the tomato to make salad in a minute. Not to mention that tomato juice is also delicious and refreshing. Have a stash of this red fruit handy in your kitchen.

2. Milk
You can also add low fat milk to your juice to make a delicious drink as well. There’s no quicker meal in the morning other than cereal. Just pour the milk and you get your healthy quick breakfast.

3. Carrots
Carrot is another ‘one size fits all’ ingredient. You can literally just shred it to give your salad more vitamins or juice it along with apple. It’s enriched with vitamin A and can last for a long time in your shelf. It never hurt to have a stock ready.

4. Banana
This magic fruit is always welcomed at my pantry anytime. Having a bunch handy isn’t going to hurt at all. When I am hungry I can literally just eat one or two bananas. It’s also sweet and laden with tons of benefit. Alldeaf has compiled a long benefit of banana in this post. Banana can also be easily incorporated into a milkshake, sandwich, cereal or even yogurt. The problem with banana is it can quickly become overripe so buy it accordingly.
5. Yogurt
Yogurt can be used as a low fat salad dressing. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite meal (I use it for my sandwich). Yogurt isn’t going to make you fat, in fact it’s healthy and it’s refreshing.

6. Olive Oil
Olive oil is considered as healthy oil due to the fact that its high unsaturated fat as opposed to traditional cooking oil. Personally I often use olive oil as salad dressing or as an addition to my sandwich.

7. Lemon
It has many uses; you can add it to your afternoon tea. You can squeeze it to get fresh refreshing lime juice, you can also use it for many quick salad and sandwich dishes.

8. Mustard
Compared to mayonnaise, mustard is lower in fat. A cup of mustard gives around 165 calories (source) while a cup of mayonnaise gives around 917 calories (source). It is kinder to your waist than mayonnaise and you can use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches to knock the fat out.

9. Cheese
Cottage cheese should be your choice but if it’s hard to find then normal cheese will do. Cheese can brighten our dull low calorie meal considerably, provided that you don’t eat too much of it.

10. Whole wheat bread
Needless to say that bread is a must have for every household. You can’t make sandwich without bread and even salad will taste better if you add a couple of baked bread inside. Hint: choose the whole wheat one.

11. Canned tuna
Although I am not a fan of food which is laden with preservatives such as canned food, I have to say that canned tuna is the best emergency food for me. It’s a source of high quality protein along with omega 3 essential fatty acid (aka the good fat). You can make a delicious tuna sandwich, tuna pita bread or just drop it to a salad bowl for a quick and delicious fish salad.

12. Whole Wheat Pasta
God sent. Instant spaghetti is always a lifesaver.

13. Nuts
Most nuts are laden with B vitamins which act as fatigue combatants and are essential for hormone growth. Healthierlife has a great post explaining the numerous benefits of nuts. Personally my favorite is almond. I can chop it and put it on top of my yogurt. Of course almond can’t go wrong in my salad either. Don’t consume the one which is already salted though.

14. Cereal
As long as you don’t eat the batty one you’re safe. Cereal act as quick breakfast in the morning (pour the milk and eat it). You can also have the cereal as a snack as opposed to chips. Be wary of colorful cereal or honey flavored one. Colorful cereal is often laden with sugar and food coloring while the honey flavored one may not be composed of 100% honey.

15. Potato
This carbohydrate powerhouse is easier to prepare than rice. Just boil some and eat it with your salad. Or you can roast the potatoes and top it with cheese and tuna. It’s easy to incorporate potato into many dishes and definitely you should have a stock available in your kitchen.