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A Top 10 Workouts Exclusive

Top 10 Workouts has met it’s match. Karl Campbell is the real deal with the athletic force to challenge all fitness gurus alike. You may have seen Karl on the big screen and wondered how you could replicate his stellar physique.

Karl Campbell, 6 foot 2, brown eyes and 230 pounds provides a unique blend of success, drive and determination. Watching Karl on the big screen while munching on low calorie popcorn and sipping on a sugar free beverage results in an appreciation of all that he brings to his craft.

Karl has mastered the right blend of “ingredients”. Hit the kitchen and try his secret recipe of success today!

Recipe For Success with Karl Campbell    

 (Low Calorie, Low Fat and High Protein)

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By: Darya Katanova

Everyone stresses for different reasons. And even if we think that stress comes and goes, the effects of long term stress can be quite fatal. Here are some things that you can do to help your life be stress free!

1. Sleep. Yes, your job is important, so is school, so are your kids, your husband, your dog, cat, your friends, whatever! We can probably find a million different reasons to stress out on a daily basis. You have to finish a report, an assignment or anything else really important that comes up. But ask yourself one questions: am I really going to be as productive when I am so stressed out? I hope your answer is no. Give yourself time to rest, sleep at least and we do mean at least 6 hours.  When you sleep you allow your body to relax, to unwind. When you are well rested you can take on any task thrown your way, your productivity will increase, you will be happier, and as a result you will be able to have a better experience dealing with life’s situations.

2. Workout. No, we don’t mean stress about a diet plan. Don’t work out in the hopes of losing weight, or changing your body shape because that will only stress you out more if you don’t reach the desired results as quickly as you’d like. Exercise in order to lead a healthy life style, exercise for you be it at home or at the gym. Remember that with 30 minutes of exercise you will be able to see results in your stress levels. But make it fun for yourself, pick an activity you love.

3. Put Yourself Out There. Take up a yoga class, or a fun dance class, or an energizing zumba class. The idea is for you to interact with people and make friends.  Sitting at home and moping won’t do you any good. Activities that generally increase your heart  rate are pretty good to consider, because these activities will also increase the chemical serotonin which may help prevent depression and anxiety, problems that can stem from stress. But science aside, interacting with other people in a positive space makes you a happier person, it fills you with positive energy that will help you fight stress.

4. Meditation. To reduce stress try meditating. This activity will relax you, and help your mind clear. To find out how to meditate check out our post called Meditate to Reduce Stress.

5. Say No and Let Go. Your asked to complete an extra-extra task at work? Your friend wants your help on an assignment? Learn to say no sometimes. We aren’t saying being mean. Explain your situation, let people know that you have a lot on your plate and that you are going through a very stressful time. When you feel like you can hardly juggle your ordinary, everyday activities than probably taking on another task is not a good idea. Learn to understand your body and mind, when you feel like you can’t hold it together don’t push yourself. Learning to let go is also a good way to prevent stress. Don’t worry about that laundry, you can finish tomorrow. Don’t keep holding onto an argument that has died down that will only put you in a stressful space. Take a few deep breaths, and simply let it go.

You can cure stress. Don’t push yourself to completely avoid stressful situations though, some kinds of stress can be good. For example a good challenge that exercises your brain. Life is never stress free, but you have to learn how to remedy those stressful situation. So go ahead, take that yoga class!

Remember, before starting or adding any new activity to your daily routine consult a doctor or a health care professional.

Sources:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/heart-stress/index.html#axzz1n4Oy6sWn

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/manage-stress?page=3

image – google.com

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A Top 10 Workouts Exclusive

“Latin Beat for Tiny Feet!”

Have your running shoes collected dust? Are you worried that you have two left feet? “Salsa Babies®” offers a spicy twist to postnatal fitness. From mild to medium or even hot, there is no doubt that Salsa Babies® delivers a fantastic way to spice up a fitness routine for “Mamacitas” all over the world. In no time at all, “Salsa Babies®” will have you feeling the Latin groove with your special partner – your baby!

Image c/o salsababies.com

Jennifer Torres developed Salsa Babies® after the birth of her first baby in 2002. Looking for ways to devote time to her newborn and get back to her pre-pregnancy shape, Jennifer was reminded of her passion for Latin dance. “It was hard getting to the gym”, says Torres. “My daughter did not want to be left alone or be put down in her crib. I would put her in the carrier and dance with her.”

Jennifer Torres – Creator and Founder of Salsa Babies®

Jennifer combined her business savvy ideas and love for the Latin beat to create Salsa Babies®. Developed with the intention of helping other mothers, Salsa Babies® has been embraced by mamacitas who are eager to get their groove back, one cha cha at a time. “Anybody can do it – that’s my goal. Especially with women who have just had a baby; everyone has a different experience,” Torres adds. “I really wanted it to be something everyone could experience and we could adapt to all levels.” Salsa Babies® has also welcomed Maria Dorado as partner and co-owner of the organization. Maria began as a participant and was certified as a Salsa Babies® instructor.

Salsa Babies® offers five different classes. There are prenatal classes called “Salsa Bellies®”, as well as a “Salsa Babies®” program for moms and their infants. Jennifer has also developed “Belly Dancin’ Babies®,” “Salsa Tots®” for young kids and even a school aged program for older children called “Salsa Kids®.” Participating in any class will have everyone grooving to a Latin beat in no time. Jennifer stresses that the theme of  each of the classes is to move and have fun while dancing.The programs are developed around a Latin-tropical vibe (think back to your last beach vacay) that promote a low-impact cardio workout from warmup to cool down.

Image c/o Salsababies.com

The Latin beat and salsa heat are “mamboing” to a  location near you. Salsa Babies is expanding and sharing Latin soul and the joy of motherhood with mamacitas worldwide. With classes in the US, China, United Kingdom, Europe, Indonesia, Australia, and in Canada, the home base for Salsa Babies®, mommy’s and their bundles of joy are transforming their bodies and spirit like never before.

Why not have your child become a true “Salsa Baby” with some salsa-swag? Salsa Babies® offer a line of cute merchandise, including, “Salsa Baby on Board” car decals, adorable clothing selections and even Salsa Babies® music. (There is even a Salsa Babies® DVD which allows a mom to have a private class in the comfort of her own home).

Want to check out the steps and see why Mamacitas everywhere are enjoying this fitness fiesta? Check it out on Top 10 Workouts.

Jennifer Torres may prefer medium salsa but her Salsa Babies® classes are nothing but caliente!

Keep Fit,

Top 10 Workouts Blog

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prettytough.com

AMAZING! The new virtual reality spinning bikes are the best cardio workout I’ve had in awhile.  The bike is similar to your typical cycling bike but the twist is that there is a screen in front of you! Start with level 1 and work your way up through the levels (similar to a video game). You have to pedal fast, go up hills and turn your body to go around corners. You can’t stop unless you want to have lackluster results and get “lapped” by your opponents. Similar to the good old Mario Kart days, this new form of cardio is great for gamers, anyone with a competitive streak and for anyone who needs to step up their game!

Tips:

1. Remember to breathe. I was so excited that my breathing took a back seat and I began to feel sick (out of breath)
2. Try it for the first time when you are alone in the gym (ha ha). It takes a few runs to get used to how the bike works and I was laughing out loud at my first attempt and would have been embarrassed if others were witnessing my epic fail.
3. Start with level 1. Some programs let you bypass the lower levels. If you think your “too cool” for level 1 , use it as a warm up.
4. Drink water. Even though the program don’t give water breaks, grab some between levels or when you need it!
5. Avoid sound effects. Although you may feel like Lance Armstrong – be respectful of your fellow gym goers

Image c/o:

http://prettytough.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/s2bike.jpg

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By: Darya Katanova

Need a new year’s resolutions? Or even a way to keep the pounds off this holiday season. Get some sleep! Here’s a quick tip on why sleeping well this holiday season should be on your wish-list!

What good are the holidays if you don’t go to any parties, or don’t have any family dinners, or  don’t spend all night wrapping presents. Right? We all support that! But, sometimes you need to stop yourself and ask the following question: How are the holidays affecting my sleep?

Here are a few common ways that holidays play a part in our sleeping patterns:

• Parties! When you think of the holidays you probably think of various parties. Going out with friends, drinking, eating lots of sugary things, and staying up late.
• Family Dinners! They usually go late, you probably leave the house sugar-and-turkey-happy.
• Stress! Sometimes the holidays can be stressful. Lots of gifts to buy for friends and family members. Lots of gifts to wrap, and when it comes to ordering things online planning out the right date so the gift would arrive in time for you to check it, wrap it, and then finally give it.

Don’t know how to tie the two together? Let us help!

• Parties! When it comes to parties, the answer here is simple. You know better than us that staying up late is bad for your sleeping patterns. But what about that alcohol that you drink? What does that do? When you drink alcohol, sure you get that drowsy feeling at the beginning, and you might actually fall asleep. But when the affects of alcohol start wearing off your sleep actually becomes lighter and more interrupted.
  Solution! Try to minimize the amount you drink, and try to drink alcohol a good four hours before going to bed. And try not to overwhelm yourself with parties this holiday season, remember that partying is fun but not when it toys around with your health.
• Family Dinners!Wait, how do these affect your sleeping patterns? They don’t so much affect your sleeping patterns as they provoke binge eating because of unhealthy sleeping patterns. Because the holidays are filled with festive get-togethers we often forget that we need to sleep. So when we arrive at our family get-together sometimes we have the tendency to overeat. Why? Here are two reason. 1. When staying up late with the family we tend to grab that extra slice of cake or turkey to munch on while watching a great holiday movie. Guess what guys and gals, that doesn’t take the pounds off. 2. When you don`t sleep enough, you are obviously tired. The result of fatigue can sometimes lead to overeating, you simply feel hungry, or even less full after a meal so you go and grab more. When you`re tired your body wants to feel more energised, and the best way to do that, is to eat more.
  Solution! Try to control your appetite by getting those eight to ten hours of sleep. Trust us it will pay off in more ways than one.  You will be happier, more energetic and ready to face the holidays head on.
• Stress! Stress is tricky, we often don`t even realise that we are stressed. Because of stress we might be losing sleep. When your stressed your body can release adrenaline the hormone that keeps us feeling jittery, this is what can cause those late nights starring at the ceiling and counting sheep. Sleeping while overcome by worries is hard.
  Solution! If you think you might be stressed, try figuring out the reason and think positively. If you feel your stress is getting out of hand, seek professional help.

Remember, there is a reason for getting your beauty sleep. Stay happy and healthy and take care of your body no matter what time of the year it is!

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-weight-gain-shockers

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/having-trouble-sleeping