Superfoods?

There has been a lot of discussion about so called superfoods. And there seems to be some truth to the claims that some foods help the body to recover or to even change your physique. For example; there have been studies that showed that people from a test group who included nuts in their diet (think almonds, UNSALTED pistachios, cashews, peanuts, walnuts...) lost more body fat than a test group eating the exact same amount of calories only they didn't include nuts.

But how does this work? Well, they help you burn more calories from fat, decrease chronic infalmmation and increase your cells' sensitivity to insulin, or they improve your body's internal detoxification system so waste products and toxins slowing your metabolism will be eliminated more easily. Also, some foods increase your body's resting metabolic rate and support tissue renewal and repair and they help the body respond faster and better to food.

There are lots of superfoods and supplements but here's a nice list of ten superfoods for fat loss and body composition that also explains a little better how these work:

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/942/Top_Ten_Foods_for_Fat_Loss_Body_Composition.aspx

Running

I never thought, I'd be one of those people, but I am. :)

Yoga - Relief for Tensed Shoulders

I was suffering from some severe neck and shoulder pain these last few days and so I tried yoga to relief the stress and the pain. It really helped. I never thought that yoga could actually help me clear my mind, but it helped with that, too.

Try it, if you want to, Tara knows what she does.

OZ - The Great And Powerful

A friend and I went to see Oz the Great and Powerful. It was a great movie, not only did the make-up department do their best (my friend is an aspiring make-up artist, so she knows about these things), but also did the actors know what they were doing and the story was - basic but - good. It was one of these growth stories I relate to far too easy.

Oh. And it didn't hurt that James Franco played the title part *coughs* I'd so marry his brains. Doesn't hurt that he's good looking, either :P
And I love Mila Kunis, so there were enough reasons to go see the film. And it was totally worth the 13e we had to pay. The visual effects were fantastic and everything was so colourful and magic, it was the perfect movie for an escapist such as myself. So, go see it, if you can.
btw, I loved China Girl. She shows that strength comes in all shapes and sizes.

The Joys Of Muay Thai (or martial arts in general)

that is thaiboxing. and poledancing. Three weeks without these two and I really managed to forget - or rather suppress the memory of - how easy you get bruises. Well, back into the game, after my first poledancing and second Muay Thai class since my break, I do remember oh too well. Why can't I love sports that are less bruisy? :D
and this is just my side. My legs and arms look even better.

Motivation

Motivation can be a tricky thing. Especially if you have to fight your own demons, may they be tests, heart break, family drama or something else entirely (I've worked out through all of the above and felt better for doing so). Actually, you just have to get your butt up and to the gym. You know what to do. Go through the motions. At some point the tension fades and you can enjoy not only your workout, but life, too, again.