For natural bodybuilding, the mirror in the weight room tells the truth...and he won't let you forget it! If you don't like what you see in the mirror, it isn't the mirror's fault. A friend will make you aware of your faults but put up with you anyway. A mirror will make you aware of the flaws in your physique, and you should pay attention to him, because he is not swayed by public opinion. He just reflects things the way they are.
The first thing the mirror can help you change is your attitude. Look at your face! If it is not smiling, take a deep breath. Practice lip curls on each corner of the mouth. Simultaneously and bilaterally, with the help of the cheek muscles lift your lip corners upward, imagining that you are trying to touch the right lip corner to the outside corner of the right eye and the left lip corner to the outside corner of the left eye. The muscle around the lips that helps you say "Oh!" is called the orbicularis orbis. Once you have learned the proper technique for performing lip attitude adjustments, you can say, "Oh! That was easy!" and then you can smile, stand back from the mirror, and look at the remarkable change your workout has accomplished in your appearance. Learning this technique is much more difficult for some guys than others, but in this case, attitude is 99% and effort only 1%.
Other adjustments are not quite so easy. Position yourself where you can see the full length of your body--first from a frontal position, and then from the side. Get a general mental picture of your overall appearance. If the first thing you see is fat, then you need to work on weight reduction. Lots of people pay big bucks to hear a doctor say they need to diet and exercise (I know this is true, because I type patients' office visit notes for doctors, and this happens regularly)! If you look skinny, then look for articles by reputable writers on smart weight gain plans. Visit your mirror friend regularly for a truthful update on your natural bodybuilding progress.
What does a natural bodybuilding judge do when the remaining two guys in a posedown are standing there side by side, one with a better build from the waist up and the other with a better physique from the waist down? How does he decide? The mirror will tell you what should be the location of your focus of effort. The mirror is a good pal when it comes to performing tricep pushdowns. Stand with your left side facing the mirror, and turn your face to the left. Use the mirror to ensure that each time you perform a repetition that you are using correct form and holding your elbows still. Repeat the process for the right side.
The same is true with incline presses. Use the mirror to make certain your body is symmetrically aligned with the bench and the weights. Symmetry is achieved when corresponding muscles on each side of the body are exercised equally. The mirror lets you know if one side of your body is doing more work. It will also tell you if you are cheating. I cannot pay the mirror to show what he can't see. What I see in the mirror most surely looks like me. When you are true to yourself and the mirror, you will get better results with natural bodybuilding.
Copyright 2008, Masszymes Inc. All rights reserved.
One such discovery is that of soy foods.
Soy foods are generally healthy for both men and women to eat. In fact, women have been encouraged in the past to increase their soy food intake since they contain phytoestrogens, a plant form of estrogen that affects the body similarly to the estrogen that is produced naturally in the body.
Increasing soy foods intake, and therefore increasing phytoestrogen intake, can be very beneficial in combating the symptoms of menopause. For women who are trying to conceive, however, soy foods are not such a good idea.
Many recent studies have shown that the phytoestrogens found in soy foods can cause excess estrogen, which in turn produces a hormonal imbalance. Any hormonal imbalance can potentially interfere with ovulation and egg production.
For women who are lucky enough to be extremely fertile, the imbalance caused by eating soy foods will probably not be great enough to make conceiving a difficulty. However, for women who have been struggling to get pregnant for some time, the soy foods in their diets can be extremely damaging to their fertility levels.
Despite being good for women's general health, soy foods should be cut back or stopped altogether while trying to conceive. To maximize fertility, it is advisable to cut out all soy foods from the diet three or four months prior to trying for a baby.
For women who decide to cut out soy foods from their diet, care should be taken not to mistakenly consume food that contains soy. Soy comes in many forms, and it is often hidden in products where it may not be suspected. Flour, milk, lecithin, oils, and tempeh can all contain soy, for example. Make it a habit to read the ingredients label on foods you buy to ensure no soy is contained, as even trace amounts of soy can lead to diminished fertility levels.
Textured vegetable protein is also soy-based and is frequently found in fast foods. These should be avoided while you try to conceive, along with tofu, which is found in many imitation meat products.
The elimination of soy foods from your diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to boost your fertility levels in the short term.
Both Kevin Dillon & Kris Turner are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kevin Dillon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Bodybuilding Supplements. Kevin Dillon is a serious bodybuilder who has built muscle fast using the natural bodybuilding training system, Freaky Big Naturally. Get a FR-EE shocking Insider Report on. Kevin Dillon's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.
Kris Turner has sinced written about articles on various topics from Bodybuilding Supplements, Health. Kris Turner is the author of The Fertility Plan, an in-depth guide on beating infertility. Kris is also creator of "7 Steps To Pregnancy," a free course that teaches how to boost fertility overnight. To access "7 Steps To Pregnancy" right now visit:. Kris Turner's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.