Crunches v. Planks: What's The Best For Your Abs?

“R.I.P. Crunches, you have been a very good friend but it is time to let you go once and for all!”
this is more or less the message that Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove convey in the recently published book “The New Rules of Lifting for Abs” (Avery, 2010). A very interesting one if you’re looking for an entertaining reading.
Schuler, an award-winning fitness journalist and one of the authors of the book, confessed that he hasn’t done a single crunch in at least ten years "The idea of doing crunches and sit-ups is to make the abdominal muscles bigger," he told.
"But we all have muscles there. My son had a six-pack for most of his childhood, without doing a single sit-up. He was just a skinny, active kid."
We all know that diet is far more important than exercise if you want a six (or even eight) pack. Most guys also probably don't realize that the most effective moves for chiseling the belly aren't crunches or sit-ups (which can actually do more harm than good). In fact, the best exercise to target your gut does the exact opposite of a crunch, and that is a plank!

The Christmas Survival Guide (For Your Health)

It’s almost Christmas and according to some popular tunes: “It’s the best time of the year!” No one doubts about this however from our standpoint there’s one thing you should be careful with and that is your health! (No surprise since that’s what we’re passionate about here @TheIronYou).
The fact is that besides presents, what Christmas really comes down to is EATING and DRINKING and let’s face it: too much of it!
Christmas parties, Christmas dinners and Christmas lunches all filled with delicious (high-caloric) food and flowing with drinks. But after of all this bonanza what are you left with? Let me tell you: with few extra pounds on your belly, waist and tights (depending on where you store it!)
According to some recent studies The average person gains 5lb (2kg) over Christmas. Some of this extra weight - 1 lb to 4 lb - will be water and glycogen (stored carbohydrate); the remainder will be fat.
So here are our two cents on how to make it through Christmas without becoming a big tub of lard!

Spice Up Your Life #6: The Value Of Oregano

Do you use oregano? I bet that at the most you sprinkle it on your pizza or maybe you add it to your pasta sauce, but that’s about it, right?
Well, after you finish reading this post and discover all the health benefits of this herb I’m sure you’ll find new ways to enjoy it!

Spice Up Your Life #5: Garlic Amazing Properties

We all know garlic very well as it’s widely used in almost all cuisines around the world. And I bet you’re also aware that garlic is good for you: but do you know to what extent is it good for you?
I initially thought I knew it all but the more I dig into it, the more I found out...

Spice Up Your Life #3: The Magic Of Chili Pepper

Third chapter of the “Spice Up Your Life” saga: it’s chili peppers’ turn.
Chili pepper is a very common spice that find its way into almost all households around the globe. It’s responsible for putting on fire your tongue and maybe even make you shed a tear when you add it to your favorite dishes.
However, if you’re brave enough to use it you will get a lot of health benefits from it.

Spice Up Your Life #2: The Benefits Of Cinnamon

Second episode of the “Spice Up Your Life” series: today we’re going to talk about cinnamon and all the health benefits that it brings along.

First of all: do you know what is cinnamon? I used to ignored it an just found out that it’s a small tree that grows in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Egypt and Vietnam.
I also discovered that cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known to humans. To prepare it, the bark of the tree is dried and then rolled into the very well-known cinnamon sticks (also called quills).
Cinnamon can also be dried and ground into powder which is the most common use in American households.

The flavor and aroma comes from a compound in the essential oil of the tree bark called cinnamonaldehyde.

Spice Up Your Life!

Do you know that herbs and spices have more disease-fighting antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables? This means that they may help protect against certain chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Most of the evidence exists for cinnamon, chili peppers, turmeric, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary.
For instance anti-inflammatory compounds contained in cinnamon have been linked to lower inflammation, as well as reductions in blood glucose concentrations in people with diabetes. We are going to explore some of the most used herbs and spices in the next days for now let's just get a general idea on them.

The Water Trick (aka Are You Hungry Or Just Thirsty?)

Especially for those of you out there trying to lose weight, this trick can prove to be really helpful.
It is known that most people mistake low-level thirst for low-level hunger.
Try this: when you’re feeling hungry (and it’s not breakfast, lunch or dinner time), drink a glass of water and only if you’re still hungry after 20 minutes later then maybe it’s time to think about eating. Truth is, half the time you were just thirsty.

Calorie Restriction: Our Future?

Already in several posts we have mentioned the concept of calorie restriction but we never went into much detail about it.
In fact, even if I had a general idea, there were still some technicalities about it that I ignored. I mean, when you’re talking about restricting calories, to what extent should you limit your food intake on a daily basis?
We know that you should be careful with what you shovel down your throat and that overeating is never good but what worried me is that there is always a fine line between being healthy and unhealthy: you want to restrict but not missing on necessary and precious nutrients.   
With that idea in mind I did some research and found quite a bit of literature on the topic.

Mustard May Help You Build Lean Muscles

If you’re trying to going from fat to fit, or from fit to even better fit you might want consider adding mustard to your diet. A recent research from the Human Health Institute, FBNS at North Carolina University in Kannapolis, N.C. has found that a compound called homobrassinolide (found in plants like mustard) helps proteins synthesis in muscles cells and this leads to increases in lean body mass, muscle mass and physical performance.

Mustard seeds