Poor heart health can have a significant impact on numerous aspects of your health, so keeping this vital organ in good shape is key to maintaining your overall health and wellbeing.

Heart Health

According to NHS, coronary disease is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the UK. Research has yet to determine exactly why heart disease affects some people and not others, but there are certain risk factors that make you more likely to be prone to these issues. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle are a few of the risk factors that just about every doctor agrees puts you at risk for developing coronary disease.

The good news is that there are a few simple lifestyle changes you can make that will significantly decrease your risk of heart disease. Having a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight are the top recommendations for keeping your heart healthy throughout your life.

According to one study, office workers, who have a generally sedentary lifestyle, were divided into two groups: one that engaged in regular, vigorous exercise and one that did not. The research indicated that the group that exercised regularly were half as likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease that the group that did not.

If you already suffer from heart issues like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or a history of heart attacks, making changes to your lifestyle can still have a significant impact on your future health. Studies show that performing a regular exercise regimen can significantly decrease symptoms and future issues in patients who have been diagnosed with a coronary disease.

Having good heart health will do more than keep you living longer. The condition of your heart actually plays a major role in how well your brain functions. Many people experience cognitive declines as the age. However, science suggests that taking steps to improve your heart health can make a huge difference in your mental health throughout your life, keeping your mind sharp and your brain happy.

Exercise for Your Heart

Adding exercise to your daily routine has a lot of benefits, but many people fear that they just don’t have the time. Luckily, making a significant improvement in your cardiovascular health doesn’t require hours of vigorous exercise; according to the Harvard Medical Review, as little as 15 minutes of exercise each day can be enough to reduce your risk of coronary disease.

If you do a little research, you’ll quickly realise that there are tons of different workouts out there that claim to tone certain muscles or burn fat in a particular part of the body. Attempting to wade through all of this information can be overwhelming, and may make you feel like putting together an exercise routine will be too difficult.

However, exercise doesn’t have to be complicated. According to John Hopkins Medicine, there are three types of exercises that you should focus on to improve your heart health: aerobic exercise, resistance training, and stretching.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, is the type of exercise that increases your heart and breathing rate. Cardio can improve circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate, and decrease your likelihood of developing type two diabetes. Ideally, you should perform some type of aerobic exercise five times each week.

There are many types of aerobic exercise, including

• brisk walking,
• running,
• swimming,
• biking,
• jumping rope, and
• playing sports.

You can also try more non-traditional types of cardio exercise, like jumping on a trampoline or climbing stairs.

According to most experts, there isn’t one type of aerobic exercise that stands out above the rest. The important thing is to get yourself moving and get your heart rate up. As long as you’re increasing your overall level of movement throughout the day, you’ll make a significant difference in your heart health.

Resistance Training

Resistance training, or strength/weight training, is all about building muscle. Strength training can significantly lower body fat, create lean muscle mass, and improve cholesterol; each of these factors is key to improving heart health.

In addition, regular weight training can help speed up your metabolism, making it easier for your body to burn fat quickly and easily, as well as strengthen your bones, decrease your risk of injury, and make it easier for you to perform daily tasks.

Resistance training works best when performed at least twice per week on nonconsecutive days. There are a variety of ways that you can add weight training into your workout.

At the gym, you can use a variety of resistance training machines for each part of your body, or free weights to give your workout more flexibility. At home, you can use simpler options like resistance bands to work your muscles. In addition, there are a variety of strength training exercises that require no equipment at all, such as

• pushups,
• squats,
• lunges,
• tricep dips, and
• crunches.

Stretching

In addition to getting your heart pumping and your muscles working, your heart can also benefit from adding some stretching to your workout regimen. These workouts improve your balance, flexibility, and musculoskeletal health.

While these factors don’t contribute directly to your heart health, they are essential to ensuring that your muscles and bones are strong, allowing you to perform aerobic and resistance exercises without pain or stiffness.

Stretching should be done throughout your workout to keep your muscles limber and loose. You shouldn’t stretch too much before your muscles are warmed up, as this could lead to injury.

There are numerous stretching exercises that you can perform easily on your own at home or the gym, such as

• forward bends,
• seated toe touches,
• standing side stretches, and
• seated back twists

In addition, activities such as Yoga, Pilates, and Thai Chi include balance and flexibility exercises that can be adapted for beginners and more experienced practitioners.

The post Exercise for Your Heart appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

One of the most common excuses that people use for why they fail to exercise regularly is lack of time. Most of us have jobs, families, and other obligations that quickly eat up the available hours that we have each day.

Trying to squeeze in a workout in between out other important activities can seem impossible at times. Luckily, new research seems to indicate that small bouts of exercise can be equally as, if not more, effective as longer workouts.

What is Exercise “Snacking”?

Unfortunately for those of us who love to eat, exercise snacking doesn’t involve adding treats to your exercise regimen.

The idea behind this new fitness craze is that instead of setting aside 30 – 60 minutes every day to exercise, you instead fit your bouts of exercise into your day in “bite-size” pieces.

In other words, exercise snacking, also known as “sprint endurance training” (SIT), asks you to occasionally take a short break from your daily activities to perform a bit of physical activity.

One of the most popular exercise snacks involves staircases. If you work in an office building, chances are that you have a few staircases that you usually avoid by heading to the elevator

You can use these staircases to get a short bout of exercise. A few times each day, stand up from your desk and head to the staircase. Walk or jog up the stairs at a brisk pace, and then return to your desk. It’s as simple as that.

One group of researchers asked a sample of adults working sedentary jobs to do this three times each day, three days per week, for six weeks. The research concluded that the exercise improved participants’ oxygen intake, suggesting that exercise snacking has the potential to significantly improve their cardiovascular function.

Does Exercise Snacking Really Work?

The initial research on exercise snacking is promising to say the least.

Another study, similar to the one described in the previous paragraph, asked a group of sedentary women to regularly climb stairs instead of using a more traditional endurance-based exercise program. The results mirrored those of the other study, demonstrating that these small bouts of exercise can make a major difference in cardiovascular health.

This is an important finding, as cardiovascular issues have been proven in numerous studies to be one of the most devastating killers in the world. In fact, one study indicated that poor cardiovascular health is the top indicator for just about every form of non-accidental mortality. This is of particular concern for individuals who are middle-aged or elderly, as physical activity and overall health tend to decline with age.

According to statistics, only about 40% of adults in these demographics currently meet the current standard guidelines for aerobic fitness. For these individuals, performing short bouts of exercise throughout the day can potentially make a big difference.

However, SIT isn’t just about cardiovascular health. There are other important benefits that should not be overlooked. For example, individuals with insulin resistance who practiced some form of exercise snacking before eating their meals were found to have more stable blood sugar throughout the course of the day.

Another study, published by the Journal of Aging, examined the effect of SIT on older individuals. In particular, the study sought to determine whether exercise snacking could make a difference in muscle strength and composition among older populations. Researchers found that after engaging in a SIT program for 28 days, the individuals in the study did see an improvement in health scores relating to muscle strength, particularly in their lower bodies.

Even if you are already in pretty good shape, SIT can be beneficial to your overall fitness. According to research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, runners who performed short sprints throughout the day with several hours of recovery in between saw improvements in the cardiovascular fitness and even their running times.

How to Perform Exercise Snacks

According to the proponents of SIT, the key to creating an effective program of exercise snacking is performing physical activity that is significantly more vigorous than your typical activity level.

This means that if you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, taking a brisk walk up the stairs can be enough to see the benefits. However, if you are less sedentary throughout the day, your exercise snacks will need to reach a higher level of intensity to be effective.

Much of the research performed on SIT focuses on walking, jogging, or running up staircases as an easy method for exercise snacking. Stairs are an excellent tool for this type of exercise; most of us have easily accessible staircases and climbing them is one of the best ways to increases your heart rate, especially if you do so vigorously. However, stair climbing isn’t the only way to get your bite-sized bouts of activity.

Do Jumping Jacks in Your Office

If you have a private space where you can spend a few minutes during the workday, stand up 3-4 times each day and perform a simple exercise to get your heart rate up. Jumping jacks, high knees, and squat-jumps are all great options. Try mixing them up throughout each day to work different muscles and decrease boredom.

Turn Chores into a Workout

Household chores are one of the many things that eat up our schedules and get in the way of our exercise routines.

Try using those monotonous chores to your advantage by turning them into exercise opportunities. You can:

• do lunges while vacuuming
• do standing pushups against a kitchen counter while cooking
• do squats while talking on the phone

These are only a few examples. When you’re on the lookout for opportunities, just about every chore can be turned into an exercise routine.

Park a Little Further Away

Most of us are used to circling the parking lot to find the space that is the closest to the door. However, you can turn this frustration into a SIT workout simply by parking your car in a space toward the back of the lot.

If you’re normally pretty sedentary, this little bit of walking can actually have a significant impact. If you’re just getting started in your fitness journey, try finding reasons several times each day to stand up and walk for a minute or two. This little bit of movement is all it takes to get you on the right path.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a burden. Some people believe that if they don’t have time for a full workout, there’s no point in exercising at all. However, the research surrounding exercise snacking indicates that a little can go a long way.

The post The Benefits of Exercise “Snacking” and How to Do It appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

Just as a poor diet can have a negative impact on your heart health, your brain functions can suffer if you aren’t feeding it quality foods. The problems that can crop up in your brain as the result of a poor diet can have wide-reaching impacts on your body.

Metabolism

For example, while most people associate insulin production with the pancreas, the brain also plays an important role in producing and using this vital chemical. The brain contains important receptors that allow the body to use insulin. Diets high in processed sugar have a negative impact on insulin production. In addition to the wide-reaching problems this can cause, such as diabetes, having an inadequate supply of insulin in the brain can actually impact the body’s metabolism.

To avoid these sorts of problems and maintain a healthy brain, you should try to limit the amount of refined, processed carbohydrates in your diet. Instead, stick with whole grains and natural sources of sweetness, such as fruit.

Inflammation

We hear a lot of talk these days about the important of antioxidants. While antioxidants have a variety of important roles to play in the body, one of the most important is the reduction of inflammation.

The body’s organs can become inflamed easily when exposed to all of the toxins that we come into contact with on a regular basis. Including antioxidant-rich foods in your diet allows your body to get rid of these dangerous toxins. Too much inflammation in the brain causes oxidative stress. This stress in the brain greatly increases the odds of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, and strokes.

The best way to prevent oxidative stress in the brain is to give your brain the fuel that it needs to filter toxins from your body. Some antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, tomatoes, and eggplant.

Seizures

Another major problem that can occur in the brain is seizures. According to some research, a poor diet can actually lead to an increased likelihood of seizures by altering the physiology of the brain.

According to this research, participants who underwent the so-called “Western diet,” full of foods that are high in fat and usually undergo a lot of processing, had a smaller left hippocampus than those with more healthful diets. The hippocampus plays an important role in the limbic system, and a poorly functioning hippocampus can mean an increased risk of seizures.

Because the diet that was the focus of this study was one that is high in fat content, the best way to combat this issue is to cut down on the amount of fat in your diet. However, it is also important to pay attention to the type of fat. “Bad fats” are typically considered those that remain solid at room temperature (such as butter), whereas “good fats” are more liquid (such as coconut oil).

Ageing

Many people start to take a greater interest in their health as they get older; they hope to find ways to turn back the hands of time to continue looking and feeling young. While most people think about things like wrinkles and energy when they think of ageing, the brain is actually one of the most important organs to maintain as you age.

The right diet can help you age better

It isn’t unusual for older people to experience cognitive decline. In fact, statistics suggest that worldwide, 44 million people are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. While the science of these conditions is complex, there are certain steps that you can take to decrease your risk of experiencing cognitive decline as you age. One thing you can do is make changes to your diet. Research indicates that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can have a significant impact on cognitive health as we age.

Mental Health

One important aspect of health that many people neglect is their mental health. We spend so much time focusing on our bodies that we can forget to take care of our minds. You may not think about your diet when you consider your mental health, but food actually plays a huge role in how we feel emotionally. In fact, the majority of the body’s serotonin, the chemical that is largely responsible for mood, is produced in the digestive system.

To investigate the link between mental health and diet, researchers have analyzed the prevalence of depression among people who ate more fruits and vegetables as opposed to those who consumed more fat. The study determined that among those following the healthier diet, there were fewer cases of depression.

Another study focused specifically on the “Mediterranean diet,” a diet that includes fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and its effect on depression in adults with type two diabetes. The research suggested that this diet had a beneficial effect on the risk of depression for this group.

Conclusion

It is important to remember that a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about your body; it is also about your brain. The foods that you put into your body have a major impact on the health of your brain. Keeping your brain healthy can have a huge impact on your overall health, especially your mental health. This is an important part of wellness that should never be ignored.

A good rule to remember is that foods that are good for your heart are also good for your brain. If your cardiovascular system in good shape, chances are that your brain is, too.

The post How Brain Food Can Transform Your Health appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

It seems as if every day, there’s a new trendy workout that all of the celebrity trainers are talking about. If you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or improve your overall health but aren’t sure how to go about it, you may be tempted to follow these popular fitness regimens.

Unfortunately, one size does not fit all when it comes to working out. A fitness plan that works wonders for your best friend might end up being disastrous for your workout goals.

How do you find an exercise plan that is going to work for your body? According to many personal trainers, it all comes down to body type.

The 3 Body Types

Most fitness experts identify three body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

Ectomorph

Those with the ectomorph body type are typically the ones that everyone envies. No matter what they eat, they never seem to gain any weight. For those with this body type, their main fitness goal may be to gain weight by putting on extra muscle.

Here are some common characteristics of those with the ectomorph body type:

• narrow shoulders
• narrow hips
• thin wrists and ankles
• long limbs

Mesomorph

Body types that fall into the mesomorph category are typically considered “average.” Those with this body type are typically in a healthy weight range but can find themselves gaining weight as they get older. Fitness goals for this body type may include gaining muscle, losing weight, or improving overall health.

Here are some characteristics of the mesomorph body type:

• broad shoulders
• narrow waist
• somewhat thin wrists and ankles
• strong legs

Endomorph

The endomorph body type is the one that is most likely to struggle with fitness. This body type tends to be more bulky and muscular. However, those with this body type may find themselves gaining weight easily and struggling to lose it. Weight loss is the most common fitness goal for this body type.

Characteristics for the endomorph body type include:

• tick rib cage
• wide wrists and ankles
• hips that are as wide as shoulders
• short limbs

Not everyone will fall perfectly into one of these three body types. You may have characteristics that fit two or three of the types.

If that is the case, your workout will have to be pieced together depending on which body parts fall into which category. It is a more difficult road, but if you’re honest with yourself about your body type, you should be able to reach your fitness goals!

Workouts For Ectomorphs

Those with the ectomorph body type should focus primarily on strength training to help them add muscle to their thin frames. A little bit of cardio can be good for cardiovascular health, but too much will get in the way of the goal to gain weight. Those with this body type should use cardio primarily to warm up or cool down when doing strength-training workouts.

One important tip for those with the ectomorph body type is to use heavy weights. This is the best way to gain muscle quickly and efficiently. You should also make sure to get plenty of rest between sets.

Heavy weight training can help ectomorphs

To avoid burning too many calories during a strength workout, you should only focus on one or two body parts during each training day. Ideally, you should do 5-10 reps and 6-8 sets for each exercise that is part of your workout regimen.

Tip: Here’s our recommended ectomorphs workout

Workouts for Mesomorphs

If you have the mesomorph body type, you may have a variety of fitness goals. You may be more focused on losing weight or gaining muscle, but it’s important to have a balanced workout to make sure that your overall health stays in peak condition.

Those with this body type should aim to do cardio 3 days per week for 15-30 minutes. This is the perfect amount to maintain your cardiovascular health and burn off excess fat. The ideal cardio workout would include a mixture of high-intensity intervals and low-intensity steady training.

For strength training, the key for the mesomorph body type is variety. Try a mixture of light, moderate, and heavytraining. A good plan is to do compound exercises (like squats, lunges, or deadlifts) with heavier weights and then using light/moderate weights for isolation exercises (like bicep curls and bench presses). For most exercises, aim for 8-12 reps.

Tip: Here’s our recommended mesomorphs workout

Workouts for Endomorphs

Those with the endomorph body type are typically looking to lose weight, so they tend to focus extensively on cardiovascular exercises. While cardio is important, it shouldn’t be the only part of your workout.

Cardio for this body type should be included at lease three times per week and should be vigorous enough to elevate your heart rate. Low-impact types of cardio (such as swimming or the elliptical) are great options.

Swimming laps is great exercise

For strength training, those with the endomorph body type should focus on compound exercises to maximize the calories burned. Ideally, you should be using light/moderate weights with a high number of reps. A good rule is 8-12 reps and 3-5 sets for upper body and 12-20 reps for lower body.

As you get closer to your goal weight, you can start to include more isolation exercises to tone and shape specific body parts.

Tip: Here’s our recommended endomorphs workout

Don’t Forget Nutrition

Whatever your body type, make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet that is mostly comprised of whole, unprocessed foods. We also recommend that you fast regularly as it offers a range of health benefits.

Even if you work hard in the gym using a workout plan that is tailored to your body type, your efforts could be derailed by an unhealthy diet.

The post Fitness for Every Body appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

1. Processed Meats

Generally, more processed foods are not as good for you as whole foods. This is especially true for meat products. Processed meats contain a lot of unhealthy chemicals and tons of salt. However, processed meats are also one of the worst offenders when it comes to premature ageing.

The chemicals that can be found in processed meats are most likely the reason that they are so bad for the skin. Many of the chemicals in these meats are linked to inflammation. When the skin is inflamed, it damages the collagen that keeps the skin firm and smooth. When the collagen is damaged, the skin will begin to develop fine lines and wrinkles.

If meat is an important part of your diet, stick to less processed options.

2. Soda and Coffee

It isn’t uncommon to need a little caffeine kickstart first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, caffeinated beverages like soda and coffee can wreak havoc on your skin.

Over time, putting a lot of coffee into your body negatively impacts the liver’s ability to purify your blood. This can result in dark patches and liver spots appearing on the skin as you age.

Soda is also a problem for your skin’s healthy ageing. Sodas are loaded with sugar; because sugar is not a particularly stable carbohydrate, drinking soda causes rapid fluctuations in your blood sugar. Your skin needs more balanced blood sugar to age gracefully.

If you’re feeling sluggish, try more natural energy boosters, such as hot tea.

3. Alcohol

You may consider alcohol an important part of a night out, but overindulging is bad for you in more ways than one. You’ve probably heard about the damage alcohol can cause your liver, but did you know that it can also speed up ageing?

One reason that alcohol is problematic is that it tends to dehydrate the body. Hydration is one of the most important aspects of maintaining healthy skin throughout your life, so dehydrating yourself with alcohol can cause premature wrinkles. In addition, alcohol is an inflammatory that will make the skin redder over time.

4. Dairy

Good news for vegans: the next item on this list won’t be a problem for you! However, for everyone else who enjoys pizza and ice cream, you may be disappointed. It turns out that one entire section of the food pyramid could actually be contributing to premature ageing.

There are a few reasons that dairy is a skin problem. First of all, dairy contains quite a bit of sugar, which inflames and damages the skin. In addition, most dairy products are made using milk from cows that have been treated with hormones that inflame the skin even more. Even if you’re trying to be healthy by sticking to skim milk, you may have a problem. Skim milk has a high amount of whey protein, which can cause plenty of its own skin problems.

The best bet is to switch to dairy alternatives, such as almond milk and coconut ice cream.

5. Margarine

A lot of “Eat This, Not That” lists will tell you that switching from butter to margarine is a good swap. While there are some benefits to using margarine over butter, margarine actually comes with its own problems. Specifically, it is bad for your skin.

In spite of its healthy reputation, margarine actually contains quite a lot of trans fats. Trans fats are highly susceptible to free radicals that damage the skin. They also oxidize poorly, meaning that they can cause the skin to become inflamed. All of these factors can make your skin age much more quickly.

6. White Sugar

Sugar is everywhere. If you take a look at a nutrition label, you would be surprised at all of the places that it hides. Unfortunately, most of it is highly processed white sugar, which is one of the worst foods for your skin.

Sugar is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to inflammation. If skin is inflamed, it is much more likely to wrinkle. In addition, sugar binds to proteins, such as collagen, when it is processed by the body. The toxins that enter into sugar when it is processed damage the collagen, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin.

To combat this, try to look for products that have no added sugar. You can also explore alternative sweeteners, such as honey.

7. White Bread

Much like sugar, white bread is an example of a highly processed carbohydrate. They are what is known as “simple carbohydrates.” Simple carbohydrates are not only bad for your overall health; they are also bad for your skin.

Simple carbohydrates have a high glycemic index. They are broken down quickly in the body, which damages proteins such as collagen. They can make your skin look puffy and inflamed, increasing the likelihood of wrinkling.

A simple way to avoid this problem is by switching to whole grain bread for your lunchtime sandwich.

The post 7 Foods That Speed Up the Ageing Process appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

Making changes can be hard, but Isagenix is here to help!

Do you want to lose weight?

This is probably the most common New Year’s resolution. Everyone wants to trim down and shape up, but many people struggle to shed those kilos.

Here are a few Isagenix solutions:

Isagenix 30 Day Cleanse Program

With the 30 Day Cleanse Program, you’ll get everything that you need to lose weight quickly and safely. This program includes meal-replacement shakes, hunger-crushing snacks, essential vitamins, and powerful cleansing products to help you melt fat away. The 30 Day Cleanse Program is a great way to get started with the Isagenix lifestyle.

Isagenix Weight Loss Premium Pack

If you’re ready to dive into Isagenix full force and progress even faster than the already amazing results you’ll get with the basic program, try the Weight Loss Premium Pack. This program comes with the same shakes, vitamins, and cleansing products as the basic pack, but adds even more tasty snacks to curb your hunger and help you reach peak performance. You’ll also get amazing energy shots to keep you moving and power your workouts and a voucher to attend an amazing Isagenix event.

Isagenix 9 Day Cleanse Program

If you’re intrigued by the idea of losing weight quickly and effectively, but you aren’t ready to purchase a full 30-day system, the 9 Day Cleanse Program may be for you. This program will introduce you to the program without a huge commitment. It includes enough shakes, snacks, and cleansing products to allow you to experience the Isagenix lifestyle for 9 days. After you see the results, you’ll be hooked!

Do you want to build more muscle?

For some of us, it isn’t enough to lose weight; we also want to build lean muscle for a healthy, strong body. If you’re an athlete or just love to hit the gym, Isagenix can help you squeeze every last drop out of your exercise and gain a toned physique.

Isagenix Energy & Performance Pro Pak

The basis for the Energy & Performance Pro Pack is nutrition. Without adequate nutrition, you’ll most likely leave your workouts feeling exhausted, and your results will suffer. The Energy & Performance Pack delivers optimal nutrition to fuel your body, rev your metabolism, build lean muscle, keep your energy up, and help your body recover from workouts. This pack includes high-protein meal-replacement shakes, snacks for before and after workouts, important vitamins and nutrients, energy shots, and cleansing products.

Do you want to stay hydrated?

When you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle, staying hydrated is one thing that you might overlook. However, keeping your body hydrated is essential for ensuring that it is working efficiently. It is also vital for making it through and recovering from a workout.

AMPED Hydrate

While nothing is a substitute for a glass of water, AMPED Hydratewill help you maximize the benefits of every drop of water that you drink. This tasty drink is packed with the vitamins and electrolytes that your body loses during a workout without the artificial ingredients and added sugar that most sports drinks have.

Do you want to look and feel younger?

What’s the point of living a healthy lifestyle if you can’t stick around to enjoy it? There are tons of products that claim to turn back the hands of time, but Isagenix’s products are backed by science and are proven to give you the results you’re looking for.

30-Day Healthy Ageing System

With the 30-Day Healthy Ageing System, you’ll get the same tasty and nutritious meal-replacement shakes, essential vitamins, and cleansing products as you would with many of the other Isagenix packs. However, with this unique system, you’ll also get nutritional supplements specifically designed to help you feel younger for longer.

Healthy Ageing Premium Pack

The Isagenix Healthy Ageing Premium Pack has all the benefits of the 30-Day system and more! You’ll get all the shakes, supplements, and cleanses, plus Isagenix’s unique telomere support. Telomeres are caps on the ends of your body’s chromosomes that help protect them from damage. By strengthening and protecting telomeres, this system fights signs of aging at the cellular level to keep you feeling and looking younger.

IsaGenesis

If one of the other Isagenix systems appeals to you, but you still want to fight internal and external signs of aging, you can add IsaGenesis to any other system. IsaGenesis is the supplement that is the key to supporting your body’s telomeres. This unique supplement supports vitality and keeps your organs and immune system in top condition. IsaGenesis is a simple way to fight aging while still meeting your other health and fitness goals.

Do you want to go vegan?

Lately, you may have been hearing a lot of talk about the benefits of a vegan diet: science suggests that going vegan can help you lose weight more quickly, lower your blood sugar, improve your kidney function, help prevent cancer, improve heart health, and decrease pain and inflammation. If you’re interested in trying out a vegan diet, there’s good news: you can go vegan and still tackle your other health goals with Isagenix.

IsaLean Shake Dairy Free

When ordering your Isagenix system, you can choose from 2 tasty Dairy Free IsaLean Shake flavors. These are the same IsaLean Shakes that you’d get with any Isagenix system, without the animal products. IsaLean Shakes are high in fiber to promote weight loss and contain a whopping 24 grams of protein to support lean muscle growth.

IsaLean Bar Dairy Free

Isagenix snacks also come in a dairy-free option. Dairy Free IsaLean Bars come in a tasty chocolate cherry flavor and will satisfy your cravings with 8 grams of fiber and 19 grams of plant-based protein from peas and brown rice. The bars are perfect for afternoon cravings or before hitting the gym.

Do you want to cleanse your body?

All of the Isagenix systems are great for cleansing the body of impurities that can negatively impact your health and get in the way of your other health goals. The systems all come with great cleanse products, and the system guide has built-in cleanse days to jump-start weight loss and keep your body in peak condition.

However, if cleansing your body is your main focus, there are a few specific products you should check out.

Isagenix Shake and Cleanse Pak

With the Shake and Cleanse Pak, all of your focus will be on cleansing your body of impurities. This pack includes IsaLean shakes and cleansing products to give your body the nutrition it needs and cleanse your system at the cellular level. If cleansing is your resolution this new year, this may be the product for you.

Cleanse for Life

Most Isagenix systems include Cleanse for Life. However, you can also purchase this unique product on its own. Cleanse for Life uses herbs and antioxidants to cleanse your body naturally and effectively. It is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals to nourish your body and promote optimal health.

The post Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions With Isagenix appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

The Isagenix diet is all over the web lately, promising to slim you down in record time. So, what exactly is the Isagenix diet and why should you try it?

What is Isagenix?

Isagenix is a meal-replacement weight-loss system that uses the power of ketosis to spur your body to burn fat more quickly. You may have heard of the popular “Keto” diets that are all the rage these days; Keto diets are based on the same principle of ketosis.

When your body goes into ketosis, it uses fat as it’s fuel instead of carbohydrates. To make this happen, you need to eat a diet that is low in carbs and high in healthy fats and protein. That’s where Isagenix comes in.

With Isagenix, you’ll receive meal-replacement shakes that fuel your body with just the right balance to start the ketosis process. You’ll also get healthy snacks and supplements to cleanse and nourish your body.

What products do I need to start Isagenix?

There are a lot of ways to get started on Isagenix, but the most popular and highest-recommended option is the 30-day system. With this system, you’ll get everything you need to start Isagenix, including:

• 4 x IsaLean Shakes
• 1 x Ionix Supreme
• 2 x Cleanse for Life
• 1 x Isagenix Snack
• 1 x Natural Accelerator
• 1 x IsaFlush
• 1 Instructional System Guide and expert help/coaching from our nutritional cleansing team

The 30-day system also comes in a dairy-free option for those who are vegan or lactose intolerant.

If 30 days seems like too much of a commitment, you can also try the 9-day system to get a feel for how the program works.

How does the diet work?

The Isagenix diet breaks down your week into two different types of days: 5-6 days per week you’ll do shake days, and 1-2 days per week you’ll do cleanse days.

On shake days, you’ll replace two of your meals with IsaLean Shakes. Your third meal should consist of healthy, whole foods that are low in carbohydrates and come in at around 400-600 calories. Between meals, you can have two healthy snacks that are low in sugar and carbs. You’ll also use your IsaFlush and Natural Acceleratorsupplements.

On cleanse days, you will abstain from meals and use Cleanse for Life instead. You can incorporate two Isagenix Snacks on these days as well.

Can you tell me more about the products?

IsaLean Shakes come in a variety of different flavours, so you don’t need to worry about getting bored! The shakes are low in calories and pack an impressive 24 grams of protein. They are designed to build lean muscle and help you lose weight quickly and safely. They contain natural ingredients and enzymes that make them easy to digest.

Ionix Supreme is one of the tasty tonics you can use throughout your diet to speed your body’s recovery after tough workouts. It is rich in nutrients, and can even help you to ease stress and maintain focus throughout your day.

Cleanse for Life is the basis for your cleanse days. The purpose of cleansing is to rid your body of toxins and other harmful things that can impede your weight loss. Periodic cleansing is a great way to accelerate your results. This product uses antioxidants and botanicals to cleanse your body naturally. It is also packed with vitamins and nutrients to nourish your body as you cleanse.

On your cleanse days, you can also eat Isagenix Snacks. These chewable snacks provide added nutrients to keep your body functioning at peak performance while you cleanse.

Natural Accelerator does exactly what it sounds like: it accelerates your weight loss. It contains natural ingredients including cayenne, green tea, and cocoa seed. These ingredients boost your metabolism without using stimulants to give you a natural fat-burning boost.

IsaFlush is another important part of the cleansing process, but it doesn’t only need to be used on cleanse days. This product uses natural magnesium to help your body digest more easily, eliminating waste that can slow your weight loss.

What are the benefits of using Isagenix?

One major benefit of Isagenix is how quickly it helps you lose weight. On both shake days and cleanse days, you’ll eat far fewer calories than you burn, revving your metabolism and speeding your weight loss.

Now, I know what you may be thinking: can’t I just plan my own meals so that I have a calorie deficit? Well, yes, you could. However, with Isagenix, you’ll have a diet that is guaranteed to put your body into ketosis, burning fat even faster than with a simple calorie deficit.

In addition, Isagenix is pre-portioned, saving you the hassle of counting calories and carbohydrates. Having your meals portioned out for you makes losing weight simple. Besides, many people struggle to measure and estimate correct portion sizes, especially when it comes to things like protein and carbohydrates. You may think you know the numbers for your meal, but you could be off by quite a bit. Isagenix takes the guesswork out of dieting.

Isagenix is also extremely convenient. Instead of spending valuable time searching for recipes, making grocery lists, and going to the market, you can have everything you need shipped right to your door.

The diet will also cleanse your body of toxins and other chemicals that impact your overall health and slow your weight loss goals. Diets with a simple calorie deficit can’t always do this.

There are other health benefits as well, including a healthier immune system, better skin and hair, and increased concentration. Isagenix products are packed with natural vitamins, minerals, herbs, and nutrients that work to improve all aspects of your health, not just your body weight.

What foods can I eat while doing Isagenix?

A lot of diets are very restrictive, but Isagenix actually gives you a lot of options. The rule of thumb is to opt for whole foods with minimal processing; the fewer steps between the farm and your plate, the better.

Here are some great items to put in your shopping basket:

• avocado
• capsicum
• berries
• brown rice
• chicken
• greek yogurt
• greens
• kiwi
• melon
• quinoa
• salmon
• sweet potato

These are only a few options for items that make great Isagenix meals. There are also great resources online that can help you make meal plans and recipes that perfectly complement the Isagenix lifestyle.

The post Should You Try Isagenix? appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

Eating Low-Fat, Low-Calorie, or Diet Foods

When getting ready to kick off a weight-loss plan, your first instinct might be to fill your cart with anything in the market that is labeled with phrases such as “diet,” “low-calorie,” or “low-fat.” These products often promise the same great taste as your favorite foods without the “bad” ingredients that contribute to weight gain.

The problem with these products is that they often replace those “bad” ingredients with alternatives that are no better for your waistline. For example, a low-fat food might be loaded with sugar.

The other issue with these foods is that by cutting calories and fat, they lose important nutrients. This prevents your body from getting the nutrition it needs to be healthy and keeps you from feeling full after eating. Both of these issues will most likely lead you to eat even more than you would have normally.

Instead of putting your faith in these miracle foods, focus on eating real food. Whole foods with minimal processing are the best for your weight-loss plans.

Skimping on Shut-Eye

Waking up early to hit the gym is a great way to burn some extra calories. However, you shouldn’t be doing it at the expense of a good night’s rest.

Appetite and hormones are greatly influenced by your shut-eye, so not getting enough sleep can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Studies show that not getting enough sleep can contribute to higher appetite throughout the day, and can also be a predictor for long-term health issues such as cardiovascular disease.

To keep your weight-loss (and health) on track, try to get a solid seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Overestimating the Impact of Exercise

We’ve all been there. You finish a workout. Your legs are aching. Sweat is pouring off you in buckets. You think you must have burned hundreds of calories, so you decide that you’ve earned a big breakfast muffin.

The problem is, most people overestimate how many calories they’re burning. Assuming you weigh about 65kg, you’ll need to spend about 2 hours on an elliptical machine to burn off the calories in that muffin.

Exercise should definitely be part of your weight-loss plan. Not only does it burn calories, but it also improves your cardiovascular health. It can even amp up your metabolism to help you burn fat faster.

However, instead of using your exercise as a license to eat, think of it as a way to melt calories faster. Don’t waste all that effort by gaining all the calories back with one snack!

Letting the Scale Rule

When you’re starting a weight-loss plan and you feel like you’re doing great, it can be tempting to step on the scale frequently to check your progress. It’s definitely a good idea to monitor your weight, but stepping on the scale too often can actually derail your efforts.

One problem is that people in the early stages of a weight-loss plan can drop a lot of water weight quickly. While that can be great to see, watching the losses peter out over the next few weeks can be discouraging. Staying motivated is important, so don’t sabotage yourself by staring at the scale.

Another issue is that weight can fluctuate greatly. In fact, it can vary by close to 2kg per day! If you see a drastic gain like that, you can get discouraged, so weighing yourself too frequently can be bad for motivation.

Finally, the number on the scale isn’t always the best indicator of progress. For example, if you’re including weight training in your exercise plan, you may be gaining muscle as you lose fat. This means that you won’t necessarily see your progress reflected in the number on the scale.

Instead of relying on the scale, focus on how you feel. Do your clothes feel looser? Do you have more energy? These are great ways to know your plan is working!

Eating an Unbalanced Diet

There are a lot of diet plans out there you may be considering. Some tell you to eat tons of fruit; others say that carbs are the enemy. While some foods are definitely healthier than others, one surefire way to sabotage a diet is through unbalanced eating.

Your diet should include all of the major food groups. Protein is important for reducing appetite and increasing muscle mass, but too much means that the excess gets stored as fat. Good carbs are important to help your body make energy, but too many are just empty calories. Fruits and vegetables are great for making you feel full and providing nutrition, but too many might mean excess sugar. Good fats can also help stabilise your blood sugar, but too much means added weight.

Eating a diet that includes all the food groups in equal measure is the best way to ensure that your body is getting what it needs without packing on weight.

The most important thing to remember when trying to lose weight is to use common sense. If it seems like a healthy choice, chances are that it’s going to help you reach your weight-loss goals.

If you want an added boost to start off your weight-loss plan, consider trying a cleanse. Isagenix products are a great way to kick off a weight-loss plan by cleansing your body and getting it ready for your new, healthy lifestyle!

The post Stop Making These 5 Weight Loss Mistakes appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

The post Fat Isn’t a Dirty Word appeared first on Isagenix Australia.

When most people think about a detoxification cleansing, they assume that it means flushing their systems with nothing but plain water for a long period of time. And, not unsurprisingly, the majority of people do not want to subject themselves to a bread-and-water diet without the bread. But, that is not the situation with Isagenix Cleanse for Life which is loaded with vitamins, ionic minerals, and three dietary complex formulas specifically designed to stimulate cleansing, antioxidant support, and synergism. With the Isagenix system, the result is a super nutritional combination that works to safely cleanse your body while supplying you with plenty of nourishing, safe, healthy, tasteful, and satisfying ingredients.

Why Do People Nutritionally Cleanse?

Today’s environmental air quality contains toxins and impurities that produce damaging free radicals every time we go outdoors. We are also exposed to harmful chemicals contained in household cleaning products and plastics. Additionally, we are at risk for ingesting foods that have been sprayed with pesticides. So, in theory, there are as many reasons for people to detoxify their systems as there are people. Each individual has their own personal reason for seeking a healthier body.

To help you understand the basic benefits that you can expect to gain from a gentle, healthy, nutritionally balanced, cleansing, the following information, while not all inclusive, describes the top 5 reasons that people nutritionally cleanse.

Top 5 Reasons for Nutritionally Cleansing

1. IMPROVE DIGESTION AND VITAL ORGAN PERFORMANCE:

An overload of toxins, pesticides, chemicals, inflammations, and environmental free radicals can collect in every cell in your body and slow down each system’s normal function. Everything that enters our bodies, from food to airborne impurities, must pass through the liver for detoxification before being allowed to enter the rest of our organs and cells.

When the liver is overloaded with these harmful elements, some of those impurities pass through the liver without being purified first. This, in turn, can negatively affect your digestive tract, your colon, your urinary functioning, your fat cells, and your brain’s essential signaling. A gentle, nutritional cleansing allows your liver to relax and reset its purification performance, which, in turn, promotes healthy metabolism and thyroid performance. A nutritional cleansing is also effective in strengthening your immune system so that you are better able to deflect minor illnesses such as the flu, colds and viruses.

2. STOP PREMATURE AGING:

Your skin is actually your body’s largest organ. Exposure to airborne toxins, free radicals, pesticides, chemicals, wind damage, and harmful UV rays all rob your skin of essential moisture and collagen. When your skin is dehydrated from external influences and internally slow acting normal functions, the result is premature aging, loss of your skin’s elasticity, loss of skin pigmentation, and a perfect environment for the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

A gentle, healthy cleansing supports the rejuvenation and cellular replenishment of nutrients to your external skin so that premature aging is halted. With the increase in antioxidants and essential vitamins, your skin will appear more supple and youthful. Healthy skin cells also work to reduce the signs of fine lines and wrinkles. A nutritional cleansing is like a visit to the fountain of youth for your skin.

3. WEIGHT LOSS:

The longer toxins and other impurities remain in your system, the slower your metabolism becomes and harder it is for your body to burn off excess fat.

A nutritional cleansing is an excellent way to jump start your metabolism and flush out toxins stored in your fat cells. The benefits of a healthy cleansing can result in increased metabolism, maintenance of normal blood pressure ranges, potential improvement in insulin production as normal blood sugar levels are restored, reduced stress on your arteries, and the removal of toxins trapped in your fat cells. As your body is replenished with essential nutrients and your metabolism increases, one positive result is the loss of unwanted weight.

4. INCREASE MENTAL CLARITY AND PHYSICAL ENERGY:

The slower our bodily functions are able to perform at normal levels, the more tired we become. This depletes our energy levels and we tend to slack off from exercising. When we are not able to effectively absorb and process proteins and healthy fat, the brain is deprived of essential chemicals. This tends to slow down our mental capacities which can result is a lowered level of clarity and a slower ability required for decision making.

A healthy, nutritional cleansing rids the body of toxins and impurities so that we are better able to process proteins and fats. This, in turn, provides our brains with healthy, essential chemicals. At the same time, as we flush out our systems, we feel healthier and more energetic. This means that we actually look forward to exercising instead of looking for excuses not to work out.

5. IMPROVE BODY BALANCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE:

Unhealthy chemicals and pesticides, harmful free radicals, and poor dietary choices can negatively impact the natural balance of our bodily performances. Our quality of life can also be affected when we have an overload of toxins in our systems. The results can be headaches, foggy mental chemistry, joint aches and pains, digestive and intestinal problems, sleeplessness, and the craving for unhealthy foods. A good nutritional cleansing supports the rejuvenation of our internal systems and helps to alleviate those issues that were limiting our quality of life.

More Information

For more information see the following Isagenix Health articles:

1. Cleansing Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
2. Science Behind Cleansing
3. Why Cleansing with Isagenix Works

PLEASE NOTE: There is one caveat to cleansing. If you have a health condition that requires medication, or you are now or plan to become pregnant, consult with your health care provider before starting any dietary program or detoxification program.

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