Jennifer Lopez is a very busy lady. Not only is she one of the most popular singers ever, but she is also an actress, a judge on American Idol, and a mom of twins. In addition to all of that, she is now an entrepreneur who has chosen to use her resources and knowledge to encourage women of all ages and sizes to be as healthy as they can be.
Nutrition and fitness are important to her because as busy as she is, she needs to stay as healthy as possible. The mother-of-two has an incredible body that she works quite hard at to keep in shape. But just like any other female that is trying to stay healthy and improve her lifestyle, she was looking for something to give her a boost of energy and to keep her sustained for her busy schedule.
This is one of the reasons that Lopez has gotten into the world of protein shakes and nutritional supplements called BodyLab. She is now a partner in the company that produces a line of products that are made to enhance a woman’s body and metabolism. She explains that a woman’s metabolism is different than a man’s and these supplements are meant to help give that boost of energy by giving a female’s bodies the enough protein to last throughout the day. They are made for women, by women.
The shakes and supplements were designed by a whole staff of doctors and nutritionists that were on hand to help come up with the best combination of protein and other ingredients. Lopez says that she has a protein shake every single morning to keep her energy levels up. At 45 years old and always on the go, the superstar says that women just want to look good, feel healthy and of course, to also look hot.
Jennifer Lopez certainly fits that bill as she is as hot as ever and seems to be just as fit as she was a few years ago, maybe even more so. She works hard to stay in shape by not only using the supplements, but also by working out every day and eating lots of vegetables, fruits, and other food that is good for her body. She also teaches her healthy eating to her two kids. They have been eating green vegetables from the start, topped with just a little bit of cheese, as their mama says.
It sounds like the girl from the Bronx has got the aging process well under control. She seems quite happy with her life as a mom and all of the other hats that she wears as a career woman. She is now out to help empower other women to be fit, energetic, and to live a healthy lifestyle as well.
If you watch TV or read the news, you’ve possibly seen or heard about a celebrity weight loss supplement touted as the “secret”, and absolutely safe (because it’s natural!) alternative. Well, today it’s a secret no longer because we’re here to tell you all about it.
A very real and significant concern when losing weight is how you’ll look. You could end up with sags and bags, or you could end up lean and buff. If your body shrinks in size as you lose weight without the skin area also “shrinking,” you could end up with loose skin hanging around your upper arms, waist, stomach, and other areas. By the time you attain your ideal size, the only solution for tightening up your skin is plastic surgery.
Avoid Weight-Loss Sagging
You can avoid sagging skin by starting strength training now and continue throughout your weight-loss program and beyond as you maintain your new size. That way, your skin will shrink along with the rest of you. By the time you attain your ideal size, new people you meet will have no idea that you were ever overweight. Why? Because your skin will fit your body. Do this with strength training.
Stamina, Energy, and Strength Training
You want quick results in losing weight, and you can achieve them with strength training. After only three months of two hour-long strength-training sessions a week, your body will become smaller. Your waist will be smaller, as will your upper arms, and your stomach will be flatter.
You only need to do two sessions of strength training a week. If you feel really ambitious, you can do three, but don’t do any more than that. Strength training causes small tears in the fibers of your muscles. This is good, because as they repair on your “off” days the muscles become stronger and tighter. If you do strength training every day, your muscles won’t have time to rebuild between sessions.
Strength Training Approaches
- Free weights.
Very popular, easy to use, widely available. Start with 2- to 3-pound weights and add weight as your body adapts to the weight. - Stretch tubing.
A stretchy thin tube with handles on each end. Resembles a jump rope. You can purchase in several levels of resistance. - Flex band.
A long, wide, stretchy band used for resistance training. - Ankle and wrist weights.
Strap them on for resistance as you do strengthening exercises. - Body bar.
A long, weighted bar used for resistance training. May or may not have additional removable weights on either end. - A big inflated ball on which to do exercises. Seems innocent enough, but provides really challenging strength-training exercise.
- Magic circle.
A circular handheld ring, about 15 inches in diameter with handles across from each other. By compressing the circle with legs, arms, and other body parts, you can get quite a workout. - Pilates classes and equipment.
An exercise method that creates long, lean, and strong muscles, plus very strong abs and terrific posture. - Exercise machines.
Set the resistance of the machines to match your strength levels. - Power-pump classes.
Lift weights while you keep pace with the music.
Muscle weighs more than fat. Because of this, a person with higher muscle mass could weigh more, and yet wear a smaller size. In addition to using your weight as a measure of attaining your ideal size, take into account your body fat percentage.
Body Fat Percentage
Having a higher body fat percentage brings with it significant health risks including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and autoimmune disorders.
When you have your body fat tested at a health club or at a health practitioner’s, you’ll receive a reading of body fat, water, and muscle percentages. All three add up to 100 percent. Assuming that the amount of water weight remains almost constant for each individual, the variables are body fat and muscle. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you have (and vice versa).
Here are ideal body fat percentages:
Women:
- Up to age 20: 14-21 percent
- Age 20 to 50: 17-27 percent
- Age 50+: 20-30 percent
Men:
- Up to age 20: 9-15 percent
- Age 20 to 50: 14-21 percent
- Age 50+: 19-23 percent
Understanding Body Fat
In body fat measurements, lower is usually best, but don’t go below the recommended guidelines. A person must have at least some body fat to be healthy. Fat pads internal organs such as the kidneys, and it also offers protection against cold weather. For women, the minimum recommended fat percentage is 12 percent. If a woman has less, her menstrual cycles could cease. Men must have a minimum of 5 percent to stay healthy.
Improving Your Muscles
By doing strength-training exercises for two to three hours a week, you can reduce your body fat percentage by as much as 10 percentage points within six months.
Having less body fat and more muscle gives you more energy, higher stamina, more muscle definition, and a higher metabolism. This means you’ll burn through calories faster and can eat more food without gaining weight.
