what are your health habits?

John Dryden famously said, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."
Confucius said, "Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them."
And Aristotle noticed that, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
It's pretty clear that the habits you adopt will shape who you are.
When it comes to your body, the two habits that define your physique are your eating and exercise habits. In fact, everyone that you know who is in great shape has dialed in these two important habits.
If you aren't happy with your body, then simply adjust your eating and exercise habits. Here's how to adopt a habit:
Making a Habit Use these seven steps to create a life-improving habit.
1) Decide on the ONE habit that you would like to develop. It's tempting to pick up 3 or 4 healthy habits, but choosing just one new habit is realistic and doable.
Here are some healthy habit ideas: Do not eat after 7pm each night. Bring your lunch to work instead of eating fast food. Exercise 4 times a week after work for 45 minutes each time. Only eat fruits and veggies as your afternoon snack. Get up early and exercise for an hour each morning. Work with a personal trainer 3 times a week.
2) Write your new habit down on paper. Also include your 3 main motivators for developing this new habit, the obstacles you'll face, and your strategies for overcoming these obstacles.
Here's an example: My new habit is to work with a personal trainer 3 times each week. My 3 main motivators are 1) to feel confident in my bathing suit this summer, 2) to have more energy, and 3) to fit into my skinny jeans. The obstacles I will face are 1) not having the energy to go to my session after work, 2) not having enough money to pay for sessions, and 3) not having my spouse's support. I will overcome these obstacles by 1) doing my workouts before work instead of after work, so I have more energy, 2) cutting down on frivolous spending to ensure that I can afford it, and 3) asking my spouse to join me so we can get in shape together.
3) Commit fully to your new habit, in a public way. This could mean posting it on Facebook, or simply announcing it at the dinner table. Put yourself in a position where you'll be embarrassed to give up on your new habit.
4) Keep track of your progress. You could keep a detailed journal or simply make a check mark on each calendar day that you successfully exercise your new habit.
5) Keep yourself publically accountable. This means either status updates on Facebook or verbal status updates at the dinner table. Your friends and family are in a position to offer you support, so don't shy away from those close to you.
6) When you fail, figure out what went wrong so that you can plan around it in the future.
7) Reward yourself for your success. Once your new habit becomes second nature, usually in about 30 days, feel free to add a second habit by going through the same 7 steps.
I'd love for my fitness program to become your new healthy habit! Please let me know about your success.
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the health benefits of eggs

The poor, misunderstood “incredible, edible egg”. Over the years, this nutrition powerhouse has acquired a bruised reputation from reports they contribute to raised cholesterol. Like other pieces of information associated with cholesterol, avoiding eggs is off the mark. Eggs stand alone in beneficial elements.
Eggs are a great source of protein. Numerous vitamins, including vitamin A, potassium and many B vitamins like folic acid, choline and biotin, are also packed into this oval-shaped staple [Source: USDA]. In fact, very few foods share the same diverse nutrient makeup available in a single egg. Many of these are specifically needed for the health of the nerves and the brain. Through the years, all fats have become public enemies, often blamed for an increased risk of heart disease. Eggs fell out of favor and people gravitated toward egg whites as a substitute. In truth, the yolk is where many of the vitamins and nutrients are found.
The topic of cholesterol has become very confusing. Dietary advice on the subject is often so far off that consumers actually hurt their health by trying to avoid cholesterol. The body needs to achieve a balance when it comes to cholesterol consumption. Fat from healthy sources is vital to the body, while fat from poor choices, such as margarine or foods fried in vegetable oil, are very dangerous. Eggs remain a beneficial source of healthy fat. Many nutrients, such as vitamin A, are better absorbed with fat, making eggs a very good source of vitamin A. Research has documented that eggs do not appear to promote heart disease risk [Source: Kritchevsky, Djousse].
Diabetics may be one of the only groups that should avoid averaging more than one egg a day, as they might show some increases in cholesterol with higher egg consumption. But even in diabetics, eggs can be very helpful. Much of the standard breakfast for Americans is laden with sugar. Waffles, pancakes, pastries, gourmet coffees and most breakfast cereals offer little or no nutritional value and are often loaded with sugar. These foods are poor choices for diabetics, and the rest of us. For most individuals, eggs are a nutritional breakfast choice.
But every egg is not created equal. It's best to buy any source of protein from an environment that is as natural as possible, meaning the animal was able to feed on foods that its body could tolerate, in conditions that were not overly stressful. For egg-producing chickens, this environment is often called “cage-free” or “free-range.” This means the chicken was allowed to roam, picking what it wanted to eat. Research has shown that cage-free hens have produced eggs higher in various vitamins [Source: Pappas]. Chickens packaged tightly in cages undergo stress, lowering their immune systems and raising their likelihood of infection. Frequent infections are a common problem for animals raised in cramped quarters. Many times, chickens are given regular antibiotics to help keep down infection rates. These antibiotics may lead to stronger, more resistant bacteria in the feces of the chicken and even in that of the farmer who raises them. This presents two big potential problems for the consumer: 1) antibiotics like sulfa in the chicken that could aggravate drug allergies, and 2) super resistant bugs. Free-range eggs actually show greater resistance to bugs like salmonella [Source: Messens]. When purchasing eggs, choose those that were grown in a free-range or cage-free environment, or better yet, purchase eggs directly from a farmer who focuses on growing eggs in a healthy environment. Eggs that say "organic" or "omega-3" have the right idea, but will still not be as good as cage-free.
Like nearly all foods, eggs lose some nutritional value when cooked [Source: Ramalho]. Regular egg eaters should choose not to scramble their eggs every time. When the yolk of the egg is broken (when the eggs are scrambled) and exposed to high heat, the proteins and fat of the eggs are damaged. In this case, the fat does become unhealthy. Eating scrambled eggs occasionally is not a major problem, just don't make it your routine

health benefits of peanuts

Peanut Power

Also known as ground nuts, peanuts, along with beans and peas are members of the legume family which are the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. Peanuts are found in a wide variety of products. They can be eaten salted, dry roasted, boiled and even raw. They can be found in peanut brittle, peanut butter and candy bars and is often a major ingredient in mixed nuts.

1. Helps Promote Fertility (Folate)

Peanuts contain a good amount of folate. Repeated studies have shown that women who had a daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduced their risk of having a baby born with a serious neural tube defect by up to 70%.

2. Aids in Blood Sugar Regulation (Manganese)

One fourth cup of peanuts can supply the body with 35% of the DV of manganese, a mineral which plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.

3. Helps Prevent Gallstones

It may come as a surprise that peanuts can help prevent gallstones. But 20 years of studies have shown that eating 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter a week lowers the risk of developing gallstones by 25%.

4. Helps Fight Depression (Tryptophan)

Peanuts are good sources of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is important for the production of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. When depression occurs, a decreased amount of serotonin may be released from the nerve cells in the brain. Tryptophan may raise serotonin’s antidepressant effects when there is an increased amount of serotonin in the blood.

5. Boosts Memory Power (Vitamin B3)
Do you know what can be found in peanuts that gave them the “brain food” tag? This is due to their vitamin B3 or niacin content whose many health benefits include normal brain functioning and boosting memory power.

6. Helps Lower Cholesterol Levels (Copper)

The same nutrient which gives peanuts their memory enhancing power also helps lower and control cholesterol levels. Added to that is their copper contents which aids in reducing bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels.

7. Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

Numerous studies have shown that regular nuts consumption is linked to reduced risk of heart disease. Peanuts are rich in heart-friendly monounsaturated fats and antioxidants such as oleic acid. Reach for a handful of peanuts and other nuts at least four times a week to reduce your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.

8. Protects Against Age-related Cognitive Decline (Vitamin B2)

Study participants have shown that those who have an intake of the most niacin-rich foods like peanuts were 70% less likely to have developed Alzheimer’s disease. A quarter cup a day of peanuts can already supply almost a quarter of the daily needed value for niacin.

9 Cancer Protection

A form of phytosterol called beta-sitoserol (SIT) is found in high concentrations in some plant oils, seeds, and legumes including peanuts. Phytosterols not only protects against cardiovascular disease by interfering with the absorption of cholesterol, they also protect against cancer by inhibiting tumor growth.

10. Lowers Risk of Weight Gain

Surprise! Eating nuts regularly is associated with a lowered risk of weight gain. Research has shown that people who eat nuts at least twice weekly are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat them.

The only thing you should consider when adding peanuts to your diet, is that you try to avoid salted peanuts as too much salt intake is bad for you.

How You Eat Is Almost as Important as What You Eat

A sound bodybuilding program gets built on a foundation of nutrition, without a proper men's nutrition plan, you are doomed to failure before you even start.
Most body builders eat several small meals throughout the day, instead of the traditional three large square meals that most of us are accustomed to; you see when it comes to building muscle, less is more in regards to your food intake, and timing is everything.
When you work out you need to ensure that your body always has sufficient level of nutrients, eating regularly throughout the day will ensure that you don't become deficient in essential vitamins, minerals and other essential resources.
All meals are important when following a muscle building, program but breakfast and post-workout, are two of the key meal times that are crucial to your overall success.
 Not providing your body with the nutrients it needs at these times will seriously damage your muscle building ambitions.
Do not skimp on breakfast!
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day for anyone, but this is especially true for body builders and those who work out on a regular basis. If you are following a workout program, missing or skimping on breakfast is one of the worst things that you can do.
As soon as you wake-up, your body is crying out for nutrients. It has been without food for eight hours and needs nutritional replenishment. If your body does not receive nutrients at this time, it will start to break down muscle tissue for energy, which means all your hard work is going to waste. In essence, your workout program is going backwards.
Having five slices of toast, a bowl of Corn Flakes and two cups of coffee might be ok if you have no ambition to be healthy, but, it is certainly not the kind of breakfast that will power a successful muscle building program.
 A balanced breakfast will consists of high quality proteins, complex and simple carbohydrates and essential fatty acids. The intake of each largely depends on your workout schedule.
 If your breakfast is before a workout, you may want to include more carbohydrates, and maybe a quick-digesting protein such as whey. If your breakfast is after a workout, you might consume a higher ratio of proteins.
The post workout meal:
The post workout meal is even more important than breakfast; if you do not eat properly after a workout then you completely negate any gains and benefits made during your session.
During a rigorous workout your body takes a battering and all its resources are completely stripped and depleted. A balanced post-workout meal allows your body to recoup the lost nutrients, which are essential for both muscle repair and growth.
 A meal full of protein and carbohydrates with minimal amounts of fat will ensure your body gets exactly what it needs after a good training session.
A typical post workout meal might consist of a protein shake made from Whey and a Banana. This will provide you with everything needed to fuel your muscle recovery, and growth.
 Every Meal Counts!
As well as having a good breakfast and post workout meal, you will need to eat at least three other nutritional meals throughout the day.
 Your daily food intake should comprise of at least two heavy meals and three light meals, with a total breakdown of around 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins and 20% essential fats
 For any body building men's nutrition plan to be successful, it needs to be consistent. If you eat that the right foods at the right times, then you are already half-way down the road to success.
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John Powers is a Men's Fitness Expert who has helped 1,000's of men reach their fitness goals. Whether it be Men's Fitness Routines, Nutrution, or Supplements John can provide you with the expert guidance you desire to reach your Ideal Fitness goals. For more personnel guidance and information please visit <a href="http://www.mensfitnessroutines.com">http://www.mensfitnessroutines.com</a> to Get the Ideal Fitness System eCourse for FREE!