BODY FITNESS

2011-12-31T23:16:00.000-08:00

SIX PACK ABS

Let me guess - six pack abs! I don't know anybody who does not want to shrink there waistline, lose body fat, eliminate low back pain and develop a jaw dropping set of rock-hard six-pack. Too bad that your brain has been poisoned with contaiminated information.

Before you can start learing how to get six-pack abs and discover the truth about what it really takes to build a beach-worthy abdominal section, you must first expose the lies, myths and rumors. Before we talk about how to get six-pack abs, the right way, we must re-program your hard drive and empty the trash can of garbage you have been fed.

Because of all this hyped up and misguided information - even among so-called 'fitness experts' - you should skeptical of discerning about all abdominal training equipment and programs. Let's first eliminate the top four ways not to get a six-pack:

Learning how to get a six-pack does not require expensive workout equipment promoted through obnoxious infomercials. You can't flick on the TV anymore without seeing two new abdominal exercise machines being promoted at once. There are so many of them, that if you get suckered into these 'ab workout' gimmicks, you will be broke quicker than Ben Johnson sprints the 100 m dash! And get this: Of the $520 million dollars a year spent on exercise equipment, abdominal machines get a $208 million dollar piece of the pie!

Learning how to get a six-pack does not require thousands or even hundreds of crunches a day. So much for the Brittany Spears ab workout! Crunches are decent but totally overused and associated with more being better. Crunches is a very general exercise and general exercises get general results. Excessive floor crunches shorten the abdominal wall, pull your head forward and emphasize poor posture. They also involve a very low level of stimulation which negelets adequate muscle fiber recruitment.

Learning how to get a six-pack does not involve starvation diets. Starvation diets starve the muscle when instead, you should be feeding the muscle. Guess what happens when you starve your body? Your metabolism shuts down out of survival and causes your body to store fat. Your body must get energy from somewhere so guess what gets sacrificed? That's right, your precious muscle which is in fact responsible for a maintaining a high metabolism. Starve your muscle - great logic!

Learning how to get a six-pack does not require fat burning pills. What did the last weight loss pill you bought do for you? The same thing the next one is going to do - nothing! Except give you a thinner wallet but not a thinner waist line. The entire concept of taking pills to 'burn fat' is built on a sandy foundation and misleading because diet pills only treat the symptons and not the root cause. Without focusing on the root problems of a flabby mid-section, like nutrition, lifestyle and proper training, you will just end up where you started - farther away from having a six-pack for summer instead of closer.

If just landed on earth from Mars today, and were able to avoid these four completely wrong ways to build a six-pac, than you will have an advantage over the rest of the world and be one enormous step closer to taking your shirt off with pride!

2011-12-31T06:10:00.000-08:00

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES

Plyometric exercises make a muscle reach full force in the shortest time possible. This kind of exercise uses the force of gravity to store potential energy in the muscles, which is then quickly transformed into kinetic energy. One of the most common forms of this exercise is the box jump, also known as the in-depth jump, wherein an athlete steps off the box and lands with his/her legs coiled then quickly leaps to the next box.

Here are the top benefits of plyometric exercises that will help you decide if this type of fitness program is something that you need.

1. Strengthens the muscle
Muscles particularly in the legs are engaged and developed during this type of workout. Lean muscle mass in the legs are developed which make them stronger and more effective in carrying out physical activities.

2. Improves response time of muscles
Especially in competitive sports, it is important for an athlete to be able to move quickly at a moments notice. With regular plyometric workout, you will notice the development of your explosive power, which can help you deliver superior athletic performance. Such sports include basketball, soccer, hockey, and so many more.

3. Increase endurance
Another thing that athletes should have is endurance. They cannot get tired easily if they want to win in a sports competition. Partaking in plyometric training will increase one�s endurance significantly as well as allow the muscles to handle long athletic activities during peak performance.

4. Improves posture and balance
After engaging in this exercise for even a short period, you will notice great improvement on your posture and balance.

5. Burns calories
When you engage in any physical activity, you will obviously burn calories but what is great about plyometrics is that it also boosts your metabolic rate, which means that your body will become more effective in burning calories.

6. Reduces risk of injuries
Plyometrics reduces risk of injuries by improving flexibility and range of motion. This is also achieved by strengthening the body and making it more resistant to injuries.

2011-12-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

FUNTIONAL BODY FITNESS

Having strong obliques is key in avoiding lower back injuries. This exercise improves the strength and coordination of all of your core muscles â€“ and will improve your tone and tighten your waist.

Exercise: Sit on the ground with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, holding a medicine ball at your chest with both hands. Lean your torso back away from your thighs, increasing the angle at your hips and pulling your belly button in towards your spine. Maintaining your hip angle, rotate your torso to the right, moving your right elbow towards the floor behind you. Return center and rotate to the left. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each side. As you get stronger, perform the rotations with straighter arms and/or use a heavier medicine ball. Always keep your belly button pulled in.

This dynamic exercise tones, lengthens and strengthens just about every muscle in your body. Though it is challenging, it's a perfect exercise to end with.

Exercise: Get on your hands and toes, facing the floor, keeping your head, back and legs in a straight line and your arms straight underneath your shoulders. Lift your rear to the ceiling, pulling your belly button into your spine, forming a pike or downward dog (yoga) position, lengthening your arms and legs. Return to plank position and bend your elbows against your sides, lowering your torso and legs to the floor. Keeping your lower body flat on the floor, use your arms to push your chest and head up towards the ceiling (similar to the cobra in yoga), stretching out the front of your body. Lower down and push your body back into plank position. Repeat 5 to 10 times. As you get stronger, increase the number of repetitions.

2011-12-27T16:08:00.000-08:00

WALKING

A common tip on fitting walking into your day is to park your car at the back of the parking lot when you shop or go to work. To take that idea one step farther, why not consider parking in an adjacent parking lot or walking from your home to the store or too your office? If you take public transportation or someone drops you off, consider getting off one stop early or having your companion drop you off several blocks away from your destination.

Another common suggestion is to take the stairs whenever possible. But some people have access to all the functions they require on one floor and don’t find the need to use the stairs. If this is the case, consider regularly using a washroom on a different floor or using a copier that’s across the building from your desk.

If you frequently go out to lunch, suggest to your colleagues that you find a good restaurant within walking distance. If time is an issue, speak with your supervisor about lengthening your lunch break in favor of working a few extra minutes at the end of the day.

Although many people think walking the dog is a good way to get in extra steps, the stop and go nature of walking your dog doesn’t really provide many health benefits. However, many dogs appreciate a brisk walk once they have relieved themselves. Allow extra time for a few laps around the block at a brisk pace once Fido has completed his business.

Babies, also, enjoy being taken for walks. But unless your child is old enough to maintain a steady pace, consider pushing him in a stroller while you walk. An added benefit of this is that you will burn extra calories the stroller. You will also set a great example for your child that exercise is an important part of the day. Since you should be able to carry on a conversation while walking (if you can’t, you’re going too fast) make taking a walk after dinner a family tradition.

2011-12-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

BEST BODY FITNESS

With summer just around the corner, more and more people are becoming concerned about improving their physique. Summer equals bathing suits, pool parties, beach parties, and various other outdoor activates. A lot of people want to look their best during this time of year. In this article I will reveal some of the best fitness tips to help anyone attain that slim summer body.

Exercise. Physical activity is very important when it comes down to weight loss and toning the body. If you simply go on a diet, you will have a difficult time losing weight. a lot of people who chose to diet without exercise complain that they can't lose any weight from their midsection (one of the most targeted areas in weight loss).

Eat healthy. Summer can mean sodas, candy, and chips. All of these foods can put a damper on our weight loss results. Eating a healthy diet is a must. Stay away from sweets, sodas, and fried foods. You should also limit your intake of processed foods and meats with a lot of animal fats. Eat more whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meats, fruit, vegetables, and healthy snacks.

Get plenty of rest. A lot of people don't realize that stress and lack of sleep can have a deep impact upon our weight. Learning to control these problems is very important if you want to lose weight quickly and effectively.

2011-12-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

MUSCLE FITNESS

Muscle fitness is the dream of any youth today - be it a male or a female. There is no shortage of gymnasiums to work out. There are also innumerable supplements in the market. These supplements guarantee the best of the muscle layouts for your body. Here's a list of the things you must do while traveling on the highway to muscle fitness.

First, consult your physician before adopting any exercise schedule or taking any of the muscle fitness supplements. Do check out with your personal physician whether you can go for that exercise regimen. Your doctor will, in all probability, do an overall checkup of your physique.

Take to the exercises or the medications only if you get the nod from your physician. Sincerely follow the guidelines set by your instructor.Once you get the nod from the expert, contact a muscle fitness instructor in your neighborhood. You must always do the exercises under the watchful eyes of the instructor. This is a precaution against any pitfalls.Next, choose a state-of-the art gymnasium.

Doubly ensure that the gym has up-to-date first aid facilities. The very knowledge that there is an expert doctor nearby whom you can turn to in times of exigencies is quite a comforting assurance. Mind you, accidents can happen anytime.Then, you will also have to take care of your diet so that you keep on supplementing your body with the required vitamins and other minerals. But, it is always better to opt for the natural means rather than going for the artificial ones.

Beware! Overeating may give you only the opposite results. Once you start having the bulge, it would be rather problematic for you to trim that fat on your waist.On the other hand, in most of the cases the fatty substances keep on gathering rather than reducing. Or if you start starving after the exercise regimen, you would not gain anything insofar as muscle fitness is concerned. This is because the body is unable to regain the lost strength from the meal.

Would you be able to run a car without fuel? Surely not! Similar is the case with our body!Along with the diet, another important point to keep in mind is that your body dehydrates while exercising. So, take to fluids in a big way. If you deprive your already taxed body of water or other nourishing fluid you will get tired easily. Getting fagged out after any muscle fitness roster will be a hopeless program. After all, you are exercising to not just get the dream body but to also gain strength.

Above all, the muscle fitness routine is not at all about starving. Muscle fitness is more about a hygienic lifestyle. What is required is a controlled but Army-type of regimen. Therefore, all you have to give is total concentration and posses a strong will power.

Moreover, remove the misconception that if you exercise too much you will have more muscle power. Neither over-exercise nor lift excessive weights. There is a limit to everything. Most importantly, our bodies will tolerate strains only up to a limit. Do the exercises leisurely. Exert too much pressure on the physique and you will not get strong for sure!At the end of the day, the muscle fitness regimen must not be at loggerheads with your sweet sleep.

In other words, it is of absolute necessity that you get a good night's sleep. In fact, our body recuperates from the day's wear and tear only during that time when we have a sound sleep. Another less known aspect is that our physique grows during the time we dream.If you are suffer from insomnia, practise yogic exercises in the morning. They help to tone up the body.

Certain breathing exercises also help to get rid of the toxic elements from inside our body. These yogic exercises are good for gaining concentration and balance of mind as well.

2011-12-20T15:49:00.000-08:00

FITNESS TO HUMAN BODY

Fitness is related to human body. It enables human beings to perform up to their potential resistance and energy. Fitness is described as a condition that helps one look, feel and do the best he can.

Fitness is the ability to perform daily tasks dynamically and vigilantly, with sufficient energy left for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands too. Fitness is the ability to tolerate, to bear up, to survive in stress, to carry on in situations where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being.

Fitness is a quality which varies from individual to individual. It is basically affected by age, exercise, eating habits and practices and heredity. Fitness also includes the performance of the heart, muscles and lungs of the body and also fitness affects to some degree qualities like mental awareness and emotional strength.Fitness involves exercising and working out to look and feel better. Physical and mental well being of people also depends on the fitness.

Health fitness involves finding activities that are going to improve person’s current fitness level.Eating properly also plays an important role in fitness. You will feel lethargic and bad-tempered if you consume large amounts of carbs, fats, and sugar. They give us a temporary enhancement in energy but not for long. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables will help people maintain energy levels all day long without the variation. They will also consume fewer calories and you will feel full throughout the day.

Fitness is a very important issue that most of the people need to focus their attention on. It affects both physical well being and mental well being of people. Fitness gives human being an opportunity to be the healthiest they can. They will look and feel better than they have in a long time.

For the best results people should plan a fitness program with the help of a personal trainer or a doctor. It should be made sure that it focuses on their aims and their skills. There should be no comparisons between the fitness programs.There are few energy guidelines which should be followed everyday by everyone:One should keep his or her body well hydrated.One should always try to increase energy during the day. They should always do some deep breathing, avoid using lifts to go upstairs in a building use stairs or just standing up doing some leg raises, this all help to move oxygen around the body and improve the cells energy producing processes.The day should be started after having a complete rest. The bed should be treated as energy re-supply point and every human being should take minimum of 7-9 hours sleep in the night.It is guided to everyone that if you don’t get time in the morning then it should be made sure that once you are back home in the evening while watching TV you should do some yoga or sit on workout bike. A few seconds later the brain starts connecting the visual messages and before you know it an hour has gone by.If a person does not get time for the lunch, at least he should take a break of 10 minutes and go out in the open air where there is full of oxygen and not pollution.

People should take good nutritious snacks when at work. Excessive coffee intake should be avoided. Caffeine is not a good long term solution for energy throughout the day.The size of an evening meal should be reduced and carbs avoided, after the later part of the evening. It will help you sleep better and that translates into more energy during the day.

There are many herbal supplements also available that provide people with increased energy levels and keep them fit. Use of these products has proved to be beneficial for people of all age groups.

2011-12-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

CHOLESTEROL / REGULAR EXERCISE

Cholesterol always comes to mind whenever we are thinking of body fitness and eating habits. More of this substance would result to bodily disorder; thus, resulting to high blood pressure causing cardiac arrest and stroke. What is needed is a regular check up of your cholesterol levels to reduce any dilemma later on.

There's a famous adage that says: "health is wealth." It is important to take care of our health since this is a precious gift given to us by our Creator. Regular exercise and proper eating habits are the important factors for lowering cholesterol in our body.

Regular exercise
Regular exercise is needed by our body to be physically fit, healthy and younger than your age. Work this out for at least thirty minutes for at least three times in a week if you cannot do it daily. It can bring benefits in mental, emotional, physical and appearance conditions.

With regular exercise, there can be improvement in your thinking and mood. It can make you feel more comfortable, alert, happier and with full of energy.

Regular exercise is also good to your heart as it prevents your heart from disease. You can also lose weight by keeping your body in shape. Since muscles are relaxed, it can keep your muscles stronger, help your body parts function smoothly and keep blood circulating normally to the heart.

Appearance is also affected with regular exercise. It is not only giving you shape in your body but making you look fitter and healthier and making your skin softer and firmer and eyes brighter. Proper eating habits

2011-12-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

Maintaining Body Fitness

Staying healthy is one thing and keeping fit is another, it is important to keep fit so that the body can function well. There are several body fitness tips which help you stay fit and healthy. One thing an individual needs to do so that he or she can maintain the body and fitness.

Morning exercises are one way of staying fit. You must make it a routine to exercise every morning. Morning exercises can be jogging to the perk and back, press ups and stretching.

Set an alarm to notify you every morning and you will see how fast this will become part of your life style.Exercising comes with many benefits as it makes one active and lowers the risks of death. Try walking to school rather than taking the bus, this will sure help you stay fit and it is one of the best tips for body and fitness.

Other fitness tips are eating healthy and taking plenty of liquids especially water. Make sure that the meals you eat are balanced and comprise of fruits too.

Do not avoid wholegrain and cereals as they reduce chances of getting heart diseases and colon cancer. Another body fitness tips are mind exercises, this ones can be done by playing indoor games such as chess, cards and poker.

Working out can be strenuous to some people but there are enjoyable work outs will enable you keep fit and stay relaxed too. Dancing is another way to keep fit and stay healthy.

Body fitness tips will require you to be always active. Don't just sit in the couch all day watching TV try and jog around or play with the kids.

2011-12-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

SAFE WEIGHT LOSS

You must use weight training to build muscle mass and increase metabolism and you must exercise consistently. The energy expenditure will help develop a negative caloric balance.

Do not starve yourself. The body may shut down its metabolism and it becomes extremely efficient in saving/storing energy. Eat nutritious meals spaced evenly throughout the day to maintain the metabolism and provide energy for exercise. Reduce any unnecessary food intake.

Remember you are trying to eat fewer calories then are needed to maintain weight. Aim to reduce the calories by a maximum of 20% (i.e. 200-400 per day), BUT/ never go lower than 1500 total daily calories. Reducing the amount of fat in your diet greatly helps in reaching a calorie deficit (because each gram of fat has 9 calories).

Do NOT eat “fat-free” foods in excess. Remember the aim is a calorie deficit! There are no magic OR forbidden foods. Some are better than others BUT very few items need to be fully excluded from a diet. Allow yourself at least the occasional treat.

2011-11-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

Tighten Your Tush

Many women consider their tush their biggest trouble spot when it comes to trying to lose fat.

The problem is the amount of time we spend parked on our rear ends. We once spent our days squatting and standing in the fields, literally working our butts off, but now we sit in front of computer screens, steering wheels, and TVs. And our butts have adapted by giving us bigger, softer cushions to sit on.

What's more, the back end is the female body's fuel pantry. It's where your body stores the fat reserves to draw on when babies need nourishment and food is scarce. Because it serves such an important function, that fat can be stubborn and is often the last to budge.

But don't despair if your back end is a particularly troublesome spot; creating a strong, jiggle-free butt is not impossible. By including a few glute-specific exercises in your training regimen, you can make a visible difference in a short amount of time, especially if you also step up your fat-burning aerobic activity, which helps thin out the fat layer on top of your newly firmed buttocks. And a firm, flab-free butt does more than just sit pretty in your jeans. It gives you the strength to bound up stairs, play tag with your kids, and excel in every sport you play.

The following exercises are designed to target the gluteal muscles, or the "glutes." These muscles include the gluteus maximus, which makes up the roundest, fullest part of the butt and the lower butt; the gluteus medius, which runs along the outside of the butt and hip area; and the gluteus minimus, which sits between the medius and the maximus.

Getting Started
If you're brand new to weight training, incorporate one or two of these exercises into a full-body routine. If you already work out but want a firmer rear, tack on a few of these exercises to your routine. Start with one set of 10 to 12 repetitions and work up to two sets of 12 to 15. Rest for 20 seconds between sets.

What to Expect
Expect your butt to burn. Start slowly, and gradually build your reps and sets so that you don't become too sore right from the start.

Safety First
Your back is an important stabilizer during many of these exercises, and you don't want to put too much stress on it. Start with a very light weight or no weight at all until you have the motions down. Perform the exercises slowly, using your muscles, not momentum, to do the work. Keep your back flat and in a neutral position, and avoid any arching or hunching during the exercises.

Results
Perform the exercises 2 or 3 days a week (just not on consecutive days; your muscles need a rest), and you'll feel significantly stronger after just 3 to 6 weeks. After 6 to 8 weeks, you'll start seeing and feeling an improvement in your butt's firmness and appearance.

2011-11-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

Strive For Body Fitness

People recognize that true fitness involves the entire human being including the body, the mind and the spirit. There are statistics which show that, after years of training in body building, many of the persons who practiced this sport turned to fitness.

Bodily fitness is being able to deal with and handle the daily stresses of life, good physical and mental health, especially when maintained by proper diet, exercise, and habits.Does our physical exercise have anything to do with the fitness of our body? By participating in a physical fitness program that trains the body to work as one complete unit and that understands all physical abilities must be trained to complement the others.

People that have developed the abilities to survive, flourish and excel in the natural environment, through either superior genetics or proper physical training, normally have the hard, lean and muscular body that exemplifies these traits.

To have the physical abilities to survive, flourish and excel in our natural environment, and the lean, hard and muscular body that exemplifies these abilities, is not a vain, selfish desire. Total fitness is the ability to effectively use and integrate different physical abilities into a fluid and successful completion of a task. Another advantage of fitness is a richer and more varied area of exercises, inspired from the complex training of body building but also of many other sports.

If you have a weight loss coach he or she will help you each and every step of the way providing you support, motivation, and will teach you the secrets that all slim people know, so that you can lose weight in a healthy way and allow you to maintain your weight and get back to your body perfect fitness and health for life A coach will provide you a one-on-one daily support as you pursue your life long dream of permanent weight loss and getting back to a healthy lifestyle.Eating tips will help keep you on the right track, when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

For twenty minutes your body gets a spinal massage, your mind is allowed to float freely between the left and right poles of your brain, your lymph and blood systems are allowed to clear themselves of toxins, each organ of your body receives the most efficient flow of energy, and you feel connected to the universal source.Remember that you need carbohydrates for energy and if you are working the right factors in the right way you are going to need those important complex and essential carbohydrates for keeping your energy level up and helping refuel your body.

With a home gym, a Bowflex for example, you don’t need to go anywhere, stay at home or office and do your body weight exercises. If you are purchasing fitness equipments, you must read the fine print and ensure that the equipment you are purchasing is suitable for you or not.

2011-11-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

BETTER BODY

If you're like many, you've found the one activity you love to do. And you do it—over and over again. That's great, especially when you're just trying to get into the habit. But once you're exercising regularly, adding variety to your routine can take you to the next level."When you do just one thing, you're only training the muscles you need for that particular activity," says Janet Alexander, an exercise specialist in Encinitas, CA.

"That can leave you very strong in some areas, but pretty weak in others, leading to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries from performing the same motions day in and day out." And as you already know, the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn, and the slimmer and fitter you'll feel. "Plus, cross-training keeps you from getting bored!" she adds.You should always aim for a balance of aerobic activity and strength training to keep your heart fit, your muscles toned, and your bones strong. "Strength training twice a week is essential," says Alexander.

"It's the only thing that keeps your muscles strong enough to do the activities you love. And strength training keeps your metabolism high, so you avoid gaining excess body fat as you get older."Otherwise, try to vary your aerobic workouts so that you're not doing the same activity every day. Below are some ideas to help you spice up your routine.

Quick TipIf your workout's not working, try a new activity to boost calorie burn.

If your primary exercise is:Jogging/RunningTry YogaKeeps muscles and joints strong and flexibleGolf or TennisTry Swimming Moves joints through a full rotation and stretches themCycling/Spinning ClassesTry African or Jazz Dance

Impact is good for your bones and improves posture WalkingTry SwimmingStretches you and works your upper bodyAerobics Class (e.g., dance, step, kickboxing)Try Biking on TrailsLow impact is easier on joints.

Adding hills works your upper body and improves balance.Swimming/Water AerobicsTry Walking Especially on hills Weight-bearing exercise adds impact to build bones and improves lower body strength.

2011-11-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

YOGA BODY FITNESS

People are keen to perform yoga body fitness, although they are aware that it is tough to accomplish faster results. Knowing the right guideline is essential for smooth programming. Generally, it is noted that people make some mistakes in the aim of performing the fitness program and have confessed about the slow results. Therefore, it is a must to recognize the mistakes that are the main don`ts while performing yoga body fitness.

The fitness program regularly relies on strong determination and should follow a regular and right training program right from the start. Some mistakes may appear to be negligible, but is a matter of serious concern as they cause hindrance in the fitness program as well as in accomplishing the desired fitness level.

The most significant mistake that needs to be avoided is eating once or only twice a day. Restricting to a meal or two daily is not recommended as it results in building ripped abs, and any fitness program is appropriate only when your body is adequate with nutrition. After performing the fitness program, it is essential to replenish the muscles, and obviously eating less meals results in triggering muscle loss and also in decreasing the metabolic rate. Eating the right food timely is highly recommended as a successful diet comprising of protein-rich food that is low-carb, especially after yoga body fitness workouts is appropriate. Subsequently, avoiding eating unhealthy fats such as potato chips and deep fried foods.

Another great mistake deals with yoga fitness performed even with perfect DVD instructions. Practicing it demands time and as life is hectic, you may practice once a week for minimum 60 minutes. It is observed that some people perform yoga body fitness when they are highly stressed such that their back hurts or they experience a disturbing sleep. They start practicing by default and take rigid poses that is tough and end up with adverse effects. Performing yoga body fitness with commitment even during hectic days at least for 10 minutes is more beneficial than doing it for 60 minutes once a week.

The don`ts also include struggling to fit poses that may be nearly impossible for you to perform, leading to a feeling of failure. For instance, sitting with crossed legs may be painful or even sitting up straight may be uncomfortable, and can be rectified by accepting the uniqueness of the yoga body fitness or modifying the pose to fit your structure of the body. This may lead to breathing problem owing to the struggle in maintaining the pose that makes you breathless and also causes chaos in performing the yoga body fitness. It is a must to connect the flowing movements while holding the pose, thereby creating movement with the association of the breath.

The don`ts also include neglecting inner workings as people believe yoga body fitness deals with physical exercise besides yoga breathing. In reality, yoga exercises strengthen and tone the body, but certainly learning the inner workings helps in clearing any sorrow accumulated and this allows to breathe better and to support a good posture.

2011-10-30T03:23:00.000-07:00

WOMEN HEALTH FITNESS

Pelvic floor fitness is an essential to lifelong physical, sexual and emotional health.Yet this area of the body is often neglected by fitness experts. Why are the pelvic floor muscles so important, and why should all women do regular exercises to maximise their fitness?

1.Pelvic floor fitness is the best way of beating stress incontinence.

2.Pelvic floor fitness improves sexual response.

3.Pelvic floor fitness contributes to an easier labour and better recovery after childbirth.

4. Pelvic floor fitness is an excellent defence against urge incontinence, common amongst women in their later years.

5. Pelvic floor fitness is a vital factor in total fitness. XFT-0010 Pelvic Muscle Trainer adopts pneumatic principle and biofeedback technology.It can guide and help females take the initiative to do correct and effective pelvic muscles exercise.Strengthen pelvic floor muscles;Improve the quality of sexual life.It helps people to avoid bladder leaks,incontinent.Many good pelvic floor exercise devices have been available for sometimebut are often hard to track down, particularly for women who want to exercise independently at home.

Exercisers have usually only been available direct from a distributor or from a health professional.Just after giving birth or during the menopause, many women may suffer a deterioration involving the pelvic floor muscle tissues that can lead to bladder control problems – an upsetting situation that can result in humiliation and worry to the individual struggling.

Many females suffer in silence – too worried to describe the matter to a health practitioner – and frequently resort to using incontinence pads…these are not only bulky and sometimes visible under tight clothing – additionally they cost an awful lot of money over time.

2011-10-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

BODY EXERCISE

At its most basic, exercise is any type of physical exertion we perform in an effort to improve our health, shape our bodies and boost performance. Obviously that covers a broad range of activities and, luckily, there are plenty to go around whether you want to lose weight, get healthy or train for a sport.

The Benefits of Exercise
I could (and will) go on and on about all the things exercise can do for you, both physically and mentally. The great thing about it is that you don't need much to get the benefits. Even just a few minutes a day can improve your health, well-being and help you:

Lose weight
Reduce stress
Relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety
Reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer
Boost your mood
Give you more energy
Help you sleep better
Increase bone density
Strengthen the heart and lungs
Improve your quality of life

It's important to remember that motivation doesn't just happen. It's something you make happen each and every day. If you have multiple reasons to exercise, you'll always have something to get you moving, even when motivation is short. The hardest part of exercise is getting started...if you can get that far, you've won half the battle. Some ideas:

Remind yourself of your weight loss goals
Think of a future event to get ready for (a wedding, a vacation, etc.)
Consider how much energy you'll have to get more things done
Imagine how relaxed you'll feel after a workout
Think of your exercise time as the only time you may get to yourself all day
Remind yourself how good you'll feel by following through
Promise yourself a reward for completing your workout
Think of all the diseases and illnesses your workout could protect you from
Remind yourself that this workout is necessary to reach your goal .

2011-10-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

BUILD YOUR BODY

If you are looking for a way to improve your golf game, you may want to try a new healthcare system called Body Talk. Body Talk helps golfers by getting all the systems of their body to synchronize. Originally developed by Australian doctor John Veltheim, Body Talk helps the body rid itself of chronic health disorders, mental and emotional obstacles, and has been assisting many professional athletes with all aspects of their games.

This system allows the body to release self sabotaging belief systems and emotions as well as enabling all parts of the body to communicate with each other. This re-balancing helps each player to integrate all aspects of their game and improve performance on all levels.

Body Talk works on the premise that the body works as a symphony. Much like the parts of the body, if any instruments of a symphony are “out of tune,” or under communicating, performance is compromised, and all you are left with is noise. All of the systems and parts of the body need to be synchronized and communicating efficiently to perform well and be at optimum health.
If the body is not balanced, this may lead to poor body awareness and inefficient movement, as well as destructive and emotional patterns. By using biofeedback testing, Body Talk determines what lines of communication within a golfer’s body are underperforming and need to be enhanced. Utilizing the philosophies of western and Chinese medicine, quantum mechanics, and yoga and vedic philosophies, Body Talk determines what the body’s priorities are to achieve maximum performance.

The concept of priorities is what makes Body Talk unique. If you are slicing, or “choking” when the time comes to make the big shot, that is a symptom of some underlying issue. Instead of trying to find the “problem,” Body Talk establishes what the priorities are that need to be addressed to resolve the issue.This may involve synchronizing parts of the brain, nervous system patterns, flexibility and strength patterns, or a belief system such as “I don’t deserve to win.” No matter the issue, Body Talk always seems to help resolve it, often quickly and dramatically.“Body Talk has helped me play pain free for the first time in years” says Matt Seppanen, a professional golfer. “I have had hip pain for a few years and it always inhibited my play after walking a few holes. After a few Body Talk sessions, my body awareness was so much better that my body just seems to sort itself out. I am also amazed at how clear and focused my mind is while I am competing. All of the little things that used to bother me are gone and my focus is incredible.”

2011-10-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

FITNESS

1. Medicine ball squat with overhead liftFunctionality: Even though you lift things – like groceries, your kids, and other objects – with your arms, your legs and back are also key players. This exercise strengthens your legs, glutes, lower back, arms and shoulders. Exercise: Stand with your feet wide, holding a light medicine ball in front of you in both hands. Squat down moving your rear back, keeping your knees over your ankles and lower the medicine ball to the floor while keeping your head up and back straight (don’t hunch). Return to a start position and lift the medicine ball up over your head. Repeat squat and lower ball to the ground. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Increase weight of the ball as you get stronger.

2. Stair climb with bicep curlFunctionality: Whether you have stairs at your house or have to climb them elsewhere, using stairs as part of your fitness program will keep your legs conditioned – not to mention toned. Partnering stair climbs with bicep curls will strengthen your arms and improve your ability to carry things up the stairs. This exercise will also boost your cardiovascular fitness. Exercise: Stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs holding a 5- to 8-pound dumbbell in each hand. Climb the stairs while performing bicep curls. Walk or run down the stairs holding the weights but not doing curls. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Increase the dumbbell weight as your arms get stronger and mix up your climbs by taking two steps at a time for a flight or two.

3. Hip extension with reverse flyFunctionality: This exercise improves your balance and coordination as well as strengthens your upper, mid and lower back, shoulders, glutes and legs. Exercise: Stand tall with a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Extend your right leg back and place your toe on the floor keeping your right leg straight. Lean forward slightly at the hips. Lift your right leg behind you as you bring your chest towards the floor and lift your arms straight out forming a T at your shoulders, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your head in line with your neck. Return to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. As you get stronger, increase dumbbell weight and strap 2- to 5-pound weights on your ankles.

4. Diagonal reach with medicine ballFunctionality: When you reach for your boots off the top shelf of your closet, pay attention to how your body moves – one arm reaches up while the opposite leg slightly lifts to the side. This exercise works all the muscles – arms, shoulders, legs – involved in lifting something diagonally overhead as well as lowering it. Exercise: Stand tall holding a medicine ball at your chest with both hands. Lift medicine ball diagonally overhead to the right, straightening your arms, while extending your left leg to the side, making a diagonal line from the medicine ball to your toes. Lower to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the medicine ball and strap 2- to 5-pound weights on your ankles as you get stronger.

5. Lunge with back rowFunctionality: This exercise will improve your posture by strengthening the muscles in your upper and mid back, shoulders, and arms while also toning and strengthening your legs and improving your hip flexibility. Exercise: Holding an 8-pound weight in each hand, step your right foot forward and your left foot back, keeping both heels on the floor and feet pointing straight ahead. Bend your right knee until it is over your right ankle. Lower your chest towards your thigh, bringing your arms perpendicular to the floor, keeping your back flat (don’t hunch) – this is your start position. Straighten your right leg, row your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together, keeping your torso angled slightly forward. Return to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the dumbbells as you get stronger. This exercise can also be done with a resistance band looped underneath the front foot.

6. Knee lift with lateral raiseFunctionality: This exercise improves your core strength and balance as well as strengthens and tones your shoulders. Exercise: Stand tall with a 5-pound weight in each hand, arms to your sides. Lift your right knee until it reaches hip level while simultaneously lifting your arms straight out to the side to form a T at your shoulders. Hold for 2 seconds making sure your belly button is pulled back towards your spine then lower to start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times for each leg. Increase the weight of the dumbbells as you get stronger.

2011-09-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

BODY FITNESS

As a youngster you may have been subscribed to severe diet plans and strenuous exercise regimes to remain fit and healthy. Fortunately you will be no longer be required to go through this at 50 and after it. There are several easy ways on getting fit and healthy after 50.

They include:Have a Balanced DietAlthough you may have spent all your youth not bothering what and how you eat, you need to follow a healthy and balanced diet at this point of life. Remember that diet is one of the major causes of obesity, hypertension, acid reflux disease, diabetes and hence, you should have a proper diet to prevent these diseases. Your daily diet should include fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, lean meats and chicken, etc. You should reduce consumption of fatty foods, dairy foods, fried foods and sweets or avoid eating them for getting fit fast.

Exercise RegularlyExercise is very essential if you wish to keep your bones strong and healthy throughout your life. Strength training exercises should only be performed under the supervision of a trainer. Yoga and power yoga are the best exercises for getting fit after 50. Otherwise you can go for the cardiovascular exercises like swimming, running, jogging, brisk walking, etc. as they are good to improve breathing and functioning of the heart. Try and find a company (or get along your spouse) to enjoy the exercise regime!

Quit Smoking and AlcoholAnother effective technique on how to start getting fit after 50 is to reduce or avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol. Smoking is also a cause of all respiratory disorders and cancer. Alcoholism also leads to liver damage and hence, it should be cut down. Therefore, you need to stop smoking and reduce alcohol consumption to a small glass 2-3 times a week or stop completely. Although you have been a chain smoker or alcoholic in your life, stopping it can help a great deal, even in later life.

Reduce StressStress is also one of the culprit causing health disorders like insomnia, hypertension, heart diseases, stomach disorders, etc. Therefore, the most effective tips on getting fit after 50 is to reduce stress. Remember this is the time where you should relax and enjoy your life peacefully. You should stop being a workaholic and try and spend time with your loved ones, friends, like minded people, etc. Doing the thing you love the most is the key in stress management. You can pursue a hobby, watch television, sing, cook, shop, travel to get rid of stress.

Have a Good SleepLastly, one of the best fitness tips for men and women over 50 is to have a good sleep. It is not wise to have very late hours everyday as it can take a toll on your health. If you follow the above mentioned healthy living tips, you are sure to have a good sleep for 6-7 hours every night. If you have difficulty sleeping, try and find ways to induce sleep (not the pills please!) or change your schedule for the same!I hope you have obtained an easy and satisfactory answer on how to start getting fit after 50.

Lastly, one of the best tips on how to become healthy is to try and be natural, use natural products and avoid artificial and synthetic products, foods, etc.

This way you are sure to age gracefully and be proud of it.

2011-09-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

LEG EXERCISES

Some muscles or parts of the muscles in the legs are responsible for multiple actions and act on both the hip and knee joints.

QuadricepsThe quadriceps or "quads" is one of the largest muscle groups in your body. Many of the best leg exercises focus on the quads. The primary function of the quadriceps is leg extension. Leg extension is the motion of extending your knee like kicking a ball.

HamstringsThe hamstrings flex (curl) your leg. If you were standing and lifted your heel back to try to touch your butt your hamstrings would perform the action.

GlutesThere are 3 gluteal muscles. You have heard of the gluteus maximus which is the largest muscle in your body. There is also the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. The group is often referred to as the glutes.

The primary function of the glutes is to extend your hip but they have many other functions such as leg abduction which is moving your leg away from your body to the side.

Hip FlexorsThe hip flexors are the muscles which lift your knee up as if you were about to march. The hip flexors are a chronic tight muscle which causes posture problems.

AdductorsThe adductor complex is the group of muscles of your inner thigh. The primary function of the adductors is to adduct your legs. Adduction is the moving of moving your legs together from away from your body.

AbductorsAbduction is the motion of moving a leg to the side away from your body. You may have heard your abductors referred to as your outer thighs.

2011-09-18T00:58:00.000-07:00

FITNESS & EXERCISE

Although we don’t know exactly why, it’s believed there are a range of reasons why exercise relieves anxiety and chases away the black clouds of depression:

Distraction - focusing your thoughts on hitting a tennis ball or running around an open manhole prevents you from mulling over your last (probably incorrectly perceived) social calamity.

Anxiety is driven by negative thinking. So using your brain more constructively can give your emotions a welcome break.

Biological - exercise safely releases stored up adrenaline, which is what causes you to sweat or feel sick when you’re anxious. This means you’ll feel more relaxed and less on edge after you’ve finished your run.

Strengthens your heart - your heart is a muscle and making it stronger will help it perform better in stressful situations. As your heart strengthens, from regular exercise, it’s less likely to start hammering in your chest in anxious situations.

Improves your mood - the increased blood flow to your brain causes mood enhancing ‘endorphins’ to be released. Endorphins are feel good hormones, and when they’re freed they can brighten your mood and evaporate gloomy thoughts.

Self esteem boost - just knowing that you’re doing something practical to relieve your anxiety, rather than feeling miserable in bed, will make you feel better about yourself. Regular exercise will make you feel fitter, stronger and give you a much needed boost to your self esteem.

Exercise should be fun, so choose a type that you’ll enjoy and won’t feel like a chore. Here are a few ideas you should think about trying:

Walking or jogging - these will get you out and about so you can say hello to strangers (and even smile if you’re feeling brave) to help overcome your fears. Gentle, regular exercise can strengthen your heart, lungs and reduce anxiety’s physical symptoms.

Weight lifting or sprinting - explosive bursts of energy will make you bigger and stronger. Being physically fit will help you feel better about yourself knowing you’re in trim shape.

Tennis or golf - taking up a skilful sport will give you a fulfilling goal to pursue as you strive to improve. Just remember to be easy on yourself if you don’t play as well as you’d like. Nobody got better at anything without practice.

Yoga - Ileana at Beating Social Anxiety would be able to tell you about the benefits of yoga for anxiety treatment. Yoga will help release some of the strain in your muscles from feeling .

2011-09-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

WEIGHT LOSS

Most people that have tried to lose weight can tell you how distressing it can be to hit a weight loss plateau. Your diet and exercise plans seems to be going well, then…BOOM…the numbers on the scale stop moving and it seems that regardless of what you try nothing will get them back in motion. While hitting a weight loss plateau can be disheartening, they are a normal part of the weight loss process and should not deter you from reaching your goals.

Often people view experiencing a plateau as a form of failure and fall back into old, unhealthy habits. Sometime they become irritated – at the scale and eventually at themselves. Don't fall into this behavior. Instead of focusing on the plateau, think about how much weight you've lost to date. One week of no weight loss does not diminish the many weeks of weight loss you have already accomplished.

Most individuals want fast, easy results. We don't want to sweat and toil, we wish the weight would simply melt away. However, the secret to effective weight loss isn't such a secret – it's eating smaller portions of healthy food and exercising three or more time per week. If you follow these two simple rules, there is no reason to worry about reaching a plateau. In fact, you should consider the possibility that your healthy lifestyle has caused you to gain some muscle. Consequently, the weight lost in fat and gained in muscle may balance out, showing no change on the scale.

If you notice that the plateau began after a week of subpar exercise and diet, then view the plateau as motivation to work harder and smarter the next week. Make sure you are following your prepared exercise and diet plans. If you skipped your time at the gym or didn't push very hard while there, commit to kicking up the intensity of your workouts. If you eat more than necessary, be sure to scale back your portion size the next week. Review the events of the week and be attentive to areas of action that you can improve upon.

Be gentle with yourself. Experiencing a plateau doesn't mean that you made a mistake or aren't capable of shedding the weight. If you review the exercise and dietary choices of the week and find that you followed your routine perfectly, there is no need to change your weight loss plan. Healthy weight loss is often a slow journey and sometimes you will reach a natural plateau. Don't give up or resort to quick weight loss plans. While fad diets and quick cures may help to drop weight rapidly, that weight loss is typically not sustainable. Continue to follow a healthy, reasonable weight loss plan and the pound should begin to melt away again. Keep your spirit up and continue to press forward. However, if you experience a plateau for over three weeks, schedule an appointment with your doctor. There may be a medical reason hindering your progress.

2011-07-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Over Training

At first the over training state can be mild, and if an athlete rests, his body recovers fast. Later it may be more severe, and an athlete will be exhausted. The exhaustion is typical for experienced endurance athletes, who usually react in this way. Overtraining-like states can also be induced by mental, social, economical and environmental stress. These factors together with physical training cause total stress which influences on the body.

Stress can be caused by both positive and negative psychological factors. These may be e.g. holiday, vacation, personal achievement, change in residence, school or job, change in social and recreational habits, financial problems, divorce, trouble at school, trouble with the law, death or birth in the family.

Physiological factors cause stress as well. This kind of factors may be e.g. travel, sleep loss, races, changes in training, environmental changes (altitude, humidity, temperature), illness, injury, menstrual cycle or pregnancy.

Highly motivated athletes have to keep in mind that the balance between training, other stressors and recovery has to be right, i.e., they have to periodisize their training in the right way. If there is an uncompleted recovery time after exercises, fatigue starts to accumulate and after a few days or weeks symptoms of over training with a drop in performance will arise. As a result, recovery may take weeks or months.

Signs and symptoms of over training vary from athlete to athlete. The symptoms and signs are due to changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system, hormonal status, immunological parameters and other physiological and musculoskeletal changes of the body. Typically, an athlete feels tiredness and fatigue and notices a drop or stagnation in performance despite of continuing training.

2011-06-19T17:43:00.000-07:00

KEEP YOUR BALANCE

Every year about one third of seniors take a tumble. Not all falls are serious, but they can be. In the past, several studies indicated that certain exercises could help seniors maintain stability, but now a new review of thirty-four studies confirms that exercise is the key to balance.

The studies included in the analysis looked at more than 2,800 participants. On average the study participants were over age seventy-five, generally healthy, and the majority were women. The review shows gains in balancing ability across different groups of adults who participated in a variety of exercises including walking, dancing, tai chi, and strength and balance training.

Here are some simple strength and balance exercises you can do at home that are proven to be effective. Always be sure theres a support nearby like a sturdy chair or a railing or bar, that you can grab onto in case you feel unsteady. The following exercises are recommended by the National Institutes of Health.

STAND ON ONE FOOT Stand behind a sturdy chair While holding the back of the chair, stand on one foot for up to ten seconds. Repeat this ten to 15 times, then switch and perform the same exercise on the other foot.

If youre feeling steady, challenge yourself further by holding on to the chair with just one hand, or releasing both hands from the chair if your balance is good.

2011-06-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

Superior Performance for Athletes

Creatine is naturally produced in the body, but a supplement of it can help athletes with their performance in high-intensity workouts. Along with improving muscle strength, it also provides a quick energy boost. Because of this, it is commonly used by athletes before competitive events.

Glucosamine helps build healthy cartilage, so it is especially important for athletes who expend a lot of the energy that they take in through food. Cartilage degeneration is a long-term side effect of glucosamine deficiency. Normally, cartilage can regenerate on its own with sufficient rest and proper diet, but when the body is overworked, a person can suffer from joint pain. This is especially an issue for endurance runners who depend on strong knee joints.

Protein provides the nourishment that muscles need to recover from a strenuous workout. Bodybuilders, for example, use it to help them build bulk muscle, and—in some cases—gain weight to build that muscle. Even runners can benefit from protein supplements, despite the fact that their muscle mass is more lean than bulk. Without it, they are more susceptible to injury and longer recovery periods.

When exercise is a major part of your life, it can be difficult to get all the nutrients you need through your diet. This is why there are a myriad of sports supplements on the market from the likes of my protein, a recommended nutrition store for athletes, including creatine, glucosamine, and protein.

2011-06-12T06:34:00.000-07:00

BOTTOM LINE TO WEIGHT LOSS

The bottom line to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume all day. (The behavior isn't simple, but the equation is.) For example, if you eat 2,500 calories a day and only burn 2,000, you gain weight; if you eat 1,500 calories and burn 2,000, you lose weight; if you eat 2,000 and burn 2,000 you maintain weight.

It's true that there are several medical conditions, and medications, that can make weight loss difficult (see below). But even if one of those factors applies to you, you still need to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight.

The good news is this: You can lose weight with a very modest amount of exercise.
People lose weight all the time without exercise by reducing their caloric intake. But keeping the weight off without exercise is another matter. Many experts agree that exercise is the single best predictor of long-term weight control. If you lose weight and don't start exercising, there's a very good chance you will regain it. Here are some factors that can keep you from losing weight and/or cause weight gain:

Thyroid or adrenal gland problems.
Medications like antidepressants.
Stopping smoking.
Rapid weight loss. This can lower metabolism because the body senses it is starving and make it harder to lose weight. The decrease in metabolic rate is often due to loss in muscle (when you lose weight, approximately 25% of the loss comes from muscle), so lifting weights is a good idea.
Menopause (and premenopause).

If you think any of these things are factors for you, your doctor may be able to help.
Otherwise, patience, determination, regular physical activity, and attention to your diet are the keys to long-term weight control. Doing these things will give you your best shot at reaching your weight loss goals and keeping the weight off.

2011-05-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

BODY FITNESS EXERCISE

Exercise, even after age 50, can add healthy and active years to one's life. Studies continue to show that it is never too late to start exercising and that even small improvements in physical fitness can significantly lower the risk of death. Simply walking regularly can prolong life in the elderly. Moderately fit people, even if they smoke or have high blood pressure, have a lower mortality rate than the least fit.

Resistance training is important for the elderly, because it is the only form of exercise that can slow and even reverse the decline in muscle mass, bone density, and strength. Adding workouts that focus on speed and agility may be even more protective for older people. Flexibility exercises help reduce the stiffness and loss of balance that accompanies aging.

Studies indicate that regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic, even in older people, which in turn keeps blood flowing and blood pressure low. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing hypertension than athletes do. No person with high blood pressure should start an exercise program without consulting a physician. Studies have shown that high-intensity exercise may not lower blood pressure as effectively as moderate intensity exercise.

In one study, for example, moderate exercise (jogging two miles a day) controlled hypertension so well that more than half the patients who had been taking drugs for high blood pressure were able to discontinue their medication. Studies have indicated that T'ai Chi, an ancient Chinese exercise involving slow, relaxing movements may lower blood pressure almost as well as moderate-intensity aerobic exercises. Before exercising, people with hypertension should avoid caffeinated beverages, which increase heart rate, the workload of the heart, and blood pressure during physical activity.

One of the most common complaints of modern men and women, lower-back pain, afflicts up to 80% of all Americans. Sedentary living, obesity, poor posture, badly designed furniture, and stress all contribute to back pain. An appropriate exercise program focusing on flexibility and strengthening the muscles in the abdomen may help prevent back problems. Yoga stretching is beneficial and can be incorporated into the warm-up and cool-down periods. The best exercises for athletes with bad backs include swimming, walking, and cross-country skiing.

High-impact sports, including aerobic dance and downhill skiing, should be avoided. Exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles such as partial sit-ups, which maintain the back's normal curve and help support the body's weight, can alleviate stress on the lower back. However, the classic full sit-up (raising your head and shoulders off the floor up to your knees) may aggravate back pain and should be avoided by anyone at risk for lower back problems.

2011-05-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

SIX PACK

If you could sculpt one body part to perfection for next summer, what would it be? Let me guess - six pack abs! I don't know anybody who does not want to shrink there waistline, lose body fat, eliminate low back pain and develop a jaw dropping set of rock-hard six-pack. Too bad that your brain has been poisoned with contaiminated information.

Without focusing on the root problems of a flabby mid-section, like nutrition, lifestyle and proper training, you will just end up where you started - farther away from having a six-pack for summer instead of closer.

2011-04-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

WOMEN EXERCISE

The body needs exercise; there is no arguing that. Exercise not only helps us burn the excess load our body carries, making us lose weight and look trim, but it also promotes health and well-being. Regular exercise prevents our body from being afflicted with ailments such as heart disease, depression, and even cancer. Exercise gives the body more energy and strength, and makes the mind sharper and more alert.

Exercise is good for the body. Most people know this fact, that the body needs exercise. And yet, they still do not want to do it. Oh, they have their reasons. Some believe that exercise is too bothersome, or that they cannot set a regular time for exercise in their busy, busy schedules. There are some who think that doing exercise is too strenuous for their body, while some think that exercise is just plain boring. So, how do you bridge the gap between the obvious fact that the body needs exercise and the person wanting it in the first place?

For people who find exercise boring, they should do some form of physical exertion that they would find fun in doing so they would do it regularly and even look forward to it. You could do a few laps on the pool. Maybe you could walk the dog and have the dog chase sticks or Frisbees. If you do not have access to a pool or does not own a dog, maybe a game of tennis your best friend would do the trick. Or maybe just a walk up and down the block would be enough. Exercise does not have to involve a trip to the gym all the time after all.

For people whose excuse is that they do not have time for exercise, or that they do not like exercising in the morning as most fitness gurus preach, then the solution is to find time for exercise that is convenient for them. It does not matter when this is, as long as it is done regularly and consistently. The right time for exercise is the time you make it right for you. For people who feel discouraged because they do not really see any changes on themselves with their exercise routine, the answer to this concern would be to keep an exercise journal. By taking note of the number of sets and repetitions you did, how you are feeling before and after the workout as well as the intensity of the workout, you would have an actual record of your progress, not just a guess or a gut feel.

And knowing how much work you are putting into your exercise and the actual results would definitely motivate you into going on with your routine and even trying harder. For people who are bored with exercise, the answer to this would be to put variety in your routine. You don't have to stick to the same routine day in and day out. Also, take a rest and a day off from exercise if you need to.

Exercise should be something you find fun in doing rather than a chore. Your exercise routine should suit you, and never the other way around.

2011-04-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

6 Ways to Boost Body Image Without Losing a Pound

While losing weight may give a temporary boost to your self-esteem, linking self-worth to a dress size is never going to have a long-lasting effect, experts say. What can make a difference is changing the way you see what's already there in the mirror.

Ironically, doing so often translates into making the kind of self-care changes that can also lead to improvements in the way you look.

"When your self-esteem is high, you care more about yourself, so doing things that are good for you, like eating a healthier diet or exercising regularly, also comes much easier, and we are more successful at it. And that often means we end up looking and feeling better.

To help you get started thinking about yourself in a more positive light, our experts say, put away the scale, ignore those size tags, and focus on the following.

Stop negative self-talk immediately. While you still may not like what you see in the mirror, learning to describe yourself with neutral, objective phrases can help stop the cycle of poor self-esteem. So, instead of saying to yourself "I have really ugly thighs," think "My thighs could use some work."

Find and focus on the things you like about your looks. It's best not to link your looks to your self-esteem, but with body image so intimately entwined with self-image, that can be hard to do. The next best thing is to find something about your image you really like. "It can be great hair, great nails, terrific teeth. Find the things about yourself you can say something good about, and every time you look in the mirror, go there first and say something positive to yourself.

Treat yourself with the same kindness and respect you show your best friend. "Would you respect and care about a person who says about you what you are saying about yourself? If the answer is no, then begin treating yourself at least as well as you are treating others in your life.

Say what you mean. Sometimes, hating your thighs is all about wanting thinner thighs. But sometimes, negative body thoughts are a way of expressing discontent over other issues in your life.

Dress the part. If you're putting off buying new clothes until you like your body better -- don't. Whether you're bursting at the seams in duds that are too tight or swimming in oversized clothing to hide your body, you are eroding your self-esteem. "Buy what fits you, and look the very best you can. It sends a powerful message to yourself that you are worth it.

Recognize that people naturally come in different shapes and sizes, and cherish your body's uniqueness. And, remember this: "Only 2% of the world's women fall into the supermodel category. That leaves a lot of room for the rest of us!"

2011-04-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

BETTER SLEEP

Tips to Get Better Sleep With Fibromyalgia

Creating a comfort zone at home is key to better sleep, whether you have fibromyalgia or not. It's all about easing into bedtime feeling relaxed -- and staying relaxed so you sleep through the night.

These 10 tips can help people sleep better:

Enjoy a soothing (warm) bath in the evening.

Brush your body with a loofah or long-handled brush in the bath.

Ease painful tender points with a self-massage device (like a tennis ball).

Do yoga and stretching exercises to relax.

Listen to calming music.

Meditate to tame intrusive thoughts and tension.

Sleep in a darkened room. Try an eye mask if necessary.

Keep the room as quiet as possible (or use a white-noise machine).

Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.

Avoid foods that contain caffeine, including teas, colas, and chocolate.

2011-03-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

FLEXIBILITY TRAINING

Flexibility training involves performing a series of exercises that help maximize range of motion and muscle stability. The benefits are improved blood flow in the muscles and lower risk of injury.

There are three basic types of stretching exercises that help accomplish these goals: static, dynamic and Isometric/PNF.Static stretches are the most traditional type, encompassing the more or less standard 'pull to maximum end point, hold for five or ten seconds, then release' group of exercises.Static stretches should form part of every 10 minute warm-up routine.

Every major muscle group should be given a gentle pull, hold and relax. This helps improve the circulation and readies the muscles for more vigorous activity, while decreasing the risk of tears or tendon stretching.Dynamic or ballistic stretches are more controversial, since they involve stretch with added momentum or even using weights.

They are potentially harmful and that risk-factor is one of the major elements behind the controversy. At minimum, you should seek out a knowledgeable trainer before engaging in this form of flexibility training.As one example, rest one knee on a ball and slowly rotate the ball away from the body, giving a very moderate bounce at the maximum point.

Lunges, performed by moving one foot ahead, kneeling slightly with the back straight and bouncing gently, would be another.PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) involves a combination of passive and isometric exercise. Apart from having a fancy technical name and associated acronym, PNF actually has several useful features that should motivate individuals to investigate its value.

Performed properly, under the guidance of an experienced fitness professional or devoted amateur, PNF can maximize range of movement and best prepare the body for more strenuous exercise.Several exercises involve using a partner. The muscle group you want to work is stretched under tension, then contracted for several seconds, and your partner applies resistance to inhibit movement.

For example, stretch your arms out and slowly move them behind you, then contract the biceps, triceps and shoulders. Have the partner gently pull your hands together a little past the 180 degree mark as you attempt to pull your arms back to 180 degrees.As another example, lie on your back on a comfortable surface. Raise one leg vertically and have your partner grab your foot. Your partner then presses the foot gently backward until you feel tension on the hamstring (the muscle on the rear of your thigh). You then contract the muscles as you attempt to move your leg back down, with your partner resisting the movement.

These examples are to serve only to give a general idea of the exercises. PNF exercises should only be attempted after you have received proper, hands-on training. Done incorrectly they can lead to muscle sprain or joint damage.

2011-03-14T17:08:00.000-07:00

BIGGER ARMS

Building better arms isn't just about working your triceps and biceps. Learn how to work the two "hidden" muscles within the arm for greater results in less time.

No matter how much extra time you spend trying to fill out your sleeves, the minuscule payoff at the end is never worth all the effort. There's a reason for that, although you may not want to hear it: You're exercising the wrong way.

Most guys work only about 60 percent of their arms," says Mike Brungardt, strength and conditioning coach for the San Antonio Spurs and coauthor of The Complete Book of Shoulders and Arms (HarperCollins, 1997). The reason is that the two basic arm exercises most men do, the biceps curl and the triceps press-down, only work three of the five muscles of the arm.
"The common belief is that the upper arms are made of two muscles (biceps and triceps), but they really divide into five," says Brungardt. They are the triceps, (lateral, medial and long heads), the biceps and a broad, flat sinew called the brachialis anticus, which is sandwiched between the bone and the biceps.

Most popular triceps exercises challenge the first two heads but never stimulate the long head around the inside of the arm. Big mistake, because building this portion gives your arms a wider appearance from every angle (unlike the other two, which can only be seen from the back and sides).

Developing the brachialis, meanwhile, has the same miracle effect of a saline implant inside a 34A chest. With nowhere else to go but up, the brachialis pushes against the biceps, which makes them seem larger than they actually are. Unfortunately, most conventional exercises, such as barbell, dumbbell or preacher curls, never challenge this hidden muscle. The only way to stimulate it is by curling with the hands either palms down or palms facing each other�arm positions most guys never bother to try.

That's where our four-step plan can help. With Brungardt's assistance, we've devised a fast, comprehensive routine that targets all five muscles in one workout. The end result: bigger arms in less time. Because you use the biceps and triceps whenever you work your upper body, it won't take much to exhaust them, so do only three sets of the following exercises for 10 to 12 repetitions each.

For the front
Wall curl: Stand against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a light barbell with an underhand grip by your thighs, hands shoulder-width apart. Press yourself along the wall so that your head, back, triceps and heels touch the surface. (If any of these four come off during the exercise, you're cheating, so concentrate on keeping them flat at all times.) Tuck your elbows in at your sides; then slowly curl the barbell up until your hands are by your shoulders. Flex your biceps (squeezing your muscles when they're contracted helps exhaust additional muscle fibers); then slowly lower the bar back to your thighs.

Alternating hammer curl: Sit on the end of a bench, feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging from your sides. Turn your wrists so your palms face each other. Keeping your back straight, slowly curl the weights until your thumbs are by your shoulders. Flex your biceps; then lower the weights. On the next rep, turn your wrists so your palms face behind you. Slowly curl up until your knuckles are by your shoulders; then lower. Continue to alternate hand positions throughout the set.

For the back
Lying triceps press: Lie faceup on a bench, feet flat on the floor. Grab an E-Z curl bar with an overhand grip, hands about 6 inches apart. Press the weight above your chest, elbows unlocked. Keeping your upper arms still, slowly bend your elbows and lower the weight until your hands reach your forehead (your elbows should be pointing straight up; otherwise you're using your shoulders). Press the bar back up, leaving your elbows unlocked at the top, and repeat.
Triceps rope pull-down: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Grab a rope attached to a cable at the top of a lat pull-down machine, palms facing each other.

Lean slightly forward at the hips with your abdominals contracted and knees soft. Lock your elbows at your sides and bend them so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Slowly extend your arms until your fists reach the outside of your thighs; then gently rotate your wrists so your palms end up facing out and away from your body. Squeeze your triceps for a second; then rotate your wrists back and slowly raise the rope until your forearms are parallel to the floor.

2011-03-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Yoga

The movements of yoga are not typically performance art. Watching a skilled practitoner can take on the level of entertainment and awe although that isn’t the function of yoga. Art lovers and observers have enjoyed yoga performance or competitions and this has elevated (or reduced, as the viewer might choose) yoga practice into performance art. The argument might be whichever introduces more people to yoga is beneficial.

Vinyasa Yoga is a Flowing Movement to Breath
It is only a step away in imagination to combine these movements of yoga, set them to music, and call them dance. Liberated from yoga poses and structure, the body enters a performance state and some yogis have taken advantage of this evolvement of the yoga practice. It can be said it no longer is a practice but a performance. This is different from a master yogi exhibiting the Ashtanga series for a group of students.

Tripsichore Yoga is Yoga Dance Theatrical Performance
This yoga performance group was establishes in 1979. The advanced flexible yogis, many whom have backgrounds in dance or gymnastics utilize yoga poses into a dance and involvement with each others bodies to tell a story. The story often has a discovery that takes a leap toward enlightenment or other yoga connection, if it is necessary. The movement is full of headstands, cartwheels, and handstands and backbends onto entwined bodies. The yoga poses can be noted within the flow. Some of the compositions are quite lovely. To differentiate itself from modern dance or groups such as the brilliant highly trained Pilobolus dance group, the themes of yoga dance group should not tread too far from yoga themes.

Watching a duet with the yoga pose of one leg up on shoulder behind head (eka pada sirsasana) being worked into an acrobatic dance is begging the issue of yoga vs. dance art but the athleticism is noted by the audience. The posture is not necessarily one of beauty but of strength and flexibility. Is this dance or does it matter?

Edward Clark, tripsichore founder does not say he performs dance but yoga. He describes vinyasa as “evenly metered flow of movement, breath and thought resulting in a smooth, uninflected state of being”. He and a partner recently performed in Tampa at a yoga studio to a small enthusiastic audience. They travel and perform throughout the country and the schedule is listed.

Yoga Dance Trance is a Yoga of Self Celebration
Shiva Rea creates a form of dance yoga where yoga participants move to music with mild suggestions of where to place the leg or which way to move from the director.
As the name implies, this isn’t necessarily for an audience but more for the joy and learning of the participant.

Music plays a role in this form of yoga dance awakening the inner spirit or fire to the rhythms within and from outside in this movement. It becomes an energetic flowing movement.
Yoga as dance often takes the basic flow poses and sets them to new age type music letting attractive performers go through the paces with hair flowing and bland facial expressions. Watching yoga flow with music accompaniment can become a performance.

2011-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

AIM OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Aim of physical education, like general education, is to develop human personality in its totality well planned activity programs.

In some words, physical education aim at the all round development of the personality of an individual or wholesome development of human personality and it includes physical, mental, social, emotional and moral aspects to make an individual a good citizen who is able to make contribution in process of nation in one’s own way.

Thus physical education means at making an individual physical fit, mentally alert, emotionally balanced, socially well adjusted, morally true and spiritually uplifted.

Objectives of Physical Education – Objectives are steps considered towards the attainment of the aim. They are the particular and precise means employed to realize an aim. The moment an aim is achieved it becomes an objective in the action that goal on continuing.

The three Objectives of physical education are -
1. The objective of physical fitness – It refers to that state where an individual has developed great endurance, speed, strength etc. Physical fitness is essential to leading a happy, vigorous and abundant life.
2. The objective of social efficiency – It concerned with one’s proper adaptation to group living. Physical education activities provides ample opportunities to develop traits such as cooperation, respect to others, loyalty, sportsmanship, self confidence etc. All these qualities help a person to make him a good citizen.
3. The objective of culture – It aims at developing an understanding and appreciation of one’s own local environment as well as the environment which is world-wide in scope.

By participation in various physical education activities such as dance, sports and games, a person fully understand the history, culture, tradition, religious practices etc and the aesthetic values associated with these activities.

2011-02-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

Body Fitness With Yoga And Exercise

Yoga can rejuvenate the mind and body with positive energy that is often required to tackle everyday tasks and challenges. But because there are more people who do not have the luxury of time to spend freely on tutorials, it is imperative that yoga be offered through different venues and portal. There are basic and helpful books that generally offer simple tutorial to people who want to learn yoga. Before you begin on this course of action, you should ideally consult with your doctor as to when you should start to exercise.

And when you finally have all of these down pat, when you have your healthy weight loss plan, when you have your gentle exercise regime, and when you have found the determination to follow through with it, you can take a small nap from the exhaustion of planning how to reclaim your body after pregnancy. A trained instructor can tailor your exercises depending on your needs. Golf is definitely a sport with a difference.

Today, with the busy hectic schedule and stress, it is a compelling persuasion to initiate yoga as a daily routine. Go for classes that are authorized and have expert involvement. However, the head needs to instead be kept back through the golf swing and the subtle movements that occur will do so naturally.

You need not be a professional golfer to improve your golf swing and scores quicly. The book tells about the recommended practices, procedures and simple tasks when doing or attempting to meditate or do the basic yoga. Although yoga experts may impart the art of yoga which develops well-being and optimal health, one should keep himself in accordance with yoga body fitness, having a natural diet, regular exercise, plenty of fresh air and keen mental awareness. Yoga body fitness has gained high popularity as it is found to bestow blissful life. Hence practicing cardiovascular exercises also helps in keeping your weight down and in maintaining a fit heart and body.

It is appropriate for relaxation and offers great time to pray or meditate. Unfortunately, some physicians have not approached obesity as a disease. There are formal classes, and those that are done online. It doesn't have to be anything too strenuous, just something that makes you move around a little so that your muscles don't atrophy from staying in the same place all the time! It is an established mechanical principle that any object moving in one direction must come to a complete stop before moving in the opposite direction.

Obesity physicians should offer practical suggestions that do not require a complete overhaul of their patient's current way of life. Online yoga Relaxation and a quick in touch with the mental and spiritual aspect of ones personality and life makes yoga a worthwhile and distinct type of exercise done by people of all ages around the world. Books offering personal yoga tutorials Because learning yoga is not always learned conveniently through formal classes, here are some recommended readings and books that would help you learn more about yoga.

2011-01-30T04:18:00.000-08:00

BODY BUILDING

In the recent years, everyone wants to look good therefore; the consciousness of the male community has increased to develop strong and perfect body. Body building is not a simple task and it requires a lot of efforts and determination. Some of the practical bodybuilding tips are as follows.

The first requirement of bodybuilding is proper diet. Bodybuilding training without essential nutrients is not possible therefore, it is better to download a bodybuilding diet from the internet.

The body adapts the routine therefore, go for the routine of bodybuilding training which you can follow for a longer period of time. It is not necessary that bodybuilding is only carried out in gyms. In fact, body also builds itself at rest therefore, after getting the training sleep for at least eight hours. Spending time in gyms will never lead you to build the body.

Do not try to start the bodybuilding training from the heavy weights and keep increasing the weights gradually. If you do not see the result in the few weeks then do not lose the passion and keep following the routine because bodybuilding is not a revolutionary process.

For bodybuilding, try to stimulate the muscle fiber. Compound exercises are considered best for this purpose. Always make each movement of the training and weightlifting by concentrating on your mind because mind can really enhance the effectiveness of the work and muscular movement.In the bodybuilding, you must understand that effectiveness is brought by both the quality of training as well as the quantity of the training.

Therefore, hire a professional trainer who may help you to select the right pace of training. The ideal duration of bodybuilding workout is one hour but you can increase or decrease the time according to your capability. Before starting the training, always do stretching exercises to warm-up the body muscles.

Do not go for over training because it can appear as a bad thing. Drink a lot of water because it is a miracle supplement. A bodybuilder should drink one 8 oz. glass for every 10-12.5 pounds of body weight per day. Machines are easy to use but also go for the free weights because they can allow you to stimulate your muscles. Throughout the training balanced intensity is very necessary and always try to make a regular routine of bodybuilding training.

2011-01-22T17:35:00.000-08:00

DO & DON'T

DO Start Off ModeratelyWork your way into a routine. Going overboard after a long respite from exercise may result in injury, or at least disappointment. Your workout shouldn't do either, so build up from a moderate beginning.

DON'T Over-ExerciseFor maximum benefit at minimum injury risk, the body needs to rest and recover. At least a 24-hour rest after heavy muscle strain is advised. Stagger workouts between heavy and light strain. For example, you can alternate a weight training routine with biking.

DO Warm Up and Cool DownA low-impact warm-up before any exercise is essential. It warms the muscles, makes them more limber and easier to stretch, which results in a better workout. It also helps to prevent injury.Cooling down after exercising is also important as it relaxes the muscles, lowers the heart rate, and helps the body to recover from the stress of a workout. It'll make you feel better immediately after the workout, and the next morning.

DO Stretch Flexibility is one of the most important factors of fitness. Stretching before, during and after a workout will result in better performance, good posture, fewer injuries, and overall better fitness.

DON'T Push an InjuryListen to your body. If you feel pain, stop. Muscle and joint pain can mean many things -- pushing a small hurt can lead to big problems later on. If pain persists more than a few days, see a doctor.

DO Consult a TrainerIf you belong to a gym, you may have the opportunity to consult a certified trainer. He or she can help you craft a reasonable workout plan, tailored for your goals. A trainer can also teach proper form with exercise equipment. Even if you are experienced, bad habits can be developed.

DON'T Get BoredDon't get bored with your workout. New exercises can break the monotony, and the excitement of perfecting new skills can help motivate. Since different exercises work different parts of the body, a diverse workout will aid overall fitness.

DO Find a Workout PartnerIf motivation is your problem, a workout partner might be the solution. A partner can motivate you to workout when you normally might not, and can help improve your workout by watching form, encouraging extra effort, and pacing. Try to pick a partner with abilities equal to your own.

DON'T Lose ConcentrationPreoccupation with outside situations can counteract the benefits of a workout. For example, you might decrease intensity as you lose concentration. And not paying attention to a workout can lead to sloppy style and potential injury. Instead, use the time to concentrate on proper form and control. It will lead to a better workout, greater benefits, and a more relaxing experience.

DO Watch What You EatDiet is just as much a part of fitness as exercise, and what you eat will affect every aspect of your workout. A proper diet also influences the results of you fitness plan, since it helps build muscle and decrease the percentage of fat in your overall body weight.

DON'T Dehydrate YourselfWhen exercising, the body needs four to eight ounces of water every 20 minutes to replace water loss. If you become thirsty during a workout, you've already passed out of a "safe" stage of hydration. Take fluids immediately. If you are working out for more than an hour, you may want to consider sports drinks, as the extra carbohydrates help retain body water. But try them out first, as not all work, and some may cause unwanted reactions. Always avoid caffeine or alcohol when exercising, both of which further dehydrate your body.

DO Have Fun!The benefits to working out don't pay off if you don't enjoy yourself. This isn't an excuse for not exercising, as it's still vital to your health. But finding a workout that you enjoy will make the difference when setting a workout schedule that will stick.

2011-01-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

MIND AND BODY FITNESS

Mind and body fitness? Many people who want to get into shape don't realize there is more to fitness than well-toned muscles. There's no shortage of exercise regimes that just promote the perfection of the body, or the idea of fitness as a part of a weight loss plan.

Centuries ago, Western culture lost its focus on the interconnectedness between the body and the mind or spirit, and how each has the power to affect the other. Cultivating a love of movement can help you get beyond the concept of physical fitness as separate from mental fitness - and toward a lifelong program of good health through mind and body fitness.

Whether you choose yoga or another form of movement for exercise, remember that our bodies are made to move to feel good. So when you incorporate regular activity in your life, you're moving closer to overall mind and body fitness. But if you are overweight, this can be more difficult. You can improve your mind-body connection for better mind and body fitness - it's just important to choose realistic fitness options.

You might consider redefining exercise as any activity that unites your mind and body and reduces your stress level. In fact, high levels of stress have been linked to weight gain, and certainly can lead to emotional eating. Finding activities that are both enjoyable and easy to do is important when developing any type of exercise plan.

It's important to be realistic about what we expect from ourselves. Consider your goals. Is 30 to 60 minutes on a treadmill a reasonable time frame at this point in your life? Are you setting yourself up for failure or success when you create this expectation for yourself? Would it be more enjoyable to you to do some stretching and a shorter period of time on the treadmill?
Developing an exercise plan that fits your lifestyle and your desires is critical. Surprisingly, long-term weight loss is linked more closely to whether a person sticks to their fitness routine than to what that routine actually consists of. A routine that is gentle and pleasurable is more likely to lead to the long-term gains you are seeking.

All-or-nothing thinking about exercise leads us to first bite off more than we can chew and then give up all together. Just walk into a gym in the month of January and try to get on a Stairmaster. There's a good chance you'll have to wait in line. But by March or April, there are usually plenty of free machines.

It is also important to tailor your fitness goals to your preferences. Some people like the idea of getting out of the house in the evening and going to the gym. Others prefer staying home and doing a quieter exercise routine after the demands of a stressful day. Either approach, or a combination of the two, can result in improved mind and body fitness.

What is critical is for you to come to know yourself and to take yourself seriously. If you like to be home in the evenings, find things to do in your home or consider an occasional walk with friends or family. If you crave the company of others, head for the gym. Think about what would please you most, and follow your inner voice.

Many people who are preoccupied with food and body issues tend to pay too much attention to the needs of others, while paying too little attention to their own needs. While you may intend to benefit your children with their countless activities, the added stress can cause an imbalance within your family. Can you take a look at your schedule (or your family's) and reschedule some time for yourself? What would it be like to say no?

Long-term weight loss can take time. And we can get demoralized when we don't see immediate results. But remember that maintaining an exercise routine is associated with physical as well as mental well-being. Where has our focus on the numbers on our scale gotten us? Some would say it has taken us to more harsh thoughts, more bingeing and grazing on food, and, ironically, less fitness rather than more.

2010-12-31T09:41:00.000-08:00

Weight Loss

1. Stretch your meals to, at least, 20 minutes or longer. Your stomach, mouth and brain are all connected and it takes 20 minutes of chewing before your stomach signals your brain that you are full. To feel full and successfully lose weight on any weight loss program, you need to eat slowly for 20 minutes or longer.

2. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is important to your health, your normal diet and to help lose weight. Water is necessary for the metabolism of your stored fat. Weight loss cannot occur without an active metabolism which requires large quantities of water. Another way to use water to lose weight is to drink a large glass of ice water just before meals. The cold causes your stomach to shrink slightly which will make you feel full faster.

3. The more positive your self-esteem, the better you feel about yourself, the faster and easier it will be for you to lose weight. When you are self-confident, you are better able to take charge of your life. It also means that after you lose weight, it will stay gone permanently.

4. When you go fat free or low fat, you also cut out much of the taste of the foods you eat. Add the flavor back with herbs and spices. Strong flavors such as vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cayenne, curry powder, rosemary and tarragon can be used to doctor up any food you are eating. For your low fat and fat free diets, experiment with different herbs and spices until you find some you like. Staying on your fat free or low fat diet will be easier and your weight loss will be speeded up.

5. Increase your metabolism by as much as 40% by using hot and spicey foods such as hot peppers of all varieties and mustards. Research shows these foods all increase your metabolism. For double duty, give up fat filled mayonnaise for mustard and add hot peppers to your food for greater flavor and increased metabolism.

6. Negative emotions will also interfere with your weight loss program. It's difficult to stay motivated to lose weight when you feel bad. Overeating often accompanies negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, fear, guilt and anger. If this is true for you, begin a stress management program including some exercise and relaxation exercises.

2010-12-25T23:16:00.000-08:00

Improve your muscular fitness

Start training with weights - The only way that you can improve your body fitness levels is by training your muscles with weights. It will make your muscles stronger and will also decrease your chance of injury and diseases.

Warm up - Before you start with the weight training exercises you should warm up your lower body muscles and your body by doing 5 minutes of cardio. You should also before you start with each new exercise, do one set at a very light weight load to prep your muscles.

Stretch properly - Stretching after your weight training workout will help your muscles to lengthen and will also help you to be less stiff the next day.

Choose your favorite cardio activity - You will be doing a lot of cardio to get fit, so you might as well choose cardio that you enjoy.

Warm up before - Before you start all out in an all-out effort, you should take 10 minutes to do very light and gentle cardio.

Do Cardio interval training - The best way to improve your fitness levels is with cardio interval training.

Get more activities in - Try and be as active as you can. For example, take your dog for a walk or take the stairs instead of the lift.

Stretch after exercises - To prevent injuries, stretch after your cardio exercise.

2010-12-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

HOME EXERCISES

There is very much data out there concerning anti-aging medicine and human growth hormone. Human growth hormone is defined by medical professionals as "a hormone made by the pituitary gland which makes the growth of muscles and bones faster." One way to lose weight quickly is by increasing your human growth hormone.

After the age of thirty, the body begins making less of human growth hormone and we begin to feel the consequences of "aging". The benefits of human growth hormone include better burning of fat, added libido, enhanced cardio output, increased immunity, speedy wound healing, and speedy muscle recovery.

The side effects of injecting human growth hormone are not totally known yet but they are thought to include bigger head size, unnatural bone growth and joint pain. Thus, the use of natural methods is the best way to do add human growth hormone. Below are some of the home exercises to lose weight quickly when your HGH is increased used them.

1. You need to carry out intense sprinting anaerobic workouts. Also find ways to do something that puts your breathe into motion such as swimming, interval cycling, sprinting hills, or cardio boxing. Research shows that intense anaerobic workout can add human growth hormone levels by about 600%.

2. Have enough sleep and do not consume anything for at least three hours before bedtime. The highest level of human growth hormone is discharged during sleep and functions better on an empty stomach. This is time you will get the highest level of fat burning and muscle recovery will occur when you are sleeping.

3. You have to carry out full body muscle workout such as push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. These workout activates the body's neuron-endocrine response which also boosts human growth hormone release.

2010-12-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

BIGGER ARMS

Building better arms isnot just about working your triceps and biceps. Learn how to work the two "hidden" muscles within the arm for greater results in less time.

2010-12-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

BODY FITNESS TIPS

The first requirement of bodybuilding is proper diet. Bodybuilding training without essential nutrients is not possible therefore, it is better to download a bodybuilding diet from the internet. The body adapts the routine therefore, go for the routine of bodybuilding training which you can follow for a longer period of time. It is not necessary that bodybuilding is only carried out in gyms. In fact, body also builds itself at rest therefore, after getting the training sleep for at least eight hours. Spending time in gyms will never lead you to build the body.

Do not go for over training because it can appear as a bad thing.

Drink a lot of water because it is a miracle supplement. A bodybuilder should drink one 8 oz. glass for every 10-12.5 pounds of body weight per day. Machines are easy to use but also go for the free weights because they can allow you to stimulate your muscles.

Throughout the training balanced intensity is very necessary and always try to make a regular routine of bodybuilding training.

Therefore, by following the tips of bodybuilding you can really build a strong and muscular body.

2010-11-13T22:22:00.000-08:00

FITNESS TO SUIT OUR BODY

Ectomorphic: are lean, long-limbed and often tall. These woman have long torsos, slim hips and shoulders and small bones in proportion to their height. The Ectomorphic women generally have a very high metabolic rate making it difficult for them to gain both muscle and fat.They generally need less aerobics and should do anaerobic/strength building or Resistance training exercises with repetitions in the range of 6-10 with a resting time of 45-90 sec between each set.

The number of sets to be performed will depend on the need for fitness or a particular sport.The aerobic workout should last for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week for cardiovascular fitness. If you play a sport that requires physical conditioning, then you will need to vary the routine for aerobic workout according to the need of the sport.If Ectomorphs desire to gain size, they should indulge in strength training repetitions of 6-10 with heavier weights with a resting span of 30-45 sec.

Endomorphic : are short of limb and torso with more rounded bodies. They tend to store body fat easily and might also be big-boned. They generally tend to gain weight in the lower part of their body. Endomorph women can be curvaceous like Madonna,or Pia Zardora. In reality many endomorphs spend their lives fighting fat.

A cardiovascular workout of at least 30-40 minutes, 3-5 times per week is desired. Similarly, due to a serious need of increasing the BMR to burn more calories at rest than fat, endomorphs need to take up a Strength training program composed of higher repetitions at least 12-20 reps (with 30-60 sec of rest between the sets). Aerobic exercise is essential for weight loss, cardiovascular fitness and body-shaping, on the other hand anaerobic exercise is essential to gain muscle and build strength.

By building on muscle content through a customized strength training program, Endomorphs can increase their Basal Metabolic Rate in order to manage their weight. Endomorphs who put on weight become "pear shaped" and carry their extra weight below the belt on the hips, abdomens, buttocks and thighs.

2010-10-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

WEIGHT LOSS

7. To lose weight faster, reduce your intake of caffeine. Caffeine leads to an increase of insulin in your body which retards the burning of your stored fat.This is a simple chemical reaction in your body that you can change. Reduce your caffeine intake by 50% and see what happens. Here is a rough guide to use when looking at the amount of caffeine you currently take in: Brewed coffee (6 oz. cup) - 100mg; Instant coffee (6 oz.) - 70mg; Tea (6 oz.) - 50mg; Soft drinks (12oz.) - (Coke, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew) - 50mg; Dark chocolate (1 oz.) - 20mg and Milk chocolate (1 oz.) - 6mg.

8. Incease your intake of fiber rich foods. They will help fill you up faster and will help all the food you eat pass through your digestive system more easily.

9. Exercise is probably the most important key to increasing your metabolism and burning off excess fat. Research shows that you burn more stored fat for energy when you do aerobic exercises on an empty stomach than on a full stomach. Research also shows that you burn more stored fat when you exercise late in the day rather than in the morning. Put together, the best time to exercise to lose weight by burning your stored fat is in the late afternoon/early evening before dinner. Second best is in the morning before breakfast. Our metabolism naturally starts to slow down about 8 hours after we wake up. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercises in the evening, before dinner, will not only burn off stored fat but it increases your metabolism for about two to three more hours just when it was starting to slow down. This produces a significant increase in fat burned off, even after the exercise is over.

10. To lose weight quickly, never skip a meal. Your first meal after waking starts your metabolism. Your metabolism then speeds up for about eight hours and then starts slowing down until you go to sleep when it goes to low until you wake and eat and start the cycle again. Skip breakfast and your metabolism doesn't get started until lunch time. You've just missed three or four hours of fat burning time. When you skip meals during the day, your metabolism also slows down. Weight loss through the burning of stored fat is all about eating enough of the right kinds of foods so you stay full and your metabolism stays as high as possible. Remember, if you feel hungry, your metabolism slows down. Stay full with healthy, nonfattening foods and your metabolism will continue to burn your stored fat as fast as your body will allow.

2010-10-17T02:04:00.000-07:00

BODY FITNESS

Keeping your body fit is one of the most important things a person can do to ensure continuing health and overall well-being. Exercise can help to build strength, increase endurance and reduce stress. Take time out of your busy day to spend some time exercising. A number of basic body fitness tips can be followed to maintain optimal wellness.

Segments of Exercise
According to the President's Council of Physical Fitness and Sports, even a moderate amount of physical activity such as 30 minutes of brisk walking can have significant health benefits. If you lead a busy life and don't seem to have that time each day, the council says you can derive the same benefits from breaking the activity into 10-minute segments. Take 10 minutes of your lunch hour, a short break from work and 10 minutes when you get home to devote to increasing your body-fitness level.

Household Activities
Body fitness activities don't have to be made up of sessions on the treadmill. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension at N.C. State University says that examples of physical activity include everyday things like gardening, mowing the lawn, dancing, washing the car and going for a swim. Activities such as these can count towards your daily fitness requirements.

Strength Train
Incorporate sessions of strength training into your body fitness routine. Building muscle can improve your posture, make stronger joints and allow your body to burn more fat. The Department of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University recommends always warming up before a routine and to never extend it beyond one hour. It's also advisable to give each muscle group a one- to two-day recovery time before exercising them again.

Have Fun
Find a fitness routine that you enjoy. It's much more likely that you'll stick with an exercise regimen that feels like fun instead of a chore. Try a new class at a local gym or fitness facility. Exercise isn't all about sweating away everyday at the gym. There are a wide range of activities that count as forms of exercise such as bicycling around the neighborhood, kayaking, hiking, karate, badminton and aerobic dance.

2010-09-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

BETTER BODY

If you're like many, you've found the one activity you love to do. And you do it—over and over again.

That's great, especially when you're just trying to get into the habit. But once you're exercising regularly, adding variety to your routine can take you to the next level.

"When you do just one thing, you're only training the muscles you need for that particular activity," says Janet Alexander, an exercise specialist in Encinitas, CA.

"That can leave you very strong in some areas, but pretty weak in others, leading to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries from performing the same motions day in and day out."

And as you already know, the more muscles you use, the more calories you burn, and the slimmer and fitter you'll feel. "Plus, cross-training keeps you from getting bored!" she adds.

You should always aim for a balance of aerobic activity and strength training to keep your heart fit, your muscles toned, and your bones strong. "Strength training twice a week is essential," says Alexander.

Quick TipIf your workout's not working, try a new activity to boost calorie burn.

If your primary exercise is:Jogging/RunningTry YogaKeeps muscles and joints strong and flexibleGolf or Tennis

Try Swimming Moves joints through a full rotation and stretches themCycling/Spinning ClassesTry African or Jazz DanceImpact is good for your bones and improves posture

WalkingTry SwimmingStretches you and works your upper bodyAerobics Class (e.g., dance, step, kickboxing)

Try Biking on TrailsLow impact is easier on joints. Adding hills works your upper body and improves balance.

Swimming/Water AerobicsTry Walking Especially on hills Weight-bearing exercise adds impact to build bones and improves lower body strength

2010-09-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

FEEL ALWAYS YOUNGER

The main reason you feel old age descending on you is not the passing of the years but the fact that you have been neglecting your body. It’s likely that you’ve been so busy living life that you completely forgot to look after yourself. And now, suddenly, you realize old age seems alarmingly close.

Amazingly, it is possible to wind the clock back a few years.

You are not alone. According to work done by Dr. H.A. deVries, past director of the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California, at least 40% of people over the age of 50 do little or no exercise and very few do enough to prevent their bodies deteriorating due to lack of use. With women now living on average to 81 and men to around 75 (and catching up), you have a good many years ahead of you. Do you really want to be old before your time?

Only one fifth of woman aged 55 to 65 do the recommended amount of exercise each week to keep their bodies functioning efficiently. Over 65 the numbers drop even more. Why is this? Is it that it just doesn’t seem dignified to be out doing things when your hair turns gray? Unsurprisingly, the figures for men are similar.

Walking, whether a slow evening stroll or a brisk canter through the park is good easy to do exercise that suits most people. It’s hard to think of any health problem, including mental health, that is not improved by exercise.

Exercise – and a change to a diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables as well as reduced amounts of fat and sugar. It’ll be hard to stop yourself feeling frisky if you make those two changes to your life.

2010-09-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

Lose Weight

Losing weight can be very difficult. Not only is it hard to find the time, but many people simply do not like exercising. A combination of diet and exercise must be implemented for true weight loss to occur. It is possible to enjoy working out. The secret is finding something fun to do.

Think back to the activities that were fun during childhood. Team sports such as soccer, track and field, and cheerleading kept many people in shape during school. Consider what it was about those activities that made them fun.

It may not be possible to join a cheerleading squad as an adult. However, there are many dance, aerobic, and gymnastic programs that are intended for adults. While it may not be exactly the same as cheering on the high school team, similar movements and skills are required. Most importantly, attending classes and practicing will help drop the pounds.

Not everyone was on a team sport in school. If exercise has never been an enjoyable activity, it is never too late to try something new. Finding such an activity is possible, and in time one can look forward to the workout and the results.

Low Impact Workout Ideas
If it has been some time since one has exercised, choosing something that is low impact can help. Low impact workouts do not put extra stress on the joints. They also do not send the heart rate skyrocketing. Working out for a longer period of time, but at a less intense level is actually better for the body.

Cycling is a fun, low impact activity. Going on an evening bike ride can be relaxing after a long day. There is no need to ride fast, or to conquer an uphill bike path. Simply riding around the neighborhood can burn calories and raise metabolism. If riding outdoors is not possible, a stationary bike will do just as much good. Many people find working out while watching a favorite television show makes the workout go by faster and with less pain.

A walk through the neighborhood can also be relaxing and healthy. Walking at a fast pace can accomplish the same results as jogging, but without the strain on the joints. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. It can be fun to find a friend or loved one to walk with, this can also be very motivational. Listening to music can also make the walk more interesting and enjoyable.

Water aerobics are another great way to lose weight without stressing joints. The water takes up the pressure one usually feels when fighting gravity. Many specialty water aerobic classes are available, such as dance and kick boxing. There are also weights designed to go into the water, so resistance training can be taken advantage of without the strain on the joints.

2010-09-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

Learn How To Build Muscle In 4 Simple Steps

Your goal is to stimulate your muscles with resistance (stress) which results in your muscles growing bigger to avoid the stress from occuring again. Once you go home, let the muscle heal through nutrition and rest, it will grow bigger and you will repeat this process again. Ideally you should hit your muscles once every 72 hours so you could perform 2 upper body workouts per week and 2 lower body workouts per week.

If your goal is to build muscle than you should be eating at least 15-18 x your current body weight. Your carbohydrates should equate about 45% of your intake, your proteins should equate about 35% of your intake and your fat should be the remaining 20% of your intake. You should focus on over half of those meals being solid whole food meals and the remainder can be liquid meal replacment shakes.

One of the biggest mistkakes I see is people training, training and training with out any stretching. Stretching helps restore normal length to the tissue and if you are constantly training, your muscle tissues will shorten and big to perform weaker and slower and have a higher incidence of injuries. So if you are lifting weights 4 hours in the week, at least an additional 2 hours should be dedicated to stretching. You must counteract the shortening of the muscle tissues that occurs with weights or else you are a injury screaming to happen.

Here are the ones you should not go with out: a high quality multi-vitamin, fish oil capsules, powdered creatine and a protein powder. These products will cover your nutritional basis for health, healthy body composition, strength and muscle mass.

2010-08-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Squat About Squats

Every exercise has tricks that will help you to perform the exercise better and get more out of it. The squat is no exception. Here are a few tricks you can use:

1. Wear boots or solid-soled shoes
Try wearing solid-heeled work boots when squatting. They allow the power from your legs to be transferred better than when wearing soft-heeled running shoes.
The reason is simple: you can lose power at the bottom when wearing shoes with thick, soft soles (such as running shoes) because the soles will squish in when you push yourself up.
If you don't have work boots, try squatting barefoot. You will not lose any power at the bottom that way. Going barefoot will also eliminate any heel elevation you may get from footwear. It will also force you to push with your heels. When you squat barefoot, set the racking collars a little lower to make up for the lack of soles. If neither is an option, use flat or thin-soled shoes. Basically, the less padding between your feet and the ground, the better.

2. Use a Manta Ray
A plastic molded device called the Manta Ray is an excellent tool for squatting. I use one regularly and highly recommend it. There is no pain from the bar when you use this device. A towel wrapped around the bar or a foam pad can also help ease the pain of the bar but be aware that these things can slip or roll.

3. Keep your elbows pointed down
Hold your hands on the bar fairly close in to your shoulders and keep your elbows pointed down the entire time.
If you hold the bar too wide, this will force your shoulders to rotate internally. Your elbows will start to point towards the back which will then cause the bar to rotate forward as you come down. This, in turn, will cause you to lean over excessively, increasing the pressure on the lower back.
Keeping your elbows pointed down activates your external rotator muscles, which will keep the bar from rolling forward.

4. Bend the knees first
Hold a tight lordotic (lower back) arch on descent. When you start the movement, the knees should bend first, followed closely by the trunk. Most people descend with glutes leading, followed by the knees. This emphasizes the back and glutes rather than the thighs. This is characterized by excessive leaning over.

5. Yanking the bar
If you feel you are about to get stuck at the bottom of a squat, try this trick:
- Yank down hard on the bar as though trying to snap it in half over your back.
- It may sound counterproductive but if you do this while you are straining against the bar, it will cause an emergency stretch reflex in your quads and give you an extra little kick out of the bottom.

- It is important to note that you must be moving upwards for this technique to work. The stretch reflex will not be activated if you are sinking down to the ground. Pulling down on the bar at this point will only make you drop faster.

2010-08-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

INDIAN INDEPENDENCE

At stroke of midnight, on 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation. This was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous speech titled Tryst with destiny.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

If we are unable to quote our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's speech in verbatim, the gist of comprehending this speech can surely ignite a strong passion of patriotism. Not many of us, young Indians have ever bothered brushing up on our old, dusty pages on books of Indian history, for their lies a world so different from modern India soaked with unspoken figures of deaths of innumerable Indians who died for our sake in the hands of our oppressors so that we can lead the plush, comfortable lives of luxury that we are now living. However, not many of us even realize that our country , India, is the greatest model to world and the first country ever to win independence through non-violence under the able leadership of the charismatic leader of our time, Mahatma Gandhiji.

Our Indian history like our vibrant culture of so many diversities in terms of religion, culture and traditional values can be a large canvass to depict our origins which has provided accommodation to change like no other country in this world. No country in the world can boast of such a cultural amalgamation.

The Day of Indian Independence is a day of celebration for every Indian to commemorate our jubilant victory over the British who ruled our country for nearly three centuries. It is to this success that every Indian stands up, chin held up with pride and salutes one another Jai Hind to mark the Indian victory.

2010-08-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

Good Night of Sleep

Today's hectic lifestyle doesn't allow many people to get the kind of sleep that leaves them refreshed and energetic for the stresses of everyday life. Worries, fear, chronic pain, illness and outside distractions play a part in keeping many eyes open and sleep elusive.

A good night's sleep helps rejuvenate body and mind. Most people require anywhere between seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Factors such as an improper diet, the lack of exercise, high stress levels and environmental toxins and pollutants leave many tossing and turning, hoping to drift off to the nether world of sweet dreams.

Keeping a Sleep Schedule
The body gets used to a schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day trains the body to expect sleep at certain times. The more the sleep schedule is adhered to, the easier and faster it becomes to fall asleep at the right hour. Staying up late during weekends may prove disruptive as the body may have to readjust to a regular sleep schedule the night before the work day.

The body adjusts to changes in the sleep schedule at a rate of an hour per day. This is important to remember when it comes to adjusting to sleep schedules while traveling long distances across several time zones.

The Effects of Smoking on Sleep
Nicotine is a stimulant. While many profess that smoking relaxes them, the effects of smoking on sleep is anything but relaxing. Nicotine goes to the sleep centers of the brain that helps you keep and stay awake.

Quitting the habit for good aids in better sleep besides the multiple benefits that quitting has on the body and mind.

2010-07-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

WEIGHT LOSS

If you want to know how to lose weight fast, continue reading the context below.

One effective way of losing weight fast is by having a control over the food you consume. Make a list of what you eat and evaluate it for calories, fat grams and dietary fiber.

Pay Attention to your calories: Pay attention to your current intake of calories. Burn more calories than you eat and you will lose weight. But, first you need to know how much you take in during a normal day.

Stay well-organized and focused: It is important to realize that weight loss is your responsibility.
Drink plenty of water – Recent research indicates that considerable weight loss is achieved by more and more of water consumption. By a lot, it means half of your body weight in ounces. If one weighs 150 pounds, then one would have to drink at least 75 oz. of water a day

Say No to starving: Many of the people don’t realize that eating is important. They try to find solution by starving themselves.

Be conscious about your body: If you have tendency to put on weight then always try to handy ways of warding off the fat. Like doing small exercises, cutting on fats, avoid eating sweets
Get Active: Ascertain what you like to do. So it’s important to engage oneself in physical activity which you enjoy to do.

Say yes to Herbal Medication: VitoSlim is the thermogenic weight loss supplement that not only reduces your appetite and calorie intake but also make you lose considerable weight within short period of time. This effective herbal pill is available online at a very reasonable price.

The sedentary lifestyle and the diet that most of the people follow are one of the main reasons of weight gain among the people. And if the excess weight is not taken care of well in time then it may give rise to a number of health risks. And a number of people in a bid to waive off that excess weight look for ways.

Though there are a number of options available in order to burn the extra calories but they may be associated with certain side effects. For instance, liposuction is a short cut to losing weight but the after math of the surgery may be quite a big price to pay for losing weight.

2010-07-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

EXERCISE FOR GOOD HEALTH & FITNESS

Aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, dancing, biking, swimming, etc.): To promote and maintain health, older adults need moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes five days each week or vigorous intensity aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 minutes three days each week. (Moderate intensity is when you feel "warm and slightly out of breath," and vigorous is when you feel "out of breath and sweaty.")

Resistance exercise (weight lifting, calisthenics): To promote and maintain health and physical independence, older adults will benefit from performing activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for a minimum of two days each week. It is recommended that eight to 10 exercises be performed on two or more nonconsecutive days per week using the major muscle groups.

Flexibility exercise: To maintain the flexibility necessary for regular physical activity and daily life, older adults should perform activities that maintain or increase flexibility at least two days each week for at least 10 minutes each day.

Balance exercise: To reduce risk of injury from falls, older adults with substantial risk of falls (for example, with frequent falls or mobility problems) should perform exercises that maintain or improve balance.

2010-07-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Weight Loss

8. Incease your intake of fiber rich foods. They will help fill you up faster and will help all the food you eat pass through your digestive system more easily.

2010-06-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

PHYSICAL EDUCTION/BODYFITNESS

1. Physical education is needed because due to advanced technology the lifestyle of people becomes sedentary and they become passive entertainer.

2. Physical education is needed during

elementary & secondary education for proper growth and development.

3. It is beneficial during adulthood to maintain good health and fitness.

4. During old Age, physical education is important to prevent and treat various ailments and disease.

5. It is important as it provides us the knowledge of our bodies from musculoskeletal, physiological and biochemical point of view.

6. It teaches us various physical activities that can be practised now in later life such as motor skills for the games and sports of volleyball, tennis, swimming and so on.

7. It also teaches us the value of ethical behaviour in sporting situations.

8. It teaches us the value of physical fitness and how to become physically fit.

9. It teaches us the value of physical fitness and how to become physically fit.

10. It is important for aesthetic reasons as by participation in physical fitness programmes like gymnastics and dance, beauty and grace in cultivated in the movement.

11. It is also important for catharsis reasons with mean releasing of energy, emotion, tension or frustration and some people let off their extra steam by participating in various games and sports which are part of physical education. This way physical education helps in checking juvenile delinquency.

RUNNING

2010-04-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

RUNNING

1. Frequency of training: three to five days per week

2. Intensity of training: 55/65%-90% of maximum heart rate (HRmax)

3. Duration of training: 20-60 minutes of continuous or intermittent aerobic activity

4. Mode of activity: any activity that uses large muscle groups, which can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmical and aerobic in nature (for example, walking-hiking, running-jogging, cycling-bicycling, cross-country skiing, aerobic dance/group exercise, rope skipping, rowing, stair climbing, swimming, skating, and various endurance game activities or some combination thereof)
Running and jogging are right there, and they count!

What are proper running techniques?
Beginner tips
Sure, you could go out and just run, and there's no evidence to suggest that that won't work just fine. But if you're struggling with running, or something just doesn't feel right, then it might be worth paying attention to your form. The following tips for correct running form are adapted from Runner's World Magazine and Jeff Galloway. I'll start at the top and work down.

Head: You should look forward toward the horizon when you run. To do that, keep your head on top of your spine and do not bend forward or look down at your feet. Your head weighs at least 13 pounds, and you don't want it dragging you down with forward-head posture! The emphasis is on keeping your body erect, because you're fighting gravity when you lean forward (it's okay if you look down at the ground at least 20 feet ahead of you since you won't lean forward to do that). Keep your face and jaw relaxed, too; it's okay if they shake and bounce as you run.

Shoulders: Keep them relaxed and loose. Shrugging, tightening, and creating tension in your shoulders and neck will waste energy and deplete you quickly. Stay loose as a goose!
Torso: As Jeff Galloway says, "Your torso's only along for the ride." Track coaches describe the ideal posture as running tall, which means that you stretch yourself up to full height with no strain from the torso. This will allow you to breathe maximally and put your body in the optimal biomechanical position for moving forward.

Hips: Your hips are close to your center of gravity and will be in proper alignment if your torso and head are aligned. If you lean forward, your hips will tilt forward too and that will strain your lower back.

Legs: Sprinters lift their knees very high when they run, but for distance running, and even shorter distances, keep your knees low. It takes a lot of energy to lift your knees, and even running a mile will be tough if you do so. Instead, quicker ankle action will help you increase your speed.

Ankles: Your ankles are efficient levers that have the potential for great power when you run. Feel your calf muscles and ankles work as you push off on each step.

Arms: Arms should remain close to the body and swing forward and back and not across your body to minimize torso rotation (the exception is Bill Rodgers who had memorably wide elbows when he ran). Your hands should not cross the midline of your body (imagine a line drawn right down the center of your chest). The swing should be held low, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and relaxed. You should do most of the work with your lower arms; the upper arms should not move very much.

Hands: Cup your hands by gently touching your thumb to the top half of your index fingers. It's as if you are holding a small bird that you don't want to fly away but you don't want to squeeze too tight either.

WEIGHT LOSS - WALKING / RUNNING

2010-04-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

WEIGHT LOSS - WALKING / RUNNING

To my knowledge, there are no studies to show that runners lose more weight than individuals who do other types of exercise. However, running certainly does burn lots of calories, and if you're running regularly, you might decide not to eat as much figuring why do it if you're putting all that energy into running. But even if you ran a marathon every day, you wouldn't lose weight unless you consumed fewer calories than you burned. The bottom line to losing weight is burning more calories than you consume, no matter how much exercise you do.

According to the laws of physics, you should burn the same number of calories whether you walk or run the same distance. However, there is recent research to show that running one mile burns approximately 30% more calories than walking one mile, and it's true whether you run outdoors or on a treadmill. The research is mixed, and so it's hard to know for sure if you'll burn more calories running than walking. My take on it is that it doesn't matter whether you walk or run during weight-loss efforts because you'll lose weight as long as you reduce your calories enough to burn more than you are consuming, no matter how much, or what type of exercise you do. What is important is that you maintain some type of exercise once you reach your goal weight, because it's generally accepted that exercise is the single best predictor of keeping your weight off. Whether you walk or run won't matter. The key is to do something.

You'll get equally fit running on a treadmill or outdoors. In fact, many distance-running athletes use the treadmill to save their legs from the pounding of roadwork. But there is a slight difference in energy expenditure (calories burned) between the two; outdoor running burns slightly more calories than treadmill running at the same speed due to lack of air resistance on the treadmill. Researchers studying this phenomenon found that setting the treadmill at 1% elevation equals things out. I advise all of my clients to set the treadmill at 1% so that treadmill walking or running mimics outdoor exercise.

2010-04-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

EARLY MORNING EXERCISE

The key is getting exercise whenever you can, whether it's morning, afternoon, or evening, but by starting your morning with physical activity, you set the day's pace. You get your exercise in before other distractions can intrude.

When you exercise early in the morning, it jump starts your metabolism and keeps it elevated for hours, sometimes up to 24 hours! That means you're burning more calories all day long just because you exercised in the morning!

When you exercise in the morning, you'll find that because of the increased intake of oxygen and circulation of blood in your body, you'll stay energized for the whole day.

It will automatically put you in a healthy frame of mind. Whatever other things you may have on your schedule, you will notice that you will be eager and energetic to handle them.

Research has proven that people who exercise in the mornings tend to be the ones most consistent in their fitness regimes and diets.

Muscle Strength

2010-04-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Muscle Strength

If you are considering adding some bulk to a thinner frame, and you wish to accomplish this through varied methods it takes some creative thinking on different ideas to start with. Because of this it is necessary for you to know the various advantages that bodybuilding in general has to offer.

Body Building Exercises DefinedDeciding what body building exercises to use can be somewhat challenging due to the fact that there are so many variations available. However, once you figure out which body parts you want to work on you can narrow down your choices quickly.Numerous up and coming body builders are of the mindset that the only real way to build muscles on their arms is to lift weights. This is not exactly the case, since lifting weights is certainly a beneficial body building exercise, it is not a good idea for beginners to do that prior to getting some arm strength through other ways.

Specifically, an ideal exercise to build the back of your arms (triceps) is pushups. Depending on the physical condition of a person prior to starting exercise pushups may be difficult to do, but pushups are an excellent way to begin and at the same time it reduces the chance of injury.

Gradual IncreasesStart with just a few pushups, and as soon as you feel your the muscles in your upper arm begin to burn, stop.If you are not in shape it is wise to start with only two sets of 15 repetitions each. Some even advise starting with as little as 10 repetitions. Gradually you will you will gain strength in the back of your arms.

Pushups also have a strengthening effect on your shoulders due to the movement of the exercise and because you are supporting your upper body weight with this exercise.For strengthening and building your legs the exercises of squats and leg lunges are an effective option. For those just starting out it will tend to be uncomfortable until your body becomes accustomed to it.

Yoga For Fibroids

2010-03-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Yoga For Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumors in the female reproductive tract whose exact cause is unknown, but it is known that fibroids are fed by hormones and blood. They can be as small as a millet seed or large enough to fill the entire abdominal cavity. Symptoms of fibroids rarely appear before age 30 but may include painful menstruation, excessive bleeding, and abnormal mucous discharge. Tumors that press on the bladder can cause a need to urinate frequently.

Practicing yoga asanas during your menstrual period might put more blood into the uterus and accelerate fibroid growth. In any case, practicing yoga asanas during your menstrual period can cause heavier blood flow into the uterus, dilation of uterine blood vessels, and heavier bleeding.Note: Do not practice yoga asanas during the first three days of your period or at any time in which you are experiencing a heavy blood flow.Twists such as Bharadvajasana (Bharadvaja's Twist) and Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana (Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose) can be beneficial, because they allow the abdominal area to be in an open position. As fibroids grow, one's yoga practice should be changed to accommodate them. Women with large, heavy fibroids should approach yoga as if they were pregnant. For them, supported poses like Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose), Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose), and Salamba Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Supported Bridge Pose) can be of great benefit.

Bharadvajasana

Sit in Vajrasana. Slide partly off your heels to the left so that your left buttock is on the floor and your right buttock is on your left foot. Let the top of your left foot rest on the arch of your right foot. Place your left hand on the floor to the side and a little behind your left hip. Place your right and on the outside of your left thigh.

Inhale and lengthen your spine upward. Exhale and twist to the left, keeping the extension of your spine. Repeat the actions with another inhalation and exhalation.

Throughout the pose, keep your shoulders down and relaxed. Keep your eyes, jaw, throat, and neck muscles
relaxed. Breathe comfortably through your nose. Repeat to the right side.

MUSCLE FIBRE TYRES

2010-03-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

MUSCLE FIBRE TYRES

Knowing your personal muscle fiber make-up can be an invaluable aid when it comes to properly targeting your training program. If you're working your muscles in the wrong way, you'll be cheating yourself out of hard-earned results.

Every muscle in your body is made up of a bundle of small fibers. In each bundle, you have two main types of fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch. I will explain exactly what these are in a moment. The percentages of these different fiber types that your muscles are made of can help you determine exactly how you should train each particular muscle group in your body.
Slow Twitch: These are also known as Type I or red muscle fibers. They are responsible for long-duration, low intensity activity such as walking or any other aerobic activity.

Fast Twitch: These are known as Type 2 or white muscle fibers (divided further into A and B). They are responsible for short-duration, high intensity activity. Type 2B fibers are built for explosive, very short-duration activity such as Olympic lifts. Type 2A fibers are designed for short-to-moderate duration, moderate-to-high intensity work, as is seen in most weight training activities.

By looking at elite athletes in different sports, you can see extreme examples of each make-up of muscle fiber. At the slow twitch end is the endurance athlete, such as the marathon runner. These athletes can have up to 80% or more of slow twitch muscle fibers in their bodies, making them extremely efficient over long distances.

At the fast twitch end is the sprinter. World-class sprinters can have up to 80% or more of fast twitch muscle fibers in their body, making them extremely fast, strong and powerful but with limited endurance.

PHYSICAL EXERCISES

2010-03-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

PHYSICAL EXERCISES

Exercises should be a part of everyone"s daily schedule. And yet it is not always possible to set aside the time for a healthy workout everyday. Most of us are either too busy with their professional targets and necessities, or they are too lazy to go for the regular sessions of exercising to stay fit.

And there can be a host of other reasons for not being able to devote that 15 to 20 minutes towards proper exercising to stay fit. But let us look at some of the benefits of exercises and see what a good workout (doesn"t need to be a long one taking you an hour or so) can do for your health.FitnessExercises will definitely let you stay fitter.

In other words, you will find your body to perform more than it can at the moment. And this will cause you no strain. So if you find it a big task to walk uphill today, exercises can make it as easy as driving your car on a smooth road!

Better Body SystemsBecause of exercises, you can hope to see better body systems. Your circulatory system, digestive system, skeletal system, nervous system, and all the other vital body systems become much more efficient. This lets you live a better life with lesser problems and medicines.Weight LossIf you feel that you are somehow adding those extra kilograms to your weight, it is time to think about exercises. And this doesn"t need to be intense workouts either. Simply brisk walking for around 20 minutes, jogging, cycling, aerobics, etc can help you get rid of your fats quite easily! Add a good diet to your exercises, and see even better results with weight loss.

Mental HealthExercising is another way of ensuring that you stay focused on the more vital aspects of your life than the negativity that often builds up within our minds. Even if you are going through a very happy phase in your life, an empty mind (the devil"s place) can result in unhappy thoughts creeping up. Exercises are seen to keep you fresh, active and full of energy. This ensures that you stay more positive, and the active energy lets you strive towards the happier things in life! Exercising can act as a great antidepressant as well!

Fight a Number of AilmentsRegular workouts can let you stay away from a number of ailments and diseases like heart problems, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cholesterol problems, blood pressure issues, and even digestive and hormonal disorders.Sleep BetterIf you set aside some time for exercises regularly, even if that is 20 minutes, you are more likely to get a better night"s sleep than otherwise.

All these reasons make exercising an important part of our daily lives. Plan on your daily workouts to get the best out of your life.

LOSE WEIGHT

2010-03-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

LOSE WEIGHT

In order to lose weight, you need to get workout for at least 5-6 days a week at 60-70% of heart rate for 30-45 min. Start slow and work your way up but, if you're in good condition and have no restrictions, challenging yourself with harder workouts is the best way to burn more calories. Introduce interval training in order to burn calories even after you've stopped exercising.
We are always being told to exercise more in order to lose weight, after all the more regular we workout the more calories and fat we burn. So it may seem weird to discuss the importance of gaining plenty of rest between exercise sessions.

When we exercise our muscles breakdown, tiny fragments of protein within the muscle cells shatter. The more we exercise during a workout the greater the muscle catabolism (degradation); it’s one of the reasons why we actually become weaker as we progress through a particular routine. How quickly muscles degrade also depends on the strength of the individual and the intensity of the exercise. Obviously the stronger and fitter the person the slower the rate of breakdown, also the more effort we put into an exercise the faster the rate of muscle catabolism, it’s the reason why we can all walk a hell of a lot further than we can run!

This may seem obvious, but unless you're tracking your calories each day, you may be eating more than you think. High-fat, high-sugar foods light up the brain’s dopamine pathway just like cocaine does, making us slaves to overwhelming cravings.

If you're really serious about losing weight, you need to get serious about you're eating. Start by keeping a detailed food journal for one week, without changing any of your eating habits. Be as specific as possible, measuring when you can, looking up your calorie and nutrient content and adding up your calories for each day. You'll be surprised how those calories can sneak in when you're not keeping track.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is your metabolism can drop as you get older if you don't preserve your muscle mass. Muscle mass declines about 4% each decade from age 25 to 50. If you're still eating the same number of calories as your metabolism drops, your weight may creep up over time. Start exercising and lifting weights now to keep your metabolism in check.

After any workout routine the muscles need to replace all elements lost, both proteins and energy stores need replacing for muscles to make a full recovery. But if muscles are not given enough time to recover fully before another workout is repeated then the muscles progressively become smaller. What this could mean for weight loss is a gradual decline in lean tissue, thus lowering the metabolism over the course of a few weeks.

In addition to your cardio workouts, you'll need to lift weights for all your muscle groups at least 2 non-consecutive days a week. And, by lifting weights, that means using enough weight that you can only complete the desired number of reps. For example, if you're doing 12 bicep curls, you need to use enough weight that you can only do 12 bicep curls and not one more.

Despite what you hear on the news or read in popular magazines, not all of us need to lose weight. In fact, many of us have unrealistic ideas of what a healthy weight and body shape is. We all have different shapes and, though we can make changes to our bodies, we can only improve on the bodies we have--not turn them into someone else's body.

Is your BMI in an unhealthy range? Are you within your ideal weight range? If you're at risk, losing weight may be important for staying healthy. But, if you're very close to your goal and can't seem to get rid of those last few pounds, ask yourself if you really need to lose them. Would it be possible to be happy at your current weight?

IMPORTANCE OF SWIMMING

2010-03-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

IMPORTANCE OF SWIMMING

Everyone loves swimming if seen in view of sports but had you ever came to know about its benefits in our daily life. Alot of people may not be familiar with its benefits and enjoy swimming only as a sport but swimming is a great exercise for the whole body that provides lifetime health benefits.

Benefits of swimming :-
1. Swimming helps in removing dirt, bacteria and other micro-organisms from your skin pores thus preventing the origin of acne and pimples on your skin.

2. While doing stroke swimming breath is to be held for sometime which proves to be an excellent exercise for lungs as it increases lung capacity further helping in prevention of disease like asthma.

3. Swimming requires much more workout of the body muscles burning about 8 calories per minute of our body resulting in significant body weight loss.

4. Swimming is a great exercise for the whole body as it requires workout of each and every body muscle thus providing great strength to the cardiovascular system of your body.

5. Regular swimming prevents your body from joint pains in later stages of life.Moreover it provides relaxation to your mind and relief from stress.

6. Risk of any heart disease and stoke can be reduced by as it reduces the chorestrol levels and helps in lowering blood pressure of the body.

7. Swimming also helps an athlete to maintain his/her fitness level. When an athlete is injured, He/She is often told to swim because muscles have to work hard due to the resistance of the water without experiencing the pain being experienced on the land.

Instead of only health benefits, many people use swimming for developing other qualities like time management , sportsmanship, teamwork or team spirit, goal-setting etc. One should know that while swimming he/she should not consider the distance or the speed, it’s the time you spend on swimming that matters. So start swimming regularly to gain profit of the lifetime health benefits of swimming.

Lose Weight With Endometriosis

2010-03-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Lose Weight With Endometriosis

Oestrogen Dominance, Endometriosis and losing weight

Endometriosis thrives on high levels of oestrogen. Oestrogen interferes with other hormones that affect your metabolism (such as your thyroid gland) causing constant weight gain. Unfortunately it's not hard to become overloaded with oestrogen as our environment & food chain is loaded with it!

Oestrogen plays a major role in regulating fat deposition and energy metabolism. It causes fat to accumulate, especially around the hips, thighs and abdomen. This central obesity greatly increases the risk of diseases such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Oestrogen also causes weight gain by increasing your appetite making weight loss difficult.

Accumulated fat alters the metabolism of oestrogen, resulting in further weight gain - left untreated, it's a spiraling downhill slide to rapid weight gain and why it is so difficult to lose weight! This is why ordinary weight loss programs based on the simplistic notion of eat less and exercise more won't work for you.

Other oestrogen based conditions such as Endometriosis, Fibroids, PCOS and Cysts can also be at play, making weight loss even more difficult.

When you are trying to lose weight with endometriosis, you need to chose a natural weight loss program that addresses oestrogen clearance strategies. This way you will lose weight naturally and keep it off.

Thyroid imbalance and endometriosis makes losing weight difficult
Endometriosis causes excess production of estrogen and progesterone slows leaving estrogen as the dominant hormone.

This according to researchers is a key factor in decreased thyroid function with endometriosis due to its impact on lowering levels of T3 (a thyroid hormone). Lowered thyroid function directly slows your metabolism and leads to weight gain making losing weight with endometriosis seem impossible. Commencing a weight loss program that addresses this influence is crucial to your weight loss success.

Stress, cortisol and weight gain with endometriosis
There is a connection between endometriosis, thyroid and stress. This is due to the affect of the hormone cortisol.
High cortisol (hypercortisolism) in the bloodstream can affect thyroid function by directly inhibiting the production of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and also inhibiting the conversion of T4 to T3.

This is made worse with the presence of oestrogen dominance as found in women suffering from endometriosis. This makes natural weight loss a struggle but a tailored weight loss program can help to rebalance thyroid hormones, cortisol and oestrogen making weight loss easier.
Your Genes and Weight Gain with Endometriosis

Research indicates that weight loss is difficult in women with Endometriosis due the set of genes called "thrifty" genes. These genes mean you store calories easier.
Biochemical signaling disorder

In addition to numerous hormones such as insulin, there are dozens of other signaling proteins in your tissues and blood that communicate information to your cells. A number of studies have shown that the complex interplay of signaling proteins in Endometriosis is disrupted causing weight gain.

Leptin makes weight loss difficult with Endometriosis
Ghrelin makes weight loss difficult with Endometriosis
Cholecystokinin (CCK) makes weight loss difficult with Endometriosis
Glandular weakness makes weight loss difficult with Endometriosis
Insulin Imbalance and weight loss with endometriosis
Stress, diet and environmental pollution with weight loss
How do I know if I have endometriosis?

Period pain that becomes so debilitating it renders you unable to go about your normal routine, is not ordinary or typical!

Period Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is wrong. If you are suffering from painful periods, you may have endometriosis and should be diagnosed properly.

To Get Nice Muscle Tone And Build An Attractive Muscular Body

2010-02-27T15:11:00.000-08:00

To Get Nice Muscle Tone And Build An Attractive Muscular Body

Most people know that they need to lift weight build muscles. However many just want to have nice muscle tone and an attractive but not too muscular body as they do not want big muscles. So they just lift light weights with high repetitions. Well, it is not going to work. To have nice muscle tone, you will have to build some muscles right? So you will have to lift heavy to force your muscles to grow. Once you are satisfied with the size of your muscles, you will then need to cut your body fats for your muscles to show up well and that means nice muscle tone.

You need to have a solid commitment and knowledge to get nice muscle tone and build an attractive muscular body. Here are some muscle building tips. Before you commence weight training, remember to warm up and as well as doing some stretching exercises.

•Train Muscle With Free Weights
Machines will have its uses, but for a start, concentrate on free weights. That means work almost exclusively with barbells and dumb bells. Free weights recruit many stabilizing muscles for balance and control. That means you will work a lot more muscle parts other than the intended ones. That will give rise to little bumps, striations and definitions all over your body instead of one huge lump of muscle on your intended muscle. Because of the extra stimulant created, your muscles grow faster too. Why else do you think all professional body builders almost exclusively use free weights?

•Train With Compound Exercises
Incorporate as many compound exercises as possible to your routines. Compound exercises are exercises that involve 2 or more joint movements. Because they utilize more joints, which means greater muscle mass are involved. Greater muscle mass means heavier weights. Heavier weights mean encouragement of greater muscle growth. More muscle growth means more tone to your muscles.
Some excellent compound exercises are the Squat, Deadlift, Chin ups, Dips, Bench press, Barbell Press, Lunges, Bent-Over Barbell Row...etc.

•Train Intensively But Do Not Over train
You must train intensively for your muscle to grow. Try to do more reps or add more weight than the previous session or else your muscles will think (actually muscles don't think, they adapt), "Ah... we've done that. Nothing new, so no need to grow bigger and stronger." That being the case, you will wreck your chances of attaining an attractive muscular body.
Because of this, it is important that every time you train hard, you give your body time to recover as it has suffered strains and actually sustained many small scarring. Contrary to popular belief, your muscles grow when you rest, especially when you sleep and not in the gym. So sleep at least 8 hours a day. Also, do not train everyday or work the same muscle group more than once or twice a week. If your training was vigorous enough, do no more than an hour per session.
Try not to do cardio work on the same day as your weight lifting work. In fact, during the muscle building phase, you should do less cardio work as aerobic exercises burn muscles. You can increase your cardio work at cutting body fat phase, so as to lose body fat in order for your muscle tone to show up nicely.

•Technique And Form
This is the most neglected fundamental of bodybuilding. Everywhere, everyday, you will see people using wrong forms and techniques. This not only compromises your growth, it will also make you susceptible to injuries... sometimes even permanently putting you out of the gym.
Wrong form occurs usually when people try to lift weights that are too heavy, whether out of vanity or ignorance. As a guide, always lift with strict focus on the muscle you intend to build for that exercise. Feel it contract and extend. Lift the weights deliberately and slowly. Never ever swing your weights up especially when doing bicep curls or the military press.

•To Build Muscles Fast You Must Perform Lower Body Exercises!
This is what most people don't realize. Your lower body makes up 60-70% of your musculature. If you don't train them, not only will you look spider-legged, your entire body will not grow as quickly and as large. Don't think that you can hide those skinny limbs in pants! Most people do not train their legs because squats, dead lifts and lunges can be very grueling exercises. But it is precisely because of such intensity that you will produce more growth hormones when you sleep and overall muscular development is stimulated. Your body shape will also be more balanced and therefore more attractive.

2010-02-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

LOSE WEIGHT/FAT

There are many factors to consider when you want to know how long it does it take for you to lose weight and lose body fat. Questions like what and when you are eating, are you exercising correctly and regularly and do you have the genes for quick weight and fat loss need to be addressed.

In this article, we shall discuss whether you have the genetic make up to lose weight and lose body fats quickly. Don't despair if you don't because this is only one of the several factors that determine how long it takes for you to lose weight and ugly fat.

It is certainly helpful to know your body type when you want to reduce weight. By knowing your own body type, you can then plan your nutritional and exercise program to suit your specific body type to encourage weight and fat loss.

We shall discuss the 3 common body types and their characteristics here.

• Endomorph: You have natural big body frame and usually have a round face, wide hips, big bones and slow metabolism. You are the type that gain weight and body fat easily. You will need much more greater effort than others to lose weight and body fat from your huge frame.
You will take a longer time and need extra effort to reduce weight. Although it can be done, it is a constant battle for you because you are fighting what nature has given you.

• Mesomorph: You are blessed with a naturally muscular body and have wide shoulders, small waist, athletic body frame structure, average to low body fat with a somewhat high metabolism.
You are the type that will not take a long time to see your body fat melt away even when you are overweight. When you train, eat and rest correctly you will visibly see your body fats melt away week after week right before your eyes.

• Ectomorph: You are the skinny type with small muscles, very very high metabolism, narrow shoulders, hips and waist. You are the type that must gain weight instead of reducing weight. However, your type is also known to slowly gain weight when you age because your metabolism starts to slow down and thus burning less calories.

Most people fall in between the three types. For example, a person can be a mixture of Mesomorph and Endomorph or Mesomorph and Ectomorphs.

Now that you have identified your body type, you can then write down your goals, objectives and the methodology you wish to lose weight and body fats.

Weight Training Fat Loss

2010-02-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

Weight Training Fat Loss

You will not get toned muscles only by lifting weights! Weight training fat loss is the thing which comes only after the time till you are eating lots of calories (and generally excess of calories).

And even then the average women (for example) are not predisposed to have physically large toned muscles. Today in this generation many body-builders are using much type of steroids, supplements, and pills. And many female bodybuilders take large units of male hormone. It is not true that you will get nice body from a typical steroids and pills you have to go for proper weight training and fat loss program.

Change your dietWhen you decide to take weight loss training you choose to lose weight, many people only change their diet. Maybe some will know that with diet they should also go with good aerobic exercise. But too many people don't know is that weight training also useful to fat loss. Muscle tissue burns fat, and the process of increasing muscle, large the rate at which the body can metabolize energy, and finally burn fat. It is 100% true that just lifting a few weights by themselves will not give fat loss - but the combination of the right diet, exercise and weight training will give you the fantastic chance of getting your weight loss target .by proper weight training and fat loss programSimple exercises will do!

Weight lifting and fat loss does not mean you have to go and join a gym! You need to understand what is nice and works for you. Weight lifting and fat loss can be done just by buying a few barbells and dumbbells and a bench. So simple it is no huge expenses of gym. There are, of course, gym machines there which will let you to perform another range of exercises.You should aim to do your weight training and fat loss program 2-3 times per week. More than this is not suggested for beginners.

There are a many types of books in market describing various weight routines - including tom venuto's excellent e-book burn the fat. His program is all about diet and exercise for fat loss.Tv- gives you lot of informationI'm sure each and everyone have seen that adds shown on tv exciting infomercials selling the latest abs machine. With a single machine, it shown that we can turn into a muscle-bound hunk (if you're a man), or have a wonderfully sculpted and tanned body (if you're a women). It feels like wonderful your dream come true. Well it is. Abdominal exercisesBut doing abdominal exercises will strengthen your stomach muscles, and can even build some small muscles. But if it is covered with fat, who will see that fabulous six-pack? So weight training fat loss program is necessary.

Abdominal machines cannot strengthen your thighs, give you big biceps, or burn all your excess tummy fat. However, increased lean muscle mass - leading to a fat-burning metabolism, healthy eating, aerobic exercise, and a variety of weight training fat loss - will help you lose.

2010-02-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

GAIN MUSCLE MASS

All around us we see different protein supplement advertisements. I feel so bad to see huge amounts of false conceptions about the protein supplementation. If you've been trying to get in shape and build muscles for a while, you surely realized that all protein sources are not the same in terms of enhancing muscle mass growth..The point I'm making here is simple. If you are after the best possible results, you will be pleased to learn than no other protein supplement is shown in research to provide more benefits to athletes than whey isolate. The latest research on whey reveals why whey isolate provides incredible edge for optimizing results from training. Best results are coming from using best muscle building materials.

Recent research showed that formulation of whey isolate protein is tailor-made to speed the muscle growth process during training but in same time to promote healthy immune function during this period of metabolic stress. High levels of amino acids stimulate massive increases in muscle protein synthesis rates as results of intense resistance training. Increasing muscle protein synthesis rates is the key to greater strength and bigger muscles. However, the dose and composition of the amino acids determine the degree of muscle growth stimulation.And here comes something what you will be pleased to learn. Hydrolyzed whey isolates possess the absorption kinetics and the amino acid profile that is considered by scientists to be best for muscle growth stimulation. 8 amino acids are effective for stimulating muscle growth.

However, the branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) are considered the most powerful. Particularly, leucine is now understood to be of tremendous importance for increasing lean muscle mass. Leucine plays a key role in igniting the pathways that accelerate protein synthesis and muscle growth. A rich supply of leucine to muscle after training provides greater stimulation of protein synthesis, thus promoting faster recovery and speeding the actual muscle growth process.Digestion and absorption of a protein are critical to producing high levels of amino acids in the blood to stimulate the muscle growth process. Hydrolyzed, short chain (oligopeptides) whey isolates are shown to be absorbed faster and in greater amounts compared to other proteins. I hope you know that dieting and intense exercise cause an undesirable competition between muscle and the immune system for a limited amount of glutathione. Low glutathione levels correlate with poor exercise performance.

Supplementation with hydrolyzed whey isolate provides a rich source of cysteine that boosts glutathione concentrations and helps you obtain better results from exercise. So whatever protein supplement you are using I think the best would be if you check on this few points. If you start using any whey isolate protein and you apply proven muscle building nutrition and system, you will advance very, very fast. I have my own experience but also so many testimonials of other people reconfirming this.

What about the fat loss? This is generally unknown but may be of great use too. A high protein intake is most important for effective fat loss results. While protein is the most satiating macronutrient, recent research shows that whey may be the most effective form of protein to consume during periods of calorie restriction. Supplementation with whey provides a powerful appetite-suppressive effect. Clinical trials reveal that people who consume whey before a meal are more satisfied from consuming less food. For people that are restricting their calorie intake to lose body fat, whey isolate supplementation curbs the appetite and satisfies hunger while consuming fewer calories. Supplementation with whey isolate will help control appetite and make dieting much easier.

It is clear from research that no other protein supplement is shown to provide more benefits to athletes than whey isolate. In bodybuilders, whey isolate is shown in research to build slabs of healthy, strong, lean muscle.

Getting Fit in 2010

2010-01-30T20:51:00.000-08:00

Getting Fit in 2010

Do yourself a favor and quit looking for the secret. There's no magic pill, no secret technique. No tricks or gimmicks. The way to get fit is to exercise...almost everyday. You'll need to commit 30-60 minutes of your time. On some of those days, you will have to push yourself to the point of fatigue. It won't be enough to just break a sweat.

Now, make no mistake, it's better to be active than to simply sit on the couch eating a bag of chips and drinking a Coke. But don't confuse being active with being fit. Many people would benefit from being more active but real progress toward fitness will take more. That's why many people use a personal trainer or fitness coach. It is difficult for most individuals to push themselves hard enough.

Part of getting fit is managing your calories. How strict the management is will depend on your goals. Maintaining weight isn't going to be as hard as getting lean but it still requires discipline. If you want to really get lean, it will require knowing the exact number of calories your body is going to need and the exact number you're putting in it.

Complicated exercise routines or fancy machines are unnecessary, though that doesn't mean they can't be useful. Simple movements using only your bodyweight, exercises like pushups, squats, jumping jacks, etc..., can provide great results. These movements can be done in your living room, in the back yard, the stairwell in your office building, or at your favorite health club.

Burn Fat Faster

2010-01-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

Burn Fat Faster

Your metabolism or metabolic rate can determine exactly how quickly you gain or lose fat. Here are some quick tips you can put to use immediately to help crank up your metabolism and increase your fat burning.

1. Eat Breakfast

It's no myth that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you skip breakfast thinking you are saving calories or time, consider this...
Your body has been in a fasting state for 8 hours or more. When you wake up and don't give it any food, its natural reaction is self-defense. It thinks "famine" and automatically slows your metabolism to a crawl to conserve calories. Not only does everything you eat for the rest of the day have a far greater chance of being stored as fat, your chances of burning any fat off that day are low.
And here's the whammy... you're going to get really hungry later and will probably want to eat something that's not so good for you. With your now-slower metabolism (because you skipped breakfast), you're going to store a lot more of that "not-so-great" meal than usual.

2. Eat Frequently

Besides skipping breakfast, the next biggest metabolism-killer is long waits between meals. Every time you eat something, your metabolism ramps up to process the food. The more frequently you eat, the more frequently your metabolism will get a boost.
The real key, however, is to be sure you're eating smaller meals (eating 5 big meals instead of 3 big meals isn't good for losing fat!). Try to eat 5 or more times per day, even if it's just healthy snacks between meals.

3. Exercise With Intensity

Your metabolic rate is directly related to the intensity of the exercise you perform. Walking will burn calories while you're doing it and give your metabolism a small boost for a little while after but it doesn't compare to high-intensity interval training. That type of training can boost your metabolism for a full 24 hours or more after.
Even if you can't handle high-intensity training, you can always find ways to make the easier exercises such as walking more intense, e.g. walk faster, walk up hills, wear a weighted back-pack, etc.

4. Train With Weights

Weight training builds muscle and muscle is a huge factor in determining your metabolic rate. Muscle tissue is very metabolically active. Your body burns a lot of calories just to maintain it.
Weight training gives your metabolism a triple-shot. Not only do you burn calories during the exercise, you also increase your metabolic rate long after the exercise (provided the training you are doing is intense). Add to that the extra muscle you build from the training and you can see how effective weights can be for boosting your metabolism.

5. Eat More Protein

Of the three major macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats), protein requires the most energy to digest. Protein is also less likely to be stored as fat because of this. Protein will also help you to build up your muscle.
I don't recommend that you overload on protein, however, focusing on getting plenty of good-quality protein from a variety of sources (e.g. lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, soy, etc.) can help keep your metabolic rate high.

6. Take Your Vitamins

Your metabolic rate basically boils down to chemical reactions in your body. Vitamins and minerals (and water) are important parts of these chemical reactions. If you don't have enough of these components available for your body to use when it needs them, your body will have to limit itself to what you've got.
Think of your metabolism as a car assembly line. You can't build a complete car until you have all the parts available. If, for example, you only have enough doors available to build 100 cars but you have 200 doorless cars on the line, you're missing out on a lot of potential production.
By taking a multivitamin on a regular basis, you will not only support your metabolism but your health as well.

7. Reduce Your Fat

IntakeFatty foods take longer for your body to digest and they leave you feeling fuller longer. While not being hungry is certainly fine when trying to lose fat, eating meals that encourage you to wait longer periods between eating can slow your metabolism.

This goes back to the point about eating frequently. If you eat fatty foods for breakfast, you may not want to anything again until lunch, which could be 5 or more hours away. Ideally, you should eat approximately every 3 hours.

If you're looking to give your metabolism a boost, give these tips a try. A faster metabolic rate can help you tremendously with fat loss.

TRAINER FOR WOMEN

2010-01-16T18:03:00.000-08:00

TRAINER FOR WOMEN

Fitness is often an entity that's beyond gender, age or any such categorization. Every human body has a right to stay fit. Staying fit is a route to staying happy and avoiding issues that plague the body that s not taken care of. However every person has his/her own strength and limitations. Some can run long distances but can't lift weights. Some do otherwise.

Personal trainers often are hence the best solution to treat the diversity. For women, the subject of fitness has many more connotations and having a trainer is a great way of hitting the right habits.All women are not the same and sometimes it doesn't make sense for them to slog out the same way as everyone else in a gym. Besides, there are good days and bad days.

Some days she could be very energetic and other days way too strained to do anything. In such a scenario, a personal trainer is the one who understands their capacity instead of putting them through the same routine.For most women, staying fit also means staying in proper shape. Every woman is different from the other in terms of vital statistics and has preferences too.

Sometimes to be able to discuss their requirements in an overcrowded place could be a nightmare for women. The apprehensions do not come out as easily when there are others paying attention. But a personal trainer could be a solution to such embarrassing situations.Women can have a free conversation with a personal trainer. Diet, what shape she wants to be in, what her problems are, even health related issues which she finds very hard to reveal to anyone could find an easy channel to be let out.

What more, having a personal trainer understand the issues of past, could avoid in potential health related effects certain exercises could lead to.Sometimes obese women, who want to lose weight, are ridiculed. It is also very difficult for them to get into workout costume and the fear is constantly working against them. The sight of other fit women in shape could lead to emotional trauma and envy leading to depression and discouragement.

A trainer will do a very good job in such a case. The trainer could soothe the fears and instill confidence and show that, by regular workout, nothing really is impossible.Women could have gone through other situations like pregnancy, child birth or abortion. These are cases where utmost care in every exercise needs to be takes. One cannot afford to follow the common regimen here and needs a specialist to dictate the terms by paying constant attention.

Personal trainer by using past experience could be innovative in dealing with issues and also give sound advise against myths usually followed during these phases. A balance is very important and in delicate phases like this the scope of error is very low.Often every woman needs the help of a personal trainer to know about themselves, about what good and bad have they been gifted with. They have fears, they hear myths, but sound scientific advice is very essential. So many graduates and young working women follow drastic steps to come to shape or lose weight harming themselves. The impulse to maintain their figure needs to be channeled in a proper way, instead of drastic acts of desperation like self starvation or weights etc. which might produce undesired results.

The maturity of a personal trainer would always prove to be handy. Every day is different for every woman, and their personality should be an integral part in taking decision about the way to go to stay fit.

2010-01-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia Pain at Night

Do you toss and turn at night because of fibromyalgia pain or discomfort?
"People with fibromyalgia tend to have very disturbed sleep," says Doris Cope, MD, director of Pain Management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "Even if they sleep 10 hours a night, they still feel fatigued, don't feel rested."

Research shows that with fibromyalgia, there is an automatic arousal in the brain during sleep. Frequent disruptions prevent the important restorative processes from occurring. Growth hormone is mostly produced during sleep. Without restorative sleep and the surge of growth hormone, muscles don't heal and neurotransmitters (like the mood chemical serotonin) are not replenished. The lack of a good night's sleep makes people with fibromyalgia wake up feeling tired and fatigued.

The result: The body can't recuperate from the day's stresses -- all of which overwhelms the system, creating a great sensitivity to pain. Widespread pain, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and memory difficulties are all symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Insomnia takes many forms -- trouble falling asleep, waking up often during the night, having trouble going back to sleep, and waking up too early in the morning. Smoothing out those sleep problems -- and helping people get the deep sleep their bodies need -- helps fibromyalgia pain improve significantly, research shows.

Medications can help enhance sleep and relieve pain. But doctors also advocate lifestyle changes to help sleep come naturally.
Tips to Get Better Sleep With Fibromyalgia
Creating a comfort zone at home is key to better sleep, whether you have fibromyalgia or not. It's all about easing into bedtime feeling relaxed -- and staying relaxed so you sleep through the night.

These 10 tips can help people sleep better:
Enjoy a soothing (warm) bath in the evening.
Brush your body with a loofah or long-handled brush in the bath.
Ease painful tender points with a self-massage device (like a tennis ball).
Do yoga and stretching exercises to relax.
Listen to calming music.
Meditate to tame intrusive thoughts and tension.
Sleep in a darkened room. Try an eye mask if necessary.
Keep the room as quiet as possible (or use a white-noise machine).
Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
Avoid foods that contain caffeine, including teas, colas, and chocolate.
Therapies to Treat Insomnia When You Have Fibromyalgia
If you're still having sleep problems, several therapies can help, including biofeedback, relaxation training, stress reduction, and cognitive therapy. A psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders can discuss these therapies with you.

The therapies help people handle stress better, which helps control fibromyalgia episodes, Cope says. "Fibromyalgia comes and goes," she tells WebMD. "When you're stressed out, that's when it's worse." That's when you're most likely to have insomnia, too.

Medications can also help ease fibromyalgia pain at night, or directly treat insomnia. Medications to ease fibromyalgia at night include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, prescription pain relievers, and sleep aids.

WALKING IS THE BEST MEDICINE

2010-01-03T01:37:00.000-08:00

WALKING IS THE BEST MEDICINE

1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.

2. Walking strengthens your heart if you're male. In one study, mortality rates among retired men who walked less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day.

3. Walking strengthens your heart if you're female. Women in the Nurse's Health Study (72,488 female nurses) who walked three hours or more per week reduced their risk of a heart attack or other coronary event by 35% compared with women who did not walk.

4. Walking is good for your brain. In a study on walking and cognitive function, researchers found that women who walked the equivalent of an easy pace at least 1.5 hours per week had significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline than women who walked less than 40 minutes per week. Think about that!

5. Walking is good for your bones. Research shows that postmenopausal women who walk approximately one mile each day have higher whole-body bone density than women who walk shorter distances, and walking is also effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the legs.

6. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression. Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression as measured with a standard depression questionnaire by 47%.

7. Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. Women who performed the equivalent of one hour and 15 minutes to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking had an 18% decreased risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women. Many studies have shown that exercise can prevent colon cancer, and even if an individual person develops colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appear to continue both by increasing quality of life and reducing mortality.

8. Walking improves fitness. Walking just three times a week for 30 minutes can significantly increase cardiorespiratory fitness.

9. Walking in short bouts improves fitness, too! A study of sedentary women showed that short bouts of brisk walking (three 10-minute walks per day) resulted in similar improvements in fitness and were at least as effective in decreasing body fatness as long bouts (one 30-minute walk per day).

10. Walking improves physical function. Research shows that walking improves fitness and physical function and prevents physical disability in older persons.

Janu Shirashasana

2009-12-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

Janu Shirashasana

The Head-To-Knee Forward Bend has a soothing effect on high blood pressure and insomnia. Being a forward bend it places the maximum possible pressure on your abdominal organs stimulates them to function better. It also nourishes your spine, hip, and hamstrings.

How to do the Head-To-Knee Forward Bend Pose
Begin by sitting on a mat with your legs straight in front of you. Breathe easy. Keep your back erect and raise your right leg by bending it at the knee. Now depress the knee towards the floor. To enable your knee to touch the mat you may need to apply slight pressure on your leg with your hand.

Now exhale and pull your abdomen inside. Firmly grip the toes of your left foot that is kept straight, with your fingers and simultaneously bend your head towards the shin of the left (straight) leg. As a reflex action, your knee begins to rise as your left leg starts to fold at the knee. This is a common experience when you apply downward pressure to take your nose near the shin.

Resist this upward movement of your left leg and hold it firm so that it remains flat on the mat. Beginners may use a rope or a belt and strap it to the left foot and use the belt to pull your torso down. The belt serves a dual purpose as you can also push your left foot against the belt. This pressure would help you to hold your left foot down on the mat. A few days of practice should enable you to touch your face to the shin of your left leg.

Pause and breathe easy after you are comfortably able to achieve this position where you can touch your nose or forehead to the shin of your left leg. As the flow of blood to the brain increases you might experience a tingling sensation in your head. You now feel relaxed and so you can gradually exit from this position.

How to Exit from the Head-To-Knee Forward Bend
Release the hold of your hand on your foot after relaxing the muscles of your limbs. Place your hands by your sides and use them to lift your back. As you emerge from this position avoid any sudden movement as that could make you feel slightly dizzy. Breathe normally and repeat all the above steps using your other foot.

Benefits of the Head-To-Knee Forward Bend Pose
As you rest your head on your leg, this exercise regulates the flow of blood to your brain and torso that are at the same level. This in turn helps in soothing your blood pressure when you bend down and breathe normally. With your blood pressure soothed, your mind feels calm and helps you to overcome depression and insomnia.

At the physical level this exercise puts pressure on all your abdominal organs and enables them to secrete better. Due to the forward bend it also nourishes your hips, spine, shoulders and hamstrings. The muscles of your back are also toned. A modified version of this pose when done without bending forward and keeping your spine concave helps during pregnancy if done up to second trimester under medical supervision.

2009-12-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

"Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness" is a line from a song by Tim Hughes. At Oundle Road Baptist Church, we sing it throughout the year, but those words sum up what we, as Christians, know to be the real meaning of Christmas.Jesus described himself as the "Light of the world", and at Christmas we celebrate that time in history when he was miraculously born to bring light into a world that knew only too well the darkness of poverty, slavery, child abuse, of war.

Here we are at Christmas 2009. What's different? The battle still rages, each generation needing to realise for itself that, without light, the darkness will continue.It never ceases to amaze me that God chose an unknown Jewish girl to give birth to the human Jesus. What an impact he has made in the last two millennia. For us at Oundle Road, his teaching, found in the Bible, has not only helped us understand the underlying failures of human nature that perpetuate darkness, but gives us hope that his light will guide and sustain us when problems and difficulties occur.I love Christmas, being with the family, including five boisterous grandchildren, but I know that, for many, Christmas will not be happy.

In fact, it may well be very unhappy, and I can understand how being wished "happy Christmas" can be like having salt rubbed into a wound.But God's message of hope to the world at the first Christmas was: "Peace on earth, goodwill to men on whom his favour rests". It's still the same. God's love is still the same and he calls us to persevere in seeking it.We have been privileged to be able to build a fantastic new annexe. It is our prayer that somehow it will be used in practical ways to bring light into darkness by sharing the good news of the Saviour, Jesus.

On behalf of the folks at Oundle Road, may I wish you a blessed Christmas and a new year filled with hope.

Body Burn and Get Fit Daily Dozen

2009-12-20T15:51:00.000-08:00

Body Burn and Get Fit Daily Dozen

I might be biased, but I feel like as far as beginner to intermediate workout DVDs go, you cannot go wrong with Denise Austin. With so many years of experience, her cuing is impeccable and her videos always pack a lot in. Her two most recent releases, Body Burn with Pilates and Dance and Get Fit Daily Dozen, are both quality investments.

These DVDs reminded me of why I love to review the crazy DVDs out there. When a DVD is solid — the instructor isn't overly annoying, the back-up dancers act like normal people, and no one is stomping their feet

throwing tantrums— it makes my job slightly harder because there is just nothing to pick at. But I suppose we all need balance in our life, and these definitely balance out some of the lackluster videos out there.

Here a two-for-one review treat, along with an opportunity to win! Body BurnBody Burn is split into three workout segments: a cardio dance segment, a standing Pilates segment and mat Pilates. Denise and her dance team start out with a basic warm-up, with side to side lunges, hip rolls and leg kicks before getting into the first dance combo. The several different dance combos are all basic, fun and easy to learn. You repeat the moves enough so that you know them really well, but not so much that you get bored. Denise leads you through a runway-style walk that's really fun, as well as my fave 80s-tastic hair-washing move.

There’s a lot of variety of moves, and she even manages to fit in some dance squats. Sneakiness. Plus, I like that you can make moves more challenging by jumping higher or moving farther. A short dance-inspired cool down brought the cardio segment to 30 minutes, the perfect length, in my humble opinion. Both of the Pilates segments were 10 minutes long and focused on toning different areas of the bod. The standing Pilates segment uses some light weights to work the biceps, triceps and back, incorporating balance work as well.

I was pleasantly surprised by two sets of three real on-the-toes push-ups , and combo squat and arm-lift moves followed by standing oblique work were a nice addition. The mat Pilates portion focuses more on the core and abs, with moves such as the staple Pilates hundred, single-leg stretches, scissor and bicycle moves for the waistline. The inner and outer thigh get some treatment with leg lifts, and the T-stands were one of the more challenging moves of the segment.