Total Health and Fitness -for healthy living » Fitness

Weight training has it`s benefits

gogetnow — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:07:03 +0000

Weight Training

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If you have recently begun an exercise program, you may not have included the use of weights in your daily routine, but you should definitely consider it. While cardio is really beneficial, you won’t get the full effects of exercise without adding the benefits of weight training to your routine on a regular basis. Some of the many benefits of including weight training into your routine include:

1. Speeds Up Metabolism:

Lean muscle tissue is metabolically active, so increase your muscle mass and in turn speed up your metabolism. Lean muscle burns more calories. So to help you lose weight, one of the benefits of weight training is that you continue to burn calories even after you’re done working out.

2. Boosts confidence:

Weight lifting naturally makes you feel better about yourself, as you become stronger and look better. Whether it’s just the pleasure of knowing that you can lift something, or seeing yourself become stronger and look leaner you can`t but help feel feel better about yourself.

3. Makes bones stronger:

A further added benefit of weight training is that it actually strengthens your bones which in turn helps to prevent osteoporosis as you age, thus giving you a far better quality of life in your later years.

4. Gives a real boost to the Immune System:

Weight training, like many other forms of exercise, helps your immune system defend your body, helping to prevent not only colds but more serious illnesses, and can help you achieve a far higher resistance against illnesses like diabetes and heart disease because your body will be far more healthy and fit.

5. Improves Flexibility:

You may have been led to believe that weight lifters are less flexible, but actually one of the many benefits of weight training is that it improves flexibility and makes muscles much more pliable. When done correctly you will feel better and be less prone to injury.

6. Feel good about yourself:

Lifting weights releases endorphins which is why you feel great when you finish a workout additionally this will help you feel great overall. Exercise is well known for being one of the best natural therapies available.

7. Aids sleep:

As well as being one of the best natural therapies, weight training is one of the best sleep inducers around. After a great workout you’ll sleep like a log.

These are just seven of the best benefits of working out with weights. The next time you workout don’t forget the weights.

Weight Training

Exercise Program How not to start

gogetnow — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:17:39 +0000

If you are intending to start out on a brand new exercise program you need to make sure you do not approach it the wrong way.Listed below are some of the most common mistakes one can make and is how not to start a new exercise program.

1. Not drinking sufficient water.

Water is Amazing for the body and ought to be our most important intake of liquid. For the largest part of us it is the only fluid we need to drink. Everybody ought to drink at least eight – 8 ounce glasses of water every day. If you’re greater than 200 pounds, you ought to drink at least 12.

2. Not warming up preceding to any exercise program.

Our muscles Require time to adjust to the latest stress we will be putting on them with an work out program. Limber up with a few minutes of light aerobic exercise or calisthenics before you initiate your training routine, whether it’s aerobics or strength training.

3. Not to take the time to cool down following any Sort of work out.

Don’t just bring to a close your exercise program and head straight off for the showers. Take simply a few minutes to complete some easy, slow exercises to bring down your heart rate and stretch your muscles. Hurriedly stopping strenuous exercise without lowering your heart rate can be Extremely dangerous.

4. Not stretching a sufficient amount.

You must take the trouble to stretch prior to and following anyexercise program with no exception. Flexible muscles will be less Inclined to be strained than if they are taut. As mentioned above, take a few minutes to warm up first.

There are a number of benefits gained from stretching and it is most definately worth taking into consideration as a part of your overall physical fitness routine, especially as we get older. Here are just a A small number of them:

As we grow older, our sense of balance can turn into an issue in our everyday routines. Since stretching improves the range of movement and suppleness of your joints, it can help you to be more dynamic and far less prone to injuries from falls.

Stretching can boost your flexibility, this in point can help you to perform every day tasks more easily.

Performing a regular stretching exercise program can help to boost blood flow inside the body therefore improving circulation.

And, the controversial one, stretching could well help prevent injury. This is especially correct as we all get older which in turn means that our muscles and joints often grow to be tighter. A little stretching helps to increase our range of motion, which can prevent us from being injured by a fall or by pulling a muscle.

And what are some of the rules of stretching?

Take the effort to warm up in the beginning. Keep each stretching action for at least 30 seconds.

If you are unable to sustain it for that long at the start then merely work your way up to it.

Try and Remain relaxed whilst stretching and make certain you don’t hold your breath while you stretch.

You will learn that if you do it for 10 to 15 minutes each day and you will start to feel the payback in a very short time.

5.Trying to lift too much weight.

Seemingly more of a difficulty for the male species rather than the women.We have a tendency to think that the heavier the weight we pick up, the quicker the progress will be. Why are we surprised that this can cause injuries.It makes far more logic to start off with a weight you can comfortably cope with and afterward steadily build up the amount as your exercise program develops.

8. Choosing a training plan just for the reason that it`s the “in thing”.

Take the effort to choose a exercise program that you will benefit from and complete rather than the hottest in-thing that everyone else is doing.To acquire the maximum benefits of any exercise it ought to be viewed as more of a long term thing rather than a two minute wonder so if you don`t like it it follows that you are not going to stick at it,making your hard work worth little to nothing at all.
Following a regular pattern of a well disciplined exercise program can produce huge benefits to your well being both mentally and physically,improving the quality of life.

Jay Jeffers

Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight By Eating Well

gogetnow — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:38:27 +0000

Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight By Eating Well

Its been known for some time that breakfast is an important part of the day. Now research shows that, regardless of physical activity, eating high fibre cereal in the morning at least three times a week boost your metabolism therefore leads to having a lower body mass index. This study followed 2,300 teenage girls over ten years, and was conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in the US.
One reason people skip breakfast is because they are attempting to lower their overall calorie intake. Whilst its important not to eat too many excess calories, having breakfast, even if its a simple smoothie, or a couple of pieces of fruit, will help control the urge to snack on chocolate or other unhealthy options, as well as improving your performance at work and reducing fatigue. Sometimes its not just the overall calorie intake, but the types of foods we eat as well. Grab a couple of carrots instead of some toast – not only will you be getting fiber, but the phytochemicals such as carotene and other vitamins will ensure you get the most out of your body and your day and boost your metabolism. And if you don`t eat enough fruit and vegetables, visit the local fruit shop on the way to your local coffee shop before work. It beats a muffin nutritionally.

And for the last word on going overboard with calorie restriction, recent research found that even though mice will live up to 50% longer by consuming less, humans don’t. The most following a low calorie diet over your life would do is extend your time span on this earth by 7%.

Physiologically, eating a good breakfast will actually boost your metabolism. And its certainly a more sensible to do that than investing in a bottle of diet pills.

some weight loss tips for parents and expecting mothers. Early research has suggested that those mothers who overeat (think Britney Spears) have children who are more prone to being overweight by the time they are toddlers. This sets up food problems from a early age. And beware of teenagers or children who develop poor eating habits, along with sedentary activities like playing playstation or xbox games in excess, and watching television at the expense of even non athletic activities like having a job or attending school clubs. These kids will have more chance of growing into overweight or obese adults.

One key to including changes in your diet, whether with the target of losing weight, or simply being more healthy, is to add variety. Its easy to get into a food rut, stuck for something tasty to eat that is also going to support our goals. Planning ahead, and doing some research, can be one way of mitigating those times when the urge to grab something unhealthy is driven by both hunger and unappetizing dishes.

listed below are some breakfast recipes that will add a little variety to that all important meal, as well as supplying essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber

Delicious Tropical Muesli
Serves 2 to 4. Preparation time – 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Muesli – 100gm
Wheat flakes- 50gm
Apple – peeled and grated – 1no
Low Fat or Skim Fruit Yogurt- 500gm
Mango – peeled and cut into strips – 1no
Passion fruit – pulp of 2
Flaked almonds, toasted – 11/2 tsp

Preparation
Mix together muesli, wheat, apple and half the yogurt in a bowl and refrigerate covered overnight. Divide it into four serving bowls. Top evenly with remaining yogurt, mango, passion fruit pulp and flaked almonds and serve.

Choose plain low-fat yogurt for the fewest calories. Fruit and flavored products have extra calories. Nonfat yogurt sweetened with artificial sweetener is an option for dieters. Plain yogurt is the best choice for cooking.

Terrific Mango
Serves 2. Preparation time – 10 minutes.

Ingredients

Mango- peeled and chopped -125 gram
Chopped pineapple – 1 no
Papaya- peeled and chopped- 125 gram
Kiwi fruits – chopped- 2 no
Tropical fruit juice – 150 ml
Honey- 2 tablespoon

Preparation

Mix all the fruit pieces together and pour the fruit juice and honey on top. This is an excellent dish to start your day.

Summer Special Salad
Serves 4. Preparation time – 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Water melon – 1 no (medium size)
Tomato – ½ kg
Celery – 20 gram
Orange -4 no
Grapes -100 gram
Pineapple (chopped) – 1 cup
Raisins – 12 no
Salt and pepper – to taste

Salad Dressing

Salad oil – 6 tsp
Mustard -2tsp
Chopped onion – 2 no
Pepper – 2tsp
Sugar -1 tsp

Blend all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a mixer.

Preparation
Chop all the fruits and vegetables. Take the pulp out of the watermelon and put all the chopped fruits and tomatoes into the outer covering of the watermelon. Pour the salad dressing on top. Garnish with raisins.
Serve chilled.

Eating fruit and vegetables raw gives you many of their vitamins undiminished by cooking processes. It also means you get enzymes which are great for helping the digestive process. Watermelon is rich in vitamin C and is also one of the few sources of lycopene, others being tomatoes, red grapefruit and guava. Lycopene is a particularly effective antioxidant.
Jay Jeffers Gogethealthynow
Home of Health and Fitness

Cardio Exercise and Weight Loss

gogetnow — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:23:12 +0000

Cardio Exercise and Weight Loss

Working out just how to lose excess weight is a problem for many of us,there seems to be no typical easy answer as the challenging path to weight loss is different for everyone. If you’re trying to lose weight, cardio exercise along with a good solid weight loss plan would be far more beneficial in the long run.

Cardio exercise can give an overall feeling of increased energy and vitality but the number one benefit of cardio exercise is burning fat and is also essential for a healthy heart and overall fitness. Cardio exercise is best done at 60% to 70% of your maximum heart pulse.

What type of cardio exercise is the most effective to lose weight.

With regards to the best cardio exercise, I would just say that it is more important that you should pick one or more exercise that you feel comfortable doing for at least 4 times per week for 30 minutes each time. Walking is the one cardio exercise that many people could quite easily include in their routine, especially good for older people and people with physical disability.

Running, whether outside or in the comfort of your own home or gym on a treadmill has proved to be very beneficial for burning extra calories. Swimming too is a great form of exercise which uses many of the body’s muscles,toning up the arms and legs quickly.

Getting a membership to your local gym would be an excellent idea as this will allow you to undertake a variety of cardio exercise,also it is possible to get a proper training program set up for you by an experienced instructor. Later a program of weight training could be added plus you will have the benefit of being amongst lots of other people who’s goals are similar which will help with motivation.

One thing is for sure,following a good exercise regime along with a healthy diet can only be good news all round. Before undertaking any form of fitness program it would be a good idea to pay a visit to your doctor and get a full physical check over. Good luck to you all and stay healthy and happy.

Firm Tummy

gogetnow — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:51:31 +0000

How to lose that ‘flabby’ tummy and achieve a flat, toned one instead in 15 minutes a day!

When it comes to losing weight, one of the most frequently asked questions is how to loose that ‘flabby’tummy. Everyone wants a nicely toned flat tummy! Now, whilst you can’t specifically target the tummy when you want to lose weight, here is a really effective way to do that through exercise and strengthen your abdominal muscles and improve your overall fitness

The best way to go about getting rid of any fat is to perform intense workouts. You must remember that it will not happen over night and that you must expect to do this workout regime regularly for the best results, as with all forms of exercise! There is no ‘quick fix’ to getting a beautifully toned flat tummy barr liposuction! This intense workout is known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT increases your metabolism so that you will be burning calories even after you are done with the workout and are sitting down with a well deserved glass of water! And here is another thing really good thing about HIIT, you can finish one HIIT work out in just 15 minutes. Who says you have to spend a lot of time to work out? We can all find 15 minutes a day if we really want to achieve that flat tummy!

This is how to perform the HIIT session so that you get the maximum benefit from it. You will need a pair of running shoes, a stopwatch and comfortable clothing to run in. It is beneficial if you can find a fairly quiet even area to carry this workout session on, maybe a track or playing field. As always with any exercise you need to warm-up and stretch your muscles and body before you start the workout to avoid injury!

Now you are ready and warmed-up this is how to perform a HIIT session! Using your stopwatch, time yourself jogging for 60 seconds and then going straight into a 30 second flat-out sprint. Repeat this process in a continual loop for 15minutes with no stopping in between the jogging and sprinting! That is your HIIT workout session! As with the warm-up being crucial with all exercise so is a warm-down. Follow your 15 minute workout session with some warm down stretches and treat yourself to a large glass of water!

Continue this regime as mentioned earlier on a regular basis and combine it with some good old sit-ups and a good healthy, balanced diet and a good intake of water and you will soon see results. That flat toned tummy is not as hard to achieve as you may think, it just takes a little dedication and patience. And as an added plus you will end up a lot fitter and with increased energy levels!
Written by JayLex Editorialshttp://www.gogethealthynow.com/

Low Impact Cardio – Let Low-Impact Exercise Have a High Impact on Your Fitness Endeavors

gogetnow — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:03:02 +0000

The sweat is pouring down by the bucket. Your hair is soppy and wet. Your eyes are popping out of your head.

Meanwhile, the only pounding worse than the one on the floor is the one on your joints.

Your knees, your ankles, your toes, they all feel like they’re two centuries old. The agony is shooting furiously throughout every limb in your body.

Well, contrary to that silly slogan that seems a favorite among the fitness crowd, no pain does not necessarily translate into no gain. In fact, there are various other exercise alternatives that are completely merciful on your joints while providing you with the sound cardiovascular fitness you’re been striving for.

If you’re looking to boycott that step class and step up to a newer, more relaxing form of fitness, then kick out of the aerobics shoes for some of these wise choices.

CONTACT YOGA: No, there is no whacking, tackling, or hip checks here. But there is indeed plenty of contact in this newest form of yoga that’s about to reach fitness gyms throughout the nation. This is the form of yoga in which partners work in synch to provide each other with a stimulating workout and a soothing massage.

You are essentially providing your partner with resistance in these exercises as you are pushed and pulled throughout various motions. This is a great method for stretching and strengthening the body while you learn to move with grace and reduce your stress.

Generally practiced twice a week, contact yoga usually runs about $30 per session.

LOTTE BERK METHOD: It may look like a joke to you, but once you take on this strenuous form of toning and strengthening, you’ll hardly be laughing. If at first, the Lotte Berk Method looks a lot like a blend of ballet, calisthenics, and yoga, that’s because it is. Exactly.

The regimen hasn’t yet caught on heavily throughout the U.S. but it is rapidly growing in popularity in New York City. In fact, the only way to jump into a class is with a reservation.

While most of the movements are done through your own body weight – slow, regulated motions – there are some that require light weights used to sculpt the upper torso. Otherwise, the resistance is provided by your own body.

A Lotte Berk class will generally cost you $20 per session.

PILATES: You don’t need to be in total fitness reform to try this wildly popular activity but you will need an apparatus called the Reformer before your session begins.

The Reformer is the bizarre-looking device made up of cables and pulleys in which you’ll perform these graceful, rhythmic exercises, aimed at toning and elongating your muscles.

This method of fitness consists of long, flowing motions that will not only increase the definition in your entire body but will enhance your flexibility.

If you’re looking for a great cardiovascular exercise, this really isn’t it. Only the most advanced Pilates students can whip up a good sweat through the sessions.

Pilates is not cheap. Aside from attaining the Reformer machine, a private workout costs somewhere around $90 per session.

About the Author
Visit our extensive article library at http://www.hsfvitamins.com and find interesting health products at our sister site, http://www.hsfenergy.com

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Low Impact Cardio – Let Low-Impact Exercise Have a High Impact on Your Fitness Endeavors

Fitness In Five Minutes A Day

gogetnow — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:57:15 +0000

What is the minimum amount of exercise needed for total health and fitness? While it depends on the person, lifestyle, and goals, the general wisdom is that 20-60 minutes per day of cardio pumping, iron lifting, or muscle stretching is necessary.

While no one could deny that these numbers produce optimal results, it is possible to accomplish great things in a shorter time.

The truth is that most badly out-of-shape people have lost a crucial “body-mind” link, a connection that helps them to feel the physical hunger for healthy movement. They hate sweating, don’t like walking, and often confuse thirst or emotional pain for hunger.

For those of us who have to ease our way back into an exercise routine, even five minutes a day can be a life saving door into a healthier world.

Here are the rules:

1) In order to get the most out of this routine, it should be spread out over the day. We’re suggesting sixty seconds of work at 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm. This approach is called “Greasing the Groove” and has an exceptionally powerful effect.

2) Concentrate on the abdominal muscles. They are the most important group of voluntary muscles in the body, aiding posture, digestion, and sexual function. Critical to athletic performance, they transfer power from the lower to the upper body. When it comes to appearance, the abdominals are called “the window of health”-we are judged more often by our belt-lines than any other single physical factor.

3) It is virtually impossible to tone the abdominals without benefiting other muscle groups.

What exercises are best? I would suggest a tri-pronged approach: a “killer” exercise, a light exercise, and one that can be done in public-while walking or driving.

1) A roller wheel. These are available in any sporting goods store for about five dollars, and are the only ab exercise devise worth your money. Beginners roll out from their knees, more experienced exercisers from their toes.

2) Hip lifts. Lay on your back, brace your hands at your sides, cross your feet, lifting feet and knees from the floor. Now contract the abdominal muscles and lift the hips from the floor. Relax and repeat the hip lift for sixty seconds.

3) Power breathing. Contract your abdominal muscles HARD as you walk or drive. Combined with proper breathing techniques, this can actually be the perfect ab exercise. There are many yoga, Tai Chi and martial arts teachers who can teach you proper breathing technique-if you haven’t had training or studied this, don’t assume you already know how-seek out a teacher!

While the “Grease the Groove” technique is powerful (and can be used to develop strength, flexibility, or coordination) it is not intended to substitute for your longer cardiovascular workouts. It is offered as an addition, or for those days when you just can’t exercise, or as a way for the non-exerciser to begin. Consider it a doorway to a fitter, healthier world.

About the Author
NY Times bestselling author Steven Barnes CST (Circular Strength Training) is a dual black belt, yogi, and the creator of the Five Minute Miracle exercise system. Learn more at: www.lifewrite.com

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Total Health and Fitness -for healthy living » Fitness

Weight training has it`s benefits

Weight Training

Weight Training

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Exercise Program How not to start

If you are intending to start out on a brand new exercise program you need to make sure you do not approach it the wrong way.Listed below are some of the most common mistakes one can make and is how not to start a new exercise program.

Performing a regular stretching exercise program can help to boost blood flow inside the body therefore improving circulation.

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Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight By Eating Well

Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight By Eating Well

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Cardio Exercise and Weight Loss

Cardio Exercise and Weight Loss

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Firm Tummy

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Low Impact Cardio – Let Low-Impact Exercise Have a High Impact on Your Fitness Endeavors

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Fitness In Five Minutes A Day

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