Studies have shown that exercise can improve an individual’s physical, as well as mental and emotional well-being.

The onset of diabetes in people at risk can be reduced through moderate exercise.  Exercise may also be a big factor in reducing one’s risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and heart disease. Although studies have shown varying conclusions, exercise may also be beneficial for people suffering from osteoporosis. Exercise alone will not lead to reduced blood pressure or cholesterol, and it is not the only means of losing weight.

Through the years, exercise has been glorified as the be all and end all of one’s physical well-being.  It’s been said that walking 20 to 30 minutes a day will improve one’s health. A few minutes of walking here and there, just as long as you reach the 20 to 30 minute minimum is enough to keep you healthy.

• However, you choose to do this, will help you lose weight, keep your blood pressure under control and decrease the possibility of developing osteoporosis.

There is no doubt that exercise is beneficial to everybody. Exercise can be a fun activity, give you energy and put you in a good mood. However, there are certain findings that one has to consider before going into a fitness program.

• Walking and other forms of moderate exercise help reduce the risk of diabetes in people whose blood sugar is starting to rise. These people are usually obese and/or leading a sedentary lifestyle. This was the conclusion reached by researchers who conducted a large federal study wherein participants were assigned randomly to an exercise and diet program, take a diabetes drug or serve as controls.
• Despite all their efforts, the group who exercised and went on a diet lost very little weight. However, they were able to maintain a regular walking program and not all of them went on to develop diabetes.

People who change their lifestyle, from being sedentary to being moderately active, by means of walking, reaps the benefit of increased heart protection. In comparison, a more intense fitness regimen showed only slightly greater beneficial effects.

• It is an accepted fact that exercise may reduce the risk of heart disease. People who take part in an exercise regimen are very different from those who do not.
• Education seems to be a key predictor of good health and longer life, in general. Active people also tend to have more education. People who have an active lifestyle tend to be leaner and less likely to smoke.
• They eat differently compared to those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. With all these findings, it is therefore impossible to conclude whether exercise prevents heart disease or whether people who are at a lower risk of getting heart disease are the ones who are more likely to exercise.

Studies, similar to those done on heart disease, were conducted on the correlation of exercise and cancer, and these produced the same results.

• People who exercised are less likely to develop breast and colon cancer. However, they have not established whether that is cause or effect.
• There is no evidence to suggest that exercise alone will cause a decrease in blood pressure.  It does not make much difference in cholesterol levels either.
• Weight loss can aid in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels but losing weight involves having a nutrition regimen too.

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When it comes to attaining fitness goals, where should you go for help? Who would make the best fitness training buddy? Here’s our take on how to build your fitness dream team to help you achieve your fitness goals.

There are three main companions you can have for your fitness dream team: a personal trainer, training buddies, and a training pet – yes you read that correctly. We’ll discuss each one in turn so you’ll know how to find the best of each.  A personal trainer is a fitness training professional. The one who’ll teach you how to workout correctly when you first set out to conquer your fitness goals, but you don’t need one every time you workout.

A weekly or fortnightly schedule is enough to get you going on your fitness plan. However, if your fitness plan involves exercises that need individualized supervision such as yoga or Pilates, you might need one more often.

If funds are tight, you might want to get a virtual trainer instead. Many pro trainers have their own exercise videos, whether for cardio, aerobic, strength, or individualized workouts.

Once you’ve settled on a personal trainer, it’s time to find good fitness training buddies. The rule of thumb is to always have more than one. That way, you’ll always have someone in case the other fails to show or drops off. Ideally, find one who shares the same fitness goals as you. Get one who is at the same fitness level so you could encourage each other, and then get one who has a higher fitness level to challenge yourself. If you do multiple types of exercises, i.e. aerobic and weight training, it is ideal to have one buddy for each activity.

• You can find fitness buddies from your family, friends, the office, a sports club, the gym, or your local YMCA. You can even find fitness training buddies online. You can find a buddy to join you in your fitness workout from just about anywhere, really.
  

  Your Canine Training Buddy Will Commit You Daily To Your Fitness Goals

• For dog lovers, you’ll be delighted to know that your pet can help in your fitness program. Dogs are great fitness workout companions. They don’t complain, they’ll follow you wherever you go, protect you, and keep you company.
• If you’d like to get a dog as a fitness training buddy, try a Labrador. It is versatile, dependable, intelligent, and has good disposition. It’s also energetic so you might have to keep up with it instead of the other way around. You may also want to try German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Jack Russel Terriers, or Collies as all these breeds love to run.

However, make sure your pet is trained first, and be mindful of their needs, as they can’t tell you what they’re feeling.  They might have blistered or scuffed paws, be dehydrated, or tired, so stay sharp. Bring extra water and a drinking cup, and maybe some doggie treats.

Having all these people (and pets) with you makes attaining your fitness goals easier, not to mention more enjoyable.

If you enjoyed this article, please take the time and take our fitness survey so we may continue to research articles of interest. Click Here to take survey

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How can a Personal Trainer help you achieve your fitness goals? They can show you the correct and safe way to achieve the results you desire. Take the first step and schedule time with a personal trainer at your gym.
See if there is a complimentary free consultation at a local gym. There may even be an open house. If you are interested, take the first step and schedule yourself at the gym reception. It is a smart way to start your workout plan. And you will be working with a certified instructor – usually from the American Council on Exercise, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America or American College of Sports Medicine. Your personal trainer, should be from one of these (or other well-known) organizations. This shows that he or she has, and it satisfied the requirements for certification of personal training. Ask whether they are also CPR / First Aid certified. This is useful to keep you informed and ensure that you deal with someone properly certified. Click Here to take survey

• Be prepared during your meeting with a list of questions for the training you will receive. You will also answer questions concerning your health and fitness. Some facilities even request an okay from your personal physician.

• Your personal trainer can determine the best equipment and exercises to achieve your fitness goals. You may only tour or sample exercise during their first meeting.

When you begin to exercise and follow your fitness routine, start slowly. Listen to your body! Take the opportunity to work with a personal trainer. Do not forget, if it hurts or you are unsure, STOP!

Create a comprehensive and systematic approach to your holistic fitness. Many people who are overweight or lack energy struggle with their chosen exercise routine.
There are many choices to get in shape, lose weight and tone: cycling, swimming, jogging or yoga. One of the most important aspects of a healthy life is selecting activities you enjoy.  If you love something, you will be able to participate and integrate it into your lifestyle.

Why you torture yourself? The trick is finding an exercise that is effective and fun. Whatever your choice, start slow and make sure you have enough skill. You may need to book a session with a personal trainer or private lesson with instructor. Take the time and select a good trainer who is good for you, understanding your goals and current fitness level.

• A holistic approach incorporates your weight loss and fitness goals.  In addition to your fitness goals, notice your stress. It may be the reason why you have too much fat around your belly. Stress hormone cortisone fluctuates during the day. Many people nowadays have stress and eat later at night. You are familiar with the results: weight gain, thyroid problems, sleep disorders, an increase in the production of cholesterol and heart attacks.

Holistic fitness addresses both your nutrition and exercise choices. Eat healthy, the right foods and remember to eat enough food if you want to lose weight. Eat too little and the body stores more fat to protect itself from starvation.

Other resources of interest:

http://www.holisticfitness.com/index.html

http://holisticfitness4u.com/

If you are impressed with the many benefits of yoga and plan to include it in your exercise routine, then you are definitely on the road to leading a healthier and fuller life. However, often yoga beginners in their enthusiasm forget to consider a few facts that are essential to reap its benefits. This often leads an individual to lose interest and give up. So, if you are a yoga beginner, here are a few points that can help you easily move into a regular yoga routine and begin to reap its many benefits.

Choose a good instructor to gain the benefits of yoga
It is advisable for a yoga beginner to learn it under the guidance of a good and qualified instructor. A good instructor will understand the needs as well as the limitations of your body and accordingly suggest the poses that are appropriate for you. A good way of choosing the right instructor is to ask your friends, colleagues, or relatives who practice yoga regularly. Find out about how long the instructor has been practicing yoga and how long has he/she been teaching it. Choosing the right instructor can make it easier for a yoga beginner to enjoy the benefits of yoga and sticking to a regular schedule.

Practice yoga on an empty stomach
As a yoga beginner one thing that you should consider is the time of your session. The best time to practice yoga is early in the morning on an empty stomach. If not, yoga should be practiced at least 2 hours after a meal.

Wear loose clothes for your yoga session
Yoga beginners should pay special attention to the clothing that they wear during their session. Clothes should be comfortable and loose. They should neither be too tight nor too baggy.

Choose a good quality mat
Most yoga poses are done while sitting, kneeling, or standing. Performing it on a hard surface or a too soft surface is not advisable. Invest in a good quality yoga mat which can be easily found in the market.

Warm up before attempting yoga poses
A yoga beginner should always warm up before going into the more advanced poses. Although being a little sore after your first class is normal, excessive strains or aches after a yoga session means that you haven’t been warming up properly. Also make sure that poses progress from easy movements to more difficult ones. This will reduce the chances of injuries and also help you gain more benefits from yoga.

Focus on your yoga poses
Yoga is as much for the mind as for the body. So, focusing on the poses is very important. You should always try and get rid of any extraneous thoughts while going into a pose, holding it, or releasing it. Furthermore, distraction can lead you to overstretch your body and injure yourself. Click Here to take survey

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The practice of yoga is aimed at developing a harmonious relationship between mind, body, and spirit through different types of yoga poses or asanas. A combination of different types of yoga poses in one session helps the individual attain flexible joints, toned muscles, and increased strength. Here are the different types of yoga poses and their benefits.

Standing Yoga Poses
Some yoga poses are done in the standing position. These standing yoga poses such as the triangular pose or trikonasana help in promoting the strength and flexibility of the body and in its proper alignment. Since they promote the strength and endurance of the body, they work wonderfully for improving posture and thus help build the confidence of the individual.

Sitting Yoga Poses
Some sitting yoga poses are used for the practice of breathing exercises (pranayama) and for practicing meditation. However, sitting poses such as the lotus pose or the padmasana are not only good for meditation, but they also strengthen your legs, ankles, and hips. They help in elongating the spine and strengthening it. This promotes a good sitting posture.

Twisting Yoga Poses
The half-spinal twist or the Ardha Matsyendrasana is an example of the twisting yoga poses. These poses exercise the spine a little differently than the other asanas. They gently stretch the back and thereby strengthen it. And this is not the only benefit that you can expect from these asanas. They also gently massage the abdominal organs and improve digestion. They relieve the tension in the muscles and joints. These poses require special attention and the movements should be slow and fluid in order to avoid injuries.

Inverted Yoga Poses
Any kind of inverted yoga pose does wonders for your facial skin, your hair, and your brain. The upside down position of poses such as the headstand or Shirsasana promotes circulation of blood throughout the body and helps detoxify it. A fresh supply of oxygen to the brain reduces lethargy and depression and improves concentration and memory.

Relaxation Yoga Poses
Yoga poses such as the corpse position or Shavasana are not just aimed at relaxing the body, but also at relaxing the mind. It relieves stress and anxiety. It calms the body and the mind. When the body and mind are calm, the immunity of an individual is strengthened and it prevents the frequent occurrence of illnesses.

Bending Yoga Poses
These yoga poses can either be forward bending or backward bending. Forward bending poses help promote the flexibility of the back and relieve tension and stiffness. Backward bending poses are often used to counterbalance the forward bending yoga poses. They are good for the nervous system and prevent hunching which is common with age.
It is believed that there are around 84,000 yoga poses know to man. For a yoga beginner, it is essential that the right kind of yoga poses are learnt from a qualified instructor and practiced daily at a regular time. A complete yoga session should ideally include the different types of yoga poses. This will help an individual reap the numerous benefits of yoga for a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Click Here to take survey

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4. The Different Types of Yoga Styles

If you are planning on including yoga in your daily exercise routine, you need to know that there are actually different types of yoga styles that are being taught and practiced during this modern day and age. Although the yoga poses or asanas are similar in most of these yoga styles, the way they are practiced might vary. Here is a brief description of the various types of yoga styles that are quite popular these days.

Hatha Yoga
This type of yoga style is a combination of the positive current (“ha” or the sun) and the negative current (“tha” or the moon). Hatha yoga includes physical yoga asanas, breathing exercises, meditation, mudras, and purification procedures. It is gentle and slow-paced and a good yoga style to choose for a beginner.

Vinyasa Yoga
This yoga style is more vigorous than Hatha yoga. It involves a series of yoga poses called Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutations. Each movement in this series is matched to the breath and each pose is balanced with a counter pose. This type of yoga works wonderfully well for warming up and is an ideal preparation for more intense stretching.

Ashtanga Yoga
Popularly known as power yoga, this type of yoga style is fast-paced and intense. It is a physically demanding type of yoga with a focus on building strength and stamina. The yoga poses are more difficult and the individual has to quickly move from one pose to the other in a constant flow. It is not ideal for yoga beginners. However, those who are looking at building their athletic abilities, Ashtanga yoga poses are quite suitable.

Iyengar Yoga
The Iyengar yoga style focuses on body alignment and inner awareness. It emphasizes holding yoga poses for long periods of time and meditating in these postures. This type of yoga also encourages the use of props. It is ideal for beginners and for those who have never exercised.

Kundalini Yoga
This type of yoga style combines breath control, chanting, meditation, hand and finger gestures, and guided relaxation. Kundalini refers to the vital energy which lies at the base of the spine and this yoga style is aimed at freeing this energy for the purification of the mind, body, and emotions.

Bikram Yoga
Bikram Yoga is performed in a room with a temperature as high as 95-100 Fahrenheit. This loosens the tight muscles and leads to extreme sweating. This sweating is believed to be cleansing for the body. This yoga style is very intense and demanding and is only ideal for extremely fit individuals.

Besides these most popular types of yoga, there are a few other yoga styles which are practiced throughout the world. These include, but are not limited to:

Kripalu (spontaneous and meditation-oriented),
Sivananda (based on the 5 principles of proper exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet, and thinking),
Raja Yoga (attaining liberation through meditation),
Bhakti Yoga (devotional yoga), and
Mantra Yoga (liberation through repetition of sounds)

Choosing the right type of yoga style will depend on your specific needs and your own fitness ability. Whereas Hatha, Vinyasa, and Iyengar yoga styles can be safely practiced by anyone and are ideal for beginners, Bikram Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga are usually practiced by individuals who are yoga veterans. However, whatever the yoga style, you can expect to gain maximum benefits of yoga by a regular practice. Click Here to take survey

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Yoga For Weight Loss for Beginners by Maggie Rhoades

Maggie Rhoades is a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor and her DVD Yoga For Weight Loss for Beginners aims at helping an individual reduce weight with an effective yoga workout. The DVD is aimed at individuals who have never practiced yoga. Although it uses traditional yoga poses beginner, they have been presented in challenging and interesting ways to help shed those extra pounds and also tone up and strengthen those muscles.

Maggie Rhoades begins the DVD with an introduction to yoga and how it can help attain harmony and balance in your life. The video offers routines for yoga beginners. The viewer can choose a routine according to his/her interests and requirements. The basic poses are demonstrated in a step-by-step manner. The instructions clearly specify how each pose is to be done along with the benefits of each pose.
There are basically three sections in the DVD. And each section has multiple workout routines.

1. The first section is specifically meant for yoga beginners. The poses in this section involve slow and continuous movements and flow from one to the other. Clear instructions about when to breathe in and out make it easier for a beginner to understand the importance of proper breathing in a yoga session. The pace of the workout is neither too slow nor too fast. The poses included work wonderfully well in shedding extra pounds and promoting flexibility, balance, and strength.
2. The second section of the video gets more challenging. This section also includes poses that flow from one to the other, but they are of varying length and the focus also keeps shifting from one part of the body to the other. The workouts in this section are ideal to lose extra pounds and provide a good workout for the muscles.
3. The third section gets more interesting. The workouts in this section combine yoga poses with the use of light weights and resistance band. It’s a unique approach to yoga and is ideal for more strength training. You get all the benefits of yoga with some extra toning for your muscles.

Clear instructions, poses that promote strength and flexibility, and routines designed to easily lose weight even for yoga beginners makes this DVD a worthy buy. Combined with the beautiful landscape and the relaxing sounds, the workout routines in the video not only promote weight loss and muscle toning, but also leave you more relaxed and more energetic at the end of it. So, if you are looking at losing weight with some yoga, this Maggie Rhoades DVD is highly recommended.

If you have tried a few videos which claimed to use simple yoga poses, but found them to be too fast paced and too difficult, this DVD is just right for you. The years of yoga experience that Maggie Rhoades has can be seen in the clear instructions and her understanding about the body of highly inflexible individuals.

• It is, therefore, perfect for yoga beginners who have a low level of physical strength and endurance and who want to improve their flexibility.
• The video is slow paced and allows a yoga beginner to progress at his/her own pace. The pace of the video allows the viewer enough time to move slowly into the pose and get the proper alignment of the body.
• Maggie Rhoades provides clear instructions about how to perform a pose and also provides information about its purpose and benefits.

The video is divided into three sections and each section is more challenging than the previous one. Different routines are provided in the various sections.

• Some routines are as short as 6 minutes, whereas a full routine can be as long as 90 minutes. So, you can pick up a routine depending on the time available with you.
• The shorter routines often focus on one type of yoga poses (for example, sitting poses or standing poses) or one body part.
• The full routines provide a complete workout for each and every part of the body and include different types of yoga poses.

The instructor also uses props such as a chair and a blanket while performing the yoga poses. This makes it easier for an inflexible yoga beginner to move into a pose easily and at the same time aids in stability.

In summary, if you never tried yoga or gave up on it because you found it too difficult, this Maggie Rhoades DVD is perfect for you. The Yoga Poses Beginner workouts are slow-paced. Clear instructions make it easy to move in and out of the different yoga poses. You can pick a routine depending on how flexible you are and how much time you have available. Combined with beautiful scenery and the soothing voice of the instructor, the routines in this video will leave you relaxed and energetic. Click Here to take survey

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5. The Wonderful Benefits of Yoga

Irrespective of religion, country, sex, and age, anyone and everyone can enjoy the benefits of yoga. Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means “union” and originated in ancient India. According to ancient Sanskrit texts, there are actually 8 limbs of yoga which relate to the different aspects of an individual’s life and are essential for leading a healthy and fulfilling life. Its focus on the overall development of an individual is the reason why it has become so popular throughout the world. There are probably hundreds of benefits of yoga which are know to us at present and many might still be revealed in the future. But here are a few of the benefits that you can expect with a regular practice of yoga.

Benefits of Yoga for Your Body
Most people usually take to yoga for its numerous physiological benefits.

• Yoga poses or asanas are designed to stretch and strengthen your muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
• Combined with the right breathing practice, they work to make you supple, flexible, and fit. Regular practice of yoga helps build immunity, improve the quality of your sleep, helps you lose or gain weight, and improves eye-hand coordination and dexterity skills. And that’s not all.
• Yoga stabilizes the different functions of you body. So, you can expect yoga to normalize your hormonal imbalances, your gastrointestinal and excretory functions, improve your respiratory and cardiovascular functions, and also stabilize your nervous system.

Benefits of Yoga for Your Beauty
A beautiful and ageless skin is one of the benefits of yoga which attracts people. The regular practice of the many inverted yoga poses reduces the wrinkles on the face. Better circulation to the face, calmness of the body and mind, and better sleep provides a natural glow to the complexion of an individual which can never be achieved with the various products available in the market. Yoga also does wonders for your hair. It increases the blood supply to your scalp and thus delays the graying of hair and helps you get thicker, shiny, and beautiful hair. And of course, the improved posture which results from the regular practice of yoga also adds to your beauty.

Benefits of Yoga for Your Mind
Although there are many physical benefits of yoga, it is considered to be one practice which provides more psychological benefits than any other form of exercising.

• The different yoga poses, breathing exercises, and regular meditative practices which are important parts of a regular yoga session improve concentration and memory, makes learning and retention easier, reduces depression and anxiety, improves mood, reduces tension, and promotes mind-body harmony.

Other Benefits of Yoga
Yoga also provides other benefits for an individual.

• The person becomes more self-aware. A positive self-esteem and a clarity of mind helps you deal with people and situations in a more effective and positive way. Calmness of mind and respect for yourself and others helps in better relationships. In this way, yoga provides benefits in each and every aspect of your life.

A yoga session involves many yoga poses and for a yoga beginner some of them may be instantly relaxing whereas some may take a few days to get used to. But there is one thing for sure. The above-mentioned benefits of yoga are not the only ones. Only when you practice yoga regularly will you be able to actually realize and experience the many wonderful benefits of yoga. Click Here to take survey

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New research has found that the loss of a job can lead to financial difficulties and health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease and heart attack.
“In today’s economy, the loss of a job, can happen to anyone and there may be health consequences that cause negative effects.” Kate Strully conducted the research at the Harvard School of public health. The study appears in the May 8 issue of demographics.
Strully’s analysis of information on a wide range of occupations: professional, management, sales, office work and craft, operators of machines and job service offices.

When the job loss was the result of a closure, white or blue collar workers had a 54% probability of reporting fair or poor health. And the chances for a new health problems increased by 83% among those who had not already previously reported health problems.  Differences between employers and employees dismissed or voluntarily leaving a job were unexplained.

• The loss of jobs more than doubled the likelihood of reporting fair or poor health among blue collar workers. Yet there was little or no impact on the health of white collar workers. Even if these workers find new jobs, the increased risk of stress associated with health problems, the investigation remained.

This research was supported by a historic Gallup Poll released during March. In fact, almost every day in 2008 and still ongoing, the study of 355,334 people is the longest and largest study, which shows how the emotional changes with the economic changes.
The study called Emotional Health Index (EHI) – a measure that weighs the negative, such as depression, stress and fear of positive emotions of a person with experience.
Among the highlights of the study:

• The condition of EUI in connection with the high level of deaths from diseases such as heart disease, explains the analyst Raksha Arora (Gallup). States with lots of space and sunshine – Hawaii, Alaska, and Wyoming – has some of the best emotional health, even if the economy has collapsed. Many poor in the rust states – West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky – were worse.
• There are hardly any differences of race, but the Hispanics, the largest and fastest minorities, had the poorest emotional health during the year.

The survey was a joint effort between Gallup and Healthways. “The results of the investigation are not surprising people in mental health care” said David Baron, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. “The recession has hit the people in almost all areas of life,” says Baron.
The relationship between the disease and of the EUI sense adds Stevan Hobfoll, Psychologist Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Depression increases smoking and drinking and discourage exercise, but also increases the risk of diseases of the heart. “he says.

• The investigation shows that people 30 to 55 years, may be the most affected with bad news on the economy, according to Gallup Arora.

• During times of stress, it is critical to find methods to maintain peace of mind, inner calm and good mental health. Psychiatrist Judith Orloff in her book, Emotional Freedom, suggests practical steps build healthy emotional habits, and manage difficult emotions.

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Getting diagnosed with diabetes today is not as devastating as it once was. The sky won’t fall down and the world will not end. Now more than ever, science has advanced enough that you can be in control and not the other way around.

• Controlling diabetes can be done many ways; through diet and nutrition, such as changing to a low fat vegan diet, eating foods with low glycemic index, and following the ADA approved diet.
• There’s better medication aimed at improving insulin sensitivity and improve glycemic control.  Aside from medication and going on a vegan diet, one other proven, powerful way of controlling diabetes is exercise.

• Exercise helps control weight, lower blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels, which then lowers your risk of heart disease. Exercise also helps control blood glucose and lowers blood pressure. Plus it releases endorphins that help you feel better about yourself – lending credence to the saying ‘a healthy person is a happy person.’

But before you go running out you should know not all exercises are good for diabetics.

• Experts agree that moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes, five days a week, is best for diabetes sufferers. Examples include brisk walking, dancing, swimming, or cycling. Physically demanding sports such as basketball, football, etc. are allowed but check with your doctor first.

Talk to a doctor, caregiver, and fitness expert and work out an exercise plan specifically for your conditioning, age, and fitness level. Most importantly, do exercises or sports that you really like.
Beware though, exercise can lower blood glucose too much causing hypoglycemia characterized by shaking, confusion, anxiety, headaches and may render you unconscious. To prevent this, check your blood glucose with medical grade test strips before and after exercising. Ask your doctor what your blood sugar levels should be before and after.  If your blood glucose drops, stop – eat a snack to get it back up.
Important Tips

• Always warm up before you start and cool down after. Go slowly at the beginning gradually increasing the exercise intensity, as you get fit.
• Wear correct fitting socks and shoes and check for sores, blister or cuts after exercising. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
• If you’re on medication, ask your doctor if adjustments are needed. Wear a medical tag that states you have diabetes, your doctor’s name and number, and emergency contacts.

Most importantly, exercise with someone who knows your condition and knows what to do. Plus it’s always more fun exercising with someone you know.
Finally, make exercise or sports a permanent part of your life. Diabetes won’t just quit and go away, so you shouldn’t quit doing anything that will help you either.

If you enjoyed this article, please take the time and take our fitness survey so we may continue to research articles of interest. Click Here to take survey

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The average person living in a Western country is now obese.  The secondary effects of this weight gain ranges from a decreased ability to be active with family and friends to diseases and illnesses that can be directly attributed to the body’s decreased ability to remain healthy at an increased weight.  The causes of this weight gain can be credited to several different factors which range from the Standard Western diet high in fat and processed foods, decreased exercise, more desk jobs and increased stress in the lives of people.

No matter what the reasons weight loss and increased exercise is the solution.  And because of the increased number of people suffering there are also a plethora of weight loss programs available to meet almost every need you can imagine.  But among those weight loss programs that are legitimate are also those that are unreasonable.

People who are desperate to achieve their goal are often at a higher risk of falling prey to those who would want to take their money without delivering on the promise.  There are some specific criteria to evaluate before you join a weight loss program or determine to follow a particular plan.  Let’s look at those criteria now.

1. Does the program promise quick, rapid, easy and painless weight loss?  Most legitimate weight loss programs won’t make a promise that you will lose weight rapidly because they know that such a thing isn’t possible.  The only promise they may make is that they’ll help you lose it as fast as medically possible.  So if you find a program that promises you’ll be in that bikini in 2 months – don’t walk away – run!

2. Does the program recommend the use of supplements to jump start or maintain weight loss?  Many weight loss programs will recommend using a multi-vitamin because in the process of cutting calories many people may also cut out the necessary vitamins needed to help maintain the functioning of the body.  However, if the program relies on a supplement as the basis of the program then it’s probably not something that you can maintain for any length of time.  And before considering any supplement consider the side effects, the long-term effects and any interactions with medications you may already be taking – such as blood pressure medication and any of the over-the-counter medications you may take for headaches, allergies or pain relief.

3. Does the weight loss program address the mental aspect of losing weight?  However good the program may be if you aren’t prepared for the lifestyle changes and the weight loss then the program won’t help you!  If the program appears to be legitimate and doesn’t make big claims about what you can accomplish but doesn’t have a support mechanism built in you may want to find your own support mechanism to use the program.

4. Does the program advocate incorporating exercise into your daily routine as well as dietary changes?  Research is clear about the health benefits of both.  Those who use both a dietary change and exercise will have better results than those who just cut calories.

Before joining any weight loss program it’s important to evaluate the criteria that make the program healthy and successful.  Those programs that encourage people to make drastic changes to their diet or exercise hours each day, are more than likely not going to be successful because of the amount of will power it would take to maintain the program in the first place.

Take a strong look at how the program will also affect your body and your health.  We are given one body to last this lifetime.  When we take good care of it – it will take good care of us.

You decide it’s time to lose weight. And now, like everything else in life, you want it to happen right NOW. We live in a society that thrives on immediate gratification. There is fast food, fast cars, fast service and buying everything on the Internet so you don’t have to stand in line. We want our weight loss the same way – fast.

But there are some basic tenets of weight loss that must be observed, even when you want to lose the weight fast. You have to forget about dieting and learn to concentrate on healthy eating habits. Cutting back on calories alone doesn’t give your body the nutrition it needs to maintain a fast metabolism and keep your energy high.

On the other hand, by eating food dense in nutrition and low in calories you aren’t hungry, you give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs and you have the energy to walk past the donut table in the middle of the afternoon. And finding these foods isn’t as difficult as you might believe. Did you know you can eat as much raw fruits and vegetables as you want without fear?

Exercise is another important factor in losing weight, getting healthy and having more energy. As much as you may think you hate exercise it doesn’t have to be the workout you dread. Remember that you aren’t aiming to compete in the Olympics. Instead you are just trying to increase your metabolism and burn a few extra calories.

There is no denying the benefits of exercise. Exercise will increase your energy, improve your muscle tone, increase your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn each day, even when you are at rest! Cardiovascular and weight workouts are best to meet these goals. Change up the exercises you do each month. Don’t do weight workouts more than 3 times a week and allow 48 hours between workouts with weights to allow the muscles to repair and become stronger.

And remember to rest! Many of us are busy from the time we get up until the moment we go to bed. Sometimes finding the time to eat or exercise can be a challenge. But cutting back on sleep will only sabotage your efforts to lose weight.

Shoot for 7-8 hours a night. Some people believe they can make do on less and although you’ll be awake studies have shown that you’ll grab more snacks in an effort to jump start your brain and keep yourself awake. Lack of sleep also adds to your stress level which releases hormones known to pack on the pounds. It is nature’s way of protecting the body.

The first natural weight loss drink is apple cider vinegar! It is true that it tastes awful, but Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the most powerful, natural appetite suppressants available. When you are trying to lose weight, hunger is your biggest enemy. In order to defeat this enemy, you need to take the help of some sort of appetite suppressants. Instead of relying on prescription drugs that come with harmful side effects, why not try out Apple Cider Vinegar? It is 100% natural and safe to take!

Just add three tablespoonfuls of Apple Cider Vinegar juice with eight ounces of water, and drink the juice just before having your meal. Apple Cider Vinegar will also boost your metabolic rate and keep you energetic throughout the day!

The second drink that now comes in gum form is Green Tea. You might have already heard about the great health benefits of green tea, especially with regards to weight loss. It is no wonder that most of the weight loss supplements available out there contain green tea. Green tea helps you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate. You can drink green tea on its own or mixed with lemon juice and honey.

1. Make a Decision NOW to Start (Re-fresh, Re-new, Re-Start) your daily fitness commitment. Have you achieved your 2009 Fitness goals? If not, today is the perfect time to spring into action.

2. Keep It Simple. Don’t wait and don’t complicate. Simple lifestyle changes will quickly add up to a healthier life. Commit to increasing your daily metabolism with more activity. Make exercise a daily routine. If you have time to watch any hour of TV, commit to being more active during every commercial. Voila, 15-17 minutes of activity by the end of your show.

3. Assess yourself. Be Honest and Realistic. What is the biggest benefit you will receive from committing to a regular fitness lifestyle? What resources do you already possess that will support your goals? Taking time to have this self-talk will guide your next steps.

4. Consult with your doctor before starting a new fitness plan. Especially if you are severely overweight, obese, diabetic, suffer from asthma, heart or lung related illness. Call your doctor’s office today and set an appointment!

5. Start Slow and gradually build up will prevent soreness, burnout and injury. Remember this is a lifestyle change. 10 minutes every day is healthier than any once a week marathon session. The point is to do something every day and build up to longer sessions.

6. Write down your goals for immediate (today, this week), short term 30-60-90 days, and long term 1 year from now. Post these goals. I put them on the inside cabinet with my coffee filter. So every morning, they are the first thing I read.

7. Schedule your exercise on your calendar. I have weekly recurrences on my calendar, so I don’t schedule conflicts. My fitness plan is part of my routine. Set yourself up for success, not failure. Look at each day of the week and schedule the appropriate activity. Do you have more concentrated blocks during the weekend, like to balance your busy Monday with a cardio session, need a yoga session for mid-week.

8. Start a daily log, journal or make notations on your calendar. My gym sends me a monthly progress report. It provides a reality check. When I reviewed my progress report for the month of January, I discovered I had plenty of cardio, yet I hadn’t lifted a single weight. So, I re-introduced myself to the machines in February – 3,000 lbs and created a habit by March – 35,000 lbs during 12 evenly sessions.

9. Select Activities to do at Home; with Buddies; and with Groups. A couple of years ago, I decided to replace many of my “food-centric visits” with my friends with “activity visits”. Since then, I have met friends at parks, done several charity walks (Race for Cure, etc), visited with my dog walking friends and viewed new scenery.

10. Identify the biggest obstacle to exercising. If you are short on time or money, then think creatively. You can fill a water bottle with sand and you don’t need a gym to do pushups. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, read #12. I watch and listen to the trainers with their paid customers and put in to practice their tips.

11. Identify three ways to raise your metabolism while doing daily activities. My computer is on a higher shelf, so I can stand, not sit most of the time. Can you do squats while brushing your teeth? How can you not be a couch potato? Arm exercises during TV time?

12. Locate online support. Make a list of websites that you can visit weekly for tips and information. You Tube has informative videos from trainers about proper forms and exercise routines. Many gyms and yoga studios post their schedule online.

13. Investigate one new activity. Schedule a session with a personal trainer to fine-tune your routine, sign up for a new fitness class, visit a new gym.

14. Select one (or more) exercise buddies – canine or human. I work from home and enjoy the camaraderie and variety of my gym friends. One of my best friends rescued a dog specifically to be her walking companion. (She successfully lost over 100 pounds).

15. Hydrate during the day. You need to drink more water. Find ways to add water to your morning and afternoon.
16. Designate one day a week as Weigh-In Day, then forget about the scale the other six days. Put your weigh in day on your calendar.

17. Choose 3 different activities that you enjoy. What do you enjoy? Variety will prevent boredom and burnout. Also, it is good to have a fall back exercise for days when weather, work, or will power prevent your normal activity.

18. Entertain and Distract Yourself! Load a new playlist, check your voicemail, plug in your earplugs for the treadmill. What will make the time more enjoyable and pass quickly. I read romance novels from the library while I am on the gym bicycle. Many people walk the dog, watch CNN or decorating shows. The point is if you are able to combine exercising with something you enjoy, then you will want to repeat the experience often. (Note- The opposite is also true, don’t combine activities you dislike, you won’t want to repeat the experience.)

19. Gather your gear. Locate your gym bag yoga mat, running/walking shoes and socks, sports bra, exercise videos etc… Give your gear a home. Make it easy to get active.

20. Assemble Your Support Team – Identify those who support your efforts and Minimize time (or at least conversation) with fitness Saboteurs who demean your efforts!

21. Congratulate yourself for your commitment; look at how much progress you have made. Seriously, look in the mirror and tell yourself out loud – CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!!! Don’t beat yourself up for anything not checked off. This is not a competition or race; it is your long term commitment to your health and lifestyle. Your healthy lifestyle is not about perfection, it is about progress.

Weight loss is all about metabolism and calories. Take in less calories, burn more calories, boost your metabolism to burn more calories doing the same amount of work. The sooner that you learn these truths the faster you’ll be on your way to losing weight.

If you are still struggling with why metabolism is so important consider these questions:

Why do doctors tell you to eat raw fruits and vegetables? Because they speed up your metabolism – and they’re low in calories!

Why do you exercise? To accelerate your metabolic rate by building strong muscles and burn more calories!

Why do you use diet supplements? Because they accelerate your metabolism!

You see, almost everything you do in order to lose weight is geared towards one aim – even if you don’t realize it – and that aim is to increase your metabolic rate. Why so? Because the higher your metabolic rate is, the faster you will burn fat and lose weight. Here are four tips to help boost your metabolic rate and increase the weight loss you are experiencing.

1. Small meals are the way to go: We’re often so busy that we don’t even have that time to focus on eating. But if you are serious about weight loss, all that needs to be changed. The ultra-busy people finish off with just two meals per day, while the not-so-busy people usually have three meals. But if you want to burn fat, you should eat six small meals per day.

You may find it difficult to schedule six different meals into your day, and you aren’t really increasing the amount of food you’re eating. Istead, you just need to eat more frequently. You can split the three meals you eat into six small meals, and eat each meal every two or three hours.

The theory behind this method is to keep your body digesting food and full at all times. When your body begins to get hungry the metabolism has already started to slow down to accommodate to the decreased fuel supply. Provide your body with food on a continuous basis and it will not only jumpstart your metabolism, but also keep it high at all times.

2. Sleep please: People spend far less time on sleeping than is really necessary. If you want to get healthy, sleeping for at least 7-8 hours is a must. If you don’t sleep well, your appetite will be low and so will be your metabolism. Plus lack of sleep can cause other health complications. We all have lots of work to do but if we want to become healthy, we need to find some quality time that we can spend on bed.

People who lack in quality sleep have difficulty not only with their metabolism but it also negatively impacts cardiac health and neurological systems. People who are sleep deprived may actually eat more to stay awake which doesn’t jump start the metabolism because they are eating well over the allotted calories. They also find it difficult to be productive and it takes them longer to accomplish the same task as if they have had enough sleep.

3. Drink cold water: Did you know the cold water, especially icy cold water, can boost your metabolic rate? Make sure that the first thing you do in the morning is drink one glass of icy cold water. It will skyrocket your metabolism to a level you might have never imagined!

Of course, throughout the day, you should drink plain, cold water. Water, as a matter of fact, not only accelerates your metabolic rate, but also cleans your body of all the toxins. In fact you will lose weight just by getting yourself rid of all the toxins that are stored in your body!

Measure the amount of water you need by the color of your urine. Normally you’ll need 8 glasses of 8 ounces every day to cleanse your body and keep it hydrated. However, if you are sweating profusely or start by being dehydrated you should watch the color of your urine to estimate the amount of water you drink. Urine should be clear, not dark yellow, with very little odor. The darker the urine with odor the more dehydrated your body is.

4. Don’t hate exercises: Exercises are what will help you build lean muscles, and lean muscles in turn will help you burn fat. Here is how: lean muscles demand a lot of calories from your body, which it gets by burning more calories.

Exercise has many other health benefits as well. On the days you exercise your metabolism stays boosted for several hours burning more calories that day than you would on any other day. Exercise will also decrease your risk of cardiac problems, diabetes, immune problems, joint problems and improve your overall health and sense of well being.

Interval training is the best exercise to do if you want to increase your muscle mass and therefore your metabolism. Weight lifting and resistance training are others you can do to accelerate the weight loss process.

Exercise will help you lose weight, get a trim body, increase your energy level and boost your overall feelings of well-being. But let’s face it – many of us don’t enjoy exercising. We may find the routines boring or just don’t want to make time in our day to sweat.

Fortunately there are so many different types of exercise that with enough searching and trial most people will find something they enjoy enough to stick with for long periods of time. For the most part these exercises are generally cardiovascular in nature. This means that they get your heart rate up but don’t require that you work your muscles against weight resistance.

Exercises such as running, rowing, volleyball, tennis, walking, jogging, horseback riding or cardio machines all fit into this category. There is nothing wrong with cardiovascular workouts – except that you have to do them for long periods of time to see results.

But if the goal is to workout less and see greater fat burning, what is a person to do? It may feel like working out at a cardio activity for longer periods of time will only burn more and more calories but in fact the opposite is actually true. Recent research has found that muscles and your metabolism will accommodate to the consistent workload that you impose each time you get on the treadmill for 30 mintues.

Instead researchers recommend that you confuse your muscles. Confused?

Basically they are advocating the same routines that high school and college coaches have been teaching for years – except they called it interval training.

Using interval training the body alternates between moderate and intense, long and short cardio workouts rather than indulging in one long cardiovascular session. And you’ll find that interval training is actually more fun than doing the same routine, at the same pace, for the same amount of time on the same days of the week, week in and week out.

You can change the actual routine that you use or you can incorporate weight work a couple of days a week to confuse your muscles even more. This muscle confusion leads to more weight loss, greater calorie burn and more toned muscles. Using interval training you’ll also find that your body continues to burn calories for another 24 hours after you’ve completed the workout. And for ultra-busy people that added benefit means that you can workout 3 times a week instead of five and receive the same benefits.

Another important factor, especially for women is that intensive workouts like weight lifting is not just for men; even women can do them. You think that you will have a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger if you do weight lifting? The opposite is really true. Building that kind of body requires more than intense workouts and different hormone levels than are usually present in a woman’s body.

Don’t complicate this! Keep it simple and basic and you will see how fast you burn fat and get your fat belly replaced with a flat belly!