FITNESS (part3)

92_Circle of Friends

When trying to get into shape, it is important to have family and friends insupport. This means they need to respect your goals and not offer youwrong foods, or try to pull you away from your exercise program. Explain tothem how important this is to you and that you need their encouragement.

93_Know your Age

While you are only as old as you feel, keep in mind that young people canvery easily leap over an obstacle in the garage or take a nice jog throughthe neighborhood with no problem. However, as people age, it is crucial tostay fit and healthy and pay attention to your age. Something that mighthave been easy for you when you were young may now cause injury orillness. If you find you can no longer perform one activity, do not bediscouraged; just substitute one activity for another.

94_Diabetes and Exercise

Aerobic exercise can actually be beneficial for people with diabetes. This
exercise increases the insulin sensitivity and when combined with good
eating, can help restore a normal glucose metabolism. Before starting into
a workout program, you need to see your doctor first to determine if there
are any risks for coronary artery disease and that your blood glucose
control is appropriate for exercise. Once cleared, you will feel better and
see for you the benefits associated with exercise.

95_Golf Injuries

While golf is not a high impact sport, injuries can still occur. One such
injury associated with golf is torn rotator cuffs. To avoid this from
happening to you, it is important to keep your muscles strengthened and
flexible. Simple stretching can help tremendously. When you stretch, take
it slow, only going to a point of mild tension. Each stretch should be held
for 20 to 40 seconds with smooth motion (no bouncing). Just as it is
important to stretch before you golf, it is equally as important to stretch after
golf.

96_Stretch the Mind

When you stretch your body in preparation for exercise as well as after
exercise, you need to stretch your mind as well. You might be wondering
how and why. When your mind is relaxed, your body follows. To achieve a
relaxed mind, listen to soothing music, relax your breathing, and use
visualization techniques such as Yoga. Another exercise discipline that are
very popular and works is the Pilates program.

97_Proper Equipment

Okay, the scenario is that you have made your New Year’s resolution and
are determined to get into shape. Too embarrassed to head to the gym just
yet, you make the decision to purchase some equipment such as a Nordic
Trac or treadmill to get in better shape before being seen in public. While
that is a common occurrence, it is important to make sure you buy the right
equipment and equipment in good working order. Many people will sell
equipment at a huge discount in the local paper, making the buy look too
good to pass up. However, while most are honest sales, some are selling
the equipment because it does not work or something is wrong with it. This
could lead to further injury so when buying from a private party, bring
someone with you who knows about workout equipment or contact the
maker of that particular piece of equipment and ask them what to look for to
ensure you are buying a good piece of equipment.

98_Beauty is Skin Deep

Accept the fact that everyone’s body is built different and when God created
you, He did not make a mistake. When you see the models and Hollywood
stars on the cover of those glamour magazines, keep in mind that every
one of those photographs have been airbrushed, meaning they really do not
look like that. While they make look fantastic either way, you are not those
people - you are you! Always love yourself for who you are inside. As long
as you are eating right, exercising, and doing the best for yourself, then you
should be happy. You may never reach that model appearance and to be
honest, you do not want to. Do the best you can and love the inside beauty
more than the outside beauty!

99_Built-in Air-Conditioner

Your body was created with a built in cooling system, called sweat or if you
prefer, perspiration. On television and in magazines, you will find numerous
advertisements encouraging deodorant for exercise when in actuality; sweat
is a vital key in a good workout. When your body heats up do to exertion,
sweat is doing the job intended – keeping the body cool. Therefore, do not
try to squelch sweating, accept it.

100_Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Heat-related illnesses can be a common occurrence when exerting energy
in the outdoors or poorly ventilated indoors. Two primary contributors can
be alcohol consumption and not enough water. Three types of illness
include heat cramps, which are very painful and might be combined with
headache or nausea, heat exhaustion, which is more serious and includes
vomiting, chills, headache, dizziness, among other symptoms, and
heatstroke, which if the most dangerous and if not caught and treated
immediately, can be fatal or lead to permanent brain damage or coma. For
all three of these, particularly the last two, the best action is prevention. If
you notice that your heart starts beating too fast and you feel light-headed,
get out of the sun. Wear loose fitting clothing, preferably made from
lightweight cotton as well as light colors. Drink LOTS of water. Even if you
do not feel thirsty, drink anyway. Do not go with the old rule of taking salt
tablets. You should always stay clear of these unless you have first
consulted with your physician. Stay away from alcohol, soft drinks, caffeine,
or heavily sugared drinks to include fruit juice. Take frequent breaks and if
necessary, stop for the day. If you do believe you are in trouble, seek
medical attention immediately. It is far better safe than sorry!

101_Check your Pulse

As you exercise, it is to your advantage to keep track of your pulse rate.
You can pick up an inexpensive pulse measure at any local Wal-mart, KMart,
or sporting good store. This will measure your heart rate to ensure
you are staying within a healthy range. The rate is measured by counting
the beats of your heart in a set amount of time, usually about 15 to 20
seconds, and then multiplying the number of beats to get your number of
beats per minute. For example, if your pulse at 20 seconds were 40, since
there are 60 seconds in a minute, you would take 40 times three for a total
rate per minute of 120.

***Safety First***

Whatever you do, if you are involved in a sport or activity that has potential
for injury, specifically head injury, use the proper equipment no matter what
anyone else tells you. For example, if you are involved with skateboarding
and this is how you stay in shape, good for you! However, you need to
wear protective gear such as a helmet, gloves, knee guards, etc. Most
people think that something significant has to happen in order to get a head
in jury. Unfortunately, that is a huge misconception. The truth is that falling
one foot onto the pavement and hitting your head is enough to cause
serious injury or death. This is the time to put your pride aside and think of
safety first.
By taking care of your body through good health habits and fitness, you will live a
happier, better, and longer life!

FITNESS (part 2)

79_Pregnancy and Exercise


Do not think that just because you are pregnant means you have to stop
exercising, unless you have special needs. Before you exercise during
pregnancy, always check with your doctor first. Once you get permission to
proceed, you will find that leg extensions, standing curls, and other
exercises can be done with ease. If you are not sure what you can and
cannot do, ask your doctor for recommendations.


80_Track Progress


Often when trying to get in shape, it seems like you are working hard and
sweating, but getting nowhere. In actuality, things are happening, just not
yet seen. Keep track of two things in particular. First, track your
measurements. You will probably be surprised within only a few weeks at
the progress made. Second, track your routines so you can determine what
is working for you and what is not as successful.


81-Medication and Exercise


If you are on scheduled prescription medication, you should know that
some drugs could have a negative affect if mixed with exercise. Some can
cause the heart to work too hard or you might not sweat as needed, to
mention a few. If you are taking medication, before you start any exercise
program, consult with your physician to ensure there are no harmful effects.


82_Cool Down


Just as warming up for exercise is important, cooling down after exercise is
just as important. Once you have completed your workout, take five to 10
minutes to walk, or stretch to allow your body to cool down. This is very
important for the muscles and joints and for the heart and lung.


83_Walk the Dog


Instead of just opening the back door to let the dogs out, put them on a
leash and go for a nice walk. They will appreciate the new scenery and you
are doing yourself a great justice.


84_Lunchtime


Instead of eating a heavy lunch, put together something light and easy and
go for a walk. You can sip on a protein drink or snack on fruit while
enjoying a nice brisk walk before heading back to the office. You will feel
refreshed and more invigorated for your afternoon tasks.


85_Bowling


Get some exercise by joining a bowling league. You can find a league for
just about every level of bowler as well as any day and time of the week.
This is a great way to get out and have some fun while also exercising.
Yes, bowling does count as exercising.


86_Set Goals


Set a goal for yourself, perhaps four to six weeks. By breaking up your time
into workable chunks of time instead of looking out an entire year, you will
have a much easier time meeting your goals and staying on track as well as
encouraged.


87_Neurobics


This is a new term coined by researchers from the United States relating to
ways in which to get the brain activated with its own biochemical pathways.
The goal is to have the brain strengthened and energetic. Positive thinking
has long been proven to help with illness and disease so the theory is that
an energetic mind is also good for fitness.


88_Fitness and Food


Certain foods provide specific benefits for people who workout. If you need
quick energy or planning to run a 4K or 10K and need to accelerate your
metabolism, bread, grain-based food, sugar, and honey are great choices.
If your goal is to burn fat, you should eat peas, oat bran, pasta, rice, beans,
lentils, and soya beans.


89_Interval Training


As a way to improve your fitness in a speedy manner and lose weight, try
interval training. This means that you where your workout intensity varies.
This is beneficial to your workout and fights workout boredom.


90-After Exercise


When you have completed your exercise regimen, instead of eating
carbohydrates, grab some fresh fruit or water. The reason is that for a
minimum of an hour after exercise, the body is still breaking down fat. You
need to allow the body to finish doing its job.


91_Breath in – Breath out


You might wonder what breathing has to do with fitness and the truth is it
has a lot to do with it. When exercising, there is a proper way to breath that
will help you with the appropriate amount of oxygen into the system but will
also help you with endurance. For example, marathon runners will tell you
that they use a rhythm when running that allows them to runner longer and
healthier than normal breathing.

FITNESS (part 1)

Fitness is just as important as health, and in reality, fitness correlates directly
with our health. If we are not taking care of our bodies, we get sick. Here are
some great recommendations to keep fit:


53-Bicycling


When you ask many adults when the last time they rode a bike is, they
cannot answer. Although bicycling is a favorite pastime, many adults do not
take advantage of this great option for exercise. Not only does bike riding
exercise the body and build a stronger cardiovascular system, it allows you
to get out and enjoy nature, fresh air, and see new sites.

54-Jogging or Walking

Both jogging and walking are GREAT ways to get fit. Not only do they tone
the muscles, relieve stress, create a healthier heart, and improve lung
capability, they make you look wonderful, which in turns helps you get
excited about doing other exercise for fitness.


55-Swimming


Swimming is an excellent way to get into and stay in shape. If you do not
own a pool, many high schools have aquatic centers, or there is always the
YWCA or YMCA, or your local gym. Many offer water aerobic classes that
will help you tighten your body, lose weight, and get a good overall workout.


56-Tennis Anyone


Tennis is not only a fun sport, but also a great way to exercise. You do not
have to be a Venice Williams to play; in fact, you do not even have to be
good. Just running after the ball alone will help get you into shape. This is
a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system and lose weight. You
can find tennis courts in just about every city and if you would like to play
but have no idea how, lessons are reasonable.


57-Dancing


Dancing is so much fun and whether you enjoy a slow, Ballroom dance or a
nightclub packed with people all moving to heart-pumping techno, as long
as you are moving, it really does not matter what type of dance or music.
The whole idea is to move your body. Dancing has long been
recommended as an avenue to fitness.


58-VCR


If you have a VCR or DVD, rather than just using it for your favorite comedy
or action-packed movie, try sticking in some good workout tapes. Even
taking 15 minutes every day to workout will get you started. Try that for two
weeks and you will be surprised at the results. Once you see that 15
minutes a day makes a difference, you will be encouraged to increase the
time spent.


59-Abdominal Crunches


While you may not end up with a washboard stomach, you can do some
things to get your abdomen in better shape. Crunches have long been a
favorite for many athletes for the very reason that they work. Lying on your
back with knees bent, keeping feet flat on the floor, cross your hands
across your chest and then curl your torso, rolling from your sternum toward
your hips. Do this slowly and start out with a set of ten crunches in three
reps. In other words, do ten crunches, wait a minute, do ten more, wait a
minute, and then do the final ten. As you get accustomed to these, you can
increase both the number of sets and reps.


60-Squats


Squats are excellent for glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. With your
feet standing firm and spread apart about two feet, bend your knees
slightly. Then, very smoothly, you will squat toward the floor without going
all the way down. This usually takes some practice but within a short
period, you will enjoy the benefits.


61_Tricep Press


Having firm arms is something that many people focus on when exercising.
For an Overhead Tricep Press, standing on the floor with your feet about
two feet apart, knees slightly bent, you will extend your arms over your
head. Keep your elbows locked and then very slowly lower your hands
behind your head. You want to do this with some type of weight, but small
weights like one to five pounds. If you do not have weights of your own,
you can hold a one-pound of vegetables, which will work perfectly.


62_Get to the Gym


Working out at home is a good option and for some people, they are
committed enough to actually make it work. However, for the majority of
people wanting to get into shape, the inspiration, competitiveness, and
encouragement received from working out in a gym is the way to go.
Although it will require a small investment, make the decision to find a gym
that offers state-of-the-art equipment, qualified staff, and fun classes where
you can enjoy working out.


63_Eat More


Before you get too excited, understand that when you eat, it is not how
much you eat, but what you eat. If you find that getting fit and eating less
food is too hard, add more of the right food into your diet. Great options
include an orange, hard-boiled egg, small broiled chicken breast, and fresh
vegetables such as carrots, celery sticks. If you have a craving for
something sweet, many delicious options are available such as Weight
Watchers cheesecake or Chocolate ةclairs. Getting fit does not mean total
deprivation.


64_Network at the Gym


Getting to the gym is a great way to get fit. However, there are other
benefits to going to the gym. You will have the opportunity to expand your
social ring by making new friends, all working to get fit just like you. This
will provide needed encouragement, which in turn helps you to stay
motivated.


65_Tight Muscles


In addition to a good aerobic exercise, you should add weight training in,
which will help balance out the fitness routine and provide you with the best
results. If you are not sure where to start, a professional trainer can help
get you started on a healthy program.


66_Heat Therapy


Using heat therapy is a great way to reduce long-term effects or injury for
overworked muscles. If you have sore muscles and joints, use heat to help
increase blood flow, relieve muscle spasms, and increase joint mobility.


67_Before it’s a Problem


Instead of taking an injury through rehabilitation after it is an injury, why not
rehab before. You can actually take preventative measures before you
indulge in a sport or activity by ensuring you stretch properly. This will help
strengthen as well as stretch muscles, which in turn, helps reduce
unnecessary injuries.


68_Running in the Sand


If you live in a geographical area, where you have the luxury of sandy
beaches, and if you are in the process of rehabilitating your knees, ankles,
and even some injuries to the back, you should avoid running in the sand
during this time. The reason is that running on sand actually produces
greater force on the joints.

69_Quick Energy


Listen to your body. If you find that you are dragging, eat the right foods
that will give your body the energy needed and are healthy. Examples of
these foods include carrots, rice cakes, breakfast cereals, bananas, and
potatoes.


70_Quality Matters


While finding that great bargain on poorly made running or training shoes
may be tempting, it would be far better to put your workout on hold for a
couple of weeks while you save the money needed to purchase a good
pair. That does not mean you have to pay a fortune, but always ensure you
are working out with the proper shoes. Wearing shoes that have a poor
design or poor durability can actually cause injury.


71_Get Ready to Run


Before any workout, always warm up. If you are a runner, before you go
out for your actual run, take two to five minutes to jog in place to prepare.
You will find that you have a better run.


72_Increased Protein


Many diets of today’s society pull you back and forth, one telling you to eat
more protein, and one less. The fact is that if you are not exercising as
much as you used to or if you are exercising heavily, your body could in fact
need more protein than what the RDA recommends. The good balance for
either scenario is 50% to 60% carbohydrates, 20% to 25% protein and 20%
or less of fat. If you stick with this equation, you will benefit.


73_Asthma and Exercise


If you have asthma and love to exercise, it is important to keep your inhaler
with you. However, if for some reason you forget, remember that caffeine
can provide temporary relieve of bronchial constriction. If you do not have
asthma but after years of running, you develop breathing problems, you
could be suffering from “Exercise Induced Asthma”, which should be
mentioned to your physician.


74_Resistance


The next time you work out try adding some resistance to your routine. You
can use special rubber bands or other devices designed specifically as a
way to help you with isometrics, thus get better results.


75_Taking a Break


If you are actively involved in a workout regimen but you are getting ready
to go on vacation for two weeks or have an extra heavy workload for your
job over the next couple of weeks, instead of just stopping your routine
completely during that time, just cut back. Even reducing your workout by
50% will give you the break you need but also make it much easier to get
back to full speed than if you just stopped altogether.

76_Exercise and Summer

Exercising outdoors can be refreshing and fun but it can also cause
problems if you do not follow some simple rules. Make sure you are
drinking enough water, about 16 ounces every 30 minutes, before, during,
and after exercise. Some sports drinks such as PowerAid and GatorAid
have special ingredients that help replenish fluids to prevent dehydration.

77_Be Realistic

It would be great to be able to jump right into a hard workout, feel great, and
see instant results. However, it is important to be realistic about several
things. First, you need to understand that you more than likely will not (or
should not) start out with a hard workout if you have not been in a regular
exercise routine. Start out slow and do not set yourself up for failure by
expecting miracles overnight. Getting fit takes time and with commitment,
you will reach your goals.

78_Envision Success

Try to envision how great you will look and feel once you get in shape. If
you can, find a picture of someone that has the same body type and pin it
up where you can look at it every day to help you see the same results you
too can reach with hard work and time.