Health and Fitness - tips and advice

Is Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Good?

2008-08-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

This is a very popular product indeed, recommended by many, so what do you really get when you purchase the product? I stumbled across this review and think it is definitely worth a read. It tells you exactly what you are getting and what to express. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Review

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So which is better, jogging or running?

2008-08-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

This question has no one correct answer, it really depends what benefits you are looking for, if you are looking to lose weight then jogging is better. At lower intensities, cardio relies primarily on burning fat, as intensity increases (running) you body starts to use up glycogen (effectively carbs) instead, these carbs are quickly replaced upon eating so there is no weight benefit in terms of weight loss from the higher intensity. Jogging at a slower pace allows you to jog for longer and therefore burn more fat!

If you're just looking to get fit i.e. faster/recover quicker, then running would be better, even better than running would be high intensity interval training (HIIT)which has recently been found to be the best way to get the most for your time, i.e. get fit quick!
For more information check out on How to burn fat, Turbulence Training and Health - Fitness

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Faq - How Can I get a Six Pack

2008-08-05T04:59:00.000-07:00

You don't need any special equipment really, do these seven exercises Seven ab exercises on a regular basis and you'll have solid abs in no time!!

Cardio might be needed to burn off any excess fat covering the abs to reveal the muscles (6 pack) beneath them! Without the cardio exercise to burn off the fat you may have brilliantly strong abs but no six pack as the fat 'hides' the muscles.

Good luck

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FAQ - How can I get a flat stomach and a tight bum?

2008-08-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well firstly, I would recommend any general cardio activities. Relatively low intensity cardio is the best way to burn fat stores in your body. Therefore cardio will help you lose any fat on you stomach and bum (as well as the rest of your body). To tone the bum and stomach, area specific exercises to strengthen the aforementioned muscles are needed.

To get a flat stomach, I would recommend stomach crunches as the simplest way of isolating your abs. For 7 great abs exercises check out 7 Ab Exercises …all the crunches you could ever need.
For the bum, cycling is brilliant, especially if you can clip your feet into the pedals as this allows you to pull up on the pedals as well (working your hamstrings as well as glutes), this kills two birds with one stone as it also provides you with the aforementioned cardio exercise. Other bum exercises e.g. get down on your hands and knees then lift one leg off the ground and straighten your leg behind you lifting it up and into a horizontal position, repeat this exercise perhaps 20 reps and you should feel it working your bum, then repeat on the other side.
This'll keep you going for the time being, a load more info can be found at Fat Burning Time
Best of luck

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Stretch for Success

2008-07-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

So you want to get the most out of your exercise? Stretching will help prevent you from injury whilst speeding up your running allowing you to increase your stride length, giving you the ability to stride out when needed. Here are a few stretches to keep your legs in tip top condition:

Just a simple stretching regime incorporated into your daily routine can lead to quick improvements in flexibility. I would recommend that you do the following stretches 3 times a day if you want to improve quickly, once daily will maintain current flexibility and improve it very slowly over time. I recommend you hold each stretch for as long as 20-30 seconds, stretching for less than 10 seconds will have a very limited affect.

Stretches: 1. Calf stretch - Stand facing a wall, place your hands on the wall and lean towards the wall with one leg in front of the other (about 2 1/2 feet between each foot) so that your front knee is bent, keep your back foot flat on the ground, as you lean towards the wall, you should feel the stretch up your back calf.

2. Calf stretch 2 - Same as above but with back leg also bent (harder to do). Works slightly different muscles within the calf.

3. Quad stretch - Grab your ankle/foot and pull it up to your buttocks, hold the foot with the same hand (i.e. right hand holds right foot) to keep muscles correctly aligned. To further the stretch push hips forward to improve the stretch and partially stretch you hip flexors.

4. Hip flexors/Groin - Move one leg forward so that your knee is over your front ankle and your knee is at 90 degrees to the ground, rest your other knee on the ground with your other leg behind you. Push your hips forward and downwards to stretch your hip flexors.

5. Adductors - Stand with your legs wide apart (better if your feet are parrallel to each other). Bend one knee and lean/pivot towards that knee, you should feel the adductors of the straight leg being stretched.

6. Abductor stretch - Whilst standing, put your right leg over your left leg. Keeping your legs straight(ish), lean towards the right hand side, you should feel this stretch your left abductor. Opposite for other leg.

7. Groin/hip adductor - Sit down with your backs straight, put your feet together (sole to sole) in front of you, use your elbows to push knees down towards the floor. Lean forwards to aid the stretch, however remember to lead from the waist not your shoulders.

8. Hamstring stretch - Sit on the floor, put the sole of left foot towards your right crotch, put your right leg straight on the ground in front of you, lean forwards from your hips with your arms outstretched towards your foot. Opposite for other leg.

There are many many more stretches out there but I'm sure this will be enough to keep you going on with for the time being!
Best of luck!

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Top Stretches for Legs....

2008-07-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Top Stretches for Legs....

Just a simple stretching regime incorporated into your daily routine can lead to quick improvements in flexibility. I would recommend that you do the following stretches 3 times a day if you want to improve quickly, once daily will maintain current flexibility and improve it very slowly over time. I recommend you hold each stretch for as long as 20-30 seconds, stretching for less than 10 seconds will have a very limited affect.

Stretches: 1. Calf stretch - Stand facing a wall, place your hands on the wall and lean towards the wall with one leg in front of the other (about 2 1/2 feet between each foot) so that your front knee is bent, keep your back foot flat on the ground, as you lean towards the wall, you should feel the stretch up your back calf.

2. Calf stretch 2 - Same as above but with back leg also bent (harder to do). Works slightly different muscles within the calf.

3. Quad stretch - Grab your ankle/foot and pull it up to your buttocks, hold the foot with the same hand (i.e. right hand holds right foot) to keep muscles correctly aligned. To further the stretch push hips forward to improve the stretch and partially stretch you hip flexors.

4. Hip flexors/Groin - Move one leg forward so that your knee is over your front ankle and your knee is at 90 degrees to the ground, rest your other knee on the ground with your other leg behind you. Push your hips forward and downwards to stretch your hip flexors.

5. Adductors - Stand with your legs wide apart (better if your feet are parrallel to each other). Bend one knee and lean/pivot towards that knee, you should feel the adductors of the straight leg being stretched.

6. Abductor stretch - Whilst standing, put your right leg over your left leg. Keeping your legs straight(ish), lean towards the right hand side, you should feel this stretch your left abductor. Opposite for other leg.

7. Groin/hip adductor - Sit down with your backs straight, put your feet together (sole to sole) in front of you, use your elbows to push knees down towards the floor. Lean forwards to aid the stretch, however remember to lead from the waist not your shoulders.

8. Hamstring stretch - Sit on the floor, put the sole of left foot towards your right crotch, put your right leg straight on the ground in front of you, lean forwards from your hips with your arms outstretched towards your foot. Opposite for other leg.

There are many many more stretches out there but I'm sure this will be enough to keep you going on with for the time being!
Best of luck!

http://howtoburnfat.co.uk

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How to Burn Fat

2008-07-29T03:18:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across an excellent site with lots of good information on fat loss and natural weight loss. It can be found at the following url: www.howtoburnfat.co.uk. There is hat loads on there so please do have a look.

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Take a Break and Reduce your Stress

2006-09-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Take a Break and Reduce your Stress

I recently read in a paper that over 50% of sick days from work are stress related, it is well documented how damaging stress can be, and with the increasingly hectic lives that we are now living, stress related illnesses are becoming ever more frequent. Stress has been linked to many illnesses including heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and suppressed immune system that can make you more susceptible to common illnesses; and so it obvious that we must minimise the stress in our lives, in this article, I will try and show you how to so this!

So How Can I Reduce Stress?

The first and the best tip for reducing stress levels is through breathing, whether your at your desk at work or sat in front of the television, you can do this anywhere, just really focus on each breath, breathing deeply and slowly. By concentrating on your breathing, any stressful thoughts that may be in your head are removed as you are no longer focusing on the stressful thoughts, but on the breathing, this should help calm you down. This should be done whenever any stressful moment arises, and will stop you dwelling on these negative thoughts!
Exercise is my next piece of advice, not only will exercise keep you thin, it is a great way to release endorphins, exercise will help clear your mind of worries while making you feel good about yourself, exercise is a great method from converting you from a bad mood into a good mood. It is recommended that you use exercise as a compliment to other stress reducing methods, not solely by itself.
Visualization has been done for many years, for example those cold days in winter when you imagine the nice warm, sandy beach with the waves crashing on the sand with the surf lapping at your feet. Through visualisation in the minds eye, you imagine yourself in some happy, serene, peaceful relaxing environment e.g. the one above or imagine being sat at the edge of a forest over looking a lake with the sun shining through the trees and illuminating the lake while the birds tweet overhead. You get the idea, through this visualisation, by putting yourself in your minds eye into that scenario; you should be aware of everything around you in the image and really immerse yourself into the scenario. As a result, this has a calming affect on your entire body, and relieves your mind of any anxieties or stress that you previously had. If you practise this regularly, you will really notice the affect, and soon will be able to fall into this state of relaxation in a matter of seconds.
Talk to a friend or family about what ever problems you may have. Most people find that when they share a problem and get other people's opinions on it, they cope far better. As the cliché says, a problem shared is a problem halved, and this is quite often true. By sharing your problems, you may feel a huge weight lifted off you shoulders, and may even result in you getting the support you really need.
If you’re a lady, treat yourself, go for a pedicure or a manicure, not only will this make you look great, give you an extra confidence boost and make you feel good about yourself, it also has great therapeutic effects.
Meditation, like deep breathing will send your body into a state of deep relaxation, and help calm and relax your mind and body, This will help your daily worries and stress drift from the forefront of your brain! There are many different types of meditation techniques, so I recommend you have a search round till you find a method that suits you best.

I recommend that you employ a variety of these methods to really relax and make the most of life, and live to the happiest you can be. Otherwise, before you know it, you may be getting dragged down into depression by stress and suffer needlessly, and even die before your time. Good luck, take a step back, and relax.

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Be Happy for a Healthy Life

2006-09-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to let go and be happy as this apt article shows. Stress and worries do nothing for your health, so just try to relax and enjoy the moments of happiness that comes your way.

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Happy as You Want to Be by Morris Trahan

Almost everyone have heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby Mcferiin's simple message surely made a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

One of the better things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change', and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along with well with

Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also more healthy.

To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.

There are several ways by which you can do this. Being grateful is a great attitude. We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also thank the mailman for bringing you your mails, thank the policeman for making your place safe and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -'Laughter is the best medicine'. Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone. Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time. Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Feel alive. Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.

And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

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Think More Clearly, Lose Headaches, and Anti Aging

2006-09-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

There are many schools of thought in relation to hydration and its effects on the body, but I am on the side that believes to optimise your health, you should keep well hydrated at all times, drinking 8 glasses or more of water a day. Many agree, some disagree, but keep yourself well hydrated, and you'll find that the majority of the time, you'll feel a lot better than if you were dehydrated. Dehydration can also lead to a loss of concentration, so keep hydrated, and you will probably live a more productive life!
For more health and fitness tips visit: http://squidoo.com/health-fitness
For running tips and advice visit: http://runningadvice.blogspot.com

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Benefits of Water Anti Aging by R. Drysdale

Water has been called the elixir of life and when we think about the benefits of water anti aging comes readily to mind. In an ancient Japanese legend, the hero Takenouchi no Sukune drank daily from the waters of a sacred well, and lived to be more than 300 years old. Though we may not expect to live nearly four centuries, many of us believe that regularly consuming good quality water will have a significant impact on health.

To reap the benefits of water anti aging, how much water does one need? A standard answer seems to be eight full glasses of water a day - that's 64 ounces of water. The key to appropriate water intake, however, lies in common sense and moderation. If the weather's hot and dry, if you are very active and sweating a lot, or if you are continually thirsty for some other reason, you will probably need more water than the average person. On the other hand, if you are well hydrated, and the weather is cool and wet, you will probably need less. Too little water leads to dehydration; too much can be life threatening as well.

So don't overdo it. It's not hard to keep yourself properly hydrated and add the benefits of water anti aging to your anti aging routines. Learn to interpret the messages your body is giving you. A slight headache is often the first sign of dehydration; you may also notice that your urine is concentrated and dark in color (some drugs and vitamin supplements can also give the urine a dark color), and that you are urinating less frequently. These are signs that you should drink more water. Symptoms of overhydration include behavioral changes. You may be confused and drowsy, and suffer from blurred vision and muscle cramps (overhydration is quite unusual in healthy people, but it can occur if you consume more water than your body is able to excrete).

Will any water source confer long life and good health? It's no secret that much of the fresh water on earth is contaminated with chemicals, disease causing organisms, and other pollutants. Tap water is usually treated with chemicals to remove many of the impurities, but this results in more chemicals being added to the fresh water that comes out of our taps. None of these things contribute in a positive way to the benefits of water anti aging or health improvement. Again, common sense tells us that the water we drink should be as pure and clean as possible - a belief that has spawned a proliferation of bottled waters in the beverage market.

Bottled water, however, is not necessarily any better than tap water. It still contains chemicals and it is not necessarily sterile. It is simply water in a bottle, and incidentally, more chemicals gradually leach out of the plastic the bottle is made from, adding more impurities to the brew. People who believe bottled water is cleaner and purer than tap water are not getting what they think they are, and they are not getting any special benefits of water anti aging. Similarly, drinking distilled water is likely to do more harm than good because this water is demineralized and will deplete the body of minerals that are needed for proper functioning.

The best source of truly clean water is a water filtration system - one that will remove impurities, chemicals and microbial contaminants but not affect the normal mineral content and pH levels of the water. This is the closest practical equivalent of the legendary pure mountain spring, rising from an underground source that has never seen chemicals or pathogens. This is the water that will give you the maximum benefits of water anti aging and good health - the longevity elixir of Takenouchi no Sukune.

About the Author

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. You can learn more about the benefits of water anti aging on the AntiAging Information site.

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Some more tips to help you quit smoking

2006-09-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I covered quitting smoking, so I just thought I'd post a few more tips for those who are looking to quit! These are a few simple steps that you can follow and may give you some help or inspiration to quit smoking. Here is an awesome site to help you quit smoking: Quit Smoking Now Without Gaining Weight!

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Steps You Can Follow To Quit Smoking by Tony James

Smoking addiction is a very serious threat to anybody's health and most of the time, quitting smoking can be a very difficult and frustrating habit to break. As you try to quit smoking and fail, it becomes tougher each time. This is you are actually conditioning your mind to give in more and more. That is why most people need help and support to quit smoking.

Here are some steps which you can follow to quit smoking:

Step one:

Start to prepare to your quit date to kick the habit forever. Start using artificial cigarette (Herbal Cigarette) one month before your quit date. This is to avoid any anxiety or depression as well as to stabilize your blood sugar levels to avoid weight gain.

Pick up a new hobby and start an exercise program to enhance your energy and strength as well as training your mental power.

Step two:

Once the quit date arrive, dispose off all cigarette related items such as ashtrays, lighters and so on. You can continue with your hobby or exercise program. When you quit smoking, put aside a sum of money that you will previously use to buy cigarettes. At the end of the month, reward yourself with that money.

Step three:

Congratulations, you are already a non-smoker. However, to maintain this way is crucially important. After 3 to 4 weeks time, nicotine and other toxins will become clear from your lungs. You will mostly recover from your physical addiction. Unfortunately, the psychological addiction will be there to stay for many years.

Unforeseen circumstances such as stress, problems, anger and frustration will temp and prompt you to smoke almost immediately. Do something about your stress and anxiety. Be on guard at all times because it normally take only one cigarettes to trap you back in the vicious cycle of cigarettes again. Celebrate for every month that you've quit smoking.

About the Author

Tony James is an ex-smoker for 15 years and is currently helping smokers to quit smoking with ease without the discomfort of cravings or withdrawal symptoms.

For more free articles, contents and resources on how to quit smoking:

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http://www.easyquitsmokingsecrets.com/Steps-You-Can-Follow-To-Quit-Smoking.html

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Squeeze Exercise into Your Daily Regime

2006-09-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

This article brings up a very good point regarding time, with people increasingly working longer and longer hours, people find it hard to fit exercise into their daily routine. This article demonstrates how necessary exercise is as well as giving you ideas on how to fit it into your day. An interesting read I'm sure you'll find. For more health and fitness advice go to: http://squidoo.com/health-fitness

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Find The Time: There Is No Excuse Not To Exercise by Kimberly Jamieson

Find the Time- There is No Excuse Not to Exercise I know you're thinking that it's so hard to find the time to exercise. I understand, at times it can be very frustrating. I am just like you, and many of my friends struggle with this also. It may be very difficult to drop those unwanted pounds if you do not exercise. Not to mention, it is very important to keep your heart healthy. By exercising you will be strengthening your heart muscle. Yes it is a muscle! And you don't want it to atrophy, and stop pumping properly. Finding time to exercise can be easier than you think. You just need to be a little creative with your time management. This morning I hopped on my bike at 6 am, and believe me this was not an easy task I am not a morning person. But I focused on the result of my exercise, and not the process of doing it. What I mean by this is that I focused and concentrated on how great I will feel, look, and be after my exercise (the result). Many people will focus on the process: I don't feel like getting up, it's too cold outside, or I am too tired (the process). You must focus on the result and not on the process. After my bike ride, I showered and went to work. At lunch time I really needed a pick me up! I was dealing with a lot stressful issues in my business, and I needed the feeling I get from exercising to give me a burst of energy, help me focus and get my thoughts together. I find that when I spend time exercising and riding my bike, I gain clarity and focus. It also allows me time to think. My dearest friend is a marathon runner, and after she goes for a run, she also feels energized and focused. Many people think that there is no way that they can exercise during their lunch time because they will be become sweaty, smelly, and it will be difficult to return to work in that condition. But I am telling you that you can, and the effect of exercise is worth it. After a quick walk at lunch-wipe yourself down with baby wipes. If they work great on a baby's bottom during a diaper change, I feel confident that they will clean up a little sweat! Reapply your deodorant, refresh your lipstick, and spray a little perfume. Try it, and see how you feel. The benefits are worth the effort. To your healthy pain free living lifestyle, Kimberly Jamieson (www.healthypainfreeliving.com) has achieved success in living, maintaining a healthy active lifestyle. She has helped and inspired and motivate thousands to achieve this life. To learn more about aches, pains, healthy weight loss, proper eating habits and exercise tips. Learn to soar and live the ultimate lifestyle visit www.healthypainfreeliving.com

About the Author

Kimberly Jamieson (www.healthypainfreeliving.com) has achieved success in living, maintaining a healthy active lifestyle. She has helped and inspired and motivate thousands to achieve this life. To learn more about aches, pains, healthy weight loss, proper eating habits and exercise tips. Learn to soar and live the ultimate lifestyle visit www.healthypainfreeliving.com

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Walking Your Way back to Health, it doesn't have to be hard.

2006-08-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Exercise doesn't have to involve absolutely killing yourself running hundreds over laps round the track, just taking that spare time when you would be watching the TV or sat in the garden to go walking can prove extremely beneficial to your health. The article below will fill you in with the details. For health and fitness advice, go to http://squidoo.com/health-fitness

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11 Reasons for Walking by Daniel Williams

Frequently, the simple things in life can be surprisingly beneficial. Take a walk, for example. This is a somewhat overlooked activity that can be good for the mind and body. The cost of using up some of your minutes in a 24-hour day is small when compared to the much greater rewards you can reap.
The following are 11 reasons why finding time in your schedule to take a walk a few times a week can make the rest of your week and life more enriching.
1) Enjoy the scenery. After being cooped up indoors all day, seeing some branching trees that have been around for many years and pretty, colorful flowers are a nice change of pace. The monotony of many bland office environments may contribute to staleness of thought and lack of creativity.
2) Breathe fresh air. Some people claim that indoor air can be more hazardous to your health than the great outdoors. Apparently, the air indoors seems to keep on recirculating with the same pollutants. Think of all the toxic cleansers that you stored and used indoors this past month. With inadequate ventilation, you breathe these noxious substances repeatedly. Some have studied this and say there is an increased risk of malignancies for the group who stays home all day contrasted with those who explore other environments.
3) Increased oxygenation to the brain. The activity of just walking can be enough to increase circulation and may even get some vitally needed oxygenation to the brain so you can improve your thinking.
4) Better sleep. With an increase of moderate exercise, some people report that they fall asleep as soon as their head plunks down on the pillow. Also, they enter into the deeper stages of sleep so they feel refreshed upon awaking after a good night of rest.
5) Cardiovascular workout. Exercise can help strengthen the heart muscle so that if it encounters later an insult, it is stronger to bounce back. Although walking is not strenuous, for aging people it still is touted as a good form of exercise.
6) Good for skeletal system. As one ages the risk of osteoporosis increases especially for women. However, as men live longer, this will apply to them as well. Activities that put some stress on the weight bearing bones and joints will help in counteracting the development of osteoporosis. A person who has osteoporosis is more likely to break a bone in an accidental fall. The recovery from such an incident may be much more problematical with those who have osteoporosis.
7) Self-esteem. If you have gained a few pounds from your earlier days, you may start feeling glum about the image you give to the world. Vanity doesn't stop at thirty. You may not like to admit it, but you may have loss that fit and trim look that made you feel good about yourself. That has an impact on your mood and how you interact with others. In addition, those who work into their golden years want to make a good impression when conducting business with the public.
9) Reduces centripetal obesity. The typical apple shaped body type may also be at a higher risk for developing some malignancies. Walking, a form of aerobic exercise, can help in shedding those unsightly and unhealthy pounds. Although a sensible diet is crucial when considering management of obesity, you will do better maintaining your desired weight if you couple a well-balanced diet with regular exercise.
9) Decreased risk of dementia. There is growing evidence that those age groups who are apt to develop dementia may benefit by exercising.
10) Socialize. Walking with someone else gives you an opportunity to socialize and at the same time get the exercise you need. A lively conversation is something many connected people value.
11) No special skills. Walking does not require any special skills or abilities. You don't have to have good eye-hand coordination, speed or agility. Most people have developed their own style since they were about one year old.
If you are not engaged now in a regular exercise program, consider walking on a regular basis. A very small amount of effort and time on your part can have enormous benefits.
About the Author
Author: Daniel Williams has been an online entrepreneur since 1998. He is webmaster of SarasotaFreeAds.com and lives in Sarasota, Florida 34237. You are permitted to reprint this article provided it is done so in its entirety including this signature box and remains unchanged except for formatting.

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World's Fight Against AIDS by Subhash kumar

2006-08-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today, I thought I'd put in an article in relation to AIDS considering the huge death toll that it inflicts upon Africa and other areas of the world, I think it is something that we should remind ourselves of, and help us (those who are non sufferers) to realise how lucky we all are not suffer from this devastating disease. It helps you realise how much we often take our health for granted, and why we should do our best to keep in shape and healthy, and do everything we can to stay that way! For health and fitness tips, visit http://squidoo.com/health-fitness

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World's Fight Against AIDS
What is AIDS? : a serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles.Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the final and most serious stage of the disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Symptoms begin when an HIV-positive person presents a CD4-cell (also called T cell, a type of immune cell) count below 200. AIDS happens concurrently with numerous opportunistic infections and tumors that are normally associated with the HIV infection.
What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce.
Transmission of HIV
A person who has HIV carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur through these ways a. Through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis. b. Through intravenous injection with a syringe.c. Through a break in the skin, such as a cut or sore.
* Unprotected sexual intercourse (either vaginal or anal) with someone who has HIV. Women are at greater risk of HIV infection through vaginal sex than men, although the virus can also be transmitted from women to men. Anal sex (whether male-male or male-female) poses a high risk mainly to the receptive partner, because the lining of the anus and rectum is extremely thin and is filled with small blood vessels that can be easily injured during intercourse.
* Unprotected oral sex with HIV Positive partner . There are far fewer cases of HIV transmission attributed to oral sex than to either vaginal or anal intercourse, but oral-genital contact poses a clear risk of HIV infection, particularly when ejaculation occurs in the mouth.
* Sharing HIV infected needles or syringe. Laboratory studies show that infectious HIV can survive in used syringes for a month or more. That's why people who inject drugs should never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment. This includes needles or syringes used to inject illegal drugs such as heroin, as well as steroids. Other types of needles, such as those used for body piercing and tattoos, can also carry HIV.
* Infection during pregnancy, childbirth, or breast-feeding . Any woman who is pregnant or considering becoming pregnant and thinks she may have been exposed to HIV-even if the exposure occurred years ago-should seek testing and counseling. In the U.S., mother-to-infant transmission has dropped to just a few cases each year because pregnant women are routinely tested for HIV. Those who test positive can get drugs to prevent HIV from being passed on to a fetus or infant, and they are counseled not to breast-feed.
Treatment Since the early 1990s, several drugs to fight both the HIV infection and its associated infections and cancers have become available, including:
* Reverse transcriptase inhibitors: They interrupt the virus from making copies of itself. These drugs are AZT (zidovudine [Retrovir]), ddC (zalcitabine [Hivid], dideoxyinosine), d4T (stavudine [Zerit]), and 3TC (lamivudine [Epivir]). * Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIS): These medications are used in combination with other drugs to help keep the virus from multiplying. Examples of NNRTIS are delavirdine (Rescriptor) and nevirapine (Viramune). * Protease inhibitors: These medications interrupt virus replication at a later step in its lifecycle. These include ritonavir (Norvir), a lopinavir and ritonavir combination (Kaletra), saquinavir (Invirase), indinavir sulphate (Crixivan), amprenavir (Agenerase), and nelfinavir (Viracept). Using both classes of drugs reduces the chances of developing resistance in the virus. * Fusion inhibitors: This is the newest class of anti-HIV drugs. The first drug of this class (enfuvirtide [Fuzeon]) has recently been approved in the United States. Fusion inhibitors block HIV from entering the human immune cell. * A combination of several drugs called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART): This treatmsent is not a cure. The virus still persists in various body sites such as in the lymph glands.* Truvada (tru-VAH-dah) a combination of two anti-HIV medications, Emtriva (emtricitabine 200 mg) and Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg), into one pill that is taken once a day with or without food.
Your Role in the fight against HIV/AIDS Everyone can play a role in confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Here are just a few suggestions for how you can make a difference: * Volunteer with your local AIDS service organization. * Talk with the young people you know about HIV/AIDS. * Sponsor an AIDS education event or fund raiser with your local school, community group, or religious organization. * Urge government officials to provide adequate funding for AIDS research, prevention education, medical care, and support services. * Speak out against AIDS-related discrimination. * Support continued research to develop better treatments and a safe and effective AIDS vaccine by making a donation to amfAR. For more details Click here.

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Want To Get Healthy? Eat Your Fruits And Vegetables! by Stephanie Foster

2006-08-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

Are you eating enough vegetables? The new food guidelines issued by the United States government recommend that all Americans eat between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.Now this may sound like a lot, but it really isn't. Despite that, an amazing number of people do not eat enough vegetables and fruits every day. Fortunately, it really is not that hard to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet.Just head to your local supermarket and look at the selection. There's plenty to choose from. Not only that, but eating healthy fruits and vegetable isn't that expensive. Many of them cost far less than you might be thinking. With a little practice and determination you can use fresh fruits and vegetables to replace unhealthier snacks.One serving is not all that much. One of the reasons many people feel overwhelmed when they hear how many servings per day they should eat is that they don't really realize how small a serving is. It's nothing close to what you get when you order the large meal at the fast food restaurant. A small apple is about the size of one serving of fruit or vegetables. That's about the size of a tennis ball, so don't get confused if you look at the huge apples that some grocery stores carry.The recommended servings come out to at least two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables a day. That's it. Think about how much food you sometimes pile on your plate. For many of you this won't be hard at all.Take advantage of the variety of fruits and vegetables available. You don't have to have a basic salad, an apple, a serving of peas, etc. each and every day. Mix it up! Add fun things to your salad such as baby corn, artichoke hearts and avocado. Try some of the fruits and vegetables you've never tried before. Make fruit salad. The variety is there for those willing to take advantage of it.Variety is important for another reason. The different fruits and vegetables have different nutrients, so this will help you to get all the vitamins and minerals you need.Getting bored despite the variety? Try some new recipes and bring them back to life. Baked apples are simple yet delicious. If you always steam your vegetables try baking them or stir frying with a very small amount of oil.Try eating different parts of the vegetables. Some people just throw out the greens on top of their beets; however I like to stir fry those and eat them too. Find out what parts are edible and stop throwing away some of the best parts.Now you may think you've been replacing the vitamins in your fruits and veggies by taking vitamin supplements. Think again.Yes, vitamins can provide the basics such as vitamins A, C and E, as well as many others, there are many other nutrients your body needs that are not available in vitamins. Vitamins from fresh sources may also be better absorbed than vitamins taken in pill form.What's the best way to save money when buying fruits and vegetables? Buy fresh, buy in season, buy local. If there's a farmer's market in your area compare its prices to those at your grocery store.What about the best way to make it easier to replace unhealthy snacks with fruits and vegetables? Most can be cut up in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Apples, pears and bananas will go brown if you don't protect them from the air. Dip them in an acidic fruit juice, such as lemon, lime or pineapple to protect them. Combine chopped up fruits and vegetables with a refusal to buy unhealthy snacks when you're actually shopping at the grocery store and you'll find you simply eat fewer of them. Most people won't run to the store for some potato chips just because they want a quick snack. They'll take what's available, and if that's something healthy, so much the better.Making the effort to get your five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day isn't as hard as it seems. Take a little time and learn to enjoy them.About the AuthorStephanie Foster has been having a lot of fun learning healthier ways to cook for her family and enjoys sharing what she has learned. You can get tips and recipes at http://www.makehealthymeals.com/.

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I know that people have been saying for years and years that to stay healthy, you should eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. The thing is, they are right, as this article highlights. People argue that they can just eat multi-vitamin tablets and stay healthy, this is not the case, as is becoming increasingly more acknowledged. Eat you fruit and vegetables, keep fit, and your half way to a healthy life!

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Frequently Asked Dieting Questions

2006-08-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

Diet And Nutrition Questions And Answers by Raymond Burton
1. Should you aim for zero fat in your diet?
No you should not aim for zero fat. Fat is essential for maintaining healthy skin and hair. It also acts as a transport for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. The deal with fat is that is contains 9 calories per gram, and this is why fat foods are considered high calorie. Despite its bad reputation, you do need between 15-20% of your diet to be comprised of fats to maintain health. Most of this will come indirectly through your regular eating and it's a fat chance (pun intended) that you're not getting enough already!
2. Can I eat carbohyrates at night time?
Yes, however you should make sure that the carbohydrates come from complex sources like brown rice, vegetables and salads.
3. What is the best diet to keep blood sugars normal for a Type II Diabetic?
The same diet that is best for everyone. A diet that is well balanced with all the macronutrients, low in simple sugars and full of natural vitamins and fiber. It's all about keeping the sugar levels stable while providing enough calories and nutrition through whole foods. Just like when we were cave women and men!
Everyone may want to take a look at tweaking the diet a bit if for instance you have food allergies or cannot digest red meat. But other than that the standard is always the same. I prefer a 20 percent fat, 50 percent protein and 30 percent carbohydrate myself.
4. If you already eat healthy with no real avail, than how can you trick your body into losing weight?
Check again to make sure that your standard of eating healthy jives with a nutritionists and if that is the case start working out harder.
5. Can a body-builder/weightlifter be a vegetarian?
Yes, there are quite a few people who have done it. It is especially easy to do if you allow eggs, milk and whey protein under the label of vegetarian. If you are going strict vegetarian it gets harder but comes down to some serious planning and using various foods to produce complete proteins.
6. What are some good sources of low fat protein for someone who doesn't really like meat or eggs very much?
Some good choices of low fat protein for someone that does not like or can not eat meat or eggs would be:
Low fat cottage cheese Skim milk, soy milk A variety of sea foods Beans and lentils Low fat yogurt Whey protein
7. What are bad carbs vs. good carbs?
Carbs are the preferred source of energy for the body. When you eat carbs your body converts them to blood sugar or glucose. This glucose is stored in your muscle cells and liver for use when needed (like training!). When weight lifting, it is mostly this stored energy that your muscles use for contraction fuel. As with any calories you eat, any excess carbs that can't be utilized are stored as fat.
Some sugars are more conducive to a good-looking physique than others. This is where the good carb verses bad carb comes into play. There are three kinds of carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides (one-sugar molecule) Disaccharides (two-sugar molecules) Polysaccharides (three or more sugar molecules)
Monosaccharides and disaccharides are called sugars or bad carbs while polysaccarides are usually called complex carbohydrates, glucose polymers or good carbs. This is where the real good stuff begins. Because the good carbs contain three or more sugar molecules, they take longer to break down. The longer it takes the body to break these carbs down, the more time it has to use them as opposed to storing them as fat. A good way to gauge the quickness of the break down is something called the glycemic index.
8. Can eating 5-8 healthy balanced meals a day cause diabetes in the long run?
I cannot find or have not heard any evidence that would support that idea. In fact during all my research I have found the exact opposite to prove itself over and over. Large infrequent meals put quite a load on the body and create large surges of insulin response. This as you may know over time is one of the factors that can lead to the onset of diabetes. There is actually a study done on older subjects that states A higher meal frequency acutely subdues glucose excursions and reduces insulin and FFA levels during the daytime in older Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus subjects. You can find that study here: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
About the Author
Ray L Burton is the president of Recipes4Diets and author of the best selling ebook FAT TO FIT

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These questions and answers cover the majority of the common questions that are asked, however if there is something that you would like to know, feel free to leave a comment, and I will try and answer your question in a future post. Otherwise go to http://squidoo.com/health-fitness and have a browse on there!

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Lower Your Cholesterol for a Healthier Life by Amber Jonas

2006-08-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Heart disease and Stroke rank highest as the nation's top health issues. Too much cholesterol in the blood often ignites heart disease and stroke. Diet changes and regular exercise can help prevent these problems from occurring if you take the time to plan for healthy living.
Altering eating habits to lose weight is unlike altering a diet based on a significant need. Dieting to lose weight will certainly improve health but if existing health problems already exist, such as high cholesterol, a diet to lower cholesterol is essential.
Changes in your food intake specifically targeted toward lowering your cholesterol are needed. It doesn't mean you must give up the things you love to eat.
A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables with 5 or more servings per day are needed. Grain products like bread, cereal, rice, and pasta are also important. Choose 6 or more servings per day of grain products. Six ounces of your choice of Lean meat or poultry without the skin should be included. Choose fat-free and low fat milk. You should limit beans or peas and nuts or seeds. Baked or broiled fish should be limited to 2-3 servings per week. Use vegetable oils like olive oil or corn oil when preparing any foods. Use spices to enhance flavor of food instead of salt.
There are a number of items you should omit from your diet completely like potato chips and processed foods. The ingredients in these items will raise your cholesterol level tremendously. Dairy products should be avoided as well and foods that include them. Organ meats cause high cholesterol. Omit them from your diet.
You should also develop knowledge of proper food preparation. Proper preparation of food reserves the nutrients and ingredients for optimal health and destroys harmful bacteria.
In order to lower your cholesterol, a change in diet is essential. Your physician may put you on medication if diet changes are not significant enough to lower your cholesterol.
Keep in mind; to save your life, changes need to occur. This isn't a diet for weight loss. It is a change in food choices, which will enable you to live a healthier, higher quality of life while lowering your cholesterol. You will significantly reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack by making these simple changes.
High cholesterol is a serious health problem. If you take action now, you could possibly avoid serious health risks in the future.
About the Author
Thanks for reading. If you found this article helpful you can read more of my tips, information, and more articles on my website: http://www.thishealthylife.com

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This article does highlight some very interesting points, although in regards to cholesterol the detail is lacking, not all cholesterol is bad, there are two types one good, and one bad - the type that hardens arteries. To get further information on cholesterol try this article written by myself -http://health-fitness4life.blogspot.com/2006/08/obesity-dangers-of-gluttonous-habits.html or have a look on the following health and fitness resource page http://squidoo.com/health-fitness

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Regular Exercies -- To Stay Healthy

2006-08-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Do exercise regularly if you are trying to lose weight. A statistical study has revealed that most of the people who want to lose weight don't exercise. If you give a thought about the present American culture then you would easily believe the fact that most of the Americans don't exercise.
The major population of America was involved in hard labor on farms in those days of republic and used to eat large and energetic meals to do that hard work. But with the change in time, the Americans moved to cities and started doing factory jobs which didn't require that hard labor. Still they had to work in factories and some amount of labor was involved.
Nowadays most of the people do sedentary jobs such as working at desks, cash registers or computers that didn't require any hard labor. Most of them don't even stretch during their work hours and sit idle in the front of television at home.
If you consider any good weight loss plan then it will definitely include exercise with diet schedule. This is so because it is important to boost your metabolism by doing exercises along with reducing calorie intake.
There are people who don't want to do exercise and consider it a boring activity. Such people need motivation to start an exercise program. You can play favorite music during your exercises to keep you motivated or exercise with your children by playing with them. This would do all exercise you need and you won't even realize that you have exercised. The other way is to take help of an exercise buddy who can be your friend or family member to keep you motivated.
Most of us have one or the other favorite physical activity which we enjoy like bowling or swing dancing, volleyball or tennis etc., you can include such activity in your daily schedule to keep you moving.
The best way to enhance your exercise regimen is by adding some strength training in it. You can lift weights or do light weight exercises to add muscles to your body while burning calories. You can also safeguard yourself from diseases like osteoporosis and many health problems if you exercise with weights regularly.
If you are not confident about your exercises or its schedule then you can hire a personal trainer or a coach. Your coach can motivate you to do exercise regularly to lose weight quickly.
Make a priority list of your exercises and follow the regular exercise schedule strictly. The main theme is to exercise regularly if you want to stay fit and fine. Occasional exercises don't work out.
Exercise not only provides physical fitness, but mental relief also. Therefore, exercise daily and stay healthy at both mind and body. You can lose weight easily if you exercise daily.
About the Author
Greg Culver is the owner of www.healthmedicinehome.com. For information and articles on health and medicine go to: www.healthmedicinehome.com

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The Basic Yoga Positions for Beginners

2006-08-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

Practitioners have talked about the unification of the mind, body and spirit. They claimed that this will be acquired through the practice of yoga exercises and techniques.
If it is your first time to hear of yoga, you will of course wonder how these exercises are done and how it looks like. Since you are a beginner, you will also definitely ask what kind of positions will be best for you.
Yogis have believed that the mind and the body are bonded into a unified structure. This belief has never failed and changed through time. Yoga has extensively performed an amazing procedure of healing oneself through harmony. This can be successfully done if you are in a proper environment.
With the great effects of yoga, the doctors have been convinced that yoga has some therapeutic results and can be recommended for people who have illnesses that is hard to cure.
If you have some illness that has been with you for a long time, you can practice the yoga positions for beginners and apply it to yourself.
If you want to practice the yoga positions for beginners, you must believe that yoga is effective and will help you to be cured or be refreshed.
Yoga is not just a recent application. It has been practiced and applied a long time ago and up to the present, the people are benefiting a lot from it.
Investigations and researches have been implemented to prove that yoga can be helpful in the healing process.
Therefore, it has been proved that the yoga positions for beginners are extremely effective and useful when it comes to maintaining a high level of joint flexibility. Although the yoga positions for beginners are just simple and basic, it can slowly bring up a healthy lifestyle and bring more when it is practiced over and over again.
The yoga positions for beginners are very interesting and exciting to perform. Beginners will never find it hard to keep up with the exercises because it is just simple. The technique of yoga gives a very big contributing factor to our internal glands and organs. It also includes the parts of the human body, which is barely stimulated.
If you want to learn the yoga positions for beginners, you can learn it easily at home or at school where yoga is taught.
Some basic yoga positions for beginners include standing poses, seated poses, forward and backward bends, balance and twisting. These yoga positions for beginners are not that far from those who are used to practicing yoga.
The time duration in executing the positions are also lessened because a beginner cannot fully cope up with a longer time exposure in practice. Rest is required of the beginner so that he will not be drained easily to prepare the body for further positions.
Since you are a beginner, the most important thing you should understand is self-discipline. Yoga is not just doing yoga and executing the poses. If you haven't mastered the basics yet, do not jump into the complex stages and positions because you will not feel the essence of executing the yoga positions for beginners.
About the Author
Rudy Silva is a natural nutritionist. To discover more tips about yoga and its benefits go to: http://www.for--you.com/exciting_yoga

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The Effects of Smoking, and why you should quit NOW!

2006-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

It has long been documented that smoking is bad for your health, although many smokers don’t like to admit it or choose to ignore the fact completely and cruise through their life getting less and less fit, with the risks of cancer increasingly steadily for every year that they smoke, a recent report that I read claims that smoking on average cuts a whole 10 years off your life while reducing your performance in the gym and around the track, making your skin age faster, and making you smell. Every year in the UK over 114,000 deaths were attributed to smoking a related cause; that is a lot of deaths!

A few reasons why you should quit now!

It Kills and Damages You:
Each cigarette contains over 4000 chemicals, and when bunt produces many noxious toxins including the 3 major damaging toxins that are Carbon monoxide, Tar and the addictive nicotine. These obviously have several consequences. What is not often known is that the main cause of death as a result of smoking is cardiovascular disease; this is due to the fact that smoking accelerates the hardening process of cholesterol in arteries narrowing arteries or even blocking them, as a consequence blood clots are far more likely to occur. Lung cancer occurs due to the harmful chemicals entering your lungs in the form of smoke, ninety percent of all people who develop lung cancer are due to smoking, one in 5 people who are heavy smokers will die of lung cancer, and do you really want to be one of these people, a statistic? There are several other ways that smoking will help lead you to an early death including mouth cancer, throat cancer, coronary thrombosis and many more, another side affect you, or your partner may want to bear in mind that it can lead to impotence!

It Harms and Kills Others:
Passive (second hand) smoking has been shown to kill and damage, take Roy Castle for example, who didn't smoke, but died of lung cancer as a result of playing the trumpet in smoke filled pubs and other venues, a tragedy indeed. Do you really want to be responsible for the death of a close friend or a family member, I doubt it! Smoking while pregnant is hugely dangerous for the unborn baby, if all mothers to be quit smoking during pregnancy it is estimated that roughly 4000 babies that die would survive each year. Smoking also makes you and your property smell of cigarettes, and when first impressions count, this is far from ideal!

Reasons why you should quit:

Smoking takes an average of 10 years off your life, do you want this?
Smoking makes your skin age faster, making you look old before your years.
Smoking costs a huge amount of money, in the UK if you smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, then quitting would save you roughly £1500 a year, that’s a lot of money.
Smoking destroys your sense of taste and smell, stop smoking and enjoy the smells and flavours of the world.
Smoking is bad for your fitness, destroying alveoli in the lungs; this in turn lowers your VO2 max as your body can no longer absorb oxygen into the blood as quickly as a non smoker.
Smoking makes your breath smell, stains your teeth and makes your clothes and belongings smell.
Smoking increases your chances of becoming impotent.
Smoking negatively affects hormone levels!
In the next article, I will give you methods and advice on how to quit. After reading the above it should be pretty clear to you that quitting is the best option for you, and those around you, and even may give you the will power to quit.

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Obesity, the Dangers of Gluttonous Habits

2006-08-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

With the rise of fast food over the last decade or so, western civilisation is under siege from a problem that has never plagued the world in its history. This problem is obesity. Despite the increasing research and facts emerging about fatty foods, and its affects to people's bodies and health, a vast amount of the western world still choose to ignore these facts and binge on fast foods, and do little exercise. It was reported that 35%of British men have not done any exercise within the last year, and over half are classed as over-weight or obese, while the proportion of people spending money on fatty foods and alcohol has risen. Will the coming generation be known as the obese generation, we can only hope not. Not only could this have disastrous economic affects in the UK as the strain will be felt by the health system as the generation ages, but on a personal level, being obese has huge (pardon the pun) health hazards!

The Health Hazards of being Obese

There are many health hazards associated with obesity, here I will inform you of the main ones, and hopefully in doing so, give you several reasons to either lose weight if you are currently obese, or keep you away from joining the increasingly large, infamous club, that is obesity, obesity is a club to be avoided if you value your health and your life. So here it is:
Firstly, cardiovascular disease, people who are overweight or obese are increasingly susceptible to cardiovascular disease, this is because of the affects that obesity has on lipid levels of the blood. Being overweight tends to result in having high levels LDL also known as 'bad cholesterol' which builds up on the inside of the arteries and result in the narrowing of the arteries, and in some cases blocking, a blood clot is a possibility, along with a heart attack!
Lethargy and daytime tiredness, obese people have been found to increasingly suffer from tiredness during the day and as a result, are more prone to be involved in road accidents. Further more it is likely that obese people will live as productive lives due to this lethargy and tiredness; as a result, it also makes losing weight even harder as they struggle to find the energy to go out and exercise.
Type-2 diabetes, it has been reported that up to 90% of type-2 diabetes sufferers are either overweight or obese, and as a result obesity has been found to be the major contributing factor to influencing whether or not somebody will suffer from type-2 diabetes. Diabetes in obese people is also more difficult to treat.
High Blood Pressure, it has long been known now that obesity can lead to high blood pressure, as blood pressure tends to rise with weight. Although the full reasons why obesity leads to high blood pressure is not fully known, one theory is that it is because the blood needs to be under greater pressure to get round a larger body. Although the heart can withstand high blood pressure for a long period of time, after a period of time, it may enlarge, this being a significant factor in heart failure and as a result you may die. Blocking of vessels to the brain (due to weakening of the blood vessels due to high blood pressure) may lead to a stroke, which can also be fatal. Heart attacks and kidney failure are two other possible consequences of having a high blood pressure.
There are many other diseases, illnesses and handicaps that occur due to obesity, these include arthritis, several forms of cancer, bodily pain, liver disease, and gout…the list goes on!

Being obese is risking your life, and endangering your health; you should try to correct this while you still have the chance, otherwise one day before your time, it shall be you last, and you may not even know it!

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Motivation - get Motivated!

2006-08-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there's something you want to do, whether it's losing weight, getting fit, quitting smoking or alcohol, or just to work harder, there will always be times when you start to struggle and need that extra motivation! This may be when on your campaign to get fit, when its cold and raining, and the last thing you feel like doing is going for a run, or when your giving up smoking and your in a bad mood and stressed and you are getting increasingly tempted to have a cigarette, through this article I will offer a few ideas to help give you that extra little bit of motivation to keep going!

Firstly, you need to remember that for every day that you stick to your goals, you are a day nearer to succeeding, if you can keep this in mind at all times then this will give you the extra spark to keep going.
You should take heart from any progress that you see, losing just a pound in weight is a start, from these small successes you should build, lose another pound in weight, seeing as progress is such a great motivator, and motivates you to continue and progress further. If you keep a diary, it will provide you with a quick and easy way of being able to see how you've improved, it will spur you on to keep going.
When times are tough, think to yourself how keeping going is going to change your life, whether it will make you more attractive, healthier and add years to your life expectancy, realising how these tough times are just part of the process on the way to your success will help remove any temptations to give in and go back to your old ways.
Don’t try to do reach your goals in a single leap and do everything at once, for example don’t try and lose 2 stone overnight, it just doesn’t work that way, its like revising for exams, rather than trying to do it all at once, it is far more effective if you do it in small amounts, little and often as they say, and slowly but surely you will see progress. Before you know it, these small steps will be the equivalent of a large step, and rather than struggling, it will be far more manageable.
Let as many of your friends as possible know what you are doing, whether it's quitting smoking or taking up a new fitness regime, it doesn't matter. By telling your friends you will feel obliged to continue with it, as there will be a sense of embarrassment and you will feel almost as if you have let your friends down if you give up. It will also give you something to be proud of, and a sense of accomplishment, as well as something to talk about!
Join a club or an association with like minded people trying to seek the same goal as you, you may find yourself new friends, as well as support in times of needs, and who better to get advice off, than those who have been in the exact situation!

So there are a few ideas to help you through those tough times, just always keep your mind focused on the final goal, and the rewards that will come with it e.g. extra years to your life or a great figure and use this to keep you focused. If you believe in yourself then you will succeed. Even if you relapse and have a binge, or skip an exercise session, remember, it's never too late to carry on towards your goal!

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Plan Ahead!

2006-08-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of posts of late, but due to a busy, yet energetic lifestyle I've been finding it difficult to sqeeze it all in. What can you learn from this, and my mistakes is this: rather than taking everything as it comes and so get involved with too many projects at the same time, plan ahead, allow times for certain activities, by doing this you'll find that you can fit far more into your weekly routines and have more time to do the other things in life that you enjoy! Learn from my mistakes, and good luck!
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Mens Triathlon Offseason Workout Tips by Mike Herman

2006-07-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

Whether you are a man interested in beginning training or continuing your training so that you can compete during the sport's season, having a proper mens triathlon offseason workout is critical.
Even though you may not be willing to break ice in the pool in order to get a vigorous workout during the winter, having some sort of training program during the off season is the best way to remain active and competitive in the sport.
Although the triathlon season only lasts a few months out of the year, most athletes continue to train as though they were planning on competing within the next few weeks.
If you are interested in joining the world of competitive triathlons, consider the following tips:
* Stay In Shape *
When you are looking to begin a mens triathlon offseason workout, the key is to stay in shape.
Even though you may not be running in a competitive triathlon, this is critical to the success in your sport.
Staying in shape involves maintaining your stamina and strength so that you can return to your regular training program with ease when the season begins.
The best thing about your off season training to stay in shape is that you have the ability to work on specific faults that you have experienced during the competitive season.
For this reason, strive to exercise as dedicated in the off season as you do in the competitive season.
* Have Fun With Your Activities *
Unlike the competitive season, schedules and plans are not as important in the off season. For this reason, allow yourself to have fun with your exercises.
Many individuals choose to mix up their activities during the off season in an effort to avoid the monotony of the competitive season training.
Consider taking a run through the woods instead of sticking to the track or the tread mill. Take your bicycle off the road and enjoy the scenery on the off road trails around your area. Instead of having your life revolve around your training, include your training in your life.
* Rest For The Weary *
Typically, athletes training for triathlons during the competitive season find themselves tired and run down.
Part of the joy of the off season is the advantages involved in not training for a race. Take time to allow your body to heal from any injuries or accidents that you may have experienced during the competitive season.
The worst thing in the world for any athlete is having a minor injury that explodes into something more serious simply because the athlete refused to allow the injury to heal.
During the off season, take time to ice, massage, and heal your wounds. Also, allow your body to become fully rested.
Especially for those individuals who juggle work or school with their triathlon training, rest is generally last on the list of things to do.
During the off season, sacrifice those few extra minutes on your bike for a few extra minutes in your bed. By allowing your body to rest, you can best prepare for the upcoming season.
About the Author
Learn More About Triathalon Racing . Do You Have What You Need To Improve Your Workouts and Your Races? Get The Professional Triathlon Training You Need

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7 Simple Steps To Health and Fitness Success by Gregg Gillies

2006-06-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Let's take a look at seven simple steps you can take right now to move you rapidly along toward your fitness goals.Think on paper: Only about 3 percent of adults have clear, written goals. These people accomplish five and ten times as much as people without written goals.Step 1: Decide Exactly What You Want. This will allow you to prioritize your tasks to that you are spending the most time on high value tasks that move you closer to your goals. If your goal is to add 20 pounds of muscle, there isn't much point in using up a lot of you training time by jogging 5 miles a day.Step 2: Write It Down. Again, think on paper.
Written goals are a powerful thing. They have an energy behind them that helps you move toward them that unwritten goals just don't have.Step 3: Set A Deadline On Your Goal. Create a sense of urgency and positive pressure. Without a deadline you will procrastinate and do the little things that may damage your short term goals. If you are having "after" pictures taken in three weeks then you are much less likely to swallow that bag of popcorn, than if you are just getting in shape...eventually.Step 4: Make a list of everything you can think of that you will need to do to help you achieve your goal.
Leave nothing to chance. The more planning you do ahead of time, the more likely you will stick to the plan and achieve your goals. The more prepared you are, the more success you will experience.Step 5: Organize the list into a plan. Organize your list by priority and sequence.Step 6: Take action on your plan immediately. Do something.
Get started. Start building positive reinforcement and momentum RIGHT NOW.Step 7: Resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your major goal. And with fitness, you have to, don't you? Whether it is your workout, eating six high protein meals, etc. you should always be doing something that moves your forward toward your goals.Don't just read these tips and nod your head. Activel use them.
They will make a big difference, not just in your health and fitness goals but in your life in general..
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Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com His articles have appeared in international publications such as Ironman Magazine. He has written two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine. Check out his site http://www.buildleanmuscle.com
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Yoga Your Way to Physical and Mental Fitness by Khieng Chho

2006-05-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Although considered by many simply as an exercise fad, yoga practice has in fact helped thousands of people in improving their physical and mental fitness. Remember the golden rule of never judging a book by its cover; if you think that yoga's all about bending and breathing and nothing else, think again.
The History of Yoga
The practice of yoga has been around for more than four thousand years already. Its origins can be traced back to India where even today, it is considered as a highly valued practice to reach a state of enlightenment. Yoga as a means to receive enlightenment is a central point in several religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
In other parts of the world, the popularity of yoga is caused by its many health benefits and its associated use with asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga as fitness exercises.
Purpose of Yoga and Its Main Components
Besides reaching a spiritual state of enlightenment, yoga can also help individuals reach a better understanding of not only their bodies but their inner selves as well.
When practicing yoga, you'll notice that you'll be concentrating on three main points:
Body Positioning or PostureBreathing TechniquesMeditating Techniques
Advantages of Yoga
Treating Back Injuries - yoga can heal back injuries that you may have by increasing the blood circulation for your injured tissues to heal faster and strengthening your lower back muscles; yoga may also in several cases heal other types of injuries as well
Prevention - Yoga also has the power to reduce chances of re-injuring yourself, shorten the time needed to recover from injuries and serve as a regular exercise technique to prevent disabilities
Mental Clarity and Improved Stress Control - The quiet and deeply relaxing techniques used in yoga would help you have a better state of mind every day at work and better control of your stress levels
Greater Self-Understanding and General Well-Being - Find yourself amazed with how much at peace you feel with yourself when you start practicing yoga regularly
Generally Better Physical Health - Besides getting that ideal toned figure you've been aiming for, yoga will also help in refreshing your kidneys and maintain a better posture
Better Sleep - Rediscover the simple pleasures of sleeping with the help of yoga.
Beginner's Tips for Yoga Practice
Consult Your Doctor - Before launching on to the first yoga step you encounter, make sure that your doctor gives you the go-ahead to do so. Yes, it's true that anyone can technically do yoga but there are certain difficult poses that would be impossible or dangerous to attempt if you are troubled with past injuries or disabilities.
Just to be on the safe side, talk to your doctor and ask him if you can yoga your way to having a sexy figure or not.
Classes or Private Lessons - When you're determined to join a yoga class, make sure that you're joining a class whose level fits yours. Make sure that you join the class on the first day as well to avoid feelings of insecurity when you see others being able to tackle new yoga poses that boggle the mind. Secondly, choose a class schedule that you can regularly adhere to. If you only attend a class or two every two months, that's sort of defeating the point of joining a class in the first place. Lastly, choose the type of yoga class that fits your taste and abilities.
On the other hand, if you're not the social type, you can always attempt yoga practice at home and with the comforts of privacy. The only disadvantage to this however is the chance that you're not doing something right and the possibility of causing harm to yourself. The best compromise, in this case, would be to hire a private teacher for a lesson or two or until you know enough to practice on your own.
About the Author
Khieng 'Ken' Chho - Online Yoga Resources. For more, visit Ken's website: http://yoga.1w3b.com/

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Webmasters Comments: I myself really enjoy yoga and it really gives me an energy boost, I highly advice that if you are looking for something slightly different you should give it a try! Here is a site that offersa complete guide to beginners yoga: Beginners Guide to Yoga

Motivation, an example!!

2006-05-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a little story that may inspire you to go out challenge you, change your perspective and give you the motivation to complete previously daunting tasks! Okay here it starts; I'm keen on my health and fitness, and enjoy challenges. A couple of days ago, I asked a colleague to give me a challenge, any challenge he wanted. The challenge he gave me was this; do 1000 press ups in a day. For me at first it seemed extremely daunting, especially after my brother assured me that "I had no chance", I had to agree with him, I didn’t fancy my chances. Despite this, I decided to give the challenge a go.
Rather than diving straight in and pumping out a large set I had a think and realised that if I were to break it down and just do 5 press-ups every minute for 20 minutes and that’s 100 press ups done. By doing this it broke it up into easy sets and slowly but surely, the amounts of press ups done increased. Within an hour and a half I was half way. Sure enough before long I got to the 1000 mark proving everyone (including myself) wrong.

Okay so here's the moral of this little story, however big a challenge/target you are faced with, do not fret. You are capable of things that you never would have thought possible. All you need to do is set yourself small, attainable goals (e.g. for me it was 5 repetitions every minute) breaking down what would otherwise seem like an unmanageable, unattainable target, before you know it you will have progressed faster than you could ever have imagined!
Goal setting in life is essential, if you don’t have a clear vision of your goal, you will never reach it, if you don’t set a goal, then you will never achieve what you desire!

So here is my advice, go out into life, embrace any challenges that step your way, break them down into attainable short term goals and amaze yourself as well as those around you with what you can do in the face of adversity. Your body is designed to be pushed and challenged, as is your mind; life is wasted unless you push yourself to your full potential! I hope this helps give you motivation to go out and test yourself!

More Motivational Help!

The Glycemic Index, What You Should Know About It by Jim O'Neill

2006-05-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

As of late, there has been much mention about the glycemic index. People everywhere talk about it and food advertisements use it liberally to promote certain products. But just what is this glycemic index and what does it mean for you? Why is it that people are resorting to it as a means of weight loss and overall healthy eating choices? What is the reason that the G.I. is becoming the staple food guide of the free world?
The glycemic index is a means of measuring the effects of different foods on your blood sugar levels, in other words, how rapidly carbohydrates (sugars) are absorbed. Foods with a high G.I. release quickly into your blood causing a rapid rise in your blood sugar levels. Foods with a low G.I. release slowly into your blood helping to keep your blood sugar levels more stable and steady.
When a high G.I. food is eaten and blood sugar levels rise rapidly, there is a high response of insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels). The insulin works quickly to deposit this excess blood sugar into muscle cells in the form of glycogen (stored energy), and when the glycogen stores are full, the rest is stored in the fat cells as, yes, you guessed it, fat! Because of the over-response of insulin caused by the over-response of blood sugar, the blood sugar is quickly depleted to lower than normal levels, causing that burst of energy you felt to crash quickly.
Low G.I. foods which release at a slower rate do not cause such an insulin response. This allows for a blood sugar level stabilization over a longer period of time because a slow release of blood sugar means a slow release of insulin meaning that it can regulate blood sugar levels more accurately. And as you may have guessed, there is much less of a deposit to the fat cells also! This is why when you eat a low G.I. food your energy levels stay up longer and you don't feel hungry too soon after eating like you do with high G.I. foods.
The glycemic index is measured by assessing how fast of a release of sugar different foods have into the blood verses the rate of pure glucose (blood sugar itself). A score of 100 has been assigned to the rate of release of glucose. If a food has a release or index of 70 or higher, that means it has a rapid release and is a high G.I. food and should be avoided. If a food has an index of 56 to 69 it has a somewhat rapid release but not an extreme one and is considered a medium G.I. food and should be limited. Any food with an index of 55 or less has a slow release and is considered a low G.I. food and is good to consume any time.
Now combining high G.I. foods with low ones in an overall meal will affect the G.I. of the whole meal. This is known as the glycemic value. If you had a potato with a G.I. of say 90 and a chicken breast with a G.I. of 0, the glycemic value of the meal would be 45, in the low G.I. range. So when you are trying to stay on the low side of the G.I. which you should be, you do not have to completely eliminate all high G.I. foods as long as you only consume them in combination with low ones to lower the glycemic load of the meal as a whole.
Examples of high G.I. foods are any white flour bread, cakes of muffins, white potatoes, ripe bananas and honey. Some medium G.I. foods are red potatoes, jellies and jams, bran muffin's, whole wheat bread and most tropical fruit's. Some low G.I. foods are most vegetables, most northern fruits, yams and sweet potatoes, grain cereals, any meats and dairy products, popcorn and most nuts.
Now keep in mind that calories still do count and that means that just because you are eating foods with a low G.I. doesn't mean that you can eat as much as you want. Staying with mostly low G.I. foods will help keep blood sugar levels stable and will help control your appetite but in the end you still need to watch your overall calorie count to lose or maintain weight and not gain weight.
Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php
About the Author
Jim O'Neill is a certified personal fitness trainer and also holds a sports nutrition certification. He has been helping people successfully achieve their weight loss and fitness goals for over 15 years by staying on the cutting edge of weight loss and fitness technology. To learn more about how you can benefit from his easy to use weight loss and fitness programs go to: www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

Listen to Your Heart By Bentley Thompson

2006-05-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

If I were your (sweet) heart I would most likely be yearning for your attention right now. To make my point, I invite you to take this allegorical trek with me. Pretend that your heart - your one and only sweet heart that lives inside your chest - could actually talk to you. What would it have on its "mind" right now?
The heart of the problem
We treat our hearts like the wheels on a Daytona 500 racecar. But when it wears out we can't pull into the pitstop and snap on another one. We've only got one. Like other internal organs, we often ignore our hearts. We live our lives satisfying our desires, and forming habits that endanger the health of our heart, and our lives as well.
Unhealthy heart habits you can avoid
Now I speak to you from the heart (literally). You pretend you do not realize how your actions hurt me day by day. You neglect to exercise. Haven't you seen the volumes of scientific evidence that tell you how much I benefit from aerobic exercise?
Will you wait until you feel that burning in your chest, then you go for an aspirin? That might be too late. And how about all those chemical stimulants you subject me to every day? The caffeine in your coffee makes you feel good, but it makes me work harder. And the alcohol. That affects me too. Narcotic drugs... oh, those are even worse. You don't even go there.
From the first time you tried smoking, I knew you were not thinking about me. Don't you know that I suffer whenever your other organs are damaged. It's more difficult to pump blood through damaged lungs and clogged arteries. You are killing me. When will you cut down on your animal fat and cholesterol intake? You're killing me, and you need to realize this fact: When I die, so do you.
Help change the statistics - Exercise
Research is showing that approximately 1,200,000 "new and recurrent" coronary attacks occur per year. Don't you realize that heart disease (696,947) is the leading cause of deaths in America. And most of this could be prevented by regular physical exercise.
Compare this to the number of deaths from cancer (557,271), stroke (162,672), chronic lower respiratory diseases (124,816), accidents or unintentional injuries (106,742), and diabetes (73,249). And I (your heart) suffer whenever any of those other conditions happen as well... I die from strokes too (cry, cry, cry).
Tell me, can't you control your blood pressure and lose some weight? I don't want it to have to end like Nellie did. She grew up a beautiful young girl of normal weight. Then she became lax in her eating habits and did not exercise. For years I overworked myself pumping blood past body fat and through partially clogged arteries.
She thought about her weight and how she looked, but never about me. Her main concern was how she could fit into her favorite dress again. I couldn't take the neglect anymore. I attacked her one morning. She died at age 45.
Now, I don't want to have to fail you that way. I am your one and only sweet heart. I've been working for you from before you were born. I have been taking care of you even while you sleep. Take care of me, please. Won't you?
Ple-e-e-ease... just listen to your heart, now!

References:Das, S.R., et. al., (2006). Increased Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Diabetes in Dallas County. American Heart Journal, May; 151(5);1094-1100.Luddington, A., Diehl, H., (2002). Health Power. Hagerstown: Review & HeraldNational Center for Health Statistics; Deaths-Leading Causes, URL: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm
Copyright © 2006 by Bentley Thompson
Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. He advocates the anti-diabetes diet which he describes on his website. You may visit his website and blog using the following URLs: http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/ and http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com/
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Webmasters comments:
Wise words indeed, i thoroughly suggest that you read the article and put into practise and follow the advice given, all those bad habits such as smoking, junk food, not exercising, kick them into touch get fit and become a healthier person.

For help to quit smoking Click Here!
For help to get fit with a lightning speed fitness program: Click Here!

Stride Length or Cadence: Which Makes You Faster? By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

2006-05-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

The best way for competitive runners to train to run faster is to strengthen their leg muscles by running very fast in practice, running up hills and perhaps using strength training machines.
There are two ways to run faster. You can move your legs at a faster rate, called cadence, or you can take longer steps. A video at the New York City Marathon showed that the top 150 runners had the same cadence, taking 92 to 94 steps a minute. The difference between the top runners and the others was that the best runners took longer strides.
Trying to lengthen your stride slows you down. Your most efficient stride length is determined by what feels most comfortable to you. Your heel hits the ground with great force. The tendons in your legs absorb some of the energy and then contract forcibly to help you regain about 60 to 75 percent of that stored energy. When you try to take a stride that is longer than your natural one, you lose a great deal of this stored energy and tire much earlier in a race.
You will run faster in races by strengthening your leg muscles so they drive you forward with a longer stride. Competitive distance runners strengthen their legs by running very fast in practice two or three times a week and by running hard up and down hills once or twice a week.
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Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com.
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Don't Run Before You Can Walk! By Roy Palmer

2006-05-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Most of us assume we know how to run, after all it’s just putting one foot in front of the other, just like walking only a bit faster – right? Well, not quite. Although walking and running are quite different activities, you can learn a lot from the act of walking that will help your running.
Whether an experience runner or beginner, we all have bad ‘movement’ habits that will show up in our running technique. But because they are habits (subconscious conditioned reflexes) they are not easy to see for yourself. Walking, rather than running, provides you with a good opportunity to assess your concept of movement. What you learn from observing your walking technique can be taken into running.
Try the following experiment.
1. Go for a gentle stroll in the park and leave your competitive runner’s attitude at home.
2. As you walk be aware of the movement in your hip, knee and ankle joints. Please note your hip joints are at the front of your pelvis and not the sides. Allow your legs to swing from the hip and let your lower leg swing from the knee without effort – like a pendulum.
3. See how much effort you can take out of the act of walking and just allow your limbs to swing.
4. Think about releasing muscles and joints rather than the effort involved.
5. Be aware of the ground beneath your feet and think of ‘walking tall’ by using the upward thrust from the ground in response to your body weight coming down.
6. Start slowly and start to build up speed but not by trying harder. To increase your speed let your arms swing a little faster but without lifting your shoulders. If you can leave your legs alone they will increase speed to match your arms so you will be moving faster without the effort you probably think is necessary.
The purpose of this experiment is to appreciate gravity’s role in movement. You are pulled down towards the planet but then there is 8000 miles of solid rock beneath you that pushes back up (Newton’s 3rd law – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction). So let the ground push you up and let your legs stroke the ground away from underneath you like a giant treadmill.
If you can learn to walk with minimal effort and lessen the strain on you joints and muscles, you can learn to apply the same principles to your running, Lighten up and let your limbs flow to propel you forward and up without the tension many use in a misguided effort to run faster. Running becomes a whole lot easier, and more enjoyable, if you can let your body move as nature intended.
Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique and has studied performance enhancement in sport for the last 10 years. In 2001 he published a book called 'The Performance Paradox: Challenging the conventional methods of sports training and exercise' and is currently working on a new project about The Zone. More information about his unique approach to training can be found at http://www.fitness-programs-for-life.com/running_technique.html
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Note: Like most things in life, without the basics, you will never reach your full potential!

"7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using High Intensity Interval Training, Especially If You Want To Get Really Lean!" by by Kyle Battis CSCS, ATC, NSCA-C

2006-05-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of being lean and helping other people get lean. I have helped hundreds of people shed fat from their body to reveal a leaner, stronger, more empowering physique. One of the most powerful tools that I have used in creating lean bodies is called HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. Have you heard of it before? Well, I think you are crazy if you have not been working this powerful tool into your training program. Below you will find 7 compelling reasons why should be using HIIT in your exercise program.

Reason # 1. Research has compared hour-long, boring cardio workouts to 4-minute HIIT workouts and they found improvements in VO2 Max by about 14% and Imporvements in your anaerobic capacity increased by a remarkable 28%! In only 4 minutes!

Reason #2. HIIT does not chew up your muscle mass like excessive endurance exercise does. Have you ever seen a jacked marathon runner? Me either... Long slow cardio does force your body to get rid of metabolically-expensive muscle mass. That's a real problem if you want to stay lean and attractive.

Reason #3. So you can lose more subcutaneous fat than the standard long slow cardio exercise

Reason #4. Lose NINE TIMES MORE FAT for every calorie burned during exercise!

Reason #5. HIIT causes your body to burn more calories and fat AFTER the workout is completed. This means that after you finish your workout, hit the showers, and are on your way back to your home your body is burning fat stores right off of your body!

Reason # 6. Sprint intervals can be more beneficial than traditional cardio especially for middle-age and older adults. Due to the tremendous increases in growth hormone which is suspected to be a strong factor in fat loss

Reason #7. Save you time! A complete high intensity interval training workout session can be completed in only 4 minutes! Compare that to doing an hour of cardio. I don't know about you, but I don't have the time to fit in a thorough warm-up, weight training workout, an hour of cardio, a cool down and stretching.

If you want better fat loss results, faster then you should incorporate these intervals into your training program. They will help to add some much-needed variety to your training program, they will allow you to get more done in less time, and they will train your cardiovascular system in new ways that will spark renewed progress.

About the Author

Kyle Battis is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Strength Coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. His mission is to help people enrich their lives by embracing better health and fitness! To learn more about the time-saving benefits of interval training and to learn 20 sample HIIT workouts then visit: http://www.QuatroFit.com

What Foods should you give up to lose weight?

2006-05-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

Okay well this is a huge misconception, to lose weight you do not need to stop eating chocolate, fried eggs, or any other food for that matter. Don't get me wrong if you indulge in fatty foods, you are likely to gain weight, and the key to it all is MODERATION! If you go out and try and give up all unhealthy, fatty foods, then you will fail, and end up over indulging and doing yourself no favours. Eat in moderation, cut down on those vices, rather than having a chocolate bar, ration yourself to half, apply this to all unhealthy food that you tend to eat, or try and replace unhealthy snacks for fruit or something similar and your far more likely to succeed!

Add 10 Years To Your Life!!!

2006-05-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

To those who smoke reading this, it is just a plea for you to stop. Smoking has been shown in tests to cut on average 10 years off your life! It is the number one cause of respiratory diseases! For those who smoke, it is never too late to quit! Those who quit when by the age of 50 reduce the chances of dying early by 50%, those who quit by 30 almost remove any chance of dying early as a result of smoking! This shows that it is always worth giving it a shot to quit!
Here are 2 very helpful sites to help you quit smoking!
Stop smoking now

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Meditation: The Art Of Self-Recovery

2006-05-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

What you focus on determines your reality because your mind becomes active in acquiring and bringing into your reality the things that you focus on.

You bring into your experience what you focus on.

If you focus on lack, limitation, negativity, and scarcity, then that is what you bring into your experience.

If you focus on abundance, expansion, positive things, and plenty, then that is what you bring into your experience.

A moment of introspection will make this obvious.

Why, then, if it is that easy to switch our reality, from one of suffering to one of joyful experience, do we persist in injuring ourselves?

It is because we are not in charge of our minds. Rather our minds are in charge of us. We, a conscious being, are dominated by our conditioning.

This is why the practice of meditation is important.

Every time we meditate, we dissolve more and more conditioning. We get off autopilot and take over the path our ship is cruising on.

As we let go of more and more of our reflexive thinking, we start to take charge of our own minds, and our reality, slowly, creakingly, turns around for us.

Of course, this is not easy.

Yet, it's not much fun living a scattered and chaotic life either.

Until our awareness comes to the surface, we can't really expect to improve our health, boost our finances, or be able to calm the storms of a relationship. Our dreams are always one step ahead of us, lost in the mist of "someday I will…"

The path is simple. Learn a method of meditation and practice it.

The path is also difficult. You have to learn and you have to practice.

The reward, however, is immense. Increased self-awareness, increased control of your mind, and increased appreciation and meaning of your own self and life.

In many religious traditions, we are often said to be asleep.

What exactly does this mean?

It means that we are almost wholly unconscious. We think and act in ways that are not in our best interests.

A conscious person is an aware person and awareness is something that comes when we release the subconscious programs that run our lives.

A brief review of yesterday will show you how your notion of self-control and inner mastery is pretty much an illusion.

If meditation is not your thing, then try contemplation, sitting in silence, quietly reflecting on who you are and what it is that is important to you.

A daily routine where you work on raising your awareness will do you a world of good. It will, in fact, change your world, placing you in one more favorable to your interests.
Saleem Rana - EzineArticles Expert Author

Saleem Rana would love to share his inspiring ideas with you. Hunting everywhere for a life worth living? Discover the life of your dreams. His free book tells you how. http://www.theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html

Copyright 2004 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.

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How to avoid stitches

2006-05-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, stitches are probably the most annoying things that you can get when your running, second only to getting cramp.
The best method to avoid getting a stitch is very simple, it is this: Simply do not eat or drink within 2 hours of going for a run. If you follow this advice you should not get a stitch, or at least much less likely to! if you do need a drink, only drink little sips!

Follow this and enjoy your running!

Lengthen Your Life, Reduce Your Stress

2006-05-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

It has been reported that over 50% of sick days off work are due to stress, it is a pretty established fact that it really isn't good for you, and leads to several health problems. Firstly, stress leads to high blood pressure which in turn leads to heart disease, it also encourages strokes! Furthermore all young men should be aware that high stress can lead to impotence, as well as leading to depression, lethargy as well as stomach ulcers and indigestion!

So this is today’s top tip, everyday, set about an hour of your time at least to de-stress, everybody releases stress in different ways, exercise is an obvious choice at it helps you keep fit while reducing endorphins! Other methods could include hitting a punch bag, listening to music, having a relaxing bath, also perhaps just getting a few hours extra sleep a night; not getting enough sleep contributes to this!

By unwinding daily, you are likely to suffer less heart related problems later in life, as well as feeling much more energetic from day to day as well as much more productive at work!

Try Something New

2006-05-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Today’s health and fitness tip is to go out and do something new. For example try something you wouldn’t usually do e.g. rock climbing. By doing a new activity, not only will you be burning calories, you'll also be working muscles that may get omitted by your usual workouts and exercise, and as a result help you get the balanced body that you desire.
Furthermore by strengthening muscles that are usually ignored, you are reducing the risk of injury for when you may need to use that muscle group!

So get out, try a new activity, do something new and expand your horizons, you never know, you may just enjoy it!

Welcome to Health and Fitness for you!

2006-05-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Hi, and welcome to Health and Fitness, the goal of this blog is to provide you with up to date and innovative health and fitness tips, from trying different techniques in the gym, to maybe a new recipe that you could try at home to maximise your energy, and hopefully, the goal of the site being to: - help you improve your health and fitness by implementing the ideas that I shall share with you!

So here it starts, today’s tip:
1. It is wrong to believe that if you want to lose weight around your midriff then you should do 100's and 100's of sit-ups and crunches, the truth is, that when you exercise, you weight you lose is from an even distribution across your body! So my advice is this, if you want to lose weight from one particular area, don’t just focus on one exercise that works that area, do some circuit training, exercising various, different muscles allows you to burn more calories than if you were just to concentrate on one area and overwork that area and risking possible injury!