Category Archives: Exercise

Since the beginning of time, survival has been a daily struggle. Simply staying alive was physically demanding. Yet, humans in industrialized societies over the last 150 years have become spoiled. We, now, live in our minds so much of the time that we have almost forgotten that we have a body. Many people work in offices who make their living by reading, writing, speaking, and thinking, but seldom by physical labor.

From the personal health point of view, regular physical exercise does the body good.Physical exercise empowers natural health advocates to take active measures to combat disuse atrophy. If you have a personal health attitude taking the car to cross the road is out, and a workout in the gym three or four times a week is in.

Our bodies are designed to be used. Failure to use them results in your muscles deteriorating, at a steady and progressive rate. Thus, everyone should develop good, sensible habits of exercise that they can stick to for the rest of their lives. You should pay attention to three different kinds of exercise: an active lifestyle, aerobic, and anaerobic.

The objective of exercise is to improve your physical fitness.
Our editors have gathered a large range of articles, calculators, resources and links to the best sites on exercise. You should be able to find all of the information you need on exercise here.

Physical Power of Positive Thinking

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The positive thinker has quite an advantage in
that he is able to achieve his goals much quicker, devote his energy to positive
feelings toward himself and others. He’s able to drain such time consuming
thoughts, as resentment, irritations, guilt reactions, and annoyances that have
collected throughout the day and refill his mind with refreshing and happy
thoughts.

Love and positive thinking is the internal force that gives you new hope, joy
and vitality. It’s for people who truly want a powerful new lease on life!!!
Remember that your brain is the central power
station of the body. A diet that consists of mainly junk foods and sugary
carbohydrates will cause physical illness to the brain when, on the other hand a
proper nutritional diet promotes positive thinking which frees you from mental
conflict and helps you to achieve success that much sooner.

The positive thinker is able to love someone besides himself, and with the world
so full of hate, only proves the fact that the diet of today is full of junk
food. Hate will only tear your mind apart further. That’s why you naturally feel
physically good when you’re happy — your entire body is well nourished and
working together — now, isn’t that what bodybuilding is all about!?

You CAN adapt your self to any change whether
it be in diet or physical exercise! Remember, the mind governs the body. Harmful
thoughts such as: fear, hatred, anxiety and over sensitivity originate when your
brain cells are starved. Positive thinking is impossible when the mind is
undernourished, and a mind that is constantly undernourished becomes touchy and
irritable.

Your mind along with your body must be kept in top physical condition, otherwise
it will dwell on destructive thoughts towards yourself and others. With the
correct diet you are able to think positive and encourage yourself through a
tough bodybuilding routine — and the results will appear much faster.

Cardiovascular Exercise Principles and Guidelines: Part two

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For maximum effectiveness and safety, cardiovascular exercise has specific instructions on the frequency, duration, and intensity. These are the three important components of cardiovascular exercise that you really need to understand and implement in your program. In addition, your cardiovascular program should include a warm-up, a cool-down, and stretching of the primary muscles used in the exercise. The last article, part one of this two part series, explained the proper methods of warming-up, stretching, and cooling-down and discussed the frequency and duration of a sound cardiovascular routine.

You learned that cardiovascular exercise should be done a minimum of three times a week, a minimum of 20 minutes per session and should be done after a 5-10 minute warm-up (at a low intensity of 50-60% of max HR) and a 5-10 minute cool-down (at a low intensity of 50-60% of max HR) should follow. Once your muscles are warm (after warm up) and after the cardiovascular exercise, you should stretch those muscles used in the exercise.

This article, part two, discusses how to monitor exercise intensity and heart zone training.

There are several ways to monitor the exercise intensity. The best way to test the intensity is to take your heart rate during the exercise, within the first 5 minutes of your cardiovascular exercise session and again just before the cool-down.

There are two ways in which you can check your heart rate during exercise. The most accurate one is to purchase a heart-rate monitor that you strap around your chest. It will give you feedback on a digital watch that tells you exactly what your heart rate is at a specific time in the exercise session. The other way to obtain your heart rate is by palpating (feeling) either the carotid artery, the temporal artery, or the radial artery. The easiest site is either the cartoid or the radial artery. The cartoid artery may be felt by gently placing your index finger on your neck, between the middle of your collar bone and jaw line. Palpating the radial artery is done by placing your index and middle finger on the underside and thumb-side of your wrist.

When you’re taking your heart rate you measure it in beats per minute (counting the number of beats for 60 seconds). For convenience, many people take their pulse for 6 seconds and multiply that number by 10, or simply add a 0 behind the number just obtained. So, if in 6 seconds you counted 12 beats, that would mean your heart rate was 120 beats per minute (bpm). Although counting for 6 seconds is most convenient, keep in mind that the longer the time interval used, the more accurate the results will be. For example, counting your heart rate for 30 seconds and then multiplying that number by 2 will give a slightly more accurate reading than counting your heart rate for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4, or 10 seconds and multiplying by 6. What ever time interval you use, be consistent.

Heart Zone Training

How do you know if you are training too intensely or not intensely enough for what you want to achieve? This is where Heart Zone Training comes in. Refer to the chart below. The top of the chart reads “Maximum Heart Rate,” which is 100% of your heart rate (the fastest your heart will beat). This is different for everyone. To use Heart Zone Training you must first determine your maximum heart rate (max HR).

You can determine your max HR one of two ways. One way is to use the age predicted max HR formula, whereby you subtract your age from 220. So, if you are 40 years old, your predicted max HR would be 180 bpm. The other method, which is much more accurate and more individualized, is actually having a medical or fitness professional administer a max HR test for you, which is usually done on a stationery bicycle or treadmill for several minutes and requires very hard work. Thus, only those cleared by a physician should do this test. We do not explain how to administer this test because only trained professionals should do so. Please refer to the Global Health and Fitness Personal Training Directory for professionals in your area (may or may not be trained in administering a max HR test).

Once you have determined your max HR, you will need to decide what zone you want to train at. There are five different training zones separated by 10% increments, each having different characteristics and benefits.

Healthy Heart Zone

The first zone is called the Healthy Heart Zone. This is 50-60% of your max HR. This is the easiest and most comfortable zone within which to train and is the one that is best for people who are just starting an exercise program or have low functional capacity. Those of you who are walkers most likely train at this zone. Although this zone has been criticized for not burning enough total calories, and for not being intense enough to get great cardiorespiratory benefits, it has been shown to help decrease body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol. It also decreases the risk of degenerative diseases and has a low risk of injury. In this zone, 10% of carbohydrates are “burned” (used as energy), 5% of protein is burned and a whopping 85% of fat is burned.

Fitness Zone

The next zone is the Fitness Zone, which is 60-70% of your max HR. Once again, 85% of your calories burned in this zone are fats, 5% are proteins and 10% are carbohydrates. Studies have shown that in this zone you can condition your fat mobilization (getting fat out of your cells) while conditioning your fat transportation (getting fat to muscles). Thus, in this zone, you are training your fat cells to increase the rate of fat release and training your muscles to burn fat. Therefore, the benefits of this zone are not only the same as the healthy heart zone training at 50-60% but you are now slightly increasing the total number of calories burned and provide a little more cardiorespiratory benefits. You burn more total calories at this zone simply because it is more intense.

Aerobic Zone

The third zone, the Aerobic Zone, requires that you train at 70-80% of your max HR. This is the preferred zone if you are training for an endurance event. In this zone, your functional capacity will greatly improve and you can expect to increase the number and size of blood vessels, increase vital capacity and respiratory rate and achieve increases in pulmonary ventilation, as well as increases in arterial venous oxygen. Moreover, stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per heart beat) will increase, and your resting heart rate will decrease. What does all this mean? It means that your cardiovascular and respiratory system will improve and you will increase the size and strength of your heart. In this zone, 50% of calories burned are from carbohydrates, 50% are from fat and less than 1% is from protein. And, because there is an increase in intensity, there is also an increase in the total number of calories burned.

Anaerobic Zone

The next training zone is called the Threshold or Anaerobic zone, which is 80-90% of your max HR. Benefits include an improved VO2 maximum (the highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise) and thus an improved cardiorespiratory system, and a higher lactate tolerance ability which means your endurance will improve and you’ll be able to fight fatigue better. Since the intensity is high, more calories will be burned than within the other three zones. Although more calories are burned in this zone, 85% of the calories burned are from carbohydrates, 15% from fat and less than 1% are from protein.

Red-line Zone

The last training zone is called the Redline Zone, which is 90-100% of your max HR. Remember, training at 100% is your maximum heart rate (maximum HR), your heart rate will not get any higher. This zone burns the highest total number of calories and the lowest percentage of fat calories. Ninety percent of the calories burned here are carbohydrates, only 10% are fats and again less than one percent is protein. This zone is so intense that very few people can actually stay in this zone for the minimum 20 minutes, or even five minutes (you should only train in this zone if you are in very good shape and have been cleared by a physician to do so). Usually, people use this zone for interval training. For example, one might do three minutes in the Aerobic Zone and then one minute in this Redline Zone and then back to the Aerobic Zone (this is called interval training and will be discussed further in a future article).

I hope you have found the information in this article helpful. You now have the knowledge to achieve the results you desire and the benefits your body deserves.

Your greatest challenge, however, is not learning new cardiovascular exercises or the proper technique; it’s not learning the heart rate zone to train at for your goals and interests or how to monitor the intensity. Nor is it deciding when to try new cardiovascular exercises. The greatest challenge facing you at this moment is deciding whether you are willing to take action and make time for yourself and make cardiovascular exercise a priority.

When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change well worth the effort. Action creates motivation! Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of an effective cardiovascular exercise program.

Cardiovascular Exercise Principles and Guidelines: Part One

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For maximum effectiveness and safety, cardiovascular exercise has specific instructions on the frequency, duration, and intensity. These are the three important components of cardiovascular exercise that you really need to understand and implement in your program. In addition, your cardiovascular program should include a warm-up, a cool-down, and stretching of the primary muscles used in the exercise. This article is part one of a two part series discussing the very important principles and guidelines of a safe and effective cardiovascular exercise program. Part one will explain the proper methods of warming-up, stretching, and cooling-down and discuss the frequency and duration of a sound cardiovascular routine. Part two will discuss how to monitor exercise intensity and heart zone training.

Warming Up and Stretching
One very common mistake is stretching before muscles are warmed-up. It is important to stretch after your muscles are warm (after blood has circulated through them). Never stretch a cold muscle. First warm up. A warm-up should be done for at least 5-10 minutes at a low intensity. Usually, the warm-up is done by doing the same activity as the cardiovascular workout but at an intensity of 50-60% of maximum heart rate (max HR). After you’ve warmed-up for 5-10 minutes at a relatively low intensity, your muscles should be warm. To prevent injury and to improve your performance, you should stretch the primary muscles used in the warm up before proceeding to the cardiovascular exercise.

Cooling Down

The cool down is similar to the warm-up in that it should last 5-10 minutes and be done at a low intensity (50-60% of max HR). After you have completed your cardiovascular exercise and cooled-down properly, it is now important that you stretch the primary muscles being used. Warming-up, stretching, and cooling-down are very important to every exercise session. They not only help your performance levels and produce better results, they also drastically decrease your risk of injury.

Frequency of Exercise
The first component of cardiovascular exercise is frequency of the exercise, which refers to the number of exercise sessions per week. To improve both cardiovascular fitness and to decrease body fat or maintain body fat at optimum levels, you should exercise (cardiovascularly) at least three days a week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends three to five days a week for most cardiovascular programs. Those of you who are very out of shape and/or who are overweight and doing weight-bearing cardiovascular exercise such as an aerobics class or jogging, might want to have at least 36 to 48 hours of rest between workouts to prevent an injury and to promote adequate bone and joint stress recovery.

Duration of Exercise
The second component of cardiovascular exercise is the duration, which refers to the time you’ve spent exercising. The cardiovascular session, not including the warm-up and cool-down, should vary from 20-60 minutes to gain significant cardiorespiratory and fat burning-benefits. Each time you do your cardiovascular exercise, try to do at least 20 minutes or more. Of course, the longer you go, the more calories and fat you’ll “burn” and the better you’ll condition your cardiovascular system. All beginners, especially those who are out of shape, should take a very conservative approach and train at relatively low intensities (50-70% max HR) for 10-25 minutes. As you get in better shape, you can gradually increase the duration of time you exercise.

It is important that you gradually increase the duration before you increase the intensity. That is, when beginning a walking program for example, be more concerned with increasing the number of minutes of the exercise session before you increase the intensity, by increasing your speed or by walking hilly terrain.

Please check back for Part Two, where I’ll discuss how to monitor your training intensity and how to use heart zone training to achieve the specific results you desire. Until then, remember that cardiovascular exercise should be done a minimum of three times a week and a minimum of 20 minutes per session. Once your muscles are warm (after warm up) and after the cardiovascular exercise, you should stretch those muscles used in the exercise. For example, after bicycling, stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hips, and low back. After doing the rowing machine, stretch your legs, back, biceps, and shoulders. Good luck and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of cardiovascular exercise.

The Functional Training Craze

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By Jesse Cannone CPRS, CFT, SPN

In the past few years I’ve seen a huge
transition in the fitness industry. More and more people are using functional
training, and some argue it’s the only way to train. The purpose of this
article is to give people an understanding of what functional training is, and
what it does and does not do.First, lets look at what functional actually means.

Functional 1. capable of operating or functioning, 2. capable of serving the
purpose for which it was intended (Webster’s Encyclopedia 2nd Edition, 1996)

Based on that definition, you can draw many
conclusions as to what is functional. Depending upon who you ask, you will most
likely get a diverse variety of responses as to what is functional. All human
movement is a combination of various functions. Human movement cannot take place
without muscular function. According to the functional training “experts”,
functional training use s b ands, balls, free-weights, and plyometric exercises
in an attempt to condition the body in an un-stable environment. Many of the
experts feel that performing exercises that mimic activities or specific skills
is the most effective way to train, regardless of ones goal.

What is the safest, most efficient and effective way to optimize human
performance?

Factors Affecting Human Performance

In order to maximize human performance, you must have a good understanding of
what affects performance. The factors that play the greatest role in performance
are: Power (Strength and Speed), Agility (Flexibility/Mobility/Stability),
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditioning, Sport Skill (Neuromuscular
Coordination and Efficiency), and Genetic Potential.

Let’s take a look at each factor and determine which training methods are
going to deliver optimal results. By optimal results, I mean the greatest amount
of improvement, with the least amount of risk, and in the shortest amount of
time.

Power

Power = Force x Distance

Time

Power can be increased three ways.

1. Increase Force (Strength)

What is the most effective method of increasing strength and/or muscle tissue?
In my opinion, High Intensity Strength Training is the most productive, safe,
and time efficient approach available. I am not stating that one set of each
exercise is the best choice. My definition of High Intensity Training is:
training to momentary muscular failure, with brief and infrequent workouts in
which all variables are prescribed based on the individuals: goals, age, current
fitness level, fiber types, personal preference, and past experience.

The purpose of strength training is to increase strength and lean body mass, NOT
for training a specific skill or movement—that’s called practice! People
strength train for many reasons and there are many methods that work. For years,
many trainers and coaches have had their clients and athletes perform Olympic
lift s b ecause they feel it will transfer over into the performance of their
skill. Numerous studies have shown that the neurological transfer of skills is
not optimal unless the skill is practiced EXACTLY as it is performed in
competition. Therefore, performing power clean s b ecause you play football is
NOT optimal. Performing power-cleans will only get you better at performing
power-cleans! Focus on increasing strength and lean body mass, and practice your
skill exactly as it is performed during competition.

2. Increase Speed

Increasing the speed at which a skill is performed is another great way to
improve power. Speed is primarily predetermined by the individual’s genetic
make up. However, that does not mean that you cannot improve speed by practicing
the skill EXACTLY as it is performed in competition. A great deal of focus
should be placed on perfecting the technique. By practicing the skill in this
manner, you will improve neuromuscular efficiency, which will result in faster
and more accurate performance.

3. Increase Distance (flexibility/range of motion)

Increasing flexibility is another way to improve power. By increasing
flexibility, you increase the distance that force is applied which results in an
increase in power.

The safest and most effective method to increase flexibility i s b y performing
full range of motion exercises and incorporating a sound stretching routine.

Agility

Improving ones agility is another way of optimizing performance. Agility drills
should be SPECIFIC to the activity or event. For example, having someone do
Plyometric jumps off of boxes is NOT specific to someone who plays basketball!
Yes, a basketball player jumps, but not off of boxes. Having the athlete
practice jumping from the floor would be much more specific to their sport.
Always ask yourself, “What is the goal?” “Is what I’m doing going to
give me the outcome I desire?” “Is it optimal?”

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditioning

Increasing cardio/respiratory output and endurance is another factor that has a
major impact on performance. This topic is one of such importance that it is
beyond the scope of this article. In general, if you increase the individual’s
cardiovascular and respiratory output and endurance, there will be a
corresponding increase in performance. Cardiovascular training should also be
specifically geared towards improving the individuals conditioning in the
metabolic pathway in which they compete or perform. For example, someone who
plays tennis should primarily train at a slow to moderate pace and incorporate
bursts of high intensity effort. Interval training would be a good choice for
this individual. Keep the training specific to the individual.

Sport Skill

This is an area in which there is a lot of confusion among many athletes,
coaches, and trainers. Skill acquisition and strength levels are two completely
different things. Therefore, they should be trained separately, and with
different methods. In order to optimize the performance of a specific skill or
movement, it needs to be practiced EXACTLY as it is performed in competition. It
ha s b een shown that each activity or movement has it’s own neuromuscular
pathway, and that just because a movement is similar does NOT mean there will be
a positive transfer or carryover of skill. In order to maximize performance the
individual should attempt to perfect their movement or skill with endless hours
of practice. The goal of practice should be to improve the technique, accuracy,
and increase the speed at which the skill can be performed. This topic was
addressed earlier in the section titled “Increase Force.”

Genetic Potential

This is the factor that I have found to have the greatest impact on human
performance. Genetic potential is something many people overlook. Regardless of
what methods of training I use, I will never be a world-class marathoner. I can
train twice a week or I can train 5 hours a day, it still won’t change the
fact that my body wasn’t designed to excel at endurance activities. I hear of
too many coaches and trainers having people follow dangerous training programs
in an attempt to drastically improve their performance. This is not to say that
you cannot improve performance. When training yourself or a competitive athlete,
always set realistic goals. As stated earlier, the best thing to do is utilize
the most effective methods available and work hard!

Difference s between Functional Training and Machine Based Training

Most, if not all of the so-called functional exercises, fail to supply constant
and variable resistance. Most quality machines supply constant tension and
variable resistance based on the strength curve of the particular muscle, and
track proper joint function.

For example, compare dumbbell bicep curls on a Swis s b all to a bicep curl on a
quality machine (such as Hammer Strength.) While performing the dumbbell curl,
there is no tension on the biceps in the bottom or top positions. The resistance
is greatest when the dumbbell is perpendicular to the floor. The amount of
stimulus is also decreased due to the fact that the individual must balance
his/her self on the ball. While using a machine, there is constant tension on
the biceps and the amount of tension varies during the exercise based on the
strength curve of the biceps muscle. Which is going to make the individual
stronger? Which is going to stimulate more muscle fibers in the biceps?

In my opinion, machine based training is by far superior if the goal is to
increase strength, and/or muscle tissue. Keep in mind that more muscle equates
to a faster, stronger, and better athlete, providing they practice their
specific skill or movement.

This is not to say that functional exercises serve no purpose. There are
benefits to functional exercise; just not as many as some people are lead to
believe. Exercise selection and the training methods used should be based on the
individual’s goals. Instances where functional training may be effective would
be in individuals who need to improve balance, stability, and neuromuscular
coordination.

Below is a chart that shows the differences between Functional Training and Machine Based Training.


Machine-Based Training Functional Training
Provides constant and variable
resistance
Movement tracks proper joint function
Effectively overloads musculature (if
used properly)
Safer to perform
Many machines available to work every
muscle in the body		 Very effective at improving
balance, stability, and coordination
Does NOT effectively overload target
musculature
Does NOT provide optimal transfer of
skill performance
Very difficult to measure and monitor
progress
Higher chance of injury


Conclusion

Functional training obviously has some benefit, and can be a great addition to a
well-designed strength program. However, I personally feel it should never take
the place of a structured strength training routine. I recommend using a
combination approach, which utilizes machines, free-weights, bodyweight, balls,
bands, and anything that is going to deliver the desired results. Always
remember that training for strength and/or increases in muscle tissue and
training for skill are two completely different things. When designing or
assessing a training program the following questions should be asked. What is
the goal? Is it time efficient? Is it safe? Is it delivering the desired
results? Is it optimal?

References

1. Schmidt, R. A : Motor Learning and Performance – From Principles to
Practice. Human Kinetics Books; Champaign , IL 1991

2. Bryzcki, Matt : A Practical Approach to Strength Training, Masters Press;
Indianapolis , IN 1995

3. Magil, R : Motor Learning – Concepts and Application, 4th Edition, C. Brown
Publishing, Madison , Wisconsin 1993

4. Chek, Paul : What is Functional Exercise? (Article), C.H.E.K Institute

5. Calais-Germaine, Blandine : Anatomy of Movement, Easterland Press, Seattle ,
WA 1993

6. Tortora, Gerard, J : Principles of Human Anatomy, 5th Edition, Harper Collins
Publishers, New York , NY 1989

7. Stein, Alan : Improving Athletic Power (Article), Hard Training Newsletter

8. Manny, Ken : Skill Development : An Open and Closed Case (Article)
www.naturalstrength.com

9. Kielbaso, Jim : Plyos – My Story (Article) www.cyberpump.com

Exercise: The key to weight loss

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As we grow older it seems that we are in a constant battle with our waistline, The older we get the harder it is to lose weight.

Many of us have tried various fad diets which may take the weight off in the short run but undoubtedly it comes right back. In fact. over 95% of dieters will put the weight back on plus an extra five pounds.

Diets Just don’t work. The key to permanent weight loss is through exercise and proper nutrition through behavior modification.
When we diet were losing fat and also muscle. This decrease in muscle mass will cause our metabolism to slow down. so we are unable to burn as many calories. As we age this naturally begins to occur. After our mid 20s our metabolic rate decrease& by approximately five percent per decade. One explanation for this is that our muscle mass decreases and our body fat increases due to inactivity. We get caught up in our work and spend our leisure time in front of the TV instead of taking care of our bodies. Being overweight in one of the major causes of hypertension, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer and an overall lackluster feeling.

As many dieters know, the weight is going to come back faster and faster the more you diet. Whether you’re eating pre-packaged foods, diet shakes. or grapefruits and water, you’re not going to be able to stay with it forever without going crazy. When you see that chocolate cake you won’t be able to just have one piece you’re likely to cat the whole thing. It’s a vicious cycle.

There to good news. Something can break this cycle–exercise. in order to lose weight we must create a caloric deficit, that is. we must expend more calories that we are consuming. This is done through exercise and proper nutrition, not fad diets. Through exercise we are able to burn calories and add muscle. For every pound of muscle we obtain, an extra 350 calories per week is burned in order to sustain this. We’ll be using up extra calories even while we sleep.

Aerobic exercises, such as walking and jogging. are excellent ways to bum calories. Always begin with a warm-up period of 3-5 minutes. gradually reaching your target heart rate. (Me is 60 to So percent of your maximal heart, which is estimated at 220-age. For example. if you are 60 yrs. old your target heart would be 96 beats per minute through 128 beats per minute.) Always start at the low end of your target heart rate. Exercising in this range for 15 through 20 minutes will allow for fat reduction to occur. A cool down of 3 to 5 minutes is recommended as this allow* for your heart rate to gradually return to normal.

Remember, consult your physician about any exercise program you are considering.

In order to shape and tone our bodies we need to do body shaping exercises. This will add muscle and firmness to our physiques. Many women tend to deposit fat around their thighs and buttocks, while males tend to put fat around their stomachs.

Here are a few exercises that can help tighten these areas.

Outer thigh lift: Lying on your right side with your hips and ankles in line with your shoulders, slowly lift your left leg as high as possible, hold, then return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions and switch sides.

Inner thigh lift: Lying on your left side with your hips and ankles in line with your shoulder. right knee is bent to 90* angle. Slowly lift your left leg as high as possible. hold, then return to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions and switch sides.

Abdominal crunches: Lying on your back with knees bent and hand behind your head, slowly curl your shoulders up. pause, slowly lower to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.

You will notice that you will be much more conscience of the foods you’re eating when you exercise. Since you’ll be taking care of your body you won’t want to fill it up with junk foods.

It is best to eat three well balanced meals and two nutritious snacks in between. This will help eliminate the binge eating that often happens when meals are skipped. Try to drink plenty of water and eat high fiber foods since this will give you a full feeling without adding extra calories.

The key to any exercise program is to get proper instruction. A competent personal trainer will make all the difference.

Jeff Rutstein is president of Custom Fitness, a one-on-one personal training company. Jeff has a degree from UMass / Amherst and is a certified personal and weight training instructor. Visit his website at http://www.customfitness.com and/or e-mail him at jeff@customfitness.com

Setting and Achieving Milestone Fitness Goals Promotes Healthy Living

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Too many people sign up for exercise programs only to quit after a
few sessions. The most popular excuses include, “I don’t have time,” “I’m
too tired,” and “It’s not working for me.”

“Rather than just saying you’ll go to the gym a few days a week and then
breaking that promise, we encourage people to set specific goals for themselves
and build a defined exercise and diet program to achieve them,” says Kendall
Harrell, personal training manager for Life Time Fitness, a national health,
fitness and nutrition company.

Harrell says setting a specific goal allows the individual to focus on
training and drives motivation to exercise. “It’s a lot easier to make it to
the finish line if you have the goal in sight,” adds Harrell.

For this reason, Life Time Fitness produces a series of athletic events,
which serve as milestone challenges for members and non-members alike, who are
seeking to set and achieve their fitness goals. At any point in time, thousands
of amateur athletes from across the country and around the world are in training
for these events.

Perhaps the most significant upcoming event is the 2004 Life Time Fitness
Triathlon. scheduled to take place Saturday, July 17, 2004, in Minneapolis, Minn.
The world-class event will feature same day network television coverage, the
sport’s largest prize purse, and an exciting field of the best professional
triathletes from around the world. What’s more, some 2,300 amateur athletes
participate in the event, competing against each other on the same course as the
professionals.

Why? Harrell says it’s all about establishing a destination event that
supports your health and fitness goals. “Deciding to compete in an event like
the triathlon really challenges you to get in shape. The first step is to
register. Once you commit to the event, you know the date and, importantly, the
amount of time you have to train until your competition. This can be a key
motivator in terms of establishing and sticking to your defined fitness regimen,”
says Harrell.

Life Time Fitness Triathlon Training Courses, tailored for beginners and
advanced triathletes alike, are offered in the months and weeks leading up to
the race. The weekly courses educate people on training schedules, strength and
pace training, and the use of training equipment. Athletes also receive
instruction in swim, bike, run and transition skills, and benefit from the
opportunity to consult with a triathlon coach.

But, if a triathlon seems a bit too daunting, plenty of other similar goals
are well within your reach. For example, consider running in your first five or
ten kilometer race. Life Time Fitness offers 5k Reindeer Run events in several
markets nationwide. The company also sponsors the Life Time Fitness Desert Dash,
an annual adventure race in Nevada, for those seeking even more thrilling
fitness challenges.

What’s important is less about the specific event, but rather, taking
advantage of an event to help you maintain your health, fitness and nutrition
program. So, take the initiative to find an athletic event that sounds fun and
challenging. Then, set your fitness goals and come up with a plan for achieving
them. It’s never too late to pursue a healthy way of life!

For more information about Life Time Fitness health, fitness and nutrition
programs and services, or Life Time Fitness athletic events, log onto
www.lifetimefitness.com or call (866) 321-7575.

Courtesy of ARA Content

For a leaner stomach, exercise and get good nutrition

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How do I get a lean stomach?
Best results are exercise, and menu planning for nutritional benefits. Each person is different, and needs a specialized plan to eat certain foods, especially for allergies.

Exercise should include abdominal muscle strengthening: contracting your stomach muscles for strong “abs,” and optimal pelvic area for circulation. This is called the abdominal crunch. To accomplish this, lie down in a horizontal position, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor. Roll your upper body forward, contract your stomach muscles, and release after holding for a count of 15 or 20, then let go. Repeat as many times as possible, being sure not to push hard beyond your ability. Start slowly and steadily build up. Make this a daily routine.

Lift your shoulder blades off the ground, hold the pose, contract your stomach mus cles and lower yourself slowly. Repeat this three or four times, gradually building up. Most exercises need to be done every other day for the rest of your life.

Get a bicycle with a comfortable, padded seat and start moving your legs vigorously.

Ride around our beautiful island and take note of the beautiful scenery as you are increase your circulation. For beginners, take it slowly to start and you will reap your rewards. It is advisable to consult with your doctor before embarking on any exercise program.

Ask your nutritionist about high energy foods that will help you build muscles and strength. Remember, it takes work, time and your patience for as much as several months to achieve optimum results.

The true affects of Caffeine on our bodies

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Caffeine is found in everything from face creams to coffee. But its effects aren’t yet fully known, reports Joanna Bounds.

We’re a nation of drug users. We take our first hit in the morning and many of us continue throughout our working day.

Addicts say they can’t function without their daily dose of caffeine. Globally, we consume 120,000 tonnes of the stuff each year, making it the most widely-consumed psychoactive substance in the world. And most of our caffeine intake comes in the form of a cup of coffee or can of cola.

And while caffeine consumption is deeply-entrenched in society, the “good” versus “bad” debate has been going on for centuries. This may be because caffeine has the same pharmacological effects on the body as many substances deemed harmful – although that doesn’t stop nine out of 10 people throughout the world using it regularly, say Alan Weinberg and Bonnie Bealer, authors of The World Of Caffeine (Routledge). high times There are many ways of ingesting our drug of choice. Besides coffee, tea and chocolate we can get our kicks from “energy” drinks and over-the-counter medicines. In the US there are caffeine tablets, caffeinated waters, and even lickable caffeine-infused lipsticks from US cosmetics company Hard Candy. Yet the effects of caffeine still aren’t fully understood.

“Caffeine’s effects on the body are complex,” says John Miners, professor in clinical pharmacology at the Flinders University of South Australia. “It affects the nervous system, the brain, the bodily organs, respiratory system and metabolic activity. But there’s still a fair amount of work left to be done on caffeine.” What is known for sure is that caffeine causes the body to release adrenaline, resulting in the “fight or flight” response, which enabled our hairy ancestors to run from sabre-tooth tigers. And, of course, gives you that morning buzz.

But, in the case of caffeine toxicity, it’s also been proven that it can be a killer. High doses of caffeine have resulted in roughly 20 deaths in Australia. The last fatality occurred a few years ago, when a 25-year-old woman collapsed in a bar after drinking a guarana-based tonic (which has since been taken off the shelves). Because the woman had a heart condition, she was careful to keep her caffeine intake low, yet the drink’s packaging did not indicate its high caffeine content.

“Some caffeine-based drinks are called “smart”, “happy” or “energy” drinks,” says Rebecca Smith, food policy officer for the Australian Consumers Association (ACA). “Others are marketed as a thirst quencher and are not the best way to rehydrate after exercise as caffeine inhibits the absorption of water.” The proliferation of such drinks has led to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Ministerial Council forming a policy stating that caffeine cannot be added to any other products besides cola and energy drinks and those that do contain caffeine must be labelled clearly.

“There is no doubt that the concentration of caffeine in soft drinks and energy drinks has a marked pharmacological effect, which people need to be aware of,” says Professor Miners. “People monitor the amount of caffeine they drink but are unaware of the concentration of caffeine in other products. Energy drinks are the main area of concern.”

Even though death by coffee isn’t a concern for most of us, kick-starting the day with a large latte can lead to a caffeine addiction.

“Caffeine has the same sort of mechanism as cocaine or heroin, but
obviously with much less effect. This is part of the reason why people become
addicted to it,” says naturopath Ilana Lamont.

If you’re trying to kick the habit she advises weaning yourself off caffeine, rather than going cold turkey, and says withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, fatigue and depression. And it doesn’t take long for withdrawal symptoms to kick in.
“A lot of people get tired and depressed when they are coming down from the effects of caffeine,” says Lamont. “And that can be as soon a couple of hours after they’ve drunk their last coffee. Which is when they reach for the next cup. So it’s a vicious cycle.”
addicted to mug And be aware, says Professor Miners, that caffeine ffects people differently.

“In terms of effects on the body, and the rate at which it is eliminated, individuals handle caffeine in different ways,” he says.

“It’s influenced by factors such as age (children eliminate caffeine more quickly) and whether you smoke or not. Smokers eliminate caffeine at twice the rate of non-smokers. That’s why some people get heart palpitations and others don’t, and why it keeps some people awake but not others.”

And caffeine-induced insomnia isn’t urprising when you think that, if you drink a large cup of coffee at 3pm, 50 per cent of the caffeine will still be in your body six hours later. The reason it keeps you awake, says Lamont, is because the caffeine is stimulating your brain at a period of time when it’s not meant to be active.

Some people should avoid caffeine more than others. Pregnant women are especially at risk, as revealed by a study by Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark earlier this year. It showed that women who drink more than eight cups of coffee a day triple their risk of having a stillborn baby compared with non-coffee drinkers. A report in the Lancet Medical Journal also revealed that women who drink more than one cup of coffee a day are half as likely to conceive as those who drink less than a cup a day, as caffeine stimulates the production of chemicals in the body that slow conception.

user friendly But it’s not all bad news – caffeine does have ome positive effects too. Researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered that giving prematurely-born babies minute amounts of caffeine, rather than the drugs that are currently used, is a safer option when it comes to treating breathing problems.

Caffeine is also useful when it comes to the morning-after. A hangover equals a headache because alcohol enlarges the blood vessels in your brain. Caffeine does the opposite and constricts blood vessels, hence its use in over-the-counter painkillers.

It’s been proven that drinking a cup of coffee before exercising enables you to work out for almost a third longer. Plus, researchers at the Australian Institute of Sport have discovered that caffeine triggers muscles to start using fat as an energy source instead of carbohydrates.

So, is caffeine good? Or is caffeine bad? The solution to the onundrum, says Lamont, is to carefully monitor how much you’re putting into your body.

“Keep a log of how much chocolate, ola, coffee and tea you’re having each day,” she says. “Have a couple of cups of coffee a day, but not eight or nine, and drink lots of water to counteract its diuretic effect. Keep your intake to a minimum and you won’t be doing your body as much harm.”

beauty buzz As well as putting affeine into your body, the latest innovation is rubbing it into your skin. Facial toners, cellulite creams and body-contouring products now often contain caffeine, with companies claiming that it helps to firm and tighten.

French cosmetics company Clarins uses caffeine in some of its products, including face creams such as Contouring Facial Lift, and Shiseido’s celebrated anti-cellulite Body Creator also contains caffeine. The Fuji Spinning Company in Japan has even manufactured caffeine-infused underwear which, it claims, helps activate fat-dissolving enzymes.

Beauty insiders claim that caffeine-based creams work as diuretics, draining fatty cells of fluid resulting in firmer skin. But health professionals are dubious about the beauty benefits of the drug.

“It’s difficult to see the reason for including caffeine in beauty products,” says Professor John Miners.

And naturopath Ilana Lamont thinks it may just be another in a long ine of wonder compounds touted by cosmetics companies. “I can see no viable way that caffeine does anything,” she says. “I think it’s little more than the latest trend in the beauty world.”

Be fit and enjoy a healthy heart

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Young adults who are unfit are three to six times more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments in middle age that put them at greater risk of heart disease or stroke, according to a new study.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that increasing fitness decreased the risk by as much as 50 per cent.

The study was published in the Journal’s December 17 issue.

“If all the young adults in our study had been fit, there would have been nearly a third fewer cases of high blood pressure, diabetes and metabolic syndrome,” said Mercedes Carnethon of Northwestern University, lead author of the study.

“Given the epidemic of obesity in the United States and the decline in people’s physical activity, its important that Americans take steps to improve their physical fitness.”

Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death for Americans.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, nearly 13 million Americans have heart disease and nearly five million have had a stroke.

The study is the first major one to research how the role fitness plays in the development of coronary risk factors in healthy young adults.

Researchers tracked more than 4,400 men and women between the ages of 18 to 30 for 15 years, but about 2,500 had their cardiopulmonary fitness retested after sevenyears to measure changes in fitness.

Fitness was measured with an exercise treadmill test

Tennis fitness

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Fancy a game of tennis? If you’re after a body of steel then your answer should be yes.

Tennis is a brilliant game and for a number of surprising reasons. For starters, it’s enormous fun. Secondly you can do it with friends and enjoy a bit of catch-up all at the same time and thirdly, it can help you build a rock-hard body, toned legs and firm arms.

That’s right, tennis may appear civilised, but in reality it’s anything but. As anyone who has played the game will tell you, tennis is a sweat-inducing, muscle burning, full-body workout. You only need to look at the incredible physiques of Venus Williams or Mark Philippoussis to see that.

“Tennis is a great workout,” says Mike Hetherington, a professional tennis teacher at Cooper Park Tennis Centre, Double Bay, in Sydney.

“It pretty much works your whole body. Tennis players have good legs and bottoms and their shoulders are great, too.”

If that hasn’t convinced you, then think about this. Your average game of tennis burns up roughly 500 kilojoules in 15 minutes. That equates to 1000kj in 30 minutes, 150kj in 45 minutes and close to a whopping 2000kj in just 60 minutes. Accordingly, just a couple of casual games a week and you’ll soon see the difference. Not only that, but your aerobic capacity will go through the roof, your hand-eye coordination will improve, as will your balance. So, who’s for a game?

playing by the rules
Traditionally tennis is played with two or four people. The idea is that you hit the ball over the net and between one another for as long as possible. If the game is played by the rules (and that’s entirely up to you) the ball should land within the white lines. If you’re playing doubles you only need worry about the white line behind you. If you’re playing singles, however, the ball cannot go past the white line behind you or into the sections on either side of the tennis court.

It sounds simple enough but when you’re just starting out (and actually even when you’re pretty good), it can be tricky to get the ball to go exactly where you’d like it to. The good news about that is that if the ball lands on the line it’s considered to be in. Excellent.

The main aim of tennis is to get more points and therefore win, but there’s much more to it than that. Like having a blast, for example.

“Tennis makes you fit which is great,” says Hetherington, who has competed throughout Australia and the US. “It’s a social game as well and it’s great for anyone from five to 85. And it involves plenty of adrenaline. It’s a great challenge to hit the ball and keep it going and when you do it’s extremely satisfying.”

doing it right
If you like the sound of all that then you might want to have a lesson. Sure, you can hop on the court and just bash the ball about, but it will be more satisfying if you pick up a few basics, and an instructor can show you how.

If you have a lesson one of the first things you’ll learn is how to hold a tennis racquet properly.

“You can pick a racquet up and have a go, but you won’t do it right,” says Hetherington. “You have to learn the swing pattern.”

The swing pattern includes the back swing, the follow through and the contact point. “With good instruction you can pick it up pretty quickly,” says Hetherington.

“You learn a bit each lesson and you pick up even more the next time round.”

And don’t worry about coordination. “We see plenty of people who aren’t the best when it comes to hand eye coordination, but we can definitely teach them how to play and well. It just takes a little bit longer,” says Hetherington.

you will need
Before you hit the court you’ll need to look the part. That means a tennis skirt or dress for women and shorts and shirt for men. Clothing should allow plenty of give and fabrics that keep sweat away from the body are perfect. Tennis gets hot.

Of course, you’ll need racquet. Beginners should make sure they look for racquets that are lightweight and oversized.

“The larger the frame, the easier it is to hit the ball,” he explains. “And the lighter the racquet, the easier it is to swing so you have more control.”

A good-quality racquet will cost between $80 to $150, but get advice before you purchase. “Don’t just grab one off the shelves,” says Wolford. “You need the one that’s right for you.”

You’ll also need specifically designed tennis shoes. These will have a non-marking sole and will provide cushioning and, in particular, ankle support.

And finally, don’t forget tennis balls. They’re about $10 for three.

stretch me
Before you hit the court, warm up for five or 10 minutes (a quick walk or a gentle jog will do the trick) and then perform some basic stretches. Tennis players frequently damage their wrists and forearms so ensure you work on this area. Also, stretch your shoulders and mid-back, your thighs both rear (hamstrings) and front (quadriceps) and your calves. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds and push yourself to the level of discomfort only. If you experience pain stop immediately and check in with a GP or physiotherapist to ensure you’re not injured.

learning the lingo
If you’re going to play tennis, or pretend you do, there’s a few important terms you need to know. Learn these and you’ll be a smash hit on any court.

• serve This is the overhead shot that starts every point. For it to be a success, the ball must land in the other player’s service box.
• ace The term used when a serve is successful – meaning the other player has not been able to return it.
• deuce This is when the score is tied at 40-40.
• game This is where the points are tallied. It goes like this – 15, 30, 40 then game. Games make sets and sets make a match.
• love A scoring term used when the score is zero. You can shake your head and act disappointed when you hear this.
• rally When the ball is hit back and forth over the net. When this happens it’s time to get up on your feet and cheer. Well, at the end of the rally anyway.
• baseline This is the line at the end of the court. Simple really.
• alley The area that runs between the singles and doubles sidelines.
• break point This is when the player receiving the serve has a chance to win the game on the point. Very exciting stuff!
• volley When a player hits the ball before it bounces it’s called a volley.