Does that sound familiar? The majority of us live a hurried life. Our schedules do not allow much time to just be still because there are too many "shoulds" on our to-do list. Then if we do take some time to relax, we feel guilty or feel we are behind on our schedule.
I found myself in this "state" this last weekend. Life had been going so fast that I was losing track of what day it was. Finally, even though I was tired and would've loved to sit in my recliner in front of the TV, I decided to take my dog for a walk in the park. While at the park, I managed to stop at various places to stretch my legs. I thought I would be more tired but I was actually feeling better. I decided I had done enough for the day and decided to go to bed early and do some reading. But first... I took a Melatonin tablet. I had read an article about how staying up late and stress depleted Melatonin from the body so I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I had the strangest dream which seemed to last a long time. (It could have lasted a few minutes but seemed to go on an on.) It was not a nightmare but seemed to engage me in a way that I did not get the rest I was looking to get. Anyway, I know that everyone is different and would have a different experience from Melatonin. I must caution you that you may not get the rest you need.
What I know will work for me to get me totally relaxed is a warm bubble bath, some mild stretches while in the bathtub followed by a calcium/magnesium tablet. The stretches I do in the bath tub are the back of the legs, putting my arms through the ranges of motion, putting my neck through the ranges of motion, cat stretch and while kneeling with arm stretched upward I stretch the sides of the torso bending from side to side. This helps to work some of the kinks out of the muscles and gets my body ready to totally let go.
Learn effective stretches. Add some stretches to your survival kit to be performed as needed
by going here: http://www.myfitness24-7.com/category/155446
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
How To Lose The Most Fat With Walking
By David Grisaffi,
CHEKCorrective Exercise KinesiologistGolf Biomechanic CertifiedNutrition and Lifestyle Coach
Three universal goals nearly all of us share are: (1) to live longer,(2) to live free of illness and (3) to control our weight. Amazingly,walking lets us achieve all three. In fact, walking may be your bestmedicine for slowing the aging process, reducing your chances of illnessand slashing your body fat. For anyone out of shape or not athletically-inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat answer to lifelongconditioning. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a little time, a fewguidelines from a fitness professional and you're ready to go.
Unfortunately, there's more misinformation floating around today aboutfitness walking and weight loss than ever before. Some experts even saywalking is not effective for weight loss at all and they insist thatonly higher intensity forms of cardio will do anything to improve yourbody composition. Others fitness experts believe that you should not docardiovascular exercise every day - even walking.
There may be a little truth in each of those statements, however,walking always was and still is one of the best exercises forstrengthening your bones, controlling your weight, toning the muscles inyour lower body, maintaining good posture and improving your self image.
Walking uses almost every muscle in the body, it improves circulation ofblood to the joints and massages the blood vessels, keeping them moreelastic. Walking also helps you maintain muscle and an efficientmetabolism as you get older (not to mention keeping you young "inspirit.")
Walking is incredibly convenient too. Since you don’t need a gym or anyspecial equipment, you can walk any place, at any time and that allowsyou to lose weight and get fit with little or no interruption to yourbusy schedule.
People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Althoughyour weight may initially drop while dieting, weight loss from lowcalorie and especially low carb diets consists mostly of water andmuscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoidgetting fatter over time, you must increase your metabolism byexercising daily.
To get the maximum benefits of a walking program, you need make it morechallenging than a leisurely "walk in the park." Walking at a steady andbrisk pace burns more fat simply because it burns more calories. Justremember to begin slowly to avoid muscle soreness, and increase yourpace over time as you become more fit.
To lose weight, it's ideal to alternate your walking sessions betweenhigh intensity and lower intensity days. For example, on one day walkfor 30- 45 minutes as a steady and moderate pace. On the next day, walkat a faster pace. You could even do "road work" like the boxers do,where you break up your walk along the route with some sets of squats,lunges, bench push ups or other body weight or calisthenic exercises tomake it a real cardiovascular and muscle blaster of a workout! Itdoesn’t have to be boring or the same thing every day. Make it fun andkeep it up consistently, leading an active life-style 365 days a year.
Slow and casual walking has benefits, but you will not get as much outof walking at a very slow pace because we all have a built-in mechanicaladvantage for walking long distances at normal speeds.
Our bodies, via the spinal column, muscle attachments and bonystructures, reserve energy in the musculoskeletal system and release itback to us without asking for additional energy output. In other words,as you walk, your spinal column keeps energy in reserve because of theway you straighten and extend your spine during normal walking.
As you step, your spine is stretched, and as you take another step, theenergy reserved in the spine is used in propulsion. The spine acts verymuch like rubber band as your walk, harnessing this reserve energy.
To get substantial cardiovascular, muscular and weight loss benefits,this is why you must walk briskly or create extra movement patternsbeyond casual, slow walking in order to optimize your walking programfor weight loss and cardiovascular fitness.
Walking the right way will also improve your posture and tends to helpkeep you upright (because you must see where you are going). Just holdyour chin up and shoulder slightly back.. Walk with your heels hittingthe ground first and your feet pointed forward. Swing your arms fullyand make lengthy strides.
To lose weight and achieve optimum health, exercise and diet are bothnecessary and interrelated. Exercising without maintaining a balanceddiet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining a couch potato.
Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel. They provide energy for movementand help raise internal body metabolism. They're also satisfying. Thekey is to avoid adding high-fat and high calorie toppings to yourcarbohydrates. Also be sure to focus on fruits and vegetables and do noteat the majority of your carbohydrates from the starch category such asbread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These type of carbs can create aninsulin spike, which in turn feeds your fat storing system.
Fruits and vegetables are the ideal health, diet and fat loss foods formany reasons. They're relatively low in fat and calories, high in fiberand rich in essential vitamins and minerals. The National ResearchCouncil recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetablesa day.
Your everyday habits will determine your long term body weight and bodycomposition. Make sure you get enough sleep, drink enough water toexpel toxins, avoid processed food as much as you can, eat your fruitsand veggies, eat organic when ever possible and work hard.
Just one last thought: taking a three-minute walk after each meal isworth a four pound reduction in body fat in a year’s time. Climbing twoflights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat in a year.On the other hand, one candy bar eaten daily will cost you 20 pounds annually. FlattenYourAbs.net
CHEKCorrective Exercise KinesiologistGolf Biomechanic CertifiedNutrition and Lifestyle Coach
Three universal goals nearly all of us share are: (1) to live longer,(2) to live free of illness and (3) to control our weight. Amazingly,walking lets us achieve all three. In fact, walking may be your bestmedicine for slowing the aging process, reducing your chances of illnessand slashing your body fat. For anyone out of shape or not athletically-inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat answer to lifelongconditioning. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a little time, a fewguidelines from a fitness professional and you're ready to go.
Unfortunately, there's more misinformation floating around today aboutfitness walking and weight loss than ever before. Some experts even saywalking is not effective for weight loss at all and they insist thatonly higher intensity forms of cardio will do anything to improve yourbody composition. Others fitness experts believe that you should not docardiovascular exercise every day - even walking.
There may be a little truth in each of those statements, however,walking always was and still is one of the best exercises forstrengthening your bones, controlling your weight, toning the muscles inyour lower body, maintaining good posture and improving your self image.
Walking uses almost every muscle in the body, it improves circulation ofblood to the joints and massages the blood vessels, keeping them moreelastic. Walking also helps you maintain muscle and an efficientmetabolism as you get older (not to mention keeping you young "inspirit.")
Walking is incredibly convenient too. Since you don’t need a gym or anyspecial equipment, you can walk any place, at any time and that allowsyou to lose weight and get fit with little or no interruption to yourbusy schedule.
People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Althoughyour weight may initially drop while dieting, weight loss from lowcalorie and especially low carb diets consists mostly of water andmuscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoidgetting fatter over time, you must increase your metabolism byexercising daily.
To get the maximum benefits of a walking program, you need make it morechallenging than a leisurely "walk in the park." Walking at a steady andbrisk pace burns more fat simply because it burns more calories. Justremember to begin slowly to avoid muscle soreness, and increase yourpace over time as you become more fit.
To lose weight, it's ideal to alternate your walking sessions betweenhigh intensity and lower intensity days. For example, on one day walkfor 30- 45 minutes as a steady and moderate pace. On the next day, walkat a faster pace. You could even do "road work" like the boxers do,where you break up your walk along the route with some sets of squats,lunges, bench push ups or other body weight or calisthenic exercises tomake it a real cardiovascular and muscle blaster of a workout! Itdoesn’t have to be boring or the same thing every day. Make it fun andkeep it up consistently, leading an active life-style 365 days a year.
Slow and casual walking has benefits, but you will not get as much outof walking at a very slow pace because we all have a built-in mechanicaladvantage for walking long distances at normal speeds.
Our bodies, via the spinal column, muscle attachments and bonystructures, reserve energy in the musculoskeletal system and release itback to us without asking for additional energy output. In other words,as you walk, your spinal column keeps energy in reserve because of theway you straighten and extend your spine during normal walking.
As you step, your spine is stretched, and as you take another step, theenergy reserved in the spine is used in propulsion. The spine acts verymuch like rubber band as your walk, harnessing this reserve energy.
To get substantial cardiovascular, muscular and weight loss benefits,this is why you must walk briskly or create extra movement patternsbeyond casual, slow walking in order to optimize your walking programfor weight loss and cardiovascular fitness.
Walking the right way will also improve your posture and tends to helpkeep you upright (because you must see where you are going). Just holdyour chin up and shoulder slightly back.. Walk with your heels hittingthe ground first and your feet pointed forward. Swing your arms fullyand make lengthy strides.
To lose weight and achieve optimum health, exercise and diet are bothnecessary and interrelated. Exercising without maintaining a balanceddiet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining a couch potato.
Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel. They provide energy for movementand help raise internal body metabolism. They're also satisfying. Thekey is to avoid adding high-fat and high calorie toppings to yourcarbohydrates. Also be sure to focus on fruits and vegetables and do noteat the majority of your carbohydrates from the starch category such asbread, pasta, rice, and potatoes. These type of carbs can create aninsulin spike, which in turn feeds your fat storing system.
Fruits and vegetables are the ideal health, diet and fat loss foods formany reasons. They're relatively low in fat and calories, high in fiberand rich in essential vitamins and minerals. The National ResearchCouncil recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetablesa day.
Your everyday habits will determine your long term body weight and bodycomposition. Make sure you get enough sleep, drink enough water toexpel toxins, avoid processed food as much as you can, eat your fruitsand veggies, eat organic when ever possible and work hard.
Just one last thought: taking a three-minute walk after each meal isworth a four pound reduction in body fat in a year’s time. Climbing twoflights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat in a year.On the other hand, one candy bar eaten daily will cost you 20 pounds annually. FlattenYourAbs.net
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
On The Go Foods That Fuel You in Five Easy Steps
Randi Cestaro July 17, 2007
Get on track with your healthy eating and maintain your demanding schedule at the same time by following these five simple steps. As we round out the second quarter of 2007, you’re feeling pretty proud of yourself. That resolution to ‘eat healthy’ has been fairly easy to maintain-until now. Now the kids are back into their school schedules which require you to be the taxi, supervisor and cheerleader. That translates into time on the run, moving from soccer field to dance class to music lesson. You’ve survived the year-end demands at work, but the planning of a new budget year and a new year of projects has meant long meetings, skipped lunches and late hours. Those healthy eating habits linger in the back of your mind as you dash back and forth between commitments to others and forgetting your commitment to yourself for better health. Take heart, by following the five steps below, you can get back on track with your healthy eating and maintain your demanding schedule at the same time. 1. Fill a briefcase or a lunch bag with healthy reminders of healthy eating like: - always carry nuts for munching - place a granola bar in your bag. Make sure it is one that is low in sugar and high in fiber - protein powder packets are a good alternative to have in your bag - a yummy wrap containing protein, healthy saturated fats and greens - seven grain bread with almond butter and an apple or banana 2. Keep this healthy and quick grocery shopping list handy: - pre-washed organic greens - frozen organic vegetables - granola bars - frozen burgers like veggie, turkey, organic beef or salmon - sweet potatoes - seven grain bread or seven grain crackers - peanut butter or almond butter 3. Remember this tips when dining out: - always begin your meal with a salad - select a protein-based entrée over a pasta dish - order an extra side of vegetables for extra fiber - always choose water over other beverages - if you must have dessert, share it! - order a side dish of fresh fruit to accompany dessert. It lets you believe there is more food to eat 4. It’s a long way to Boise or, how to eat healthy when traveling in a car: - keep a variety of nuts available for munching - pack large bottles of water - prepare celery and peanut butter for snacking - have quick meal options available like seven grain wraps with hummus or a veggie burger and greens - have dried fruit available for a quick, sweet snack 5. Jetting off to Reno? Try these tips for healthy snacking at the airport: - have hummus and carrots to munch on while waiting for your flight - always carry a small meal like an almond butter sandwich on seven grain or spelt bread - be sure to carry your own bottled water; much cheaper than buying it at the gift shop! - take a bag of cut vegetables along like celery, string beans, sugar snap peas, etc. - an apple will help you avoid getting nauseas No matter where you need to go, healthy eating and snacking will get your there with more energy, clearer thinking and a terrific feeling about yourself and your commitment to your health.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randi studied holistic nutrition, changed her diet and healed herself of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Hypoglycemia and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). She is sharing this information and her ebook (I Healed Myself from IBS and You Can Too!) on her website at www.happyhealing.net
Get on track with your healthy eating and maintain your demanding schedule at the same time by following these five simple steps. As we round out the second quarter of 2007, you’re feeling pretty proud of yourself. That resolution to ‘eat healthy’ has been fairly easy to maintain-until now. Now the kids are back into their school schedules which require you to be the taxi, supervisor and cheerleader. That translates into time on the run, moving from soccer field to dance class to music lesson. You’ve survived the year-end demands at work, but the planning of a new budget year and a new year of projects has meant long meetings, skipped lunches and late hours. Those healthy eating habits linger in the back of your mind as you dash back and forth between commitments to others and forgetting your commitment to yourself for better health. Take heart, by following the five steps below, you can get back on track with your healthy eating and maintain your demanding schedule at the same time. 1. Fill a briefcase or a lunch bag with healthy reminders of healthy eating like: - always carry nuts for munching - place a granola bar in your bag. Make sure it is one that is low in sugar and high in fiber - protein powder packets are a good alternative to have in your bag - a yummy wrap containing protein, healthy saturated fats and greens - seven grain bread with almond butter and an apple or banana 2. Keep this healthy and quick grocery shopping list handy: - pre-washed organic greens - frozen organic vegetables - granola bars - frozen burgers like veggie, turkey, organic beef or salmon - sweet potatoes - seven grain bread or seven grain crackers - peanut butter or almond butter 3. Remember this tips when dining out: - always begin your meal with a salad - select a protein-based entrée over a pasta dish - order an extra side of vegetables for extra fiber - always choose water over other beverages - if you must have dessert, share it! - order a side dish of fresh fruit to accompany dessert. It lets you believe there is more food to eat 4. It’s a long way to Boise or, how to eat healthy when traveling in a car: - keep a variety of nuts available for munching - pack large bottles of water - prepare celery and peanut butter for snacking - have quick meal options available like seven grain wraps with hummus or a veggie burger and greens - have dried fruit available for a quick, sweet snack 5. Jetting off to Reno? Try these tips for healthy snacking at the airport: - have hummus and carrots to munch on while waiting for your flight - always carry a small meal like an almond butter sandwich on seven grain or spelt bread - be sure to carry your own bottled water; much cheaper than buying it at the gift shop! - take a bag of cut vegetables along like celery, string beans, sugar snap peas, etc. - an apple will help you avoid getting nauseas No matter where you need to go, healthy eating and snacking will get your there with more energy, clearer thinking and a terrific feeling about yourself and your commitment to your health.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randi studied holistic nutrition, changed her diet and healed herself of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Hypoglycemia and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). She is sharing this information and her ebook (I Healed Myself from IBS and You Can Too!) on her website at www.happyhealing.net
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is causing a great concern in the United States. Moreover because it is in a recent study it is anticipated that four out of five adults in the United States will experience lower back pain in some point of their lives. Back pain being a common problem may sometimes hamper ones day to day life and may even lead to surgery. So it is always recommended to consult your physician even for the smallest back pain symptoms you will notice and get the advice before the problem grows. Back Pain is indeed a very painful experience and ironically the severity of pain is often unrelated to the extent of physical damage it has caused. A simple strain can be extremely painful, while a herniated disk between vertebrate may cause little or no pain at all. That is why it is always beneficial that you may go in for many types of back pain tests that are available and can be administered to more accurately determine the cause of your pain. Common causes of lower back pain can be found in the following: • Injury to the bones, joints or ligaments in the lower back • Smaller nerves running along and inside the spine becoming irritated or damaged • Strain to the lower back muscles, or erector spine • Damage to the intervertebral disks, which separate the vertebrate • Irritated nerve roots connected to the hips, legs or even arms At times many physical injuries can be attributed to specific incidents but still lower back pain may be slow-building, yet progressive. This can make it difficult to notice complicated lower back problems before they require treatment. Although lower back pain does not require emergency medical attention, a few symptoms may be signs of severe medical conditions. Back pain as we have discussed is slow yet progressive and rarely requires emergency medical attention. But it is highly recommended that you consult your physician and follow his advice to avoid such emergency situations. In some cases if anytime you experience the following symptoms with a regular slow back pain you need to have an expert for emergency medical attention. The symptoms are Severe or constant pain in the lower back or abdominal region Sudden bowel or bladder movements A progressive feeling of weakness in the legs An immediate medical attention saves you from any damage to your body and excruciating pain it may cause to you. For severe or chronic back pain, you should consider seeking lower back pain treatment, which is available in many forms. Lower back exercise can both help with back pain relief, and prevent it from recurring later. Most low back pain can be treated without surgery. Treatment involves using analgesics, reducing inflammation, restoring proper function and strength to the back, and preventing recurrence of the injury. Most patients with back pain recover without residual functional loss. Patients should contact a doctor if there is not a noticeable reduction in pain and inflammation after 72 hours of self-care. The best way is to take necessary precautions and make necessary changes in lifestyle, standing, sitting and sleeping positions and doing regular exercise. It is best to keep the back pain away from you and your family.
More articles from this pro: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Dhiraj Bandurkar
To heal your lower back, restore and recover, use the Lower Back Basics DVD by Brian Dorfman at www. myfitness24-7.com or click here: http://www.myfitness24-7.com/store/1800314/product/LBB-Dorfman
Using this dvd three times a week has been shown to stabilize lower back pain, retrain the muscles and help the lower back strengthen and recover.
More articles from this pro: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Dhiraj Bandurkar
To heal your lower back, restore and recover, use the Lower Back Basics DVD by Brian Dorfman at www. myfitness24-7.com or click here: http://www.myfitness24-7.com/store/1800314/product/LBB-Dorfman
Using this dvd three times a week has been shown to stabilize lower back pain, retrain the muscles and help the lower back strengthen and recover.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Leslie Sansome Recommended By Orthopedist
I ran into an friend today. I noticed that she was walking with a cane and I asked what happened. She explained that she had gotten a hip replacement 12 weeks ago. In out conversation, she mentioned that her orthopedic doctor had recommended the walking Leslie Sansome DVDs for her to use for rehabilitation. I found it interesting that the doctor was familiar with these DVDs. The exercises in the Leslie Sansome dvds are well thought out and safe. I have to give her credit for that. I feel comfortable recommending her dvds at this
link: http://www.myfitness24-7.com/category/155424
Cecelia
link: http://www.myfitness24-7.com/category/155424
Cecelia
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Low Fat Foods DON'T WORK.
You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.Low Calorie Diets DON'T WORK.
You won't lose weight using a Low Calorie Dieting Plan either. In fact, eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body, since that will only slow down your body's fat burning engine and ruin all chances of losing weight (low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that all weight loss comes to a halt --- known as a dieting plateau). You can never get slim by starving yourself.Low Carb Plans DON'T WORK.
You'll probably find it extremely difficult to get slim using a Low Carb Dieting Plan. Low carb diets have recently become popular over the last couple years, but the problem with low carb menus is that they are too strict and TOO HARD TO FOLLOW for average people. Low carb menus tend to rob your body of too much energy (carbohydrates) and make it nearly impossible to remain on the program for very long. This is why so many dieters find it difficult to follow a strict low carbohydrate menu. What about Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig Dieting Plans?Weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers (and Jenny Craig) usually involve slower dieting progress over a longer period of time, since such programs generally promise only 2-3 pounds of weight loss per week. Also, programs such as Jenny Craig usually involve buying special meals and/or dietary supplements during the initial phases of the program. While some people may like these types of dietary programs, we prefer a dieting plan which focuses on faster weight loss, such as the Accelerated Fat Burning Program ...
How To Find Time To Do Stomach Exercises
By Michael Harris
July 3rd, 2007
It seems these days everybody’s trying to find out how to get 6-pack abs. From the guy trying to impress the ladies to the ladies who've had children and everybody in between.
With that in mind, keep reading for a few tips on how to squeeze in the exercises needed to attain your goals.
It seems these days that pretty much everybody has time to watch a little television. Or maybe a LOT of television!
This is a perfect time to do stomach exercises.
During commercials, or every ten minutes if there are no commercials, try lying on the
floor and doing as many stomach exercises as possible during the break.
As with any exercise program, begin slowly with a small amount of reps. This will keep you from getting too sore and quitting prematurely.
Add a few more reps every day, trying to beat the previous days record. Make a game of it so you don't get bored. Challenge yourself to see if you can push yourself just a little harder each day.
By following this simple plan, it will help your body in several different ways.
First of all, there is no extra scheduling involved, for most people, watching television at some point in the day is natural so no extra time is taken out of the day to do stomach exercises.
It also helps by increasing your metabolism at a time when you'd normally be sedentary. This will help burn extra fat and increase lean muscle mass.
Remember that when you'r trying to find out how to get 6-pack abs, its not just about toning the muscle. You need to get rid of excess belly fat too.
Check back for more suggestions soon!
Find More Articles like this at http://www.myfitness24-7.com/
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