What Type of Fitness Program Is Right for You?
Finding the Right Fitness Program May be Your Ticket to Getting in Shape. Set your Goals, Consider Your Likes and Dislikes, Then Go For It !
Step One: Assess Your Fitness Level
You probably have some idea of how fit you are. By assessing and recording your baseline fitness scores, this can help you set your fitness goals and measure your progress. To assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition, record:
* Your pulse rate before and immediately after a one-mile walk.
*How long it takes to walk one mile.
*How many push ups you can do at one time.
*Your waist circumference at the level of your navel.
*Your body mass index and body fat percentage.
Step Two: Determine Your Fitness Goals
Keeping your fitness level in mind, think about why you want to start a fitness program. Perhaps your doctor has suggested that you start a fitness program to lose weight. If you're already active, maybe you want to rev up your fitness program to get ready for a favoirte sport. Having a clear goal can help you stay motivated.
Step Three: Consider Your Likes and Dislikes
Next think about the types of physical activities you enjoy most. After all, a fitness program doesn't need to be drudgery. You're more likely to keep up with a fitness program you enjoy. If you love riding your bike, consider a cycling class. If you have fun on the dance floor, an aerobics class that includes dance moves might be fun. If you're a social person, a gym or health club memebership may be the ticket. If you prefer to exercise alone or find health clubs intimidating, exercises you can do at home may be best for you.
Step Four: Think Variety
Varying your activities - or cross training - can keep exercise broedom from happening. Cross training also reduces the risk of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. When you plan your fitness program, consider alternating among activities that emphasize different parts of your body - walking, swimming and strength training, for example.
Step Five: Do The Math
Make sure your fitness choices are in line with your budget. If a gym membership or home exercise equipment is too expensive, consider cheaper options for getting in shape. You can base a fitness program around brisk daily walks and inexpensive hand-held weights or resistance bands. Many recreation departments offer discounted fitness classes to local residents. You might consider buying used exercise equipment or sharing the cost with a friend.
Step Six: Go For It !! You've thought through your likes and dislikes and the pros and cons of various types of fitness programs. Now it's time to get physical. Remember to start slowly and build up intensity.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends:
*At least two hours and thirty minutes a week of moderate aerobic acitivity (think brisk walking or swimming) or one hour and fifteen minutes a
week of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running), preferably spread throughout the week.
*Strength training exercises at least twice a week.
Remember, each workout puts you one step closer to reaching your fitness goals. If you get bored or lose interest in your fitness program, don't be afraid to try something new. Reassess your fitness level and set new fitness goals. The result? A future of improved fitness and better health.
Source: www.mayoclinic.com
Trick or...What Is A Healthy Treat To Eat?
This is an informative list compiled by the National Confectioners Association and Chocolate Manufacturers Association and other resources that will shed light on candy misconceptions.
1. Is there such a thing as healthy candy?
Many treats such as lollipops, candy canes and gummi items do not contain fat or cholesterol and many of these candies are low in calories. Gum drops and a majority of licorice items and many hard candies are also fat free. Eat these treats in moderation.
2. Are most candies high in calories?
One butterscotch disc has only 20 calories. Eight gum drops or eight large jelly beans contain 115 calories. Most of these candy favorites are fat and cholesterol free.
3. Does candy contribute to a large percentage of the fat and sugar in the American diet?
Less than 2% of the fat and 10% of the sugar in our diets are supplied by candy. Most of the fat actually comes from the high-fat animal products we eat. The main sources of sugar in American diets are sugary beverages, baked goods and frozen desserts.
4. Can foods like chocolate, which has saturated fat, raise cholesterol levels?
Not all types of saturated fats raise blood cholesterol levels. Stearic acid, the primary fatty acid found in chocolate, has been shown to have a neutral effect in blood cholesterol levels. cocoa butter does not raise blood cholesterol even though it's a saturated fat.
5. Does an ounce of chocolate contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee?
One ounce of milk chocolate contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. There is an average of 6 mg. of caffeine in both, while a cup of regular coffee has between 150 and 655 mg. of caffeine.
6. Can candy contribute to tooth decay?
Any food containing fermentable carbs, such as starches and sugars, can cause tooth decay. Good dental hygiene is the best way to avoid cavities
Source: www.candyfavorites.com
Candy Tips:
1. When choosing candy, look for lower fat or fat-free on the label. For instance, locorice is a fat-free food. Read the label and eat one serving as a treat.
2. If you must eat candy, limit the amount you eat daily.
3. Try eating a treat other than candy like an individual box of raisins/dried fruit, a snack sized bag of pretzels, animal or graham crackers, peanuts of cashews, sugar-free gum, dark chocolate, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, yogurt covered nuts/raisins, granola bars, popcorn, or a snack sized candy bar.
Source: www.goodhealthus.com
Remember, portion control is important when enjoying sweets. Enjoy them in moderate amounts and not in place of a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Pay attention to the serving sizes on treats as they may be smaller than you think!
Top Ten Worst Eating Habits
1. Not Eating Nutritiously
A well balanced diet with meals and snacks rich in nutrients is essential for your health. People always seem too busy to take care of their health in the way of diet. This has led to the demand for pre-prepared or semi-prepared food which is low in nutritious value, thereby leading people to take supplements. Prevention is always better than treatment, so take your time and make yourself a well balanced diet.
2. Skipping Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Most people say they don't have time for it or grab a sugary snack which calms their appetitie. Sugar does make hunger go away, but that only lasts for two hours maximum and it doesn't help in terms of nutrition, not to mention weight gain. Make sure you make time for breakfast. Start your days to improve your health.
3. Fast Food
Fast food products have a very high sodium content with lots of calories from saturated fats. These products lack nutritious elements so eating them too much might cause a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Fast food is not poison if you indulge every once in a while, but be careful not to make a habit of it.
4. Eating Too Late At Night
It's not a good idea to dine right before going to bed because when we sleep, the stomach reduces its activity, thus taking longer to digest food. Also, calories have a higher chance of turning into fat due to the inactivity of the body.
5. Lack of Exercise
We all know exercise is vital for a healthy body. It has great benefits like increasing metabolism and burning the food we eat as energy. You don't have to exercise just for the sake of exercise. Choose activities you enjoy such as walking, biking, dancing, tennis, or skating. Stick to it and your body will feel much better in the long run.
6. Relying on External Stimulants When Eating
Surveys show that US citizens stop eating once their plate is clean. Europeans rely on stimulants, like feeling full to stop eating. Serving sizes vary greatly from country to country so some nations are more exposed to obesity than others. It's a simple problem to solve. Just listen to your body and stop eating when you feel full. You don't have to eat everything on your plate.
7. Using Food To Calm You Down
Often we let emotions like being sad, bored or impatient make us turn to food. Food does not get to the root of the problem so experts advise us to recognize when we're really hungry or at least when to pick up a healthy snack.
8. Excessive Snacking
Most people turn to snacks to get them through the stress of a day at work. This doesn't have to be unhealthy as long as you choose healthy snacks and don't over indulge.
9. Eating In Front Of A TV Or Computer
Studies show that watching TV often distracts you from what you're really eating, so you end up eating about half more than what you really need to. Having popcorn with friends is fine every once in a while, but taking your meals to the TV is just an exaggeration. Eat in your kitchen, relax, and enjoy your meal.
10. Not Drinking Enough Water
Some people fail to see how important water is for our body, brain and organs. Water also reduces hunger and helps to detoxify the body. It is recommended to drink about 2 liters of water a day, plus get the water from fruits, vegetables and other food products we eat. Some drinks, like soda and coffee actually deplete our water reserve so avoid these drinks when you're thirsty.
Source: www.the-perfectshape.com
Did you Make a New Year's Resolution?
Is Your Workout Too Wimpy?
There are three ways to tell if your exercise intensity is too low, too high, or just right.
1. The Talk Test - If you do moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, aerobics, bicycling (slower
than 10 mph), or playing doubles tennis, you should be able to talk but not sing.
If you're doing vigorous-intensity acitivity, such as jogging or running, swimming laps, singles tennis,
bicycling (faster than 10 mph), or aerobic dancing, you won't be able to say more than a few words without
pausing for breath.
" If you're exercising for fitness, you should be able to carry on a conversation to some extent with a partner
while you're working out," Clifford says.
The talk test doesn't apply to elite athletes, especially those who vary their routines with sprint or other
intense workouts. "When have you ever seen a 400-meter or 800-meter racer or a miler not be out of
breath when they finish a workout or race?" Hagberg says. The same rules apply to muscle soreness
and discomfort. "If you're exercising for your health, you just don't need to go there. Even with strength
training, you just need to start off easy and then work your way up," Hagberg says.
2. Target Heart Rate - A common formula for estimating your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age
from the number 220. If you're doing moderate-intensity activity, your heart rate should be 50% to 70%
of the maximum. If you're doing vigorous-intensity activity, your heart rate should be 70% to 85% of the
maximum. "If you're exercising at 50% of your maximum heart rate, that's not much exercise. You
aren't going to finish your workout huffing and puffing, hunched over with hands on your knees," Hagberg
says. "But from a health viewpoint, it's still beneficial. But if you exercise at 75% of your maximum heart
rate, which is the intensity of a marathon runner, you'll find it's definitely not wimpy. You're going to be
huffing and puffing, and sweating pretty hard," Hagberg says.
3. Perceived Exertion - If you're exercising for health, Hagberg and Clifford recommend exercising in the
middle range of a perceived exertion scale.
The scale means:
0-1 : No Exertion. The only movement you're getting is pushing buttons on the remote.
2-3 : Light Exertion. This is how you should feel when warming up, cooling down and stretching.
4-5 : Medium Exertion. You're breathing a little faster. Your heart is pumping a little faster. You're feeling
a little warmer.
6-7 : Moderate Exertion. You're breathing pretty hard now, you're probably sweating. You can talk, but
it's getting tougher.
8-9 : Hard Exertion. You're breathing really hard and you can only say a few words at a time. You're
wondering how long you can go on like this.
10 : Hardest Exertion. You can not keep this pace for more than a minute. Speaking is impossible.
This is your limit.
Source: www.WebMd.com
How Much Water Should You Drink A Day?
We've all heard about doctors recommending to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. The amount of water you need really depends on your health, how active you are and where you live. If you exercise and sweat a lot, you would need to drink more water. One thing you can do to figure out how much water you need is to look at the color of your urine or pee. It seems silly, but it's a great way to get feedback on how dehydrated your body is. If your pee is dark yellow, then you aren't drinking enough water. It's only once your pee is clear that you know you're getting enough. Notice in the morning your pee is dark, whereas during the day it is clearer. That's because our bodies get dehydrated during the night from sweating, exhaling and not drinking water during the night.
The Most Common Ways of Calculating How Much Water Is Needed:
Replacement Approach:
Urine output is about 6 1/2 cups a day plus you lose about 4 cups of water from breathing and sweating. Food accounts for 20% of your total fluid intake, so if you drink a little more than 8 cups of water along with your normal diet, you will replace your lost fluids.
Use the 8 By 8 Rule:
Simply drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.
Exercise:
If you exercise in an activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water. An extra two to three cups of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour requires more water intake. In this cas a sports drink that contains sodium is a great choice.
Environment:
Hot and humid weather, heated indoor air and altitudes greater than 8,200 feet may cause increased urination, so drinking extra fluid in these circumstances is advised.
Illness or Health Conditions:
Fever, vomiting or diarrhea will cause your body to lose fluids. Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte are good choices for rehydration.
Did you know if you are thirsty you may already be dehydrated? Don't use thirst as your guide!
Follow These Tips:
Drink water with each meal and between each meal. Drink water before, during and after exercise. Don't use thirst as a guide for drinking water.
How Much Is Too Much Water?
There is a possibility of drinking too much water. There have been cases where people drank so much water they experienced major problems, and some even died. Clearly, listen to your body. If your pee is clear, then don't try to force yourself to drink too much extra water.
Sources: www.mayoclinic.com
It's All About Choices....
Think about your actions. How do your actions have an effect on others? Are your words complimentary or cutting? Choose your words AND your actions wisely. You may make or break somebody's day by the choices you make. Which side do YOU choose?
