Overworked and Underexercised - The Fat Loss Catch 22
By Caroline Radway
At the beginning of any fat loss programme, many people come to me feeling unfit and overweight but also low on energy and stressed. Exercise will increase your energy levels and reduce your stress levels, but at this very point in time, when you most need to reduce stress levels, the idea of taking on more tasks can seem daunting and likely only to increase stress levels further - it can become a catch 22, as you feel too stressed to fit everything in.
So how do you deal with this catch 22 situation? How do you make sure that adding an extra time commitment into your already busy life doesn't increase your stress levels even further?
Firstly, you need to take some time out of your busy life, and assess where you are and where you are going. Goal setting and analysing what you want from life as a whole can often make us see life from a slightly different perspective. A lot of the things we are busy doing are not the ones that we really want to be focusing on, or the things that are most important to us. It is this that makes us stressed - that nagging feeling that we are really busy, but not managing to do the important things.
You need to make the commitment to becoming healthier and remind yourself what the results will be - it's not purely about aesthetics and looking good, but it really is about being healthier and more energised. You need to prioritise your health in order to effectively deal with all that life throws at you and remind yourself that once you have made the time to fit in exercise, you will have more energy and be able to achieve more throughout the rest of the day.
Until your health and fitness is high enough on your priority list you will always find other things that get in the way. When you have fully accepted its importance you can then set about making time - as this is the key, time is not something that is just found!
Once you have acknowledged that you are going to make health and fitness a priority it is time to look into how you can create space in your life to fit it in. Are there things cluttering up your life? Are they all really that important? Could you spend 30 minutes less time on the internet or watching TV in the evenings and use that time to squeeze in a training session? Can you delegate certain tasks? We often feel that 'to get a job done properly I might as well do it myself' but sometimes we need to let it go, allow someone else to 'learn' to do it for us! It may not be perfect, but it will free you up some time!
Consciously looking at the way we respond to stressful situations can make a huge difference, too. Are you stressed because you are in a rush, or rushed because you are stressing? I practice a lot of yoga, and often have to remind myself when in traffic between clients that while a few good deep breaths won't make the traffic move any faster, or get me there any quicker, it certainly will make me calmer and the journey more enjoyable - I can't change the time I arrive by being stressed, but I can change the way I feel when I arrive!
Another important element is matching your exercise intensity to how you feel on a particular day. If you are truly frazzled, then a really intense session may just wear you out even further, so choose exercises that are more energising, or perform a strength training session with plenty of rest between sets, rather than an intense circuit style approach. There are days when I know that I need yoga, rather than anything else, in which case that is what I will do. My body and mind thanks me for it and I ensure I am ready and raring to go for my next intense training session.
This is not an excuse to slack off just because you can't be bothered, mind you, and you will often find that once you get started your energy levels increase! Just get started with your warm up and have a plan, but be prepared to alter it slightly if need be.
On the subject of recovery, you must make sure you get enough. With the correct training plan, you do not need to exercise for hours every day to get results. You are far better off training intensely for 3 hour long sessions a week (or 4-6 shorter sessions) than training for hours on end at a mind-numbingly boring level. This is perfect for the busy person in today's hectic world as you can rest and recover, safe in the knowledge that you are actually increasing the efficacy of your programme by recovering properly.
Exercise is a vital tool for reducing stress and increasing energy, so it is worth making the time to fit it in. You will soon wonder how you coped without it!
Caroline is a Personal Trainer, Yoga Teacher and Kettlebell Instructor based in the UK.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caroline_Radway
Yoga and Stress Relief
By: Susan Hutson
When it comes to physical exercise, some people thrive on the grunting and grinding of competitive sports. But not all exercise needs to be so extreme. Recently more and more people are discovering and thriving on the quieter body-mind workout provided by yoga…
Yoga is an ancient Hindu practice of physical, spiritual and mental exercise designed to promote relaxation, flexibility and wellness. Apart from the physical workout it gives by building strength, endurance, flexibility and opening muscles to improve one’s posture, it requires deep breathing and often guides people through periods of meditation.
Has the real philosophy behind yoga simply been eclipsed by our material focused culture? Can this ancient practice maintain deeper philosophical roots in our contemporary landscape of fast-food, want and desire? In fact, can we experience something like ‘happiness’ through Yoga?
Yoga transforms people without them expecting to be transformed. Whatever your initial motivations may have been to go to a yoga class, once you start practicing yoga, you can’t help but become more aware of how you live, what you eat, where your clothing comes from and how you treat the people in your life. And with this growing self-awareness also comes a sense of self-acceptance, and a movement towards balancing our innate competitive drive that so often drives us to a point of exhaustion. In fact there are only two possible outcomes when you override contentment with a competitive attitude in your yoga practice: either you get hurt, or you get injured and quit.
Though it seams particularly relevant in our present-day era of eighty-hour work-weeks and expansionism at any cost, this idea of finding balance through physical yoga is ancient. The fundamental purpose of yoga is to realize and experience the truth of who we are, and yoga teaches that happiness as an inherent component of our true identity.
We don’t always feel comfortable in our bodies. We don’t always feel content in our minds. And we often don’t feel connected and at home in the world. The different yoga practices are all meant to reveal our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and interpersonal blockage that prevents us from experiencing our inner peace. A disciplined practice of yoga may allow our body to become stronger and supple, it is through transformation of mind and the opening of our heart that we can access happiness.
Of course, yoga is not simply a physical exercise, but a holistic philosophy of body, mind and spirit. Anyone with a stressful work life can benefit from its calm, meditative classes. Just an hour at the end of a long day can magically quiet the niggling voices and aggressive work attitude and bring a more positive outlook and refreshed mood.
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Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_683204_17.html
The Michael Thurmond Diet: The Pluses And Minuses
By:Flor Serquina
The Michael Thurmond diet was formulated by a health guru of the same name. He has claimed that there are at least 500,000 individuals who have already successfully lost weight from the diet program that he created.
Theory of the Michael Thurmond Diet
Eat more yet healthy, workout less. This is the main concept of the Michael Thurmond diet. Ideal weight, lean and toned muscles and healthy body is the promise of this diet program. This can be achieved by a simple formula: nutritious foods and an exercise program.
Before a person is given a diet plan or program, his body type, current diet and physical activities are determined. It will be difficult to craft a Michael Thurmond diet program for you if proper information weren't provided.
Michael Thurmond Diet's 6-Week Make Over Program
The Michael Thurmond Diet is also known as the 6-Week Make Over Program. It is claimed that you can lose weight in as short a span as 6 weeks.
There are several advantages and disadvantages that you might consider when you plan to try this weight-loss program.
Advantages:
This is not the type of diet where you will depend on supplements or medicines to burn fats or suppress hunger. The Michael Thurmond Diet specializes in food intake and exercises. It is purely on these two that this diet revolves.
Eat More and Exercise Less
Once you have already identified your body type structure, you can now concentrate on selecting the food list to go with your diet program. You can eat more of what is required from you because you are now aware of how it will work for your body. With the proper diet, you can go on a not-so-rigorous exercise program.
Your food list under the diet consists mainly of fresh and nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole meal grains and lean meat. You are also advised to stay away from nuts, processed foods, pasta and bread. You are not also allowed to take salty foods, dairy products and alcoholic drinks.
Aside from the diet, you should work on your exercise regimen. You should at least work out from 45 to 60 minutes everyday.
The Program is Short
The first six week period of the program is the most crucial part. During this period, you would know your body type, identify the diet for you and list food that you can burn down easily. It is within the six-week period also that you will know the best exercise for you.
Disadvantages:
Michael Thurmond Diet is Expensive
To be able to start the program you are required to buy the book where you will base your routine. The book together with the starter kit costs $170. It consists of several items like the start-up video, "blueprinting" kit, training videos and exercise bands. It also includes the Living Lean tape, menu planner and the 6 Days Mini Makeover.
It is Time Consuming
The first six-week period involves a lot of planning. Within these days, you will have to identify your body structure type, try out different types of menu, conceptualize and design your own menu program and craft your exercise routines. This is very time consuming for some people. For dieters who would want to see a result immediately, they lose heart after learning of the pains that they have to go through to achieve a result.
Diet Excludes Dairy Products
Calcium is the mineral that keeps bones strong. If you lose this in your diet, you might suffer from osteoporosis later on. With a Michael Thurmond diet, you will get your calcium needs from other sources, and it might not be to your liking. If it were such the case, you are in a lot of trouble since this diet program disallows use of supplements.
Do You Have the Will?
The Michael Thurmond diet is program is not for the faint of heart. It requires dedication and commitment. If you have these qualities and you think you are up to the challenge of getting into this diet program, this is for you. On the other hand, if you think you don't have the discipline to fulfill all the requirements of the program, you're probably better off looking elsewhere.
About the Author:
Visit The-Good-Diet.com to learn more about the Michael Thurmond diet and other diet food programs.
Elliptical Fitness Trainers - Which One Is Right For You?
By: Kenneth Patrick
Jogging and running can lead to major knee complications especially over years of pounding on the hard pavement. With an elliptical trainer a person can avoid a lot of pain and the surgeon's knife.
But not all elliptical trainers are created the same nor are they all as effective in ensuring one is getting the most intense exercise. Some elliptical trainers today do very little in the way of one getting what the want in terms of overall fitness.
If you are in need of losing fat and keeping your muscle, make sure you keep that in mind when assessing the type of elliptical trainer you need. If you are going to devote a lot of time into a elliptical trainer it will make sense to look at the higher end models so you will get your investment back.
After you have done a thorough assessment of your fitness requirements, it is time to take the following into your further review:
1. One major factor to consider when buying an elliptical trainer is stride length. A good elliptical trainer will have a stride length of 20 inches or greater.
2. All elliptical trainers come with varying levels of resistance. If you find one that does not have a feature that allows resistance levels of 10 or higher, that elliptical trainer is not for you.
3. A good elliptical trainer comes with a set of programs that allow you to workout at different intensity and resistance levels. You want to make sure they have plenty of programs available to choose from.
4. Does the elliptical trainer have options like arm workouts, heart rate monitors, etc?
After doing your due diligence, you should have a pretty good amount of data collected on an elliptical trainer. Now it is time to compare prices. There are many good manufactures out there so look for a good price but don't sacrifice quality. The investment you make into an elliptical trainer will reward you many times over if you make the right decision.
Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles
Before you purchase a elliptical trainer, make sure you check Elliptical Trainers, ad Fitness Equipment for an exhaustive listing of Elliptical Trainers.
Read More......How to Burn More Calories Without Working Out Longer
Time is a limiting factor for many people who workout and want to workout. Even the most good intentioned dedicated gym goers and workout enthusiasts sometimes find themselves in a bind with other commitments and cannot “find the time” to get to the gym. The ever increasing pace of life requires us to be very good at time management to fit everything we want into a day, especially our workouts. When it comes to working out I’ll bet you have a set amount of time you can dedicate to it each week and that’s it, there is no room for increasing that time. This is probably the case for almost everyone that works out on a regular basis. So if we can’t ever increase the time we spend working out, how to do we increase the results we are getting? There are a few things you can do.
In general there are only 2 basic things you can change in each workout to progress and continue to get the benefits you want.
1) Increase the amount of time working out (but as we are discussing here this is not an option for most people)
2) Increase the intensity of each workout. This can be accomplished multiple ways:
a. Increasing the amount of weight you are using
b. Use more muscles with each exercise
c. Do more reps in the same amount of time
d. Decrease the amount of rest you take between exercises
Increasing Weight used:
Even if you aren’t doing traditional weight training, you can increase the amount of work you are doing by adding some weight to any exercise you are doing. For example of you do some interval running and want to increase the amount of work you are doing you can add a weighted vest for some of your run. A vest that adds 5 or 10lbs to your weight will make you work much harder during your run. You will end up burning more calories and improve your conditioning beyond just running with your regular body weight. You wouldn’t have to do your whole run with the vest; maybe just add in 20% of the run with the vest to start.
If you are doing weights in your workout (which I would highly recommend as a regular part of your weekly workout routine) then the easiest way to increase the amount of work you are doing is to increase the weight. This means increasing the weight and doing the same number of reps. This technique works if you are working with weights well below the maximum weight you can handle. If you are already working at or near your maximum weights then you will obviously not be able to increase the weight as by definition of max you would not be able to lift anything heavier. This however is not the case for most people, and there is usually some room to move up. Even if you only go up 5lbs, that is still more work done.
Use More Muscles with Each Exercise
This is a simple and very effective way to get more work done without extending the time. For example if you are doing a bodyweight squat, you can add in a shoulder press at the same time. Now you are working your legs and hips as well as your shoulders and arms. This is substantially more work than squats by themselves. This technique of using more muscles can be applied to almost any exercise you can think of.
More Reps in the same amount of Time
This simply means doing your reps faster. So if you can do 10 bicep curls in 10 seconds. Try to do 15 in 10 seconds (with the same weight). This will be 50% more work done. You can apply this technique to almost any exercise. In the case of running or other cardio type exercises, this would just be taking more steps, or in other words, running faster. I would suggest adding in short bursts of faster running, and more reps. For example if you go for a 30 minute run. Now you could add in 30 second bursts of running faster every 5 minutes. This would increase the work done without increasing your time spent.
Decrease the Rest between Exercises
If you do an intermittent style of workout as many people do, there will be periods of rest between exercise sets. Shorten your rest periods and the amount of work you are doing will increase. This also allows you to fit a few more sets in the same amount of time.
You can apply any of these techniques to increase the amount of work you are doing and the amount of calories you are burning without every working out for any longer. I have designed workouts that incorporate most of these techniques and they produce great results. This is the new are of working out with incredible time constraints so the workout you are doing must be adaptable if you want to continue to progress.
John Barban is a Varsity Strength and Conditioning Coach and has his Masters degree in Nutrition. He is the author of a womens specific workout called the 6 Minute Circuits Workout you can find at http://www.6minutecircuits.com He is also the performance Training Advisor to a womens exercise and nutrtion resource http://www.grrlathlete.com and http://www.womensworkout.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Barban
Simple Tips to keep you fit for a lifetime.
By: Stephen Morgan
It is very easy to plan a training program not quite so easy to see it through.
Why is this so? Well basically the traditional viewpoint is that if it's a quick fix it isn’t working. While it would be nice to actually lose some weight in just a few days like most miracle ads proclaim , managing weight and losing weight through physical fitness is a slow and steady process that takes time and commitment.
Setting weight management goals for you can be a good motivator. Gradual weight loss, for those people who wish to shed off some extra pounds, is usually the safest.
That is why health and fitness experts had come up with the idea of lifetime fitness in order to teach people set realistic goals. These lifetime fitness programs generates dietary regimens that cut your normal calorie consumption for your weight by 500 to 1,000 per day, so will burning the same amount with exercise. In turn, this will definitely encourage healthier weight loss.
Lifetime fitness teaches you how to maintain a physically fit body at the same time enjoy and live a happy, contented life. It gives you the chance to strike a balance between the two (exercise and diet), and make exercise, be it team sports, cycling, or walking, something you will truly enjoy.
That is why lifetime fitness embodies the concept that making a long-term healthy lifestyle change is essential to keeping the pounds off once they are gone.
To know more of the advantages and benefits that lifetime fitness can bring, here are some facts that you need to know:
1. Lifetime fitness programs offer you the most comprehensive and wide-ranging fitness and health encounter with quality services, in which the customers will feel gratified.
These fitness programs provide you the right method in maintaining health, build up and encourage your competence, and take care of your family’s physical fitness as well.
2. Because the goal of lifetime fitness is to provide you with long-term achievements as far as physical fitness is concerned, these programs utilizes numerous fitness equipments that will tone and manage your health and the different parts of your body.
There is a wide variety of equipment available that will help with all of your requirements.
3. Lifetime fitness programs and centres also provide nutritional products such as food supplements that will aid in the formation of good blood cells and tissues thereby making your body at its pink of health.
Lifetime fitness centres and programs also provide you with up-to-date fitness magazines that do not only give substantial information about fitness and health but inspirational stories as well. These articles will give you an insight on how to make you life balance and how to live a life that is healthy and fit.
Indeed, staying fit and healthy can be a long and winding road and there are instances wherein you may find your enthusiasm fading occasionally. Nevertheless, with the comprehensive programs provided by lifetime fitness plans, you can start heading back to the right tracks of a healthier you.
Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com
Stephen Morgan writes about a number of Internet based issues such as Nike Shoes . A keen proponent of all aspects of free and independent services available, he advises clients to look at the whole range of products available online at Cheap Nike Shoes
