Yes, there are numerous reasons or excuses one can cite for carrying around those extra pounds. Many people blame a fast-paced lifestyle that doesn’t allow proper time for good eating. Some point to poor metabolism, believing that counting calories just won’t work for them. Most commonly, though, the real reason is a diet high in fat and calories and low in fiber and nutrients, along with an insufficient level of exercise. While nutrition is extremely important, it goes hand-in-hand with burning calories through some sort of fitness plan.

Exercise Procrastination Exercise

Many people who have experienced a roller-coaster ride of weight highs and lows have failed to integrate proper nutrition and exercise into their daily lifestyle. Often, these same people have always impulsively turned to the latest diet trend, only to become discouraged when the most current weight-loss trick didn’t peel away the pounds as was promised. Does this sound familiar?

If you’ve passionately followed a fad diet only to find it didn’t work, you may have gotten discouraged. If you’ve ever lost weight quickly only to rebound with the same old bad habits when you reached your target, you know that diet integrity needs to be a constant element of your lifestyle. Maybe you have decided that you just don’t have the patience for that long road that is the only real path to the sexy figure you long for. Or maybe you’re clinging to the excuse that losing weight just isn’t in the cards for you. Nonsense!

Stop the Procrastination

The fact is you can change your metabolism by boosting it with aerobic activity. And you can lose pounds forever if you maintain a higher standard for what you put in your mouth. It may not happen quickly, but it will happen if you follow the rules. Why then, are you putting it off?

You have probably delayed your diet for any one of a few reasons mentioned above. It could be disillusionment atprevious failed attempts. It could be the fear that you will never lose the weight. Or, quite simply, it could be that you are addicted to the comfort that certain foods provide.

When you lose the weight, (and you will if you just stick with it), you’ll have more energy. You’ll probably have a more upbeat outlook. And your health will certainly be greatly improved.

You’ve surely heard the adage about today being the first day of the rest of your life. That’s a poignant message for anyone who needs to reclaim their health through weight loss. So stop procrastinating. There is no tomorrow in weight loss.

By Mike Brooks

Eye Health Tips

If there was a way to improve your eye sight, that didn’t cost thousands of dollars in expensive surgery, would you do it? I know what you’re thinking, and no, it’s not a drug. Simply put, the body’s ability to recognize the need for “growth”, by recognizing patterns in the movements themselves (muscle memory), and in the commands given for those movements (sensory memory), can be used to establish muscle growth patterns to support the new need for better sight.

The human eye, for instance, oscillates and zooms with the help of the extra-ocular muscles and ciliary muscles. These two groups of muscles work together to make adjustments so that still or moving objects can be brought into focus with relative ease. This happens automatically in most cases.

Exercises for your Eye

Recently, I was staring at a picture…well, an ultrasound photo on my friends iphone. There was my son, a little peanut, with not much more detail than a blurry image of nebula and billions of little stars. I must have been staring at this picture for over an hour, when I realized that my eyes had adjusted to the small detail of the photo, and I was now able to pick out finite detail in my son’s body, that even the ultrasound technician couldn’t see. That’s when I looked up and was astounded by what I saw. A friend who was sitting across the table from me (about three feet) was eating a slice of pizza. The interesting thing, however, was that I could see the smallest detail in his face! His pores were wide open to me! I discovered that my eyes had adjusted to focus on the smallest detail in a fuzzy photo, and once I looked up, they were still set on “zoom”. I’ve since developed some exercises that have improved my eye sight in an amazing way. Get the picture?

My next article will include an exercise program for your eyes!

By Jarreau James

The importance of your Back

We cut and split wood for fire, pulled crops from trees, planted and harvested gardens, hunted and killed game, and some people still today wash clothes by scrubbing them on rocks. For women there was the milking of cows, kneading of bread and churning of butter, while men used their larger upper body strength to build roads, streets and towns.

For the most part, everything I mentioned involves the muscles of the back, the upper body’s largest muscle group. For the most part, many Americans do not perform any of the aforementioned daily chores. If you don’t have a job that involves a lot of physical labor, run a farm or own horses, you most likely do not to enough work for your back. We have so ignored these important muscles in recent history that back problems and even spinal deformities are on the rise. The Dowager’s hump at the base of an old lady’s back can now be seen on teenagers.

Put Your Back on Top!

In a few more million years we may evolve into a slug-like creature that requires only minimum movement to survive. Until then, we need to work our bodies the way they’ve been working for the last million years. That means walking—every chance you can. It means doing squats, properly with knees over your feet and back straight. It means lunges and some stair or hill climbing.

We still use our biceps for carrying, and guys like to give those guns some extra work. The triceps, unless you’re into fighting sports, probably needs some work. Dips are great and if you want to really get the job done, push-ups can’t be beat for chest and triceps. Do them off your toes, your knees or put your toes on a bench or chair for a real burn.

Back Exercises

The problem lies in the largest upper body muscle group, the back, which is difficult to work without specific exercise. The best exercise is the pull-up. A pull-up bar, even if you only hang to start is a great beginning. Eventually work up to pulling your body up in a chin.

The other thing you need is a rowing movement. Tennis and swimming are great, so is golfing and basketball. If you don’t participate in those sports, you’re going to need some rowing either in a kayak or with some exercise bands. Lifting properly, keeping the weight close to your legs, back and arms straight and using your leg power to stand up right will save your back from injuries.

Put your back training on the top of your list of body parts. Train it at least three times a week, and don’t forget hyperextensions, Cobra moves and pelvic raises to keep that lower back muscle in tune.

By Laura Dayton

For more weight training exercises, especially for women, refer to Laura Dayton’s total guide to women’s weight training, available at www.lauradayton.com.

There are some great Yoga shows in the mornings. In Australia, men everywhere tuned in at 6am to watch Gloria and the girls on Mats outside the Opera House. In the US, there are a tonne of Live Exercise Programs that radiate over Networks at all hours of the day and night.

TV Yoga

The problem? You can’t rely on TV for fitness.

Yes that’s right! While it’s tempting to sit in front of the television and put on your favorite exercise program, you might be forgetting one very simple thing that make the television an incredibly ineffective device for exercise…It’s addictive. Shocking I know. But in all seriousness, how can anyone be expected to exercise effectively if their only motivation for performing the exercises is doing them in-sync with a program on television.

More TV Yoga

Grow up! TV is not the answer. You don’t need someone to do the exercises in front of you. Learn them once, remember them and get outside to exercise as hard and as fast as you can. one other problem associated with exercise programs on television is that they change so regularly. Times, hosts, programs, they can all be different from day to day. Exercising to TV program offers no stability and no motivation. Two things that are essential to maintaining a healthy exercise regime.

Get off the couch, changing channels won’t help you!

By Tim Howard

“The Zone” is sometimes hard to find. It is often said to be a mythical place that only the greatest athletes will ever visit. Alternatively, some people believe that “The Zone” is a state of mind. But it’s much simpler than that. You know that girl with the ponytail on the running machine who never looks up or goes for a drink? She’s in “The Zone”. The guy who’s done 400 crunches with his eyes closed? He’s in “The Zone”.

In the Zone

When you get there you don’t even realize you are. It’s the second wind during a marathon, the final sprint in a stage of a cycle race, the last 3 pushups in your daily goal of 100 or pulling away from the field and not realizing you’ve crossed the finish line. But how do you get there?

In the Zone?

There’s a reason why so many people exercise with iPod’s blasting in their ears. You can hear them coming up behind you at the water fountain I’m sure. But the practical reality of using music in order to get in “The Zone” is a long-established practice. Anything from Rage Against the Machine to Dolly Parton can get someone in “The Zone”. Listening to external stimulus takes you mind off the physical activity you’re performing.

Crank the tunes!

The secret to making exercise time fly by is to be completely tuned out to the rest of the world. If you’re trying to concentrate on the exercises you’re performing, the session will drag on with no end in sight. Having a special playlist that you know and love will give you the motivation and distraction to follow your exercise program without focusing on it.

Buy a portable music player. Tune out to everything around you. Get in “The Zone”!

By Tim Howard

Beach Yoga for Seniors

Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise for an elderly person’s health. Yoga focuses on the body, mind, and spirit. It cultivates a state of overall health and well-being. Certain Yoga techniques work to normalize blood pressure, balance the nervous system, strengthen core muscles, decrease stress, stimulate blood circulation, regulate breathing, and aid with sleep. Yoga is part exercise and part meditation. Practicing yoga on a regular basis can strengthen your body, relax your mind, and provide inner peace.

Yoga for Seniors

Trying to find a yoga class that’s right for you can seem daunting. Hatha, Iyengar, Anusara- what do these all mean? If you are an elderly person, you may think that joining a beginner’s class is best. However, even beginner’s classes can be fast paced, and the instructor may not have experience teaching seniors. The best class for a senior to take is a “Yoga for Seniors” class or “Ageless Yoga”. These types of yoga classes are specifically designed for seniors and persons with decreased mobility. The instructors will have experience working with seniors, and will be able to tailor the class to an elderly person’s needs.

What can you expect from a yoga class designed for seniors? The instructor will most likely check in with each student to find out what their issues are. You will be reminded to breathe and to rest in “child’s pose” as needed. If you need help with the poses, props and support from the instructor will be available. The pace of the class will typically be slower than the pace in other styles of yoga because students may need extra time getting in and out of poses. However, with time and patience, most students will be able to do a variation on most poses.

Seniors Yoga

Older people can sometimes be very strong, flexible, and fit, so you can expect the class to be diverse. Yoga for older people is also about building community. The diversity of students in the classes can be inspiring and helpful, and can lead to new friendships.

Any yoga instructor practices what they teach because yoga is a lifestyle, not just a class they teach a couple times a week. As such, your yoga instructor will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you might have. If you are unsure about taking a yoga class, you can always talk to an instructor beforehand so that they can give you any additional information you might need.

By Jasmine-June Cabanaw

Bring Lunch to Work

By bringing a lunch to work, you control what is being put into the meal, which can lead to a smaller waistline line. At a restaurant, there is no way of knowing how much how oil is being put into a pan to make your dish. Even dishes that have been deemed healthy can be some of the worst menu options. Salads sound good. A mix of vegetables and salad leaves are wonderful things to put into your body, but they aren’t the problem. The dressing can quickly negate those greens and then when you add buttered croutons, bacon bits and meat the salad quickly becomes an unhealthy option. This doesn’t include the side of garlic bread that a lot of salads come with.

The first step is getting into the habit of packing a lunch. Our evenings and mornings are valuable and every minute is usually accounted for. There are kids that need to get to school or practice. There are evening obligations as well, so you may not want to make a meal before bed or when you get up, but the decision to do so is your first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Fitness Lunch

In the weeks and months to come, I’ll go over how to make the brown bagged lunch healthy. I will also delve into the other two meals of the day and healthy snacking options. In addition to eating right, excise has to become part of the ritual for the working person to get back into shape. Again, the workday consumes most of us, making it hard to find extra time to go to the gym, go for a walk, run, swim or bike ride. It’s not impossible tough. In fact, you could be leaving the office every evening with two healthy meals in the books, a workout and only a nice dinner to finish the day. How is that possible? In my next article, we’ll go into the art of the lunch hour workout routine.

By Kevin Finley

If you wear a rigid boot or shoe that changes your regular gait, strap them on and spend a few hours walking around on the carpet. Bind them just like the real thing and you’ll find any potential blister spots ahead of time. Your ankles and shins will also be getting in some practice runs.

Skiing Lunge

If you’re not a cardio fiend, you aren’t going to have much fun. You should be able to hold the mid-high level of your target heart rate for at least thirty minutes. Work the legs extra high and throw in some classic calisthenics, like Squat Thrusts: Squat down hands on the floor and in the same motion kick both legs behind you (show-offs might do a push-up at this point) then spring your knees and feet back under and stand (or better, jump) and repeat again in a continuous movement. Get up to 20 of these and you’re ready for jumps and moguls.

Resistance Moves
Bands and bodyweight work are excellent because they mimic the way your muscles work during the sport better than machines. You want light weights, and high reps. Light doesn’t mean easy, it just means you aren’t going for a one rep max—you’re lifting for exhaustion, just like you ski. On most of the exercises you’ll go to the point you can’t do one more, or you’re bored. BTW, if you’re bored, add more resistance next time. For starters you’re going to need extra work on the back, biceps, quads, hams and calves. Power generates from your core, so you need and lower ab exercises along with some sidebends.

Upright from Lunge Position

Elbow-to-Opposite-Knee drills are a great warm up for your ski workout. So is jumping rope for about five minutes, even if you have to take breaks. Pull ups, even partials, are good for the back as are any type of rowing movement or side lateral raises. Some shoulder shrugs and neck rolls are also called for.
The rowing exercises go hand-in-hand with bicep pulls. You can use a tight band or even a towel around your feet for these—pull ‘til ya can’t pull no more.
I do most of my ab work with the ball. There are plenty of exercises to choose from, just be sure you do some low back stretching as well.

Your legs do the lion’s share of the work, unless your sport is snowmobiling. I like Ballet-style squats where you pulse down to the count of 4 (as close to thighs-parallel-to-the-floor as possible) hold until you want to scream, then pulse back up. Now do the same thing on your toes.

My other exercise of choice is the lunge. I wish this exercise was called the long-step, because the biggest mistake people make is to lunge forward with their torso as well as their forward leg. Your torso should remain upright and allow your quads, hamstrings and glutes to do all the work. Your step should be as long as possible so that your trailing leg’s knee is about 4-6 inches from the floor. If you loose your balance or, Heaven forbid, hit the ground with the trailing knee, shorten your stride. For ski tune-ups I prefer walking lunges, and walking up a slight incline (10%) and down is a real plus. Perform until you get the first real burn, but then give it a break. Add more steps each time you lunge, and never work a sore muscle on consecutive days.

Starting three to four weeks out on this routine is ideal. Don’t start it the day before you ski. If you’re doing these moves with ease, you are ready for many great days of skiing.

By Laura Dayton

But things are what they are, and everyone seems to feel like if they want to be fit that joining a gym is the only way to do it. It doesn’t have to be like that though. There are methods of getting in shape that have been around a lot longer than gyms and there are lots of exercises that require very little or no equipment. I bet you’ve already even done a lot them.

Pushups at Home

The pushup is probably the best and most classic example of an exercise that requires no equipment. This one exercise alone can make a noticeable change to your chest, shoulders, and arms. There are endless ways to vary it up as well. Putting your feet up on a wall at an angle will make them harder because you are putting more weight on your arms. You are changing your position and therefore you have less leverage. You can gradually progress to walking your feet up the wall all the way until you wind up doing handstand pushups! On the other side of it, if you keep your feet on the floor and walk your hands up on to a ledge, step, or any other sturdy surface that it higher than the floor, you can give yourself better leverage. This is a good technique to use in order to train towards doing one armed pushups. By doing a one armed push up on an angle you can get better at the technique and gradually build towards doing them on the floor. Experiment with different variations on the push up and it can stay fresh and challenging for you.

Pullups for Fitness

Pull-ups and chin-ups are also among the best exercises for building the upper body and they require very little equipment. If you don’t have a pull-up bar then try to find a park or playground with monkey bars nearby. I love to take my workouts to the park when the weather is nice. I find it beats working out at the gym by a landslide. Pull-ups and chin-ups can also be varied in many ways. Technically speaking a pull-up is done with your palms facing away from you (overhand grip) and a chin-up is when your palms are facing towards you (underhand grip). But there are many other ways to vary these two basic themes as well. You can do a mixed grip with your palms facing each other. You can also vary the width of your grip, the position of your legs, or the placement of your head on either side of the bar. And of course let’s not forget the granddaddy of them all: the one arm pull-up.

Way to Lunge

Squats and Lunges are two of the best exercises for your legs. And while these are great exercises to perform with weights, they can also be very effective with just your body weight. Even if you have strong legs, doing an endurance workout with just your body weight consisting of hundreds of squats and lunges can lead to you having a hard time getting up out of a chair the next day. Taking squats and lunges and turning them into plyometric exercises is another great way to add a new challenge with no equipment. All you need to do is jump on your way up and then land right into the lowering phase of the next rep. Repeat until your legs are quivering and your heart feels like it’s going to explode. Then rest and repeat. Or go into another set of pushups while you wait for your legs to recover. Of course, squats can be performed with one leg as well–and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Creative Exercise

Your creativity is the only limit to finding ways to vary these fundamental exercises. Experiment for yourself and don’t feel the need to conform to the limits of conventional methods. Finding new challenges and adding different variations is one of the keys to success in the world of fitness.

By Al Kavadlo

Starting Interval Training

The best way to start adding interval training into your routing is to pick an activity: running, biking, and using an elliptical are excellent choices, but you can even use a rowing machine, stair stepper, or swim.  Start by doing a warm-up of 5-10 minutes at a relaxed pace, what you would generally do your routine at; on a scale of 1 to 10 your effort should feel like a 7 or 8.  Then, do one minute almost as hard as you can (an effort of 9) by upping the pace.  Follow this by a two minute recovery at an effort level of 6 or 7, and then repeat the cycle and follow it with a short cool-down.  Start with adding a few intervals and then work your way up to doing a total of 10 minutes of hard efforts.

Tough Interval Training

Play around with different types of intervals, by changing the times of your hard efforts and recovery paces.  You can do shorter sprints of 30 seconds hard with one minute recovery, or do two or three minutes hard and then recover.  You can further mix it up by varying the resistance or incline along with the pace.  Intervals are excellent tools to add to your training routine; you can do them up to three times a week, but be sure to rest or do a steady, recovery cardio workout at least a day between sessions.  Soon you will notice that the days you do your steady cardio, they will be feeling easier and you will be encouraged by improvement in your interval days as well!

By: Caitlin Chock, Home Fitness Guru