Spring into action with Personal Training

With the weather warming up, it’s time to get your body into action before the summer months are upon us. Trying to lose those extra winter kilos can be tough.

One of the most proven ways to gain results is with the help of a Personal Trainer.
A Personal Trainer can help you to:

Get results faster – working with a personal trainer, provides motivation that exercising alone cannot. Having someone there to help you push through barriers is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your exercise sessions.

Save time - A trainer will design your workouts to be efficient, ensuring you don’t waste time on exercises that will not achieve your goals.

Do what’s right for you – A personal trainer will take into account your individual situation, and work with you to help you not only achieve results but to be able to maintain them in the long term.

Train safely - especially if you have any specific issues like an injury or illness. Working with an experienced trainer (who works with your doctor, of course) can help you find a program to help injuries and avoid any further problems.

Learn the right way – Another benefit of having a professional train you, is the ability to gain their knowledge in correct technique and application of exercises, minimising the risk of injury when training.

Stay motivated - especially if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind.
Challenge your limits & push boundaries – A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own.

Train for a specific sport or event - If you're training for a marathon, a golf tournament or some other type of sport or event, an experienced trainer can help you figure out what you need to do to stay strong without taking away from your other training.

How exercise may improve your mental health..

We know that exercise has positive effects on the brain. Researchers at Duke University demonstrated several years ago that exercise has antidepressant properties. Other research has shown that exercise can improve the brain functioning of the elderly and may even protect against dementia. How does exercise improve mental health?

One theory for some of the benefits of exercise include the fact that exercise triggers the production of endorphins. These natural opiates are chemically similar to morphine. They may be produced as natural pain relievers in response to the shock that the body receives during exercise. However, researchers are beginning to question whether endorphins improve mood. Studies are showing that the body's metabolism of endorphins is complex, and there are likely additional mechanisms involved in the mental health effects of exercise.
Some studies have found that exercise boosts activity in the brain's frontal lobes and the hippocampus. We don't really know how or why this occurs. Animal studies have found that exercise increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters have been associated with elevated mood, and it is thought that antidepressant medications also work by boosting these chemicals.

Exercise has also been found to increase levels of "brain-derived neurotrophic factor" (BDNF). This substance is thought to improve mood, and it may play a role in the beneficial effects of exercise. BDNF's primary role seems to be to help brain cells survive longer, so this may also explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on dementia.
The bottom line is that most of us feel good after exercise. Physical exercise is good for our mental health and for our brains. Someday we will understand it all better -- but we can start exercising today.

Sources:
John Briley. "Feel Good After a Workout? Well, Good for You." The Washington Post, Tuesday, April 25, 2006.
James A. Blumenthal, et al. "Effects of Exercise Training on Older Patients With Major Depression." Archives of Internal Medicine, October 25, 1999.
Michael Babyak, et al. "Exercise Treatment for Major Depression: Maintenance of Therapeutic Benefit at 10 Months." Psychosomatic Medicine, September/October 2000

Exercise Fact or Fiction...

We all make excuses from time to time to justify our actions, or lack of them, and particularly when it comes to the minefield of diet and exercise. There's so much information and misinformation out there, so read on to cut through the facts and the fiction.

Fact: Exercise takes time
Unfortunate though it is, to improve your health and maintain your fitness, you have to invest time and effort. You are simply not going to get a six-pack by eating six packs of Tim-Tams while sitting on the lounge. Deal with it.
The good news is that there are stealth ways to introduce exercise into your life. Walk, run or cycle into work (you have to get there somehow), take a gym class at lunchtime (more fun than that big bowl of pasta), walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift, walk to the shops instead of taking the car. Though you'll reap more benefits from going hard, any physical activity is better than none — so get moving!

Fiction: You can't exercise as you get older
This is fundamentally nonsense. Keeping fit and active as you age will keep you living longer, and will also keep you looking younger. Regular weight-bearing exercise helps to ward off osteoporosis, maintain good mental health and help cope with symptoms of the menopause. As our bodies age, too, we need less fuel to keep us going: physical activity can help to keep our waistlines trim and our hearts healthy.
If you don't feel comfortable pounding the streets, try gentler forms of exercise. Swimming, aqua aerobics, pilates and yoga are all great ways of maintaining your health with less impact to muscles and joints. Or join a bushwalking club, or investigate dancing lessons — whatever it is, just do it, and round out your other interests at the same time.

Fact: Mums find it hard to exercise
It's a bit of a triple whammy really: first you're pregnant, then you're recovering from the birth, and then your baby (or babies) takes up all your time. How could you possibly exercise? Well, you're wrong. Get into the habit of exercising while pregnant: a light walk or a swim is not going to stress you or the baby, and will probably make you feel better. Check out classes that are specifically for pregnant women, whether they be in yoga, pilates or even weights.
Of course, no one is expecting you to do lunges and sit-ups while giving birth or even shortly afterwards, but it possible to fit activity into an already busy life. Go for a walk or a jog with the buggy (older kids can come too!), take the children to the pool for some swim tuition, take a rounders set to the beach or set up an informal game of touch footy. Go for a family bike ride or walk the dog. Or, if you simply want some "me time", find a gym that offers creche facilities, or pool together with a group of other mums and take it in turns to babysit while the rest of you get out and get active. You can do it? Oh yes you can.

Fiction: Weight training makes you bulk up
Body builders don't just look at a barbell to get those sorts of muscles: it takes months and years of lifting increasing weights, and to think that you'll buck this trend is nothing short of naïve. To get toned and trim, introduce weights into your programme and carry out repetitions of weights that challenge your muscles. If you're not sure how much is too much, ask at the gym where there are always staff on hand to help.
Ironically, weight training is a good way of making yourself look slimmer. Judicious use of certain techniques and machines can elongate muscles and provide definition to legs that are bulky from cardio activities such as cycling, running and elliptical machines.

Fiction: Gyms are just for weight training
Most gyms will have a weights studio or two, true, and weight training can play an important part in a balanced exercise programme. But most gyms will offer a whole host of different activities that cater for a range of interests and, yes, abilities.
Check out class timetables on gym websites for inspiration of what to go to: most will offer spin (or studio cycling), aerobics, step classes, yoga and a range of Les Mills classes such as Body Attack, Body Combat or Body Pump. There will also be a cardio theatre with treadmills, rowing machines, elliptical machines, bikes and steppers. Go on, bite that bullet and find a beginner's class in something that takes your fancy.

Fiction: I can't afford to exercise
You can afford to get in your car and drive it to the supermarket, right? Walk instead and save yourself the petrol money. When was the last time you paid an entry fee to the beach? Everyone can afford to exercise: you don't need to go to high-tech gyms and employ the personal trainers to the stars to get fitter and stronger.
Take your lunch to work instead of buying it, and you'll be amazed how much cash you can save to put towards other things. Recycle your water bottle instead of buying a new one every day. Skip that morning coffee. You don't have to do all of these things, but if you do some of them you'll soon be able to afford that decent pair of runners, a skipping rope, a new swimming costume or even — shock horror — that personal trainer, after all.

For more information see – better health.com.

Should there be a tax on junk food??

A tax on junk food should be implemented as a tool to reduce consumption and address the obesity epidemic, according to an article by Monash researchers that appeared in the Medical Journal of Australia. Ms Molly Bond, PhD candidate at the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, and co-authors discuss the possibility of introducing a junk food tax in a similar fashion to tobacco and alcohol taxes. Ms Bond said that the recent report on taxation -- the Henry tax review -- recommended that the federal government increase taxes already levied on tobacco and alcohol, because these are the best way to reduce social harms caused by the use and misuse of these substances. However, no similar scheme was recommended for junk food. "In recent years, obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia," Ms Bond said. "More than 60 per cent of Australian adults and one in four children are overweight or obese. "Evidence suggests that the obesity epidemic in Australia and around the world is predominantly the result of over-consumption of food rather than a reduction in overall physical activity. "Curbing this over-consumption, of junk food in particular, must be a central component of any obesity prevention strategy. "Junk foods have the same pattern of misuse and the same social costs as tobacco and alcohol. "The Henry tax review rejects the idea of taxing fatty foods and, to date, the federal government has not implemented a tax on junk food," Ms Bond said. Ms Bond observed that the government's response to the obesity epidemic has been to create a partnership between governments and industry, which will inevitably align with industry objectives rather than public health needs. "We hope that the efforts of the public health community are not consumed in responding to government-industry initiatives that are almost certain to have no effect on the obesity epidemic." The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association. For further information about the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights, visit The Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights website.

Food myths exposed!

There are many myths about foods - which you should eat and when you should eat them.

Below five myths are exposed as false!

1. Potatoes make you fat - false
It was once thought that the key to weight loss was eliminating all high carbohydrate foods, including pasta, rice and potatoes. We now know that carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source. Eating a potato, or any type of carbohydrate rich food, won’t automatically make you fatter. However, if you are watching your weight, enjoy potatoes in moderate quantities and be careful of how you eat your potato (for example, butter and sour cream are high in fats).You have to regularly eat more energy than your body needs to put on weight. This is harder to do with high carbohydrate foods than high fat foods. Eating a diet high in carbohydrate (and also fibre) is likely to push fat out of the diet.

2. Food combining diets really work - false
There are plenty of diets based on the belief that the digestive system can’t tackle a combination of foods or nutrients. Commonly, carbohydrates and proteins are said to ‘clash’, leading to digestive problems and weight gain. The opposite is often true. Foods eaten together can help the digestive system. For example, vitamin C in orange juice can increase iron absorption from a meal like chicken or beef.Very few foods are purely carbohydrate or purely protein; most are a mixture of both. The digestive system contains enzymes that are perfectly capable of breaking down all the foods we eat. Food combining diets should be avoided.

3. Breakfast should consist of fruit only - false
There is no evidence that eating only fruit at breakfast has any health or weight loss benefits. Most fruits are not very high in complex carbohydrates, which the body needs after an all-night fast. They are, however, a good source of fibre and vitamins. Cereal foods (especially wholegrain varieties) like bread, crumpets, muffins and breakfast cereals are a much better source of carbohydrates to get you going in the morning.

4. There are some magical foods that cause weight loss - false
Some foods, such as grapefruit or kelp, are said to burn off body fat. This is not true. Dietary fibre comes closest to fulfilling this wish because it provides a feeling of ‘fullness’ with minimal kilojoules. High fibre foods such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals, and legumes also tend to be low in fat.

5. Drinking while you are eating is fattening - false
The theory behind this misconception is that digestive juices and enzymes will be diluted by the fluid, and this will slow down the digestion and lead to excess body fat. There is no scientific evidence to back this up. In fact, evidence suggests that drinking water with your meal improves digestion. Kilojoule-heavy drinks such as alcoholic beverages can be fattening if consumed in excess, but drinking them with meals doesn’t make them more so.

Is alcohol making you fat??

Health experts say women are catching up to men in the beer-belly stakes — and it's our sedentary lifestyle, not genetics, that is to blame.

The 'wineglass'
Move over apples, the new figure shape on the weight-watching block is the appropriately titled 'wineglass' — coined by a British dietician to describe barrel-shaped ladies whose thick waist-line is a result of one too many tipples.

Jacqui Lowdon from the British Dietetic Association says the shape, which is characterised by a larger upper-body and a thinner lower-body, is usually most common in women after menopause. However, due to an increased consumption of alcohol by women under 30 the barrel-esque physique is now also becoming common in the younger set.

Don't blame it on genetics
This emerging trend is being blamed on extended drinking hours, social pressures and our inactive lifestyles, according to international health and longevity expert Dr John Tickell.
"The way we eat and drink is just so different to what they were 50 years ago," says Dr Tickell. "What happens now is that most of the kids don't go out until 10 or 11 or midnight, and they stay out drinking in clubs all night."

Add to this our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and our consumption of excess calories through alcohol and Dr Tickell says it's a recipe for the skinny-leg, big-belly look.

Health risks
If the unsightly beer belly isn't enough to put you off, perhaps the list of health risks associated with the 'wineglass' shape will. Dr Tickell warns, "It is terribly unhealthy. Wineglass equals high-risk diabetes, breast cancer, bowel cancer and all other cancers."

For more information see source: http://health.ninemsn.com.au/dietandnutrition/nutrition/694803/alcohol-is-making-women-fat

Why warm up & cool down??

Warm Up

The main purpose and benefit of warm up exercises is to slowly increase your heart rate. This increase in heart rate helps to raise your body temperature and to increase the blood flow to your muscles.

This increase in blood flow properly oxygenates your muscles and prepares them for the upcoming more strenuous aerobic exercise. With your body properly warmed up, you can easily and safely perform the needed stretching exercises to ensure proper flexibility and range of motion for your exercise routine.

A warm-up helps you prepare both mentally and physically for exercise, and reduces the chance of injury. During a warm-up, any injury or illness you have can often be recognized, and further injury prevented. Other benefits of a proper warm up include:

• Increased movement of blood through your tissues, making the muscles more pliable.


• Increased delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. This prevents you from getting out of breath early or too easily.


• Prepares your muscles for stretching


• Prepares your heart for an increase in activity, preventing a rapid increase in blood pressure


• Prepares you mentally for the upcoming exercise


• Primes your nerve-to-muscle pathways to be ready for exercise


• Improves coordination and reaction times

Cool Down

Although many people skip warming up and cooling down, the cool down step is probably the most overlooked piece of an effective exercise routine. The benefits of cooling down are just as important as warm up period but bring you different benefits than the warm up routine.During an aerobic exercise routine you are working your heart within your target heart rate zone. The main purpose of cooling down is to bring your breathing, body temperature and heart rate back to normal slowly.

During the cool down routine you are allowing the blood to properly redistribute itself to the heart. This redistribution helps rid the muscles of lactic acid which can build up around the muscles during an aerobic workout.

If you stop your aerobic exercise abruptly and do not cool down, the blood can pool up around your muscles in the legs. This can cause insufficient blood flow and oxygen to the brain giving you a light headed and dizzy sensation. Dizziness, nausea and feeling worn out are common symptoms of an improper or no cool down period.

The importance of staying hydrated during exercise

Everybody knows that you should drink plenty of fluids when you are exercising, but like so many things, the importance of this one simple thing gets forgotten. It is not only vital to stay hydrated while you are exercising, but also to make sure you are well hydrated before you start exercising and also to keep drinking after your exercise has finished. Many people tend to forget about the before and after parts, and this can lead to dehydration which in turn can not only affect your performance, but can also lead to other problems such as migraines and poor recovery.

Your body needs to be well hydrated in order to function at it's best. While it can work perfectly well at low levels of dehydration, this puts a strain on your body and means you will not be able to perform to your optimum potential. While everybody's needs are different, you should aim to drink around 1.5 - 2 litres of water a day in order to keep yourself at maximum hydration. A good way to check how hydrated you are is to check the colour of your urine, ideally it should be a very pale straw colour, indicating good hydration, any darker than this and you should up your water intake.

Another important aspect of hydration, especially when undertaking high intensity or endurance sports is your electrolytes. These are essential salts and minerals that your body needs in order to function, and a lack of these can present themselves in the form of migraines or even muscle cramps. Sports drinks are a good way to ensure you are getting everything your body needs while you are exercising, and many contain these essential electrolytes as well as sugars to help you go on for longer. It is always a good idea to check the contents of these types of drinks, as many of them use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to try and keep the calorie content down, which in a way defeats the purpose as more often than not when you reach for an energy drink you are doing so for a quick and instant energy boost, which can only be gained through some form of sugar.

Trying out different drinks until you find one that suits your needs is the only way to go about it, as everybody is different and of course have different tastes. Your friend might rave about their citrus flavour drink which you can 't stand the taste of, the great thing is that most drinks come in a range of flavours so you will be able to find one that you like. It shouldn't be necessary to consume this type of drink before your exercise, however there is nothing wrong with sipping on one throughout the course of your workout, and of course afterwards if it is a drink that contains electrolytes. The most important thing is that you stay hydrated, however you choose to do it.

For further information please see original source http://www.hubpages.com/

What to eat before & after exercise...

To get the best results from your workout, it’s important that you’re eating the right things before and after you exercise. Proper nutrition is essential to improving your endurance and preventing injury, keeping your body in the best condition to reach optimum performance levels. By following these guidelines, you can make the most of your fitness plan and start seeing results faster. Here’s what you need to know…

How your body uses fuel
First, it can be useful to understand how your body uses energy while exercising, and how different types of foods will help and inhibit your weight loss. When you do aerobic exercise- that is, exercises that focus on endurance over long periods of time, like cycling, jogging or swimming- your body uses carbs as fuel to start with. When it runs out of carbs, it starts burning fat.

When you do short-term, high-intensity exercises (anaerobic activity) such as strength training, your muscles use up lots of carbs in the form of glycogen, which is a complex sugar. Repetitive and vigorous training can easily use up most of the carbs stored in the muscles. So here’s how you can use this information to make the most of your workouts…

Before exercise
Make sure you’ve eaten a nutritious meal about an hour before you exercise to keep you going strong throughout your workout. Eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates, like whole-grain pasta, rice and bread, or fruits and vegetables. Complex carbs are easy to digest, and will give you plenty of energy to sustain you throughout your exercise, allowing yourself to really push your body to get the optimum results.

Avoid simple sugars like lollies for at least an hour before you exercise, as they will cause your blood sugar to drop during your workout. It’s important to make sure you don’t suffer low blood sugar levels when you exercise, as this can cause jitters and dizziness, which stops you from training as long and hard as you normally could.

It’s also important to make sure you are well hydrated before you work out. Drink 500-600 ml of water in the one or two hours before exercising. This will help you to reach your optimal physical performance, as well as providing resistance to injury and maintenance of normal body temperature.

During exercise
Make sure you take a water bottle to the gym and keep drinking throughout your workout. It’s recommended that you drink 100 to 200 ml for every 15 to 30 minutes of exercise. If you’re doing intense exercise for prolonged periods of times, you might consider sports drinks, which contain simple carbohydrates and electrolytes. Just remember to check the nutrition label- drinks with up to 10% carbohydrates (most good sports drinks) can help improve endurance, as they enter the bloodstream quickly and deliver glucose to active muscles effectively, but drinks with more carbs than that (like fruit juices and soda) should be avoided, as they can cause cramps and nausea.

After exercise
After your workout you should have a small snack that is rich in complex carbs, so you can restore your muscle-glycogen levels. An hour later, you should have a nutritious, protein-rich meal to repair damaged muscle tissues.

You will also need to rehydrate your body, so make sure you drink some more water. One way of figuring out how much you should be drinking is to weigh yourself before and after you exercise. Any weight lost in that time will be water, so drink one to two cups for each half-kilo lost.

Following these guidelines can help you to get the most out of your workout. You’ll find that your energy levels will improve, and you’ll be more able to reach your optimum performance. Be kind to your body- listen to what it needs, and you’ll be seeing better results in no time.

For more information see source: http://sportsmedicine.about.com

Will weight training make me bulky??

A lot of people (especially women) shy away from weight training for the fear they will end up with big, bulky, and oversized muscles. This simply isn’t true. A properly designed resistance program can deliver whatever you want from your muscles: tone, size, strength, and endurance.

Men and women often see body builders and think that weights will make them look similarly big and scary. But professional body builders train twice a day for hours on end and follow an extremely strict diet to achieve the hulking figures you see in magazines.

Not only does it take a lot of hard training to develop very large muscles, especially for women, the extent to which our muscles grow depends on many factors including:

• The type of resistance program followed (high volume and loads will add more bulk)
• Diet and food intake (you need to eat plenty of food, especially protein, to have the building blocks for big muscles)
• Gender (females generally don't have the chemicals eg. testosterone for extreme muscle building)
• Genetic make up (some people gain muscle faster than others)

Individuals respond differently to Weight Training

Everyone can benefit from a regular weight training program, especially women. Not everyone however, will respond the same way, even if they follow identical programs because we are all very individual and our genetic and body shapes are all very different. For example, if a program is designed to increase muscle size and strength, men will respond very differently to women as their muscles grow much larger due to higher circulating levels of the hormone testosterone. It’s primarily this reason why most women won’t get big muscles from resistance training, even when training with heavy weights. Genetics also play a part in how we adapt – some people gain lean muscle mass faster and in different places.Good weight training design is of paramount importance and a program must “deliver the goods”. Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean stronger so programs designed to increase muscle strength differ from those designed to increase muscle mass or endurance. Women should follow a weights program designed specifically designed for them and their body type.If weight loss is your goal then combining weights training with aerobic exercise is proven as a very successful approach. A number of studies have shown that aerobic work combined with resistance training gives the best fat loss results. You'll increase your metabolism, gain strength to make your aerobic workouts more effective, and improve posture, balance and get good feelings of well being.

Benefits of weight training

• Bone density (especially important for women in the fight against osteoporosis)
• Muscle endurance (reducing muscle fatigue by lifting lighter weights for more repetitions)
• Muscle tone and firmness (we all like this!)
• Increased work capacity (ie you can walk, run, cycle etc faster and burn more calories)

A weights training program can be designed according to your individual needs. Getting big muscles need not be one of these, so women shouldn’t worry about turning into the incredible hulk from some weights training!

For more information see source: http://www.completefitness.com.au/

SLEEP - Are you getting enough?

Sleep, why we need it, why it can be hard to get, and how it affects everything from athletic performance to our personal success and heath, is one of the hottest topics in science today.

So How Much Sleep Is Ideal?

According to studies people who sleep between 6.5 and 7.5 hours a night live the longest. People who sleep 8 hours or more or less than 6.5 hours have shorter life spans. There seems to be evidence to support that there is just as much risk over sleeping as there is in under-sleeping.

It may be interesting to note that long sleep starts at 8 hours and sleeping 8.5 hours might really be a bit worse than sleeping 5 hours a night.We can only guess at why people who sleep from 6.5 to 7.5 hours an night live longer, but we don’t really know the cause or the effect.

For example we don’t know for sure if a person who sleeps less time a night can live longer by extending their sleep and if a longer sleep can live longer by getting up a bit earlier.

One thing to remember as well if you are an athlete or bodybuilder, is that one of the only times we can grow or repair muscle is during certain stages of sleep. For the active trainer, and athlete our sleep is very important to recovery, in fact it is just as important as the workouts themselves.

The Eight-Hour Myth - Dispelled

So based on the studies and information at hand the 8 hours a night myth has been effectively squashed but it stems from an average. It's possible that the amount of sleep we need is determined by our genes and may be why we are either short or long sleepers.

The Long And Short Of It

Our genes may determine the amount of sleep our body requires for us to awaken feeling refreshed and recharged. This likely occurs across a gamut, with “short-sleepers” needing less than average and “long-sleepers” needing more.

Sleep Debt

When we don’t get enough sleep to meet our needs, we run into sleep debt. Sleep debt can accumulate. There are a number of signs or things that happen when we are in sleep debt

- Daytime sleepiness

- Fatigue

- Difficulty concentrating

- Poor judgment

- Increased risk of accidents

- Other health complicationsWe might be able to pay off sleep debt by taking naps or by sleeping in (or just going to bed earlier).

In conclusion Sleep is very important to everyone regardless of whether you are a bodybuilder or regular person, so remember to make sure your body gets the rest it needs!

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

Feeling Flat? There may be a reason...

1. Sugar has a tendency to be a craving and a curse all at once. It tastes good going down and keeps you from feeling ‘up’. When you crave something sweet, its important to have something else ready and available to eat instead. Try to choose snacks that have a small amount of carbohydrates to give you a measurable amount of energy for your day like whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese, fresh fruit or a small box of raisins and low-fat cheese or plain, nonfat yogurt blended with fruit.

2. Caffeine is another substance that will give us the wake up call that we need, but leave us hanging later on. Try to choose the decaffeinated version of your favorite beverage like coffee, tea or cola and avoid using caffeine to help you stay awake; this will only throw off your natural sleep cycle and promote your low energy levels.

3. Dehydration – With our busy lifestyles, it is easy to forget to drink water throughout the day. We need water to flush out toxins, keep our energy levels elevated and to keep our tissues hydrated. It contains no calories, so you can drink as much of it as you want to, and if you need some variety, add a lemon or lime slice to it. You can also make homemade lemonade with lemon, water and a small amount of sugar or artificial sweetener.

4. Exercise –Whether or not you exercise consistently, the amount of exercise that you get (or don’t get) could be contributing to your lack of energy. While exercise energizes us physically, mentally and emotionally, we feel more sluggish without it. On the other hand, when we do exercise, it enhances our mood by releasing endorphins, a ‘feel good’ chemical that increases energy levels. Hopefully it will encourage us to exercise more…. but not too much. Overtraining will deplete your energy reserves, break down muscle and make you feel weaker instead of stronger. Exercising too much could suppress your immune system, which could increase your chances of a bacterial or viral invasion, making you more vulnerable to illness. So make sure that you stay in control of your workout sessions and the frequency of them.

You (and you alone!) are in control of your own energy levels, so choose to eat the right foods and drink the right beverages to boost your energy instead of bring it down.

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

6 quick tips for getting to sleep...

Many people have problems falling asleep at night, often because their minds keep running at full-speed even though they feel physically tired. Here are six techniques that may help:

1) Keep a regular sleep schedule. This gets your mind and body into a routine.

2) Stay away from reading fiction before bed. Fiction stimulates your imagination and does not help you relax your mind and get to sleep. Mental energy is not what you want when trying to fall asleep.

3) Take a few minutes to quiet your mind. This will help stop that ceaseless thinking. Ways to quiet your mind are: slow and deepen your breathing; think of a few things that went well with the day and be grateful for them; release the emotions attached to anything that didn't go well; stop consciously thinking about things. That last one means to stop trying to think about any issues you have, and stop consciously putting your attention on them. If something is still on your mind, write it down on a notepad next to the bed and resolve to deal with it tomorrow. This is really an important step because if you haven't released something that's bothering you before you try to go to sleep, you'll be replaying it over and over unless you have extremely good control of your thoughts.

4) Keep away from any form of caffeine after 1:00 pm in the afternoon. No coffee, decaf, tea or soda with caffeine. If you are susceptible to the effects of caffeine, it will make it harder for you to quiet your mind when you want to sleep.

5) Focus on your body and relax one area at a time starting at your feet. This both helps your body physically relax and helps you keep your attention on something other than your to-do list, what's going on at work, how mad you are at someone, etc...

6) Visualize walking down an endless stairwell. Keep your attention on your feet as you visualize your walking. This is similar to number 5 above. Giving your attention to something mindless and repetitive helps your brain shut down.

Judy Braley is an author, an attorney, and a parent of two. Her personal development blog with free articles and information on inspiration for your life can be found at GrowFromWithin.com. Copyright © 2007 Wherett Inc. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Braley

How to select a running shoe..

All running shoes are not created equal. Not only can they alter your speed, but they can also affect your knees, your back and your joints. Selecting the right running shoe can make all the difference, and it can be overwhelming when faced with a wall full of shoes that all look pretty much the same. But if you follow these steps, you can find shoes that will have you running like an Olympic marathoner.

Step 1

Find a good running shoe store. You can buy your shoe at the local mega-mart, but the sales professionals in a specialty store are better trained to help you pick the right shoe. To locate a store, ask friends who run, check running magazine reviews, or check the yellow pages.

Step 2
Examine the soles of your old running shoes. Notice the spots where the shoes show wear from the road. This tells you where your foot falls every time it hits the ground.

Step 3
Place your shoes side-by-side on a flat surface. If the shoes tilt in toward the middle, your new shoe probably needs more stability than your old shoe. If they tilt to the outside, you may have a high arch and your new shoes should have good shock absorption.

Step 4
Look at the top of your shoe. If you can see an outline of your big or little toe, and you've noticed discomfort in those areas while running, you should try a larger or wider shoe.

Step 5
Consider the amount of running you will be doing. This tells you whether you should buy an elite running shoe or a basic model. The more intense the running, the more money you'll want to spend on the shoes.

Step 6
Go to the running shoe store. Tell them what you've found out about your old shoes, or bring a pair with you. The employees should be able to "read" your old shoes and guide your choice. If not, you probably should find a different store.

Step 7
Try out the shoes. Many stores will let you take a run up and down the street to audition the shoes. Try on as many shoes as it takes. Make sure you like the feel and fit of the shoe. Try out the new shoes for at least 10 minutes. This lets you know if the shoe maintains its comfort during wear.

Step 8
Buy the best running shoes for your feet. When you find the right pair, don't let them get away. Take them home and start breaking them in!

For more information see source: http://www.ehow.com

Exercise & Pregnancy

Before beginning an exercise program when pregnant it is advisable to see your Doctor. Your Doctor will need to assess your fitness status in relation to your pregnancy to be sure you are safe to exercise. Also be sure to speak with a Fitness Instructor to work out a fitness program that will be suitable for you to follow.

Exercising when pregnant can provide many benefits to the mind and body as well as helping relieve some common problems associated with pregnancy such as excessive weight gain, swelling of hands and feet, varicose veins, insomnia and fatigue. Some of the benefits of exercising while pregnant include improved posture & circulation, reduced back pain, and increased energy levels. And you will feel better knowing your doing something good for yourself, which is also good for your baby.

Exercise during pregnancy should take into account the changes your body is experiencing – new body alignment, different posture, and reduced strength and endurance.

Generally Pregnant women can participate in low-impact aerobic activity up to three times per week (if your doctor agrees). But don’t push it, if you are feeling exhausted it is better to rest than cause any damage by over-doing it.

Remember always listen to your body, if you experience any sharp pains, fluid leakage, dizziness or faintness be sure to stop exercising and call your doctor straight away.

*Please be advised that you are solely responsible for the way this information is perceived and utilised. Please see your physician before changing your diet or starting an exercise program.

The Les Mills Phenomenon!

By far the most popular form of group exercise offered today, Les Mills has become a phenomenon in the Fitness Industry. Originating in New Zealand Les Mills has revolutionised group exercise practices in gyms all over the world.

Les Mills created eight choreographed group exercise-to-music programs each delivering an hour-long workout in one of the classic exercise genres, such as weight training, mind-body, martial arts, step and dance. These classes are easily identifiable by their trademark prefix of “Body” before the class name, for example; “Body Pump”, “Body Balance”, “Body Combat, “Body Step” etc.

The Les Mills Program Directors create a new class, with new music and choreography, every three months, drawing on the latest trends in music and the latest developments in exercise science. When the new classes are perfected, they are filmed for DVD and dispatched with choreography notes, education sessions and licensed music CDs to the 10,000 qualified Les Mills instructors working in facilities which have licensed one or more of the Les Mills programs from Les Mills Asia Pacific.

Today it is estimated that over one million people a week attend a Les Mills class around Australia and South East Asia. This is testament to the power of Les Mills’ programs and its mission to create life changing fitness experiences every time, everywhere.

Excerpt from the Les Mills website for more info see: www. lesmills.com

10 hot tips for getting the most our of your gym membership!

People quit going to the gym for various reasons, but here are a 10 ways to keep your motivation going.

1. Be realistic with your goals – You can have the overall goal to lose 15Kg, but break that down into realistic mini goals, for example aim to lose 1Kg a week for 15 weeks.

2. Work out with a partner – If you know someone else is counting on you, you’re more likely to get up and get going. Sometimes it’s ok to work out with someone who is on the same level as you, sometimes you’ll want to work out with someone who does go to the gym frequently because it will motivate you to do more.

3. Set a routine – don’t just go to the gym whenever you remember. Set and stick to your gym schedule like you do your class or work schedule. If you’re a morning person, schedule your gym time in the morning. If you’re a night person, schedule your gym time at night. Plan enough time for getting there, changing clothes, warming up, working out and showering. No block of time big enough? Split your workout in two – do cardio in one interval and weights in another.

4. Get a locker at the gym – Showering at the gym saves you time from having to go home and means you can do as intense a workout as you want even if you have to get to work right after. Even if you don’t have anything to do right after, it refreshes your muscles and keeps you feeling great!

5. Ask for help when you need it - This tip goes for the newbies and the oldies. If you don’t know what exercises to do to work certain muscles or you need a spot, ask a gym trainer. That’s what they are there for.

6. Forget that other people are there –Too many people, guys and girls, are worried about what other people think of them at the gym. If you focus on your own workout, you’ll feel better and do better. The gym gets dangerous when people start paying way too much attention to others and not enough to their own behaviors. Guys try to lift more than they can to impress girls (or guys), girls are afraid to try new workouts because the guys will be ogling at them (or vice-versa). Who cares! At the end of the day if you didn’t get your good workout in for trying to impress or not look bad, that’s on you.

7. Bring water with you during your workout – Replenishing yourself with water during your workout is a great benefit because it lets you keep going strong and finish out. Drink water and maybe a sports drink after to keep yourself from dehydrating.

8. Incorporate variety into your workout - If you do the same thing every day it will get boring after a while. If you’re always on the treadmill, try riding a bike. If you usually do three specific abdominal exercises, try three more. Mix it up every once in a while and change your regimen once a month to keep your muscles happy.

9. Have rest days – Be sure to have rest days in your workout schedule. Muscles need time to repair between workouts and proper rest is the only way to achieve this. Overworking muscles can lead to injury, prevention is the best cure.

10. Enjoy it! Don’t go to the gym because someone else tells you to go. Go because you want to. When you find something you like there, stick with it and live it up!

POWER SHOT RECIPE

Ingredients:
1 Cup Raspberries
1 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder
¾ Cup Spring Water
2 Tblsps Honey
2 Scoops Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream
Squeeze of Lemon

Method:
Place the raspberries, protein powder, honey, low fat ice cream, water & squeeze of lemon juice into a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses as serve.

Serves:
4 People

Working with an exercise program

When starting an exercise program consider the following:

Health benefits!


A customised exercise program is a great way to stay fit and it provides a wide range of physical and mental benefits, including:

• Improved condition of the heart and lungs
  Increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness
  Increased aerobic fitness
  Improved muscle tone and strength
  Weight management
  Better coordination, agility and flexibility
  Improved balance and spatial awareness
  Increased physical confidence
  Reduced risk of chronic disease
  Improved sleep
  Improved general and psychological wellbeing
  Greater self-confidence and self-esteem.
  

Before you get started, it will help if you have your fitness level assessed. You probably have some idea of how fit you are. However, assessing and recording baseline (starting) fitness levels can give you benchmarks (points of comparison) against which to measure your progress. Be sure to have checked:

• Your waist circumference at the level of your navel
  Your body mass index (BMI). This is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres.
  Body Fat Percentage
  Hydration Levels
  Lean Muscle Mass Calculation
  Metabolic Age

Be involved in the design of your fitness program, some key points to keep in mind are:

• Consider your goals. Are you starting a fitness program to lose weight or for some other reason?
  Think about your likes and dislikes. Choose activities you’ll enjoy.
  Plan a logical progression of activity. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly.
  Build activity into your daily routine. Schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment.
  Think variety. Varying your activities (cross-training) can keep exercise boredom at bay.
  Allow time for recovery.
  Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track.

Monitor your progress. Have yourself assessed at six to eight week intervals after you start your program. You may need to increase the amount of time you exercise in order to continue improving. On the other hand, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals.

Things to remember

• A customised exercise program is a great way to stay fit and it will bring a wide range of physical and mental benefits.
  Start slowly and build up gradually and monitor your progress.
  If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a group class may help.
  See your doctor for a check-up and have your fitness level assessed by a qualified professional.
  

For more information visit Connect Fitness.

Exercise for Stress Relief

Exercises for relieving stress may be in the form physical, mental, or spiritual exercise - or a combination of all three, e.g. yoga. What is good for the body is good for the mind and vice versa.

Physical exercise is one of the most effective ways of relieving stress. Exercising the body regularly is very effective in managing stress, on its own or as a part of a stress management plan. Getting into better shape improves your mental health as well as your physical health.

When we physically exert ourselves, the body releases chemical substances (endorphins). These natural substances produced by our own bodies are free of side effects, except for making us feel good.

When it comes to stress management, every little bit of exercise counts. Don’t think if you can’t commit to a stringent fitness routine that it’s useless. It’s not. What motivates people to do more of something is to do little of something.

Aerobics
Any activity that gets your heart pumping (aerobic exercise) will get those endorphins flowing and relieve stress. Though you should check with your doctor before embarking on any exercise program, walking is usually safe for anyone.
Try to get your heart going a little faster for at least 15 minutes a day. Even a few minutes here and there of brisk walking can provide stress relief and improve your overall health.

Exercises to Suit Everyone
From doing gentle stretching exercises to keeping up in a physically demanding aerobics class, stress relief can be achieved through a wide range of activities.
Some people enjoy the solitude of walking alone. Other people need the stimulation of interacting with others, whether walking in a group, participating in a yoga class or other fitness class. Interacting with other people during exercise can provide additional stress relief.

Strengthening Exercises
Though not generally as effective as aerobics for relieving stress, many people find that getting into a strengthening exercise program does relieve stress.
Strength exercises are also important to prevent injury during aerobic exercise by strengthening the muscles that support your joints. A toned body has as much impact on mental wellness as physical wellness.

Stretching
Stretching exercises stimulate receptors in the nervous system that decrease the production of stress hormones. Stretching exercises also relax tight, tense muscles and increase blood flow to the muscles.

Other Exercises
Yoga exercises involve the body, mind and spirit. Yoga poses improve flexibility and strength and incorporate breathing techniques that aid in relaxation and general wellness.

Stress relief exercises that don't involve movement but involve both mind and body include meditation exercises and deep breathing exercises - both have been shown to reduce blood pressure.

Make fitness a priority. Exercise effectively relieves depression and anxiety. Find an activity that you enjoy and feel the stress melt away. Relieving Stress by exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has been proven to be highly effective.

* Please be advised that you are solely responsible for the way this information is perceived and utilised. Please see your physician before changing your diet or starting an exercise program.