Fitness - Your Mind And You

Your mental dynamo has assimilated several facts and whirled out two simple messages - aerobic exercising and fatless food are vital for healthy living. The sleeper in you is awakening and your - ears can now catch that soft inner voice calling out insistently -urging you to act.

Now, you know how much you should exercise to keep your body vibrantly fit.

Now, you know how to reduce fat and sugar intake to tune your body into health.

Let us presume that you are striding along the fitness path. It is possible that you have not yet begun to feel its positive effects. You could be into fitness but your mind has still not wholly adjusted to a life without butter, ghee or chocolates. You may explain it with, "I feel full but not satisfied."

In reality, your body and brain are awakening. The fresh breeze of fitness is breathing life into the long-dormant muscles, blowing away the cobwebs of lethargy. But you are not able to see these changes, you are not able to experience these transformations. Why? Your mind still has a little cloud in it, obscuring your view. It is a cloud called memory Due to its power, it is still holding on to old habits, old tastes. It is your memory that is feeding your mental dynamo, Your memory has no analytical powers. It is merely a reservoir of your experiences. And it does its duty by pouring its contents into your mental dynamo.

Now, it is up to your mental dynamo to collect, to sift, to analyse. For no more are the shining jewels of fitness buried inside you. They stand revealed. And if it rises to the occasion and informs you that you need not always drink an artificially sweetened cola that rushes through you causing as much damage as dirty, polluted water; if it informs you that you are free to drink unlimited fresh coconut water from the eternal fountain of fitness, and if you can listen to this pure, health-giving message and let it deluge your insides, you will have entered the wonderful world of health and fitness.

Your mental dynamo can make you see this world that is yours as a birthright a land of happiness, laughter, love, humour. Then you would begin to understand that it is not a complex labyrinth of do's and don'ts but a natural state that is so simple, so straight-forward that you are now astonished that you had not glimpsed it earlier.

But there is a reason why you had not seen it earlier. It starts from your childhood. When you were born, you were content to drink milk. But as you grew up, 'kindly' visitors handed you slabs of chocolate. Your larder was stocked with fried crunches. Your refrigerator showed rows of gleaming soft drink bottles. You learned to love these goodies. Your taste­ buds were weaned on them, Your memory bank stored all these experiences. And nobody told you that time that all these 'goodies' were actually not good for you.

But had those 'kindly' visitors presented you with baskets of fresh fruit, had your refrigerator contained coconut water and fresh sliced vegetables, your taste buds would have cultivated such preferences. Your memory bank would have stored such experiences. And to day you would not have had any excess fat or disease, Today, you would not be bewildered at being told not to eat fried foods or sweets.

On the exercising front - as a child it was natural that you played, ran, hopped, skipped, pedalled on your tricycle and bicycle. But as you grew up, your habits changed. You travelled by car, bus, train, airplane. Meanwhile, you - continued to eat your fattening food. Due to your lifestyle - unnatural though it was - your mental dynamo too whirled in this orbit. And you accepted everything as part of life - the overeating, the non ­exercising, the consequent illnesses. But it is never too late to unlearn the old and learn the new.

However, before we go on, let us be practical, Let us see things in perspective. We are all citizens of today's world. We are going to use all the modern conveniences. We don't intend going back to the Stone Age or even the Bullock Cart Age. Our social infrastructure, our lives are such that they don't really encourage the natural lifestyle that our ancestors had. Yet, in these changed circumstances, we want to be healthy, to be fit. We want to savor all the joys of modern civilisation. So, what should we do?

All action begins with thought. As we said earlier, open your mind. Only this way, will you see the glorious possibilities that a healthy life holds out for you. Feed your mental dynamo with new information, new thought ­processes, new tastes. Let those old memories remain in your-subconscious - tingling pleasantly. You've had more than your share of sweets of ghee, and laziness. Now you are ready for a higher plane.

There is limitless energy within you, limitless vitality that needs to be tapped. And mental dynamics, dear friend, is your path to health and happiness, to reduce your obsession with food and trigger off a vast appetite for life.

Ladder of Fitness

Of course, your ideal weight depends on your individual build. If you refer to it ,you have an approximate idea of what you should aim for.

The four rungs to fitness

The + 5 kg rung: If you are overweight by 5 kg or more, you are within finger-touching distance of the fitness rung. Obviously, your food intake is not excessive. All you need to do is exercise. Use those legs to burn away the excess fat and grasp the top rung.

The +6-12 kg rung: If you are overweight by 6 to 12 kg, work out more, eat less fat. Modify your 'mighty' meals. You could cut off red meat and chomp on lean, mean cuts. Simultaneously, get your legs going. It figures that with less fat entering your body, your muscles will work at fueling the remaining fat for energy. So, switch on the fat-burners and watch them cleave into the fat zones!

The +13-23 kg rung: If you are 13 to 23 kg overweight cut out all red meats, fries and sweets. Do not splurge on weekends. And whip up your leg muscles into fat-burning activity, These vital immediate steps will help you climb up to the higher + 6-12 kg rung... +5 kg rung and finally... victory!

The + 24 kg or more rung: If you are overweight by 24 kg or more, it would be wise to consult your doctor. No, do not panic. The good doctor is sure to prescribe a daily brisk walk and a fatless, sugar-free diet. Follow his prescribed path - you can't go wrong. Start walking. Or swimming. Or stationary cycling. Score your required run-rate per week.

Do not got caught in that vicious spiral- where you want to exercise but do not feel energetic enough to start. Where you find it easier to overeat and add on more kg. that saps you even more. This way you will feel utterly hopeless both physically and mentally. And hate yourself. Harsh self­condemnation is itself like an overdose of fatty food - pretty near impossible to digest which is why it takes up all your mental energy and leaves none for positive physical action.

Take a vital decision right away - decide to be your own best friend, give yourself a daily dose of unconditional love. Gift yourself with a swim or a walk -every day. Don't stop after the first or second day. Don't deprive yourself of that gift - it is yours for a lifetime.

You see, your body houses the brain and its five senses - its raw data that can be easily triggered into positive channels. You channelise it by moving your legs. Don't expect immediate results but be content to know that those miraculous changes are materialising in your body. Initially, your muscles will strengthen themselves, then they will start their work- burning the fat.

It is important you don't give up at this point. Forget your weighing scales. Give your muscles time. And, one day, that great feeling will strike you. You may not have reached anywhere close to your 'ideal' weight, but your kick-hormone and happy- feetings hormone would have begun rising inside you. You won't feel their positive effects if you are mentally tuned into your old negative feelings. Negative thoughts block positive ones. Stop thinking about yourself. Then, it can happen any time while "bathing, walking, watching TV, listening to music. reading, anything... Suddenly, you will feel tranquil. A sense of peace win descend upon you. You will be literally able to feel your inner self, your inner mind smiling. It is those hormones at work. Hold on to that tranquility - its your body telling you that the fitness path has opened and you are walking on it.

These are not exaggerations to coax you into exercising. We have been on that path ourselves. And those calm feelings have suddenly swept through us at the most unexpected of times. Share them with your spouse, sibling or friend. They are an important part of you. They are you. For Nature meant you to be fit and tranquil. And to think, that all these great, indescribably delightful feelings begin with your legs! In fact, you will reach a point where you won't feel your day is complete without your walk. Your brain is now used to living on that, 'high', it will silently propel you to seek out that level. Yes, fitness is addictive, but the best addiction to be afflicted by! You can be sure of one thing.

The reward of fitness is yours'. You've got a lifetime to get fit. All you require is persistence. Don't pause to think. Get out of yourself. Just keep on at it and your patience will be rewarded, For as you gradually climb up the fitness ladder and progress from one rung to the next, you will discover the magic in you of being fit and forever free.

Will your New Year's Fitness Resolution Fail this Year?

Many people make their New Year's resolution to become super fit but fail to achieve their goal because of the obstacles they encounter.

When people think seriously about getting fit one of the first things they think of is attending a gym. Now this is fine, but just getting yourself to a gym involves time and trouble. Typically you need to get your training clothes ready, travel to the gym, park, wait to use the equipment, shower, change and then travel back home.

After a while many people reach the conclusion that all this just takes up too much time and their fitness dreams are dashed. If you could have a training facility in your home, however, all of the time that you waste going to and from a gym would be saved and you could spend more time in pursuance of your goal i.e getting fit.

An exercise treadmill provides the perfect facility for exercising at home. Running and walking are the most pleasurable and natural forms of exercising and build up stamina, help reduce weight and promote overall good health. The fact that you can indulge in this exercise in the peace, comfort and security of your own home by exercising on a treadmill is a huge bonus.

A key point to remember with regard to achieving your fitness goals with treadmill training is that the probability of you continuing with your fitness regime will be high. You are not subject to the vagaries of the weather and you can even watch the TV or listen to your favorite music at the same time.

When looking for a suitable home treadmill it is a good idea to steer clear of some of the cheaper products that you often see in the fitness sections of many department stores. Many of these budget models are lacking in quality and may see you looking at a repair bill in a short space of time.

Setting a goal to become fit is a major personal commitment and buying a treadmill for most of us is a major financial commitment, so buy wisely. When looking for a suitable treadmill try looking at some of the treadmill reviews which provide independent reviews, ratings, and pricing information for most models.

Sites such as www.treadmilladviser.com will also provide online assistance from a fitness equipment expert to help guide you through your decision making process.

The first thing to consider when buying a treadmill is how it will be used. Will just one person be using the treadmill or many? Will these users be using the treadmill for walking, jogging, running or incline training?

Do not make the mistake of buying a cheap department store bargain and hope that it will meet the needs of your wife who just needs it for some gentle walking and your daughter who belongs to an athletics club and needs it for running. One size does not fit all here.

The next thing to decide upon is your budget. As stated earlier, for most people a treadmill is going to be a major investment so you need to spend wisely. A good quality treadmill should provide you with many years of use and will pay you back many times over in terms of overall fitness, healthy weight control and just sheer pleasure! As with most things in life you get what you pay for, so set your budget accordingly.

Another factor to consider is the weight of the heaviest person who will use the treadmill. Most treadmill review sites will include this in their product write ups and is usually shown as the maximum "user weight" for the treadmill. It is important to pay attention to this as the "maximum user weight" is stated for a good reason. If you weigh 300lbs do not buy a treadmill that has a maximum user weight of 250lbs and expect it to perform as it should for very long!

Give some consideration as to where you will locate your treadmill in your home. If you are fortunate to have a room where the treadmill can enjoy exclusive use then this will not be a problem but, if you intend to place it in a lounge then you may be interested in a "space saver" or folding treadmill.

These can be folded up into an upright position when not in use and so occupy a much smaller floor space. There are now available "ultra compact" treadmills that are highly portable and can be stowed under a bed or inside a closet when not in use. The Smooth 4.25 treadmill is an example of this type of treadmill.

Walking and running although excellent ways of exercising can produce stress on the feet and joints. For this reason you should look at treadmills with a good quality shock absorption system. Some treadmills now have quite sophisticated shock absorption systems. The Smooth 9.35HR treadmill for example uses a "Hydra suspension" system that be adjusted to the preferences of individual users.

Many treadmills have a bewildering array of electronic features to attract buyers. These include displays that measure calories used to the amount of energy expended in a fitness workout. Look for features that can stimulate and motivate.

The iFIT system developed by ICON fitness and installed in many popular makes including ProForm, HealthRider and Nordic Track allows the actions of the treadmill including the speed and incline elevation to be controlled by software programs that have been designed by professional fitness instructors. Other popular features include user ID's that can be customized and record past fitness workouts. The ProForm iLOG 500 is a treadmill that has this facility.

Of course selecting then buying your treadmill is only the start. The key to keeping fit is implementing a workout routine, get started and keep going. You'll find that after a month, your treadmill fitness session will become part of your normal routine and you will be well on your way to achieving your New Year's fitness goals!

The Lazy Persons Guide To Perfect Health

Being healthy does not necessarily mean you have to spend hours a day in the gym and plan out each days meals to the last grain of rice on your plate. Obtaining a healthy body could be fun and hassle-free. In fact that is exactly the way it should be.

It is important to note that being healthy does not only consist of looking good on the outside. You can have a great body and still be on the brink of a heart attack. In order to be truly healthy three criteria need to be covered: mind, body and spirit.

This article only covers the “body” section of this important triad.

The Body:
Ever have a resolution to start building a body everyone on the beach will stare at with wonderous awe only to lose that initial drive and will power within a week or two? You most certainly must have otherwise you probably would not be reading this lazy guide right now!

Why does that initial will to succeed in building a great body dissipate just as suddenly as it began? The answer is simply this: Eventhough exercise makes you feel good and all those feel-good endorphins are released while you are working out, the body just was not designed to undergo extended periods of day in and day out torture.

A diet that does not support your new found will for hitting the gym is also a major contributor to you feeling listless and depleted after a couple of days.

So now I have told you everything you should not to and I have not been very helpful towards reaching your goals, have I!

Here, listed for your convenience, are the steps you could follow to create a new, good looking and energetic you:

1) There is a saying about what you eat walks today walks around tomorrow. This is one of those simple truths that everyone seems to overlook. This does not mean sticking to a strict diet that is so time consuming you do not even have time to enjoy your new found self. Here is the best part – You do not even have to give up meat to achieve this.

Here is what you do: Make your hands into fists and put them together. This is how much you can eat in a single meal without overdoing it. Half of your meal (about one fists worth) should be protein – Steak, mince, fish, chicken or basically any other type of meat or protein source you like. The other half of your meal should include healthy carbohydrates otherwise you will feel depleted after a day or two. This includes rice or potatoes or something along those lines. Remember it is not healthy anymore when it is fried in oil, so make sure you bake that potato!

Ideally you should get yourself a steam cooker as this is the healthiest, easiest way to cook a meal. You simply add your meat and potato and some spices, steam for 20 – 30 minutes and enjoy a great tasting, healthy meal.

2) Do not exceed the above described quantity per meal as this is the amount your body can successfully process in about two hours time. If you are hungry within 2 – 3 hours of having your last meal it is time to congratulate yourself, because this means that metabolism of yours has just been kick-started and is working at 110%. Award yourself by eating another meal as described above.

I am kidding, right? How can you keep eating but keep losing unwanted weight. This is probably the most mind-boggling trick bodybuilders use to build massive bodies full of muscle yet have percentages of bodyfat well below 10%.

If you keep eating this way you can eat 5 – 8 meals a day while still shedding fat. That means never going hungry again to lose weight and no more crash diets. Crash dieting actually tells your body there is a food scarcity and it should therefore preserve all fat for the future. That is why you lose 10 pounds on a crash diet and then gain 15 when you start eating again, and lets face it – you have to start eating again sometime. This also explains why you can lose weight while eating 5 – 8 healthy meals per day.

3) If you are a working person preparing healthy meals each day can be real difficult. This does not mean you can not still get your dream body. Visit your nearest nutritional store and ask for a meal replacement shake. Explain your lifestyle to the knowledgeable person assisting you and they will give you the perfect meal replacement shake for your specific needs. These shakes are probably one of the greatest inventions for a healthy body ever created – They can be made with water, taste like milkshakes and contain all the vitamins and minerals your body needs from a meal and do not contain any unhealthy fats. Imagine that – you get to drink a milkshake that makes you lose weight.
Do however not totally replace solid foods in your diet however convenient this may be, because your digestive system needs some solid stuff to process from time to time.

4) Get yourself a multivitamin. These contain all the vitamins your body needs and usually comes in a tablet form. You take one in the morning and presto – Your body will be working at maximum efficiency to get rid of toxins so you should soon have so much energy you will feel and probably look 10 years younger. You will also get sick less often.

5) Do some cardio. You have to get your heart going once in a while. This will help for better blood circulation and stop you from getting a heart attack.

Cardio does not need to involve hours of jogging until you puke, you just need to know when to do it.

As soon as you get up in the morning, drink a glass of water only and go for a walk around the block. Enjoy the scenery while your body burns the pounds away. You do not have any food in your stomach at this time so your body is burning pure fat for energy. All this amounts to just 10 minutes of effort two or three days each week. If you do not like walking outside you may want to consider buying a treadmill. If you are on a tight budget, just get a platform about 15 inches high and do step-ups in front of the television. If you have a partner in health you can take up a hobby like golf or squash.

6) Do weight training on occasion. Contrary to popular belief you will not look like Arnold Swartzeneggar in a week ladies (Looking like that takes years of careful planning, dieting, exercising and a lot of dedication!).

Weight training is a great way of getting a lean, tight body by isolating and burning off the fat in specific targeted areas.

7) Make sure you drink lots of water. Water is natures little magic potion. When taken into consideration that our bodies are made up mostly of water, it makes sense to say that lots of fresh water needs to be taken in for our bodies to stay healthy and function at an optimum level of efficiency.

These are just some of the steps you can take to a healthier, happier life.

This is the Workout I made for the Military that my Grandmom can Do

I had the pleasure of assisting our military design a workout program the other day that will help excel the fitness levels of one bunks soldiers. You see I was approached and asked to design a fitness plan that would elevate soldiers up and beyond their current fitness levels.

Even though you are not a hardcore military soldier, you can still benefit greatly from this workout. This workout will be perfect for whipping you into fantastic shape as well as tighten up your flabby arms and gut. Actually it will also firm up your butt!

This is what that workout that I made the other day for the military looked like...

You must start every workout session with a 2-3 min warmup of light jogging, jumping jacks, or jump rope.

Then, move through these exercises, one right after the other with only 10 seconds to relax between each (repeat the circuit 3-5 times for a killer full body workout):

A. bodyweight squats- 12 reps
Instructions:
1. Start by placing feet shoulder width apart and holding your arms out in front of you.
2. Proceed to squat down like you are going to sit in a chair. Your upper body will lean forward slightly and your hips will shift backwards while going down.
3. Remember to keep your knees from going out in front of your toes while squatting.
4. Repeat according to your required repetitions. If you want to make the exercise more challenging hold your arms at your sides or behind your head.

B. plyo pushups (clap your hands as you come up)- 10 reps

Instructions:
1. Start by getting into a push-up position.
2. Lower yourself to the ground and then explosively push up so that your hands leave the ground.
3. Catch your fall with your hands and immediately lower yourself into a pushup again and repeat.
4. Repeat for the recommended repetitions.

C. walking lunges up 6 steps and back 6 steps
Instructions:
1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Step foward with one foot and bend your knees into a lunged position. Your back knee should come close to touching the ground and your front leg should be bent to about 90 degrees at the knee.
3. Maintain your upright posture throughout the movement.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat. Once repetitions are completed then repeat with the other leg.

D. full mountain climbers for 30 seconds

Instructions:
1. Start by getting on your hands and feet in a prone position.
2. Keeping your body parallel to ground drive your knees up towards your chest alternating back and forth.
3. Repeat this movement for the required number of seconds.

E. lunge skips - 6 reps to each section

F. lying on the ground leg thrusts (abs) on deck - 12 reps

Instructions:
1. Lie on your back with your legs bent 90 degrees at the hip.
2. Slowly lift your hips off the floor and towards the ceiling.
3. Lower your hips to the floor and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

G. squat skips - 8 reps
Instructions:
1) Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, trunk flexed forward slightly with back straight in a neutral position.
2) Arms should be in the �ready� position with elbows flexed at approximately 90�.
3) Lower body where thighs are parallel to ground.
4) Explode vertically and drive arms up.
5) Land on both feet and repeat.
6) Prior to takeoff extend the ankles to their maximum range (full plantar flexion) to ensure proper mechanics.

H. side plank 30 seconds on each side of your obliques

Instructions:
Start on your side and press up with your right arm.
Form a bridge with your arm extended and hold for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Make sure you rest for 2 min after each circuit; then you can repeat another 3-5x

The next time someone asks you about this topic, you can give a little smile and provide them an informative answer.

Information About Green Tea Diets

Obesity is among the chief health concerns in the world. Over 50% of the population of the USA is overweight or obese. For this reason, weight loss and diet plans have become increasingly trendy. However several diet plans do not work, and they are not all necessarily risk-free. An alternate way for those wanting to lose weight are green tea diets.

Because the therapeutic properties of green tea have not been so broadly publicised as you could expect, there are countless people who are oblivious to its potential. There are no specific rules for undertaking the diet, as all it actually involves is the inclusion of three, or four cups of green tea daily into your healthy diet.

It is suggested that a green tea diet could help with lots of different disorders including resistance to blood clots associated with heart disease and strokes.

Origins Of Green Tea

Green tea has been prized by the Chinese for thousands of years as a therapeutic drink. The story goes that it was primarily used by a Chinese Emperor named Shen Nung who was apparently boiling water when some leaves of a nearby tree dropped into his pot. So the very first pot of green tea was a fortunate accident!

Like the other significant Asian teas in the market, green tea is derived from the plant called Carmellia sinensis. Some of the health benefits are associated with the steaming method of making it. Unlike black and oolong tea that is subject to full oxidization, green tea is only lightly steamed, safeguarding its natural antioxidants in their original form.

Like many things, green tea is an acquired taste, and there are doubtless many people who commence taking it, but fall by the wayside, as they can't stand the flavour. But, they should be made aware that green tea products are obtainable to purchase in tablet or capsule form, and there is no point in preventing yourself from obtaining the well documented benefits.

Health Benefits Of A Green Tea Diet

You should be aware that there are plenty of health benefits attributed to a green tea diet. Among these benefits is reducing the risk of getting cancer. A particular substance in green tea is said to help in dealing with cancer cells without damaging any healthy tissues. The substance is known as epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.

The EGCG in green tea diets is also helpful in improving the 24-hour energy expenditure of the body. Further studies undertaken by American and Swiss scientists at the University of Geneva demonstrated an extra increase of 4% in the body’s natural energy output. Those people using a green tea diet were apt to burn more fats than others not doing so.

Green tea diets are considered to seriously help in regulating cholesterol levels in humans. A particular study on the diets was undertaken in China involving 240 individuals with high cholesterol levels. The subjects were put on a green tea diet comprising of one capsule or had to take one placebo every day. One capsule is about equal to seven cups of green tea. After three months, those subjects given a green tea diet recorded a drop of sixteen percent in their cholesterol levels.

It is considered green tea could also be a cure for obesity. Catechin polyphenols that occur in the tea could hold up the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the body. These enzymes are used for converting calories in the body into fats. Through delaying these enzymes, green tea can stop fat from being stored and help to prevent obesity from becoming a health risk.

You should know that green tea diets have certain amounts of caffeine which make it a mild appetite-restrainer. However, the caffeine contained in the tea is lower than that in some other beverages, that contain caffeine like coffee. It is known that caffeine can be injurious to the body since an excess of it could cause hypertension, palpitations and sleep problems. Green tea diets hold fairly low quantities of caffeine, and so there is little danger of suffering such side-effects.