Posted in Article on January 28, 2012
An obese person faces more health risks than a person of average weight. Being that overweight can cause issues like difficulty finding clothes that fit and even sometimes difficulty fitting into seats in places like airplanes and theaters. An obese person also is at much higher risk of things like heart attack and stroke.
An obese person is generally someone who is more than 40 to 75 pounds overweight. A person is considered morbidly obese if they weight 100 pounds or more what they should. Both of these conditions carry elevated health risks.
When you’re obese, your body is carrying more weight than it was designed to carry. This puts extra pressure on bones, muscles and joints. If you think about how much harder it is to carry a sack full of 50 pounds than it is to carry one with 5 pounds, it’s easier to see the burden put on your frame.
Because bones are strong and rugged, the extra weight takes its toll on the weakest part of your frame: the joints. Joints like hips, ankles and knees are at particular risk, because the weight of the entire upper body falls up on them.
Joints are naturally our bodies’ weakest spots because they’re the spots where the bones come together. The knees are at a particular risk in an obese person. The knee is a very complex joint that faces wear and tear with every single step we take.
When someone is obese, there’s much more pressure on the knees than normal. So each step puts twice, triple, sometimes four times the normal pressure or more on those joints. This causes the joints to wear out prematurely and is the reason heavy people often have trouble with their knees.
While hips joints and ankles are at this same risk, it’s the knees that generally carry the brunt of the weight and absorb the pressure, so this is where the injuries often appear first.
Aside from the extra weight on the frame and joints, all that extra weight puts pressure on the body’s systems, too. First of all, large amounts of body fat don’t just show up on the outside, but fatty tissue can form internally around organs.
And large amounts of body fat can actually crowd internal organs and put pressure against them. This pressure can cause the organs to start operating differently, and can interfere with normal bodily functions.
Because the extra weight requires more work of the body to keep going, often blood pressure is elevated and the heart has to work harder than normal. This can be a factor in heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
Also, the extra weight generally means that the person’s diet is poor and too high in calories. This is a major cause of diabetes, which can damage blood vessels, eyes and nerves.
In some cases, people may lose their eyesight or a foot or leg to diabetes because of poor circulation. The good news is that once an obese person starts losing weight, diabetes and other conditions can be reversed.
Posted in Article on January 27, 2012
If you travel a lot then it can be difficult to fit in an exercise routine. If you are on a business trip you are most likely working long days and don’t want to visit the hotel gym. It may be more convenient to go for a swim or do some simple exercises in your hotel room.
Hotel rooms are famous for having large telephone directories, so why not take advantage of this! Simply use these large books as a weight and do some repetitions with them. You could even balance the book on your lower legs while doing some leg raises. Or how about sitting on a chair with the phone book between your knees and squeezing to stop the book from falling!
The phone book can be used to lift up and over your head and even to hold while doing side twists with your body. You could get very creative with just this one item!
See, there are some simple ways to keep fit when travelling that don’t involve the hotel gym. Another very simple solution is to simply take the stairs as much as possible during the day. By doing this you won’t even need to do a separate workout after dinner.
If your business trip is leaving you feeling stressed out then go for a nice evening stroll after dinner. This gets you away from the hustle and bustle of the hotel and allows you time to regroup. Walking any time is a great de-stressor.
Your bed can be used to do push ups against and a sturdy chair will allow you to perform knee bends and squats. Even sitting on the edge of the bed and performing shadowing boxing movements is a good workout in itself. This is also ideal if you are dealing with any type of lower body injury.
Lunges, calf raises, leg raises, arm circles, side leg lifts, sit ups, push ups and walking on the spot can all be done in a hotel room. You could also pack resistance bands in your suitcase and use these for resistance exercises while away.
Even though it is hard on your body to travel, whether you are away on business or on vacation there really isn’t any need to forgo your exercise routine. Most hotels have some type of exercise room and many today have a pool. Don’t forget there is always those dreaded stairs to help you burn off those extra calories you may have consumed during your visit.
Posted in Video on January 26, 2012
Video: This exercise is great for the upper body.
Posted in Article on January 25, 2012
If you enjoy dancing then why not make this your exercise routine? You have probably read lots of articles telling you that it is easier to stick with an exercise routine that you enjoy. So why not dancing?
There are so many types of dance that you will never get bored dancing. You could try Zumba dancing, Belly dancing and even tap or ballet. Plus this can all be done in the comfort of your home with very little if no special gym equipment.
Even just turning on your favourite music and dancing is a great form of exercising. Let yourself be carried away by the music and burn lots and lots of calories. A 150 pound person can burn approximately 306 calories per hour just dancing in general. Ballet or Tap will have you burning 326 calories per hour and Ballroom dancing 374 calories in a one hour period.
Of course you don’t have to dance for one solid hour. You could break this up into four 15 minute intervals during the day. To get the biggest benefit try to put in as much effort as you can into your dancing. Don’t get carried away as you don’t want to hurt yourself by pulling a muscle.
If you want to learn a certain style or a dance routine you can find plenty of DVD’s and videos on this subject. If you visit YouTube you could probably find some instructional videos on there. This is a great way to try something new like Belly Dancing before purchasing a DVD or book on the subject. You will just need to make sure that you have enough room to dance safely near your computer.
Maybe you dreamed of being a ballet dancer when you were younger. Well there is nothing stopping you from learning the movements now. Ballet dancers are known for their incredible strength and practicing the basic steps will no doubt improve your leg, arm and core strength.
Of course it will take time and determination to perfect any new dance routine, but you are not aiming to be a professional. Your goal is to have fun while learning a new dance step or style.
Just moving your body more will help get you back into shape. You will be feeling more energetic and youthful than you had expected and all you did was dance your way back to health.
Posted in Recipe on January 24, 2012
Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages fat free cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) package regular or low fat feta cheese, crumbled
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Directions
In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic, and dill with an electric mixer. Cover the mixture, and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Best served with crackers or bread.
Posted in Video on January 23, 2012
Video: A fitness professional goes through a workout that targets your biceps.
Posted in Article on January 22, 2012
The gym craze has been alive and well for years when it comes to people who are looking for ways to get fit. In many ways, a gym is an ideal arena for those who require inspiration to get them to move around, as a gym is a little space carved out on the face of the planet that is specifically geared toward fitness. A shrine to good health, as it were. Not to mention, a gym has more equipment and offers more amenities than most average people couldn’t afford to have in their own home. After all, how many people do you know who are able to outfit a house with a gym, sauna, free weight room, cycle room, and juice bar?
So for those who would like to live healthily, a gym membership is often a step in the right direction. There’s only one main problem standing between many people and the gym, namely, the cost. Even the most bare-bones gym isn’t cheap, and if you’re looking to join the gym that offers the juice bar alongside the elliptical machines, you’re looking at a possible investment of several hundred dollars in membership and startup fees.
For most of us who are looking to live on a budget or have monetary concerns that are more pressing, a gym might not be an option. The good news? Living healthily and being fit doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge monetary commitment. It certainly can be, but it’s more important to make a mental and physical commitment to wellbeing, rather than throwing a wallet at a gym. Even the most expensive gym won’t get you fit if you never go.
For those who would like to work out but keep their pocketbooks lined, here are two big tips on getting fit while saving money that we all know, but might not consider seriously enough.
Run outside. Seems obvious, but you don’t need access to a treadmill to get your cardio in. Many people end up preferring to run outside, as it’s a chance to enjoy some fresh air and the great outdoors. If you have knee problems that preclude you from running on cement, try the outdoor track at your local school. It’s totally free and is specifically designed to be kind to you joints.
Body weight training. Instead of relying on expensive weights or gym memberships, try push ups, sit ups, lunges, crunches, and other exercises that use your own body weight as resistance as a way to stay fit.
Posted in Recipe on January 21, 2012
Ingredients
4 cups water
3 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 apple (core removed)
1 medium-sized carrot
1/4 lemon wedge (skin & seeds removed)
2 large kale leaves (stalks removed)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend on juice mode.
Posted in Article on January 20, 2012
There are several ways that you can concentrate on your chest using Dumbbell Presses. Each of these different ways allows you to strengthen your chest muscles and surrounding muscle groups. One of the easiest ways to use Dumbbell Presses is to use the Ball Incline set up.
The Ball Incline Dumbbell Press allows you to use an exercise ball to steady and support your spine allowing you to exercise your chest without compromising your back. Settle the middle of your back into the ball with your feet flat on the floor in a semi squat position. Once you feel full stable and comfortable you can then use the weights. Bring your elbows down so that the weights and your wrists are level with your shoulders, then using your arms push the weights up above your head with your arms and elbows locked before you bring them back down and repeat. No matter what weights you are using it is always best to have a buddy with you which are often called ?spotters?. These spotters are people that are with you to help you if you need it whilst you are using the weights. During this particular exercise your spotter should hold the ball steady for you if you need it and/or be there to help you if your arms get tired.
Another technique is the Seated Dumbbell Press which concentrates on your shoulders and chest. Always ensure, specifically when dealing with weights to have a spotter with you for your own safety. Sitting on a bench with a straight back make sure that you have chosen weights that are manageable and not overboard. Choosing weights that are manageable is important for your own safety, lifting weights that are too heavy for you will rip your muscles and damage them. Ensuring your form is correct is also important as incorrect form can damage other muscles. The spotter can tell you if your form is incorrect or slips at anytime. As before make sure that you keep your arms locked and straight when lifting.
The other technique is to use a Flat Dumbbell Press to exercise your chest. Using a bench which is in the flat position and dumbbell weights that are not too heavy, you need to keep your feet flat on the floor and when lifting lock your arms. Ensure that your wrists come in line with your shoulders before you push up in your lift this makes sure that you are exercising your chest fully. Each movement needs to be controlled and done slowly, your spotter will be there to talk you through each lift so that you are minimizing your chances of hurting yourself if your chest gets tired or you need to change the weight amount on the dumbbells.
As with any kind of exercise making sure that you stretch before and after the exercises is important as this too minimizes the changes of any muscle strain injuries which can occur if you do not stretch before and after. Your spotter can also help you with this.
Posted in Video on January 19, 2012
Video: The reverse lunge helps to develop the quads and hamstrings and to shape the glutes.
