Creative Aerobics Exercises

If you want to be in better shape, aerobics are important. Basically, aerobics get your heart going and your breathing going at a fast and steady pace, and by doing this aerobics are going to benefit everything in your body and benefit your health in general.

However, no matter what your level of current exercise is, aerobics can get very boring if you do them a lot. Even things that you do at home, like riding a bike or walking on a treadmill can get really old after awhile, and you might be tempted to stop doing them just because they are boring. Don’t let yourself quit though, because you are going to find that there are many different creative ways to get in shape, and you should know that these could greatly benefit you.

There are many things that you can do that are creative and that can work as aerobic exercise. Remember that aerobic exercise is simply movement that gets your heart beating faster and your breathing increased. This means that when it comes right down to it, there aren’t too many limits on what you can do for your aerobic exercise.

Try using skates and pushing your baby’s stroller.
This is something that can be a lot of fun because it can be time that you spend with your child, and it can also be exercise time. You can use a dog, as well, because dogs love to run and if you are skating you’ll be able to go faster.

Something else that you can do that is very creative would be to take a fast paced dance class. This can be a great way to get your work out, because you’re able to get a full workout while you are dancing, and you can learn some great dance moves as well. In fact, if you take enough dance classes, not only can it be a creative way to get your exercise, but it can also turn into a new hobby for you! Don’t forget that no matter what you are doing, it can work as aerobic exercise, as long as there is a period of time during your workout where you are actually working hard and your body is needing to work hard in order to keep up with you.
 If you can manage to have this kind of level of work, then no matter what you choose to do, it can be a creative way to do aerobics.

Read More

Easy Solutions For Transporting Your Power Wheelchair

Mobility aids are definitely required when you have an elderly member in your family, or you have in your care a person who has become immobile to some extent for whatever reason. Now, there are so many available choices for mobility aids. In the past, you would think as the wheelchair of the only mobility aid that you can get for the person concerned. But today, there are many products you can choose from! You can choose to get a power wheelchair, for starters. You can also choose the mobility scooter! Both of these options tackle to problem of immobility in a more fashionable manner.

And when you get any of these, another problem inevitably surfaces. This is the problem of transporting these mobility aids from one place to another. Fortunately, there are also a lot of products that can help you deal with this problem. You have the scooter lift, mobility lifts, wheelchair carriers, and wheelchair ramps. The concept of mobility is not too difficult to grasp for these aids. Carriers for vehicles have even been designed for the safe transport of a whole vehicle from one place to another. Surely the transport of wheelchairs and mobility scooters are easier, right? Indeed, it is!

What's more, you are actually given a lot of options for these as well! For instance, with wheelchair carriers, you can choose to get one with automatic features. This wheelchair carrier comes with a drive lift that is operated by a motor. This lift easily picks the wheelchair to any direction, to provide you easier access to it. The automatic wheelchair carrier can also be placed right on top of your vehicle, without giving you any worries about the gadget falling off. This is because it comes with automatic locking mechanisms as well.

Scooter lifts can be effortlessly attached at the back of your vehicle, which in turn, provides easier storage of your mobility scooter. Thus, wherever your destination may be, you can conveniently mount the mobility scooter at the back of your vehicle. Most scooter lifts also come with locking mechanisms, so falling off would never be an issue here.

As for wheelchair ramps, the popular choices are actually the portable ones. One particular favorite is the roll up ramp. By the name itself, this ramp can actually be rolled up via its specially designed hinges, making it very portable. What's more, most roll up ramps are made of aluminum, so weight is not a problem here at all. Now, this is a pretty cool mobility solution for the problem of immobility.

Read More

7 Tips on Maintaining Acne Free Skin

Having that nasty zit is sometimes quite annoying. In fact, it is a great factor on suffering low self-esteem particularly on young people whose main focus at puberty is the physical attribute. Preventing acne breakout is not a piece of cake that is why even if you know everything about acne control, the acne still shows up every now and then. The lack of time to maintain acne free regimen daily contributes to the breakout. So how do you maintain your acne free skin?  Here’s how:

1. Do not prick the acne affected area. Touching it with bare hands can cause further irritation. Unclean hands carry undesirable microorganism that can cause acne. So it is rather safe to keep your hands or any other object from your face to impede the inflammation of the acne and scarring of the skin as well.

2. Avoid using oil-based products on your hair. Guys and girls wear hair products to improve their appearance. Dermatologist might agree that the products are safe on the scalp however, this chemical-laden beauty products slide down to your face as you sweat out. The fluids goes down to the acne hence aggravate the already affected area of the skin.

3. Minimize the use of cosmetics over the pimple. It is alarming to know that although beauty products can conceal your pimple break out, it increases the risk of infection. The combination of the harsh compounds on your foundation makes up and bacteria that come with the sponge (if the foundation you are using is not newly opened) exacerbate the acne. If your job requires you to wear make up, you should avoid those generic brand make up. Some generic brands of make up do not mention the harsh chemicals that are present in the product.

4. If you are using alcohol-based and oil-based facial wash or toner, taking a break will somehow minimize the inflammation of the skin.

5. Avoid getting anything that might contain microorganism to touch your face. These include your unmanaged hair, dirty handkerchief, towels and even pillow. The only way to control the transfer of organism to your face from the material of origin is to always keep your hair in a bun or use a hair band that will keep it in place away from your face, a fresh pillowcase for your cushion, and clean towel and handkerchief to wipe your face.

6. An over-the-counter ointment can be bought from your local drugstore. A topical cream or ointment containing benzoyl peroxide is your best bet to vanish that undesired acne. Some dermatologist recommends tretinoin-based products cream over the benzoyl peroxide because of irritant threat on the peroxide content. Depending on how sensitive the skin is, you can choose from the two.

7. If the acne is severe, a visit to your dermatologist is needed. The dermatologist will prescribe oral antibiotic to take at a certain period of time. Or if applies, an adapalene gel will be prescribed by the dermatologist for you to use for time duration. Close monitoring of the medication is needed since like other prescription-required medicines, it might trigger unknown allergies.

Read More

A Few Simple Tips To Lose Weight

Weight loss is a tough result to obtain regardless of weight or level of physical fitness. There are many different ways to lose weight, some more unhealthy than others, but the ones that work are most times the most complicated to pull off.

Some people may recommend eating less to lose weight, and in some cases eating less is a key component of losing weight, but in most cases, eating is a necessity if one wishes to lower their own weight. Without food and the calories they supply, your body has no energy to burn and in turn will turn your existing muscle into fat. In order to lose weight you must make a commitment, a commitment that must not be broken if you desire results.

Do not misconstrue this for the idea that you can never indulge during your diet, but just be sure that you have set reasonable limits for yourself that you are ready to commit to. If you are on a strict diet, a "cheat" meal here and there will go a long way to keeping you happy.

To be successful in achieving your goal of weight loss: set multiple, smaller, more easily attainable goals for yourself. These will keep you self motivated and more likely to obtaining your overall goal of a happier and healthier life.

Read More

An Overview of the B5 Vitamin

The B5 vitamin is also known as Pantothenic Acid. The B5 vitamin is the most prolific of all the vitamins and is found in every type of food. In fact, it is impossible for a person to consume less B5 vitamin than they need. That means that there is no little possibility that a person can have a B5 vitamin deficiency.

 For this reason, there is actually no recommended daily amount that health professionals can state as everyone obtains more than enough from their normal food consumption. However, even though there is no need to calculate a recommended daily allowance it does not mean that the B5 vitamin is not vital for a healthy body and mind. In fact, the B5 vitamin is essential for turning food into energy amongst other functions. The B5 vitamin is responsible for taking the fats and carbohydrates into energy.

Some B5 vitamin can be found in almost every food whether it is animal or vegetable. Obviously there are some sources of the B5 vitamin that are better than others but a balanced diet will provide more than enough. The foods with the highest B5 vitamin content are organ meats, salmon, eggs, beans, milk, and whole grains. It is worth noting that the B5 vitamin is lost when grains are milled into flour and tends not to beaded back in. Therefore, processed grain foods such as bread, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, and baked goods are not good sources of the B5 vitamin.

The B5 vitamin is the most effective when it is combined with other B vitamins especially thiamin or B1, riboflavin or B2, niacin or B3, pyridoxine or B6, and biotin. Along with these other B vitamins, the B5 vitamin is an integral part in a number of processes. The most important of these is the production of energy from food that is consumed and this is known as the Kreb’s cycle. The B5 vitamin is also required for releasing energy from fats.

Interestingly, the B5 vitamin is also considered to be helpful in reducing stress. This is chiefly due to the fact that during periods of stress, the body produces more of certain hormones such as adrenalin and these require the B5 vitamin. There are many theories as to the benefits of the B5 vitamin but there is no need for the majority of people to actively seek out foods that are high in B5 as they are likely to be consuming far more than is needed already. There are no adverse effects to consuming too much B5 vitamin.

Read More

10 Things You Should Know About Stretching

Before fitness training, one must give importance to doing warm-up or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance the output during the training. There are also a number of precautionary measures and tips to serve as guidelines when doing fitness exercises. Here are some of them.

1. To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after workout. Almost everyone knows that stretching before workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only few people know that stretching after workout, when muscles are still warm, can increase flexibility.

2. Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility. While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body's flexibility.

3. Do not go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly. This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position. When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. You may do this exercise repeatedly this way. Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

4. Work slowly in increments instead of immediately proceeding to doing the hardest exercise or position.

5. Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups. For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when working out of stretching. Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one's hand against the front of the head and pushing it. Then, do the same to the sides and the back of the head.

6. Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of movements and your level of flexibility and strength.

7. Workout considering only your capabilities and not of others. Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are people who can do it. Increase your limits slowly. Listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your range of motion.

8. Learn to rest. Rest in between sets and stations to make sure that the body has enough time to recover its energy. Also, it is advisable that you don't work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days. The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out.

9. Do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart. Aerobic exercises are those physical activities that much oxygen for fuel. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

10. Music may help you when you want to train for longer periods or to increase your intensity. You can use mp3 players, CD players or lightweight am radio receivers for this. Just make sure that you brought your headset with you so you wouldn't disturb people who don't prefer music while exercising.

Apart from preventing injuries and increasing one's limit, it is also said that stretching is good for a tired body and also for a stressed mind and spirit.

Read More

8 Tips To Consider When Buying A Treadmill or elliptical

1. Stay away from orthopedic belts.  We don't recommend them because
           1) a good pair of running shoes provide more cushioning
           2) they hold in heat which shortens belt life, motor life, and electronics life
           3) the increased weight of the belt shortens bearing life in the rollers.

2. Do your research and get several price quotes from several different stores.  Typically, the more you deal with the various companies, the better deals they will come up with such as discounts, free product, financing specials, etc.

3. Tread carefully when buying over the Internet.  Some companies, like Landice and True, will void your warranty if bought over the Internet and some have restrictions on delivery distances from an authorized dealer.  If in doubt, call or email the factory.  Another issue related to Internet buying is delivery.  Many of us in the business know how difficult it is to ship a single treadmill or elliptical without having it damaged so deal with a company that has been doing it a long time and has already learned how to do it.  Another issue to keep in mind is what you are going to do if you don’t like the machine.

  Most companies accept returns but the cost to ship the treadmill back to the factory can easily cost hundreds of dollars so it is quite an expensive trial test if the machine is returned.  Also curbside delivery literally means what it says…the trucking company will sit it on the curb and it’s your problem to get it into the house, so either pay for inside delivery or have help ready.  Another issue is service…some internet companies have good service networks and others don’t but remember that you probably won’t get the type of personalized service you should expect from a local dealer.

4. Do take care of your treadmills.  Whether they require quite a bit or little maintenance, keeping the treadmill or elliptical clean and the walking belt lubricated on the treadmill can be the difference between having a great treadmill or a money pit.  Refer to our Treadmill or Elliptical Care Pamphlet for maintenance instructions.

5. If you are considering used machines, really do you homework, and then do it again.  We do rebuilding jobs for local health clubs all the time and do this work occasionally for people who are buying health club models for the home but to do it right costs quite a bit and if someone is telling you they have a used or rebuilt at an amazing price, you typically aren't getting the entire story.

6. Since buying a treadmill is a huge investment for most people, choose your dealer and factory carefully.  As with any product, a brand new company may not be around in a few years, parts can be very specific to machines and spares may not be available if the factory isn’t around.  A dealer for a reputation for high quality and personalized service is necessary for some people.  Other people feel confident in servicing their own equipment, so figure out which one you are and buy accordingly.  If you know one end of a wrench from the other, you might want to save a few dollars with an Internet purchase.  Others may need to pay for the full-service price you should get from a local dealer but if you pay the higher price, demand the higher service level.

7. Treadmills and ellipticals are different than many other home appliances.  Remember, we rate a treadmill average if it has a breakdown only once every 5 years…that’s average!  Extended warranties can make sense if the manufacturer has a short warranty and if you get it from a reputable extended warranty company.  Remember the dealer is typically not the warranty provider and many have gone out of business over the years and others are hard to deal with.  For instance, UTS (Icon’s warranty company) is the best we have ever dealt with.  If you get an Icon machine, buy the UTS warranty…it will be well worth it.
  UTS’s number is 800-677-3838.  Also, Sears has a good extended warranty program and it typically pays for itself if you use the machine.  On the other hand, we have had problems with the company called N.E.W. and many others have gone out of business so do your research on your warranty company if you have never heard of them.

8. A great final tip is if you want to save a bit of money.  Due to the influence of Asian parts, the lower end treadmills and ellipticals are getting better and better while the price is holding the line and the ones being made today in the $800 range are much better than the $800 machines made 10 years ago.  If you need to save a few bucks and your doctor says it is OK, use a few degrees of incline always when you use your machine.  If the machine is well maintained and if you use a bit of incline (on the treadmill), you can get by with a bit less of a machine than you might otherwise need.

  The incline allows gravity to take over quite a bit of the workload from the drive system.  A treadmill used with just a slight incline will last much longer than a comparably cared for treadmill that is used at a flat level.

Read More

10 Tips to a Healthy Football Season

 

From the word go, the Football season seems provide a plethora of reasons to eat badly. It starts near Labor Day, and goes right on past to New Years. Typically during this time of year our eating habits include foods and drinks that are so delicious, yet carry negative effects. 

So I thought how could someone have a fun football (holiday for the Ms.) season, and still fit in their clothes that they wore during pre-season. Below are 10 that could possibly help you reach that goal they may seem like no brainers, but if you take heed you will survive another year without moving to the next waist size. Enjoy the season.

1. First things first, don’t even think about dieting during the holiday season. That is, don’t start a new diet. Your biggest goal during our most favorite season is to maintain your weight. This way you can partake in your favorite beverage and snacks without any guilt. 

2. Another good way to avoid packin’ on the pudge is to stay seated, and far away from the food table.

3. Something simple and delicious. I would recommend bringing a light dip with either multigrain or wheat bread, so you have something that is somewhat healthy to munch on. There is a company (I think it has the title of chef in its name) that sells dips and breads that anyone can make, and are a healthy alternative to normal snacks. Just ask your wife, girlfriend, or any woman where you can find a beer bread mix.

4. The beverages tend to favorites for many during this time of year, so be wise in your selection. If you must have a mixed drink, try something like a clear liquor and diet soda, a light or ultra light beer, or a nice glass of wine. I know wine doesn’t scream manly, but it is an alternative. Remember this shouldn’t be painful, just well thought-out. 

5. Good or bad, football games tend to be lengthy, use this to your advantage, and take part in the eating and drinking at a slow pace. The slower your intake, the better chance you will fit in those size 38’s come spring time.

6. Chase the kids, or take a walk, whatever it is, make sure you keep up on some type of activity other than couch coaching, and channel surfing. Winter time is hard enough for many people with the cold and darkness, so some activity will help you gain or maintain physical and mental acuity.  

7. Eat at home before you head to the football stadium, or over a buddies house. This should help prevent a complete submersion in to the food and drinks. Believe me when I tell you, you will feel much better knowing you don’t have to drive home with your pants unbuttoned, either because of pressure or an untimely stomach pain.

8. Eat some chicken wings, not the entire chicken. I think that’s clear, and best of all it applies to all food! And anyway, who wants to get stains all over their new Dallas Terrell Owens jersey.

9. If you have the chance to host a football game, stack the odds on your side by putting veggies, and light snacks out rather than the pizza and wings. I mean really, do we as men pay any attention to what we eat while we are watching a game. So long as the drinks are cold, and our food crunches, we are in heaven. 

10. This rule applies all year long. Stay far and away from fast food joints. It may seem like a good idea while you’re on your way to the game, but we all know it’s not filling, and it’s to exit. 

Read More

Benefits Of Padangusthasana

 

This is one of the basic yoga asanas which we learn initially while learning yoga. All the yoga poses help in improving your flexibility which becomes very useful in our daily life. The asana is also known as head to foot pose. Your desire to regulate your blood pressure can be done by this asana.

 The pressure on your head and the stretching of the muscles relaxes your brain, making you work out things more easily and calmly. The stretching and pulling tones your body and relaxes you by making you feel at ease. The bending helps your abdominal organs as it massages the liver and spleen making it useful to the optimum level.

If done properly this asana would benefit not only body but would teach you be calm and patient. It has to be done slowly and not in a haste, if you want to receive its full benefits. The tiring muscles would be elevated and rejuvenated by this pose. 

The stretching of the muscles helps your hips, thighs, hamstrings, groin and calves. When these muscles are stretched they make your body more agile and fit. It helps to strengthen the other muscles which would help in recuperating your tired body. The less stress you give to your important organs it would work in a better fashion and helping your health.

With the improper diet, many of us suffer from gastric and indigestion problems. As we do not take care of our health and does not even look at the warning signs our body sends to us. This exercise helps in removing the bloating feeling caused by the indigestion and gastric troubles.

 It stretches most parts of your body like back, spine and legs which also plays a major role at the time of conception. Your knees are strengthened; the pressure helps in reduction of flat foot. Some other benefits are in strengthening your prostrate gland, reduction in blood pressure, helps in removing your backache, less menstrual discomfort is also provided by this asana.

Read More

10 Weight Loss Tips

 

1. Burn more calories than you consume. If this makes you go: "D-uuuh!!", snap out of it and consider that this elementary aspect of dieting excapes countless clueless -- and doomed -- dieters. Tabloids may claim to have the "miracle foods" that'll allow you to eat like a pig and have the pounds melt off, but it's a load.

2. Establish your base metabolism, and set a target calorie goal approx. 500 calories below it. I wrote an article dedicated to establishing your metabolism earlier, so look it up in the article archive if you need a refresher.

3. Keep an honest log. Make estimates of how many calories you stuff yourself with every meal and tally up the total to make sure you stay within your target calorie goal. Convenient "mistakes," under-estimates and forgetfulness allows you to eat more now, but you're defeating the whole point of dieting.

4. Actively choose good sources of fat. This may sound like stupid advice -- shouldn't you AVOID fat when dieting? Well, yes and no. You have to keep consuming some fat, just not going overboard. Avoid butter, bacon, whole milk, coconuts and such like the plague. Instead, make use of olive oil (virgin) and fatty fish. Peanut butter is an interesting topic. I used to put it in the same category as the "bad" fats.

 It belongs there, packing saturated fat as well as artery-clogging trans fatty acids. However, based on highly unscientific testimonies by others as well as personal experience, it seems like a handful of peanuts once in a while when dieting can do wonders in keeping energy levels up while not wreaking havoc with your overall diet. Strange and illogical? You betcha. But it just so happens to work anyway, kind of like bumblebees flying though they technically shouldn't be able to.

5. Eat small but frequent meals throughout the day. You've heard it a million times, I'm sure, but facts remain: In order to keep an even level of blood sugar, you have to eat small, balanced meals.

6. Don't go wimpy on the weight training. When you diet, you're in the danger zone for losing muscle mass most of the time. To avoid this, keeping pumping iron, and be diligent about it!

7. Avoid alcohol. Given that barbeque-season is upon us, this can be tough when your friends bring out the ice-cold brewskis. The solution is simple: Only associate with other bodybuilders, so you at least won't be the lone dweeb sipping a diet soda! For those of you who have the ridiculous idea that your life should not revolve around bodybuilding: Snap out of it.

8. Do cardio in moderation. Doing 45 mins on the stairmaster every day is a great way to get the pounds off quicker. 2 hours is not so great, since you're bound to start losing muscle mass. When and how much is individual (and depending on what you've had to eat earlier in the day) but avoid cardio sessions in excess of 1 hour. If you need the punishment do one session in the morning and one in the evening. Also remember to stay in the 65%-70% heart rate zone for optimal fat burn.

9. Schedule "cheating" days to stay sane. Dieting is no fun. No matter how gung-ho and motivated you are when you start out, you'll have days when everything is darkness and the world is out to get you. Make sure to get a treat once a week on a set day (Saturday is good) as it gives you something to look forward to. A juicy burger is fatty and calorie-dense, but if you prepare by doing extra cardio for three days in advance you'll come in right on target for the week.

10. Don't be afraid of soy. I used to avoid fake-meat products, but having been married to a vegetarian for 3+ years I've tried soy hot dogs, burgers, chicken patties, even riblets that taste just like the real thing. And here's the kicker: Soy products is mostly protein! Granted, soy protein is not the highest quality out there, but if you drink a glass of milk or have some other high-quality protein source with it you can bump up the overall quality in a hurry. Besides, soy has a number of great health benefits when eaten in moderation and contains very little fat.

Read More

5 Steps to Hormone Health and Weight Loss

Our hormone health effects our bodies in many ways but one specific way is an increase in weight. Hormonally challenged women gain weight around their middle between the armpits and the top of the thighs. Often their arms are normal, their legs are normal and from the neck up they look great! Hormonally challenged men gain weight around their waists and often are on their way to developing breasts!

Estrogen is produced in our fat cells. Estrogen increases fat cells. As a result more estrogen is produced and so on and so on.

Breaking the Estrogen cycle and then going on an excellent weight management program is exactly what needs to take place.

Step One Evaluate your hormones. Find out the ratio of estrogen to progesterone presently in your body. If out of balance, we call that estrogen dominance, then you will likely have or currently be gaining weight around your middle.

Step Two Begin an estrogen-lowering program. That will include of course increasing your progesterone levels with a bio-identical progesterone cream. But hormone balancing was never all about progesterone. Modulating and balancing estrogens if found to be out of balance to progesterone is equally important to your weight loss program.

An estrogen-lowering program will include:

- Increase your fiber intake. That happens two ways: 1. Eat as much as you can by choosing fruits, vegetables and whole grains as your high ?fiber carbohydrate choices and then add a fiber supplement (Fiber Source 7) to consume 30 to 50 grams of fiber daily.
- Increase the indoles (cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower) in your diet. That also happens two ways: Eat as much as you can and supplement with an indole-3-carbinol supplement (EllagiGuard). Target 3 servings a day.

- Increase the essential fatty acids (EFA?s) in your diet. They are essential because the body does not make them. They help balance prostaglandin production in the body and thus help regulate estrogens.

- Increase your overall nutrition by taking extra vitamin C (Super C Crystals) and by taking a concentrated fruit and vegetable supplement (Fruit and Vegetable Essence).

Step Three Eat 40/30/30. Incorporate a new way of approaching meals purposing to eat Carbohydrates Proteins and Fats in a balanced way at each meal. When we eat balanced meals our weight will normalize, our energy levels will increase and our hormones will be in balance. More information is available in the book ?The Formula? by J & G Daoust.

Step Four Get Moving. Develop a great exercise program with the help of someone who knows what they are doing. Tailor a program especially for you - one that you can do and are willing to make a commitment to keep. Most of us need to think in terms of keeping our bodies moving and staying active for the rest of our lives. Couch potatoes rarely are healthy.

Step Five Celebrate!! Men and women whose hormones are out of balance feel unwell. Men and women who have balanced hormones feel well. Achieving hormone health will increase your overall health and wellness and assist you in losing weight. You will look younger and feel younger!

Read More