I got asked a great question today. I was working with a group of ex-smokers and the question arose about tobacco and weight gain. One of the ladies in the group was extremely worried about the amount of weight she would gain because she was no longer able to get her nicotine fix.
Each person is different, where as one person can quit and not have any effects, there are some that will experience some weight gain. My suggestion was to start making better choices to offset any type of weight gain. For instance, walking more by parking as far away as possible when going to the store. I also suggested carryng healthier snacks to eat during those times when you may feel like snacking.
It may be a little awkward at first, but it does pay off in the end. Carrying a cooler with carrot sticks or celery sticks to snack on are really helpful. Also it can be used for those that need something to hold between their fingers to replace that cigarette.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, almost as addicting as heroin or cocaine. The average amount of times someone takes to quit is any where between six to nine times until they are successful. It is a tough battle to take on, but with the right amount of determination and know how you can overcome it.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Parking Garage Workout
I saw a great thing today. I left my office for a meeting right before lunch. I returned at around noon. As I drove up to the top floor of the parking garage I saw something I had not seen before. I usually am in my office so I was unaware of all the walkers we had in our building. The parking garage has nine levels. On each level I saw at least one pair of people in sweats walking either up or down the levels.
Now, I would not recommend this if your parking garage is prone to people speeding and zipping through, as it would become a safety issue. I did like the idea of walking in pairs. Not only does it give you someone you can talk to, but it also keeps you accountable to someone should you not feel like exercising. Your walking buddy could push you to exercise or vice versa.
Most of the people that work in other offices in our building usually have a one hour lunch break. As I drove up I could not help but feel anxious to write this article. These people are taking exercise to a whole new level, no pun intended. They are taking away the excuse factor. For those of us that have said in the past that we do not have enough time to exercise, we no longer have an excuse.
Taking time out during our lunch break not only helps to burn some extra calories, but it also gets us energized for the rest of the day. Using the parking garage walkers as an example, we see that our lunch hour could also become our exercise hour. I remember when I was younger and would visit my brother at work. He and his co-workers would walk across the street to a basketball court and play basketball on their lunch break.
I am not saying that you should round up your office mates for some full court running, but use it as a way to spark some ideas. You could also go jogging on your break. If you work close to a pool or a beach, you could swim some laps. If you work close to a gym you could lift some weights or do some cardio work. Get creative, make it fun and stop making excuses for yourself.
Now, I would not recommend this if your parking garage is prone to people speeding and zipping through, as it would become a safety issue. I did like the idea of walking in pairs. Not only does it give you someone you can talk to, but it also keeps you accountable to someone should you not feel like exercising. Your walking buddy could push you to exercise or vice versa.
Most of the people that work in other offices in our building usually have a one hour lunch break. As I drove up I could not help but feel anxious to write this article. These people are taking exercise to a whole new level, no pun intended. They are taking away the excuse factor. For those of us that have said in the past that we do not have enough time to exercise, we no longer have an excuse.
Taking time out during our lunch break not only helps to burn some extra calories, but it also gets us energized for the rest of the day. Using the parking garage walkers as an example, we see that our lunch hour could also become our exercise hour. I remember when I was younger and would visit my brother at work. He and his co-workers would walk across the street to a basketball court and play basketball on their lunch break.
I am not saying that you should round up your office mates for some full court running, but use it as a way to spark some ideas. You could also go jogging on your break. If you work close to a pool or a beach, you could swim some laps. If you work close to a gym you could lift some weights or do some cardio work. Get creative, make it fun and stop making excuses for yourself.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Exercise Can Be Fun? Read On....
How many of you enjoy going for a 3 mile jog in the afternoon? How about a 10 mile bike ride? To be honest with you, I am not a big fan of either. I would much rather play basketball or take my longboard skateboard on a ride around town.
The point is, for a lot of us when we think of exercise, we generally get turned off because we see exercise as one of these. Going running or bike riding. I am sure that there are a lot of people that enjoy these, but there are a lot of others that don’t. The key to sustaining an exercise program is to make it fun and enjoyable. If we don’t like doing something, chances are we won’t stick with it too long. A lot of personal trainers start off training clients by doing things that they think the client may enjoy without even getting any input. I spoke to a trainer a while back who told me her secret. Wanna know what it is? Ask. Simple, so simple. Just ask.
In this case I am asking you to ask yourself. What is it that you enjoy doing? Once you have answered this question you can begin to incorporate that into your exercise programs. My brother enjoys playing golf, so he could walk the course instead of take a cart. I enjoy riding my skateboard, so I ride around my neighborhood for 45 minutes or so. A friend of mine enjoys the outdoors so he goes hiking on the weekends.
If we simply take the things that we enjoy we can create a fun environment to get into shape. Think of the things that you like to do and use it to your advantage. Once you do, you will be well on your way.
The point is, for a lot of us when we think of exercise, we generally get turned off because we see exercise as one of these. Going running or bike riding. I am sure that there are a lot of people that enjoy these, but there are a lot of others that don’t. The key to sustaining an exercise program is to make it fun and enjoyable. If we don’t like doing something, chances are we won’t stick with it too long. A lot of personal trainers start off training clients by doing things that they think the client may enjoy without even getting any input. I spoke to a trainer a while back who told me her secret. Wanna know what it is? Ask. Simple, so simple. Just ask.
In this case I am asking you to ask yourself. What is it that you enjoy doing? Once you have answered this question you can begin to incorporate that into your exercise programs. My brother enjoys playing golf, so he could walk the course instead of take a cart. I enjoy riding my skateboard, so I ride around my neighborhood for 45 minutes or so. A friend of mine enjoys the outdoors so he goes hiking on the weekends.
If we simply take the things that we enjoy we can create a fun environment to get into shape. Think of the things that you like to do and use it to your advantage. Once you do, you will be well on your way.
Weight Loss: Prepare to Succeed
Do you want to lose 10 lbs. by summer? Do you want to get down to a certain waist size? Do you just want to lower your blood pressure? What ever your reasons are for weight loss, you should always have a goal in mind. Having a clear concise goal lets us track our progress to see if we are doing what we need to do. I once worked with someone who said they wanted to lose 15 lbs in 2 weeks. Not only is this an unhealthy amount to lose in such a short time, but it is extremely difficult. On the other hand I worked with someone who had a simple goal; it was to be able to do one pull up and had given herself a few months to achieve it. I would say the latter would be a much more attainable goal.
Keeping in line with the idea of goal setting we also need to set smaller attainable goals or objectives. Setting a realistic time frame to complete each objective is also important. Setting these objectives will let you track your progress more accurately. It also helps to give us a bit more motivation in being able to see what we have done so far and where we are headed. I once had a coach tell me, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Taking the time to carefully plan out our weight loss goals and set realistic objectives and time frames can only fuel our success.
Let’s take a look at two people. The first is Moe Tivated, he is a planner and decides to set a goal of losing 10 lbs. in the next three months. The other is Don Needanyhelp, he also sets a goal of losing 10 lbs. in three months. Moe plans to reduce his calorie intake and will start walking for 20 minutes before going to work in the morning. He will also monitor his weight at the end of each week to see what he needs to change. He also is keeping a diary to write down any obstacles he might have in the way. He participates in a weekly forum on an online weight loss site to share his achievements and ask about any problems he is facing. He has set out to lose 3.5 lbs. a month and has reduced his caffeine and fast food intake. Don on the other hand thinks that 3 months is a long time and he can start dieting in a few weeks or maybe next month. He also thinks that he can stop eating out any time he wants to and will do so sometime within the next three months.
Between the two of them, who would you think is more likely to achieve their goal? I am betting on Moe. Think about school, how many kids did you know who did all their homework and did well on quizzes (objectives) and ultimately got an “A” in the class? Or on the flip side, how many kids did you know who barely did homework and barely passed quizzes who ultimately got either a failing or close to failing grade in the class?
If we just use our everyday experiences and wisdom, we can achieve a lot of things. This is no different in the area of weight loss. The saying is so true and crosses many topics. Don’t prepare to fail. Instead prepare to succeed.
Keeping in line with the idea of goal setting we also need to set smaller attainable goals or objectives. Setting a realistic time frame to complete each objective is also important. Setting these objectives will let you track your progress more accurately. It also helps to give us a bit more motivation in being able to see what we have done so far and where we are headed. I once had a coach tell me, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Taking the time to carefully plan out our weight loss goals and set realistic objectives and time frames can only fuel our success.
Let’s take a look at two people. The first is Moe Tivated, he is a planner and decides to set a goal of losing 10 lbs. in the next three months. The other is Don Needanyhelp, he also sets a goal of losing 10 lbs. in three months. Moe plans to reduce his calorie intake and will start walking for 20 minutes before going to work in the morning. He will also monitor his weight at the end of each week to see what he needs to change. He also is keeping a diary to write down any obstacles he might have in the way. He participates in a weekly forum on an online weight loss site to share his achievements and ask about any problems he is facing. He has set out to lose 3.5 lbs. a month and has reduced his caffeine and fast food intake. Don on the other hand thinks that 3 months is a long time and he can start dieting in a few weeks or maybe next month. He also thinks that he can stop eating out any time he wants to and will do so sometime within the next three months.
Between the two of them, who would you think is more likely to achieve their goal? I am betting on Moe. Think about school, how many kids did you know who did all their homework and did well on quizzes (objectives) and ultimately got an “A” in the class? Or on the flip side, how many kids did you know who barely did homework and barely passed quizzes who ultimately got either a failing or close to failing grade in the class?
If we just use our everyday experiences and wisdom, we can achieve a lot of things. This is no different in the area of weight loss. The saying is so true and crosses many topics. Don’t prepare to fail. Instead prepare to succeed.
EzineArticles!!
I am soooo excited, I just received an email that my article "Weight Loss Without Exercise" was just picked up by EzineArticles.com and will be featured on their website later today! Thanks Ezinearticles!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Gym Etiquette 101
How many of you have ever been witness to rudeness in the gym? Someone jumping on a machine you are using, slamming weights or talking on their cell phone. Gym etiquette usually gets neglected even though there is signage all over the room. Here are some tips to help keep you on a 250 lb. power lifter’s good side.
1.) Ask. If you would like to use a piece of equipment that someone else is using, simply ask how many sets they have left and wait your turn. If you are in a rush you can ask if you can work in. Meaning using the machine or weights when the other person is resting in between sets.
2.) Courtesy. If you see someone working out with headphones on, more than likely they do not like to be bothered while working out. Wait until they are done, and if you need to talk to them just wait until they are done with their set. Nothing is more annoying than having someone tap me on the shoulder when I have my music blaring and working on my heavy set of triceps pushdowns. This has often happened to me where I will have my eyes closed and are focused on the set at hand only to feel a tapping on my shoulder asking how many I have left. Just wait a minute, really that’s about how long it takes someone to crank out their set.
3.) Bring a towel or get a paper towel from the bathroom. Nothing is more disgusting than getting ready to use a bench only to find it slathered in sweat. I usually lay a towel on the bench I am using to avoid getting sweat all over it, as I know someone would not like to lay in that puddle. Practice your gym etiquette and wipe down your machine or bench after you are done.
4.) Leave your cell phone in your locker. Cell phones are great, just not in the gym. With the emergence of the blue tooth and other wireless cell phone accessories we never have to hold our cell phones to our ears anymore. I once worked in a gym where someone talked on the phone more than they worked out. I remember him coming in and talking to someone the whole time. It was extremely annoying and distracting. Are you really that important that you cannot be without your cell phone for a half hour?
5.) Don’t monopolize the equipment. Its ok to superset or do tri-sets, but do so when it is not too crowded. During peak hours (I.e. before work and after work) try not to hog the equipment. Remember others are trying to work out too. If you are doing a circuit and hogging a couple of machines they have to wait and work around you. If at all possible if you are planning to do a workout like that, try going later in the evening or when the gym is not too crowded.
6.) Don’t Slam your weights. This tip is twofold, it is a disturbance and a safety issue. If you cannot put the weight down properly maybe you should get a lighter weight. I cannot count how many times I have sat next to someone on a bench where they have just dropped the dumbbells on the ground causing the ground to shake and others to turn and see what the noise was. I have also had a couple of close calls where a dumbbell almost landed on my foot. Practice courtesy as well safety.
7.) If you use it - put it back where you found it. This has got to be one of the worst gym violations. It is extremely aggravating to go to the dumbbell rack looking for a set of weights and not being able to find them, either because someone took them across the room to use and never re-racked them or put them in the wrong place.
The gym should be a time of release, a time to get the blood flowing, a time to physically work out the stress from the day. It should not be a place that causes stress or arguments. Follow these 7 tips and I assure you that you will be well on your way to a healthier and happier you.
1.) Ask. If you would like to use a piece of equipment that someone else is using, simply ask how many sets they have left and wait your turn. If you are in a rush you can ask if you can work in. Meaning using the machine or weights when the other person is resting in between sets.
2.) Courtesy. If you see someone working out with headphones on, more than likely they do not like to be bothered while working out. Wait until they are done, and if you need to talk to them just wait until they are done with their set. Nothing is more annoying than having someone tap me on the shoulder when I have my music blaring and working on my heavy set of triceps pushdowns. This has often happened to me where I will have my eyes closed and are focused on the set at hand only to feel a tapping on my shoulder asking how many I have left. Just wait a minute, really that’s about how long it takes someone to crank out their set.
3.) Bring a towel or get a paper towel from the bathroom. Nothing is more disgusting than getting ready to use a bench only to find it slathered in sweat. I usually lay a towel on the bench I am using to avoid getting sweat all over it, as I know someone would not like to lay in that puddle. Practice your gym etiquette and wipe down your machine or bench after you are done.
4.) Leave your cell phone in your locker. Cell phones are great, just not in the gym. With the emergence of the blue tooth and other wireless cell phone accessories we never have to hold our cell phones to our ears anymore. I once worked in a gym where someone talked on the phone more than they worked out. I remember him coming in and talking to someone the whole time. It was extremely annoying and distracting. Are you really that important that you cannot be without your cell phone for a half hour?
5.) Don’t monopolize the equipment. Its ok to superset or do tri-sets, but do so when it is not too crowded. During peak hours (I.e. before work and after work) try not to hog the equipment. Remember others are trying to work out too. If you are doing a circuit and hogging a couple of machines they have to wait and work around you. If at all possible if you are planning to do a workout like that, try going later in the evening or when the gym is not too crowded.
6.) Don’t Slam your weights. This tip is twofold, it is a disturbance and a safety issue. If you cannot put the weight down properly maybe you should get a lighter weight. I cannot count how many times I have sat next to someone on a bench where they have just dropped the dumbbells on the ground causing the ground to shake and others to turn and see what the noise was. I have also had a couple of close calls where a dumbbell almost landed on my foot. Practice courtesy as well safety.
7.) If you use it - put it back where you found it. This has got to be one of the worst gym violations. It is extremely aggravating to go to the dumbbell rack looking for a set of weights and not being able to find them, either because someone took them across the room to use and never re-racked them or put them in the wrong place.
The gym should be a time of release, a time to get the blood flowing, a time to physically work out the stress from the day. It should not be a place that causes stress or arguments. Follow these 7 tips and I assure you that you will be well on your way to a healthier and happier you.
The ABC’s of Weight Training and Lifting
Have you been out of the gym for a while? Are you a newbie just looking for some sound advice? If you are either you have come to the right place. Let me start off by saying welcome to the world of weights. It is not easy, but with the right amount of knowledge, determination and patience you will be well on your way to building the body that you desire.
1.) Stretching. First things first you have to check your ego at the door and realize that lifting weights can be a wonderful thing, but horribly painful if the wrong approach is taken. I remember when I picked up my first set of weight when I was 13. I was thoroughly embarrassed at how weak I was. To make up for it, I started to try to lift heavier weights only to find that I was hurting all over all the time. I had undervalued the concept of stretching. Stretching helps to reduce injury prevention. Spending just a few minutes before, during and after weight lifting sessions can help you to become stronger as well as avoiding injury.
2.) Baby Steps. If you are new to all of this your best bet would be to start on the machines to get your muscles used to the movement. You can find tons of machines that work your Chest (Pecs) such as the machine bench press or the machine pec-dec flye. If you tried to do these with dumbbells you will see what muscles are atrophied by the struggle to balance the weights. The machines also help to correct your form and put you into the correct plane of motion. Muscle imbalances early on only lead to injuries down the line. Imbalances cause other muscles to make up for it. This leads to having some muscles stronger than others, when a movement calls for the use of the weaker muscle there is a great chance of injury as it is not used to the work.
3.) Never sacrifice weight for form. If you want to get an injury quickly then avoid my advice. If you don’t than I would suggest heeding the following. You will always, and I repeat always see someone lifting a weight that they cannot handle. You will see people arching their back on the bench press, swinging their arms doing curls looking like they are trying to throw something in the air or not going to parallel on the squat. Not only does this not properly work the muscle it is supposed to target, but it also causes you to be at a great risk of injury. Your back should be flat on the bench when doing a bench press and really should not be doing a whole lot, You should be very still when doing curls and should be able to curl the weight with only the lower (forearm) part of the arm doing the movement and you should always go as low as you can until your butt is parallel to the floor on the squat. This will ensure that the muscle is properly working and get the “look” you are hoping to achieve.
4.) Plan and track your workout. There is nothing worse than getting to the gym and realizing that you don’t know what to do and end up doing whatever or following some other person’s workout. You should always write down or at least plan it out in your mind so that you have some sort of idea as to what you will do. There should always be a goal in mind. Tracking or writing down what you have done, what weights, number of sets and when you did will help you see progression. It will help you to see what works for you and what does not. It will help you to change up your workout to avoid getting “stale” and hitting a plateau. Keep your muscles guessing. Which is exactly why I never do the same workout week in and week out.
5.) Rest. Not only do you need time to rest, your muscles need time to rest as well. To ensure proper recuperation and growth you need time in between workouts to rest your body so that it will be ready for your next workout.
There are a lot of other variables that contribute to weight training such as proper nutrition and motivation, but this should give you a good start to your training program. As in any other sport, you need to practice and keep doing something to get better at it. In this instance the practice part is using the machines and getting used to the weights. In no time you will be a pro at it. If you are craving more material be sure to get your Workout Pass and use it everyday. Good Luck!
1.) Stretching. First things first you have to check your ego at the door and realize that lifting weights can be a wonderful thing, but horribly painful if the wrong approach is taken. I remember when I picked up my first set of weight when I was 13. I was thoroughly embarrassed at how weak I was. To make up for it, I started to try to lift heavier weights only to find that I was hurting all over all the time. I had undervalued the concept of stretching. Stretching helps to reduce injury prevention. Spending just a few minutes before, during and after weight lifting sessions can help you to become stronger as well as avoiding injury.
2.) Baby Steps. If you are new to all of this your best bet would be to start on the machines to get your muscles used to the movement. You can find tons of machines that work your Chest (Pecs) such as the machine bench press or the machine pec-dec flye. If you tried to do these with dumbbells you will see what muscles are atrophied by the struggle to balance the weights. The machines also help to correct your form and put you into the correct plane of motion. Muscle imbalances early on only lead to injuries down the line. Imbalances cause other muscles to make up for it. This leads to having some muscles stronger than others, when a movement calls for the use of the weaker muscle there is a great chance of injury as it is not used to the work.
3.) Never sacrifice weight for form. If you want to get an injury quickly then avoid my advice. If you don’t than I would suggest heeding the following. You will always, and I repeat always see someone lifting a weight that they cannot handle. You will see people arching their back on the bench press, swinging their arms doing curls looking like they are trying to throw something in the air or not going to parallel on the squat. Not only does this not properly work the muscle it is supposed to target, but it also causes you to be at a great risk of injury. Your back should be flat on the bench when doing a bench press and really should not be doing a whole lot, You should be very still when doing curls and should be able to curl the weight with only the lower (forearm) part of the arm doing the movement and you should always go as low as you can until your butt is parallel to the floor on the squat. This will ensure that the muscle is properly working and get the “look” you are hoping to achieve.
4.) Plan and track your workout. There is nothing worse than getting to the gym and realizing that you don’t know what to do and end up doing whatever or following some other person’s workout. You should always write down or at least plan it out in your mind so that you have some sort of idea as to what you will do. There should always be a goal in mind. Tracking or writing down what you have done, what weights, number of sets and when you did will help you see progression. It will help you to see what works for you and what does not. It will help you to change up your workout to avoid getting “stale” and hitting a plateau. Keep your muscles guessing. Which is exactly why I never do the same workout week in and week out.
5.) Rest. Not only do you need time to rest, your muscles need time to rest as well. To ensure proper recuperation and growth you need time in between workouts to rest your body so that it will be ready for your next workout.
There are a lot of other variables that contribute to weight training such as proper nutrition and motivation, but this should give you a good start to your training program. As in any other sport, you need to practice and keep doing something to get better at it. In this instance the practice part is using the machines and getting used to the weights. In no time you will be a pro at it. If you are craving more material be sure to get your Workout Pass and use it everyday. Good Luck!
Fit Kids
When you were a kid and wanted to play, what did you do? You got on your bike and rode to your friend’s house or went outside to play kickball with the other kids that lived on your street. What was your favorite activity? Riding your bike? Playing with your friends till the sun went down? Playing football in an empty grass lot? How many of you remember playing marbles or building ramps with your friends so you could launch your BMX bike off it? Or how about playing AYSO Soccer or PAL Basketball when you were in grade school? The sad truth is that although this may seem like only 10, 15 or 20 years ago, to a lot of kids growing up today it is something that seems extremely foreign.
Why go outside and play when I can play video games online or through my Xbox or PS3? Why go out and make new friends when I can log onto my Instant Messenger and meet hundreds of people on any given day? Why meet up with my friends to hang out? I can just log into myspace and tell people what I have been doing and see what they have been doing.
A lot of kids spend more time indoors than they do outdoors. As a society we have made our lives extremely easy. We can shop from our computers, talk to others through email and messenger services, we can even earn our College degrees through online classes. Our children look to us for guidance, support and to be an example. If we look at the obesity rates in the United States we can see that they have been on the rise. Adolescent obesity has been climbing as well. Diseases that usually affect adults are being found in our young people.
We cannot be hypocrites, if we expect our children to live healthy, exercise and eat properly, then we must do the same. We must set a good example. Taking baby steps we can influence the youth of today to choose to be healthy.
1.) Set a time aside each day after work to do physical activities with your kids. Go walking with them, play with them at the park or take them for a ride on their bikes.
2.) Reward them with video game time. Lots of kids are hooked on video games. Instead of letting the PS3 be the focus of their attention use it as a reward instead. Such as letting them play for an hour after their chores and bike riding.
3.) Close the drive through window more often. It is easier to take our kids to a fast food restaurant than it is to go to the grocery store for ingredients, then going home to cook. Cutting back on the frequency that you eat at fast food joints could add up in saving your family extra pounds and money.
4.) Encourage them to join team sports or be supportive of any other activities they enjoy outside of the home such as band, chess club or other clubs.
5.) Start doing more outdoor activities as a family. Such as going to the beach to go swimming or heading up to the mountains to go hiking or biking.
6.) Fitness should be fun. The key to having it be fun is to incorporate things that each individual enjoys. Dad likes to golf, so why not do more exercise things that include Golf, such as a day at the course with the family, walking the length of course could burn a lot of calories as well as time well spent with family. Dad gets his workout and “fun” time as well. Son likes to play Soccer, so why not take the family to the park and kick the ball around. You can all get some exercise and he can improve his Soccer game.
If we expect to do anything about the health of our youth we need to start with ourselves, our own families. Let’s break the cycle of obesity in our youth. Let’s build a healthier country, by starting with building a healthier home.
Why go outside and play when I can play video games online or through my Xbox or PS3? Why go out and make new friends when I can log onto my Instant Messenger and meet hundreds of people on any given day? Why meet up with my friends to hang out? I can just log into myspace and tell people what I have been doing and see what they have been doing.
A lot of kids spend more time indoors than they do outdoors. As a society we have made our lives extremely easy. We can shop from our computers, talk to others through email and messenger services, we can even earn our College degrees through online classes. Our children look to us for guidance, support and to be an example. If we look at the obesity rates in the United States we can see that they have been on the rise. Adolescent obesity has been climbing as well. Diseases that usually affect adults are being found in our young people.
We cannot be hypocrites, if we expect our children to live healthy, exercise and eat properly, then we must do the same. We must set a good example. Taking baby steps we can influence the youth of today to choose to be healthy.
1.) Set a time aside each day after work to do physical activities with your kids. Go walking with them, play with them at the park or take them for a ride on their bikes.
2.) Reward them with video game time. Lots of kids are hooked on video games. Instead of letting the PS3 be the focus of their attention use it as a reward instead. Such as letting them play for an hour after their chores and bike riding.
3.) Close the drive through window more often. It is easier to take our kids to a fast food restaurant than it is to go to the grocery store for ingredients, then going home to cook. Cutting back on the frequency that you eat at fast food joints could add up in saving your family extra pounds and money.
4.) Encourage them to join team sports or be supportive of any other activities they enjoy outside of the home such as band, chess club or other clubs.
5.) Start doing more outdoor activities as a family. Such as going to the beach to go swimming or heading up to the mountains to go hiking or biking.
6.) Fitness should be fun. The key to having it be fun is to incorporate things that each individual enjoys. Dad likes to golf, so why not do more exercise things that include Golf, such as a day at the course with the family, walking the length of course could burn a lot of calories as well as time well spent with family. Dad gets his workout and “fun” time as well. Son likes to play Soccer, so why not take the family to the park and kick the ball around. You can all get some exercise and he can improve his Soccer game.
If we expect to do anything about the health of our youth we need to start with ourselves, our own families. Let’s break the cycle of obesity in our youth. Let’s build a healthier country, by starting with building a healthier home.
Free Fast Weight Loss Program
| There are a lot of programs out there that promise you that you will lose x amount of weight in x amount of time. Anyone who has tried many of these programs quickly realize how skewed they really are. Weight loss, weight management and healthy living should be a life choice, not just a one time deal. I believe that getting to a certain body weight and fitness level is the easy part. Maintaining it is the tough part. For example you could go on a reduced calorie diet for a few days and lose a few pounds, but once you start getting eating like you normally do, the weight loss goes out the window. The older we get, it seems the more reasons we come up with for wanting to lose weight. How many of you have heard someone or yourself say “I want to lose weight to fit into …” or I want to lose weight before my next class reunion.” These are some motivational reasons to get us going, but really it should be a life choice. Once it becomes a life decision to eat healthy, think healthy and live healthy, then we have already “won.” There are a lot of things you could do to kick start the weight loss. You could seek out a personal trainer, nutritionist, buy a gym membership, join a cardio kickboxing class, etc. I, on the other hand like to take baby steps. The following is my gift to you. A short program you can start that incorporates daily activities in your weight loss success. 1.) Starting in the morning, if you live close enough to work or school you can either bike or walk. If you are one of those people that have to commute, then I would suggest not choosing the closest parking stall. You know these people, they drive around forever and a day just so the can get the closest parking stall. If you park in a lot, park as far away as possible and walk. If you park in a parking garage, then park at a higher level and take the stairs. 2.) Stop taking the elevator. You will be quite surprised how quickly you can build your endurance by taking the stairs. It works a lot of your leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, calves). And burns a ton of extra calories. 3.) Take a 20 minute walk on your lunch break. Most breaks are for an hour, so there should be no excuse that you could not take some time out to go for a walk. Also, most companies allow you a 15 minute break in the morning and then another in the afternoon. This could be extra time you could squeeze in walking around your building, office or area you work in. If you did that 5 days a week, that would be around 1,500 calories. (This example is for a 150 lb person walking at a slow to brisk pace) That’s a ton of calories just for a little bit of extra walking. 4.) Start eating more frequent meals, not only does this speed up your metabolism, but it also keeps you feeling satiated throughout the day and not hitting the roller coaster spikes of hunger. 5.) Cut back on caffeine, soda and snacks. Cutting back on sugary drinks that carry extra calories is a plus. Stick with water, its good and good for you. 6.) Replace TV time with some form of physical activity that you enjoy. For instance if you like skipping rope, you could do that for a 10 minutes or if you enjoy basketball you could dribble the ball for 15 minutes. It’s all about being creative. Sometimes we use the excuse of age for our weight gain. Stop making excuses and get started today! You are never too old. How fast you want to lose weight is up to you. If you have read any of my articles you know that I like to plug in motivational sayings, and this one will be no different. Make Healthy living a life choice and remember that “Your attitude will determine your altitude.” |
Motivation: The Crucial Ingredient In Your Weight Loss Success
| What’s your motivation? Do you want to get ripped before summer? Do you want to exercise more to lower your blood pressure? Whatever it is, motivation is a critical ingredient in the recipe for success. In between deciding we are going to get into shape and the actual physical part of dragging ourselves to the gym or lacing up our shoes to go for a jog, there is that moment in between where we find the drive to do so. This is a topic I feel is under addressed and needs to be given more consideration. The motivation for most may not be their own, it may be a loved one concerned about their health or it could a group of people. Sometimes we find the motivation from a life changing experience or it could be from the burning desire for a “Second chance” after the onset of an illness. It could be strictly physical - we just want to look trim or emotional - exercising helps to relieve stress. Lots of times we hear people say that you should do it for yourself which I am a big believer in, but if you are like some people I know sometimes motivation from others could do the trick. You know these type of people, they know they need to lose weight, but realistically will not do a thing about it and are fine with that. But let others talk to them and they will change their ways. Take my Father for example he enjoyed drinking alcohol even though he knows its bad for him. He had no reason or motivation to cut down until a Doctor spoke to him about it. The Doctor said one sentence that changed him. He said “Cut down on alcohol and you will have more time with your grandkids.” Whatever that motivation is, getting and keeping it is crucial towards your success in your exercise program. I often tell people to keep your eye on the prize (long term) as well as setting short term goals. For example, when your legs start to get tired during a jog, finishing up that last half a mile to complete your 3-mile jog not only makes you feel good mentally that you did not give up, but also all those days of jogging will pay off when you feel how loose your clothes are fitting. Find your motivation, use it to your advantage and kick start that exercise program you have been putting off. Find what works for you, Find what you enjoy and incorporate it into your workouts. I enjoy playing basketball, so I will do basketball drills instead of running on the treadmill some days. My brother enjoys golfing, so he will walk the course instead of driving a cart on some days. Better yet Start burning fat today. Check out the Negative Calorie Diet. Often we hear about going from the “I’m thinking about buying” stage to the “I’m ready to buy” stage. This is no different from the “I’m thinking of getting into shape” to “I’m ready to do what it takes to get into shape.” It is all a matter of perception. I know it sounds corny but it’s true what they say - “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.” Or better yet, “The only person in your way is yourself.” So get out of the way and let yourself through. |
Weight Loss Without Exercise
| We all have had a hard time with weight loss. It is something that most of us will struggle through, but with a little help and determination we can beat the battle of the bulge. I have been where you have been, gone through the ups and downs only to come out more knowledgable. I hope in this article I can show you that it is not all about running on the treadmill or jogging for miles. You can take simple steps to help control or reduce your weight. 1.) Start eating Breakfast. I know that this sounds like common sense, but you know the saying…”Common Sense is sometimes not so common.” For the life of me I could never figure out why I was eating so much, so late at night. I would eat dinner and then find myself stuffing myself with more food as the night went on. I remember being in college and raiding the vending machine at midnight for cookies and chips. Feeding my face with anything and everything I could get my hands on. At the same time I was not eating my first meal until about noon. I never put the two together. When you think about it logically, you are fasting for 12 hours. That was the reason for my late night binges. From midnight until noon I would not eat anything. Think about that for a bit. Have you ever skipped lunch and dinner? I am sure you have. Remember how hungry you were? I am sure you do. Now think about doing that everyday, not eating for 12 hours on a regular basis. Once I started eating breakfast I stopped having those late night binges. I sometimes would eat late at night, but not nearly the amount I used to. If you need more guidance Click Here! But please read on… 2.) Stop eating out so often. I can guarantee that you will see a difference not only in your weight, but also in your pocketbook. How many of you actually know the nutritional content in a cup of coffee? How about in a greasy fried hashbrown? How much fat is in that breakfast sandwich? Most of us don’t know and I venture to guess that we don’t want to know either. A lot of food that we consume when we are out are sautéed in butter, fried in oil or baked with tons of sugar. While it does taste good, it keeps us coming back and keeps the weight coming as well. When we prepare our own meals we can monitor what goes into it. Instead of frying something in oil we can try an alternative such as non-fat cooking spray or instead of tons of salt we can try another seasoning. By preparing our meals we can give our body what it needs and less of what it wants. If you work all day, taking a little extra time the night before to pack your meals can pay off greatly. Not only on your health, but your finances as well. Lets add this up, lets say that you have fast food for breakfast and lunch 3 days a week. I am guessing $3.50 for breakfast and $6.00 for lunch, now that’s being conservative, we all now that that it could be a lot higher. That’s 3 times $3.50 and 3 times 6.00 = $28.50. Now lets look at this grocery bill, lets say we get some fruit such as bananas and breakfast bars that would be about $5.00, a loaf of bread and a package of turkey breast sandwich meat and some carrot sticks for lunch would run about $9.00. Those groceries alone would last you a week for breakfast and lunch, would be a lot healthier and would be half of what you were spending eating out not to mention half the calories and fat as well. Now do the math for your own situation. We live in a great country, everything becomes convenient for us, even gaining weight. We can have food delivered to us, we can go to a restaurant and order without leaving our cars, but if you take a little extra effort and time you can be well on the way to a healthier and lighter you. Learn more about what you are putting into your body Click Here! 3.) Make a better choice when you do eat out. I know what it is like when we are busy, sometimes we don’t have the kind of time we would like to prepare something. I know the feeling. So what I propose you do is to make the better choice. With the fast food industry getting sued left and right for “helping” others gain weight as well many other afflictions that come with obesity, a lot of places are offering healthy alternatives. I love places like these. Instead of a burger you can get a grilled chicken sandwich, instead of fries you can get low fat or baked chips, instead of a soda you can get juice or water, instead of a side high in fat we can get choose steamed vegetables. Taking a common sense approach, we can make the better, healthier choice when we eat out. Want to get a Physician’s expertise on weight loss? 4.) Start eating more frequently, don’t wait to get hungry. What??? You want me to eat more meals??? I thought this article was about losing weight. Yes it is. If you are like the typical person, I bet you probably eat 2-3 large meals a day. And I do mean LARGE. A lot of people I talk to hit the drive throughs pretty early on the way to work. It is so easy, convenient and cheap. You can get some coffee, a breakfast sandwich and a side for just a few dollars. All of this adds up in excess fat, sugar and calories. Of which we all know where those go. I am asking that you start eating 5-6 smaller meals. As I mentioned earlier, preferably these would be meals that you prepared yourself. The body’s natural reaction when it does not get something constantly is to go into “Storage” mode. If we are eating 2 large meals a day, it will try its best not to metabolize it as quickly, on the flipside if we are eating smaller meals our body goes into “burn”mode. Our metabolism speeds up and so does our ability to lose weight. You will also find that you will not be getting those bad hunger pangs like you used to. When you are hungry you tend to overeat. Try going to the grocery store when you are hungry and see all the goofy things you end up leaving with. Eating smaller meals every few hours offsets our bodies’ tendency to overindulge when we do sit down to eat. 5.) Drink more water. Whenever I go to a restaurant I always have water instead of a soda or alcohol. It is good for me and keeps me hydrated, it also has other added benefits. When we don’t drink water regularly our bodies naturally store it. Often we carry the water weight around our bodies. When we drink water more regularly, our bodies shed that excess water weight because it knows that there will be a constant supply of it. 6.) Cut back on alcohol consumption. This one is pretty obvious. Alcohol such as beer has a lot of empty calories. It is also a diuretic which causes us to have to urinate more often. Not only can this be annoying, but it can cause us to become dehydrated. If you have ever been dehydrated before you know the fun that comes with it: Nausea, Cramps, Diarrhea. This alone would cause me to cut back. Cutting back on alcohol also will have a great affect on your health, pocketbook and waistline. I hope that this article helped. For some fool proof methods and tips on losing more weight check out Fat Loss For Idiots where they can help you lose 9 lbs. in 11 days. Please come back often as I am constantly adding new articles. |
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