Body fat measurements and bathroom scales are not the best way to estimate ideal body-weight.
A healthy lifestyle of common sense nutrition and regular exercise is a better pathway to ideal body weight and not the “hard and fast” programs that some individuals undertake. A realistic, safe and attainable body weight for an individual will depend on the following factors:
Current health status
A review of personal health-risk factors should be taken into account when attempting to define ideal body weight. For example, if you have high blood pressure, a small weight reduction (as little as 5kgs) has been shown to be quite beneficial.
Having extra body mass means the heart must work harder to pump blood through more capillaries that feed that extra tissue. Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol are further examples of medical conditions that can be positively affected by weight loss.
Family health status
If your parents and siblings are extremely overweight, it is highly unlikely that you will ever be ''model-thin.'' As unreasonable as that sounds, such a genetic limitation should be kept in mind when establishing realistic body-weight goals.
Body composition
A leaner body is a fat burning machine. The more muscle or lean body mass you have, the more calories you burn. The more calories you burn, the more body fat you lose.
Men have a higher metabolic rate than women. This is because they naturally have more muscle mass. Men and women who have a relatively high amount of muscle may weigh substantially more than others of similar heights, their body-weight levels may be entirely appropriate given their lean muscle mass.
Body-fat distribution
possessing a high amount of body-fat in the upper body is risky in terms of good health. Individuals with upper-body or abdominal fat should consider losing weight with a combined program of sensible eating and exercise. To determine excessive amounts of upper-body fat, a measure of waist-to-hip (WHR) ratio is simple and accurate.
WHR is determined by dividing the waist circumference by the hip circumference. Waist circumference is defined as the smallest circumference between the rib cage and belly button. Hip circumference is defined as the largest circumference of the hip-buttocks region.
Men with WHR values exceeding 0.95 are considered to have an excessive amount of upper-body fat, while those with less than 0.95 are deemed to have an acceptable level of upper-body fat. Women with WHR values above 0.86 are considered to have an unhealthy amount of upper-body fat, while those with scores less than 0.86 are designated as having a reasonable level of accumulated fat tissue on their upper bodies.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tips for sticking to your fitness program
There are 4 critical factors to adhering to an exercise program. They are:
1. Results:
Achieving positive results can be one of the most important factors for many individuals to adhere to an exercise program. Common sense says you are more likely to continue expending the time and energy if your efforts produce desired and meaningful results.
2. Time:
You don’t have to endure a marathon workout to experience the results. Some individuals prefer to do time effective exercise which will allow them time to enjoy other interests
3. Boredom:
Boredom can have a big impact on exercise commitment. Most people will prefer to participate in an exercise program if it is an enjoyable experience. You will notice how all of the high tech features on exercise equipment is designed to engage the exerciser so that they disassociate from the fatigue and physical effort.
4. Injuries:
The old saying of “No pain – No gain is what prevents some people from stepping out of their comfort zone who think that they may get hurt.
Other tips for adhering to an exercise program:
Establish the fundamental purpose to exercise. What do you want to gain from your exercise program?
Highlight short-term goals. Goal setting should be viewed much like climbing a ladder, with importance placed on realistic distances between rungs.
Decrease chance of injury: Minimize injury/complications by not doing too much, too soon. Often novice exercisers who increase their activity dosage too soon become discouraged, especially if they start feeling sore or become injured.
Make a group commitment: There is only one thing stronger than having individual commitment and that is when it is made by a group. The support and encouragement within the group can provide everyone with the incentive to continue exercising during times of declining interest.
Highlight fun and variety: The same exercise programs done everyday can become monotonous and boring which can then lead to making excuses not to train at all. By doing what you enjoy doing and having variety, you are more likely to adhere to an exercise program.
Communicate with the people in your life: The support and encouragement of family, friends, significant other, and work colleagues with whom you interact regularly can help play an important role in a successful result.
Keep an exercise diary: A daily progress chart that allows you to record daily nutritional and exercise achievements can help you see the steady improvement that has been made.
Schedule a regular time to exercise: Planning a workout at the same time everyday will establish a habit.
1. Results:
Achieving positive results can be one of the most important factors for many individuals to adhere to an exercise program. Common sense says you are more likely to continue expending the time and energy if your efforts produce desired and meaningful results.
2. Time:
You don’t have to endure a marathon workout to experience the results. Some individuals prefer to do time effective exercise which will allow them time to enjoy other interests
3. Boredom:
Boredom can have a big impact on exercise commitment. Most people will prefer to participate in an exercise program if it is an enjoyable experience. You will notice how all of the high tech features on exercise equipment is designed to engage the exerciser so that they disassociate from the fatigue and physical effort.
4. Injuries:
The old saying of “No pain – No gain is what prevents some people from stepping out of their comfort zone who think that they may get hurt.
Other tips for adhering to an exercise program:
Establish the fundamental purpose to exercise. What do you want to gain from your exercise program?
Highlight short-term goals. Goal setting should be viewed much like climbing a ladder, with importance placed on realistic distances between rungs.
Decrease chance of injury: Minimize injury/complications by not doing too much, too soon. Often novice exercisers who increase their activity dosage too soon become discouraged, especially if they start feeling sore or become injured.
Make a group commitment: There is only one thing stronger than having individual commitment and that is when it is made by a group. The support and encouragement within the group can provide everyone with the incentive to continue exercising during times of declining interest.
Highlight fun and variety: The same exercise programs done everyday can become monotonous and boring which can then lead to making excuses not to train at all. By doing what you enjoy doing and having variety, you are more likely to adhere to an exercise program.
Communicate with the people in your life: The support and encouragement of family, friends, significant other, and work colleagues with whom you interact regularly can help play an important role in a successful result.
Keep an exercise diary: A daily progress chart that allows you to record daily nutritional and exercise achievements can help you see the steady improvement that has been made.
Schedule a regular time to exercise: Planning a workout at the same time everyday will establish a habit.
Health and fitness programs at work. Social responsibility or improving the bottom line?
The philosophy that good health is good business has encouraged many companies across the country to establish in-house health and fitness programs for their employees. Healthy programs are becoming commonplace offering free flu vaccinations through to running an on-site gym.
Chris Bakens is a Master Trainer and Performance coach, with Brisbane based Healthy Executives. “As an industry, corporate health has been around since the mid eighties. Healthy initiatives are becoming common-place in many businesses where they need professional fitness specialists to instruct, supervise, or assist. Health and fitness programs will differ from company to company. Many have incorporated less expensive health promotions such as group exercise sessions, nutritional seminars, flu vaccinations, and smoking cessation classes. It seems there would be a rebellion if their healthy programs were cancelled.”
One of the arguments for initiating a company health promotion is that it improves productivity in the workplace – whether that comes from fewer sick days due to flu vaccinations, or greater output from fit and motivated employees. Studies have found that physical activity programs at work reduce absenteeism by up to 20 per cent and physically active employees take 27 per cent less sick leave.
Chris Bakens is a Master Trainer and Performance coach, with Brisbane based Healthy Executives. “As an industry, corporate health has been around since the mid eighties. Healthy initiatives are becoming common-place in many businesses where they need professional fitness specialists to instruct, supervise, or assist. Health and fitness programs will differ from company to company. Many have incorporated less expensive health promotions such as group exercise sessions, nutritional seminars, flu vaccinations, and smoking cessation classes. It seems there would be a rebellion if their healthy programs were cancelled.”
One of the arguments for initiating a company health promotion is that it improves productivity in the workplace – whether that comes from fewer sick days due to flu vaccinations, or greater output from fit and motivated employees. Studies have found that physical activity programs at work reduce absenteeism by up to 20 per cent and physically active employees take 27 per cent less sick leave.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Goal setting - Lifestyle Game Plan to getting everything you want
Why is it that some people seem to get ahead faster and others do not?
What you may find interesting is that only 8 out of 10 people set Goals for their life, and that 1 in 10 actually achieves their goal.
Most people confuse being busy with being productive. They talk continually about what they have to do, make lots of plans on what needs to be done, and hold endless meetings about how to achieve the result required.
The bottom line is that very little gets done or not at all and the result is not achieved.
For those that are serious about achieving great results in life, there are 5 proven steps to follow.
1. Know what you really want:
Working out what you really want when you are surrounded by other people’s ideas can be confusing. Do you really want what you have or are you conditioned to want it?
If you are unclear want you want, make a list of things that you don’t want and do the opposite. This will give you a starting point. What is it that you no longer want to tolerate? What is it that you will now stand for?
What have you given up that really matters to you? Have you compromised on things that are important to you like no time with family, no social or love life, where you are living, or how much you earn? Can you choose just one thing to focus on that is important and worth the effort?
2. Why do you want it?
To create how you want your life there has to be a deep reason for change. The first step to having any goal accomplishment is desire. It is only then that when the desire becomes so intense that you do something about it.
Write down as many compelling reasons why this goal is important to you and then ask the following questions. A. Is this an important goal? B. If I continue with my current lifestyle will I achieve my goal? C. How will I feel when I achieve this goal? Use your imagination to see yourself reaching your goal.
Make a stand for something or fall for anything.
3. Get out of old habits
There are external and internal barriers which will prevent you from making the changes necessary. These are powerful forces which will either constrain you or stop you from achieving your goals.
External Barriers: There are things we may not be able to change, like the weather, kid’s school and sporting commitments, family obligations, the hours we work, bottleneck traffic at freeway construction, budget etc.
There are environmental factors also. If you want to stop smoking yet you are consistently around smokers.
If you want to take up a running program yet you work during daylight hours there is a safety aspect.
Internal Barriers: These are beliefs that drive our current behaviour. Emotional barriers can be “I will always be fat, I don’t deserve it, I am naturally a lazy person, I can’t get myself motivated,” or “I feel overwhelmed, I don’t have time, it is too difficult, I don’t have the right information, I always get interrupted “etc.
What about the times you wake up in the morning and think about going for a walk? Instead you lie in bed and toss and turn just ‘thinking about it’. Imagine how fit you would be if instead of just thinking about it, you actually got up and went for a walk?
The bottom line is that there is an 80/20 rule when it comes to getting what you want. If you do not have what you want in your life, it is because of either of these 2 barriers.
This may be hard to accept but what constrains or stops you are the 80 percent barriers within you. The other 20 percent is outside of you.
Expose the beliefs that do not empower you and replace them with the ones that do.
4. Make a Plan (how to get what you really want)
Life is not a journey for nothing. You would never get on a plane if the pilot did not know where he was going – would you? You have probably heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Basically if you do not plan your life then someone else will and you will live someone else’s dreams.
Even if you did no more than just write down the direction you would like your life to take, you would still benefit greatly from the enhanced mental focus. Your mind will be consistently pulling you in the direction of your written goals.
Every day take at least 10 minutes to sit down to organize and plan your life. Look at all the areas that are important to you like Family, health, professional, social, financial, mental, and spiritual development. Everyday write at least one thing down in each area. You will begin to see your own individual needs, your desires, your unique journey and what you really want your life to look like.
5. Choose your attitude
The journey is the reward. It is who you become by reaching your goals rather than actually reaching your destination. Only by feeling the benefits of doing what you say you will do, can transform you from being a couch potato who talks about taking action, into someone who prizes really living life by achieving what they set out to do.
Choose to be happy. Remember that the right time may never come along to be happy. Ask someone you trust when you are being too serious.
Life is a circus. You can be the ring master or you can be the beast. Which one are you? It is never too late to have all of the things you want in your life.
What you may find interesting is that only 8 out of 10 people set Goals for their life, and that 1 in 10 actually achieves their goal.
Most people confuse being busy with being productive. They talk continually about what they have to do, make lots of plans on what needs to be done, and hold endless meetings about how to achieve the result required.
The bottom line is that very little gets done or not at all and the result is not achieved.
For those that are serious about achieving great results in life, there are 5 proven steps to follow.
1. Know what you really want:
Working out what you really want when you are surrounded by other people’s ideas can be confusing. Do you really want what you have or are you conditioned to want it?
If you are unclear want you want, make a list of things that you don’t want and do the opposite. This will give you a starting point. What is it that you no longer want to tolerate? What is it that you will now stand for?
What have you given up that really matters to you? Have you compromised on things that are important to you like no time with family, no social or love life, where you are living, or how much you earn? Can you choose just one thing to focus on that is important and worth the effort?
2. Why do you want it?
To create how you want your life there has to be a deep reason for change. The first step to having any goal accomplishment is desire. It is only then that when the desire becomes so intense that you do something about it.
Write down as many compelling reasons why this goal is important to you and then ask the following questions. A. Is this an important goal? B. If I continue with my current lifestyle will I achieve my goal? C. How will I feel when I achieve this goal? Use your imagination to see yourself reaching your goal.
Make a stand for something or fall for anything.
3. Get out of old habits
There are external and internal barriers which will prevent you from making the changes necessary. These are powerful forces which will either constrain you or stop you from achieving your goals.
External Barriers: There are things we may not be able to change, like the weather, kid’s school and sporting commitments, family obligations, the hours we work, bottleneck traffic at freeway construction, budget etc.
There are environmental factors also. If you want to stop smoking yet you are consistently around smokers.
If you want to take up a running program yet you work during daylight hours there is a safety aspect.
Internal Barriers: These are beliefs that drive our current behaviour. Emotional barriers can be “I will always be fat, I don’t deserve it, I am naturally a lazy person, I can’t get myself motivated,” or “I feel overwhelmed, I don’t have time, it is too difficult, I don’t have the right information, I always get interrupted “etc.
What about the times you wake up in the morning and think about going for a walk? Instead you lie in bed and toss and turn just ‘thinking about it’. Imagine how fit you would be if instead of just thinking about it, you actually got up and went for a walk?
The bottom line is that there is an 80/20 rule when it comes to getting what you want. If you do not have what you want in your life, it is because of either of these 2 barriers.
This may be hard to accept but what constrains or stops you are the 80 percent barriers within you. The other 20 percent is outside of you.
Expose the beliefs that do not empower you and replace them with the ones that do.
4. Make a Plan (how to get what you really want)
Life is not a journey for nothing. You would never get on a plane if the pilot did not know where he was going – would you? You have probably heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Basically if you do not plan your life then someone else will and you will live someone else’s dreams.
Even if you did no more than just write down the direction you would like your life to take, you would still benefit greatly from the enhanced mental focus. Your mind will be consistently pulling you in the direction of your written goals.
Every day take at least 10 minutes to sit down to organize and plan your life. Look at all the areas that are important to you like Family, health, professional, social, financial, mental, and spiritual development. Everyday write at least one thing down in each area. You will begin to see your own individual needs, your desires, your unique journey and what you really want your life to look like.
5. Choose your attitude
The journey is the reward. It is who you become by reaching your goals rather than actually reaching your destination. Only by feeling the benefits of doing what you say you will do, can transform you from being a couch potato who talks about taking action, into someone who prizes really living life by achieving what they set out to do.
Choose to be happy. Remember that the right time may never come along to be happy. Ask someone you trust when you are being too serious.
Life is a circus. You can be the ring master or you can be the beast. Which one are you? It is never too late to have all of the things you want in your life.
Monday, March 16, 2009
7 reasons to have a Personal Trainer
1. No matter what your health and fitness goals are, Personal training can help you get there safely and effectively.
2. They understand that every person is different and can deliver a program that is tailored to suit your body.
3. A Personal Trainer can ensure you maintain good technique and give constant motivation and encouragement so you don’t have to worry about adjustments to your program if you plateau.
4. They can set you up to exercise on your own between sessions if time or budget is a concern.
5. They can give you what you want, how hard you want it and how often…and the confidence to know that you are doing things properly.
6. Keep your workouts interesting, so can train you with a variety of equipment.
7. Personal Trainers really are passionate about health. They care are about your success- They love to see you getting fitter, stronger, and more confident. Is there anything more important to you than getting healthy and fit for life?
Information from corporate health and fitness company healthy executives. Healthy Executives works with senior executives to implement leading edge health and wellness initiatives in the workplace.
For more information on all our services please log onto our website www.healthyexecutives.com.au
2. They understand that every person is different and can deliver a program that is tailored to suit your body.
3. A Personal Trainer can ensure you maintain good technique and give constant motivation and encouragement so you don’t have to worry about adjustments to your program if you plateau.
4. They can set you up to exercise on your own between sessions if time or budget is a concern.
5. They can give you what you want, how hard you want it and how often…and the confidence to know that you are doing things properly.
6. Keep your workouts interesting, so can train you with a variety of equipment.
7. Personal Trainers really are passionate about health. They care are about your success- They love to see you getting fitter, stronger, and more confident. Is there anything more important to you than getting healthy and fit for life?
Information from corporate health and fitness company healthy executives. Healthy Executives works with senior executives to implement leading edge health and wellness initiatives in the workplace.
For more information on all our services please log onto our website www.healthyexecutives.com.au
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Pull your weight to keep fit. 7 reasons why you should lift weights.
With technology robbing us all of activity, it is important to note that it is also robbing us of valuable strength. Our population is getting weaker because we don’t lift or carry as much as they used to. Our joints are a prime example. As you become fat your joints start to hurt and so you don’t feel like doing any activity, so you become fatter. This is very much a reflection of the aging processes where a considerable loss of muscle tissue (including the organs such as the heart), bone mineral density, strength, function, vitality, posture, stabilility, and a general decline in health. Tuffs University in the USA, which specializes in anti-aging, listed the two most important reasons for ageing and degeneration – Loss of muscle and loss of strength.
The only training that will stop the degeneration of the body and can rebuild lost muscle and bone is Strength training.
1 Increase your metabolism.
The average adult has a reduction of their metabolic rate of 25 - 5% per decade of life. By adding 1.4kg of muscle our metabolism increases by 7%. Adults who take up strength training use more calories all day and decrease the likelihood of fat accumulation.
2 Reduce body fat.
Because muscle is denser than body fat, it takes up less space. One of the biggest myths is that women will ‘bulk up’ by lifting weights. When women lose fat and gain muscle they become much trimmer.
3 Increase bone mineral density.
Strength training can increase bone density. By not progressing to heavier weights as we get stronger is one of the most common reasons why there are an increasingly amount of folk in hospital from pelvis fractures. Because muscle attaches to the bone, the more resistance the muscle is under, the more increase in bone mineral content.
4 Reduce lower back pain.
Research has shown that strong lower back muscles are less likely to be injured than if you had weaker back muscles. Specific strength training exercises to the lumbar spine can decrease lower back pain in as little as 10 weeks.
5 Avoid muscle loss
After the age of 20 the average adult can lose up to 3.2kg of muscle every decade. Running or walking does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Only strength training will increase our muscle mass as we grow older.
6 Improve glucose control in type 2 diabetes
Adults with type 2 Diabetes have poor uptake of glucose. By lifting weights glucose metabolism can increase by 23%
7 Reduce Joint pain
Even studies with rheumatoid arthritis have shown reduction in pain. By becoming stronger individuals can reduce inflammation and help joints align and function better.
The only training that will stop the degeneration of the body and can rebuild lost muscle and bone is Strength training.
1 Increase your metabolism.
The average adult has a reduction of their metabolic rate of 25 - 5% per decade of life. By adding 1.4kg of muscle our metabolism increases by 7%. Adults who take up strength training use more calories all day and decrease the likelihood of fat accumulation.
2 Reduce body fat.
Because muscle is denser than body fat, it takes up less space. One of the biggest myths is that women will ‘bulk up’ by lifting weights. When women lose fat and gain muscle they become much trimmer.
3 Increase bone mineral density.
Strength training can increase bone density. By not progressing to heavier weights as we get stronger is one of the most common reasons why there are an increasingly amount of folk in hospital from pelvis fractures. Because muscle attaches to the bone, the more resistance the muscle is under, the more increase in bone mineral content.
4 Reduce lower back pain.
Research has shown that strong lower back muscles are less likely to be injured than if you had weaker back muscles. Specific strength training exercises to the lumbar spine can decrease lower back pain in as little as 10 weeks.
5 Avoid muscle loss
After the age of 20 the average adult can lose up to 3.2kg of muscle every decade. Running or walking does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Only strength training will increase our muscle mass as we grow older.
6 Improve glucose control in type 2 diabetes
Adults with type 2 Diabetes have poor uptake of glucose. By lifting weights glucose metabolism can increase by 23%
7 Reduce Joint pain
Even studies with rheumatoid arthritis have shown reduction in pain. By becoming stronger individuals can reduce inflammation and help joints align and function better.
How to choose a good Personal Trainer
It can be a minefield wondering what to look for in a good Personal Trainer. There are trainers who will just have you run around for an hour; there are also those that may take on holistic approach to health and fitness. Listed are a 5 tips and warning signs to get you started.
• Qualifications and Training. Look for someone that is qualified. All Personal trainers should be registered with a governing body. They should also have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. A registered trainer has to update their qualifications every 2 years with the latest education and fitness news.
• Personal Relationship. You need to be able to trust them. Do they sound like the type of person you will be comfortable talking about your health and fitness goals with?
• Questions to ask. How long have you been working as a trainer? Are you qualified? What sort of clients do you train? What sort of results have you had? Do you have any testimonials? What sort of bad points do you have? How long is a session? How much is it and how do I pay? What happens if I need to cancel my session?
• The first consultation. A good Trainer will ask you about your health and history, including illnesses, and injuries, family history and diet and nutrition issues. They will establish what your health and fitness goals are and put together a plan that involves activities that you will enjoy doing. If you are over 40 and haven’t exercised for a long time, overweight or have a chronic medical condition, they should recommend that you get medical clearance before you get started with an exercise program. Some of the fitness tests your trainer may perform to assess your current fitness levels are measures for height, weight, body fat, girth measurements, flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-respiratory function.
• Warnings. Steer clear of trainers who promise immediate and unrealistic results. Realistically you can expect to see some sort of improvement within 6-8 weeks.
If they don’t seem genuinely interested in you and your goals and make you feel overly self-conscious, it may be best to try someone else.
Some Trainers may advise you in areas that they are not qualified. For example- in depth Nutritional advise, where they should refer you to a dietician.
If they don’t look a picture of health and fitness or a good role model, then you know that they do not practice what they preach.
Some trainers may even insist on certain brands of dietary supplements such as Protein powders, amino acids, vitamins and other weight loss formulas. It is best to do your own research on them and only buy if you are truly interested.
If they promote useless or dangerous weight loss or exercise techniques like vibrating belts, fat blasting pills, electric shock devises saunas or wraps (which will only make you lose water for a time and not fat)
If they try to get you to commit to a long term package before you have even had your first session then you have no way to get out of it if you have paid your hard earned $$ or even had a chance to see if you are compatible.
• Qualifications and Training. Look for someone that is qualified. All Personal trainers should be registered with a governing body. They should also have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. A registered trainer has to update their qualifications every 2 years with the latest education and fitness news.
• Personal Relationship. You need to be able to trust them. Do they sound like the type of person you will be comfortable talking about your health and fitness goals with?
• Questions to ask. How long have you been working as a trainer? Are you qualified? What sort of clients do you train? What sort of results have you had? Do you have any testimonials? What sort of bad points do you have? How long is a session? How much is it and how do I pay? What happens if I need to cancel my session?
• The first consultation. A good Trainer will ask you about your health and history, including illnesses, and injuries, family history and diet and nutrition issues. They will establish what your health and fitness goals are and put together a plan that involves activities that you will enjoy doing. If you are over 40 and haven’t exercised for a long time, overweight or have a chronic medical condition, they should recommend that you get medical clearance before you get started with an exercise program. Some of the fitness tests your trainer may perform to assess your current fitness levels are measures for height, weight, body fat, girth measurements, flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-respiratory function.
• Warnings. Steer clear of trainers who promise immediate and unrealistic results. Realistically you can expect to see some sort of improvement within 6-8 weeks.
If they don’t seem genuinely interested in you and your goals and make you feel overly self-conscious, it may be best to try someone else.
Some Trainers may advise you in areas that they are not qualified. For example- in depth Nutritional advise, where they should refer you to a dietician.
If they don’t look a picture of health and fitness or a good role model, then you know that they do not practice what they preach.
Some trainers may even insist on certain brands of dietary supplements such as Protein powders, amino acids, vitamins and other weight loss formulas. It is best to do your own research on them and only buy if you are truly interested.
If they promote useless or dangerous weight loss or exercise techniques like vibrating belts, fat blasting pills, electric shock devises saunas or wraps (which will only make you lose water for a time and not fat)
If they try to get you to commit to a long term package before you have even had your first session then you have no way to get out of it if you have paid your hard earned $$ or even had a chance to see if you are compatible.
Procrastinating about exercise I don’t have time to exercise-have you heard that one before?
Do you find yourself with not enough hours in the day?
Has time ever been an excuse for not getting out and exercising?
You really do want to exercise however, with project deadlines to meet, a stack of emails to get to, the boss breathing down your neck, it is just not possible right?
Let’s look at this from another angle. Do you really think that our Prime Minister or Oprah Winfrey have more hours in their day than you do? Yet, they still find the time to exercise. You do not have to complete a time management course to be able to fit exercise into your day.
You may have heard the saying “Anything is better than nothing,” well this old saying is quite true. The world health organization has pointed out that everyone should exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. But here is the good news…aim to break up your exercise into more manageable chunks. Go for 2 lots of 15 minutes, or 3 lots of 10 minutes or even 6 lots of 5 minutes, whatever works for you. This could include taking a walk at lunchtime, running on the spot at your desk, or even run up and down the office stairs (remember the antiperspirant), or even set the alarm 20 minutes earlier in the morning to participate in an exercise DVD.
The good news is that if you are huffing and puffing then your heart and lungs are getting some action and this is great news.
Think about how many extra kilojoules that you could burn off in a month. So think a little more closely before saying those few nasty words “I just didn’t get the time”
Move a lot, move a little…just do something!!!
Has time ever been an excuse for not getting out and exercising?
You really do want to exercise however, with project deadlines to meet, a stack of emails to get to, the boss breathing down your neck, it is just not possible right?
Let’s look at this from another angle. Do you really think that our Prime Minister or Oprah Winfrey have more hours in their day than you do? Yet, they still find the time to exercise. You do not have to complete a time management course to be able to fit exercise into your day.
You may have heard the saying “Anything is better than nothing,” well this old saying is quite true. The world health organization has pointed out that everyone should exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. But here is the good news…aim to break up your exercise into more manageable chunks. Go for 2 lots of 15 minutes, or 3 lots of 10 minutes or even 6 lots of 5 minutes, whatever works for you. This could include taking a walk at lunchtime, running on the spot at your desk, or even run up and down the office stairs (remember the antiperspirant), or even set the alarm 20 minutes earlier in the morning to participate in an exercise DVD.
The good news is that if you are huffing and puffing then your heart and lungs are getting some action and this is great news.
Think about how many extra kilojoules that you could burn off in a month. So think a little more closely before saying those few nasty words “I just didn’t get the time”
Move a lot, move a little…just do something!!!
If big is beautiful - then why can it kill you?
Your size, shape, fitness level and athletic ability cannot alter the beauty you have on the inside, but sadly it can take you away from this life sooner than you would like.
Are you resigned to carrying those extra kilos around with you forever?
Do you wish to do something about it!
Do you get defensive about your weight when you know it is not healthy?
As a Personal Trainer it is all too common when I here things like…" I'm not as big as the people on “The biggest Loser” and “I haven't got any health problems yet."
Read on further to gain a few insights into what being overweight can potentially cost you.
Big is beautiful, but halving your life expectancy is not so beautiful. What about the quality of life that you could have if you were leaner, fitter and healthier?
The statistics quoted are both upsetting and scary and yet we choose to live a shortened life.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 of the adult population is overweight and 1 in 10 is obese. The economic burden of being overweight has significant financial consequences on individuals, systems and countries. The World Health Organization estimates that over the next ten years (2006-2015) China will lose $558 Billion in national income due to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world and is largely the result of excess bodyweight and physical inactivity. In 2005 an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes.
So losing weight is really about being healthy. If you really want to feel fantastic, have loads of energy and look your best, aim to keep your weight under control.
So how do you lose weight?
1. You have to want to! All the information in the world will not make any difference if you don’t really want to do anything about it
2. Eat more of the stuff that comes out of the ground. You have probably heard about the 2/3-1/3 rule, which means 2/3 of what you eat should look like it came out of the ground (fruit, veges, legumes) and the 1/3 is the other stuff(animal fats and processed foods). Start by introducing one more piece of fruit or vegetable a day. You will find it easier to manage if you make small changes to your diet at a time.
3. Aim to move more. See everything that you do as an opportunity to get more active. Take the stairs and not the escalator, walk the dog, play with your kids, park your car further away at work, or when you are out shopping, walk around while you are on the phone. Aim to do 180 minutes of exercise per week. Break this down into 6 lots of 30 minutes or 12 lots of 15 minutes etc. You could plan to do 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes at night. The result will be exactly the same.
4. Lift weights. By getting stronger you will have a faster metabolism because you have more lean muscle tissue. The more lean mass you have, the faster the metabolism. The higher your metabolism is the more energy you will burn.
5. Don’t waste your time doing 100 crunches every night. They won’t burn fat and it won’t make you stronger. Aim to do the exercises that move more of your body. In the time that it takes to do those crunches, you could go for a walk or find some stairs and do some step ups. By moving more of your body you will use extra kilojoules and burn more body fat.
6. Find the exercise that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t matter how good the program is, how much weight you will supposedly lose or how much muscle you will gain, if you can’t, won’t or don’t have time to do it, it will never work! If you enjoy doing it you are more likely to stick to it. Don’t let any person, book or expert confuse you. What is missing from most exercise programs that fail is that the person found it too complicated, uninteresting, and non enjoyable.
So if you do not want to be taken away from your loved ones too soon, start making some changes. The old saying goes, if nothing changes, then nothing changes!
By taking some simple easy steps every day to work towards improving your health, you will still be that beautiful person on the inside…only now you will be around longer to enjoy it.
Are you resigned to carrying those extra kilos around with you forever?
Do you wish to do something about it!
Do you get defensive about your weight when you know it is not healthy?
As a Personal Trainer it is all too common when I here things like…" I'm not as big as the people on “The biggest Loser” and “I haven't got any health problems yet."
Read on further to gain a few insights into what being overweight can potentially cost you.
Big is beautiful, but halving your life expectancy is not so beautiful. What about the quality of life that you could have if you were leaner, fitter and healthier?
The statistics quoted are both upsetting and scary and yet we choose to live a shortened life.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 of the adult population is overweight and 1 in 10 is obese. The economic burden of being overweight has significant financial consequences on individuals, systems and countries. The World Health Organization estimates that over the next ten years (2006-2015) China will lose $558 Billion in national income due to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world and is largely the result of excess bodyweight and physical inactivity. In 2005 an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes.
So losing weight is really about being healthy. If you really want to feel fantastic, have loads of energy and look your best, aim to keep your weight under control.
So how do you lose weight?
1. You have to want to! All the information in the world will not make any difference if you don’t really want to do anything about it
2. Eat more of the stuff that comes out of the ground. You have probably heard about the 2/3-1/3 rule, which means 2/3 of what you eat should look like it came out of the ground (fruit, veges, legumes) and the 1/3 is the other stuff(animal fats and processed foods). Start by introducing one more piece of fruit or vegetable a day. You will find it easier to manage if you make small changes to your diet at a time.
3. Aim to move more. See everything that you do as an opportunity to get more active. Take the stairs and not the escalator, walk the dog, play with your kids, park your car further away at work, or when you are out shopping, walk around while you are on the phone. Aim to do 180 minutes of exercise per week. Break this down into 6 lots of 30 minutes or 12 lots of 15 minutes etc. You could plan to do 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes at night. The result will be exactly the same.
4. Lift weights. By getting stronger you will have a faster metabolism because you have more lean muscle tissue. The more lean mass you have, the faster the metabolism. The higher your metabolism is the more energy you will burn.
5. Don’t waste your time doing 100 crunches every night. They won’t burn fat and it won’t make you stronger. Aim to do the exercises that move more of your body. In the time that it takes to do those crunches, you could go for a walk or find some stairs and do some step ups. By moving more of your body you will use extra kilojoules and burn more body fat.
6. Find the exercise that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t matter how good the program is, how much weight you will supposedly lose or how much muscle you will gain, if you can’t, won’t or don’t have time to do it, it will never work! If you enjoy doing it you are more likely to stick to it. Don’t let any person, book or expert confuse you. What is missing from most exercise programs that fail is that the person found it too complicated, uninteresting, and non enjoyable.
So if you do not want to be taken away from your loved ones too soon, start making some changes. The old saying goes, if nothing changes, then nothing changes!
By taking some simple easy steps every day to work towards improving your health, you will still be that beautiful person on the inside…only now you will be around longer to enjoy it.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The best exercises to burn fat from your tummy
Want to know the best way to burn fat from your tummy?
Ask yourself a few questions.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Bakens
Post your comments and let me know other topics you would like to know about.
Ask yourself a few questions.
1. When doing all these exercises, what are the reasons you are doing them in the first place?
2. Is it to burn fat from our tummy, strengthen the core, thin the waist, or get a six pack?
3. Have you ever been guilty of crunches at the end of your workout, just so you can get that burning sensation in the abdominal area, because you know that it is your fat cells exploding and the ripple of your six-pack forming?
4. Are you emotionally attached to an exercise that gives you that burning sensation in an area that you want tighter muscles and less fat (squish the fat, squish the fat, squish the fat)?
To see this article in full go tohttp://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Bakens
Post your comments and let me know other topics you would like to know about.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
11 ways to get you exercising at work
11 ways to get you exercising at work. All very easy strategies to take to the office. How many can you do this week?
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Bakens
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Bakens
Monday, March 2, 2009
Work-Life Balance. The art of Juggling
Check out this site to hear me at a recent chat I did about Work-Life balance. The art of Juggling. http://www.griffith.edu.au/business/griffith-business-school/news-events
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