Sunday, June 27, 2010

Age . . A state of mind and definitely Body


Getting older is a state of mind and body. You can allow your actual age to define you or maybe not. I want to discuss how exercising and eating healthier can help so that you are NOT defined by your age.
No matter if you are a man or woman, I ask if you take a look in the mirror can you tell me that you look and feel your age and maybe younger OR do you feel and look older? If you look older, there are so many ways to help stay young such hair color and make up, yet those methods of assistance cannot last forever. Now with hair color, that may be out of your control genetically, but with makeup ladies, it should be there to enhance your beauty without masking.

So maybe you are going out on the town with your partner or friends and you find ways to make you feel younger. It may not be just hair and makeup, but maybe something that your are wearing makes you look and feel younger for that moment, however, how do you feel the next day when you have an extra 20, 50 or 100 pounds that you should lose? You most likely feel your age because the weight is still there the next day, week, month or year. The makeup and outfit are not permanent. Are you tired? Do you have lack of energy? Do your joints hurt from carrying too much weight? All of the pampering and superficial stuff does not make that go away.

Think about when you see dramatic before and after pictures of people that have lost 50-100 pounds, you cannot deny that they look younger. They automatically have more energy because the body is not carrying extra weight that it is not meant to have. Everyone has an ideal weight range, which is your BMI or Body Mass Index. For the average adult, you can take a look at many websites to calculate this number, which is an indicator of where your weight should be for a healthier you. One of many sites I came across is, www.caloriecheckbook.com. Check it out!

You can reverse your age by exercising and eating healthier. With each decade of life there are changes that can occur if a person is sedentary. These changes can be a decline of aerobic capacity, body fat distribution around the hips and thighs for women and around the waistline for men, loss of balance, flexibility and core strength. Muscle mass has reached its peak in the late 20s and if the muscles are not challenged outside of what they do every day, they will decrease which contributes to the slowing of the metabolism and eventual weight gain for both women and men.

Eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables and other natural foods can only enhance your health. You have to take care of yourself from the inside out. Reduce or eliminate all of the processed, high fat, salty and sweet foods. The body knows what it needs. It needs nutrient dense foods that provide vitamins and minerals. When you take care of yourself on the inside with healthier food options, it shows on the outside and when combined with exercise, it definitely shows. So work on staying fit and healthy starting now and for your older years to come!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Ways To Include Fitness In Your Life


How much is enough? The bottom line is that, to achieve maximal gain, you need to get physically active every day for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to an hour (especially if you need to lose weight). Across the week, your fitness plan should include not only aerobic exercise, but also a routine to maintain your posture, strength, balance, and flexibility. If you don't know, or are having trouble starting, here are some practical tips to help you get going and stick to a very important component of your life.

1. Choose a time of day that works best for you to exercise. Is it early morning before your day starts? That way it is done and you have time after work for kids activities or anything else that requires your time. Or it may be after work. This time works better for your body and schedule.
2. Get your exercise clothes ready. If you are early morning, have them out waiting for you in clear view so when the alarm clock goes off, you are ready to go. Or if you decide to exercise after work, have your clothes in your gym bag so that you can change after work.
3. Find a partner who is at your fitness level and set dates to exercise together. That way, you keep each other encouraged and motivated.
4. Vary your exercises. Make sure you include cardiovascular challenges, strength training, balance and stretching into your regimen.
5. Discover ways to minimize boredom that may come with a routine. It could be different music, Fit TV clips, DVDs, fitness classes, books/magazines or podcasts when you are on your own.

Think about it. Would you go a day without taking a shower, brushing your teeth or combing your hair???? Include fitness in this list. It is possible; you have to make time to do it. Whatever it takes, GET MOVING!! When you start seeing results and change, you will be glad you did.