The numbers on your scale do not indicate whether you are fit or fat. Far more significant than your total body weight is the composition of your body tissue. If a man’s fatty tissue is bigger than 14% up to 15% of his body mass, or if a woman’s is more than 20% to 22%, he or she is overweight, or more precisely, overfat.

A small amount of fat is needed for padding the internal organs and as insulation under the skin. Excess fat leads to such diseases as diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and gallbladder problems. There are very few, very fat persons. The reason is that the fittest, not the fattest survive.

The problem now is focused on how to resolve the problem. The problem with most people who want to lose weight is that they have the propensity to concentrate more on getting those numbers lower than what they are seeing now. What happens next is that they strive harder to achieve a lower weight, according to the “ever reliable” result of the weighing scale.

It would be more important to think of the human body as a heat-exchange engine that works on the basic principles of energy physics. The caloric balance equals the total calorie intake minus the total calorie expenditure.

Some of the calories people ingest are used for basal metabolism. As people get old, their bodies require fewer calories for this basic upkeep. Some calories are excreted as waste products. Some go into “work metabolism,” the energy expenditure required for any physical activity.

Hence, if people take in more calories than are used by these functions, there is a definite caloric excess. By the laws of physics, energy is transformed rather than destroyed. In this case, each excess of 3,500 calories is changed into a pound of fat. If people want to reverse this process, they have to burn up 3,500 calories to lose a single pound.

Winning the War Against Fat

When you think of fighting fat with exercise, you probably think of hours of hard, sweaty exertion. If this is the case, then, you will not get any farther. This is because people who are so much into losing more by exerting more effort tend to get bored easily.

Why? Because experts contend that when people exert more effort than what they are capable of doing creates a tendency to develop weariness and ennui. Hence, they give up, stop doing their routine exercises, and end up sulking in the corner with a bag of chips that seems to have all the bad calories in this world.

Now, you might ask, “What should be done instead?” The answer: cross training.

After some intensive studies and experimentations, health experts were able to come up with the concept of incorporating cross training in order to overcome or break the monotony or dullness in an exercise program.

Cross training refers to the integration of diverse movements or activities into a person’s conventional exercise routine. The main purpose of incorporating cross training into an exercise program is to avoid overdoing excess muscle damages and to put a stop to an imminent boredom.

Three of the most commonly used activities whenever a person decides to engage into cross training are swimming, running, and cycling.

In cross training, distance is one way to extend your activity as your condition improves. For this reason, you need to traverse a measured distance.

If possible, swim the course and measure the distance. If you will be using a running track, such courses usually are a quarter-mile per lap for a complete circuit.

Cross training offers a variety of benefits for fitness and fatloss. It builds up the strength and endurance of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. It has also some tranquilizing effect on the nerves, and it burns up calories as much as it makes your “losing weight” more bearable.

Cross training has three basic components:

1. Endurance exercises to condition the heart, lungs, and blood vessels and to induce relaxation. These begin with a careful planned walking and jogging regimen, depending on fitness level.

2. Exercises to strengthen the muscles, particularly those important to good posture. These include some activities that are selected to encourage some people who are already burnt out with a particular routine.

3. Exercises to improve joint mobility and prevent or relieve aches and pains. These consist of a series of static stretching positions that are safe and effective for most of the people who wish to try to lose some fat.

Indeed, cross training is a great way to modify the concept of exercising and losing fat without having to endure monotonous activities. In fact, the idea of exercising is to like what you are doing, hence, if you engage into cross training, you will be aware of it that you have already achieve your desired weight.

Boiled down, cross training is, certainly, one way of having fun.

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Did you know that the National Institute of Health has estimated that 4 out of 5 Americans suffer from back pain at some time or the other in their lives?

Unfortunately, back pain afflicts a person suddenly and without giving any prior symptoms. When affected, one must use their body’s own healing ability to combat the pain, instead of preferring medicines, and strengthen their body through back exercises. Back exercises, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic, osteopathic care and certain other physical exercises are safer ways of treating back pain.

Basic Guidelines for Back Strengthening Exercises

Back exercises are one of the better ways to relieve yourself from back pain and lead a healthy life. It is important to ensure that exercises are worked within a range of motion, so as not to further strain the painful back. In case you experience pain while doing some stretching steps, stop exercising immediately. Avoid sudden movements and jerks when performing back exercises, even though it maybe hard to perform the steps in a slow and controlled motion.

People suffering from lower back problems face various problems while working out. It is important to get into an exercise routine gradually and build muscle power. Always performing back exercises after consulting your trainer. It is also important to understand that back pain doesn’t develop overnight and hence restoration of the back will also take time.

Here is 0ne back exercise that gently stretches your back muscles:

• Lay on your back with knees bent.

• Slowly raise your left knee to your chest, while pressing your lower back firmly against the floor.

• Remain in position for 5 seconds.

• Relax; repeat the exercise with your right knee.

• Repeat this exercise 10 times for each leg.

This easy,  gentle routine will work wonders!

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The focus of research on vitamins these days is how antioxidant supplements may play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Antioxidant supplements – E, C, and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) – have potential when it comes to health promotion. However, most data available about such health promoting properties of antioxidant supplements are incomplete. And only up to 30 percent Americans are taking some form of antioxidant supplements.

But what exactly are antioxidants and how important are they?

Antioxidants come in two forms. They can either be vitamins or minerals. They help prevent oxygen from reacting with other chemicals in cells. Such reactions – called oxidation – could lead to cell damage which may result in heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants can be found in a variety of foods, but they are far more common in fresh fruits and vegetables. A health diet of fresh produce could lead to high levels of antioxidants in your body, which could only mean one thing – less free radicals (those harmful molecules that cause cell damage) and a healthier you.

When antioxidants start to work, they destroy the free radicals or break the chain. You see, here’s what happens when you have lots of free radicals in your body. Because they are highly unstable, these free radicals have the tendency to steal or get electrons from stable molecules and in so doing, make those molecules unstable as well, turning them into free radicals. This becomes a long chain and will go on and on until such a chain in broken. This is where antioxidants come in whose sole function is to break the chain and neutralize free radicals.

During the process of neutralization, the antioxidants are neutralized themselves. Hence, they also become oxidized. That is why the body needs a constant source of antioxidants in order to keep combating these harmful free radicals and stop them from multiplying.

With the kind of diet most of us have these days, it is very likely that we may not be getting enough antioxidants from the foods that we eat. And remember that the body needs to replenish its levels of antioxidants constantly. This is where antioxidant supplements come in.

Because the body may not be getting enough antioxidants because you don’t consume enough fruits or you don’t eat a lot of vegetables, you therefore need an alternate source such as antioxidant supplements.

Antioxidant supplements are that source. And while antioxidant supplements can’t very well take the place of natural antioxidants, they can however aid in increasing the level of antioxidants in your body.

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Swimming is a wonderful exercise that can benefit anyone. If you’re not fortunate enough to have your own pool, you can use your local public swimming pool, or even swim in the sea if you’re reasonably close to the coast. Whatever way you do it, try to get wet often; it’s good for you and lots of fun too!

1. Keep moderation in mind when you go in the pool. Begin with short periods of 10 to 20 minutes. You can increase this when you gain in stamina. And don’t try all the hardest strokes at first. Build up to it gently.

2. Use a quality filter for your pool. Trying to save here will only result in constant maintenance costs. It will also mean swimming in a pool that is always dirty.

3. Repair any tear in your swimming pool liner as soon as possible. If the tear is three inches or less it should repair easily. If it is larger you may have to replace the entire liner.

4. Don’t allow children (or adults) to run near the pool. Running and diving into a pool is asking for trouble. Accidents can easily happen on slippery surfaces, so play safe always.

5. If you find that all your pool toys, chemicals and cleaners are becoming unmanageable, find someplace to store them. A shed or pool house near the pool is ideal. However, be careful not to store chemicals that may react with each other close together. Also make sure the room is well ventilated.

Hand mitts, paddles, swim fins, and kickboards are all ways to make your swimming more fun and challenging to provide better exercise. These days you can even swim to music by using a specially designed radio that fits into a waterproof bag. So don’t just lounge around the pool all day. Use it as it is intended to be used – swim and enjoy life!

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If you are a runner, then I am sure that you will know about calf cramps.

Picture this scenario if you will. Let’s say that you are 7.5k into a 10k run and the road starts to incline. Ever so slightly, but enough to put that extra strain on your legs as you try to maintain contact with the leaders. And the temperature? Well, it’s the morning, but it’s hot and liable to get hotter before the end. And to make matters worse, you were so desperate to maintain contact with the leading group, that you forgot to take on liquid at the last feeding station. And did you use tight fitting calf length socks? I know they are all the rage, but why did you do it?

So what do we have here?

* Extra strain on muscles?
* Dehydration?
* Loss of essentials salts?
* Restriction of blood flow?

All in all, I think that we are describing running calf cramps, waiting to happen.

I am not sure that anyone has definitive answer to the cause of cramps, but there are certainly several steps that you can take which could help save you from disaster during competition, in any sport.

1. A Proper Warm Up

Ok, I know you know, but did you do it? If not, then those cramps could be coming. Seriously, if you have been involved in any sport to any level, then you will be aware of the importance of a proper warm up. And I don’t just mean a brisk walk up the stairs to the changing room either! A proper warm up should include a routine that gently stretches your muscles to get them ready for the increased exertion, and gets your blood flowing around your body. Not only will a warm help prevent calf cramps, they will also help prevent some of the injuries that might occur when you put sudden strain on cold muscles.

And whilst we are talking of warm ups, don’t forget warm downs as well. Warming down after exercise can also help prevent cramping and reduce the risk of injury.

2. Train Hard, Run Easy

Have you heard this before? No? Well you should give it some thought, because it’s true. When you train for a sport, not only do you practice the necessary skills required to execute which ever event you are competing in, but you are also training your body for the rigours of the event. To given an exaggerated example, if you train for a sprint, and then try and run a marathon, your body won’t be ready. If you try it, I think you could be in for some serious cramps.

Remember, train hard, run easy.

3. Water is Sport’s Life Blood

Whenever you start to exercise, you start to sweat (or you should). Sweat is nature’s way of cooling you down when you get hot, so, it’s a good thing. And since your body is mainly made of water, then you should have plenty, shouldn’t you? Well, considering that you lose moisture from your body when you breathe, sweating does take a lot of fluid out of your system.

And your body will demand that it be replaced!

If you start feeling dizzy, or experience a rapid heart beat, then these could be signs that you are starting to dehydrate. I will take it as read that if your mouth and lips feel dry, then you should be taking water on board. It is not always possible to take on fluid during sport, but always have some available as soon as you are able to drink.

4. Sport A’int No Catwalk.

It’s true! Sport is not a fashion parade. If you think it is, then you are hanging out in the wrong place! There’s nothing wrong with looking cool whilst you compete, but be practical. Don’t risk injury (or cramps) by wearing clothing that is too tight, and that restricts your body’s movement, either externally or via blood flow. Believe me, I know. When I was younger, I used tie up’s on my socks whilst playing soccer (not as a fashion statement you’ll understand), just to keep my socks up and my shin guards inside my socks. Three quarters of the way through a game, my calves would tighten up, and I would roll on the floor in agony. Once it was understood, that I ‘only had cramp’, I was the object of much derision, but believe me, cramp is far from funny if you are the one suffering.

Wear appropriate clothing.

5. Eat Properly.

When you are sweating and working hard, not only do you lose water, you also lose nutrients. There is speculation that that athletes who get calf cramps could suffer from low levels of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. I am not suggesting that you do low level analysis of your breakfast cereal, but the message is clear. Look after your body, and your body will look after you.

Eat sensibly, and eat the right foods.

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Do you want to loose weight, sleep better and boost your immune system?

1 Have A Lie Down
Back pain can be avoided and the damage repaired with one easy exercise, which is lie down on the floor with your knees bent, hip width apart, feet on the floor. Do this daily for about five to fifteen minutes to release and lengthen your spine.

2 Note Your Nibbles
Crash diets don’t work for long enough; instead maintain a food dairy to note your daily eating habits. With this you’ll be conscious of what you eat, and make healthier choices.

3  Take 10 Deep Breaths
Our breath power our lymphatic system, which removes waste from cells. By taking 10 deep breaths, three times a day, you’ll clear more toxins and boost your thinking power by getting 20% more oxygen to your brain.

4   Put Your Fork Down
Put your fork down between every mouthful of food, it makes you chew your food properly, preventing digestive problems, and also prevents you from over- eating.

5  Make a List
The most effective stress buster is to make a list. Your short term memory can only remember, on an average, seven things. So when you overload it , your stress level escalate. Making a list clears out all the stress from your brain you feel tension free. This saves you from headaches, depression and high blood pressure.

6 Massage Your Feet
Poor circulation could be robbing you of much needed sleep. Your temperature needs to drop slightly before you fall asleep, so your body dispels heat via your face, hands and feet. But many women have poor circulation, which constricts the blood vessels in their hands and feet and prevents them from dispelling heat. A hot bath before sleeping or a hand and foot massage will increase your circulation.

7 Eat An Organic Apple a Day
If you buy one organic item a day, make it an apple. Research found that pesticide residues in 71% of apples- the highest in fruits and vegetables.

8  Change Your Tea Bag
When it comes to tea white is the new green. White tea comes from the same plant as green and black but is harvested earlier and undergoes less processing, which means it contains more cancer fighting anti- oxidants.

9  Eat Dried Apricots
The most common nutritional deficiency is iron. Tiredness, irritability and lack of concentration. Prevent it by having two helpings of lean red meat a week, or three dried apricots a day.

10 Stop Skipping Meals
Eating three meals a day is very important for a healthy body. It’s the simplest way to balance blood sugar levels, which will keep your mood, energy and concentration balanced and strengthen your stress tolerance.

11  Keep it Crunchy
Include some raw vegetables in every meal. Many of the vitamins and minerals are in vegetables are lost through cooking, so raw food is as good as it gets.

12 Focus on Your Feeling
Take two minutes to boost your resolve to do walk, jog or aerobics class. The instant gratification of that exercise high is far more motivating than the promise of thinner thighs two months down the line.

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Breathing is something we all do during our life time. We all know we are going to die if we are not breathing. Breathing is a reflex action done by our body to provide the flow of oxygen around the body to the vital organs.

Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults.

Babies may breathe as much as 40 times per minute. Adults normally breathe about 500-700ml of air at a time. An average 14 year old takes around 30,000 breaths per day.
However, we can control our breathing. We can be more relaxed by breathing in and out so deeply. The more we allow our body to be filled by deep breathing, the less stress we place on our body and mind.

The more we practice our deep and controlled breathing, the more natural it becomes and we can call on it at any time of day to help us through those tired or stressed out moments.

With all the problems we have — either we feel stressed out at work, or at the end of a long hard day and we can’t sleep, or if we just want a few minutes to our self — we will find this simple breathing exercise really beneficial.

Here are six steps to ensure you breath better :

1. You can lie down, sit down or stand up as long as you are comfortable. Breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of four. Breathe very deep until all your body feel expanded.
2. Hold on that deep breath for four counts, and then exhale slowly through mouth to a count of eight.
3. Repeat the breathing in – right down so your tummy expands. Hold on to it and then exhaling nine more times.
4. You can breathe deeper once you get used to the above steps by leave one hand on your stomach and place the other lightly across the chest. Breathe right down so your tummy expands
5. When it can’t go any further, breathe in some more and fill the tops of your lungs. Inhalations and exhalation are the same length, eight counts each, without holding in between.
6. When you exhales, let the old air out from your chest then from your tummy. So, you are going to be relaxed.

Happy “proper” breathing. You will feel much healthier & much less stressed!

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Undoubtedly your abdomen (or ‘abs’) is vital. Your lower abs is a large muscle containing your stomach, liver and intestines, your kidneys and bladder, and your reproductive organs. Your abs assists to protect them from damage. Maintaining your abs in healthy shape will assist you to look toned. Plus an abs routine is a great way to get a best abs six-pack.

Fortunately, lower abs routines are simple to perform. Probably the most popular would be the ab crunch (crunch abs). To perform crunch abs you lie flat on the floor, bend your legs, then touch your knees with your elbows. You can also try the simpler sit-up, which is the same thing, only putting your head between your knees each time instead. Which one you find easier will depend on your body – but it’s probably better for you if you practice whichever one you find the most difficult! This way you will tone-up your less-used muscles instead of focusing on ones that are already just fine.

Abs equipment and abs machines are available to assist you in your abs routines. A few of these are excellent. Others end up being just over priced junk. Generally, don’t purchase any abs equipment you haven’t tried out for yourself – which means that you can’t get that special deal from the shopping channel, unfortunately. Go to a shop and insist that you need to try out a few different ones before you make your decision, and if they refuse, just leave.

Finally; it is vital to accept that abs routines are no good at all for weight loss. Actually you are building muscle, not totally burning fat. While a small degree of fat is burned, the overall effect is negligible. surpisingly, for most people ab routines have little or no special effect on reducing the famous beer gut!

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Weight loss and maintaining that weight loss for an extended period of time requires some simple lifestyle adjustments. As long as you keep your adjustments within a sustainable reach, you should be able to lose weight and keep it off without much shock and interruption to your daily life.

In order to lose weight does not require extended trips to the gym or engagement in some fad diet. The following three steps to a healthier day will assist you to slim down on weight without slimming down on your free time.

Step One - You Must Exercise Daily

Regular exercise on a daily regime can make a difference in your body shape and in the way your body processes calories. When you exercise, you work your heart, mind and body. You are building your muscle mass, which in turn will increase the effectiveness of your metabolism.

An additional plus is that you assist your heart to pump blood throughout your body more effectively, which means that you will have healthier blood and a reduced risk of heart disease. You reduce fatty deposits, which in turn helps reduce your risk of many health problems, such as diabetes. You also increase the number of endorphins that flow through your body, which means that you will note an increase in your positive attitude.

You dont need a lot amount of time exercising to receive all of the above benefit. You simply need to workout regularly for a minimum of half an hour. Working out means taking a two-mile walk at a fast pace, throwing a Frisbee or riding a bicycle. Whatever the workout is, keep in mind that it should elevate your heart above it standing heart rate and it should make you breathe slightly heavier than normal. It is also good if you can break a sweat or feel your muscles challenged.

Step Two - You Can Eat Most Foods - In Moderation

Trying to lose weight, or maintain lost weight, requires that you allow yourself to eat all foods. However ONLY eat the unhealthy ones in moderation. The primary reason for many diets to fail is that people reduce the foods that they allow themselves to eat so drastically that they feel anxious after awhile eating the same things time and time again. When you allow yourself to give into simple cravings, you are rewarding your body and making it less tempted to crave larger portions of the bad foods.

Consume only small portions of every food, regardless of its nutritional content. Eating smaller portions will help your stomach adjust to consuming less food. You can also drink water to help you feel full. American’s especially have a habit of eating more than one portion of food per meal – so be aware of your food portions!

Step Three - Use A Buddy Approach

Various weight control research establishes that having a Buddy help you work out increases your chances of maintaining a diet, exercise routine, or long-term weight loss. Buddies are fabulous motivators. They will keep you attuned to your habits and help you feel accountable throughout the day. If you must, enlist the help of a partner to be an appointed weight loss guardian. He or she will be tasked with ensuring that you stick to your weight loss goals by encouraging you to report your progress several times a week.

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Without doubt trampolining is an excellent method to get fit while having fun at the same time. Just watching the kids spending hours on end bouncing up & down on their tramps is proof of the fun aspect. However how do you find the right trampoline for you? Like so many other products these days, including fitness equipment, there is such a vast array of shapes and sizes available that any choice can seem completely overwhelming. But if a trampoline seems like the right fun and fitness choice for you, here are a few tips to bear in mind before you step into the store.

Purchasing the incorrect type of fitness equipment can result in serious injury, so it is always worthwhile investing some time and energy in finding not only the right trampoline for you, but also one that is constructed to the very highest safety standards. Be sure to do some research on the trampoline’s manufacturer before you sign on the dotted line, making sure that they have a reputation for producing high quality goods. Also be sure to find out if the manufacturer or retailer offers a warranty and/or return policy, just in case some flaw should exist in your trampoline.

Be aware that any item of fitness equipment will only be as well used as it is suited to you. Before you buy, be sure to have thought thoroughly about your trampoline expectations. Some basic traits relate to the high quality construction mentioned above, such as a sturdy frame and a taut base that will allow you bounce to your heart’s content. Above and beyond this, personal taste comes into play. Do you want to use your trampoline indoors, or outdoors? Do you want to share the jumping experience alone, or with others? All these factors will help you decide what style of trampoline is best for you.

Buying the correct trampoline for you will allow you bounce your way to health and fitness, so be sure to invest some time examining the market to find the best trampoline for you. While we all love a bargain, remember that you usually get what you pay for, so don’t shy away from paying a little more to get a sturdier trampoline, especially if you anticipate heavy usage. When you know you have made the right choice, there will be no limits to your fitness fun, and you will bounce yourself all the way to better health.

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