Kids Exercise Boosts Confidence

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Posted by admin | Posted in Kids' Health | Posted on 08-05-2011

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Exercise proves to not only make kids healthier, but also happier. Research has discovered a symbiotic relationship between exercise and self-confidence.

Children who partake in healthy activities are more likely to feel confident in their physical capabilities. This could partly be due to the enormous peer pressure kids’ face. Those who are overweight or don’t exercise may have feelings of inadequacy or may face verbal criticism from other kids, affecting their confidence and efficacy levels. But even if a child is uncoordinated, overweight or unpopular, exercise can still improve their perspective on self.

Even children in situations that can potentially harm self-esteem benefit more when they exercise. One six-week study done by Koniak-Griffin at UCLA (1994) compared pregnant adolescent girls practicing aerobic exercise with those who didn’t. The research concluded that “an aerobic exercise program reduced depressive symptoms as well as improved feelings of self-concept.”

Endorphins play a large role in such increased confidence. When physically active, the brain releases endorphins, creating happiness and a euphoric feeling. Of course, as adolescents, being involved in a group activity not only gives them a sense of belonging, but also helps them forget their worries. Exercise has even proven to prevent psychological and physical illnesses in children.

In return, those with greater levels of confidence are more willing and eager to participate in exercise on a regular basis. If they are sure of their skills, willingness to use those skills increases. But those with low self-esteem tend to either under-eat or over-eat and avoid exercise.

So while perspective of self often affects kids’ exercise, either positively or negatively, the amount of exercise a child engages in also determines their level of self-confidence. The two work together in unison and both are very important for a child’s health and future.

Five Ways to Improve Women’s Health

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Posted by admin | Posted in Women's Health | Posted on 25-01-2011

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Here are the five top ways to improve women’s health.

Number one – Eat a healthy diet. A good healthy low fat, high fiber diet will help you lose weight and keep it off, improve your energy and prevent a host of food related degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis and certain cancers. Be sure to avoid all foods and beverages that are high in calories, sugar, salt and fat.

Number two – Start a regular exercise program. For women’s health, exercise is nearly as important as a healthy diet (if not more so). This crucial step needs your full commitment. It’s essential that you exercise five days a week for at least thirty minutes. Aerobic exercise, such as taking a walk around the block or going for a swim, is the perfect way to strengthen your heart. Are you aware that heart disease is the number one killer of American women?

Number three – Avoid all high-risk habits. Smoking, abusing drugs and alcohol and practicing unsafe sex are addictive and highly dangerous. They can all lead to serious illness and death and should be avoided in order to be healthy.

Number four – Manage daily Stress. As women go through the normal stages of their life (daughter, mother, grandmother), they wear many different hats and need to face and deal with many different types of stress and pressure that can lead to breakdowns in their health. So it’s vitally important to set aside a little bit of time everyday to just sit down and chill out.

Number five – Protect your skin. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and skin cancer is the number one cancer. And skin cancer, if not treated early, can be deadly. So stay out of the sun as much as possible. Keep yourself covered and wear an effective sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least fifteen when exposed to the sun for any more than a few minutes.

If you follow these suggestions, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying the benefits of buoyant, vibrant life. You’ll not only look better. You’ll also feel better and have a lot more energy, And you’ll also get to feel pretty proud of yourself for doing something that very few women do.

How to Lose Fat Fast and Easily

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Posted by admin | Posted in General | Posted on 18-04-2010

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Being overweight can be a serious problem and it is important to find a solution to it. The key to losing weight and keeping is to make sure that you do both exercise and diet properly as they are linked and you cannot ignore one or the other and expect good long term results. One key point to keep in mind that many diet and exercise programs fail to pay attention to is the value that weight training plays in attaining long term weight loss.

Proper weight training is vital:

Weight training is important for both men and women as it will help you to gain muscle and maintain it so that you increase your overall metabolism which will make it possible for you to eat properly, even binge or overeat once in a while and still maintain a healthy weight. There are lots of varying weight training equipments you can buy for home use and also gyms you can join which will give you access to a wide range of training equipments so that you never get bored using the same equipment all the time. However there is a key benefit to training at home as it is much more convenient and you have a much higher level of privacy if you are shy about training in a public environment.

You need to be careful when it comes to training with weights as it is easy to over train which can lead to a weakened immune system that is not good for your health. Be sure to eat right and also get enough sleep each day usually 6-8 hours for most people is enough. Most people should not train more than one to two times a week and if you lift particular heavy weights you might want to consider reducing the training to even once every two weeks. Remember also the importance of aerobic exercise as this will also help in increasing the number of calories you burn each day so you can lose weight more easily.

Weight loss is a function of the number of calories you are consuming versus the number of calories you are burning. If you are gaining weight then it is because you are either consuming too many calories or you are not burning enough calories each day so you need to monitor what you are doing and make the necessary changes so you get the best results possible. First make sure that you are doing cardio workouts three to five times a week and weight training at least once a week. If you know you are active enough then make sure that you are not overeating too much. It may not be practical to avoid large meals once in a while like during a family gathering or holiday but learn to back off the calories during regular days. Look into doing colon cleansing as well as this can not only help you to lose weight but also can really help to improve your overall health and fitness levels.

Day 2 – Follow My Weight Loss Program – A Little Harder

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Posted by admin | Posted in Weight Loss | Posted on 07-03-2010

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I just finished up day 2 of my nutrition and exercise program, although I haven’t really done any serious exercising other than walking the dog, and doing work, but I will get to more on that in a moment.

After going through 2 days of this I realize, my cupboards and fridge are filled with absolutely nothing healthy to eat. It was quite difficult to conjure up 5 meals throughout the day that would be classified as healthy. So much so, that I don’t think they were all healthy, but I have learned from doing a lot of reading, that I should control my portion size, so that is what I did.

Most of the foods I ate on Day 2 are about the same as they were on day 1. What I did notice, is that I did not get enough vegetables, especially the leafy green kind, throughout the day. I tried to incorporate some on Day 2 in the form of fresh spinach mixed with romaine lettuce in salads. My goal is to include veggies in meals 1 through 4, with the final meal being a protein only.

More research I have read says that eating after 6:00 pm (although some sources said 7:00pm) can contribute to weight gain, since most people’s bodies slow down at the time. I also read that too many carbs and “bad” fats (we’ll get more into that in another posting), can contribute to weight gain as well. Putting both of these statements of knowledge together has lead me to eat a protein only meal as my last meal of the day.

Now back to my exercise routine, or lack thereof. Currently I am only walking the dog, and as part time work, I renovate homes, doing a lot of lifting of material, etc. The plan is to incorporate a weight and aerobic exercise program, which studies have shown, combined with a healthy nutrition plan will accelerate weight loss.

With that said, at some point during my busy day, I will head over to the local sporting goods store and pick up some weights, maybe a bench, and basically see what they have that fits within my budget. As for aerobics, the outside comes free of charge, and my legs work wonderfully, so I don’t see any reason why the dog and I can’t start running in the morning or evening. We’ll see what he thinks about it.

Regards,

Mike P.

Day 2

NUTRITION

Meal 1: Whole wheat waffles with natural peanut butter spread on them

Meal 2: Banana with natural peanut butter

Meal 3: Grilled cheese sandwhich on multi-grain bread

Meal 4: Natural peanut butter on whole wheat waffle, spinach salad

Meal 5: Mixed green salad with sunflower seeds and a Gorton’s baked fish fillet

EXERCISE

Again exercise consisted of walking the dog in the morning for about 15 minutes and then again in the evening for about 40 minutes.

NOTES

Not a alot of variety in the food department as that is really what I had to work with. Will more than likely go shopping on Day 3 to pick up items I will need for the remainder of the week. Also I will be noting my weight on a weekly basis, every Monday.

How to Select the Best Fitness Classes That Will Suit Your Needs

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Posted by admin | Posted in Fitness | Posted on 10-11-2009

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From kickboxing to full impact aerobic exercise, there are so many choices available when it comes to Vancouver classes for fitness. So how do you recognize if the one you select is right for you? There are several questions you can ask yourself in order to decide whether the fitness class you have chosen or are considering is right for you and some of them can be found below.

What is the Duration of the Class?

One of the first things you want to consider when deciding whether certain Vancouver classes are appropriate for you is how long the class lasts. Is it going to give you an decent workout and satisfy your day-to-day physical exercise needs, or will it need to be supplemented with extra workouts? The perfect fitness program will last long enough for you to get a high impact workout on a wide range of muscle groups. If your class is not presently meeting these primary needs, you may want to consider making a new choice.

Location of The Classes?

Another key component in determining if Vancouver classes are appropriate for you is to look at the location in which they are held. There are various programs and classes scattered throughout Vancouver. Some of these may be more convenient to you than others. An ideal class will be along your regular path of travel each day. Having a program that is located in a favorable spot will decrease your chances of giving up or skipping classes.

Size of the Class?

The size of the class you have chosen or are thinking of selecting may also be an essential point to consider. Big classes tend to be harder to keep up and do not provide you any one on one attention or teaching. If the Vancouver classes you are considering are in an activity that you are comfortable and used to, then a big class may not be a bad thing. However, if you have been away from fitness or exercise for a long time, it is recommended to choose a class that has a smaller class or hire a personal trainer. Therefore you are most likely to get a return on your time invested in the program.

Do You Enjoy The Class?

Last but not least, you should look at whether the Vancouver classes you have picked out are something that you enjoy and can see yourself doing on a frequent basis. If you have to force yourself to attend classes on a regular basis and dislike the class, then you will not be motivated to stay with the workout program after a short time. Try to find a class that is a healthy fit with your personality and which you can enjoy for months or even years to come.

Determining which Vancouver classes is suitable for your fitness regiment is not always as simples as it seems. The endless amount of fitness classes available to the general public can make the process of selecting a program a difficult one. By going over and answering the questions above, you can decide whether the classes you have chosen or are thinking of choosing are a great match for your demands.