Along with medical nutritional therapy and insulin, exercise is the third component to successfully treating diabetes. Exercise, like insulin, lowers blood glucose levels, assists in maintaining normal lipid levels, and increases circulation. For most individuals, consistent and individualized exercise helps reduce the therapeutic dose of insulin.
Diabetics should be forewarned that they should never perform exercise during the time that their insulin level is at its peak. The ideal time for a diabetic to exercise is when their blood glucose level is between 100 to 200 mg/dl or about thirty to sixty minutes after meals. They should also avoid exercising when their blood glucose is above 250 mg/dl and ketones are present in the urine.
There are metabolic effects that occur with exercise that type 1 and type 2 diabetics should be aware of. In the case of type 1 diabetes, glucose control can be compromised if proper adjustments are not made in food intake or insulin administration. People with type 2 diabetes who take oral hypoglycemic medications may be at risk of post-exercise hypoglycemia.
Here are some general guidelines that may assist in regulating the glycemic response to exercise in persons with type 1 diabetes.
1. Metabolic control before exercise: Avoid exercise if fasting glucose levels are greater than 250 mg/dl and ketosis is present. Eat added carbohydrates if glucose levels are less than 100 mg/dl.
2. Blood glucose monitoring before and after exercise: identify when changes in insulin of food intake are necessary. Learn the blood glucose response to different exercise conditions.
3. Food intake: Consume added carbohydrates as needed to avoid hypoglycemia. Carbohydrate-based foods should be readily available during and after exercise.
People with type 1 diabetes who do not have complications and are in good blood glucose control can perform all levels of exercise, including leisure activities, recreational sports, and competitive sports. To do this safely, the diabetic must posses the ability to collect self monitored blood glucose data while exercising and use this data to adjust their insulin and nutritional therapy.
Exercise can increase the risk for hypoglycemia in people with type 1 diabetes. Hypoglycemia during exercise of forty minutes or less is rare. Onset of hypoglycemia is more likely to occur after exercise, often four to ten hours after. Blood glucose levels should be monitored at one to two hour intervals after exercise to assess response to the exercise and allow for adjustments in insulin and food intake.
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John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, would have arguably one of the most stressful and demanding jobs in the country. Yet he still finds time for his daily fitness walk. He regards exercise and fitness as an important part of his daily timetable and sticks to this morning schedule no matter where he is. This message from the top highlights the critical importance of exercise in combating stress, anxiety and depression.
We all know how important exercise is for weight loss, cardiovascular health, combating diabetes and maintaining a high level of fitness. Our bodies are designed to be active and any program that enhances this is beneficial to our health. Activities that boost our fitness can range from gardening and walking to sports including tennis and swimming up to the extreme sports, including high altitude mountain climbing.
According to exercise physiologist Chris Tzar, exercise is now considered a primary treatment for mild and moderate depression. Jeff Kennett, a former Premier of Victoria, is now chairman of Beyond Blue, an Australian depression initiative. He also stresses the importance of exercise and fitness in beating depression. “Whether you walk, swim, play golf or go hang gliding, I don’t care, but physical fitness is terribly important to our wellbeing,” he says.
WHY IS EXERCISE SO IMPORTANT?
There are a number of theories about the mechanisms behind exercise therapy to treat depression. Some suggest exercise increases the release of endorphins and other “feel good” hormones that have a similar uplifting effect to prescription antidepressants. Others believe that exercise develops greater self confidence and enables people to develop new relationships.
Exercise can also create a diversion, taking the individual’s mind off his/her problem. Some years ago, I suffered from work related stress and depression.
Fortunately I was [and still am] a keen tennis player. The simple action of stepping onto the court, the hard, competitive physical activity and the camaraderie of other players, did wonders for my sense of wellbeing.
AEROBIC EXERCISES.
Several types of aerobic exercise have been found to reduce the symptoms of depression including running, cycling, jogging, swimming or going for a 20 minute walk. These types of activities may not be appropriate for some older adults. Gardening or a short walk around the block may be more suitable for those in this age group. In older people, exercise has been found to be just as beneficial as antidepressant medication or social contact according to Beyond Blue.
STRENGTH TRAINING.
Strength training and weights can also reduce some symptoms of depression.
According to Edith Cowan University exercise science professor Robert Newton, the most convincing research to date showed high intensity weight lifting resistance training was far superior in curbing anxiety and depression than either low intensity training or just remaining on the couch.
In an Australian study published in the Journal of Gerontology in 2005, high intensity strength training was shown to reduce depression as effectively as drug therapy. There is growing evidence that strength training should be offered as a primary treatment for depression in older adults. It provides additional benefits including strengthening bones [better osteoporosis management], preventing falls and managing arthritis.
Finally, before commencing any exercise program, it is important that you discuss your plans with your doctor. You may like to consider a tailored exercise program with an exercise physiologist.
Looking for a discount exercise bike? There are several ways to save money when you buy a recumbent or upright exercise bike. This article will give you 3 easy ways to get a discount exercise bike.
Please note however that I’m not recommending you buy a cheap exercise bike. In the exercise equipment industry, you generally get what you pay for. Resistance controls break, consoles don’t work, foot straps aren’t included or you may get a high-pitched squeaking noise right around the time the warranty runs out. So when shopping, try to find a highly rated brand that was built with quality parts.
But when you do have an idea of what you want in an exercise bike, here are 3 ways to get a big discount and save money:
#1) Buy From An Online Store
There are several online fitness stores that sell a large variety of high quality, brand name bikes directly to the consumer.
Because they are not paying the overhead costs of a store, these savings get passed on to you and you can often save hundreds of dollars on a brand name stationary bike.
Plus, some of these stores will give you a discount on shipping (which can save you up to $ 150). And you can even save on sales tax in some areas. Click this link for possible free shipping
#2) Buy Directly From The Manufacturer
Some stationary bike manufacturers will sell their bikes directly to the consumer. By skipping the middleman (the store) you also save on the mark up price that the store has to add to make a profit.
This can, again, save you hundreds of dollars and get you a brand name exercise bike for a discount price. Like online stores, when you buy directly online from the manufacturer, you also can usually get a discount on shipping and save on sales tax.
#3) Buy a Remanufactured or Used Exercise Bike
If you want a solid, commercial-quality exercise bike without paying the commercial pricetag, a remanufactured bike can save you thousands of dollars. Remanufactured exercise bikes are not just left-overs discarded from health clubs.
They are taken, stripped down and basically rebuilt from the ground up. They’re only resold to the general public after passing certain quality standards. This basically means that you can buy a health club bike for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price (and even get a pretty decent warranty included).
For example, the list price of a new Life Fitness Recumbent bike may be around $ 3500, but you can get it for around $ 1200 remanufactured. And because these bikes were built to withstand rigorous health club use, they’ll be more than adequate for one or two person home use.
While buying remanufactured may not be for everyone, it’s becoming extremely popular with buyers who want that commercial quality feel for less.
So those are 3 ways to buy a discount exercise bike.
Here’s another savings tip: At certain parts of the year, you can get huge discounts on exercise bikes as manufacturers try to clear out old models.
Best time of year to buy? End of the Year (i.e. Christmas), Start of the Year (i.e. New Years) and middle of the year (Summer).
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you choose a bike that’s comfortable, well-made and gets you excited about exercising.
Vienna Miller writes for Exercise Bike Review a consumer oriented website focusing on the home exercise bike market.
For more buying tips, brand reviews, and ‘Best Buys’ visit http://www.Exercise-Bike-Review.com
It wasn’t so long ago that exercising was a necessary evil. The benefits of exercising were known, but it was difficult to get motivated. In large part, this lack of motivation was due to the boredom of exercise routines that were available. Often the only exercise options that were available were biking, walking, use of the treadmill, jogging, weightlifting, etc.
Then it seemed that fitness centers became popular. Often the fitness centers would try to incorporate entertainment such as television viewing or the availability of personal trainers. These features and services were designed to make exercising more popular and motivate the individual to develop a daily routine.
Today, there is an exercise regimen that not only makes it fun to exercise, but also provides an excellent aerobic exercise workout. This exciting new program is a dancing aerobics exercise routine.
History Of The Aerobics Exercise Routine
The aerobics routine has evolved from the original dance oriented exercise programs of the 1980’s. These earlier exercise programs, that incorporated dance movements, were comprised of dance routines that were often complicated. In addition, these routines utilized movements that were fluid in motion and did not necessarily provide much in the way of physical benefits.
In contrast, the dancing aerobics routine of today is comprised of minimal dance steps and the movements are more athletic in nature. This shift in focus has made the dance aerobics exercise routine more popular today. In fact, because of the athleticism involved, the popularity of the aerobics exercise routine has spilled over into the professional athletic arena.
Popularity
The popularity of the dance aerobics exercise routine has increased due to many factors. One of these factors is the music that is typically part of the program. This music has a very strong beat and is uplifting. These factors blend together to motivate the participant to perform the aerobics exercise routine as well as looking forward to each session. These two resulting benefits are the keys to the success of any exercise program.
Stages Of The Routine
There are three different stages that can be part of an aerobics exercise routine. In particular they are the low and high impact type or a combination of the two types.
The low impact type is designed to lesson the stress placed on the lower extremities and feet. Specifically, the steps are designed so that either one of the feet remains in contact with the ground at all times. Through this process the likelihood of injuries such as shin splints are minimized. However, being of the low impact type, the aerobics exercise routine is not as vigorous and therefore does not increase the heart level to the optimum rate.
A high impact aerobics exercise routine is the exact opposite. This routine seldom calls for any movements that require one foot to remain on the ground. In addition, these routines are very aggressive and increase the heart rate so that a maximum aerobic workout is achieved. The caution in doing a high-impact aerobics exercise routine is the possibility of being injured. Injury may result from the impact experienced when the feet hit the surfaces of the exercise area. This risk can be minimized through the use of good aerobic footwear as well as exercising on specially designed floors that absorb the shock.
The best aerobics exercise routine to participate in is that routine that combines the high impact and the low impact exercises. This combination of impact exercises is the most popular as it combines a warm up period for the participant performing the low impact exercise and then increases the heart rate through the high impact routine.
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One of the largest problems with those suffering from nerve diseases and disabilities is keeping up circulation. Because walking let alone, more strenuous exercise can be painful, even dangerous because of the impact involved, these people end up living very sedentary lives. Eventually, limb loss may ensue due to circulation problems. Fortunately, resistance band exercise can be used by these previously sedentary people. A few stretches go a long way to keeping the blood flowing through limbs.
The best part of resistance band exercise is there is virtually no impact. Multiple Sclerosis patients who can barely walk utilize resistance bands to keep the blood flowing through their legs by doing a few stretches with the band wrapped around one of their feet.
Resistance Band Exercise can also be performed by the very large. For the obese, exercise can be nearly impossibly and terribly daunting. A light, convenient resistance band can be used with little to no impact and without moving all parts of your body or supporting your own weight.
For the elderly, walking and swimming are always recommended. Though these are fantastic cardiovascular exercises, it is not really toning ones’ muscles. Of course an elaborate home gym is not the right solution for an elderly person. They need the convenient, fun, and simple strength training that these bands can provide. Because there is virtually no set up and certainly no assembly required, any person can get their muscles toned up with a bit of colorful resistance training regardless of age.
Resistance Band training can increase in difficulty as muscle mass increases. Exercise bands are inexpensive; there is no large financial commitment. The intensity of resistance band exercise is only dependant on your ability; as your strength improves resistance bands allow you the flexibility to increase the intensity of your workout accordingly.
Children can even participate in a resistance band program to tone little muscles and inspire growth. It is a fun little quick exercise that can hold the attention of even the most rambunctious child. There are so many exercises that may be conducted with resistance bands that boredom is never a factor. Coaches have even begun to implement resistance band usage in sports to increase their players’ flexibility and endurance.
There has been resurgence in the popularity of isometric exercise due to its use in physical therapy. Those that do not have a great deal of joint flexibility or cannot stress a muscle too much are recommended to use resistance bands in their recuperation. Physical therapists recommend and apply resistance band training in combination with isometric exercise to help patients reach their maximum range of motion, flexibility, strength, and endurance.
Resistance band exercise not only provides for excellent muscle build up, but it definitely increases one’s flexibility and range of motion. For those suffering from any movement impairing disabilities, band exercise can ease the discomfort and improve upon one’s limited range of motion.
Implementing a resistance band exercise program is by no means a cure all system. It must be combined with healthy eating and mild aerobic exercises in order to achieve total physical fitness. However, combined with these two aspects, resistance band exercise can assist in toning muscle, burning fat, and increasing overall health. Once you have acquired your resistance band, exercise as much as you feel comfortable doing to see the pounds fly and the muscles build.
You know that exercise is important for your health and to help you lose weight, but the truth of the matter is it’s not always fun but you still need quick weight loss. It gives you major aches and pains, and it can be very embarrassing. If you believe the media, you think everybody who exercises loves it and has a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jane Fonda. In reality, exercise is not always fun and even people who do it regularly don’t always love it. Then why subject yourself to the torture?
Because you want to look better and enjoy the health benefits. Believe it or not, even though exercise is not always fun, you usually feel great afterwards. As for the aches and pains, you may feel some muscular a joint joint when starting a fast weight loss exercise program. But if you do it correctly and keep it up, those aches and pains disappear after a few days.
Some health clubs cater to the “leotard set” and “muscle bound specimens, so it’s best to avoid these clubs. There are other fitness or wellness centers, health clubs, and colleges, with a clientele of varying shapes, sizes and ages where you may feel more comfortable. If you walk in your neighborhood, you might be embarrassed by your size and feel that everyone driving by is looking at you. There are two ways you can deal with this. You can exercise where others won’t see you or you can take the attitude that you’re doing something positive for yourself and that people driving by are not. Eventually you’ll be thinner and healthier, so do not let others bother you.
The best results are achieved from aerobic exercise. But what is aerobic exercise? Contrary to popular belied, aerobic exercise is a not just aerobic dance class. Aerobic means “with air” and it refers to activities that are of moderate intensity, can be kept up for long periods of time and use large muscle groups such as the legs and arms. Examples are walking, cycling, rowing, cross country skiing and jogging.
What are the specific benefits of aerobic exercise?
Here are the ones related to weight loss.
1) Exercise burns calories. Combined with a reduction in food calories, exercise will help you lose weight fast. This may also offset the decreased metabolism resulting from extended restriction. The calories burned can make up for the decrease in calories used.
2) Aerobic exercise burns fat as fuel. During the first 30 minutes of exercise, you use both stored carbohydrate (glycogen) and fat. After 30 minutes you burn mostly fat.
3) Exercise can increase your muscle mass and works well with fast weight loss programs. It can also protect muscle loss during strict dieting. Since muscle uses up more calories than fat, a large muscle mass means you can take in more calories without gaining weight.
4) Moderate exercise decreases your appetite, Studies show that light intensity exercise can increase you appetite, but several hours later you will be hungrier. On the other hand, moderate intensity exercises seem to affect your brain’s appetite control center, decreasing you desire to eat.
5) The hormone produced by exercise can reduce stress and depression, both common causes of overeating.
The conclusion is that an Exercise program is very important to a healthy weight loss program. So keep that in mind and you will well be on your way to a healthier new you.
Exercise treadmill is a home exercise equipment but used also by cardiologists. It is also well known in the medical circles by many alternative names such as exercise ECG, Stress test – exercise treadmill, EKG – exercise treadmill etc. But before we get onto see the medical relevance of this wonderful simple exercise equipment, let us see what it does to our everyday life and how.
You are hard pressed for time, but you are aware that you are slightly going out of shape. And, your physician has advised you to reduce weight and get back into shape. It is here that the exercise treadmill comes to your rescue. One strong supporting point in its favor is treadmill is amongst the top calorie burning equipment.
What Does a Treadmill Do To You?
Basically, an exercise treadmill is used for general screening of heart to find out how good its general is and how it responds to stress or exercise. When you walk on the treadmill, physicians collect data like your cardio electrical activity on ECG while monitoring the blood pressure. These data can be interpreted later to find out whether the heart asks for additional oxygen as a reaction.
Stress test on treadmill helps doctors in determining the heart’s ability to withstand exercise. This in turn helps in determining the appropriate level of exercise so that an exercise regime is developed for persons in need. Apart from this, there are various other reasons, such as determine the causes of chest pain, for your doctor to go for stress test.
That apart, a survey conducted by Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association tells that people spend more on treadmills than other exercise/fitness equipments. The basic realities that go in support of exercise treadmill are the unbeatable workout on cardiovascular muscles and high rate of calorie burning. In a joint study, VA Medical Center in Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin put the calories burnt on treadmill on top of the list of calories burnt by other exercise machines. After a 60 minutes’ workout treadmill burns an average of 865-705 calories.
Benefits of Exercise Treadmill
1. Treadmill lets you exercise indoors avoiding bad weather
2. Adjustable speeds accommodates both running and walking
3. Little or no impact on heels, knee ankles, back and as a result fewer injuries. As a result you can run for years
4. High end treadmills allow adjusting of speeds and inclines so than running or walking uphill/downhill is simulated. They allow preprogramming exercise preferences like speed variations and inclines
Buying an Exercise Treadmill
1. Decide on long time exercise goals. There are different models to suit individual preferences
2. Consider the space availability/constraint at home to choose an apt size
3. Go for a continuous and heavy duty motor which lasts longer than others if the cost difference doesn’t bother you
4. Decide what dimensions of walking track is comfortable for you. Normally 4’x1.5′ suits most. Running may call for longer track than this
5. Check for deck thickness which must be 3/4″ to 1″ to support both running and walking Shock absorbers, smoother decks, instrument console warrantee, price and brand can’t be left out while making a decision.
For more information log on to http://www.channelstv.com
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In the old days, doctors would warned asthmatic patients should not exercise because getting out of breath could bring an attack. However, asthma exercise should be considered only under a doctor’s advice.
Seventy per cent of asthmatics suffer to some degree from exercise induced asthma. Breathing rapidly through your mouth from exercise exertion can trigger asthma. However with proper management asthma exercise can be part of any asthmatic’s life.
Some suggestions for making asthma exercise comfortable:
1)Always do a 5-10 minutes warm up before starting any exercise, this way the body will gradually warm up instead of the sudden rush of adrenaline and shortness of breath.
2)Work out slowly keeping your heart rate low, below 140 beats a minute. You will be at risk of an asthma attack should you choose to do a vigorous exercise that will get you heart rate to 170 beats a minute. Keep in mind that exercise induced asthma (EIA) does not occur during the exercise but only after about 10-15 minutes.
3)Swimming is generally a great asthma exercise.
4)Do not skip the “cool down” after each vigorous exercise. This helps with moderating the air gradually cooling your body and reducing the risk of an asthma attack.
5)Avoid strenuous exercise as much as possible.
6)At times it helps to use an inhaled medication before beginning an exercise. This helps to keep your airways open and you to have a good workout.
Be careful.
Be extremely careful when exercising in warm climates or when the pollen levels are high. In winter it is advised to limit outdoor exercise or if you must exercise try breathing through a scarf or mask.
Cold, dry air increases the risk of an asthma attack. If you really want to exercise, follow your doctor’s advice accordingly.
Asthma is a lung disease that is usually chronic and can turn fatal if not properly managed. During an asthma attack the air passages become narrow and/or blocked by mucus.
Asthma attacks can be triggered by allergens such as pollen, molds, animal dander, medications, chemicals in certain foods and dust. Take note of unique symptoms that your doctor had highlighted to you.
Tobacco smoke, exhaust fumes, household cleaners act as irritants for asthma sufferers. Sometimes even sudden changes in temperature, humidity or strong winds can trigger asthma.
Asthma exercise should be performed with extreme caution and with a scheduled practice. Keeping medication handy is something asthma patients learn really quickly as, if an attack is not treated immediately in can turn fatal.
The bright side is asthma can be kept under control with the right medication and there is no reason why one who suffers from this illness to have to give up exercise or anything else for that matter.
There are findings that people who exercise regularly have an increased feeling of well-being, reduced stress, less anxiety.
Therefore, I strongly urged you to start your journey in asthma management, if you are serious of getting back your asthma free life again.
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Exercising is not just about keeping you fit and building muscles, it is also about working up a sweat and losing weight. That’s why many exercise machine manufacturers have made a killing with so many gyms popping up all over the country. One exercise machine that is very affordable, compact enough to fit in a moderately sized house, and delivers great fitness results is the exercise bike, otherwise known as the stationary bike.
Many people choose to buy an exercise bike because it is not big and very easy to store. Exercise bikes take up very little space, unlike other types of exercise such as jogging and dancing which need much more space. Exercise bikes are handy especially when it is inconvenient for you to go the gym.
Exercise bikes help improve fitness and stamina, and allow you to vigorously exercise both your lower body and upper body at the same time. The health benefits of exercise bikes are numerous. Aside from burning calories and losing weight, you can also improve your heart rate, strengthen your leg muscles and maintain your agility.
There are several types of exercise bikes available on the market today designed to meet different fitness and exercise needs. Some models are designed for fitness and stamina training, while other models are designed for stretching out and strengthening muscles.
So before you purchase an exercise bike, you need to first decide on your fitness and training goals.
There are three major types of exercise bikes available: the recumbent, upright, and the indoor cycling bikes.
The seat on a recumbent bike allows riders to recline against a backrest and to extend their legs forward for pedaling. It is great for people suffering from back pain as this sitting posture lessens the stress on the spine. Recumbent bikes provide a great workout to the lower body, and also provide an excellent cardiovascular workout. They are very useful when it comes to physical therapy and endurance training.
The seat on an upright bike allows riders to sit astride the saddle. It is so designed to lessen the effort to pedal as riders can use their body weight when pedalling. Cyclists often use upright bikes as a warm up equipment.
Indoor bikes, also called the spinning machine, are the most common exercise bikes offered. Riders can also pedal backwards, allowing them to exercise the back part of the leg muscles that are not exercised during forward pedaling.
Exercise bikes offer a heart pounding yet low-impact workout, while maintaining the ability to go at your own pace. They help you lose the extra pounds and help you get slimmer. They are also very affordable compared to other exercise machines.
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Hopping in and out of planes is exercise enough, you say. But that’s not the kind of exercise that will condition your heart, make your reflexes and joints more fluid, keep the sugar levels or keep you from swinging from one mood to another!
Nor is it the kind of exercise that will make you euphoric after a good cardiovascular session. You need to counteract the effects of jet lag, artificial air in pressurized aircraft cabins and sky fatigue. Suzanne Schlosberg says,
“Sometimes your travels help you recognize how humdrum your workout routine has become. At home, it’s easy to fall into a rut – to use the same weight machines in the same order, week after week, month after month, simply out of habit. But a trip may take the routine out of your routine. You may have no choice but to try new strength exercises or jog in the pool instead of swim laps. And you might find these new pursuits so enjoyable that you add them to your fitness repertoire at home.”
Common Obstacles
What are some of the reasons why travelers do not incorporate exercise while they’re on the road?
They’re stressed or too tired
They don’t feel comfortable about working out in unfamiliar surroundings
They don’t have access to a hotel gym
But if they made just a tiny effort to change this thinking, they’d be on the road to fitness sooner.
Engaging in exercise allows you to get out of that bubble of meetings, seminars and tours.
Walk when on the Road
When traveling, have a pair of good walking shoes (trainers preferably) so that you won’t feel so daunted about getting from one side of the airport to another.
Having the right pair of walking shoes will encourage you to walk up the stairs instead of take the escalator, to walk instead of taking the conveyor belt, and to transfer from one concourse to another on foot instead of taking the shuttle service.
You may not know it, but walking these long distances with your luggage in tow serves as a combination/weight lifting exercise!
Fitness while Flying
Once settled comfortably on the plane, make sure you time your stretching and walking periods. If it’s just an hour’s flight, walk around the plane once and do your stretching at the back of the plane; if it’s a three hour to five hour flight (east to west in the North American continent), try to get up from your seat and walk around at least once every hour, doing leg extensions and trunk/neck movements.
If you’re crossing the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, those killer flights need not kill you. Increase the frequency of your stretches and walking.
Airlines such as Japan Air Lines show videos of how travelers can incorporate flexibility movements while seated or standing. Take full advantage of these videos. The exercises may help you ward off fatigue and jet lag.
A note about DVT
In the last five years, there have been reports about flight passengers, especially in economy class, suffering from DVT – deep vein thrombosis.
The link between confining airplane seats and deaths from DVT (formation of deadly blood clots) has been established by the United Nations World Health Organization. It has nothing to do with gender, risk factors or genetics. Everyone is at risk in economy class! This should constitute compelling reason to integrate exercise while high in the sky.
To make exercise possible while traveling, schedule your flights so that when you get to your destination, you don’t rush through dinner and then go to sleep.
Try to arrive during the late afternoon/early evening, to give you time to shake off the fatigue from the trip, and have at least an hour to do exercises either in your hotel room or in the hotel gym.
Important “to do” things when traveling
Be fully rested before a trip – have the usual “to pack” items ready well in advance so you’re not scampering for them at the last minute, depleting your energy levels.
Time your sleep correctly – as soon as you board, get the local time of your destination and set your watch accordingly. If it’s already night time in your destination, wear blindfolds and ask for a pillow and try to catch a few winks.
Drink plenty of water – wine and cocktails will only dehydrate you further; note that humidity levels inside aircraft is below 10{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}, so water is your best bet.
If your job requires you to travel at least four times a month, ask your company’s travel department to book you in hotels with gyms or a swimming pool.
Make time out of your travel schedule to insert a workout into your grinding schedule.
Here’s a friendly suggestion: get up earlier in the morning and before or after breakfast, head over to the gym and do a brisk walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes, or do the rowing machine (great for the core muscles, back problem reliever) for 10 minutes.
This session is just to wake you up from your travel stupor. See if you can walk to your business appointment instead of taking a cab (that’s another 10 minutes).
At night before going to bed, go to the hotel gym again and lift weights for 10 minutes, to complete your workout for the day. This way you did your cardio and resistance training, two essential components of a fitness program.
Now, tell us, doesn’t a 10-20 minute session sound less intimidating than clocking 1.5 hours in the gym?
Working out with Friends
Another friendly suggestion: if you’re traveling in a group, ask a colleague if he or she would do a game of squash or tennis with you. The concierge can give you local addresses of sports or recreational centers in the vicinity.
When there’s no Gym!
If the hotel gym is crowded or “temporarily closed for maintenance,” you can still exercise – in the comfort of your room.
Here are some exercises that you can perform:
Turn on the TV or sound system and jog in place; or look up the TV guide and see if some old Jane Fonda or Denise Austin shows are on. Get on with the beat
Jog in place or jump rope (great cardiovascular workout)
Conduct floor exercises (described below)
Floor exercise 1: the Cobra (or back extension). Lying on your stomach as though getting ready for push-ups, keep your hands on your side with palms facing down and fingers pointed forward. With your hands, push to lift your torso off the floor (ensure you’re lifting head, shoulders and chest only).
Keep pelvis on the floor and your head looking ahead. Hold and then release. Repeat 3 times. You should feel your spine lengthen. Joe Decker recommends not just pressing back with your hands, but also pushing your upper body up and forward.
Do not tilt your head back to look at the ceiling (many people make this mistake). This puts a strain on your neck.
Floor exercise 2: Crunch (for lower abdominals). The lower abdominals are the weakest muscles in your torso because they are rarely worked, and they’re the first to sag after childbirth and after menopause.
This exercise will help:
Lying flat on your back with your knees bent, cross your arms over your chest. Squeeze your buttocks, tighten your abdomen and push your lower back into the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds, breathing normally. Relax, and then release. Repeat as often as you can, without overworking yourself
Floor exercise 3: Hurdler’s Stretch. Bend the knee towards the front, and then tuck your lower leg in toward the opposite thigh. Stretch gently toward the straight leg. Do not bounce. This movement is like the ballet movement when an arm goes above the head gracefully, which stretches the sides of the trunk to increase flexibility.
If you pick up any exercise book, there will be a rich inventory of exercises you can perform while on the go. Pack this in your bag so you can refer to it for correct form and posture.
Yoga
Yoga on the train? Yes! A news report was published in the Montreal Gazette recently saying how many overstressed Germans still hide behind their papers rather than exercise. We’re sure Americans and Canadians are no less guilty.
So these commuters are being taught yoga and relaxation techniques on their way to and from work. Instructors are now in what the German government calls “wellness trains” in southern Germany. This was an initiative taken by Deutsche Bahn – Germany’s state-owned railway. The organization decided to offer relaxation and yoga techniques to calm an anxious work force.
This article along with several others that I will be posting over the next several days is YOUR key to fitting exercise into your life.
To keep things organized and simple, the articles will be broken down into five easy sections:
Section 1: Assessing Physical Damage And Accepting the Importance of Exercise
Section 2: No Matter How Busy you Are, there are Ways you can Exercise
Section 3: Busy Traveler? You can Fit Exercise into your Trips (Which you are reading at this moment)
Section 4: Exercise Aids To Go
Section 5: Information / Resources for the Hurried and Harried
Read them in order, or if you wish, focus on the section that is most relevant to you right now. Regardless of how you choose to read these articles, you can be confident of one thing: once you apply the advice within these pages, your busy life will include something new and important: exercise!
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This is the 15 minutes fat burning exercise that help to lose weight fast and reduce belly fat. You can use this exercise along with proper diet to lose weight fast and get a flat stomach within a few weeks.
VIDEO URL : https://youtu.be/XEokWUhtVhc
Video Rating: / 5
So you have decided that you want to be fit and healthy but at a loss as to which exercise program will benefit you best. Before you decide to select or design a beneficial exercise program, there are a few things which you must do.
*Why do you want to exercise?
Define your exercise goals and objectives. Write them down so that this will serve as your constant reminder why you want to embark on an exercise program. It also serves to narrow down your search for the best program because you will know what to look out for. For example, you may want to lose weight steadily or you may to build some muscle tone or you just simply want to get fit. Be definite in what you want to achieve so that you will have a clear direction and will choose the right exercise program to achieve your goals more effectively.
*What do you need to do to get the best exercise benefit
Now that you know what your goals are, decide which method is best for you to achieve your objectives. For example, if you are rehabilitating from some illnesses or surgery, you may need to hire a specialized trainer for your particular condition or if you simply want to lose some weight, do you have sufficient knowledge to lose weight permanently or do you need to do more research, read up some books or just hire a fitness personal trainer?
*Set definite time frame and exercise program
Have a time table drawn up. How many times do you need to exercise a week and for how long to get the best benefits from your exercise program. Ascertain the dates and timing of your exercise program and stick to it. This is crucial because many people without definite plans fail in their quest to get a fit and healthy body.
*Keep an exercise log book
This exercise log book is to keep track of your progress. In the log book, you will keep a record of how far you have jogged or swum or how heavy were the weights you were lifting so that you can improve your performance on your next exercise session. Without proper record keeping, you will be at best guesstimating on your past performances and chances are that you will not improve to get to your goals as planned.
This is the reason why you see people not getting any results even though they work out regularly.
So in order for to get the best benefit from your exercise program, you will need to set your goals and then define them, decide on the methods to get the best benefits and keep a record so that you can get there in record time with your solid exercise program.
Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of fashion models, actors, male pageant titleholders and celebrities.
See his websites at Transform your body-12 weeks and Be a certified trainer
We have heard it so many times before that there are many benefits to exercise especially when used to lower stress. If everyone knows that exercise is important then why is stress, disease, and fatigue so prevalent in today’s society? The answer is simple. We know what to do we just aren’t doing it.
Experts agree that one best way to manage stress is through exercise. Exercise has been proven to relax the body and mind, burn fat, improve cardiovascular system, bring in more oxygen, reduce the chance of diseases, lower blood pressure and the list goes on.
During the stress response, many chemical reactions occur in the body preparing it to what is known as the fight or flight response. During prehistoric days as cave dwellers, we had the opportunity to burn off our stress when an animal attacked, as it was a means of survival. We were able to run away or fight the threat immediately. In today’s society, we do not have to fight a bear or tiger, so we do not have much of an outlet readily at hand to burn off the stress or pent up negative emotions. Therefore, we carry it with us creating emotional and physical problems. Exercise can help by providing an outlet for negative emotions such as worry, irritability, depression, hostility, anger, frustration, and anxiety. You can dissipate these feelings by simply taking it out on the tennis court, by running, or punching a bag. Regular exercise provides the opportunity to manage the fight or flight response and helps the body to return to a homeostasis or balanced state more quickly.
Exercise can also improve self-esteem and self worth by realizing that you will benefit directly. You may feel more outgoing and social because of the increased energy and also a better physique creating more confidence and positive self image. Your self-esteem may be enhanced by taking on exercise challenges or goals, giving you a feeling of accomplishment and reward.
Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Exercise:
Aerobic exercise is an activity that uses major muscle groups such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling. This type of exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system by increasing your heart and respiratory rate and brings in more oxygen into the body. To reap the full benefits of aerobic exercise, you must be at 60{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}-80{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600} of your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes, between three and five times a week.
To calculate your target heart rate use the following formula:
Take 220 – (subtract) your age X (multiply 60{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}, or 70{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}, etc. intensity rate.) = Target heart rate (divide by six for a ten second pulse count. Take your pulse for ten seconds and gage where you are during the workout. Speed up the pace if you are below 60{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}.
Aerobic exercise is key to lose weight as it burns calories which are the energy consumed and adds fat to our bodies. Combined with a healthy diet it is a sure way to lose weight. One pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. To lose one pound, you must burn 3500 calories. It is easier to combine aerobics and create a small caloric deficit in your diet than to do one or the other solely.
Anaerobic exercise builds muscle strength and power. Isotonics and Isometrics are two kinds of anaerobic exercises.
Isotonics uses your muscles to contract against an object with movement such as weight lifting (also called strength or resistance training.) The benefits of isotonic exercises are stronger muscles, stronger bones, tone, prevent injuries, and condenses and shapes muscle for better esthetics.
Isometric exercise is contracting your muscles against resistance without movement. Such as lifting an object like a dumbbell and holding a position. You are isolating that muscle.
Use both types of anaerobic exercises to maximize your strength to build healthy, lean, and strong muscles.
Select exercises that you enjoy and can do for at least 20 minutes, three to five days a week. Exercise does not necessarily mean hitting the gym and making an ordeal out of it. It can simply be a walk around your neighborhood or dancing to some tunes. Try to think “activity” verses “exercise”. When you are in an active mind-frame, you will purposely park a little farther, do stretches at the computer, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.
Commit that you will begin to be more active and stick to your exercises or activities for 21 days. Why 21? Research has showed that it takes about 21 days to create a habit. Document how your feel after the 21 days. Your stress levels should be lowered, you should feel more energized, and see some physical changes such as a slimmer physique.
You may already know the benefits of exercise, but are you doing it? So start by making a decision, begin slowly, then gradually work up to more and longer workout sessions. The point of this article is to help you take immediate action.
In the words of Nike…well, you know.
To your health.
If you’ve been scanning the expert advice columns looking for weight loss tips, we have good news for you! We’ve compiled a top ten list of tips on losing weight with exercise. This free advice is guaranteed to help you lose inches, burn fat, and look absolutely fantastic! So what are you waiting for? Check out this fitness advice guide now…..
1) Our first fitness tip is that it’s important to exercise regularly. While that’s been sound advice for years, unfortunately very few people are following it. Only 45 percent of adults are getting the recommended minimum: 30 minutes a day, at least four days a week. Considering that aerobic capability starts to diminish after missing only two weeks of workouts, it’s clear that consistent exercise is the key to success.
2) Another fantastic exercise tip is that, to achieve significant weight loss, it is imperative to participate in both cardiovascular (aerobic) and resistance (strength) training. What’s the difference? Aerobic exercise burns fat so you’ll lose weight today, while resistance training maintains and tones muscle so you’ll keep that fat off tomorrow. To be truly fit for life, you need both types of exercise at least four times each week.
3) Change the intensity of your workout. One way to do this is to turn up the resistance on the strength machines. Another way is to wear wrist or ankle weights while you exercise. Even small adjustments to your workout will make a difference. Changing the intensity not only keeps exercise more interesting for you, but it also challenges your body to blast through any conditioning plateaus you may be stuck on.
4) Although there’s lots of good advice out there regarding when you should exercise, the best health tip you’ll ever find on this topic is simply to exercise when it’s best for you. Don’t get confused by claims that morning workouts are better for weight loss, or that evening exercise burns more calories. Instead, get your workout in whenever you can. Follow this fitness tip, and chances are good you’ll end up exercising more, period.
5) To get the maximum benefit from your weight loss exercise, get a workout buddy. This is a good safety tip and an excellent workout tip too. Arrange to meet a friend at the gym, at a specific time, and on a specific day. Write it down in your planner or type it into your PDA. Treat it like a regular business appointment and you’ll be less likely to find some excuse to skip out. When you know that a friend is waiting for you there, you’re much more likely to get yourself down to the health club.
6) Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and don’t overdo the makeup. When you’re getting ready to exercise, beauty tips and other beauty advice will only distract you from your goal. Instead of trying to look great while you exercise, focus instead on exercising to look great. If you haven’t already, consider joining a women’s only health club where you can feel comfortable and really focus on weight loss results – not on your appearance or the guys in the gym.
7) Check your heart rate every ten minutes to make sure you’re staying within your target heart rate zone. Not only will this help you burn more fat by maintaining your exercise intensity, but it will also keep you safe by preventing you from exceeding your maximum recommended heart rate. For even more accurate measurement, consider purchasing a heart rate monitor.
8) To guarantee a great workout, remember your diet tips and nutrition advice. To maintain muscle and get the most benefit from exercise, your body needs quality fuel and adequate hydration. Without the proper nutritional balance, the quality of your workouts will suffer and your body will not respond appropriately.
9) Remember to breathe deeply during exercise sessions. Taking full, deep breaths will deliver more oxygen to your muscles and make them more efficient.
10) Our final exercise tip is to stay away from the fads and instead focus on the benefits of exercise. When you start relying on gimmicks and ‘magic potions’ to help you lose weight, you’ll put less emphasis on the only proven method to achieve life long results: consistent exercise.
Take these fitness tips for weight loss exercise to heart, and you’ll soon find that you’re getting more out of each workout. Results will come faster, and the pounds will disappear. But don’t let this be the end of your research. There’s a good supply of health advice, nutrition information, and free medical advice to be found on the internet and at your local library, so keep learning! The only thing you have to lose is the weight!
These funny and cute videos of babies doing exercise is sure to motivate you to get your workout on.
Puppies & Babies & Kitties OH MY! New videos all the time!
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How To Eat For Energy When Working Out
How many times has this happened to you?
– You psych yourself up mentally (you are GOING to do it!)
– You don the outfit (you can practically feel the energy flowing through your veins!)
– You lace up the running shoes (Nike: Just Do It – that’s you.)
– You grab your towel (because ANYONE SERIOUS needs a towel).
Then it’s time.
It’s time to sweat. It’s time to burn the evil fat from your body. You face the treadmill (or stair climber, or rowing machine, or exercise video with the perky aerobics instructor on it).
And you start.
You warm up, and start moving faster and faster. The sweat starts to pour. The blood is pumping. Man, you are burning! That size 2 exercise instructor is going to look like a whale compared to you when you get through!
The adrenaline hits your blood and you feel GREAT! You could exercise forever! In fact maybe you will exercise forever!
Your time winds down. Ok, maybe you’d better slow down, no sense in going TOO crazy here. The cool down sure feels good. You turn off the treadmill, or the exercise video and head to the shower.
Then it hits you.
EXERCISE REPERCUSSION.
You feel like you want to die, or at least sleep for about 12 hours. You go through the day craving anything you can easily grab: anything edible or, depending on how good it looks, anything at all. Nutritional value? Who cares!
But nothing seems to satisfy you and you could swear that you’ve just eaten all the calories you burned during exercise PLUS more!
What was the point in exercising at all if you go through your day tired and eating everything in sight? It was just a waste of your time and a stress on your body for nothing right?
Well, not necessarily, not if you can learn from it. Here’s how to avoid the above experience when exercising:
1) Check Your Hydration Levels
(I know not really exciting-but it will do wonders!!)
The average adult loses 10-12 cups of water a day (that’s not including water we lose from exercise, caffeine, etc).
It’s estimated that approx 75{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600} of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. And even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}.
And here’s the key, all you exercisers: Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue!!!! Unfortunately this fatigue often gets mistaken for hunger and we eat more than we need in a desperate effort to get that water back into our bodies.
What can you do?
Before your workout: drink 1-2 glasses of water
During your workout: Have about ½-1 cup of water for every 20 minutes of exercise
After your workout: Have at least 3 cups of water in the hour after you exercise.
2) Check Your Pre-workout Nutrition
Since you want energy over the long haul, your best bet is to try having some complex carbs before you exercise (like oatmeal, whole wheat toast, or whole wheat crackers).
Some people prefer to get their carbohydrate from fruit also, it depends on what works for you.
Try to combine this with a little bit of protein (like peanut butter on your whole wheat toast, or a couple slices of cheese with your apple). Try different combos and see what gives you the most energy.
3) During your workout:
If your workout is under an hour: Make sure you keep drinking that water and continue to listen to your body.
If you want to go more than an hour you should try eating 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrate every half hour (i.e. From sports bars, fruits or whole grains).
If you are exercising for more than 3 hours you should consider sipping a sports drink to replace lost electrolytes. Both sports drinks and energy bars help to maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent muscle glycogen (energy) depletion
4) After exercise:
Keep drinking that water! (See above) You also want to refuel with carbohydrates as soon as you can after exercise (toast, bagel, fruits, oatmeal, etc.)
Your body not only needs to refuel but it also needs to rebuild with some protein since intense exercise involves the breakdown of muscle tissue.
Some possible snacks are: Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat toast, cottage cheese mixed with fruit, scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast.
The most important thing is to pay attention to your body and feel what works for you as you exercise. If you feel light-headed or dizzy or in pain at any time during exercise stop! Respect your body and what it tells you.
Hopefully the next time you decide to face the treadmill (or the exercise video) you’ll be able to feel great both during AND after you exercise.
You’ll be able to feel as if you’ve made your body better and stronger, by feeding it and exercising it and keeping that energy up!
Kathryn O’Neill is a contributing writer to Diet and Weight Loss Reviews .
For more free weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit http://www.freetobethin.com.
Exercise has long been coveted as an effective way to boost your physical state and keep your body in top shape. Over the years, researchers have discovered that exercise is also beneficial to mental health. Engaging in regular exercise can help battle symptoms of depression and may be an effective, natural way to prevent depression from occurring. When you are depressed, it may take some time to get motivated, but exercise can lead to a significant improvement in symptoms of depression.
About Depression
Depression is a common mental illness that affects close to 19 million adults every year. People suffering from depression often have feelings of hopelessness. They may feel down even when there seems no reason to feel that way. Depressed people typically have the “blues” and have an overwhelming sense of self-defeat. These feelings tend to last for an extended period of time and can often begin to interfere with daily life and activities. When this happens, the person may be diagnosed as clinically depressed.
Effects Of Exercise On Depression
Research studies suggest that exercise may be a good alternative to antidepressant drugs in treating depression. Exercise can benefit mental health, but a depressed person may have some difficulty remaining motivated to continue an exercise regimen. The mental health benefits of exercise when related to depression are at optimum levels when the depressed person:
Engages in several weeks of regular exercise
performs the exercise more than a few times per week
Engages in more brisk, active exercise
Exercise can benefit mental health in similar ways to that of traditional treatment, producing the following outcomes:
Improved mood
Improved self- esteem
Improved sleep patterns
More positive responses to stress
How Exercise Can Help Depression
It is believed that exercise can help treat depression. Researchers have found that exercise can lessen anxiety and elevate mood. The correlation between exercise and depression is not completely clear, but depression may be positively affected by exercise for any of the following reasons:
Exercise boosts the body’s production of endorphins, which are responsible for elevating mood in a natural way. Neurotransmitters in the brain release these feel-good substances that help battle depression.
Exercise reduces the body’s production of immune system chemicals that can make depression symptoms worse.
Exercise elevates body temperature, which may have a soothing effect on the body.
The benefits of exercise also extend to psychological and emotional well-being. Exercise can have many positive effects including:
A boost in self-confidence
Distracting you from stressful thoughts
Promoting positive social interactions
Promoting a positive way to cope with stress and anxiety
What exercises do you do?
You always hear people say, “You need to exercise regularly to maintain your health”, but just how much does exercise really do for your health overall? Are the health benefits of exercise really worth the effort it takes to exercise regularly? Can’t you just eat better and still maintain your health just the same? Can anyone tell me what the real health benefits of exercise are or is it all just speculation based on heresy?
Alright then, here are some really good reasons to consider for making exercise part of your healthy lifestyle:
Americans spend more than $ 600 billion dollars per year for health care. That equals almost $ 3,000 for every single person in the whole population of the country. Sadly, this financial commitment has shown no signs of any decrease, nor has it produced fully acceptable results with regard to treating a wide variety of chronic health problems.
Attempts have been made to identify the factors which have been major contributions to the epidemic of medical problems in our society today and a number of probable reasons for why so many people are so seemingly unhealthy have been named as; poor eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, poor health habits (i.e. smoking).
At the same time, studies have been done to see what, if anything can be done to lower either the number or the severity of the medical problems affecting the public. These studies have shown some convincing evidence that exercise has substantial medical benefits for people of all ages. Two of the most publicized efforts to investigate the possible link between exercise and disease were longitudinal studies, each of which used more than 10,000 subjects.
Some years ago, in a study of 17,000 Harvard graduates, Ralph Paffenbarger, M.D., found that men who expended 300 calories per day, the equivalent of walking briskly for 45 minutes, reduced their death rates from all causes by 28{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600} and lived an average of two years longer than their sedentary former classmates. A more recent study conducted by Steven Blair, P.E.D., of the Institute of Aerobics Research in Dallas documented the fact that a relatively moderate amount of exercise has a significant effect on the mortality rate of both men and women. The data was adjusted for age differences between subjects in an eight year study of 13,344 individuals and the conclusion was that the higher the fitness level, the lower the death rate. An analysis of the data yielded by both studies suggests one conclusion…exercise is medicine!
Accepting the idea that regular exercise can play an important role in reducing your risk of incurring a medical problem and reducing your overall health care costs is a critical step. While listing all of the medical problems and conditions that can be at least partially treated and controlled by exercise would be very extensive, here are a few of the most significant health concerns and the manner in which exercise is thought to help in each case.
Allergies: exercise is one of the body’s most efficient ways to control nasal congestion.
Angina: regular aerobic exercise dilates vessels, increasing blood flow, thereby improving your body’s ability to extract oxygen from the bloodstream.
Anxiety: exercise triggers the release of mood-altering chemicals in the brain.
Arthritis: by making the skeletal joints move, exercise induces the manufacture of synovial fluid and helps to distribute it over the cartilage and to force it to circulate throughout the joint space.
Back pain: exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles and the lower back muscles.
Cholesterol: exercise will raise your HDL (the good cholesterol) in the blood and lower your LDL levels, the bad cholesterol.
Diabetes: exercise helps lower excess blood sugar levels and improves your circulation
Heart disease: exercise, by lowering your body fat, lowering your LDL levels, decreasing your blood pressure, lowering your heart rate and increasing heart and lung efficiency, lowers your risk of heart problems.
Knee problems: exercise helps strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the knee making it more able to withstand stress.
Menstrual problems and PMS: exercise helps to control the hormonal imbalances often associated with PMS by increasing the release of beta-endorphins.
Osteoporosis: exercise promotes bone density, lowering the risk of suffering a bone fracture.
More Exercise Articles
What do you do for exercise to keep your good health?
If you are determined to get fit and lose weight you need to exercise on a regular basis. Through exercise you will not only lose weight but you will also improve your heart condition.
According to a study conducted in the United States revealed that over 64{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600} of American had some sort of weight problems. If you are determined not to be one of those 64{3813292df256cc7359db914c8bfffc508a0964aa786224d36d2cb21f4b33d600}, you need adequate exercise along with a good diet. One of the best exercises available to you is bicycling. You can take advantage of bicycling exercise with the Schwinn Airdyne Upright Exercise Bike.
If you want to look and feel great by losing weight regular exercise will definitely going to help you. Still, people use various excuses not to exercise. These excuses include the bad knee, the lack of time needed to visit a health club or the other famous excuse “I forgot”. Nevertheless, when the exercise bike is right in the comfort of your home, there are no more excuses.
The Schwinn Airdyne Upright Exercise Bike is a great exercise machine because it works your upper and lower body in the same time. This is really important especially when you want to lose weight and burn as much calories as possible. You’ll work your upper body with the help of the moving handle bars. More calories are burnt as you are moving both your legs and arms in the same time. With the help of just one exercise machine you will actually stimulate each and every muscle of the body.
This exercise bike includes a convenient feature, the computer console which allows you to time the exercises. Also, the computer console monitors and displays your RPMs allowing you to keep your exercise at one pace.
This is an exercise bike which costs about $ 600. It might seem a lot of money, but if you think about you would spend a lot more money by regularly visiting a health club or a gym. Consider it an investment and once you have purchased it, it is yours forever and readily available to be used whenever you want to.
The Schwinn Airdyne Upright Exercise Bike is one of the best exercise bikes you can get for your money which stimulates your entire body with all its muscles. Additionally you can purchase various accessories, including cushioned seat for more comfort.
Depression and exercise are a odd couple if there ever was one–exercise is the last thing most people with depression want to do. But although exercise cannot cure clinical depression, it can be an important part of how we manage our depression. The research is not conclusive, but it suggests that regular exercise can significantly improve mild to moderate depression. Exercise also helps with more severe forms of depression, but to a lesser extent. For those of us with research depression, every little bit that helps is welcome. For those of us whose depression is in full remission (and I hope that’ll be me someday), exercise seems to help maintain recovery and stave off the return of depression and anxiety.
How does exercise help depression? Put simply, it relaxes us; increases blood flow and oxygen; improves physical fitness and appearance, and so helps our self-image; trains our minds to focus; gives us a better night’s sleep; and gets us out into the sunlight and around other people.
Our stress level decreases, and so do the harmful immune-system chemicals that respond to stress. Also on the chemical level, exercise releases endorphins, our bodies’ natural opioid (like morphine). This reduces anxiety and pain and makes us feel good. The more strenuous the exercise, the more endorphins are released.
Neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine (and on a shorter-term basis, dopamine)–all of which are low in people with depression–also increase due to exercise. The spikes in these chemicals are temporary. Like medication, exercise must be taken every day to keep working.
Plus, the improvements in blood flow and oxygenation mean that our brains get plenty of oxygen and sugar. Exercise helps us think, not just during the exercise, but all day. If your depression is like mine, the mental fog and sluggishness is one of the worst symptoms.
The best exercise for depression is “the exercise we’ll actually do.” Motivation is always a problem in depression, so we have to figure out what motivates us. Is it joining other people in an activity or staying in the privacy of our own home? Changing our appearance or improving ourselves spiritually? Gaining strength or Stamina? Getting out in the sunlight (for some Vitamin D and a serotonin boost) or avoiding it? The following have all been promoted and studied as beneficial exercises for depressed people. Compare the Positives and Negatives to your needs and find one that’s right for you.
1. STRENUOUS EXERCISE.
Running and Depression.
Positives: Endorphin rush, spikes in neurotransmitters, good for blood flow, gets us outside in the sun, increases stamina, reduces weight, may make us feel better about ourselves. Not overly expensive; mainly calls for a good pair of running shoes.
Negatives: Too much effort. Requires going out into the sun and weather. (The winters here in Michigan are not very friendly to runners. It may be different where you live. And, personally, I’m not a fan of the sun–it’s too bright and too hot and I prefer it hides behind the clouds or on the other side of the world.) May require being among other people.
Weight Training and Depression.
Positives: Good endorphin fix, increases strength, reduces fat, visible results may improve self-esteem and confidence. Can be done alone or with other people in a gym, whatever you prefer.
Negatives: Too much effort. Can be expensive. A weight set like the CAP Barbell Regular Grey 110-Pound Weight Set at left makes a good beginner’s home gym, but it’s not cheap!
2. MILD TO MODERATE EXERCISE.
Walking and Depression.
Positives: Much like running, only less. Easy for most. Small increases in neurotransmitters and endorphins, good for blood flow, gets us outside in the sun, reduces weight, may make us feel better about ourselves. Pleasant, gives us a chance to notice the beautiful things around us. Inexpensive–just a good pair of walking shoes.
Negatives: Benefits, aside from enjoying the walk, may be slower in coming. Requires going out into the sun and weather. May require being among other people. (If you would prefer to avoid people and the weather, get an elliptical machine and walk in the privacy and safety of your home.)
Yoga and Depression.
Positives: This is ideal for anyone looking for a spiritual activity as well as an exercise. It may also be ideal for people who feel physically awkward, as it improves flexibility and balance. Yoga is good training in mindfulness, which is part of several therapies focused on controlling emotions. Yoga breathing is also great for relaxation.
Negatives: Can be difficult, depending on how flexible you are. For beginners, taking a class is highly recommended–the poses are easier to learn that way–which may be a problem for those who feel self-conscious. Some positions require special equipment, but all of it can be found in a yoga kit such as the SPRI YSK-R2 Yoga Starter Kit, which is not too expensive. (I like this one because it comes with a poster showing all of the positions to support you doing yoga solo in the privacy of your own home.)
3. BARELY EVEN EXERCISE AT ALL.
Gardening. Playing Golf. Playing on a Trampoline. Etc.
Positives: Whatever activity is fun for you would fit into this category. What these all have in common is that they are relaxing and pleasurable and involve getting up and doing something. Pleasure can do wonders for serotonin levels. Moving around, even just a little, is better for you than lying in bed all day.
Negatives: If it’s fun for you, that probably means the negatives are as minimized as they can be. Still, it can be hard to be out among people, which many of these activities require, and it can be difficult to find the energy even for pleasurable things. Since depression can strip our ability to feel pleasure, we still may feel completely unmotivated to take part in these activities. It is important on many levels to be active and to try to enjoy ourselves. Once the depression fades away a bit, it will be easier to feel pleasure, and daily enjoyment is an excellent treatment to keep depression away. Costs for these activities vary widely. You may spend a couple of hundred dollars or more on a set of golf clubs or or a 14-foot trampoline; or $ 25 on a gardening kit (or more on a slightly more hardcore gardening kit). Some activities, of course, are free. It all depends on what you enjoy?that’s what will be effective.
Exercise can make a difference against depression, if we can get ourselves over the humps of fatigue, lack of motivation, and lack of ability to feel pleasure. For some of us, medication can bring us up to the level where we can do positive things to help ourselves. For others of us, it will take something extra–an exercise buddy, a new routine, a reward. Whatever we need to do, it will likely be worth it, and exercise will be an important part of our fight against depression. In the next article, I will discuss another little weapon in our home arsenal: diet and supplements.
It is undeniable that exercise offers a lot of benefits especially when it comes to the physical aspect. The word exercise automatically creates a picture in our mind that has something to do physical activities. By doing different types of exercise, you are making your body healthy and fit. But this does not only pertain to your physical aspect, exercise also contributes in improving your mental health. In other words, exercise improves your overall health condition. This is just among the main reasons why people exercise. There are those that exercise because they want to lose weight, have fun, socialize with other people and many more. There are several types of exercise that you can choose from and your choice basically depends on your reason why you want to exercise. Here are some the three main types that you can take into consideration.
The first type is the flexibility exercise. From the name itself, exercise activities associated to this involves gentle stretching that must be done every day. By doing the exercise for flexibility, the problems related to your joints like injuries and stiffness will be prevented. This type of exercise is known to be the most important among all because this is what you should do so that you can get ready for more strenuous exercises. Tai chi, stretching and yoga are just some of the techniques that belong to this particular type of exercise.
Next on the list is the strengthening exercise which is known to be good for your muscles. Exercise activities under this type make use of weight and resistance to make sure that your muscles will become strengthened and stronger. When this happens, then the stress on your joints will be reduces and your muscles can effectively protect the joint while absorbing shock. Under this type, there are two sub-types – the isometric and isotonic. An isometric exercise strengthens our muscles without moving the joints while isotonic exercise does it the other way around, your muscles can be strengthened by constantly moving the joints.
And last but definitely not the least, the cardiovascular exercise. This particular type of exercise may refer to any exercise that involves a lot of muscles that are used in continuous and rhythmic motion like aerobics. The main purpose of this exercise is to make some of your internal organs to work more efficiently like the heart, lungs, etc. Walking, swimming, running and dancing are just some of the things that you can do which are good for your cardiovascular system.
All the three main types of exercise are beneficial for you and there is no doubt about that. But you should carefully choose the type that you want to get yourself involved in because not all types may work best for you especially of you are suffering a certain medical condition. It would be best that you ask your doctor first as to what type of exercise suits you best because he/she knows what’s good or bad for you.
Feel Better With Exercise
Most people are aware that exercise helps them lose weight, improve muscle tone and builds great physiques. What they may not know is that exercise is perhaps the best stress buster out there, and it is as good for the mind as it is for the body.
Almost any kind of exercise, whether it is aerobics, weightlifting or swimming, can relieve stress. From athletes to those who are badly out of shape, exercise can aid stress management significantly.
The connection between exercise and stress becomes evident when one explores the various benefits of exercise on the body.
1. Exercise produces endorphins: Increased physical activity increases the production of endorphins, the feel good neurotransmitters in the brain. These are what make people feel great after they have had a game of tennis or a hike in the mountains. Thus, exercise really gives people a high!
2. Improved concentration: Exercise is called moving meditation because the mind is clearly focused at the time of exercise. When people lose themselves in a game of cricket or in swimming several laps in the pool, the tensions of the day naturally slip to the back of the mind. As people successfully shed their tensions through physical activity, they start concentrating more on the task at hand. The resulting optimism and positive energy can make the mind clear and calm. In this way, regular exercise can prevent stress from creeping into life.
3. Killing the blues: Regular exercise brings about a sense of accomplishment and general well being. Exercise gives people a toned appearance, and this increases enthusiasm and self confidence. These positive feelings kill anxiety and mild depression. Thus, regular exercise brings a sense of control and perspective into the lives of people.
4. A healthy outlet for stress: Everyone handles stress differently. While many turn to binge eating to handle stress, others may starve themselves. Unfortunately, these techniques have damaging effects on the body. On the other hand, high energy exercises like martial arts and weight training can provide positive outlets for stress, turning negative emotions into the desire to improve in life. Calming exercises like Yoga can discipline the mind while strengthening the body.
5. A good distraction: Typically, most people exercise in a place that is removed from stress. There is often a change of scenery, like a park or the pool or even a gym. Thus, exercise proves to be a great distraction and allows people to get out of the ruts in their daily lives. Imagine what an activity like mountain biking or cross country hiking can do to distract the mind!
6. Social activity: People often exercise with others. Exercising with friends and acquaintances is a pleasurable activity that effectively kills stress. When people play a game of baseball or perform aerobics, they feel motivated and happy.
7. Health benefits: Finally, exercise improves the overall health of the individual. Good physical fitness keeps illness at bay. It also keeps the mind sharp and clear. Improving general health is in itself a great way o thwarting stress.
Thus, it is clear that exercise not only strengthens the body, it also brings focus and clarity to the mind. In an age where people are battling with stress at home and in the workplace, exercise could be one of the best stress busters of all. However, care must be taken to choose the exercise wisely. If exercise is not pleasurable and feels too much like hard work, it could be one more pressure point in life. Fortunately, with so many kinds of exercise to choose from, everyone can find the one that is perfect for them.