Exercise Matters, No Matter What Your Age!
By Sharyl Calhoun
Birthdays stink! Or so says the little skunk hanging from my car mirror–a reminder from my daughter-in-law that I’m nearing another dreaded hill in my life.
Actually, the age doesn’t bother me. It’s the fact that weight GAINED from my cake and ice cream is so much more difficult to LOSE after one of those particular birthdays. I’m also finding that joint pain and backaches make it more and more difficult to exercise consistently.
Here’s a simple fact: If I START to exercise, I hurt. But...if I STOP exercising, I hurt even more!
• “Before beginning this exercise, please consult your doctor.” In the past I thought this warning was only for heart patients. But now I’m discovering other reasons why you should heed this advice. It costs a lot of money for visits to the chiropractor and the podiatrist after injuries, not to mention the time and effort you’ve invested in your progress thus far.
• When an injury occurs, you cannot simply stop exercising. You will lose all the progress you’ve made so far. Instead, talk with your doctor about an alternative exercise. If you’ve acquired a stress fracture in your foot from jogging, he may recommend swimming instead. If your lower back is giving you fits after yard work, you may need to steer clear of certain weight machines for a while.
• There are so many exercising options available, that it’s usually our own fault if we grow old and lazy. Look under “Exercise” in your phone book yellow pages. You’ll find health and fitness centers with weight rooms, dancing instruction, racquet ball, swimming pools, aerobics, and yoga. You can go it alone or join a group of people with similar fitness goals (and similar physiques).
• Trot down the sporting goods aisle of your local department store. It’s amazing how many fitness tools are available! With a DVD, you can learn Tao Bo or Pilates in the privacy of your own home, walk the treadmill to upbeat music with people who encourage your pace (and shut them off when you get tired), do an aerobics exercise workout, or learn to Tango with a friend or spouse.
• You can buy a stationary bike trainer unit for your old 2-wheeler and pedal in any weather. You can purchase hand weights to wear as you work around the house, ankle weights to walk the treadmill, or heavy weights for your curl bar. If weights aren’t your style, try out some rubber bands or resistance cords. Most of these items come with their own written instructions for exercise.
See, there is no excuse. If one part of your body is out of commission for a while, exercise whatever muscles you can. Don’t give up. Exercise matters, no matter what your age.
S. Calhoun http://www.fastandnaturalweightlossprogram.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharyl_Calhoun
http://EzineArticles.com/?Exercise-Matters,-No-Matter-What-Your-Age!&id=251870
Benefits of Exercise When PregnantBenefits of Exercise When Pregnant
Exercising during pregnancy is always a very good idea, and the benefits for you are numerous. Exercise will help ensure that you stay healthy and fit. The healthier you are during pregnancy, the less likely you will have any difficulties with pregnancy. The fitter you are, the easier your childbirth experience will be. It will help you control weight gain during pregnancy and weight loss after pregnancy. It will also help minimize stretch marks.
Most importantly exercise will:
" Help maintain a healthy and steady weight gain for you and your baby.
" Increase your Self esteem, lowering depression and anxiety.
" Help reduce pregnancy related discomfort such as backaches, leg cramps, constipation, bloating, and swelling.
" Help you to recover from delivery and return to a healthy weight faster.
" Accelerate postpartum weight loss.
" Improve your mood, energy level, and feelings about the way you look.
" Improve sleep quality. " Strengthen your muscles and improve your blood flow.
Exercising does however need to be kept in moderation. If you are someone who has always exercised, then there are a few changes that will need to be made to adapt to your changed body. If you have just started to exercise, then you will need to ease yourself into it.
" If you have been exercising regularly, you will be able to maintain your routine to some extent throughout your pregnancy.
" If you are just starting to exercise you should start gradually.
" Try and exercise at least 3 times a week.
" Stretch, but not too much. Extreme stretching could actually cause more damage than good.
" Try and measure your heart rate constantly during exercise. Try not to exceed 150 beats per minute.
" Hydrate with cold refreshing water before and during exercise.
" Don't lift heavy weights while pregnant.
" Never exercise to the point of breathlessness.
" Wear comfortable clothing that fits well and supports and protects your breasts.
" Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, short of breath, pain in your back, swelling, numbness, sick to your stomach, or if your heart is beating too fast or at an uneven rate.
" Choose moderate activities that are unlikely to injure you, such as walking, aqua aerobics, swimming, yoga, or hire a personal trainer with a certification in maternity fitness who can give you a tailored program to suit all your needs and enhance your maternity experience.
Exercising after Birth:
Most women are very eager to regain their pre-pregnancy figures, and women who have exercised through out their pregnancy will gain their figure back much faster than those who haven't exercised during pregnancy.
As before when you started training or exercising when you were first pregnant, you need to start off slowly. You may only start exercising again once your body has completely healed from the stress of labor. So start slowly, and enjoy getting back the figure you used to have!Tips for pregnancy
Talk to your health care provider about how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy. Eat foods rich in folate, iron, calcium, and protein, or get these nutrients through a prenatal supplement.
Talk to your health care provider before taking any supplements.
Eat breakfast every day.
Eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.
Avoid alcohol, raw fish, fish high in mercury, soft cheeses, and anything that is not food.
Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. Talk to your health care provider before you begin.After you deliver your baby, continue eating well. Return to a healthy weight gradually.
Slowly get back to your routine of regular, moderate physical activity.Take pleasure in the miracles of pregnancy and birth.
DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success. Her credentials include...
Currently licensed Registered Nurse specializing in Rehabilitative NursingMedical Exercise Therapist: certified by AAHFRP, an internationally recognized physical rehabilitation certificationMaternity Specialist Pre & Post Natal certified by Maternal FitnessPersonal Fitness Specialist: certified by NASM, an internationally recognized certificationYoga TeacherProfessional Health Member, National Organization of Fitness Instructors (IDEA), a leading membership organization of health and fitness professionalsDeborah Caruana RN, MES, CPTEmail: deb@vitalsignsfitness.comWebsite: http://www.vitalsignsfitness.com
article source: adzines.com
Getting Proper Nutrition Before You Exercise
By Michael Gray
Essential nutrients are needed, especially around the time you are working out. Signs of poor sports nutrition can be subtle. They can include diminished athletic performance, fatigue, lethargy and weakness, headaches, minor injuries, disrupted menstruation, brain fog and periods of extreme food restrictions (often alternated with uncontrolled appetite and binges). By learning more about nutrition, you can understand how to properly snack before a workout and after a workout.
The Pre-workout Phase is one to two hours before you are going to workout. During this time, you should consume 14-22 ounces of fluid to stay hydrated. Your meals should be high in easily digested carbohydrates (70-80% of calories) with low to moderate levels of fat (less than 15% of calories, protein (10-12%) and fiber for quick digestion and less stomach upset. Good snack choices for this phase include a whole-grain bagel and low-fat yogurt, or a banana and a glass of milk. The Energy Phase is during your workout itself. The main goal in this phase is to start hydrated and stay hydrated. You should be drinking 6-12 ounces on fluid every 15-20 minutes. If you are working out for more than an hour, ensure steady supply of carbohydrates and electrolytes also. Sports drinks and fruit juices are good choices for this phase.
The forty-five minutes following your workout is the Anabolic Phase. This is when your body starts repairing training damage by replenishing muscle glycogen synthesizing muscle protein and boosting the immune system. High-glycemic carbohydrates should be consumed along with a rapidly absorbed protein in a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio. Limit the sugar intake. Fruit juice like pomegranate is a good choice since in includes antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. The period between one anabolic phase and your next workout is the Growth Phase. The goal during this time is t promote overall recovery and keep protein synthesis and tissue repair going. You should gradually taper carbohydrate intake for the first four hours after the workout to maintain the anabolic state and heightened level of insulin sensitivity. You can change from the sugar-based meal in the anabolic phase toward slowly digested, low-glycemic carbohydrate sources such as whole grains and vegetables to help keep blood-sugar levels stable. Proper nutrition can boost your performance, build more muscle and burn more fat and help your body quickly repair any damage caused by activity.
The author of this article is Allison Preston who runs http://www.Fitness-web.com a website dedicated to health, diet, fitness and exercise topics. Fitness-Web.com has reviews of popular http://www.fitness-web.com/equipment/ exercise equipment and http://www.fitness-web.com/fi/online diet programs. She also publishes a fitness blog where she publishes new articles and information every week
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Gray
http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-Proper-Nutrition-Before-You-Exercise&id=384418
Free Online Games
