Avoid These Top 5 Workout Myths

by Roger | Jul 15, 2019 | Health, Physical Fitness

Avoid These Top 5 Workout Myths

Do you know the health and fitness industry is plagued by an over abundance of workout myths? A myth is a fiction or half truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology. Rob tells Jen about a new fitness program that is suppose to deliver amazing results; Jen tells Ted, and Ted then tells Pam, but only half of what Rob said. Confused? Just image how confusing Rob's "cutting edge" theory has become. And the funny thing is, Rob made this up by telling people they will lose 3 inches from their bellies, and hips by holding their breath for 30 seconds. Rob, without any scientific backing, dreamed this all up.

The sad thing is most people believe what they hear from so-called uninformed myth spreaders. After consulting with thousands of people, I have heard every possible workout myth known to man, and continue to de-bunk myths daily. Listed below are my all time 5 favorite workout myths. Always look for the science and logic behind what people claim. Don't automatically assume it is true unless studies back it, or specific quantitative results are shown.
After reading my 5 workout myths, you will be able to finally protect your own workout results, and share the fitness truth with others.

Myth 1 - Doing crunches, or abdominal work will decrease fat in the stomach area (If you do thousands of crunches, then you will have a flat stomach.)
This is what some infomercials preach. They state you can obtain a flat, beautiful, stomach by using their simple ab machine. All you need to do is exercise 2 minutes per day, and voila!
Please note, dear reader, you can't SPOT REDUCE! By doing a specific exercise for a certain muscle does not make fat suddenly vanish. Fat is lost over time by burning more calories than the body consumes on a regular basis. Fat will then disappear throughout your entire body, and you don't have control of where it comes off. Doing a certain exercise for a specific muscle will only guarantee a stronger, more fit muscle.
The SECRET keys to fat loss are decreasing caloric intake, increasing activity for an extended period of time, and incorporating a workout of strength, cardio, and flexibility.

Myth 2 - Lifting heavy weight for 8-12 reps will build big muscles (especially women.) You should lift very light weights and do a lot of reps, 20 +.
This is one that NEVER seems to go away. It keeps coming back to haunt me again, and again, and again. Ladies, doing heavier weights WILL NOT suddenly turn you into the Incredible Hulk. Your objective should be to maintain, or slightly increase your fat burning lean tissue. In order to do this you must increase the intensity of the exercise by elevating weight, number of reps, or decreasing rest time between sets.
If you increase intensity regularly, you will see good results. If you do not, you will get the same results you have been getting. Increase the intensity until you are happy with the progress you have made, and then maintain the same intensity level.
Women, generally, don't have the physiological make-up to develop big muscles unless they use steroids, and train with gut busting intensity. Most men workout a lifetime, and won't build big muscles. Ladies, please don't worry; challenge yourself in the gym.
Here is a valuable free resource to help you stay informed of the health, and fitness trends by letting you know what works, and what doesn't.

Myth 3 - For resistance training, you need to do 3 sets of 10-15 reps, 3 exercises per body part, and a frequency of 3 days per week.
Where the heck did 3 come from? 3 X 3 X 3? I think someone, many years ago, decided 3 was a good number to use, and people started to believe in this myth.
How many sets are really needed? According to scientific studies, the exact number of sets needed to stimulate lean tissue development is one, if preformed at 100% momentary muscle failure. A single all out set is the ideal stimulus to trigger lean tissue development. All other sets only hinder the recovery process when lean tissue develops.
Rest- people generally don't get enough rest between workouts. Please be aware that the higher the intensity, the more rest is required between workouts to allow lean tissue development. If you workout (strength train) too soon, before you are fully recovered, you will short circuit your results.
It is better to wait longer between workouts, then to workout not fully recovered.You WON'T lose your muscle tissue if you don't workout for 2 weeks.
Ideal rest times (depending upon intensity) are anywhere from 3 - 10 + days between strength training workouts.
You will need to track your progress to determine when your gains cease. When progress stops, increase your rest time even further.
If your strength keeps increasing during each workout, you are assured of getting optimal rest between sessions.

Myth 4 - All I need to do is cardiovascular training to be in shape.
Wrong! Please don't make this mistake! Cardiovascular exercise is only one piece of the workout puzzle. To design an optimal fitness program, incorporate cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility into an efficient, results producing program.
Cardiovascular exercise will do very little to increase your flexibility, and maintain or increase your lean tissue. If you avoid any of these three components, you are decreasing your results by one third.
As a result of the aging process, on average, 5-7 pounds of muscle is lost each decade, that is, if you don't strength train.

Myth 5 - All fitness equipment is good if you use it.
All fitness equipment is not created equal, especially home fitness equipment advertised in infomercials. Some pieces of fitness equipment are not well built, and can cause injury to specific individuals resulting from medical limitations.
My advice is to clear your exercise program with a physician prior to exercising or buying home gym equipment.
Home Gym Shopping Secrets is a great consumer awareness guide to rely on prior to purchasing home gym equipment. This guide will take you by the hand and show you what to buy, what to avoid, and why.
Home Gym Shopping Secrets https://www.HomeGymShoppingSecrets.com

Another tip I recommend is never plan an exercise program without input from an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Personal Trainer, or Physical Therapist.

Please follow and like us:

Discover How To Increase Your Metabolism

by Roger | Jul 8, 2019 | Health, Nutrition, Physical Fitness

Discover How To Increase Your Metabolism

A person’s metabolic rate is a measurement of how fast their body burns calories which are, in turn, a measurement of energy.

Burn more calories than your body consumes and you lose weight; burn more calories than your body consumes and you gain weight. Another way to say that is this: consume less calories than your body burns and you lose weight; consume more calories than your body burns and you gain weight.

The way to use your body’s metabolism to lose weight, then, is twofold:
Consume less calories than you burn (as in dieting);
Burn more calories than you consume (as in exercising);

The average body’s metabolic rate, and the rate at which the Percentage Daily Values of the nutrients on a food’s nutrition label are based, is 2000 calories per day.

Your body burns a certain number of calories per day just by virtue of you being alive – In other words, no exercise necessary. The process of breathing, for example, burns calories. As does the circulating of blood. All forms of burning calories based on nothing other than the act of being alive make up what’s called you Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Interestingly enough, a person’s BMR makes up about 60% of the calories their bodies burn in a given day. The remaining 10% of the calories burned in a day are burned by what’s called Dietary Thermongenesis, comprising the heat-producing acts of eating and internally processing food.

It is entirely possible to boost your body’s natural metabolism, in other words: burn more calories in a shorter period of time, or burn calories faster. Strength training (as in lifting weights) is one way to achieve remarkable effects. When you lift weights, the muscles tear and must be repaired by the body’s natural healing processes. Those processes require the body burn more calories. The body with a bigger muscle mass burns more at rest calories in any given span of time. As a general rule, we burn 50 extra calories a day for each extra pound of muscle.

Beyond weight training, the other tried-and-true method for boosting your metabolism is simply remaining active. The mere act of moving around burns calories, so logically the more you move around the more calories you burn. Take walks on your breaks at work. Park one or two streets over. Tidy up around the house while you chat on the phone. None of these require a gym membership or an unscheduleable block of time. A little bit over a long time adds up to a lot.

Lastly, there are dietary measures you can take to help boost your metabolism. Caffeinated beverages (green tea being one of the healthier choices) and spicy foods have both been shown to increase the body’s metabolic rate. Also, if you start having more frequent smaller meals rather than jus 2 or 3 large ones (“grazing” throughout the day, so to speak), your metabolism will be in a constant state of activity breaking down and processing your many small meals.

Please follow and like us:

Weight Lifting – What Every Beginner Should Know!

by Roger | Jul 1, 2019 | Motivation, Physical Fitness, Uncategorized

Weight Lifting – What Every Beginner Should Know!

Here are a few things that beginners should know about weight lifting.

First you put good strain on your joints as well as your bones when you lift weights. This strengthens your bones. Strong bones protect our bodies against breakage and osteoporosis.

Another important point about weight lifting is that as your muscles increase in size your body becomes more shapely and firm - more attractive.

Weight lifting also helps you more vigorously perform your aerobic exercise, which in turn will increase your cardiovascular endurance and help your heart. The reason you are able to perform at a higher level is the weight lifting has increased your muscular strength, and therefore your ability to tolerate more intense exercise.

Weight lifting also gives you nice after effects to your metabolism. By adding muscle to your body through weight lifting, you likely will increase your metabolic rate. If you increase your metabolism you increase the amount of fat burning enzymes in your body. This means you’ll burn more body fat even at rest! What a great bonus!

When you lift weights you should find the right weight that allows you to do 8-12 repetitions of the same movement with the same weight. If you are able to repeat it more than 12 times the weight is too light for you. If you can't do at least 8 reps the weight is too heavy.

This 8-12 repetition practice is called a set. A beginning weight lifter should only be doing one or two sets of any weight lifting movement at one time.

Beginners often forget to breathe when they lift weights, which is dangerous because it can elevate your blood pressure. You should concentrate on inhaling on the eccentric or lowering phase of the lift and exhale on the concentric or lifting phase of the lift.

When weight lifting, you should always work your largest muscles first. Smaller muscles get tired faster. If they tire too quickly they can't help you work your large muscles. The first things you are going to work are your chest, back, shoulders and thighs. Then you do weight lifting exercises for your arms, abdominals and calves last. If you’re new to weight lifting, I would suggest picking 6-8 exercises that covers all the major body parts above. Perform these exercises 2-3 times per week making sure you allow at least 48 hours between workout sessions, so your body has time to recover.

Good Luck!

Please follow and like us:

Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes

by Roger | Jun 3, 2019 | Nutrition, Physical Fitness

Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes

One of the most undemanding and the most workable ways to knock over blood sugar amount, eliminate the dangers of "cardiovascular disease," and perk up health and welfare in general is exercise.

In spite of that, in today's inactive world where almost every indispensable job can be carried out online, from the ergonomic chair in front of a computer, or with a streaming line of messages from a fax machine, exercising can be a hard argument to win over.

The Weight of Exercise

Everyone should exercise, yet the health experts tells us that only 30% of the United States population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all. In fact, inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. and Canada because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is on the rise. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes every year increased by 48% between 1980 and 1994. Nearly all the new cases are Type 2 Diabetes, or adult-onset, the kind that moves in around middle age. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased thirst, appetite, and need to urinate; feeling tired, edgy, or sick to the stomach; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands.

The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex and not completely understood, although research is uncovering new clues at a rapid pace.

However, it has already been proven that one of the reasons for the boom in type 2 diabetes is the widening of waistbands and the trend toward a more deskbound and inactive lifestyle in the United States and other developed countries. In America, the shift has been striking; in the 1990s alone, obesity increased by 61% and diagnosed diabetes by 49%.

For this reason, health experts encourage those who already have type 2 diabetes to start employing the wonders that exercise can do for them. Without exercise, people have the tendency to become obese. Once they are obese, they have bigger chances of accumulating type 2 diabetes.

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that over 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are clinically overweight. Therefore, it is high time that people, whether inflicted with type 2 diabetes or not, should start doing those jumping and stretching activities.

Getting Started

The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a "dyed-in-the-wool" sluggish, is to consult with your health care provider. If you have cardiac risk factors, the health care provider may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain diabetic complications will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible retinal detachment.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor. If you are taking insulin, you may need to take special precautions to prevent hypoglycemia during your workout.

Start Slow

For those who have type 2 diabetes, your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk. If you have not been very active before now, start slowly and work your way up. Walk the dog or get out in the yard and rake. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the lot and walk. Every little bit does work, in fact, it really helps a lot.

As little as 15 to 30 minutes of daily, heart-pumping exercise can make a big difference in your blood glucose control and your risk of developing diabetic complications. One of the easiest and least expensive ways of getting moving is to start a walking program. All you need is a good pair of well-fitting, supportive shoes and a direction to head in.

Indeed, you do not have to waste too many expenses on costly "health club memberships," or the most up-to-date health device to start pumping those fats out. What you need is the willingness and the determination to start exercising to a healthier, type 2 diabetes-free life.

The results would be the sweetest rewards from the effort that you have exerted.

Please follow and like us:

Are You Really Overweight?

by Roger | May 27, 2019 | Health, Nutrition, Physical Fitness

Are You Really Overweight?

If you are overweight, you know it by how you feel, how your clothes fit or how you look. But, by how much are you really overweight? And how much weight do you need to lose?

One measure of how much you should weight is by determining your Body Mass Index, BMI. This index gives you the relationship of your weight to your height. Here is the formula:

Your BMI = [(yourWeight)/(your Height x your Height)] x 705

If you weight 143 lbs and are 64 in tall, then

your BMI = [(143) / (64 x 64)] x 705 = 26.2. Based on the chart below a BMI of 26.2 is overweight.

·underweight, BMI = 18.5
·normal weight BMI = 18.5 - 24.9
·overweight BMI = 25 - 29.9
·slight obesity BMI = 30 - 34.9
·obese BMI = 35 - 39.9
·excess obese = BMI = greater than 40

If we consider the normal BMI number to be 21.5 then you can compute approximately how much weight you should lose using the same BMI formula but by changing things around in the formula,
(your ideal Weight) = [(normal BMI / 705) x (your Height x your Height)]

For the example above if you have a BMI = 26.2 and the normal BMI number = 21.5, then,

(your ideal Weight) = [(21.5/705) x (64 x 64)] = 124.91

you should weight 124.91 lbs. That means you need to lose (143 -124.9) lbs = 18.1 lbs.

Try to get your BMI below 25. Under this number, you can expect to have good heath if you are eating the right kinds of food and exercising regularly. If your BMI is greater than 28, you are more likely to have cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many other diseases related to a toxic colon.

Keep track of your waistline. Your waistline, if you are a man, should be less than 35 ". For women it should be less than 30". As your waistline get larger you become more susceptible to diseases. Of course, waistlines are going to vary because people have different shapes. But you know if your waistline to big for your shape.

Now you should know how much weight you need to lose. Beside your waistline, you should also measure bust/chest, hips, and thighs.. This gives you an indication how your body is changing. As you lose fat you may not lose weight for a while. Your body will become toned as you exercise. The weight scale does not always tell you that your body is changing and losing weight.

Please follow and like us:

Exercise-Can You Exercise Too Much?

by Roger | Apr 1, 2019 | Health, Physical Fitness

Exercise-Can You Exercise Too Much?

Exercise is good for us and we all need some sort of it to keep our bodies in good health. However when you are working out it is important not to put abnormal strain on your body or you will defeat your purpose and do more harm than good.

Avoiding body stress when exercising: First of all be sure you are healthy. It is wise to have a physical check up before you begin an exercise regime, especially if you are recovering from an illness. It is very important not to over do it:

· Start excising gradually, do not rush into a strenuous routine
· Stimulate your body systems carefully by carrying out each exercise correctly.
· Wear clothing that is comfortable
· Exercise regularly if possible at a set time.
· Results will come over time do not expect instant consequences
· You may want to consult a physician, if you have just recovered from a serious illness.

Be careful not to get overheated: heat exhaustion can creep up on you and can be dangerous. Here are a few safety tips for outdoor exercise in those hot summer days.

Replace fluids: your body can dehydrate quite quickly if you are not careful. It may not be particularly hot but if it is humid you will sweat more and lose valuable fluids. You can replace fluids with sports drinks- replacement of minerals and cool water. Always make sure you drink a lot when exercising in the heat. For short bouts of working out, less than an hour, water is sufficient. For longer exercise sports drinks are recommended.

In really hot weather you can schedule your workout either in the evening or early morning. Consider working indoors if this cannot be managed.

Be aware of warning signs like fatigue and feeling light headed. If you experience these symptoms stop, rest in the cool and drink plenty of fluids.

Dress in loose cool clothes that will allow your body to breathe and sweat.

Be careful of air quality alerts, which can be more prevalent in summer. It is best to do indoor exercise if there are alerts.

Regular exercise: It is best to take regular exercise rather than a lot one day and none for the next few days. 20 minutes 2-3 times a day is a good regime. Or you can take a brisk walk for 2-5 miles. Bicycling is good but should be done in the cool of the day. The main thing to remember is to be careful and not overexert yourself. It is good to push yourself a little but not too much and you will see the results you need.

Get into the habit of trying to exercise at the same time and you will soon fall into a routine. Once you are in the habit of exercising you will see those pounds come off and at the same time you will strengthen your muscles. Over time you will see a change in yourself and will definitely feel much better, Exercise should always be coupled with a healthy diet for maximum results. As well as this you should get adequate rest so that you can have an all-round feeling of good health.

Please follow and like us:

« Older Entries