Archive for February, 2011

Interval Training: Anaerobic and Aerobic Exercise Routine

To formulate an interval training workout you need to understand the difference between a predominantly anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise uses metabolism produced energy that does not require oxygen. Aerobic means oxygen is involved in the energy production.

In general, anaerobic exercises are intense bursts of movement, like weight lifting and sprinting. Whereas, aerobic is slower paced, like jogging and walking. Interval training is an exercise routine that is designed to oscillate between these two types of energy production.

An example of interval training is sprinting for 30 seconds followed by jogging for a minute. This anaerobic and aerobic routine of exercise is then repeated over and over for a set amount of cycles. Interval training not only improves your overall cardiovascular fitness, but it causes you to be more fit by building strength, stamina and endurance.

Interval training is not the same as circuit training because that exercise routine changes the nature of your movement. In contrast, interval training largely goes back and forth in intensity of one type of anaerobic then aerobic movement.

Probiotics Help with Weight Loss

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are “good” bacteria. They are the bacteria that help digestion and help to keep our digestive tract working properly. Our digestive system houses more than 500 different bacteria that keep us healthy. Probiotics also help keep our immune system healthy. Studies have shown that probiotics can decrease your risk of getting the flu and help with eczema and urinary infections.

How can probiotics help you lose weight?

Probiotics might help change the way your metabolism works. This in combination with the way probiotics help regulate the digestive system may help some people lose weight. However, this might now work for everyone as some people experience bloating and gas from ingesting too many probiotics. It might be difficult to determine the exact dosage for optimal results because not a lot of research has been done to confirm or deny that probiotics help with weight loss.

Where do I find probiotics?

Probiotics are found in the following foods:

  • miso
  • yogurt
  • buttermilk
  • sauerkraut
  • natto & tempeh
  • kombucha tea (fermented tea)

The latter two are both a form of fermented soybeans. The most common area most people add probiotics to their diet is from a daily serving of yogurt. Look for “contains active cultures” on the food label to be sure that it contains probiotics.

Is there any harm in taking probiotics?

There is no documented evidence that taking large amounts of probiotics causes any negative long term effects. However, this is because the research is limited. Probiotics are definitely beneficial but it is also not known as to how much they can help your health over an extended period of time.

What illnesses do probiotics cure?

Probiotics do not cure any diseases. They can help decrease the effects of the following illnesses:

  • eczema
  • yeast infections
  • urinary tract infections
  • irritable bowel syndrome
  • inflammatory bowel disease

Probiotics have also been shown to help reduce the risk of returning bladder cancer. They also can guard against colon cancer and boost your overall immune system.

Do I just take probiotics like a diet pill?

Probiotics will not work like a diet pill. They do nothing to suppress hunger. Taking probiotics while counting calories and maintaining an active lifestyle should help you see the weight come off faster and safer than other methods such as taking diet pills. If you experience any discomfort or bloating, decrease the amount of probiotics you are ingesting. It is a good idea to start with a lower dosage anyway to get your body acquainted with these “healthy” bacteria.

Circuit Training, What is Circuit Training

Circuit training is a great way to get fit in a short period of time. It’s a total body workout that builds stamina, endurance and strength all in one fitness routine.

So, what is circuit training? Well, the basic program is to alternate between a strength exercise and cardiovascular exercise in relatively short bursts. You essentially circuit through your entire body with various strength training maneuvers and you use a variety of aerobic exercises in between.

Circuit training is a highly efficient way to improve your overall fitness when time is of the essence. Also, this training via circuits can be a valuable time crunch contributor to a weight loss program as well. And circuit training and interval training are not interchangeable, they are different conditioning programs.

Aerobics, Aerobic Dancing Injuries and Aerobic Dance Shoes

Aerobics is a popular way to get and stay fit. However, aerobic dancing is not brought to you without a potential for injury, particularly if you don’t wear the proper shoes.

Aerobics is a workout set to music, that typically begins with stretching and ends with a cool down. In between the two is increased heart rate aerobic dancing that’s designed with benefits of:

Aerobic dance is a physically strenuous form of exercise, even more than running, so the risk of injury is always out there. Aerobics injuries most often involve the foot, ankle, knee, hip and back. And most injuries stem from unsuitable shoes, surfaces, routines or conditioning.

A few of the more common aerobic dancing injuries or residual discomforts include:

Many of these sports injuries can be avoided by starting slowly and stopping when your body cries out in pain, particularly any joint pain in your foot, ankle, heel, knee, back and hip.

You must also avoid dehydration during your aerobics workout because it may cause nausea, dizziness, muscle fatigue and cramping. And sports drinks containing electrolytes can replace those lost in the sweat of aerobic dance.

The most vital aspect of aerobics is wearing aerobic dance shoes on your feet. Because of the nature of this aerobic fitness routine, the shoe must provide stability, support and shock absorption to compensate for the high impact and sudden movements placed on your feet. Aerobic dancing shoes are specifically crafted to help prevent injuries associated with these foot actions.

Who Says Senior Citizens Can’t Be Fit?

Staying fit is a difficult enough endeavor at any age. It is a constant journey. For the elderly, the customary problems are often magnified by an immobility, which is in part a by-product of retirement, but also a reaction to the body’s natural decline. According to the National Institute on Aging, loss of strength, elasticity, and other normal bodily attributes need not be unavoidable.

Obesity appears to be on the rise within our aging community. For both biochemical and social reasons, a certain degree of weight increase is to be expected. Sedentary habits, which often arise among retirees, enable these natural gains in the resistance to frequently curative forms of exercise.

The cycle is indeed vicious. A once potent desire to move has been adversely affected by physiological changes, complicated by an often-unacknowledged feeling of uselessness, resulting in a malaise, which feeds the inactivity.

The slower metabolism associated with seniors translates into diminished expenditure of calories consumed; daily requirements decrease while appetites do not. Adults over 70 experience as much as a 15% loss of reaction time due to reduced neurological efficiency.

As early as age 30, cardiovascular functions begin to deteriorate by approximately 0.5% annually, and muscle mass at an estimated 1%. Such declines accelerate after 50 but slow down in the seventies. They are neither inevitable nor even, necessarily, irreversible. Regular exercise modifies the aging process to reduce the likelihood of disabilities or certain chronic ailments such as coronary artery disease.

Osteoporosis, that much too common malady among seniors, has responded most favorably to the introduction of a controlled physical regimen. Balancing routines help to prevent injuries. Weight training has resulted in increased bone density among many (overwhelmingly female) patients afflicted with the illness. Working out with dumbbells at only 10 to 15 repetitions per set twice a week can stabilize and even reverse the symptoms.

Regardless of an individual’s specific health concerns, seniors are encouraged to walk habitually and participate in water aerobics for maximum results with minimum effort. Many find the controlled atmosphere of a health club or spa most conducive to self-improvement with its organization and trained supervisors. Unencumbered by bone, joint, or muscle problems, the increased mobility, which is invariably the result, whatever the setting, allows for a less strenuous completion of the selected activities.

Diet, of course, plays a major part in weight loss. As with an overweight person from any age bracket, seniors will be required to make sacrifices. It is fairly common knowledge what to omit. Better to concentrate on what to include.

Replenishing the system cannot be overstressed. Water, water everywhere, and not just to drink. Foods with high fluid content like lettuce and soups serve to keep one sufficiently hydrated. Fiber is similarly essential and can be found in whole grain breads and rice, whole and dried fruits, and raw, dark-colored vegetables. Eggs are excellent sources of protein as are lean meats. Bone brittleness being prevalent in older women, making them odds-on candidates for hip replacements, calcium is a necessity, coupled with the previously mentioned calisthenics.

Consult a nutritionist to learn what other nutrients may be needed and what foods provide them. Try to get them from eating and not from swallowing supplements. Talk to your family doctor to avoid the possibility of negative interactions from specific foods and drinks with your prescription medications.

Following these basic rules will put you on the road to a longer, fitter, slimmer life. So don’t just sit there.

This article was contributed by www.weightlosstriumph.com, a source of coupons for medically approved meal replacement diets such as Medifast discounts and promotional codes.

Carol M. White Physical Education Program

The value of physical education is now more apparent than ever. Over the course of the past three decades, obesity rates have tripled in the US, leaving one in every three children overweight. These children will face subtle problems such as low self-esteem and self-confidence, in addition to even more serious problems: high blood pressure, heart disease, and asthma, among other health complications. To fight back against this serious social problem, many researchers, community organization groups, and physical education teachers are working to develop new, improved PE programs to get children interested in exercise and physical activities. Some groups, such as the Carol M. White Physical Education Program, offer cash incentives and PE grants to schools and organizations to establish, expand, or revamp their physical education programs.

OVERVIEW

The Carol M. White pep grant of 2010 is a grant set aside for local education agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) to institute, enhance, or expand physical education programs.

  • The grant is only for children from Kindergarten through twelfth grade.
  • Grant recipients must institute programs that help students meet state standards.
  • The program does not necessarily have to be during school PE classes, but can include after-school activities, such as team sports.

Funds may be used for:

  • Funding teacher training
  • Payments to support staff
  • Providing equipment and support devices/programs to help students participate freely in phys ed activities

DISBURSEMENT

Looking at how the Carol M. White pep grant has been dispersed in the past should give you a good idea of how much funding you can expect to receive. Last year, $39,000,000 was set aside for the grants. This was divided up into 93 grants. Schools or organizations that qualified for the grant received an award ranging from $100,000 to $750,000 for that year, with recipients collecting, on average, about $427,000. The grants are intended to last the organizations about 36 months.

SPECIFICS

Applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify for the grant, as it can only be used for specific purposes. The grant does not apply to facility construction. If you were planning on using the grant to build a new playground or gymnasium, then you are advised to look for other programs. The Carol M. White pep grant is intended to fund the following:

  • Teacher training
  • Curriculum development
  • Student fitness assessments
  • Data collection/evaluations

For information please visit the SPARK website.

Exercise Adaptation, Muscle Adaptation Fitness Effects

To increase your fitness level you must move, and moving in a manner with specific intent to develop your fitness is what’s referred to as exercise. Exercise is a process for which your body will adapt to a stress with increasing fitness provided it’s above the intensity of the current adaptation.

So in order to improve your level of fitness you must overload. Otherwise, exercise adaptation has the fitness effects of remaining the same or atrophy in response to less.

The fitness effects of exercise adaptation is most dramatic in skeletal muscle. Muscle adaptation is the effect of muscle’s ability to quickly accommodate a tolerable increase in the load. However, should you overload a muscles ability to adapt, then over-training is the fitness effects. And the load for positive exercise adaptation varies dramatically among individuals.

Significant improvement in fitness can occur when appropriate stresses are introduced during exercise. For optimal muscle adaptation effects, exercises must be designed with adequate intensity and duration. The type of fitness you want to develop must be considered, be it predominantly muscle adaptation to build up strength or endurance.

Muscular adaptation to high resistance, low repetition builds strength, the fitness effects of weight lifting. Whereas, the opposite builds endurance, for instance exercise adaptation to running.

Rest is vital to reap the maximal fitness effects through exercise as well. Not enough recovery results in diminished capacity of your muscles to exert the force necessary to produce muscle adaptation. What the ideal rest period is not scientifically known, but going max three to four times per week seems to be historically sound for exercise adaptation.

In order to improve the level of fitness, you must progressively increase the load because of the effects of exercise adaptation. And muscles adapt specifically to the nature of the stress. Even if you are just after general fitness effects, you’ll still need to move enough to stimulate some adaptation.

Quick Ways to Build Muscle

The formula for building muscle quickly is to adopt a proper and safe exercise program that relies heavily on weight training complemented with the right diet high in protein and plenty of quality sleep. The physiological process for building lean muscle and body mass includes breaking muscle tissue down through weight training and building it back up through diet and sleep. It takes all three components to effectively build strong lean muscle mass.

Weight Training

The first step to building muscle is to tear the muscle down. During weight training the muscle tissue is literally broken down. This opens the way for the body to rebuild the muscle increasing the strength and size of the muscle tissue.

Weight training should be done correctly to ensure safety and effectiveness. A professional trainer should be consulted when starting out. Weight training can be done for targeted areas of specific muscle groups or compounded to work the entire body in a single session.

Free weight training normally includes the use of dumbbells, bench presses and medicine balls. Weight training with free weights is the quickest way to build muscle. Free weights also provide the additional bonus of developing better balance and control.

A significant part of a good weight training program includes recovery between sets. Rest and recovery are critical in order to develop muscles. Rest and recovery between exercise sets should take a minute or less depending on the muscle groups. Larger muscles take longer to recover. However, recovery time should not be too long as the muscles tend to cool down.

Another very important part of proper exercise is an appropriate level of hydration. Dehydration can lead to muscle cramps, headaches, and other complications. Water is the best way to hydrate during weight training.

Nutrition and Muscle Building

Protein is the single most important nutrient used for building muscle. Of all the essential nutrients, protein makes up the greatest percentage of muscle. Protein is made up of amino acids. These amino acids are broken down and used by the body for various physiological processes. Muscle tissue uses protein to repair and rebuild. There are a variety of great sources for protein that include seafood such as tuna and salmon, whole eggs, white-meat poultry, dairy products, beans, chicken breasts, beans, and soy. The best source of quick protein with the highest biological value is whey. Often taken in a protein drink, whey provides a tremendous amount of quick protein and is ideal for a post-workout lift.

Carbohydrates are also needed by the body to produce energy and ensure overall health. Carbohydrates include vegetables and grains such as brown rice and whole grain pasta. They take longer to digest than protein and release a study flow of energy for the body. Carbohydrates should be eaten in small portions.

The body also needs a daily supply of vitamins and minerals to remain strong and healthy, especially during muscle building. Supplements are a good way to ensure all of the necessary vitamins and minerals are provided but nothing beats plenty of real fruits and vegetables.

Sleep

Regular sleep is imperative to a muscle building plan. A minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep per night is required by the body to properly heal. The body does the bulk of its healing during sleep and this includes repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. While the weight training sessions break muscle tissue down, proper nutrition and adequate sleep build muscle back up.

Nicole has been blogging for 3 years on a wide variety of topics. She currently blogs about where to find the best deals online for t shirts.

The Mirror

It’s one of the first things you peer into after opening your eyes in the morning. It has an interesting amount of power over everyone. It’s your best friend, or your worst nightmare. You might dread looking into the mirror every morning. Some people even go to great lengths to avoid it. For me, it was always a means of reassurance. I would reassure myself that it could be worse. I could be much more out of shape than I actually was, however, that game plan didn’t seem to work too well for me in the end. Although the easiest person to lie to is, in fact, yourself, the mirror doesn’t hold the capacity for false truths. What you see is what you get. What you see is the truth. Face it. I did.

When it comes to losing weight, gaining muscle, and becoming that sexy beach bodied individual you see all over magazine covers and in the movies, it comes down to three things:

  1. Aspiration/Ambition
  2. Motivation
  3. Discipline

Aspiration/Ambition – You have to have a goal in mind. Make one for every 3 months. Get into the gym for a few weeks. See what you can do, weight-wise, cardio-wise, and makes some goals for 3 months down the road. Don’t go too big, or too small – make them achievable, but at the same time – make them make you WORK for them.

Motivation – you have to have motivation, plain and simple. For me, I use the mirror. In the beginning, I didn’t like my body – at all, and for good reason, it was nothing to be proud of. As I began to see results, they became my motivation. I was proud of myself. I couldn’t believe the results I was seeing, and I wanted to keep them going! Do the same thing for yourself, turn that mirror into a tool!

Discipline – Probably the most important aspect of all, is Discipline. You have to have it be disciplined, all over the place. Diet, training and rest periods – these are the 3 categories you need to focus on. As far as diet goes , EAT BETTER! Don’t eat anything you’d be embarrassed to tell other gym junkies about. That’s a good rule of thumb. Stay disciplined when it comes to diet, it’s honestly the most important aspect. Next, always get into the gym – stick to your schedule, and when you get in there MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT. Push yourself to failure when weight training.

Run that extra mile when you’re doing cardio.

I don’t claim that I should be advertised on Angie’s List as a personal trainer or anything, but I have made significant improvements as far as my physical stature goes. If you’re going to make it happen for yourself, get ready, nothing changes if nothing changes. Don’t cut corners, don’t quit before your body tells you to quit, and stay motivated. Use that mirror to your advantage. Pretty soon, you’ll be excited to take your shirt off in front of it. I know I am.

How to Stay Healthy on Road Trips

Road trips can be fun, exhilarating and educational journeys. But one thing they are usually not is healthy. Sitting for hours at a time in a car while you stuff your face with junk food isn’t the best thing for your weight or health. It’s far too easy to forget about your well being while traveling, so here are some tips on how to stay healthy on road trips.

It’s a struggle to eat healthy on the road. It’s a lot easier to eat at fast food restaurants and grab quick snacks from gas stations. Even though you don’t have a fridge in the next room, you may find yourself eating more than usual due to constantly snacking out of boredom. It’s scary but true fact that a few days of atrocious eating coupled with lack of physical activity can cause you to gain five to ten pounds easy.

There are several ways to deal with this problem. The best way is to plan ahead and bring food with you. Before you leave, think about what meals you can prepare on the road yourself and what snacks you can bring. If you run out of food however, avoid hitting up a convenience store for restocking purposes because you’ll just end up with cookies and candy bars. It’s not like convenience stores are known for their wide selection of foods. Rather, try to go to a grocery store where there are actually fruits and vegetables available.

If you must have your junk food, try to keep it to one item a day. If there is no way to avoid heading to a fast food restaurant, try to get the healthiest item on the menu. Most major fast food franchises these days, such as Wendy’s or McDonald’s, offer salads. Grilled chicken sandwiches are also a healthier choice, but be wary of sauces because they’re full of calories.

Many people deliberately deprive themselves of water on road trips because they don’t want to have to stop to go to the bathroom. This isn’t the healthiest practice, and can lead to dehydration, especially if it’s really hot outside. So grin and bear the bathroom breaks, because being properly hydrated is more important than getting to your destination faster.

Once you’ve gotten your diet under control, it’s time to incorporate some exercise into your road trip experience. Physical activity will not only help you stay healthy, but it will also relieve aches and pains associated with sitting for long periods of time. Try to stop the car every hour and take a little walk to stretch your limbs. There are a couple of exercises you can do while in the car and there’s no reason you can’t bring a couple of small dumbbells with you so you can lift weights. Another great idea is to take a short run before you embark in the mornings or when you stop driving at night.

Mark Avery is a writer from one of the cheapest car rental websites around, Car Rental Express.com.

Exercising After Baby

It is a natural feeling to want to get free of the excess baby weight after the birth of your child. While breastfeeding can help to eliminate some of that weight, exercising is still a great option for burning the fat. Make sure with your health care provider before starting an exercise routine. While moms who exercised up until the birth of the baby may be able to start exercising as early as one week after delivering, mothers who had a cesarean-section may need to wait six weeks or longer. Some tips for post-baby exercising include, starting in moderation, joining a postpartum class, and drinking ample amounts of water.

It is important after giving birth to start small when it comes to exercise. Before the advanced stages of pregnancy, you may have ran 6 miles each day, but after birthing, you most likely will not be able to do this due to lack of energy and/or exercise ability. By starting small, like walking for thirty to forty-five minutes for a few days a week, you will start to build up your endurance again. Walking is also an important way to start your pot-baby exercise routine because for three to six months after giving birth joints and ligaments are looser. This can turn a nimble runner into an accident prone person. So, take it slow and build up stamina and muscle before going right into working out like before baby came along.

Once you feel up to more of a challenge, another great way to burn calories and tone a post-pregnancy body is to join a postpartum exercise class. There are many hospitals and fitness centers that offer exercise classes specifically designed for moms who are looking for not only a way to get back into shape, but who also want to meet other new moms. By meeting other people and going through similar joys and challenges as you, and not just watching sat tv all day, you may find more motivation to get back into pre-baby shape.

While you are exercising, it is always important to consume plenty of water. If you are breastfeeding, it is even more significant. Dehydration can slow milk production. Always keep a bottle of water with you in order to stay hydrated. Before, during, and after exercising, keep drinking water to replenish water lost through sweating.

It is not as difficult as many would think to lose weight after pregnancy. It is important to keep in mind that a postpartum body is not the exact same body that it was prior to childbirth. Eventually the body will go back to being what it was, but for months after having your baby, it is especially important to be careful when exercising. Be sure to take it slow. Start out walking before jumping right back into your old routine. Also, keep in mind that the ligaments and muscles in the body are loose after having a baby, which means you are more prone to exercise related injuries. Find a class to participate in with other moms on a mission to lose their baby weight too. As always, be sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. By keeping these tips in mind you can be well on your way to getting off the baby weight.

Best Apps to Help you Get Fit

We all know that getting fit is a challenge – it requires motivation, will-power and dedication, and it’s all-too-easy to slip back into bad habits! One way to help you beat that sluggish feeling is to use your smartphone. Odd as it may sound, there are some fantastic health and fitness apps out there that are bound to keep you inspired and motivated! They prevent you from getting slightly creative with the truth, and because you always have your smartphone in your pocket or bag, you can have access to a constant source of motivation!

We’ve found some apps to help you past some common problems when you’re just starting trying to get fit.

Problem 1) “I dont know where to start!”
One of the first barriers to becoming fit is knowing the first step to take! So a great app to help you take that first step is Get Running (couch to 5K) ($1.99 available for iPhone) This app is set over a 9-week time period. As the name suggests, it is designed to help you get running, and it starts off for complete beginners! By providing you with manageable steps, you’ll soon find the motivation and inspiration required to get fit, and at the end of 9 weeks you be able to run 5k! Good work!

Problem 2) “I dont like jogging, I want to vary my workouts”
Running is absolutely not for everyone, so if you’re after something lower-impact, you might consider trying Cyclemeter ($4.99 available for iPhone). It will keep a track of your cycling work outs, recommend routes for you to take on your bike, and calculate the impact on your body as calculated by things like your speed, your route’s distance and elevation! And unlike many other apps, Cyclemeter doesnt take up loads of your phone’s memory either.

If you’ve already got the get up and go, but want a bit of variety to your work outs, try the excellent Nike Training Club (Free! Available for iPhone and Android) It’s got custom built work outs to help you mix it up, and even videos to show you what to do! For the excellent price of free, this is definitely an app worth trying!

Problem 3) “I dont know how I’m doing”
Plenty of apps have built-in abilities to track your fitness – both Cyclemeter and Nike Training Club do so – so you’ll be able to monitor how you’re doing. Other apps can track things more broadly – Endomondo (available for almost any mobile) will keep track of your times (as well as your friends’ times too!) for all kinds of sports – kayaking, rollerblading, skiing… to name but a few!

Alternatively you may want to keep a better track on your intake – in which case, you should try Calorie Tracker ($2.99, available for iPhone). This useful little app allows you to enter your calorie intake for the day, and can track your calorie intake vs. your calorie burn!

Problem 4) “I find it hard to stay motivated”
One of the best ways to stay motivated is to feel like you’re not alone – and many of the apps mentioned above have a social component. Worth a mention in particular is Nike Training Club, where you can share your workout times on Facebook! If that’s not a great motivational tool we don’t know what is – and you can show off the stats you’re proud of, too!

Problem 5) “I need to eat right”
Workouts are only part of getting fit – the other part is eating right. This can be hard if you’re used to a particular diet, but apps like Whole Foods Market Recipes (Free! Available for iPhone) will get you on the right track with healthy ingredients that can help you shop healthily AND eat right. Alternatively, try Healthy Recipes (free, available for iPhone and Android) to keep your kitchen fat free. Recipe Search (free, available for Android) is a great resource for using up what’s in the cupboard, too!

Problem 6) “I’m great at sticking to my health food regime when I’m at home… but what if I eat out?”
It’s always easy to stick to a diet when you’re controlling the food, right? But when you go out, it can get quite difficult… step in Restaurant Nutrition (Free! Available for iPhone), which will give you detailed information about what you’re putting into your body when you eat out. Try Fast Food Calories for Android too, which links you directly to restaurant websites, giving you comprehensive nutritional information.

Problem 7) “I find workouts boring!”
The success of things like Wii Fit lie in the fact that they’re fun! Whilst there are are not a great many fitness apps that try to capitalise on this, there are a couple, and well worth trying out! Try the iBelly workout ($0.99, available for iPhone) which gets you to do some stomach crunching by setting you mini-games and challenges to complete whilst you’re lying down with your phone on your stomach!

Some final fitness recommendations: Key to great fitness is great sleep. Although this app is more fun than functional, considering it’s free, you might as well try it! Sleep Bot Tracker for Android tracks your sleeping patterns, giving you advice about your nocturnal habits in order to keep you healthy, fit and active!

All of the above apps are available for iPhone or Android (or both!) and range from free to around $4.99 – cheaper than a personal trainer!

Byline: Frith Ellingham writes about mobile phones for the Orange Store

Reebok Easytone: Are they worth it?

Let’s face it, with age comes the tedious process of maintaining our bodies. Women (and men) need to stay fit, and if your everyday schedule is anywhere near as hectic as mine, getting in shape is not altogether easy to schedule. If your daily workout involves power squats while reaching down low for the brown rice for dinner or doing dead lifts with your toddler between tantrums, you will be happy to know there is a more passive way to get fit (applause here)! After Sketchers came out with their get-into-shape sneaker, Reebok came out with a more stylish competitor, Easytone. These sneakers look less conspicuous compared to the bulky Sketchers. Reebok Easytones are available for custom order. Buyer beware of the custom order because if you are looking for a quick “get in shape” binge, shipping on the custom jobs can take up to five weeks. If you need to tone up your butt for that hot anniversary date with your hubby, better stick to the stock footwear. Just so you blog readers know what perspective I am writing this article from, my wife had purchased these sneakers a few weeks before Christmas 2010 and she is already seeing results. I was so impressed by the change I saw, I decided to move my observations to the blogosphere.

Fit Like a Glove

Besides my own personal data collection and opinion research from my wife, I have done my due diligence by researching these shoes and other opinions on the web. People say that when it comes to their fit, the Easytones runs fairly true to size with a few reports of being too big. My wife is a size 7 and the shoes were bought a size 7 – perfect fit. Some buyers feel that they feel a bit snug in the toes so I would recommend trying them on in the store before buying them online or just purchasing them in the store. If you purchased these in the store (and were too rushed to try them on), simply return them. If you bought them online, customer feedback reports on the internet suggest that Reebok is very easy to work with and will send you a new size if they do not fit properly.

Walking On The Clouds

Aside from their slick look, the comfort of Reebok Easytones is another benefit. Getting fit is a plus, but you don’t want to feel like Herman Munster walking around on cinderblocks. From my wife’s experience, using the shoe feels like “walking on bubbles of air” (her words). Ok, I’ve never walked on bubbles of air to properly vet her response, but she is a pretty straight shooter and I would imagine this is what it feels like. My wife said they are very comfortable compared to other exercise shoes she has tried including rival brands like Nike and Asics. She basically wears these shoes all day with no feeling of “I need to get these off my feet”. Your muscles are exercised, not over worked. I would imagine people who work on their feet all day are popular buyers and find the greatest results. If you work retail, get these shoes! If you work in an office, get bit by the social bug and start walking around to your friends cubicles to tone up that back side.

Everyone Gets Results

I have definitely seen results on my wife within just a few weeks of using. My wife is average size bordering on thin and there was definitely a change. I would imagine heavier or less “in shape” women would notice more of a change because there is more to tone. Reading other blogs on the internet, I’ve heard really no negative reports. In fact, just about every user of the shoes have gotten results after a month or two, even if they were small. You know it’s working when your husband and girlfriends are complimenting your newly toned butt and legs. Oh la la.

Watch Out for Deflating Shoes

Here is the only negative I have read about. This has not happened in my wife’s shoes but I don’t like to get accused of writing a one sided blog post. Though in our experience the Easytones are very durable, there have been some reports of deflation. To add insult to injury, I have read that Reebok does not replace deflated shoes. But if they do it within the store policy terms for returns, you can return them and buy a new pair.

Besides the occasional deflation issue, Both my wife and I would recommend these shoes. Who reading this would not want their bodies to benefit from doing routine tasks. Imagine toning your butt while walking to your car or working your legs while walking to the bathroom. It’s a no brainer – get these suckers!

This post has been provided by Nicolas D’Alleva. Nicolas is the president and CEO of Specialty Answering Service, a medical answering service company. Specialty can provide live order taking for online vendors such as shoe and apparel stores.

4 Ways to Reduce Back Pain

Very little can sideline a person like back pain. Whether you bent over to pick something up, or you spent long hours sitting at your computer working on an important project, you are now suffering very serious consequences for your momentary indiscretions.

Back pain caused by muscle strain can often include symptoms such as:

  • aching muscles
  • inability to straighten
  • shooting and/or stabbing pains
  • limited range of motion in the back
  • pain that radiates down one or both legs

This kind of back pain can be safely treated at home in just four easy steps.

Rest your back. When back pain arises from muscle strain, resting those muscles for one to two days gives them a chance to heal. Find a comfortable position that allows your spine to align naturally. You may try lying on your side with a pillow between your legs or on your back with pillows under your knees. Don’t overdo the rest, however! Staying in bed too long can lead to muscle loss,depression, and even blood clots.

Use over-the-counter pain medications as needed. Topical pain relievers can increase blood flow, which soothes and may
speed healing. Over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium and other nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) work to reduce swelling and inflammation, soothe muscle soreness, and make it easier to move.

Exercise. Begin a gentle exercise routine with your doctor’s blessing as soon as possible after the back injury in order to speed recovery and strengthen muscle tone. Yoga, swimming, and walking are all gentle post-injury exercises that can strengthen core muscles and help reduce the risk of future back injuries.

Cool or warm compresses. Ice is a good treatment in the immediate aftermath of a back injury. Wrapping an ice pack in a towel and rubbing it over the injured area can help reduce swelling and inflammation for the first 48 hours. After that period, warm compresses work better to loosen tight muscles and help you relax.

Not all back pain should be treated at home. If you have lost bowel or bladder control; experience numbness or tingling along your arm, leg, or around your chest; or you experience pins and needles or cold sensations in your extremities, you will need to see a health care practitioner to rule out the possibility of serious injury.

How to Achieve Your Weight Loss Dreams

Losing weight does not happen overnight. Sometimes it even takes weeks to months before you see a change on your initial weight. But don’t lose hope just yet. There are still ways to consider in order for you to achieve your weight loss dreams.

1. Motivate yourself. Weight loss tips are virtually available everywhere in all kinds of media. But these are useless if you don’t have the motivation to try them long enough to find out if they indeed work. Often your enemy becomes yourself as you control how much effort you exert to achieve your goals. Sometimes you may find yourself losing focus and you find yourself failing. This should not happen especially when it is time to lose weight the most (read: summer season!). Always concentrate in your plan and constantly remind yourself of how satisfied and happy you will be once you get the prize for your hard work.

2. Choose a diet plan and stick to it. Unnecessary changing diet plans will make it hard for you to evaluate its effect in your weight. This could also confuse your body on how it should react to the abrupt changes in your food choices. Take the time to get used to the healthy meal plans you chose to follow.

3. Do not take exercise for granted. Oftentimes you get too busy with other aspects in your life that you need to give up some of your time intended for work-out. Exercise does take a lot of time and it is indeed tiresome. However, much as it is a difficult task to accomplish, your exercise routines are the most integral part of losing weight. The more time you spend working out, the closer you get to your desired weight.

4. Don’t push yourself too hard. Yes, losing weight is a serious business but it doesn’t mean that you should lose the excitement that the whole world is offering you outside the confines of your gym. Take time to chill out and be with your
friends once in a while to avoid being burned out by your weight loss efforts.

5. Reward yourself. Not with sweets or any of those tempting food cravings but with praises for a job well done at the end of every exercise, and every healthy meal you have. This will be a constant reminder that everything you do is for you to feel
good about yourself and not for anybody else and that all credit for these efforts goes to you for trying your best to realize your weight loss dreams.

How to Get Rid of Excess Belly Fat Through Walking

This is a guest post written by Gracie Roloff. Gracie runs MyGetRidOfGuide, a website that offers several ways to Get Rid Of anything from unwanted pests in your garden to acne.

As we all know, exercising for at least 30-45 minutes a day is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re on your treadmill running, playing Wii Fit with your kids or riding your bike to the party store down the road, it is important to
just move your body.

Most people can’t seem to “find the time” or simply don’t want to get all sweaty each and every day, therefore walking is a great way to get active, burn weight and that awful belly fat. For tips on getting rid of excess belly fat through walking, continue reading below.

Stretch: It is so very important to make sure you take the time to stretch. You want to stretch out for a few minutes before you exercise and for at least 10 minutes after you’re done working out. This strengthens the muscles and allows your body to avoid cramping, stiffness and soreness.

Mix it up: In order to really burn fat and to burn the calories you want to mix up your routine. Walk for a few minutes at about 3.0 mph then take 2 minutes to jog at 5.0. Throw in a couple sprints, slow down and continue to mix it up. This inconstancy really helps your body burn calories and fat.

Incline: Incline is a great way to burn fat as well as strengthens your muscles. Walk up hills, raise the incline on the treadmill or consider hiking for a great workout.

Posture: It’s important to maintain a good posture. Avoid slouching, and instead stand up nice and tall. Tighten your abs with every step you take and keep an eye on your posture at all times.

Breathe: Breathing in through your nose and out your mouth is another thing you want to take into consideration. We need to make sure we send oxygen properly throughout our body so doing it in this order is a great way to keep you calm, full of fresh air and can also help you avoid those awful cramps.

As you can see, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of burning that belly fat! Belly fat is one of the most dangerous if not the most dangerous fat to have, so get rid of it now.

How To Increase Endurance: Tips To Consider

There are totally main reasons why most of the people want to increase their body endurance. Well, keep in mind that endurance could make an individual stand on the time in which they need to work. On the other hand, it is no doubt that when people age, their body starts to deteriorate and might not work it out.

If you are one of those people who are looking forward about on how to increase endurance, you don’t have to fret. This is for the reason that, there are lots of ways on how you could help yourself out. Here are some of the tips for you:

  1. Build your endurance slowly- keep in mind that you should go for exercises in a slow manner. Doing them all for ones is not good at all. Your body will react quickly and it is no good.
  2. Simple stretching- you can do it first. Simple stretches doesn’t require you to go into the gym or hire a professional. This is for the reason that, you could actually make it happen within your house. So, better keep this thing in mind.
  3. Increase the length of your work out- it is another thing that you should think about. When you are doing things rightfully and you felt that you are feeling good every time you do simple stretches, you can then increase the hours of your exercise. This will surely give you much of endurance.
  4. Safe rate workout- whenever you are done increasing the length of your workout, you still need to watch over it. Keep in mind that you have to work out on a safe rate in a constant manner. Doing it by forcing yourself will do no good. It could give you health problems instead.

If you would like to help yourself out on how to increase endurance, keep those things in mind and apply them now. Do not wait until everything is too late.

Author Bio:

Sirangi Kalpana is a personalized coffee cups expert and write a lot about cheap coffee mugs, promotional flashlights, custom flash drives and other promotional products as well as write a lots about low interest credit cards.

Keeping Fit During Your Pregnancy

Staying fit and healthy is never more important than it is when you are expecting a baby! Regular prenatal exercise can help reduce unpleasant pregnancy signs and symptoms like morning sickness and extreme fatigue, promote a healthy pregnancy, and help you moms have an easier recovery from childbirth.

Many women worry about the safety of regular work-outs in pregnancy. The truth is that, as long as your doctor hasn’t told you otherwise (because you are high risk, for instance) and as long as you do not engage in sports like bungee jumping or white water rafting, which always carry a certain level of risk, prenatal exercise can only be good! Pregnancy work outs are all about feeling better, both physically and emotionally, and should not have weight loss as a goal. Many healthcare professionals advise women with a bit more fluff to lose weight before they ever get out an ovulation calendar and start working on a baby, but pregnancy itself is definitely no time to exercise to lose weight.

Swimming, prenatal yoga, walking, jogging, and going to the gym, are all great exercises for expectant mothers. But those women who do not feel like doing work outs, or who do not have time, can still keep fit! Finding creative ways of including physical activity in your daily life can make a big difference. What pregnant woman does not want an energy boost? Along with exercise, fresh air works wonders at reducing certain pregnancy symptoms, most notably nausea, mood swings, and constant tiredness. Why not park your car a bit further away from your destination, and walk some of the way? Or enjoy a walk in nature with your partner. Using the stairs instead of the elevator, or doing a short exercise routine in your lunch break are also great. The internet is full of inspirational videos that can help you create your own DIY work outs.

The key to good prenatal exercises is enjoying them, and listening to your body. If you feel any pain, or notice a significant increase in the number of Braxton Hicks contractions you are experiencing, it is time to check out another form of exercise. Besides that, anything goes! A well-exercised body might just make for an easier labor and birth, and will certainly help you get back to your pre-pregnancy shape more quickly!

3 Winter Sports to Get You In Shape

For some people who live in colder areas of the US, the winter can be a long boring slog till the spring sun peeks its head out from behind the clouds again, and we can all go outside, exercise, and get back in shape. But for some people, winter is just the start of the training season. If you’ve been afraid of the cold and the snow up until now, start this winter off right by staying in shape with these winter sports.

Cross Country Skiing

Cross country skiing is a great winter sport for anyone who is looking to stay in shape during the winter—why do you think the Nordic Track is so popular? Cross country skiing gives you a full-body workout. It gets your legs pumping, it gets your arms moving, and it’s great for your cardiovascular system. Although it may be less exciting than down-hill skiing, if you are already a long-distance runner, you’ll enjoy the physical endurance aspect of this sport.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is another great winter sport to get your blood pumping, but it’s a little less rigorous than cross country skiing. Snowshoeing is about strapping special snowshoes to your feet that distribute your weight better across the snow, making it easier for you to walk on top of the snow rather than through it. With snowshoes you can go into less traveled areas of the wilderness and take in the beautiful winter scenery all while working off some calories. Snowshoeing can be especially challenging if you live near the mountains and are able to access rigorous winter hiking trails.

Ice Skating

In the summer, many people use in-line skates to get a good workout. The skating gets you moving and can help you burn a lot of calories. In the winter, it’s hard to take your in-line skates out on the snow, but you can go inside a skating rink and get a similar workout. If you live in a colder climate, ice skating rinks are probably already fairly easily accessible. Although many people go to the rink to have a little fun, early mornings and late nights can be used for more serious skaters who are just making laps to get in shape or are practicing other ice sports. In fact, if you decide you want to get really adventurous, you could even try joining a local hockey league.

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all winter. Get out, try some new sports and turn the winter into your training season.

Diane Johnson primarily writes about adult education, pell grants, and anything else that interests her. She enjoys four wheeling, sports, traveling, and shopping.

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