News That Will Change Your Life: Your Path To Eternal Fitness

Anyone serious about making a permanent health and fitness result in their body must read this article...

Are you happy with your body?

Have you ever heard of those ab gadgets and gizmos on TV, you know the ones that you see and know are completely worthless.

I'm willing to bet you have!

While all these gizmos sound like fascinating news. I'm sorry to tell you they're one of the most worthless tools you can spend your money on.

People are always looking for the easy way out, the wonder drug or the miracle pill, some people just don't want to put in the hard work and dedication required to put their selves on the road to fitness...

These gadget companies would have you to believe that doing just 5 minutes a day on their wiz-bang machines without doing anything else will have you ready to hit the beach in a matter of weeks.

News That Will Change Your View Of Fitness

Well unfortunately many people fall prey to such advertisements and it really irritates me as a Fitness Coach to see such things in this country. In this article I'll cover the essential components that absolutely must be present for any weight loss or fitness program to be successful

Any weight loss program must have 3 key components present in order to be successful.

A Supportive Eating Plan

Stressing Your Muscles

Cardiovascular Conditioning

I want to go into a little more detail about each of these starting with:

Cardiovascular Conditioning

First let me say that aerobic activity definitely is important when it comes to weight and fat loss, however you can go too far, which may be news to you!!.

Aerobic exercise is very popular with women of all ages, and some would have you to believe that endless hours of cardio is the key to a shapely body, but I have to tell you it's not.

Not only is excess cardiovascular exercise not the best thing, but it can in fact be detrimental to successful weight loss. As a Fitness Coach this is probably the most common misconception in the health and fitness confusion.

Too much cardiovascular activity will start to break down your muscle, and that's not what you want. As muscle is what makes up your metabolism.

So you want to preserve as much muscle as possible by limiting the cardiovascular exercise to around 30 min. 3-4 times per week. To supplement the weekly aerobic activity some form of strength training should also be included!

Stressing Your Muscles

This portion of the fitness formula is often forgotten or just left out intentionally.

Really it is not very hard, overloading the muscle just means putting higher than normal amounts of stress on the various muscle groups in the body to ensure that all of your muscle is at least maintained while on a weight loss phase!

This can literally be an endless amount of activities, from push-ups and pull-ups to rock climbing or whatever strikes your fancy. Most importantly if it is something that you enjoy you will much more likely to continue doing it.

Continue with this News below where we talk about Supportive Nutrition, the last pice of the fitness puzzle.

Supportive Nutrition

The nutritional aspect of a Fitness program is probably the most confusing for many individuals in this country.

After all with literally hundreds of different diet's and their books touting the various forms of food exclusivity or focusing on just one food or food group or macro-nutrient.

Often times people are so confused that they just don't do anything which is the worst thing you can do. Whatever you do, do something, you don't have to have a perfect plan, just to get started. This is news to most people, and a different way of viewing fitness.

You always have the opportunity to get better than what you are currently doing, move up in your nutrition knowledge and your habits.

So really what are the right foods to eat, should you eat half a cow's worth of meat every week, or is fat-free cookies and fat-free ice cream the way to go.

Really, all you have to do is just a healthy, balanced food plan that your mom would be proud of. It is really, so simple, just think of what common sense would tell you.

Would 3 cinnamon rolls for breakfast be better or a couple of eggs and some fruit, or perhaps a bowl of oatmeal with some cottage cheese?

Basically you want to eat as many unprocessed foods in their natural state for carbohydrates, various forms of meat are great, limiting the amount of high-fat meats to a few times per week. Then you need to add a small amount of healthy fats through, almonds, walnuts, avocados, fish oil and other good fat foods.

The Sum Of All 3 - The Ultimate Fitness Secret

None of these 3 componenets can get you the results you are after on your own. You need the combination of all for a multiplication effect.

So to sum it up, whenever you want to go on a diet again, remember this article and apply it. Are they going to just do the usual starvation diet thing.

A diet or fitness plan in order to be successful should include those 3 elements as discussed, and they are again to remind you, moderate amount of aerobic activity, overloading the muscles, and probably the most important a balanced and healthy nutrition plan.

I hope this news has helped you. Now just take action and expect succcess!!



Zach Hunt is the owner and head fitness coach of Physzique, a high-end personal fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. Go to http://www.spokanefitnesscoach.com/articles/spokane-news-local-wa.html to find out more about this incredible news. Or go now to http://www.spokanefitnesscoach.com/articles/7-questions-personal-trainer-spokane.html for immediately usable health and fitness tips.

Getting Back on the Fitness Track after an Injury

We all have been there. You're running along, 72 degrees and sunny and you're on your favorite, fresh trail. You glance up at the cloudless sky, grateful to be alive, and BAM! A huge rock crosses your path out of nowhere and you hit it and fall. Your ego is bruised, but worse yet your ankle is a mess. It hurts so badly you have to end your run right then and there and hobble back to your car. Then something else hits you: What if you can't run after this?

Anyone who is used to exercising moderately or aggressively can understand the frustration of having an injury that prevents you from keeping up your normal routine. It is very important, however, to treat yourself gently in order to get back on track as quickly as possible without compromising your health.

If you have suffered an injury such as a sprain, pulled muscle, or repetitive use injury, the first thing to do is apply the RICE principle. RICE is an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. For example, if you twisted your ankle as in the above example, once you got home you should lie in a prone position and put ice on the injury for twenty minutes. Resting and icing it in a prone position for twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off for the first forty eight hours will decrease pain, inflammation and swelling. You can also take ibuprofen to help with the inflammation and swelling. Of course, any medication or treatment plan should be approved by your doctor before implementing. If you have severe pain you should definitely seek medical advice from a trained professional. If the injury is milder, however, continuing the rest and ice treatment while wrapping the sprain and keeping your leg elevated should help the healing process.

Perhaps you are not a runner, but an avid weightlifter. Many weightlifters have suffered from pulled muscles, usually caused by either hoisting too much weight or lifting weights too quickly, with improper form. You may have been working on your shoulders, doing shoulder presses or lateral raises for your deltoid muscles you felt a snap-type pulling - and then you couldn't lift the same weight again without pain. This could be a pulled muscle, ligament, or tendon. In this case, it is probably best to see a doctor and rule out a tear in the muscle, tendon or ligament before trying to treat it yourself. Assuming it is just a pull, the best thing you can do is rest. Nobody who likes to exercise likes to hear that, but it truly is the only way to heal. Over-the-counter pain relievers may help the pain, and so can mild ice treatments or heat after the first 72 hours. However, you do not want to apply ice and heat or take painkillers to simply mask the symptoms so you can continue working out. This is a surefire way to increase your true healing time! Instead, work out different muscles as far away from the injured area as possible. If you hurt your shoulder, focus on legs and abdominals, and increase your cardio routine for a while so you don't feel badly about your workouts. If you simply refuse to stop working out your upper body, at least work out antagonistic muscle groups (muscles opposite the injured area) that don't hurt your injured muscle when you move. For example, you may still be able to do bicep curls if you hurt your shoulder, so long as you keep your arms in by your side and fairly stationary as you lift with only the lower part of your arm. Again, it's best to lay off the area entirely. You will know when it's okay to resume working out the area, and the area can take weeks (or more!) to completely heal.

A repetitive use injury can also happen from weightlifting, but it is more common with runners or those who play specific sports that use repetitive motions. It is exactly what it sounds like - an injury that occurs from using the same motions over and over, so that the muscle, tendon or ligament is strained beyond what it can normally handle. This can happen when you increase your distance or speed in running, lift weight using the same body part too close in time without sufficient rest, or if you're training for a competition or sport that requires an increased number of practices or routines. In the case of a competition, depending on how severe the injury, unfortunately sometimes the only thing you can do is sit it out. If you are not training for an event, you may be able to just back off a bit or get more rest in between your workouts.



Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about health and fitness topics, similar to what consumers read in Fitness Magazine

How to Stick to Your New Years' Fitness Resolution

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We all know what it's like to make a New Year's Resolution with the best of intentions. We start out really positive, really motivated, really strong. No matter what the resolution, though, after about three weeks it just doesn't seem to be at the top of our priority list any longer. With fitness, maybe in the past you have promised yourself that you will meet a certain goal in a certain time this New Year, only to find yourself getting more and more discouraged as time passes and you haven't met that goal. Don't set yourself up to fail! You can create success by doing the following:

1.Map out a plan. You have heard the old adage "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail"? Nowhere is this truer than in the area of health and fitness. You simply can't decide to get in better shape or eat right without mapping out steps to follow through. If you decide to go to the gym, you need to decide what you are going to do there. Wandering around the equipment or deciding on the fly will not produce nearly the same results as having a goal and sticking to it. You may decide, for example, that you are going to commit to going to the gym five days a week. The next step here is to commit to doing specific exercises on those five days. For example, you could do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and weight train Tuesdays and Thursdays. You could "allow" yourself to choose the cardio machine each day to mix it up or keep it interesting, but stick to a specific plan for the days you strength train. By focusing on specific body parts on specific days, you will not only notice results in those areas in less time, you will remain motivated to keep it up. Why? Because you set a goal - doing back and biceps on Tuesday, for example, and chest and triceps on Thursday - and stuck to it! Pretty soon, your small achievements will turn into big ones.

2.Mix it up every six weeks. Once you have the routine down and you are feeling good about yourself, the last thing you want to do is fall into a rut. Many people abandon their fitness goals because they fall into the same pattern each time they exercise, and it feels more like a chore than a fun activity. If you find yourself on the same treadmill in the same row next to the same person at the gym every day, move on to the elliptical machine or the stationary bike instead. If you really enjoy the treadmill but you run the same three miles each time you're on it, try switching to one of the pre-programmed options on the treadmill, or make your own routine. For example, you could do intervals - running at a higher speed than usual for two minutes and walking for one minute in between - until your usual amount of time has elapsed. The same holds true for weight lifting. If you usually do 10-12 reps for 3 sets of a given weight, try lifting lighter weight and doing twice the number of repetitions, or heavier weight but fewer reps. Take a class that's offered, or even join a league sport or get outside for some other fitness options. You will stay fresh and energized and a lot less prone to the fitness blues.

3.Find "your" time of day. Making exercise enjoyable cannot be done if it doesn't feel like something you are doing for yourself and no one else. A big part of this pleasure comes from finding a time of the day you can carve out for "just you". This means a time of day that is generally open to you to do as you please, and that will not come with constant interruptions as the week's progress. It also means a time of day with which you are physically comfortable. If you tend to eat a really early dinner, you are likely not going to want to exercise right after work. If you are the type of person who doesn't mind eating lunch at your desk, perhaps a mid-day workout is just what you need to keep you alert and focused for the rest of your day and stay strong with your new exercise program. If you're the kind that leaps out of bed in the morning, a pre-dawn run outside may be just your ticket. Whatever works for you, do not underestimate finding a time of day that best suits your wants and the needs of yourself, work, and family.

By simply thinking ahead and incorporating these three simple ideas, you are already on your way to making life changes you can stick with, and that is the key. Good luck on your New Year and New You!


Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about health and fitness topics, similar to what consumers read in Shape Magazine

Your Fitness Lifestyle in a Nutshell

The idea is that you should have in your corner, a certain minimum level of fitness for the daily requirements of life. And, if you have taken heed and acted on it, you are already - or well on the way to getting - fit.

This is your fitness lifestyle at a glance.

Aerobics

Abdominals

Sensible eating and drinking

Weight-training

To elaborate briefly:

Aerobics: To obtain maximum cardiovascular benefits, lose tat and maintain your weight within acceptable healthy levels, aerobics, should, " be done five times a week. Each activity needs to be done at a certain pace within the required time-span. When you begin scoring 60 aerobic runs per week, you will be in the aerobically fit zone. Which means, your heart will be stronger and more efficient, you will lose excess fat and have a better body.

Abdominals: Excess fat, poor posture or slack muscles in the stomach exercises should be done at least three times a week to insure you against them.

Sensible eating and drinking: Fatless, sugar-free, low-salt food ensures that you maintain your weight-loss. It also protects your arteries from getting clogged by cholesterol which can lead to heart diseases, It is also an insurance against diabetes. Healthy eating habits should be a natural part of your normal lifestyle. Dieting should be avoided.

You should eat the food that gives you energy.

To shatter the myth that 'health food' is tasteless, we have devoted an entire section to demonstrate that it can be delicious and satisfy your taste-buds. Try out these recipes and create your own too.

Alcohol consumption should be zero or kept to an absolute minimum.

Weight-training: is partly health-oriented, partly for 'looking good' purposes. It strengthens your muscles and makes you strong enough to meet your daily needs. It increases the density of your bones which reduces the risk of you getting a fracture say, from a fall. It makes your joints more flexible so that you are less prone to catches or other injuries.

It also shapes certain stubborn spots like the thighs, arms, 'love-handles' at the waist, etc. by firming the muscles in those regions.

This is the fitness lifestyle in a nutshell. Aerobic and sensible eating are the foundation; abdominals the guarantee and weight-training the insurance with a premium.

The pay-ofts are tremendous.

You shed years from your life as you move around more briskly and with a lighter step.

You rarely feel fatigued at the end of the day. Your mental and physical reactions to stress are minimised. You learn to relax, and sleep better. Your temper is on a longer leash and you may regard humorously certain situations which had earlier made you snap. Your relationships improve because of your calmer moods. Even your consultations with your doctor turn into a cosier conspiracy where you and she/he are engaged in the common pursuit of tackling your medical problems that have sprung up. And all through this runs the thread of satisfaction - of achieving a sense of well-being, of being in control.

The fitness lifestyle does not make any great demands on you. All it asks is:

make time to look after your health.

keep your weight to reasonably healthy levels.

give up smoking - if you are a smoker.

Everything else is purely motivational, to inspire the spark in you. To inform, in the hope that knowledge aids you in making a start. So that you step out stronger, surer, healthier. And to make that beginnings, there is no time like now.



Read out for Blackheads. Check out weight lifting routines and yoga

Fitness - Know Yourself

"You've not exercised unless you've exerted yourself to the point of sweating and panting." It was one of those careless, over-the-shoulder remarks thrown at a cocktail party by a self-possessed young woman. A petite teen-aged girl reacted with a dainty grimace which said, "No way! I'm not about to join the sweat brigade!" Another nodded knowingly. "How about dieting?" asked another, interestedly.

It's unfortunate, but most people believe that at the end of a workout, you should be spewing perspiration, your -tongue should be hanging out, your legs should be trembling with exertion - and then only will you benefit from exercising. Rubbish! These myths are built up by those suffering from fitomania - an obsessive craze for fitness. Mixed with this craze is also the sense of importance they derive, the boost to their ego that they and only they can achieve such superhuman levels. They say it with such self-pride and utter confidence that it's no wonder that their listeners run a mile from exercising.

The fact is that each of us has our own individual requirements. Unless you plan to compete in the Mr. or Miss Universe stakes, or in the sports arena, there is no need to go overboard on exercising.

Why do most people need to be fit? You could be an executive, a housewife, a student, a teacher a self-employed professional. But whether you are intermittently or always on your feet, at your desk or in a travelling job, an average, normal day of work can be an exhausting experience. It requires almost all your energy to cope with the volume of your day's work. As dusk falls, you feel like a limp sock just managing to sip at your glass of scotch, changing the channel on your TV set or fixing your night meal. Some of you may wish you had more energy to do all the other things you wanted to do after your working hours. Others may take it philosophically, saying to themselves, "There's only so much I can do. So be it."

Yet, haven't you secretly envied your colleague who clocks extra time hours productively? And then races to the station to catch the last train home? Or the live-wire who having cooked for an entire party, out-boogies the best? While such people seem to find a voracious enjoyment in varied activities, why is it that you feel like a walking energy crisis whose power batteries have been drained?

That is exactly the reason for you to be fit you need that extra energy. If you are fit, you will have a larger reservoir of energy than if you are unfit. If you are fit, you will utilise only about 60 per cent of your energy capacity for your day's work. The remaining 40 per cent will be there, bubbling inside you, for other interests.

That is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are fit, you will be healthier and recover faster from any illness that may befall you. Overall, you will have a clearer mind and be able to deal with any situation that crops up without feeling that old tiredness creeping through your bones.

So, basically, you need to be at a level of fitness that will enhance the quality of your waking hours. To make it easier for you, here is a list of what you don't have to do to get and stay fit.

You don't have to exercise until you are ready to drop. Over-exercising has never helped anybody - not even an athlete.

You don't have to starve yourself or your taste buds by gazing sadly into a bowl of boiled vegetables. There are a host of delicious healthy foods you can safely tuck into which we have dealt with in later chapters.

You don't have to go on an extensive guilt trip if you miss one day of exercising or occasionally eat something you shouldn't have eaten. You can get right back on the fitness track a few hours later or even the next day.

You don't have to spend a paisa more than you want to. However, in case you do go in for a pair of good walking/jogging shoes or some exercising equipment that you fancy, think of all the medical bills you would be saving in the future. After all, isn't it better to invest a little in your health today, than a massive amount in your illness tomorrow?

And last but not the least:

You don't have to feel that achieving fitness is an impossible task. Believe us when we say that it is eminently achievable and enjoyable. For you will do only as much as is required to increase your energy level and enhance your life.

Why do we always stress on your individual-requirement? None of us is made from the same mould. Each of us has his own outlook, his own problems, own conditions, his own capacities. We differ from one another even physically.

In fact, we would broadly divide body types into heavies (mesomorphs), twiggies (ectomorphs) and soggies (endomorphs). Heavies are those large-boned, muscled guys who adore pushing themselves beyond their limits. Perspiration is their milestone, competition their god. They scoff at those mere mortals who walk for fitness. And they are not satisfied unless they instantly cool their hot, sweaty bodies with ice-cold, freezing pinpricks from a shower. It is these heavies who usually become physical-training coaches and since they view twiggies and soggies from their lofty, spartan pedestal, they have no patience with them.

Twiggies are those thin, wiry chaps with tons of nervous energy vibrating through them. They can't sit in one place and being so activity-oriented, they over-exert themselves as they follow the trainer's instructions and often end up exhausted and, perhaps, even fall sick.

Soggies, by their very appearance of plumpness and their laid-back attitude, are the trainer's target. He wants to prod them out of their complacence, re-shape them like they were clay. And, invariably, the soggies pay up their fees, attend for a day or two, then find excuses not to return to their work-out sessions.

Most books with those tempting titles on how to be fit in 'three weeks and so on are written by the heavies who want to hammer in their views into the 'flabby' minds of the soggies.

Worst of all is the way physical exercise is dealt out as a form of punishment in educational institutions. We remember a teacher who made " you touch your toes all through his period because you hadn't submitted your homework. The victimised student felt humiliated as he presented his backside through that excruciating half hour to his tittering classmates. There was also a physical instructor who, if a student showed lethargy, would order him to run a number of laps around the field. While such punishments may have been seen as character-building exercises, the fact remains that the pupils grow up seeing physical exertion as a self ­punishment or vice versa.

It's such experiences that make people eschew exercising and instead go on a dieting binge which, in itself, doesn't really help. Their militaristic nature also puts off civilians. In fact, years ago, we remember asking a colonel why the army 'kicked around' their juniors. "We don't" replied the amused army man. "But the men must learn to toe the line, snap to attention and follow commands without questions. When a general issues' an order at a crucial time, the jawan has to do it instantly for it could make the difference between winning or losing a war."

Such 'snap to' techniques, however, are wholly unnecessary for the average person or even the athlete. The world of fitness is neither a circus nor the undisputed arena of the heavies. In fact, exhaustion is an alien element in fitness.

The image of tyranny is false and should be discarded along with your daily rubbish in the dustbin. Exercising is an undemanding friend who wants to unfold a better, healthier world for you. You can choose your own level of fitness - a few kilos to be shed, a fairly flat stomach and, most important of all, the healthy, glowing feeling that vibrates through you. Put the last one as the primary point on your fitness barometer. True fitness will make you enjoy your work and leisure to their fullest. And that means exercising to the right degree - a normal, no sweat level.



Read out for Blackheads. Check out weight lifting routines and yoga

The 90 Day Finch Fitness Challenge

Dang, I have to admit it was tough getting out of bed yesterday and this morning. My mattress had a pretty good hold on me. I finally decided yesterday that I was going to get my butt back into shape like I was a couple of years ago when I competed in a couple of bodybuilding competitions.

For the next 90 days, I have decided that I am going to 'Just Do It.' I am going lose weight and inches off my waist. I have attempted a couple of times over the last year to lose weight and drop a couple of inches off my waist but I always seem to self-sabotage myself. You know, I'll start exercising and eating healthy then before I know it I am back to my old ways. It's almost as if something in the background (subconcious) is totally pulling me down. Sound familiar? Well, if you want to discover how to destroy this emotional blocker forever and find out how to permanantly drop weight and inches and maintain your health RSS%20button%2022Subscribe via Email and stay updated. This is going to be a wild ride. I am going to reveal to you the phenominal breakthrough/secret to cutting all the emotional blockers that are weighing you down and making you fail miserably.

Recently, I had some rather MASSIVE breakthroughs as to why these particular emotional blockers have been running in the background virtually my whole life. Not only in health issues, but all areas of my life. I won't go into any further details now --that's another post, but believe me, it's extremely interesting and it's one that you'll want to read because everyone and I mean everyone has emotional blockers running that affect their life. You might be asking yourself, «What are emotional blockers?» Don't worry you'll find what they are, how they effect your life and how to remove them. If you have read any of Joe Vitale's, Jack Canfields, T. Harv Eker, or Stuart Lichtman books you know what I am talking about. Ok, I better shut up because I am already on a tangent here.

In essence, my workouts are going to be short, intense, and focused. None of this, doing lame-ass cardio 6 hours a week and spending 2 hours in the gym everyday. Nope, I have a system that I have developed over the years that when implemented with a specific meal plan can literally melt fat off your body. I am getting excited just thinking about it.

In a nut shell, I only plan on lifting weights for a total of 1 hour a week. Yup, that's not a misprint. If you don't think it's possible I will post pictures of me a couple of years ago when in essence I did this. Don't me get wrong. I believe in hard work; however, I am kind of lazy in the sense that if I can get the same results working out only 1 hour a week, why spend any more time in the gym. I mean I enjoy going to the gym and getting a great sweat, but I don't like living in there!




Author and personal coach on health, fitness, finances, and metaphysical.

Walking Your Way to Fitness - on a Tight Schedule

The doctor and exercise gurus prescribe 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day. What happens if you do not have thirty minutes at a time to spend exercising?

Well, never fear…

Research shows that you can gain the same healthful benefit by upping your daily activity throughout the day ��" walking more. Here’s some steps to get you started towards better health through walking.

The Gear
The first thing you will need is to purchase a pedometer. A pedometer measures the number of steps that you take during the day. By measuring the number of steps per day, you can create daily goals to achieve and gradually increase the number of steps per day.

How many steps do you take per day?
The next step is to measure the number of steps that you are currently taking. By wearing the pedometer from the moment, you awake to the time to lie down at night. You many be surprise by the amount of activity that you actually get per day. In fact, it’s estimated that 39.9% of adults spend most of their day sitting.

How do you rate?
The average stride length of an adult is about 2.5 feet long. That means about 2000 steps equals about 1 mile. It is now recommend for good health to increase our amount of steps to about 10,000 or 5 miles per day.

A sedentary person only takes about 1000 to 3000 steps per day. If you are a sedentary person, start out slowly and gradually increase your steps. For example, if you perform 3000 steps per day, shoot for 3500 per day for the next two weeks. Increase the number of steps by 500 per day every two weeks.

The health benefits for only a small increase of 500 steps per day is huge.

How do you increase your steps?
There are many ways to increase your daily output of steps by simply adjusting your daily habits.

* Park farther away from the store.
* Walk the dog
* Take a walk with co-workers at lunch
* Take the stairs instead of the elevator
* Enjoy a walk at the park with a spouse, friend, and children
* Stroll around your neighborhood
* Walk to a friend’s house to visit

Track your progress
Tracking your progress will keep you motivated and provide daily and weekly goals. Write the number of steps and mileage each day. Also, journaling the process with personal notes on how you feel, how you look, and the other healthful things you added to your life will reinforce the positive steps that you have taken towards a new level of health.



Tim Rosanelli is a 5th degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate and owns Maximum Impact Karate located in Dublin, Pennsylvania. For more information about Maximum Impact Karate visit their website at www.maximpactkarate.com Or… Read more of Tim Rosanelli's articles at www.timrosanelli.blogspot.com

Exercise Bike Equipment Choices

Exercise bike equipment can be a great investment for improving your health and fitness. A good workout just makes you feel better and the right equipment is fun to use. Choose an exercise bike that feels right and you'll enjoy riding. Equipment that doesn't fit correctly or is in any way irritating will be a constant aggravation.

Electronics

Exercise bikes come in several types and all kinds of price ranges. The electronics which include programmable ride simulations and video displays affects the price quite a bit. You can get built in heart rate monitors and many other electronic options.

Upright or Recumbent

Another basic choice in bikes is whether you prefer an upright bike or a recumbent one. The recumbent bike puts you in a sitting position which minimizes the stress to the knees. But it's difficult to vary your position on a recumbent, so you're pretty well stuck in one spot. The upright bikes let you shift around some, but may stress the knees more. Plus the seat on an upright is very important. Especially if you do long workout, a seat can cause muscle problems in the hips since you're putting weight on the muscles that are doing a lot of the work of pedaling.

Resistance Type

The system used to provide resistance to pedaling varies in bikes. Standard in most bikes now is a magnetic resistance system. Most are electric systems, either plug-in or battery powered. Also sometimes the magnetic resistance is generated by the pedaling. Check the warranty for the resistance system since this is a major part of the bike. Years ago, resistance for exercise bikes was often just a friction band but most of these bikes are gone. Another older system is the one where you turn a fan with your pedals creating more resistance the faster you pedal. This reliable design is still found in the Schwinn Airdyne.

Special Purpose

You can also get a dual action exercise bike which works your legs and your arms at the same time. Another type of machine for people unable to use their legs lets you pedal only with your arms for a workout.

There is no reason to buy the most expensive multi-thousand dollar machine for home use. But don't pay too little and get low quality exercise equipment that you won't use. If possible try out a machine like you are considering and make sure you like the fit and function.

Exercise bike equipment is a long term investment that can help you feel better and improve your overall fitness.

Looking for a fast way to get fit? Al Bullington learned about exercise bike equipment while logging thousands of miles on his Schwinn Air-Dyne. To learn more about exercise bike equipment, you're invited right now to visit http://www.exercisebikefitness.com



Al Bullington has logged thousands of miles on his Schwinn-Airdyne exercise bike. He exercises so he can eat more of his wife and daughters' outstanding cooking!

How To Make Exercising One Of The Highlights Of Your Week

Exercise is one of those things that everyone knows that they should do, but hardly anyone does it. I mean, if I asked you about all the benefits of exercising, how many could you list?

I bet you could come up with a quite a good list. So, if it is so good for you, the question is why don't you, and us as a society exercise more often?

The answer comes down to how packed our lives already are. There's hardly enough time to fit in the things we already do, how could you be expected to squeeze anything else in? With work, family and friends taking a large chunk of our time, there really is hardly anything else left to give.

So how can we possibly fit in an exercise plan, and stick to it?

Many people think it is as simple as will power. You've heard the saying right: "where there's a will, there's a way." This is definitely a case of saying it being easier than doing it. You and I both know it is very easy to get very motivated and pumped up when you are first starting an exercise program. All those benefits are fresh on your mind at this point. It is keeping the motivation that's the hard part. Usually the problem lies in the fact that we wanted to start an exercise program for somebody else. They kept telling us to do it, or they want us to get healthy, or someone you respect told you, you should do it.

When you do something like exercise that requires commitment over a long period of time, have to do it for your reasons or it won't last. Otherwise, you'll face a very similar syndrome to the so-called 'yo-yo' dieter, except you'll be a 'yo-yo' exerciser.

So if getting all motivated and hyped about a program doesn't work, what will?

Well, I believe that you can still use that motto: "where there's a will, there' s a way," but with a twist.

Instead of trying to force your life onto an exercise program, it is a much better idea to find an exercise program that is just fit for your life. What I mean is that, step back a bit, and don't start exercising for exercising sakes.

If you work in sales, it is commonly taught that 'people buy for emotional reasons, not for logical ones', and the same thing applies here. Instead of trying to sell yourself on an exercise program because it will give this advantage and that advantage, step back, and think about what automatically motivates you.

If there was a sport you used to love to play, but don't really play it much anymore, there's an obvious opportunity. Maybe its time to dust off your old playing gear, join up a local club and sign up for the next season. Sure you might feel you are not fit enough, but you aren't going to get fit by sitting at home.

I had a friend who loved to play soccer but didn't join a club for a couple of years because he thought he carried too much weight. Well he never lost that weight during those years, and when he did join a club, he found his weight started to decrease. That's because he didn't need to be motivated to go jogging anymore, or to make training. He loved it, so he was there exercising away, keener than ever. He had sold himself on why he should do it. If you had asked him to come jogging with you when he wasn't playing soccer, there's no way he'd come, but it all changed when he took the extra step.

So what if you are someone who doesn't really care about any particular sport, or activity that requires exercise?

Well, what about tapping into the power of your community. If you are about to embark on an exercise program, try and get a friend to pick one out with you. If you can start to exercise with a partner, you'll find it does wonders for how quickly you progress. You'll motivate each other, you'll get involved in friendly competition and most importantly, you'll keep each other going even when one of you doesn't feel like going to do that exercise. Having a friend there makes a big difference.

What if you don't have a friend that you think would like to exercise with you?

There's options for you too. You can join a local social club that just does that activity. So for example, you can join your local jogging club. It's a great way to meet new people and enjoy the exercise, without having to toil through it yourself. That way, you get a support network around you while you improve, and you make new friends.

What you basically want to do is create a situation where exercising is much more desirable than not exercising. So think about all the things you love doing, and see if you can be creative and fit in exercise within those activities. If you can do that and tap into what already motivates you naturally, then exercising, and sticking to the program will be a natural thing. You won't have to force it, you won't have to do it. You'll want to do it. And that's what you are looking for. If you do that, you'll find that you'll be looking forward to exercising, rather than dreading it, and that's what you want.



Enjoy this article? Read more exercise articles at our website. In particular, you may want to read up on the benefits of anaerobic exercise.

Six Pack Abs - 3 Mistakes That Will Keep You Flabby

If you are training for six pack abs then there are a few things you need to be aware of that will be absolutely vital to your success.

First, you should understand the differences between developing six pack abs and losing body fat. Getting six pack abs is a all about having extremely low levels of body fat. For men, the optimal body fat percentage is around 8% and for women it is around 15%. Training and eating to get body fat levels this low is much different than someone who just starts a diet and wants to lose 20-30lbs.

If you are just trying to lose a lot of weight, then making small changes to your diet will help you make a lot of progress very fast. For example, if you were to only drink water, unsweetened iced tea, and green tea, then you will not be consuming any calories from beverages. For someone who just wants to lose weight, a small modification such as this can make a big difference.

For someone who wants to get six pack abs, the process is much more detailed. These are two common mistakes that people make when trying to developing six pack abs.

Six Pack Abs Mistake #1: They try to do too many crunches and ab exercises.

While crunches and other ab exercises will help to build a stronger core, they will not help you get down to a low level of body fat. Trying to use endless reps of ab exercises simply does not build enough muscle or work your body hard enough to burn significant calories.

The myth of "spot" reduction is where a lot of people get caught up. The concept of spot reduction basically states that if you want to lose fat in a certain part of the body you should work the muscle underneath it. Our bodies do not store fat in one specific place, therefore you cannot lose fat in one specific place either.

You simply will never see a person with a ripped six pack and flabby love handles. If spot reduction actually worked this is what would happen. In the real world however, you need to concentrate on losing fat all over your body in order to develop a toned and sexy six pack.

Six Pack Abs Mistake #2: Trying to use infomercial ab gimmicks

When you see an advertisement for an "miracle" piece of ab equipment, the people who are using them usually have great bodies, low body fat, and a great six pack. However I can guarantee you one thing, and that is they did not get that way to using one single piece of abdominal exercise equipment.

Like we just talked about with why lots of crunches do not help you get six pack abs, the same holds true for any ab crunch machine or anything else you see on an advertisement.

This all goes back to the false concept that working the abs with lots of exercises will directly lead to a six pack. All the people with the best abs got them by training their whole body and making very smart food choices. Not by using some ab crunch gimmick for "two easy payments of $29.95." Six Pack Abs Mistake #3: Eating too many calories.

Sounds overly simplistic doesn't it?

This is one of the most important core concepts that is crucial to understanding how to lose body fat and develop six pack abs. So many people try to eat healthy and still have trouble losing weight. Sometimes they think they have something physiologically wrong with them and their bodies simply cannot lose weight.

Before you fall into this trap and start seeking "miracle" quick fixes, you need to know that not being able to lose body fat is simply a matter of taking in too many calories. If you try keeping a food journal for a week and counting the calories you consume you will be amazed at the insight it will give you.

Even if you eat 400 extra calories a day from little snacks here and there (which is not difficult at all), you will be taking in an extra 2,800 calories per week. For some people, taking in an extra 500-1000 calories per day can easily come from foods that are extremely calorie dense but do not help you feel full. Such foods include bagels, donuts, muffins, potato chips, soda, any kind of fast food, and more.

So before you think that getting six pack abs or simply losing body fat is impossible for you, try taking a few days to really track what you are eating. You will be surprised that losing weight can really be as simple as cutting out small calories dense foods from your diet.

A wise man once said that having sexy six pack abs feels better than the best tasting food in the world. Remember this concept and start taking action today. Good luck!



Interested in learning more? If so, there is good news for you. My name it Tom Gifford, Certified Personal Trainer, and I would like to extend to you a personal invitation to stop by my website at http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com and check out the first two chapters of my brand new book! You will get lots of great tips you can start implementing today. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Progressive Muscle Relaxation For Stress And Insomnia

Medical treatments, aromatherapy, and all the tired old "over-the-counter" prescriptions are just too boring anymore when it comes to treating insomnia or other sleep related problems. You need something new! Now there is a really exciting and effective technique that can be used to deal with Insomnia and other sleep disorders and it's called the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique.

What does this technique really do and how does it help to induce sleep? Well, there are number of good things it does and they work quite well to solve your sleeping problems. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that is used to tighten a certain group of muscles and then induce a relaxation stage afterwards that can reduce the overall tension in your body as you progress through the process. It is now being practiced widely by many people to relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. It is also used to treat insomnia as well as other habitual muscle pains in the body. It is being more commonly suggested for use amongst practitioners that have learned the technique of tensing and relaxing the muscles one group at a time. They concentrate on each group individually and thereby flush out the stresses and relieve the overall tension from each particular muscle part.

You can perform progressive muscle relaxation yourself by gradually starting the technique in your limbs and then moving to your facial area and your abdomen until you finally reach your upper body area. This technique is required for about 10 to 20 minutes a day and you'll really be surprised with the results. It will show you some small but effective changes in your body that will lead to more overall relaxation.

Progressive muscle relaxation targets every area of your body and also provides ample contraction periods that result in a feeling of relaxation after each repetition. It then reduces the nervous feeling of "exasperation" in your muscles and replaces it with a feeling more like drowsiness to put you in the mood for a real rest. This practice can be easily done at home at anytime of the day and especially when you are having difficulty falling asleep. This is a fun alternative to try and get yourself in the mood for bed. It is also very simple and a very practical way to aid yourself in sleeping. It's especially great for those people who are hesitant to try over-the-counter treatments or who have found the herbal medications to be ineffective.

Progressive muscle relaxation is very easy and sort of like reading a book before bed. It's just something simple you can do to get yourself in the mood for sleeping. All you have to do is just clear your mind of anything and gradually contract your muscles at one leg for 2-3 minutes while inhaling and exhaling slowly. Then move to your other leg and to each of your arms, always contracting the muscles for a few seconds and then releasing them. Feel that wonderful relaxation after you release? That's the technique starting to take effect!

Your mindset helps a lot when it comes to progressive muscle relaxation. Set your mind to experience the feeling of relaxation each time you release the contraction and you will begin to get the idea of how you can fall asleep after you are done. Soon you will feel relaxed with the technique and you'll start to feel very light. You'll get a lot better at putting yourself to sleep in no time.

This is a very simple and convenient way to help you fall asleep. The technique has often been used on Insomnia patients with great success. It's safer than those drug medications for sleep disorders and it will not cost you any money at all. It fits with the saying that "mental serenity and calmness starts with relaxation". With Progressive Muscle Relaxation, you are more than assured of a relaxed muscle and a relaxed body that will lead to a calmer state of mind. You don't need to worry any longer about having to go through all that sleep difficulty. With some very simple and basic contractions, you'll learn to teach your body how to relax and your mind will then follow. Go try it out and have a great rest tonight!



Over 70 Million people in the USA suffer from some kind of Sleep Disorder! There are actually hundreds of ways to improve your sleep but the first thing that is needed is to raise more awareness! If you want to sleep better tonight , you can visit this information Sleep Aid Web Site that is packed with FREE information: http://www.Sleep-Aid-Solutions.com