Slow and Steady

Today's Tip :Think “fast results” are the only way to change your body? Think again. A healthier and more realistic way to change your body is to think in terms of slow and steady results. Make food, fitness and lifestyle choices that evolve over time. This way you give your mind and body a chance to adapt to the changes occurring, gradually. You'll see lasting results and eliminate the yo-yo weight syndrome.

Eight Ways Exercise Can Change Your Life Besides Hoping To Get That Perfect Booty

We’re all drawn to fitness promotions by the sleek bodies portrayed in ads. Promises of 6 pack abs and buns of steel lure millions of us into signing up for gym memberships, buying exercise gear and calling 800 numbers seen on fitness infomercials, daily. Hey, we all want to look great in our jeans, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Unfortunately,more often than not, the lure of looking good soon fades. And what happens? We end up with dusty fitness DVDs, a treadmill clothes rack or a gym card buried somewhere in the junk drawer.
Sound familiar? How do we overcome the malaise that sets in once the initial excitement of getting in shape passes? Easy. We change our thinking. The best results of exercise are what’s internal, those changes occurring under our skin that we can’t always see. Research shows that those who focus more on the health benefits of exercise as opposed to the visual results have better long term compliance.
If you’re one of those people that’s craving to get “that great body” but just can’t stick to a regular fitness program try focusing your mental energy on how you’ll feel as opposed to how you’ll look. There’s nothing more addicting than feeling good. Here are 8 ways that working out will definitely help you feel better. Use this list to motivate you to pop in that DVD, get on the treadmill or drive to the gym for a great workout, even when you’re dog tired after a long day.


1 - Increases circulation and blood flow throughout the body. This is the key to the many benefits of exercise that we discuss, whether you do hardcore cardiovascular workouts, strength training, practice yoga or go for a walk. Improved circulation perfuses oxygen rich blood to nerve endings, muscles, the heart, skin and all other vital organs for better function.

2 -Helps you sleep when you want to sleep. Exercise is known to reduce stress, the number one reason most of us can’t get to sleep or stay asleep. Millions of us are popping sleep aids to get some shut eye every night. Get in a good workout 3-5 times a week and you’ll be lost in dreamland as your head hits the pillow.

3 -Helps you stay focused and alert at work and at daily tasks. Improved circulation to the cardiovascular system and to the brain helps give you more energy, which in turn helps you stay focused. Plus, if you’re sleeping better at night you’ll have more stamina and better concentration during the day.

4 -Prevents disease. The risk of many diseases such as CAD (coronary artery disease) obesity and certain cancers can be greatly reduced and even eliminated by a regular fitness program . Sedentary lifestyle is considered as severe a threat to our health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

5 -Improves mood and sense of well-being. Endorphins, our body’s natural feel-good chemical compounds, are released from nerve endings in our our brain and spinal chord when we exercise. Feeling depressed? Go for a run or walk, get to the gym, take a dance class. Our motto is ”an hour of fitness a day keeps the need for Prozac away!”

6 - Lowers resting blood pressure (hypertension). Exercise strengthens your heart and makes it more efficient at pumping blood to your body. This keeps vessel walls open reducing the pressure.

7 - Improves skin tone by 1) aiding the production of collagen 2) toning muscles that help improve the appearance of skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite 3) sweat from exercise flushing the body of toxins found in the environment.

8 - Increases your libido. That means better and more sex! Need we say more?
Okay, we’ll explain it. When exercise circulates more blood to the body, especially the hip and pelvic region it also increases blood flow to the groin area helping increase desire. Cardiovascular workouts will give you more stamina when in bed, plus improved muscle tone and flexibility make the experience more enjoyable. The endorphins elevated from exercise are similar to those from sex. As we said earlier, feeling good is addicting and you’ll carry that over with you to the bedroom.

There is an athlete in all of us.

This article arises from a conversation with a friend.
There is an athlete in all of us. Being an athlete is so much more than the physical prowess we associate with that word. Being an athlete is a state of being.
An athlete is someone who commits to their word on good days and bad. An athlete is someone who overrides the pendulum of the emotional highs and lows of life to get the job done. An athlete is someone who makes the commitment to doing and being one’s best on and off of the playing field. That playing field can be the skating rink, the tennis court, the treadmill or local Yoga studio. It’s wherever we commit to improving our health and well being through exercise and fitness.
It's important that we not look at it in relationship to other’s physical abilities. It’s not about training for the Olympics, signing a multi-million dollar contract or being on a nationally recognized team. Those are the outcomes of one’s training regimen. We don't become an athlete when we join a team. We get to join a team because we are an athlete.
Being an athlete is not a comparison that is measurable in how fast we can run, how high we can jump or the muscle definition of our body. It is measurable in the commitment we make to ourselves in overcoming the voice of fear and self-doubt that intrinsically arises when we say we are going to improve ourselves. It's about plowing through the chatter in our heads that says we’re too tired, too old, too out of shape - not good enough.
The next time you go for a walk, lift weights, take a fitness class, play a game of tennis, go for a swim, whatever it is you do for exercise, embrace the persona of being an athlete. Make the commitment to being your best in that moment no matter what the circumstances of your life. Push a little harder, run a little further, climb a little higher - believe in yourself. Overcoming exercise and fitness obstacles and moving to the next level brings with it the joy of accomplishment like no other.

Allow yourself to be an “athlete”. It will transform every aspect of your life.

Proper Hydration for Peak Sport and Fitness Performance

Proper hydration is essential for sports and fitness performance. Cooling of elevated core temperature during exercise results in fluid loss in the form of sweat on the skin’s surface. It is a natural and healthy response. Along with water, sodium and other electrolytes are lost from the body in this process. As a general rule, the more fit we become the more we sweat as our body becomes an efficient cooling machine. Replacing lost fluid and electrolytes is the key to peak performance, endurance and injury prevention. The question is, what, how much and when should we be drinking?
Water and electrolyte replacement has become big business. Walk into any fitness center, supermarket, convenience store and gas station and you will find a dizzying array of specialty waters, sport and energy drinks and electrolyte replacement solutions. How do you choose? Do you really need these expensive drinks? Here’s the scoop.
Research has shown that water is all you need for any exercise activity lasting less than 1 hour. Our diets provide enough sodium and other electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium to counter any loss for that duration.
After 1 hour electrolytes do need to be replaced, especially sodium, as well as carbohydrates. Hence the marketing and draw of sport and energy drinks, which contain sodium and sugar. Unfortunately, they can also contain lots of calories and artificial additives such as food coloring. In a pinch they are a great solution to replenishing fluid and electrolytes. But with a little foresight and planning you can make your own sports drink for pennies. And when you put it in reusable container you help the environment, too.

Sports Drink Recipe:
1 Qt. Water
1/3 tsp salt
½ to 1 ½ tsp. sugar

Keep your water and /or sports drinks at 41-59 degrees F as they are absorbed by the body faster at these temperatures. In other words, keep it cool and out of the hot sun of your car.
We’ve covered the what to drink but when and how much is just as important. We all sweat at different rates, so these are general guidelines for fluid replacement. Drink 2- 3 glasses of water 2 hours before exercising and another glass 15 minutes before exercising. During rigorous and intense activity, 8 oz. of fluid should be replaced every 10-15 minutes with a sports drink added after 45 -60 minutes. Modify this for less intense activity.
Don’t wait for your body to send an SOS signal that you’re going down. Too often we are encouraged to push ourselves to the limit as if it will give us more endurance, strength and power. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being properly hydrated adds to your endurance and prevents fatigue that can lead to injury. Dehydration can have dire consequences, especially in the heat. Please make sure that anyone who is training you also follows this philosophy. You should have the freedom to stop and take a sip during any fitness class and training session. Just don’t overdo it. Hyperhydration or too much fluid replacement for your body’s requirements is a possibility and can be just as dangerous. Listen to your body and learn its cues.

So, drink to your health, your fitness health that is, for optimal strength, power and endurance.