Fitness Guide 101

I notice a surge on my workout posts. We are all busy getting ready to fit in those sexy looking bathing suits when summer time comes. But not all workouts are suitable for every body. You need to know your body type (your built) so you can adopt a program that works best for you. Just came across a nice article and would like to share with you.

Based upon genetics, individuals are born with one of three body types. We are divided into these categories as a general rule and people may vary in small ways within these groups, but we are significantly one of the three. Ectomorphs have long, lean bodies; mesomorphs are more triangularly shaped; endormorphs have round or pear shaped bodies. Women tend to look at models (who have predominately ectomorph body types), in magazines, TV and other media venues and base their weight goals around those images. However, in order to look your best, you should workout according to your body type and accept that genetics plays the major role in determining how you look.

An effective workout, regardless of body type should include strength and resistance training because it increases muscle cells and decreases fat cells, resulting in bodies that are firm and toned. Walking and running alone will not increase muscle strength or endurance in the upper and lower body, which is necessary for weight loss. If you are interested in adopting an exercise routine based upon your body type, here are some suggestions:

Ectomorphs are lean, angular and usually small chested with limbs that are longer than their torsos. They tend to have lower back problems and are prone to osteoporosis. This group of people may try to focus too much on running or other aerobic exercise at the expense of strength training. Ectomorphs need to spend about 30 minutes 2-3 days per week engaging in weight training utilizing dumbbells (2 pounds up to 12 pounds), lots of stretching, push-ups and pull-ups using your own body weight, and limit cardio work to no more than 3 days per week for 20-30 minutes.

Mesomorphs tend to be muscular and athletic. They are medium boned and have shorter torsos. Their weight is evenly distributed throughout the body and they have a higher ratio of muscle to fat. Mesomorphs usually build up weight in the waist, upper arms and in the back near the bra line. Since most of the fat accumulates at the midsection, they can be more prone to heart disease and stroke. Aerobic exercise is key to burning fat and keeping the cardiovascular system healthy, so mesomorphs should incorporate at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic (running, bicycling, cross-training) 3-4 times per week. Strength training should be included 2-3 times per week focusing on lower weights with higher repetitions to enhance muscle tone. Since this group of people has tight, short muscles, as well as a tendency to shin splints, they should stretch every day in order to avoid injury.

Endomorphs have round, curvy bodies. They tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and gain weight in the stomach, buttock and thigh area. Their metabolism tends to be slower so weight loss is more difficult to achieve. Low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise is most effective for this group of people at a frequency of 4-5 times per week for 30-45 minutes per session. This can include power walking, low-impact aerobics, bicycling with no incline or using the treadmill. Weight training should be incorporated 2-3 times per week with lower weights and higher repetitions. Stretching is very important because it helps to elongate the muscles and keeps them flexible.

So no matter your body type, try to incorporate strength, resistance and weight training as well as aerobic exercise in the right proportions in order to maximize the time you spend working out.

Abs training is very important other than just looking good and attractive.  And here are the reasons:

• It is essential for back health.  The abs link the top half of the body with the bottom half for coordination of body movement.
• They facilitate bending, twisting, pushing and pulling motions as well as repeated lifting of objects.
• They provide a stable base of support for the back.
• If the ab muscles are weak (and remember they help the spine), they become easily fatigued, causing pelvis tilt and undue stress on the lower back.
• By strengthening the abdominal muscles as well as practicing daily stretching of the muscles in the lower back and hamstrings, we can help to prevent imbalances that lead to current and future back problems.
• Low back pain has a high recurrence rate, so the best way to reduce incidences of injury is by following a good, simple, exercise program every day, including:
  • Lower Back Stretches
  • Hamstring Stretches
  • Abdominal Crunches
  • Fanny Lifts (Reverse Curls)
  • Alternate Side Twists

Be sure to check with you physician or healthcare professional before beginning any exercise program. Endurance and repetitions of each of these exercises may increase over time, depending upon individual fitness levels. You can complete on average, 10-50 of each exercise daily, as long as you maintain good technique and form and you are healthy and free of injury.

Here are few tips to ensure proper form when you are strengthening your abdominals:

• Contract your abdominal wall towards your spine. This will help prevent arching of the back.
• Lift your head, neck and shoulders as if they were one part and not three separate pieces of the body.
• Avoid pulling on the neck to facilitate movement.
• Practice proper breathing techniques. Exhale on the hardest part of the movement and inhale as you lower your body back to the floor.
• Avoid bouncing, swinging or jerking body parts during the exercises.
• Stretch your muscles before starting any abdominal exercises and cool down following the same protocol.

Abs training needs not depend on fancy and expensive gadgets that promise you sculpted abdominals without consistent training, discipline and hard work.  But the bottom line is, you yourself have to be willing to ‘get down and do the exercises’ or all the abs machines, DVDs, books or any other tools you might have still won’t help getting you the abs you crave.

Hunger is a normal mechanism that reminds us that it is time to eat. But hunger sensation is not always a sign that we need to have foods in our stomach. There are other reasons why we feel hungry and sometime it is hard to differentiate real hunger from other needs.

• People often mistake hunger for thirst. If you just ate only a couple of hours ago and are already hungry, it might be a sign that you are just thirsty. Try to drink a glass of water, real fruit or vegetable juice.
• You may feel hunger when you are tire. You may be tire because you didn’t have enough or a good night sleep, feel worn out because of stressful events you are facing in life, you tend to look to foods and sugared drinks as an energy booster. Try to take a 10 – 15 minutes cat nap if possible during coffee breaks instead of reaching for the foods
• Before reaching for the food, ask yourself, how much, what and when did you last eat? If you only had a small portion, or just have some fruit, vegetable a couple of hours ago, then it’s normal to feel hungry again and this is real hunger sign and food is what you need.
• When people feel anxious or depressed, they often tend to use food as a form of comfort and safety net from their problems. Examine your situation and determine if you are fighting an emotional issue. Take a walk or take the stairs to your next meeting. Exercise is a great way to lease stress.
• The body is habitual. We should eat ad balanced diet at the same time each day, sleep 7-8 hours at the same time each day, bowel at same time each day, etc. Try to eat regular meals at regular times each day. Do not skip breakfast, which is often overlooked when you are in the hurry to get out the door in the morning. Eat fruit for snacks during mid morning or mid afternoon. Eating at about the same time every day makes us less likely to suffer from real hunger and chemical fluctuations that can cause headaches, irritability and fatigue.

By distinguish real hunger and false hunger helps you control eating food (and pack more calories) when not necessary, therefore can control you ideal weight.

We are now at the end of January, but it is only the fourth day in Chinese New Year.  We Chinese are greeting each other on new year days “Gong xi fa cai” or “Gong Hay Fat Choi”, both means to wish you prosperity in the new year.  Who wouldn’t like that!

But as we wish “gong xi fa cai” to the matured, or even people in their 30s, they would thank you with a big smile and tell you that health is more important than anything.  Isn’t that so true.  With good health, anything is possible.  Without health, does it matter if we own the bank?

The very basic recipe for good health:

• Eat a balance diets including protein, grains, fruits and vegetable
• Drink plenty of clean water daily
• Go to bed early at night (10-11pm), wake up early in the morning (6-7 am)
• Exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes a day
• Manage and control your emotion, don’t get anxious or angry easily.

So, to all my friends, Chinese or not, wishing you the best of health and much happiness, the wealthiest source of life!

Here we are in the first day of 2009! Time to reflect on how things went in the past year and make a few more resolutions for the new year.
Ever set too many resolutions with unrealistic goals that you never fulfill them that you gave up? “Ah! What the heck, it will never happen the way I wanted!” Sound familiar? It is to me!

Anything you wanted serious must be translatable into serious action. I read somewhere that you need to be SMART when setting New Year goals. It is based on the acronym and is a useful tool for evaluating and fulfilling promises

Be:
Specific: Vague or ambiguous goals are no use. Instead of saying “I want to lose weight” you need to be specific – for example,”I want to lose 7 lbs”;

Measurable: Work out how you are going to measure your success. So instead of saying I want to improve my health, set a measurable target – lowering blood pressure through diet and exercise under physician supervision;

Attainable: Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too difficult. Set a goal or goals that are challenging but not unattainable;

Relevant: Goals should be relevant for you and not be made for other people or to meet social expectations;

Time-limited: Set a date so you will know when you should have reached your goal. Don’t set this too far in the future; otherwise it won’t be any motivation.

It depends on what kind of sickness you have. If you have a mild sore throat, sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, it is probably okay to exercise. Moderate workouts may even help you feel better because exercise can temporarily relieve nasal congestion.

However, if you have any kind of chest tightness or congestion, shortness of breath, persistent cough, or an upset stomach — you should postpone exercise workouts. You shouldn’t exercise if you have a fever, fatigue, body or muscle aches that are not related to previous activity – for example, you may be experiencing muscle aches because you did 100 sit-ups the night before after weeks of being sedentary. The pain you are experiencing is probably not related to flu/cold symptoms and it is okay to exercise moderately.

The rule of thumb for working out is to use common sense. If you are feeling under the weather but still want to exercise, lessen the intensity of your workout. If you feel worse at any point during the workout, stop and rest.

Just don’t use “sickness” as an excuse to avoid exercising. Many times people feel better emotionally, psychologically and physically by taking the time to engage in moderate workouts. If we pay attention to our bodies, strengthen our immune systems through consistent exercise programs and practice good dietary habits, we may be able to lessen the chances of getting sick in the first place.

Americans averagely gain between 7-15 pounds over the Holidays.  Lots of foods that we don’t normally eat other times of year can be the culprits.  Here are five biggest suspects to watch out for:

1. Pecan Pie….Resist eating more than 1 small piece of this pie made with eggs, cream and lots of sugar;

1. Eggnog….Made with real cream, brandy, and whole eggs. Stick with 1 small serving of this delicious brew;

1. Candied Yams…We usually eat them 1-2 times a year and they are so good, especially with nuts and marshmallows on top, made with real butter and brown sugar – yum. Again, watch your portions;

1. Cheesy Dips….The creamier and fattier the better whether on carrot sticks or chips or toast.  Go easy on these!

1. Creamy Gravy….Add heavy cream, butter and flour to meat juices and you have a little slice of heaven. Go easy on ALL sauces that are basically fat, flour, and cream.

Perhaps we could lower the poundage we bring into the New Year if we can limit or restrict the 5 foods mentioned above.

Still remember how stuffed you were after that Thanksgiving dinner? We tend to over eat during the holidays, and there are two more just around the corner with many parties and celebrations in between.

You can enjoy all your favorite foods with joy and satisfaction, but learn to choose foods wisely during this holiday season. Did you know that there are:

About 280 calories in 1 piece of homemade Apple Pie

About 430 calories in 1 piece of homemade Pecan Pie

And, if you add 1 scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, add about 200 more calories per delicious serving

You can have a piece of pie; however, choose a healthier option with fewer calories. Don’t forget to exercise during the holidays or most what you eat will accumulate unbecomingly around your waist and fanny. Remember this simple equation:

Calories consumed minus calories burned = calories stored

So, Pecan Pie (430 calories) – Sitting on the Couch (80 calories) = 350 calories that get stored in your body (as fat)

Remember to keep a decent balance of food intake and exercise output, and you’ll be ready for the New Year in better shape. Walk after dinner or supper to help burn calories and aid in digestion. Take the dog for a stroll and bring your children along for fun. Go sleigh riding, snow boarding, swimming, surfing or biking. Just get up, out and do something, no matter what part of the country you live in!

Still not enough to offset the calories intake? Add a couple tablets of the Carb Blocker 2 and block up to 500 calories per meal.  Be sure to check with your doctor if you  have medical condition including diabetes and hypoglycemia, before using this product.

When we sustain an injury, the body begins to repair itself immediately. The damaged part begins to receive increased blood flow, which can lead to inflammation. While inflammation is a natural by-product of the healing process, it can sometimes result in swelling and pain - and that is where heat and cold therapies come into play. Most doctors recommend R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression and elevation) therapy. When applied immediately to an injury, cold can reduce both pain and inflammation. After a few days of applying cold to the injury (when swelling has decreased), it’s a good time to apply heat therapy. Heat increases blood flow and helps to speed up the healing process as well as promote flexibility. If you are injured, call your doctor for advice. The information provided in this post is not meant to diagnose or cure any medical problems.

Cold therapy can help to relieve chronic discomfort associated with the following:

• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Burns
• Headache Pain
• Neck Pain
• Sinus Inflammation
• Toothaches

Cold/Heat therapy can help to alleviate temporary pain from:

• Muscular Sprains/Strains
• Post-Surgical Pain
• Some injuries

Heat therapy may relieve pain and restore flexibility for specific ailments such as:

• Arthritis
• Cramps
• Muscle Aches
• Menstrual Cramping

Turkey and apples can be your ally in weight loss and management programs.  These wraps are easy and fun to make.  The children can help and they’ll love them too.  They are delicious, nutritious and great for your waistline.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cup diced red apples
½ cup low-fat olive oil mayonnaise (or other lowfat mayo)
4 whole wheat flour tortillas (8” diameter)
6 ounces turkey breast slices
2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese (or swiss cheese)
1 ½ cups broccoli-slaw mix (broccoli stems, carrots, red cabbage – pak)

Directions
Combine apples, mayo and broccoli-slaw mix. Set aside.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide turkey slices into four servings. Place 1 ½ slices of turkey on each tortilla. Place ¼ of the combined apple, mayo and broccoli mix down on the center of each turkey and tortilla. Add ½ ounce cheese Roll the tortilla (with filling) with seam side down. Add salt and pepper to taste. Your roll should be approximately 1 ½ inches.