27. February 2007

Injury Symptoms

Injuries from exercising are quite common, the following symptoms may indicate you have an injury: - Pain, swelling, Heat, Redness and restricted movement in a set area of your body. Do not use painkillers to mask the pain and carry on exercising, as this will cause more long lasting injury. Stop and get expert treatment as soon as possible.

26. February 2007

Fat-Functions

The functions of fat are as follows:- as a carrier for fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K, as a protection for our vital organs, fatty acids are essential for cell membrane function and as also an energy source during endurance events. It can also acts as an insulator under the skin to reduce heat loss from the body in cold conditions. Consumption of fat in your diet is better from natural vegetable sources ie olive oil, avacados, nuts etc.

25. February 2007

Colds

A tomato rich diet can reduce your susceptibility to colds. Regular exercise will also increase your immune system and you are 30% less likely to be off work than a non-exerciser. Twice weekly sex can also raise your levels of Immunoglobin.A, an antigen present in saliva and the mucus lining which is the first barrier to colds and flu. Regular consumption of foods containing Vitamin C is also recommended.

24. February 2007

Variety

Varied training is a good way of maintaining motivation as the body can adapt to the training loads by progressing different areas of the body a little at a time. Cross training (Mixed training) is an excellent way to keep enthusiastic about training whilst still remaining focussed on the overall goal, which is fitness that totally prepares you for all that your life has to offer.

23. February 2007

Motivation

Don’t wait for the motivation to exercise. The invisible barrier that stops us exercising is a fragile one. People say “ If I put my mind to it I can do it.”  What the mind can conceive the body can achieve. So put your mind to it and just do it. The number one excuse is: ‘I haven’t got the time to exercise.’  Is that you? If so start to make time for exercise as it is important, a lack of exercise is as harmful as a packet of cigarettes a day to your health.

22. February 2007

Sugar

Refined sugar is an energy producing food with the nutritional value removed it is absorbed rapidly into the body and often gets converted into body fat. Read product food labels for hidden sugars and try to reduce your sugar intake in tea, coffee and on cereals as it all adds up. Starchy carbohydrates are a healthier and more effective source of energy.

21. February 2007

Specificity

Specificity is getting fit for a particular area of fitness. To get your heart and lungs fit you need to do endurance based workouts and to develop muscle strength you need to do resistance training. These are specific areas of fitness and to gain overall fitness a mixture of different types training will achieve balanced results.

20. February 2007

Weight Loss

Specific weight loss in certain areas of the body sounds good but in reality it cannot be done. Spot reducing does not work, fat loss can be achieved with any exercise that uses the large muscle groups in the body for a prolonged period of time to achieve overall body fat loss. By burning off more calories than you can consume you will increase fat loss evenly.

19. February 2007

PMS (Pre-menstrual Syndrome)

Correct nutrition can help you counter this condition, by eating a whole food diet and cutting out caffeine additives where possible. Try to reduce intake of monosodium glutamate, sugar and salt. Regular starchy foods can also help to maintain body sugar levels so that there is not a reduction in energy for every day balanced living, as low blood sugars can affect mood.

18. February 2007

Shoes

Footwear is important for the wellbeing of the regular exerciser to absorb shock, maintain stability and prevent injury. Different types of training shoes are designed for different exercise and to avoid injury the shoe needs to be comfortable and be flexible around the ball of the foot. Do not over wear your shoes to the point where they do not support and cushion you correctly.

17. February 2007

Breathing

Your heart rate increases during exercise so does you’re breathing and blood pressure. You should inhale through your mouth and nose and exhale through your mouth only. Try to let your breathing develop naturally. When performing resistance training exhale as you push or pull the resistance of the weight. Nose strips that open out your nostrils are useful during prolonged exercise.

16. February 2007

Couch potato

It is believed that lack exercise is as potentially harmful to your body as smoking a packet of cigarettes a day. As you get older the harmful effects of not exercising becomes more obvious, so you may have got away with being a ‘Couch Potato’ until now, but you need to consider regular exercise as your lifesaver.

15. February 2007

Overload

Health Related Fitness improves when the body is gradually worked harder over time by the increasing intensity or the amount. This physical and individual adaptation can only occur during recovery following exercise, with light recovery exercise being more effective than absolute recovery, though regular planned full recovery is important for rejuvenation.

14. February 2007

Carbohydrates

A good diet should include fifty percent of complex carbohydrates in a natural form rather than processed refined carbohydrates where the fibre, vitamins and minerals are stripped away. To avoid ‘empty calories’ consumption of cereals, whole-meal pasta, vegetables, fruit and wholemeal bread are the best way to ensure sustained high energy levels.

13. February 2007

There are three body types:

Ectomorphs-  lean and long with narrow shoulders and hips, with little muscle bulk or fat.Mesomorphs-  muscular, broad shoulders, narrow waists and strong hips.Endomorphs- have large proportions, gain weight easily and generally appear rounded.All body shapes can be improved but there is a limit to its extent.

12. February 2007

Take a break

Just as it is important to exercise, it is also important to schedule in rest and recovery into your training programme. The body gets fit from recovering from training, as that is where the process of adaptation takes place. Don’t wait until you have to rest even lighter exercise can be a rest if you train hard regularly, active recovery can be very effective whilst still maintaining a base level of fitness.

11. February 2007

Running Machines

Running on a running machine for the first time is an unusual activity but once mastered can be an excellent way to get fit indoors. Always stay in reach of the control panel and you should always stay within your fitness capabilities. Try and run as relaxed and natural as possible and face straight ahead.

10. February 2007

Bananas

Bananas are the ideal energy snack full of potassium which is essential for muscle contraction. This high fibre, vitamin rich, carbohydrate food also contains iron needed for carrying oxygen in the bloodstream. Bananas contain a protein that is converted by the body into Serotonin, a chemical responsible for mood elevation.

09. February 2007

Use it or lose it

Reversibility is an aspect of health related fitness as it cannot be stored for future use. Your level of fitness is determined by the regularity and consistency of your training and will be lost or reversed if you stop regular exercise. Athletes often take bouts of recovery phases, which contain lowered maintenance training to offset reversibility.

08. February 2007

Eat

If the reason why you don’t exercise is because you feel tired, it may be that you are not eating a balanced diet. It is better to eat a little and often to maintain energy levels throughout the day. Depriving your body of food can leave you with low energy levels and eating too much can make you sluggish. Plenty of fruit and vegetables will naturally increase your energy levels and vitality. Eat for energy.

07. February 2007

Cool Down

Immediately following exercise it is important to cool down where by you reduce the intensity of the work-out at the end. This is a gradual transition from exercise to rest. The body can suffer shock if light exercise does not follow a training session it will also improve recovery for the next exercise session and will reduce the risk of injury to the working muscles.

06. February 2007

Progression

Progression indicates the amount overload should increase as the person’s fitness levels increase. This has to be the right amount, too much exercise too soon and you crash, too little and you don’t improve. So the balance of the amount and intensity of exercise is crucial, no more than a five percent increase per week. This approach allows a correct and sustainable build up and avoids the risk of injury.

05. February 2007

Vary

By varying your type of exercise you are more likely to sustain a long term Health Related Fitness program. Doing different activities means you are less likely to quit through boredom. Cross training will also give you a greater all round and balanced fitness and you are less likely to get injured from overuse of set muscle groups.

04. February 2007

Tiredness

Many cases of tiredness are linked to stress, overwork, and lack of exercise, dietary deficiencies, sleep-deprivation or mild depression. Only one in five cases is due to medical causes, so if the tiredness persists despite Health Related Fitness lifestyle changes, it is important you see your Doctor to find out the cause.

03. February 2007

Nutrition

Recent research has shown that chocolate has no mood enhancing qualities as has previously been speculated. The ingredients have no effect on the brain by direct biological action. The reason chocolate makes us feel good when we eat it is simply because it tastes good. Too much consumption of chocolate over time which contains refined sugars will increase your body fat percentage.

02. February 2007

Exercise & you

Exercise 

Slows down the ageing processReduces your visits to the DoctorCan help you stop smokingCan help you maintain a healthy dietImproves your self esteemCan help you sleepCan help you relax

Exercise is good for you.

01. February 2007

High Risk Exercise

Full squats with weights should not be performed as they create too much pressure from the body weight on the knee joint alone. The ligaments and tendons around the knee can be excessively used so hyper-extended so there is a risk of injury. A squat that is at a ninety degree angle should not be exceeded especially if supporting an increase in resistance weights.

31. January 2007

Motivation

Goal setting is an excellent way of kick starting and maintaining motivation levels for Health Related Fitness. Breaking up the goals and targets into sections can keep an individual keen on the tasks during the present and future. By sectioning the training into realistic stages you are more likely to continue exercising over time as you can see clear results. Start, get fit and stay fit.