Why Exercise? Here's Why

By Vance Larson

In my mid 30's I was diagnosed with some pretty severe health problems. I can recall the days that I was so run down and so sick, that my work days were shortened to about 3-4 hours a day. This made it tough for my clients because my best hours were from 10:00- 2:00. For that reason, most of my work had to be done from my home office.

During that time I would make it a point to go for a walk at 10:00 in the evening. This was extremely tough for me. As I struggled to make a mile, I wondered if I'd ever get my health back? Exercise and physical activity were always a huge part of my life. Now I spent the majority of my days in bed.

Around age 40 my wife really started to push me. Not in a way that was bad. But, in a way from inspiration. Slowly our walks became longer. I started to workout again in the mornings. While some days I could only manage 10 minutes. My thought process was 10 minutes beats 5. And given my health at that time, I was willing to take any little victory I could get.

Over the course of 3 decades working in mental health, I would often make lateral moves into the fitness industry as a consultant in health and wellness. Working with both local and national chains, I managed several weight loss programs. I knew how weight affected the individual both from a health and mental health standpoint. So, while I would focus on diet from a disease perspective, I would use exercise for overall wellness. 

There is no doubt that we all can benefit from daily exercise. And you really do not need to invest in a lot of time to get results. Personally I strive for an hour a day 7 days a week. That's just feels right to me. When I finally was able to regain my health, I promised myself that I would do everything to preserve it. That said, you can see real results in as little as 20 minutes a day 3-4 times a week. What kind of results? Lets take a look at some of the benefits in regular exercise.

1. Reduce stress, depression and anxiety. Exercise has a direct effect on our brain chemistry. A good 30 minute walk or run should release those endorphins. When this happens, you'll feel less stress and increased energy.

2. Confidence does not come easily for most of us. How do we build it? Get moving. Exercise gets you feeling good. When you feel good, you tend to have a better self- image. Better self- image? Oh yeah. There's your confidence.

3. Slows down the aging process. More importantly the cognitive decline. Exercise will not stop this process completely. But, it will help slow it down. And the earlier you start to exercise, the better off you should be.

*Exercise is important at all stages of life. But for cognitive function, starting to exercise between the ages of 25-45 seem most important.

4. Can help control addiction. This can happen two- fold. First, as you exercise you brain releases dopamine {the feel good chemical.} For many in recovery this can be a good substitute. Secondly, exercise can give your life some sense of order, meaning that leads to self- worth. And as an added bonus, exercise that is built into your daily schedule can offer as a distraction for those cravings.

From time to time I hear someone argue that exercise is just another form of addiction. Well it can be. Just as food, porn, shopping and most anything else. But, ask yourself if you would rather be addicted to exercise or drugs? Be stronger than your excuses.

5. When the blood gets flowing we seem to become more creative. This especially happens when we exercise outdoors.

There are so many good reason to start exercising. Some of my biggest success with clients didn't come in the form of a mental health session. They came for a weight loss session. When a person has been diagnosed with several life threatening conditions and then they commit to a wellness process, that is a big success.

In my early 30's I received a call from a women who wanted to see me as a Hypnotherapist. However, when she arrived at my office and I was doing my intake on her, she went onto talk about how she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, breast cancer and several digestive disorders. I quickly thought to myself that my office manager gave me the wrong client file, and that she was there for end of life issues. Or to see the doctor that I worked alongside of. When I questioned her about what she was being seen for, she said without hesitation, I am here to lose 20 pounds so I look good in a bathing suit on vacation. Wow! I love it.

Over the next couple of weeks not only did we use hypnosis, but she was open to change. With some corrections to diet and adding some exercise, not only did she drop the weight, but her digestive problems faded away. I never did see her again after she left for vacation. I can't help but believe we added to the quality of life that she had before.

And just as I found out years later about the power of movement, there are no wonder drug to be found. But if there were, exercise would be one of them.

Now stop reading and get off the computer. Get yourself moving!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vance_Larson/1729477

Zumba: Still Keeping People Fit Years After Its Inception

By J Russell Hart

There are many choices of exercise programs out there and some can be described as "more interesting" than others. Take Zumba, for example, a great program under the category of dance fitness that has been around for approximately 20 years. Zumba is trademarked and owned by a company called Zumba Fitness, LLC.

This class based exercise program was invented by accident by a Colombian man who was a dancer and choreographer, by the name of Alberto Perez. It is an aerobic exercise, meaning that it allows for increases in heart rate and blood pressure during exercise, helping to keep the heart healthy and free of heart disease.

There are components of both dance and aerobics in this program. Many people use it for weight loss, healthy weight management, heart health, muscle toning and for overall fitness. It can be done by people young and old.

Popularity

Zumba is very popular, practiced by about 15 million people per week. There are 140,000 licensed and non-licensed sites for you to try Zumba. It is taught in over 185 countries so there is no good excuse not to try this fun and exciting form of exercise. 

The Origin of Zumba

Zumba was created almost by accident by Alberto (Beto) Perez when he forgot to bring along his normal aerobics tape to an aerobics class he was teaching. He decided to improvise with music he found in his car-mostly non-traditional merengue and salsa music. He improvised his first class and soon had a large following in his home country of Colombia. He moved later to the United States in 2001, where he soon met and helped cofound the Zumba movement with two other men, Alberto Aghion and Alberto Perlman. 

The team soon sold their program to a company called Fitness Quest. Through Fitness Quest, the Zumba program became licensed and its appeal spread through things like home videos and a string of direct marketing campaigns.

Dance Moves Incorporated into Zumba

A wide variety of dance moves in Zumba has been taken from some of the following dance styles:

• Soca
• Hip-hop
• Merengue
• Salsa
• Mambo
• Samba

Muscles Worked

The dance moves are incorporated into different aerobic moves like lunges and squats.

Besides the obvious benefits of fat burning that comes from the fast-paced cardiovascular workout that leaves you breathless while also strengthening the heart, Zumba also works various muscles groups in the body.

Every single move aims to build strength and lean muscle in moves that are perfectly coordinated to blood pumping music.

Muscle Groups Worked Include:

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• And virtually all the large and small muscle groups of the body

Lunges And Footwork

Zumba incorporates body rolls and hip shakes, along with lunges and intricate footwork, all of which blend together perfectly to comprehensively work the core and lower body muscles.

It is truly a total body aerobic workout. Good for weight loss and good for building lean muscle mass. You will likely see a six-pack peeking through on your core after a few classes.

Classes Today in Zumba

Instructors in Zumba are first licensed by Zumba Fitness, LLC, and then teach hour-long programs that incorporate both slow and fast rhythms, squats, lunges, and resistance training. The music mostly used is Latin dance, although there is some hip-hop and other musical styles incorporated into the dance routines.

The dance routines keep people going almost nonstop for a fun and entertaining exercise style that rivals many other aerobics class routines. There is even a Zumba Gold program for the elderly that uses routines and styles of aerobics that are more appropriate for people with less vitality and flexibility.

Other Types of Zumba Programs

• Another program derived from the original Zumba program is Zumba Step. This latest Zumba program is primarily titrated to work on the gluteal and leg muscles.
• Zumba Toning is also offered, which utilizes toning sticks to help work out the abdominals, thighs and arms, in particular. Zumba Toning is a great program for people who want to sculpt lean and strong bodies.
• Aqua Zumba is held in a pool and is easier on the joints when compared to other Zumba programs.

How To Get Started With Zumba

After checking with your doctor to be sure this type of intensive training is appropriate for you, you can do Zumba in a number of ways. Gyms, community centers, and private fitness studios offer Zumba classes. These options mean you go to a live class that will include an instructor and members. Another option is to purchase a Zumba DVD and participate it in the privacy of your home.

If you find it difficult to complete a full hour session don't get discouraged, many work up to the full hour and see impressive body changes as their fitness level rises.

Russell (Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club, a website devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness. The site encompasses a wide variety of health and fitness activities including general health matters, pilates, yoga, CrossFit, treadmill training, running, kettlebell, swimming, baseball, camping, hunting, HIIT, triathlons, extreme sports, equestrian and more. Should this subject matter be of interest you can visit the HF & S Club home site where you'll find over 1,300 quality posts with new posts being published daily. To quickly access those that are of interest you can select any of 20 Categories broken down by over 260 Sub-Categories for easy access. You can also visit visit any of the HF & S Club's four Stores all of which feature 1,000s of sports and health products at the very best prices.

Access this website by going to [http://www.healthfitnessandsport.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/J_Russell_Hart/278755

17 FOODS YOU CAN EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT

Take a look at this great video - it should help you to lose weight and feel more energetic!  Enjoy.

7 SIMPLE EXERCISES TO GET IN SHAPE FAST

10 minutes a day to improve your life!  See what you think!

How to Achieve Health and Fitness

By Adrian Joele

Many people are in search for health and fitness, but what are really the essentials for health and fitness and how do you achieve good health and overall well being?

When you have a closer look at the concept, it all boils down to the following four components, which are crucial for healthy living.

They are:

*1 Good Nutrition

*2 Regular Exercise

*3 A Good Night Sleep

*4 High Quality Nutritional Supplementation

If we choose to make good nutrition - including supplementation - and an active lifestyle a daily habit, we could add 5 to 15 healthy years to our lives.

Healthy living means: keeping a balanced, healthy diet, avoiding smoking, excessive use of alcohol and toxic chemicals, taking regular exercise, a good night sleep and supplementing our diet with high quality nutritional supplements.

I will describe in more detail the above mentioned four components for healthy living.

First of all: Good Nutrition.

You probably heard it before: "You are what you eat." Although I like a more accurate definition.it is better to say: "You are what you can get out of your food."

Good nutrition is fundamental for good health.

The human body is a complex system that requires a full spectrum of nutrients for optimal health.

What do we mean by "good nutrition"?

Good nutrition means: eating the right food that contains all the right carbohydrates, protein, fat, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, based on your body type.

A second factor that determines good nutrition is our body's ability to absorb the nutrients from the food that we eat. The nutrients have to be in a form that the cells can accept them, and the cells have to be in optimum condition to be able to absorb the nutrients. This is called bio-availability.

These are the keys to successful nutrition and two often overlooked facts. That is one of the reasons most nutritional supplements miss the mark, they don't address the cellular condition of the body.

You may think that regular exercise, a positive mental attitude, while applying the golden rule: 'everything in moderation' the key is to good health. However, if you understand the damage caused by processed foods, it will motivate you to change your diet, if you are aiming for a high level of health and freedom of degenerative diseases.

Acid-alkaline balance. We should consume acid- and alkaline-forming foods in the right ratio's. This is not hard to realize, when we know that, generally speaking, fruits and vegetables are alkaline-forming and the rest is mostly acid-forming, with a few exceptions. You can read more about acid- and alkaline-forming foods in my article.

The Australian diet contains nearly one-and-a-half times more acid-forming food as it does alkaline-forming food. This ratio should be the other way around. The problem with eating too much acid-forming food is that it builds up toxic waste products, and is the cause of most of our health problems. A diet that contains insufficient fruit and vegetables is missing vital antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamins and minerals. They are most important to prevent oxidation, caused by free radicals, which are the main cause of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other diseases.

We also need a sufficient amount of antioxidants, to counteract the formation of free radicals, caused by our stressful lifestyle, pollution in air and water and malnutrition. Oxidative stress has shown to be the root cause of over 70 chronic degenerative diseases.

Every day, the DNA in each cell in your body faces about 10, 000 attacks from cell-damaging forces known as free radicals, which are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron. Free radicals are naturally produced as your body turns fuel to energy, but you also get them from pollution in air and water, stress, smoking and radiation from the sun.

These volatile molecules cruise around your body trying to stabilize themselves by stealing electrons from other molecules. When they succeed, they create still more free radicals, causing a sort of snowballing procession of damage.

Free radicals don't just occasionally pop up here and there. Up to 5% of the oxygen that each cell uses is converted into free radicals.

Free radical damage is thought to play a role in the accumulation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the lining of your artery walls. This can lead to a narrowing of the arteries called atherosclerosis, which contributes to heart disease. And when free radicals damage DNA inside the cells, the results can be cell mutations that lead to cancer.

It is not all about nutrition, neither is it all about exercise. A balanced lifestyle is the key. Exercise at least three times per week. Aerobics, jogging, swimming, cycling and also include weight lifting in your exercise routine, which is important for maintaining a healthy bone-structure.

The key is to do the right exercise. Aerobics are usually recommended in the weight loss industry, the more intense the better, which is all wrong!! The problem is that aerobics exercises that raise your heart rate above 120 beats per minute, which include running, rowing, swimming, cycling and many of those fancy aerobics classes in health clubs, all strip off muscle almost as much as they strip off fat.

And as you know, muscle loss reduces your ability to burn fat and sets you up to become even fatter. Remember, muscle is the engine in which body fat is burned. You should do everything you can to maintain it for the rest of your life.

Walking is good for many health reasons, it also burn some fat and will not burn muscle. But the best exercise for fat control is wide-variety high repetition resistance training, using weights or machines.

By exercising all the muscles of your body, you burn a lot of fat. Another advantage of resistance exercises is that it increase muscle and as a result provide more muscle cells to be able to burn fat. It's a real health bargain.

Another important factor is proper pace. Don't overdo it. You can't force things to happen at once. The secret to good health is consistency and steadiness. The right amount of food and regular exercise.

The simple technique of 'deep breathing' can make a powerful contribution to feeling good and being fit and well. Our bodies need an abundance of physical and mental energy to be able to function at their best.

The energy source is food, but food is useless without oxygen, which is the key to our power. The more oxygen we deliver to our cells, the more energy we will have.

Breathing is the way we obtain oxygen and the benefits of periodic deep- breathing are enormous. However, if our breathing is shallow, we cripple the functioning of our systems. When the oxygen supply to our lungs is not sufficient, it can contribute to illnesses, both physical and mental. Posture is important for proper breathing.

The third factor of health and fitness is a good night sleep. There is nothing more beneficial than a good nights sleep and there is a great physiological need for it if the individual likes to feel refreshed and alert during the following day. Sleep is also important for your memory and learning capacity and possibly for maintaining a good immune system. But there are still many unanswered questions regarding the function of sleep.

This is possibly best explained with the fact that people suffering from insomnia also suffer from reduced concentration, reduced memory and decreased ability to accomplish daily tasks. They are also at greater risk for work related accidents and road accidents, many sick days, increased use of healthcare services and a lower perceived quality of life.

Insomnia is usually perceived as related to not getting enough sleep, which means that the person either has trouble falling or staying asleep. However, poor quality of sleep, whereby the sufferer wakes up not feeling refreshed, even after sufficient hours spent sleep, is a common complaint, especially by elderly people.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the brain, manufactured by the pineal gland and secreted at night. It is quickly degraded, but by being continuously secreted all through the night, it acts like a sleep regulator and 'signal of darkness' in humans. However the natural production of melatonin tends to decrease with age. specially in elderly suffering from insomnia, the production of melatonin is decreased compared to elderly with no sleep problems.

Research has proven that melatonin, when taken in small doses of 0.1 milligram, can decrease the effects of jetlag, like sleeping difficulties and tiredness.

The fourth component is: a high quality nutritional supplements. As I mentioned earlier, most supplements do not address the cellular condition of your body. Even worse, many are in a form that is unacceptable for the cells themselves and don't contain biological available substances that are useful for the cells in your body.

People who are suffering from a chronic degenerative disease are under greater oxidative stress than normal. In this case, optimizers are important to use in order to support any existing nutritional program.

It's been scientifically proven that there are substantial health benefits in taking nutritional supplements. The benefits of nutritional supplements are scientifically verified over the past two years. Hundreds of scientific studies have proved that nutritional supplements can significantly reduce the risk of degenerative diseases.

Apart from the future benefits, eating well and exercising regularly to achieve health and fitness, also enable us to enjoy life so much more right now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9669171