Online Fitness 4 U

Food Guide Pyramid - Grains and Sweets

2008-12-27T20:18:00.000-08:00

The Food Guide Pyramid shows us what is the best way to organize our food consumption.
Grains
Grains is one of the most important things you need to combine in your daily menu, but don't overreact! You don't need to much of it. Try to make at least half of your grain servings whole grains, such as 100% whole-wheat bread and brown rice. For a day you need to eat roughly that: 1 slice of bread, ½ cup of cooked cereal, ½ cup of rice or pasta and 1 cup of cold cereal.

Fats, oil and sweets
This kind of food is the most unhealthy group of all, and you need do try to eat as less as you can fats, oil and sweets.

Healthy eating

2008-11-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Healthy eating doesn't mean that you need to eat only fruits or vegetables. It means that you need to eat all kinds of food, but in the correct quantity. Actually, you need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meat, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs.

Burn extra calories with weight traning

2008-08-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone should know that muscle weighs more than fat.
If you want to maximize your calorie burning during weight training, increasing muscle helps you lose weight and strip that fat. Increase repetitions rather than increasing weight to build strength without bulking up. Take very short rest periods between sets - about 45 seconds, to speed up metabolism and also burn more calories.

Know Your Heart Beat

2008-07-28T06:24:00.001-07:00

One of the biggest scientific advances in physical fitness is the development of commercial heart rate monitors. You now no longer have to be one of the top athletes in the world to train with a heart monitor. For less than $200, you can buy a device that clips to your bike (or is worn like a wrist watch) that will provide you with accurate data on your pulse.

Why is this important? Because if you are not training hard enough, you will not progress in your fitness. The heart rate monitor will show you if you need to work harder. First, calculate your maximum heart rate. It is usually 220 minus your age. So a forty year old will have a maximum heart rate of 180 beats per minute (BPM). If your heart is not beating at least 80% of the max, (in our example 154 BPM), then you need to work harder.

On the other hand, training at too high a level is also bad for you. As you approach your maximum heart rate, your muscles become unable to process the lactic acid being built up. Muscle fatigue will set in and destroy any improvements you have made in your fitness. Once again, using the heart rate monitor make sure that you are not working out at more than 90% of your maximum (in our example 162).

So the key really is to work out between 80 and 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. The only way to monitor this is buy putting on a chest strap with a monitor and checking the readout once per minute. It may sound like a lot, but it will dramatically improve your fitness and get you ready for the next big race. The best thing is that today these monitors are relatively inexpensive.

Yoga breathing

2008-07-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

Breathing is a vital element if you want to be engaged in healthy yoga.
Practicing yoga breathing, or breath control in yogic terms exercises, are the link between the physical and mental disciplines of yoga. By developing control of your breathing, you can bring about beneficial changes in your body and mind. Yogic breathing cleanses the body, calms and relaxes the mind, and serves as a perfect warm-up for practicing yoga poses. In coordination with yoga poses, the breath unifies mind and body, balances opposing energies, and helps the body relax deeply and safely into each pose.

The Stimulating Breath

2008-07-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

The Bellows Breathing Technique (also named The Stimulating Breath) is a yogic technique, that can be used to help stimulate energy when needed.
You can try this technique by following these steps:

*While sitting in a comfortable up-right position with your spine straight ,with your mouth gently closed, breath in and out of your nose as fast as possible.
*The rate of breathing is rapid with as many as 2-3 cycles of inspiration/expiration per second.
*While doing the exercise, you should feel effort at the base of the neck, chest and abdomen. The muscles in these areas will increase in strength the more this technique is practiced. This is truly an exercise.
*Do this for no longer than 15 seconds when first starting. With practice, slowly increase the length of the exercise by 5 seconds each time. Do it as long as you are comfortably able, not exceeding one full minute.
*There is a risk for hyperventilation that can result in loss of consciousness if this exercise is done too much in the beginning. For this reason, it should be practiced in a safe place such as a bed or chair.

Breathing exercise

2008-07-07T22:19:00.000-07:00

Breathing exercise can help you in two ways: the first is that it takes pressure off your heart and will let the maximum amount of oxygen into the body. The second is that it will clears your mind and makes you more relax. There are some exercises you can try.
One of them is that: You should place your right hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. Breathe deeply. Breathe like this for 2 minutes. As you breathe in, count to 4, hold for 2, and release your breath in 4 counts.

Diabetic diet

2008-06-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

People who suffer from diabetes often use a special diet that contains dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, but low in fat (especially saturated fat).
Patients may be encouraged to reduce their intake of carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index. However, in cases of hypoglycemia, they are advised to have food or drink that can raise blood glucose quickly, followed by a long-acting carbohydrate (such as rye bread) to prevent risk of further hypoglycemia. Recent studies have shown that a vegan diet may also be effective in managing type 2 diabetes.

Bad Effects of Shallow Breathing

2008-05-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Some people use only the upper part of their lungs. Others breathe only with the lower part and with the diaphragm, leaving the upper structures of the lungs inactive and collapsed. The habit of shallow breathing, which does not allow the lungs to be thoroughly permeated with fresh air, accounts in a measure for the fact that one-third of all deaths result from diseases of the lungs. To one individual perishing from food starvation, thousands are dying from oxygen starvation.

Correct Breathing

2008-05-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

Proper breathing is necessary in order to maximize the aerobic value of the exercise and the enjoyment. Improper shallow breathing simply causes one to tire out faster, adds stress and reduces the comfort level. The correct breathing technique is similar or the same as that practiced in many of the martial arts and many other exercises.

Pilates - Breathing

2008-04-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

Pilates breathing is a posterior lateral breathing, meaning when inhaling you breathe deep into the back and sides of your rib cage. At the same time as you exhale you feel the engagement of your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and maintain this engagement as you inhale . It should be properly coordinated with movement. Each exercise is accompanied by breathing instructions.

Necessary Health Tips

2008-04-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Any person have to keep his body in a good health condition. In this post you'll find the basic and important actions you can do for keeping your body in a good shape.

Quit Smoking
Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware and warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers. But before you'll act this way - check yourself, and quit smoking. It's for your best.

Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.

Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog or chase your kids. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or some kind of fitness lesson. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.

These tips aren't easy, but if you'll follow them, your health condition will be improved.

Timely Vaccinations - Canadian Example

2008-03-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Traveling outside of Canada might require several vaccination procedures. Your travel destination, the total length of your stay and the state of your routine immunizations create a list of travel vaccinations for you personally. It can take several weeks for an immunization to kick in and develop a confident security shield against preventable diseases. Consult a travel health clinic or your family physician 5 to 7 weeks before your trip to give a chance to take effect for the vaccines or immunizing agent.

You can get exposed to infections abroad depending on the style, location, and duration of travel. Exotic meals and beverages may cause one of the most common illness- travel diarrhea, which, in some serious complications, may lead to serious intestinal disorders or even to a cancerous bladder!

Types of flu viruses as well as flu vaccines differ all over the globe, and change every year. However, the Canadian vaccination is usually a fairly typical one, and offers a lot of protection against catching either flu and travel diarrhea or some kind of meningitis. Travelers, who want to feel secure and confident about their upcoming trip, should visit a doctor or a travel clinic at least two months before departure. This will give time for the slower-acting vaccines, like hepatitis vaccines or influenza shots, to take effect. However, some fearful diseases, such as meningitis, have to be vaccinated against at birth.

So before you plan your travel, plan immunization schedule with your family physician.

Physical exercise

2008-03-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Physical exercise is bodily activity that maintains or develops physical condition and overall health. It is often practiced to strengthen muscles and the cardiovascular system, and to hone athletic skills. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent diseases of affluence such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity. It also improves mental health and helps prevent depression. Physical exercises are very importent for people who want to maintain their fitness.

Physical fitness - body composition

2008-03-09T20:52:00.000-07:00

Body composition in physical fitness is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. The percentages of fat is of most interest because it can be very helpful in judging health in addition to body weight. Because muscular tissue takes up less space in our body than fat tissue, our body composition, as well as our weight, determines how lean we appear.

pilates exercise

2008-03-03T04:02:00.000-08:00

Pilates exercise can transform the way your body looks, feels and performs dramatically if you will effort.
Pilates develops a strong "core" - center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles, and the muscles closest to the spine. The exercises develop core control, integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.

Pilates can help you to:
*Builds strength without "bulking up"
*Increases flexibility and agility
*Develops optimal core control
*Creates flat abdominals, slender thighs and a strong back
*Is a refreshing mind-body workout
*Is challenging yet safe

About Pilates

2008-02-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

Pilates is one of the fastest raising forms of exercise in the world.
Developed from the rehabilitation techniques of Joseph Pilates, Balanced Body Pilates is a safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or equipment, that will help you look and feel your very best. No matter what your age or condition, it will work for you. Pilates improves core strength, flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate back pain and other chronic ailments. Piltes is a very challenging form of exercise, and thanks to that each person that would find some time for Pilates exercise, will enjoy that.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

2008-02-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy expended while you are resting in a neutrally temperate environment, when the digestive system is inactive, which requires about twelve hours of fasting in humans. The release of energy in this state is sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, brain and the rest of the nervous system, liver, kidneys, muscles and skin. BMR decreases with age and with the loss of lean body mass. Increased cardiovascular exercise and muscle mass can augment your BMR. Illness, previously consumed food and beverages, environmental temperature, and stress levels can affect one's overall energy expenditure, and can affect one's BMR. The Basal metabolic rate is measured under very restrictive circumstances when a person is awake, but at complete rest. An accurate BMR measurement requires that the person's sympathetic nervous system is not stimulated.

Teenagers Diet

2008-01-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

In nowadays, diets are used among teenagers. They don't understant the principle of dieting. So for making them to understant, here you some information about Teenagers Diets.

Since teenage years are times of curiosity, teens often turn to available resources for answers about their bodies. Unfortunately, when it comes to finding these answers the media has taken over as the number one resource. Television and magazines bombard youth with images of perfection, and teens often feed into these impossible standards. The Diet for Teenagers Only teaches them about true health and beauty.

Running

2008-01-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

Running is defined as the fastest method for an "animal move" on foot. It is defined in sporting terms as a gait in which at some point all feet are off the ground at the same time. Running is both a competition and a type of training. As a sport, it is split into events divided by distance and sometimes includes permutations such as the obstacles in Steeplechase and hurdles. Running races are contests to determine which of the competitors is able to run a certain distance in the shortest time. In nowadays, competitive running events make up the core of the sport of athletics.

Dieting Information

2008-01-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

Here you some dieting information that could help tou to start the program correctly. When you are choosing a diet plan or weight loss program, make sure it is safe. Make sure that it contains all the recommended daily allowances. The plan is to cut calories and not important food groups. A diet should not lose more than a pound a week, because quick weight loss usually means a gain in weight over time. Before stating any diet you should consult a doctor or nutritionist who will be able to advise you on a suitable diet and weight to aim for and of any health risks.

Physical exercise - Dieting

2007-12-27T02:12:00.000-08:00

Physical exercise is an important complement to dieting in securing weight loss. Aerobic exercise is also an important part of maintaining normal good health, especially the muscular strength of the heart. To be useful, aerobic exercise requires maintaining a target heart rate of above 50 percent of one's resting heart rate for 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week. The ability of a few hours a week of exercise to contribute to weight loss can be slightly overrated. A man of normal fitness will be tired after 500 meters of climbing, so he needs to exercise every day for 140 days to reach his target. However, exercise (both aerobic and anaerobic) would increase the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) for some time after the workout. This ensures more calorific loss than otherwise estimated. There are also some easy ways for people to exercise, such as walking rather than driving, climbing stairs instead of taking elevators, doing more housework with fewer power tools, or parking their cars farther and walking to school or the office.

Jogging Tips

2007-12-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

If you want to jog, you need to know how to do it and when. I brought to you some tips for you, so test them!
1.Begin the program by walking with segments of jogging. Two minutes of walking followed by one minute of running is a good starting place. Slowly reduce the amount of walking until you can jog continuously for 20 minutes.
2.Find a good running shoes that is good for you. Look for good cushioning, plenty of toe room and a snug fit at the heel.
3.Make sure you warm-up properly to evade injuries and follow exercise with a cool down
Good luck!

Macrobiotics vs. vegetarianism

2007-11-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

Macrobiotics vs. vegetarianism - what is the different?
A macrobiotic diet includes many of the same foods as vegan diets, but in macrobiotics certain animal foods are suggested. The two diet styles share enough similarities that a vegan version of macrobiotics is not uncommon. Macrobiotics is based on traditional ways of eating. While there are no completely vegan cultures that are long-lived, the longest-lived cultures around the world consume between 70% and 99% whole plant foods. The American Dietetic Association approves of carefully-planned vegan diets. In the words of the Association, Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

Fitness - study of life

2007-11-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

fitness is a central concept in evolutionary theory. It describes the capability of an individual of certain genotype to reproduce, and usually is equal to the proportion of the individual's genes in all the genes of the next generation. If differences in individual genotypes affect fitness, then the frequencies of the genotypes will change over generations; the genotypes with higher fitness become more common. This process is called natural selection.
As fitness measures the quantity of the copies of the genes of an individual in the next generation, it doesn't really matter how the genes arrive in the next generation. That is, for an individual it is equally "beneficial" to reproduce itself, or to help relatives with similar genes to reproduce, as long as similar amount of copies of individual's genes get passed on to the next generation. Selection which promotes this kind of helper behaviour is called kin selection.
Fitness is another wau to keep our lifes good as usual.

How to switch to a Macrobiotic diet

2007-11-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

A person considering adopting the Macrobiotic diet system, should spend some time researching the philosophy as well as the specific foods and cooking techniques used.
How anyone can choose to transition into a full macrobiotic way of eating and being?
The best way to transition to a macrobiotic diet, is to first employ a wholefoods diet for several months before going into the more restrictive macrobiotic way of eating and being. A wholefoods diet requires erradicating all heavily processed and refined foods such as granulated sugar, refined flour, and most canned or pre-prepared foods. The next step is that one would begin erradicating all dairy products and red meat, while utilizing only whole grains. Finally, particularly during these transition periods, it is important to be very aware of what is going on in your body and your body's response to the foods you intake.
Also, it is recommended that one researches the diet and either consults a macrobiotic counselor or makes a gradual transition to the macrobiotic way of eating. A well-trained macrobiotic counselor will orient the person not only toward the correct foods and methods of eating, but will also guide the person to a more aware state of being.

Pilates - exercise equipment

2007-10-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Around 1914, Joseph Pilates was a performer and a boxer living in England and, at the outbreak of WWI, was placed under forced internment along with other German nationals in Lancaster, England. There he taught fellow camp members the concepts and exercises developed over 20 years of self-study and apprenticeship in yoga, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman physical regimens. It was at this time that he began devising the system of original exercises known today as "matwork", or exercises done on the floor. He called this regimen "Contrology." A few years later, he was transferred to another camp, where he became a nurse to the many internees struck with wartime disease and physical injury. Here, he began devising equipment to rehabilitate his "patients," taking springs from the beds and rigging them to create spring resistance and "movement" for the bedridden.

In a way, Pilates equipment today is not much different than that of yesteryear. Spring tension, straps to hold feet or hands, supports for back, neck and shoulder are as important now as they were then. Because of the remarkable nature of the equipment to both challenge and support the body as it learns to move more efficiently, the inimitably designed pieces truly act as a complement to the challenging "matwork" exercises. The Pilates exercise are not hard to complete.

Philosophy - Macrobiotic diet

2007-10-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

Followers of the macrobiotic approach believe that food and food quality powerfully affects health, well being, and happiness. The macrobiotic approach suggests choosing food that is less processed and more natural, and employing more traditional methods of cooking for family, friends, and oneself. One goal of the macrobiotic philosophy and practice is to become sensitive to the true effects of foods on health and well being. In this way, one goes beyond rules and regulations concerning diet to choosing foods that sustains one's health. In this way, dietary guidelines help one to develop sensitivity and an intuitive sense for what sustains one's health and well-being in diet as well as relationships and activities.

Macrobiotics emphasizes locally grown whole grain cereals, pulses (legumes), vegetables, seaweed, fermented soy products and fruit, combined into meals according to the principle of balance. Dietary recommendations include whole grains, such as brown rice, and other whole grain products, such as buckwheat pasta; A variety of cooked and raw vegetables; beans and bean products, such as tofu, tempeh and miso; sea vegetables; mild natural seasonings; fish; nuts and seeds; mild (non-stimulating) beverages, such as bancha twig tea; and fruit.
Certain types of vegetable-fruits, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, are not recommended and are either avoided altogether or used very sparingly.

Macrobiotic diet

2007-10-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

Macrobiotics ( the translation is long life ) is a dietary regimen that involves eating grains as a staple food supplemented with other local foodstuffs such as vegetables and beans. Although in macrobiotics people may opt to use Japanese ingredients (Japan being the cradle of contemporary Macrobiotics), according to the general guidelines people should use the ingredients that are found locally, and avoid the use of sugar and other highly processed or refined foods. Macrobiotics also addresses the manner of eating by recommending against overeating and requiring that food be chewed thoroughly before swallowing.

The composition of Macrobiotic diets:
Macrobiotics is an approach to life rather than a diet. General Guidelines for the diet are:
Whole grains, especially brown rice: 30-50%
Vegetables: 25-50%
Beans and Bean Products: 10-20 %
Miso soup: daily
Seaweed: small amounts daily
The remainder is composed of fish and seafood, seeds and nuts, seed and nut butters, seasonings, sweeteners, fruits, and beverages. Other naturally raised animal products may be included if needed during dietary transition or according to individual needs.

Fitness competition

2007-10-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Fitness competition is a class of physique events for women bearing a close resemblance to female bodybuilding, but with significantly less emphasis on muscle size. These competitions are frequently held as part of the same event as bodybuilding contests.
Fitness and figure are two distinct forms of competition. However, the physique guidelines are similar, and many women cross over from one to the other.
Fitness competition consists of a swimsuit round and a routine round. In the swimsuit round, the competitors wear two-piece swimsuits with high heels, and present their physiques with a series of quarter or half turns. Physique guidelines for fitness typically indicate a preference for a small amount of muscularity with separation, but no visible striations or excessive leanness.
The swimsuit must cover at least fifty percent of the glutes; no thongs or G-strings are allowed. The routine round requires a performance including aerobics, dance, or gymnastics.
The two most prestigious professional fitness contests are the Fitness Olympia and the Fitness International. Fitness competition is a very good way to practice. It's more interesting and fun.

The Muscle

2007-10-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

The muscle is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. It is classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscle, and its function is to produce force and cause motion, either locomotion or movement within internal organs.Much of muscle contraction occurs without conscious thought and is necessary for survival, like the contraction of the heart, or peristalsis (which pushes food through the digestive system).
Voluntary muscle contraction is used to move the body, and can be finely controlled, like movements of the eye, or gross movements like the quadriceps muscle of the thigh.

There are two broad types of voluntary muscle fibers, slow twitch and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibers contract for long periods of time but with little force while fast twitch fibers contract quickly and powerfully but fatigue very rapidly. The muscles are one of the most needed part of the body.

Make your choice.

2007-09-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

Actually a diet is the preferred food that we eat or drink, the things that we like or that are good for us. But however every time when we begin to talk about diets, we tend to be talking about "special" diets. And we are absolutely right because it’s extremely important to pick up a proper diet that will take into account the age and psychological peculiarities. So, magazines, newspapers, television and internet help us very much on this way. Searching through the internet we can find out a lot of very useful information now. There are great number services with a wide choice of different diets, Diet Pill reviews, meal plans, calorie tracker, fitness demos, recipes and much more that could help you to say bye to your belly fat.

Remember the cardinal rules any diet. The diet must suppress appetite, help to regulate blood sugar levels, stimulate metabolism, suppress stress hormones, to increase energy levels. Don’t miss Phentramin reviews that may help you to make really right choice. Be healthy and beautiful!

Specific fitness

2007-09-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Specific or task-oriented fitness is a person's ability to perform in a specific activity with a reasonable efficiency, for example, sports or military service. Specific training prepares athletes to perform well in their sports.

Examples are:
**100m sprint - in a sprint the athlete must be trained to work anaerobically throughout the race.
**Marathon - in this case the athlete must be trained to work aerobically and their endurance must be built-up to a maximum.

Fire fighters and police officers must undergo regular Fitness testing to determine if they are capable of the physically demanding tasks required for the job before they are employed. Students in elementary and high school also undergo regular fitness testing. In some countries, students can earn fitness badges, such as the physical fitness badge which is earned in the United States.

Pilates history

2007-09-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Pilates was formed by Joseph Pilates during the First World War with the proposition to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed that mental and physical health are essential to one another. He recommended a few, precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching,and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created "The Pilates Principles" to condition the entire body: proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement.
Pilates sessions help increase strength and flexibility, lengthen the body, and align the spine. The method does not build muscle mass. The fields of fitness and rehabilitation often encourage Pilates for its focus on the muscles of the abdomen and lower back.
People that dealing with Pilates are a lot more cheerful and energetic.

Fitness Walking

2007-09-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

Fitness Walking
The greatest number of walkers walk just to walk, suggests Mark Fenton, editor-at-large for Walking magazine. "They like being outdoors," he says. "They like getting some exercise and improving their health. At the other end of the scale are racewalkers, those hip-swinging, elbow-pumping, glory-seeking individuals who have as a goal a place on the Olympic team, or at least a medal at their local walking race.

Fenton believes, however, that an additional class of walkers exists between these two extremes. These are the individuals who seek not merely health benefits but also physical fitness. They dress like athletes, not like someone out for a stroll. They walk tall, eyes forward. They take quick steps. They push off on their toes. Whether or not they swing their hips, many bend their arms and look (somewhat) like racewalkers. They probably don't compete, but walking to them is a way of life, a discipline to be pursued with some vigor--and enjoyment.

Fitness Walking is one of the most useful kind of Fitness.

The Bow Pose - yoga

2007-08-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

The Bow Pose also called Dhanurasana.
This pose is so called because it looks like an archer's bow, the torso and legs representing the body of the bow, and the arms the string. (don-your-AHS-anna) dhanu = bow.

Step by Step
1.Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, palms up. (You can lie on a folded blanket to pad the front of your torso and legs.) Exhale and bend your knees, bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Reach back with your hands and take hold of your ankles (but not the tops of the feet). Make sure your knees aren't wider than the width of your hips, and keep your knees hip width for the duration of the pose.

2.Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your buttocks and, at the same time, lift your thighs away from the floor. This will have the effect of pulling your upper torso and head off the floor. Burrow the tailbone down toward the floor, and keep your back muscles soft. As you continue lifting the heels and thighs higher, press your shoulder blades firmly against your back to open your heart. Draw the tops of the shoulders away from your ears. Gaze forward.

3.With the belly pressed against the floor, breathing will be difficult. Breathe more into the back of your torso, and be sure not to stop breathing.

4.Stay in this pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as you exhale, and lie quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the pose once or twice more.

Types of dieting

2007-08-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

There are some kinds of diets:
1.Weight-loss diets restrict the intake of specific foods, or food in general, to reduce body weight. What works to reduce body weight for one person will not necessarily work
for another, due to metabolic differences and lifestyle factors. Also, for a variety ofnter>

2.Many professional athletes impose weight-gain diets on themselves. American football players may try to "bulk up" through weight-gain diets in order to gain an advantage on the field with a higher mass.

Many people in the acting industry may choose to lose or gain weight depending on the role they're given.

Healthy diets - why?

2007-07-26T05:09:00.000-07:00

Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. Along with physical activity, your diet is the key factor that affects your weight.
Having a healthy weight for your height is important.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.

You can find out if you're overweight or obese by figuring out your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, whereas women with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. All adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability from being overweight or obese.

Body mass index - BMI

2007-07-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

Body mass index (BMI) is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing "social physics".

Body mass index is defined as the individual's body weight divided by the square of their height. The formulas universally used in medicine produce a unit of measure of kg/m2. Body mass index may be accurately calculated using the formula below.

BMI can also be determined using a BMI chart, which displays BMI as a function of weight (horizontal axis) and height using contour lines for different values of BMI or colors for different BMI categories.

Nutritional overview - Healthy diets

2007-07-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

Generally, a healthy diet will include:

*Sufficient calories to maintain a person's metabolic and activity needs, but not so excessive as to result in fat storage greater than roughly 12% of body mass;
*Sufficient quantities of fat, including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat, with a balance of omega-6 and long-chain omega-3 lipids;
*Avoidance of saturated fat.
*Avoidance of trans fat.
*Sufficient essential amino acids ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins;
*Essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals.
*Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic substances;
*Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens (e.g. e. coli, tapeworm eggs);
*Avoiding chronic high doses of certain foods that are benign or beneficial in small or occasional doses, such as
*foods or substances with directly toxic properties at high chronic doses (e.g. ethyl alcohol);
*foods that may interfere at high doses with other body processes;
*foods that may burden or exhaust normal functions (e.g. refined carbohydrates without adequate dietary fibre).

those diets are very healthy and if you`ll choose to follow them, you`ll be very pleased.

Healthy diets

2007-07-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

Keeping in existence a healthy diet is the practice of making choices about what to eat with the intent of improving or maintaining good health. Usually this involves consuming necessary nutrients by eating the appropriate amounts from all of the food groups.

Since human nutrition is complex a healthy diet may vary widely subject to an individual's genetic makeup, environment, and health. For around 20% of the planet's population, lack of food and malnutrition are the main impediments to healthy eating.

Jogging

2007-07-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress than actually running, instead of competition.

The definition of jogging as compared with running is not standard. Dr. George Sheehan, a running expert, is quoted to have said "the difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank". Others are usually more specific, defining jogging as running slower than 6mph (10 minute per mile pace).
A jogger is also a derogatory term for a competitive runner who lacks speed, endurance, form, etc.

Jogging is a "high-impact" exercise that places strain on the body, notably the joints of the knee. This is actually one of the fundamental benefits of the exercise, as the impact drives growth processes in the areas of the body stressed by that impact.
Some people drop jogging in order to take up "lower-impact" exercises such as stair climbing, swimming, cycling or walking.

Jogging is often used by serious runners as a means of active recovery during interval training. The runner who may just have completed a fast 400 metre repetition at a sub-5-minute mile pace, may drop to an 8-minute mile pace for a recovery lap. The jog might be carried out in much poorer, looser form whose purpose is to "shake out" the body and maintain circulation to eliminate from the muscles metabolic waste products produced during the bout of hard work.
Like other types of aerobic exercise, jogging is an excellent means of improving cardiovascular health, bone density and physical fitness.

Jogging is more helpful than some other ways of Fitness.

Aerobic

2007-06-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Aerobics is a form of exercise, typically performed to music, often in a group setting with a leader, although it can be practiced solo and without musical accompaniment. Aerobics comprises stretching, strength training, and aerobic exercise components in order to improve all elements of fitness.

Within each 'unit' (units being flexibility, strength training and aerobic workout), practitioners go through variable routines comprising a number of different exercises. Proponents of aerobics cite staving off boredom and working out the whole body as two of the advantages of aerobics over other types of exercise. The reputedly higher safety factor inherent in a fitness routine led and overseen by a trained professional is another.

Yoga as Fitness

2007-06-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Yoga is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. As a general term in Hinduism, Gavin Flood,
the OCHS (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies) Academic Director, defines it as referring to "technologies or disciplines of asceticism and meditation which are thought to lead to spiritual experience and profound understanding or insight into the nature of existence."

Outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the practice of asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga (see Yoga as exercise), although it has influenced the entire dharmic religions family and other spiritual practices throughout the world.

Yoga is most ancient kind of Fitness.

Sports Fitness Wiki

2007-06-11T23:12:00.001-07:00

There are so many sports out there that lead to excellent physical fitness that it's hard to keep track at times. Everything from baseball to football to rock climbing can result in improved fitness. There's so much to learn that it's hard to keep track of at times. That's why I was excited to come across this sports wiki at Livingwithstyle.com

The sports wiki is a means to collaboratively create articles on any sports or sports related topic you might be interested in. This way, we can all add what wisdom we have so that the whole benefits. It's a very smart idea and will no doubt lead to improved fitness for those who take the time to read the articles.

Benefits of Yoga

2007-06-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

When it comes to fitness, few practices are more beneficial on the physical, mental, and spiritual plane than Yoga. I was perusing the forum at Yogatopia.org, a site dedicated to Yoga, the other day when I came across a great article on the benefits of Yoga. I now understand why its popularity is rising around the world. Besides that Yoga DVD review do me a good turn on the way too.

As mentioned earlier, Yoga has fitness benefits not only physically, but mentally and spiritually also. That's something we always need to keep in my when developing a fitness routine. There is much more to fitness than just a hard body. True fitness means a strong body, mind, and soul. And Yoga strengthens all three.

2007-05-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

About the Pilates Method
New to Pilates? You′re not alone! Pilates is one of the fastest growing forms of exercise in the world. In the U.S., Pilates participants have grown in number from 1.7 million in 2000 to 10.5 million in 2004 – more than 500% growth in just four years! And it continues to spread around the world. Why is the Pilates method experiencing such dramatic growth, and how can it benefit you, too?

Developed from the rehabilitation techniques of Joseph Pilates, Balanced Body Pilates is a safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or equipment, that will help you look and feel your very best. No matter what your age or condition, it will work for you. Pilates improves core strength, flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate back pain and other chronic ailments.
Learn more in these pages about Pilates.

What is fitness

2007-05-22T07:47:00.001-07:00

Physical fitness is used in two close meanings - general fitness and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations,Specific or task-oriented fitness is a person's ability to perform in a specific activity with a reasonable efficiency, for example, sports or military service Specific training prepares athletes to perform well in their sports.

Online Fitness 4 U

2007-04-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

All kynd of fitness online