Beat The Heat And Still Be Fit!

The heat of the sun in the early morning can be so warming but a few hours after that until you reach noontime it can be scorching. This is mother earth telling us we all have abused her that is why we have global warming, preventing us from the outdoor sports placing our exercise regimen, health and figure compromised.

Don’t lose heart because there are ways to deal with this and still be fit; one is to consider an alternative activity that can be done indoors like basketball, volleyball, tennis and many others.

The key is to find an activity that suits your passion and exercise needs. If team sport is not for you consider going to the gym to do aerobics or power lifting.

Consider also swimming, yoga, boxing or even dancing.

You may just find out you have a liking for something you thought was never there before.

But if you really opt to do outdoor sports wear lightweight and think about adjusting your time schedule to early morning activities and be sure to keep yourself well hydrated or you may end up having a heat stroke.

If you are not for any of these activities you may simply wander inside the mall for hours and check all the new stores and shops or go for a leisure shopping while burning calories to make you fit the best part is you enjoyed it!

Last and one of the most important parts to be fit is to have a balanced diet; have more vegetables, fruits and natural juices, avoid junk and fatty foods and drink lots and lots of water.

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Fitness Application For iPhone

If you have a customized workout, or want to customize your workout and have either an iPhone, iTouch or an iPad, this one’s for you – Fit Pulse, a fitness app for iPhone which has recently been launched.

The Fit Pulse application will help to keep a track of what your nutritional intake has been, your workout specifics, and a record of losses and/or gains that you have made in the process.

You also have the option of connecting to friends and other fitness buffs by way of social networking sites.  And to increase the sum of your fitness knowledge, there is built into this application, a quiz to test how much you know.

Facebook and twitter integration increases the applicability and usefulness of the product. This lets to share and compare notes, swap stories either for fun or support or to bring out the competitive steak inside of you – that will egg you on to do better.

You can simply feed in how much time you have to spend at the gym and you can be offered a list of options and workouts to pick from.

At $1.99 to buy and download the application, this might just be the best use you can make of a couple of bucks right now.

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‘Fat Days’ Affect Men As Well, Say Researchers

Most women will testify to feeling fat, unattractive and less confident of their appearance on certain days of the month, now it would seem that men suffer these ‘fat days’ too , according to a new research!

A little over one third of 5 thousand men surveyed, reported to feeling unattractive, which made them less confident about initiating sex with a partner.

It is this low self esteem as regards their physical appearance that negatively impacts their confidence vis a vis the bedroom and about 25% of the men said that they would consider losing weight if this could help boost their ‘performance’.  Hence researchers reached the conclusion that it isn’t just women, but also men, who suffer ‘Fat Days’.

The problem arises because men are traditionally reluctant to obtain help in areas relating to sex. This doesn’t mean, however, that men need to suffer in silence. Men can obtain help in total anonymity now and can get real solutions to improving sexual confidence and performance.

It is important for men to get help early rather than avoid meeting with their general practitioner until the problem reaches a crisis point requiring immediate medical attention. Such conditions, when undiagnosed, can lead to serious medical conditions if left untreated.

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‘Shocking’ The Body Into Getting Fit

Many of us find that we make good progress in terms of weight loss or achieving our fitness goals for a while; for a while the weight loss seems to proceed at the projected rate. At least to begin with, the gains seem to be satisfactory.

After a while however, one finds that they are not making the sort of gains that they started out with; that they have slowed down or stopped altogether.

This is due to several reasons: as a caloric deficit is created and is kept up consistently for an extended period of time, the body reaches a plateau. Here the metabolism slows down and does not burn calories at the rate that it used to.

since you have lost a significant amount of weight from the time that you started your fitness regimen, you have grown lighter, and it takes fewer calories for the body to do the same amount of activity now than it did earlier.

In other words, if you were able to create a caloric deficit of say 500 calories to produce a difference in your body, that deficit will no longer be sufficient with a lighter body and an altered metabolism.

So your caloric requirements and fitness regimen now need change. This is done into order to shock the body into once again offering the sort of gains that you made at the start of your program. In a sense you trick the body into once again start to let go of its fat stores and help to start to lose weight.

• One way to shock, or trick your system is to go off your diet for a while, so that the body recognizes that there is now no need for hording fat stores. Thereafter when you resume your diet, the body will be able to let go of those fat stores more willingly. You then go back to a newly adjusted caloric deficit, to persuade the body to lose fat.
• Carb cycling is another way to tweak your caloric intake; by altering the quality and composition of your diet. This can also shock the body sufficiently to once again kick start the gains made.
• You can also help to shock your body into changing further by tweaking your work out. By making it more intense, more rigorous and by increasing the duration also, you can shock your body into losing weight.
• Or you can fully overhaul your fitness regimen. If earlier you were doing cardio, substitute that with resistance and weights, or supplement cardio with weights.

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7 Summer Fitness Tips For When You’re Vacationing

As the summer arrives and the urge to travel is upon you, your fitness routine may suffer. Here, however, are some great tips to incorporate fitness routine into your day even when traveling:

1. If you are on a boating holiday, anchor the boat at an appropriate place and dive off – swimming and even treading water are excellent cardiovascular activities.
2. Heading to the lakeside or a similar opens up canoeing options – canoeing is an excellent all over body work out. You can rent out canoes and also take lessons if required – great core exercise, great for back and oblique workout and you are constantly using your legs as stabilizers.
3. You wouldn’t ordinarily think of rock throwing as any kind of exercise, but it can be! It can be a good work out for the shoulders and abs if you have a little family competition to see who can throw rocks furthers.
4. Snorkeling may not be a strenuous workout but it can be a good way to keep the body moving.
5. Throw around a Frisbee.
6. If heading to the mountains, pole hiking can be an excellent work out.
7. Even if you’re vacationing at home, go skating, kayaking, hiking, or anything really – fun activities for the entire family, which are great for the body and will create beautiful memories as well!

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New Fitness Fads In Perth

Though Perth may be rather a long distance to go for achieving fitness goals, the current fitness frenzy that the Australian city is in grip of, can offer inspiration and some new clues about what could work for you. Here are some of the hot new fitness fads that you could well make use of:

Zumba – The Latin inspired dance system has arrived in no small way – those that wouldn’t have known anything about Zumba just a year ago, are now fanatical devotees. Classes have sprouted all over and more and more people are joining.

Bikram Yoga – People are surprised at how difficult it can be to hold the pose and how difficult it is to do in the heat! It can be exhausting and punishing – making you discover muscles in your body that you never met before! It is done in 38 degree temperature for a deeper work out.

Silk moves – It’s called ballet on air – participants move in graceful formations using silk material suspended from the ceiling for a workout.

Pole Dancing – This is still very popular – you learn some very sexy moves and get a bunch of attractively toned muscles in the bargain. Beware of the carpet burns and bruises though!

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Jumpstart Your Exercise Program

In doing exercise programs many start strong, others move slow but are able to maintain their pacing but too most people jumpstarting the exercise program is really a challenge.

Have you heard someone say: “I want to go to the gym but am too lazy to do it”? Does that sound familiar to you? Or have you often wondered yourself, “Is there a way that can really help?” There are no guarantees to these pointers, but, it might help you get focused and be on the right track!

1. The first thing to do is to be honest with yourself and answer the question why you want to do it. That is the first major step towards your goal, knowing the purpose why you will enter an exercise program.

Focus more on the long-term benefits to your health rather than just the figure and outward appearance. This is not to say, however, that it is not as important, in fact to some this means bouncing back from their low self esteem and winning their own battles.

2. To some it may be necessary to ask if your finances will support the activity you are planning to join. A few financial adjustments may have to be made but keep in mind all that it’s worth.

3. Find an activity that you really love doing. Ask questions like: will you enjoy a team activity or would you rather be alone? Are you an outdoor person or more of the indoor type?

Do you like dancing, aerobics, yoga, swimming or any other activity you have always kept in mind but never had the time to start with? It is time to find your passion and pamper yourself! Be on the lookout for groups or clubs in your community that you can join. Once you have answered all the necessary questions, go for it!

4. Look at it from the perspective of enjoyment and fun rather than a burden. If you can change your attitude towards what you do and find enjoyment in it, you will never find yourself complaining about it. You may be surprised to find that something is missing when you are not out to do it.

5. Whether it’s a team activity or not, I suggest you look for a buddy, someone who is on the same bout with you and with whom you can share your goals with.

You can also agree on being each other’s accountability, meaning you will set a common goal and motivate each other to do it. It now becomes a two way process, you getting to your goals and at the same time helping another person reach his/her own goals.

6. And the best part here is, to set a reward for yourself once you have reached your goal! Remember, however, that you must be creative in setting new goals and new rewards each time to keep yourself going.

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Hiking – An Excellent Option For Improving Fitness

With so many of us cooped up indoors pounding the treadmills and working the stationary bike, in climate controlled environments, the idea of hiking in the great outdoors, as a fitness option may not strike readily. And yet hiking is an excellent option for meeting your fitness and health related objectives – and summer may be the best time to take that road not taken!

Depending upon your fitness levels and your fitness goals, your hike could mean a leisurely paced trek to an arduous one on a steep gradient.

Hiking up hills can itself be fairly taxing physically, particularly when you are also carrying a back pack – this can help burn calories and also help increase body strength.

It isn’t just the physical impact of hiking that is positive – being outdoors and communing with nature is also more tranquil.

Hiking can help you de-stress as well as help you get stronger and lose weight.

It can be a fun group activity, wherein you may enjoy the activity so much, it doesn’t even seem like a work out.

Hiking is not something that requires a lot of skill and as a group activity one can get a big boost of encouragement and support as well. Since it is an enjoyable activity, even a sedentary person may be tempted to persist with it.

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Hiking – An Excellent Option For Improving Fitness

With so many of us cooped up indoors pounding the treadmills and working the stationary bike, in climate controlled environments, the idea of hiking in the great outdoors, as a fitness option may not strike readily. And yet hiking is an excellent option for meeting your fitness and health related objectives – and summer may be the best time to take that road not taken!

Depending upon your fitness levels and your fitness goals, your hike could mean a leisurely paced trek to an arduous one on a steep gradient.

Hiking up hills can itself be fairly taxing physically, particularly when you are also carrying a back pack – this can help burn calories and also help increase body strength.

It isn’t just the physical impact of hiking that is positive – being outdoors and communing with nature is also more tranquil.

Hiking can help you de-stress as well as help you get stronger and lose weight.

It can be a fun group activity, wherein you may enjoy the activity so much, it doesn’t even seem like a work out.

Hiking is not something that requires a lot of skill and as a group activity one can get a big boost of encouragement and support as well. Since it is an enjoyable activity, even a sedentary person may be tempted to persist with it.

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Warning Signals To Discontinue Your Exercise

Those of you health buff and fanatics, exercise is not bad but once you overdo it, the harm can outweigh the intended benefits to your health. It is worth knowing what signals to watch out for that would tell you it’s time to stop for a while to get more rest and let your body recuperate and restore.

Whatever exercise regimen you are into, the same signals are to be noticed when something is wrong with your body. Some of the warning signals include the following:

Headache or dizziness is a common symptom that is often ignored because one thinks it is just an ordinary feeling when doing exercise.

However, if it occurs more often than usual it can signal a high blood pressure or anemia. It is frequently characterized by an inability to stand in a balanced stance, and a feeling of being moved round in circles usually with feelings of nausea and sometimes vomiting.

The headache may be localized in one area or may be a feeling of overall head pain that can be anywhere from moderate to severe.

Nape pain on the other hand is a bothersome feeling that sometimes may radiate to the arm. This symptom is not to be ignored as this may signal a heart problem other than just an increased blood pressure.

Numbness of the arms and legs could be just a sign of poor circulation or in worst case scenario could be a sign of an impending stroke especially if it is generalized in the whole body.

Shortness of breath can best be described by flaring of the nostrils, normally this can be seen after 30 minutes to one hour of workout, but, if at the start you already feel tired and you have difficulty breathing it could be a signal of a more serious problem like a heart condition.

Paleness is a symptom that can be best assessed if you are not a medical person through inspecting the palm of the hands. It will look pale with the veins and arteries barely seen. This could be a sign of anemia which is often observed with shortness of breath and tingling sensation of the arms or legs.

Chest pain is a symptom even laymen can tell could be due to a heart problem, but, to determine if it is just due to fatigue, a simple rest should relieve the pain if not you should seek your doctor’s advice.

Palpitation is basically feeling your own heartbeat even when at rest. You normally feel this when tired, happy, upset or emotional. But, when you feel this even when at rest do not ignore it and consult your health provider.
Severe muscle aches and pains that are unbearable and can affect your daily activities tells you that it is your body over stretched to its limit and needs time to restore.

Ideally a 2 hour exercise program should be done only every other day to give time for your body to recharge. Or this could also be a sign of dehydration so load yourself with lots of water!

If you experience any of these signals and you are in doubt, best thing to do is to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

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