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Archive for the ‘exercise’ Category

A new device called the TRX System is reshaping the traditional personal training mindset of thousands of individuals seeking fitness. This device, which was developed by a Navy Seal, is based around a resistance band that uses your body to create an outstanding workout. The device is unique that it is a great tool for all ages and it works the abdominal area where many of the moves take place. It does not require any other equipment and it can give a complete workout in a short period of time.  This is the same piece of equipment that Bob Harper demonstrated on the The Biggest LoserCouples TV show.

The amount of space needed to use this fitness marvel is minimal and that is one reason why the Navy Seals use it so they can train in submarines and other confined areas. The device not only provides a total workout but it can also help rehabilitation of people needing treatment. The system and the unique design have many therapists looking to it as a wonderful, low impact source of exercise.

The device is so effective because the person is pushing, pulling or lifting their own body weight trying to balance against the unstable straps. If you are looking for a system that can work for you a great place to get your hands on one is at Amazon.com. They offer three separate levels of not only price, but also durability. What we have learned is that TRX Suspension Systems is one workout that offers you a total workout.

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If you are looking for ways to burn more calories here are some suggestions as to how to help you get this done. None of the following ideas are new but I bet you will be able to revisit them and if you incorporate them into your weight loss you will see an improvement in managing your weight goals.

1.Know your Resting Metabolic Rate

You must realize that just by your sheer existence in life you burn up calories. When you blink your eyes you are burning calories. Every physical action you do during the course of a day requires the burning of energy. It is similar to powering a car. No matter how slow you drive you burn fuel. In the human body a calorie is the fuel. As you go through your day, the goal is to use more calories than you eat. This is what ensures your body to start burning off some of that fat you desire to shed so badly.   In order to learn how much your body uses in your day to day existence, you need to learn your resting metabolic rate.  Knowing exactly how many calories your body uses while at rest will help you learn how to adjust your calories during the day to help you achieve your target weight goal.

2.  Build muscle

For every pound of muscle you acquire, you use about 50 extra calories a day to just exist.  The simple presence of muscles requires your body to expend more calories to get through the day.  To return to the car similarity it would be like the difference in fuel consumption between a small engine and a large engine.  The larger the engine is the more fuel the engine needs to operate.

3. Be Active

The average person burns about 30% of calories through daily activity while sedentary people burn only about 15%.  So, get active.  Move, get about and go out.  Walking from the far end of the Wal-mart parking lot is better than just watching television all day. 

4. Eat Spicy Foods

Spices, especially chili can raise your metabolic rate up to 50% for up to three hours after eating.  Bet you never thought that eating some spicy stuff could help you in your weight loss goal. Spices can help with weight loss!

5. Do Aerobics

High-intensity exercise will make your body burn more calories during the exercise and then continue to help you for several hours after you are finished exercising.

6. Eat Less More Often

Eating smaller more frequent meals will keep your metabolism going and make it less likely that you will binge eat.  There is no reason for you to ever be hungry when you are properly attempting to lose weight.  All too often people incorrectly think of losing weight as a time of deprivation.  All too often people think too much about dieting and not enough about how to properly lose weight.

So you trying to lose weight and that last 20 ponds it is starting to be elusive. Maybe you are starting out on your weight loss journey and need to lose 100 pounds. Regardless of your goal you need to do one thing and only this one thing will make it all happen for you. The single most important thing you can do to lose weight is eat less calories in a day than you burn off during the day. With that being said you must take it from the back of your mind and bring it to the front of your conscious thought each and every moment of your day.

If you go into the big burger shop and order a double cheese burger with bacon and all the fixings, even the healthy tomato on top will do you little good. In order to lose 20 or even 100 pounds you need to burn more calories than you eat. It is that simple! No comes the difficult part. The part that slips up most people is the fact that you need to exercise. What is recommended by oodles and oodles of people is that you do cardiovascular exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes a day at least 4 times a week. The problem is that all too many people get into a rut and do the same exercise everyday. Monday they walk the treadmill. Tuesday they walk the treadmill. Wednesday they walk the treadmill. Thursday they walk the treadmill. Friday they are bored and stop exercising.

When you start an exercise routine do not let it get routine. There are actually two reasons for this statement. The first one is obvious, YOU GET BORED! The second (and actually more important reason) is that you need to trick your metabolism. Your body is no dummy, so when the weight loss gets tough you should shake up your exercise routine. What is really meant is that if you do the same cardiovascular exercise every time, your body will adapt and actually start to resist the weight loss.

What you need to do is more like this. Monday walk the treadmill. Tuesday use the elyptical. Wednesday go for a bike ride. Thursday you do something else. What you are doing is that you are messing with your metabolism in a positive way which will help you shed those pounds you are trying to lose.

One important aspect of cardiovascular exercise is that you need to raise your heart rate. I do not suggest you cause yourself a heart attack (go see a doctor before you start any weight loss program) but you need to go through a routine of increasing your heart rate and then allowing it to recover, all while exercising. This stress and recover cycle is very important in not only your health but also in your weight loss.

You really should consider either joining a health club or purchasing a bike or some gym equipment if you decide not to join a health club. In your decision to buy equipment you may opt for some inexpensive equipment or some top of the line equipment. If you decide to buy something you will still need to combine it with a mixture of other exercises. Bikes, Treadmills, Health Club, stair steppers or an elyptical or just plain old walking shoes. A guy or a woman, walking is still great for your health. Whatever you decide to do will require you burn more calories that you eat. It is that simple. If you choose to do nothing, chances are that choice will take a few years off your life, but hey!, it really is your choice. What ever you decide to do I wish you all the best and a long healthy life!

God Bless,

Mr. Keith

I can remember my days in the U.S. Marine Corps and a host of memories floor the brain cells of all the times I had to exercise or perform some rigorous form of physical exercise.  Back then I did all of those physical things because it was required of me.  I climbed ropes, marched for miles, ran in the sand and did “mountain climbers” for what seemed an eternity.  Back then I just did what I was told to do with no regard for the ability I had because of my youth.  I went to Parris Island in 1979 when I was seventeen years old and when I ran I did not consider it a cardio workout.  I did not contemplate the benefits of navigating an obstacle course.

That was then and this is now.

Today I have set aside a portion of my busy day to be able to fit in some form of Physical activity.  I must plan to cause my heart rate to speed up or I will slip into an extremelty over weight blob of “muscle-less” flab.  Looking back on it all and after quite a few years of physical neglect I have determined why I have had difficulty in maintaining a healthy weight.  Looking back on my Marine days I have realized I have been lacking discipline in my life.  The discipline that is a Marine Corps trait really mutates intself into self discipline.  I have realized that I have been lacking the self discipline to take charge of myself and stop making excuses for having a spare tire around my waist.  As a result I have tried to instill self discipline into my life.   I have to go now but I will write more about self discipline later but until then what ideas does anyone have about inviting self discipline into your life?

The average person hates to exercise and finds it very easy to come up with an excuse to not exercise.  All too often a person starts an exercise routine and has the best intentions.  Equipment is purchased, health club memberships are signed and the clothing gathered to start your deliberate attempt to lose weight.  Then something happens along the way that derails your ambitions to shed the pounds.  The derailment may begin with a business trip out of town or a suddenly hectic schedule.  It does not matter what the reason is, the end result is always the same.  The equipment is left to gather dust and the health club membership becomes an unused monthly expense while the clothing becomes what you wear while watching T.V. at night……..Does this sound vaguely familiar?

If you are thinking of starting another exercise plan in your effort to lose weight then here are a few suggestions before you start your journey to physical wellness.  These suggestions will take away your thinking  that exercise is some drudgery you have to suffer through.

1. Moderate Yourself

Too often we place unrealistic goals upon our self which causes frustration which leads to eventually just giving up.  When you start your increase in physical activity you must realize that anything you do is better than just giving up and gaining more weight.  Start off with a reasonable goal that includes walking.  See if you can go for 30 minutes and once you can do that increase the pace.  A brisk walk of just 30 minutes a day burns about 165 calories.  If 30 minutes is too long, then try 10 minutes 3 times a day.  No matter what, you will be better of in the long run by just getting out there and getting moving.  So break out your watch and go for a walk!

2. Take baby Steps

If you have not been very active then it is suggested that you discuss your plans with your doctor.  Once you obtain the approval of your doctor start off slow.  Gradually increase your pace as the days go by and you gain more physical ability.  As even more days go by you will soon see that you will be able to walk further and walk at a faster pace.  There is a health club here in Florida that has an elderly man on a treadmill with an oxygen tank.  If he can do it then so can you!  Start small and think big!  It will all be to your benefit.

3. Let Your Horizons Grow

Do not fall into the rut of doing the same thing each and everyday because not only will it get boring, you will cause your body to get used to the routine.  By switching up your daily exercise routine your metabolism will not be able to adjust that easy and you will be able to lose more weight.  Park your car further from the store and walk.  Do your housework at a faster pace.  Whatever you do just put some pep into it and your calories will burn that much faster.  Weed your lawn, ride a bike, take up ballroom dancing.  Do whatever it takes to get you moving and enjoy yourself while you are doing it.  This enjoyment will cause you to move longer and not quit after a week or two.

4. Get A Friend

Go get a friend or a loved one committed to getting healthy with you.  Over weight and out of shape people tend to have friends who are as over weight and out of shape.  They feel just as you do so go break the silence and do something together.  With a buddy it will help you to push and pull one another until your goals have been obtained.

5. Stay Motivated

To stay into the weight loss and fitness groove keep a journal and log all of your ups and downs.  As you look back and see the progress it will motivate you to continue.  Use the journal to set specific and realistic goals that you can achieve.  An example would be to lose 8 pounds this month and be able to walk one hour at a time.  Set goals that can be achieved and then set some more goals. 

6. Weight Loss At Work

While you are at work you can get paid do things that will help you achieve your goals.  Walk up a few flights of stairs. Hand deliver a message across the building instead of sending a runner.  Exercise at lunch or walk after you eat your meal.  Whatever you do and wherever you do it, while you are at work you can fit in some calorie burners with a bit of effort and some clever thinking.

7. Weight Loss At Home

There are so many things you can do while you are at home that will enhance your effort to lose weight and get into better physical shape.  Stop using the remote control for everything.  Get up and change the channel the old fashioned way.  Put a treadmill in front of the T.V. and walk while you watch.  Use the bathroom upstairs and use the fridge that is down stairs more often.  Just rethink your life and get up and get going and get it done.

8. Relaxation Time

When you are relaxing play with your kids.  Go bowling or ride a  traditional bike or a new carving bike.  Get up and get going and after awhile you will enjoy it more and more and then one day you will realize just how much more energy you have available to you in the course of the day.  Golfing is another great example of swinging, bending and just moving.    A few holes of golf can burn over 600 calories Whatever you do, just realize that relaxing time can be spent performing some sort of movement.

 Those are just a few ideas of how you can put some more exercise in your every day life.  With a bit of effort, with a bit of self control, you too will be able to lose some weight and get healthy at the same time.  You just have to get up and get it done.