www.1001TopWords.com |
Thirty Minutes of Exercise a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
"Exercise is good for you!" If you had a dollar for every time you heard this statement uttered, you'd be rich by now, right? Well, proponents of everyday physical activity aren't just blowing smoke when they repeat this mantra. Medical research has uncovered resounding evidence to back up this "good for you" claim. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Centers for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion all recommend the same thing when it comes to regular exercise: American adults should aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. Inquiring minds want to know, so how exactly will daily exercise impact your health and well-being? Regular physical activity positively affects not only your body but also your mind. That's right: Exercise simultaneously improves your physical, your emotional and your psychological health. In fact, it's a triple-threat combatant against the physical and mental disorders Americans most often face: heart disease, diabetes, stroke, stress, anxiety and depression, just to name a few. When industry experts stand in staunch agreement, you know it's time to focus your attention on their advice and take their concurring counsel to heart. To that end, consider daily exercise's benefits as purported by three of the leading medical sources: the American Heart Association, the Surgeon General's Report on Exercise and Fitness Management magazine. The American Heart Association (AHA) lists a reduction in the risk of heart disease at the top of its daily physical activity benefit list. Exercise improves circulation throughout the body and lowers cholesterol, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke. The AHA also touts exercise's ability to counteract the health problems plaguing today's young people: obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and poor lifestyle habits. In so doing, it prevents the conditions that lead to heart attacks and strokes later in life. The U.S. Surgeon General, while echoing the AHA's claims, narrows down physical activity's benefits into specific categories. Overall, he maintains that exercise reduces one's risk of dying prematurely, but explicitly mentions a reduction in heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, depression and anxiety and obesity among its lifesaving advantages. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, healthier bones muscles and joints as well as improved psychological well-being are some of the other benefits regular exercisers enjoy. In an article entitled "The Psychological Benefits of Your Exercise Program," Fitness Management magazine further details physical activity's favorable effects on emotional and mental health. In particular, the article cites the following psychological advantages of exercise: 1) It reduces feelings of anxiety, worry, self-doubt and uncertainty about the future; 2) It lower stress levels and the accompanying physical complaints, such as headaches and muscle tension; 3) It energizes, thereby enhancing one's mood; 4) It improves sleep quality; and 5) It improves one's self-image and ?confidence by keeping weight down and elevating mood. So, while an apple a day is still sound advice, it seems exercising every day is the new and improved ticket to keeping the doctor away. By Matt Ream © 2005 RYP Sports Inc. All rights reserved. RYP Sports is a leading retailer of heart rate monitors, pedometers, Timex watches and stopwatches. Unbeatable prices on the widest selection health related products, including yoga mats, yoga DVDs, exercise balls, and step counters on the Web. All items in stock for fast shipping at the BEST prices anywhere. Satisfaction guaranteed.
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Stretching Exercises Stretching exercises are important before you begin your workout. Always remember to stretch before and after your workout. Stretching exercises also give you health and fitness by making you more flexible. The Importance of The Fibonacci Numbers in Fitness Training "Things do not change; we change." ?Henry David Thoreau Best Abdominal Exercises to Get the Sexy Six Pack You Deserve The key to getting those sexy abdominals lies mainly on what abdominal exercises you choose to perform. Super Charge Your Metabolism 1. Cardio in Combination with Strength Training- If you need to combine your cardio with Strength training then do your Cardio AFTER your Resistance Training workout. You need that extra energy for the Hi Intensity Strength training and you also want to pump blood into your muscles after you have just broken them down from a heavy resistance training program... So Pump it up first then do your Cardio. 6 Things A Norwegian Fable Teaches Us About Healthy Perseverance Part 2 4. Ideas, goals and dreams have a shelf life.The man in the fable took years traveling the different roads, forgetting that his fiancée waswaiting for him to arrive to get married. After years passed, she stopped waiting and ended up marrying another. Author, John L. Mason said, "Ideas have a shelf life; that's why we must act before the expiration date." Getting started onany new project is exciting because it's new. Persevering through the months ahead require holding on to the why of doing it and involving all of your senses to envision the victory now. Imagine how you will feel one year from now whenyou return for your annual physical and the receptionist does a double take when you sign in at the desk. Hear the accolades from your primary physician as he reviews your chart and compliments you on the progress you've made. Do you carry your head a little higher? Do you stand a little taller? Of course you do! "To everything there is a time and season underthe sun." Seize your time today. Know what you want and stay focused on it. Why You Should Learn Tai Chi Learning Tai ChiTai Chi combines movement, meditation and breathing, to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body, to increase both physical and mental well-being.Tai Chi is one of the most broadly applicable systems of self-care in the world and is suitable for both young and old alike.In China, it is estimated that 300 million people alone practice Tai Chi.Tai Chi however is not just practised in China, in the 20th century it spread throughout the world and as we enter the 21st century, it is more popular than ever.Tai Chi - The FormThere are several styles of movement and approaches to Tai Chi, some of them historic and some developed in recent years.Each has its own individual charteristics and carries the name of the clan or family who developed it i.e. Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun etc.All the principles of Tai Chi are put into practice in a non stop sequence of moves called the form.Each Tai Chi style has its own distinctive way of presenting the form in terms of: The postures included, the order in which they appear, the way they are performed and finally, how long the form actually takes to complete.Although the different styles of Tai Chi present the form in different ways, the purpose and the philosophy behind them is the same.Tai Chi & HealthWhen Tai Chi is practised, the movement creates streams of energy to flow through the body.In the philosophy of Tai Chi, it is said Chi (life energy) follows the mind, each posture and movement creates a different energy flow that, has a benifital overall affect on overall well-being.Tai Chi stimulates circulation, aligns the skeleton and joints correctly, stimulates the organs of the body and helps digestion.It increases muscle tone, strength, improves balance and co ordination and improves breathing.Tai Chi does not just provide physical benefits; by raising energy levels, it also affects the mind and the spirit.Tai Chi focuses thought, so that mind and body energy works together as one. When practising Tai Chi, people find that they are not just physically fitter but, happier, more alert, have greater mental focus and are more creative.It is this harnessing of mental and physical energy that makes Tai Chi not just a form of exercise; it makes it a life enhancing experience.Learning Tai ChiTai Chi is an exercise for people of all ages and all levels of fitness.The movements of Tai Chi are non-strenuous, relaxed, slow moving, soft, and flowing.It has often been described as moving meditation, as it relieves stress and improves concentration.It is the gentleness and slowness of Tai Chi that makes it so applicable to everyone as a form of exercise.When you watch Tai Chi being performed, it looks effortless but this comes from a considerable amount of practice.When taking up Tai Chi it is best to pick an experienced teacher, who can guide motivate and encourage you. Simply, go with someone you are comfortable with.The style of Tai Chi you pick Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun or any other form, is down to personal preference; the benefits described however apply to all styles. Warming Up Properly In our 'Stretching' article series (http://optimumlife.co.nz/Fitness%20Articles/Stretching/Stretching1.htm), we discussed why it's important to stretch as part of your workout. We also touched on the importance of warming up before even *thinking* about stretching. Since that article, I've had a couple of questions about warming up, so it seemed like a good topic for this week's Optimum Fitness News. Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 4 Welcome to article number 4 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts". In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.Here's a breakdown of the articles to look for:1. Article:1 - Choosing The WRONG Exercises 2. Article:2 - Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results 3. Article:3 - Targeted Stretching 4. Article:4 - Targeted Exercises 5. Article:5 - Rest, Recovery, and Injury PreventionArticle:4 - Targeted ExercisesWhat is a Targeted Exercise and Why You Need To Be Doing Them?While performing three different exercises for each area of the chest may sound "targeted" and it may work great for targeting the chest itself? this is NOT what we mean by targeted?What we are talking about is choosing exercises with more than just size increases in mind? remember, there is far more to muscle than just how it looks? You can be really big, but also weak, slow and inflexible.To drive this point home some more, remember the "Turtle Back Syndrome" we covered in article #1? So many body builders are plagued with this gruesome condition and they don't even know it! Are you?The Turtle Back condition is a direct result of too much focus on building up the pecs and lats and not enough focus on the upper back. Also, the lack of focus on flexibility in the chest and shoulders makes it even worse?Not only does this look stupid, but it sets you up for back, neck and shoulder problems like rotator cuff tears and the like? and I know you don't want any of those!So by targeted, we mean exercises that will not just develop muscle strength and size, but more importantly work towards correcting muscle imbalances which will mean less pain and missed workouts, better performance and function, and most of all better and balanced total body development!So How Do You Find Out Which Ones You NEED To be Doing?As we discussed in the previous article on "Targeted Stretching", it's very important to know before hand what stretches you actually NEED to be doing? the same applies to exercises?and the ONLY way to find out what specific areas you need to target is to perform physical evaluations so you can pin point the weak muscles that need strengthening and the tight muscles that need stretching.We have developed a series of simple assessments you can do yourself to identify the muscles imbalances you have?and while they are intended for people suffering from back pain or sciatica, as a bodybuilder you stand to benefit greatly because you train so hard, you are far more likely to experience injuries like bulging and herniated discs, rotator cuff tears, knee pain, etc?Plus, even if you don't have any pain or injuries now, it would be very wise to learn how to assess yourself so you can target your training now before you create an injury, which not only will slow down your training and progress, but it can also become a life-long struggle with pain and a serious loss of your strength, size and fitness.So be sure to check out our website to learn more about how you can quickly and easily identify and eliminate any muscle imbalances you have. 3 Steps To Starting a Successful Fall Exercise Program Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the outdoors as the leaves start to turn colors, the sound of kids laughing on their way to school. Get Fit From Home! --------------------Things Around The House-------------------- Precision Abdominal Training It's almost impossible to turn on the television or open a magazine without being barraged by advertisements for washboard abs, the best abdominal training machine ever designed or a 'magic' pill specifically designed to remove fat from problem areas. In my previous articles I alluded to the fact that most machines do not work, in fact they actually can increase the risk of injury. Many of the most common machines and devices that are designed to 'scientifically' target the abs actually place up to 1000 lbs. of compressive forces on the spine. Online Fitness Coaching If I were to tell you that you could burn away as much fat as possible by sitting at your computer twiddling your fingers and toes, would you believe me? Well I sure hope you don't! Pilates Exercises ? Can They Give You The Body Youve Always Wanted? Pilates exercises are a favorite fitness choice for many people including movie stars like Danny Glover and Gweneth Paltrow, professional dancers, and even some professional baseball players. Why this fascination with Pilates? What can it do that other forms of exercise can't? An Ab Exercise For Everyone! I don't have much of a problem with belly pouch or bulge, since I've been doing one ab exercise or another for most of my life to make my abs flat. Tai Chi, NOT Chai Tea! Those of you that have either completed a one-on-one program, purchased an on-line program or have read anything else that I have written in the past have most likely determined by now and realize it is quite evident... I am a huge supporter and advocate of integrated and phase-based training as optimized methods of health and fitness technologies/systemologies. And it wasn't until I started researching Tai Chi as an alternative form of exercise (I have been exercising for three-and-a-half decades consistently) did I understand how such a slow-velocity activity can help decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, help develop a greater degree of coordination and diminish the number of falls experienced by the elderly. The affects of resistance and aerobic type activities and their impact on health is unequivocal. Resistance training improves strength and the development of lean muscle mass, as well as an increase in bone-density and cardiovascular training improves the efficiently of the heart, lungs and circulatory function while decreasing mortality rates. However, over the past few decades, Eastern practices such as Tai Chi and Yoga have complimented mainstream fitness training programs by demonstrating comparable health benefits to traditional fitness training. A closer look at Tai Chi is warranted and yes this is coming from a fitness coach who intrinsically knows and has meticulously practiced and has been the recipient of the absolute benefits of weight bearing exercise for over 30 years. How to Choose a Good Jogging Stroller If you lead an active lifestyle and you want to include your new family additions in your outdoor activity then you need to consider getting yourself a good jogging stroller. Exercise Smarter Not Harder ? 10 Ways to Make Consistent Progress in Your Exercise Plan! My name is Greg Ryan. I am a fitness expert, professional bodybuilder personal trainer to movie stars, and former employee of Kathy Smith. For twenty years I have been able to keep my body fat levels lower than most, and consistently exercise five days a week, and having fun in the mean time. Not because I am anything special, but because I have learned a few tricks along the way, that I would like to share with you. Start incorporating them into your plan today and notice the difference tomorrow. Top 10 Reasons To Exercise In The Morning If I had to pick a single factor that I thought Exercise Equals Fun! Getting America's children to exercise has never been more difficult as the new boob-tube generation slouches in front of TVs, or sits for hours, mesmerized behind shoot-out video and computer games. Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Is there a Difference? Quite often a client will come into the gym discouraged with their exercise program. The common complaint being lack of results. They give a list of activities they are doing but still do not see any changes in physical appearance. Yes this can be attributed to many variables but one of the key elements to consider is intensity. |
© Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |