Tag Archives: Fit

Visualization – Bringing Fitness To A Higher Level

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By Jana Hollingsworth

joggersEver wonder how professional athletes get ready for their big day? Whether it’s a marathon, boxing match, or weight lifting competition, competitors find that using visualization can be extremely helpful in reaching their goals. I know coaches who work with athletes and have them envisioning crossing the finish line first or perhaps knocking out their opponent. Whatever goal it may be, in or out of the fitness realm, visualization is a wonderful tool!

When I did my first Figure competition, I envisioned myself making the “top 5” and it worked! By the time I did my second competition, I was visualizing first place and it happened! Visualization can be a very powerful tool!

Whatever your goals, visualization can be very helpful in attaining them. Here are some examples how it can work for you:

Running your first marathon. After you make the commitment to run the race, write your commitment on paper. Once this is completed, set small goals for yourself to accomplish each week (i.e. I will run “x” amount of miles this week at “x” amount of time for each mile I run.”) After you have written your goals down, take a few minutes to visualize yourself accomplishing these goals. Once you’ve gone through it in your mind, it will be easier to do the physical portion of it.

saladStart eating a healthy diet. Think about the reasons you want to change your diet and write them down on paper. Then, commit to a particular goal each week and write that down as well. Once you are clear on the reasons you want to eat healthy and have your goals in place, visualize what your life will look like once you clean up your diet (i.e. week 1 you commit to cleaning out all junk food in the house. Sit quietly and visualize going through all your cupboards and refrigerator and tossing everything into the garbage. Write down how you feel after envisioning yourself performing the task. If you get a positive feeling, you know you are ready to tackle it for real!

Signing up for a new class at the gym. It’s totally understandable to have some fear around joining a new class at the gym. Will I make a fool of myself, are the steps going to be hard to learn, will I be able to do it? These are some of the questions that may be rolling around in your mind. My suggestion would be to watch the class a few times. Then, visualize yourself walking into the room and selecting a certain spot. From there, you can visualize the basics of the class (how the teacher starts the class, certain steps she does, and maybe how she ends the class). Once you have that picture in your head, picture yourself moving through the class with grace and ease!

The more you can visualize yourself being successful when you are setting goals for yourself, the easier it will be to attain them! Don’t let fear stand in your way. Visualize some big goals for yourself and reach for the stars with confidence!
Bio:

- Jana Hollingsworth is a gifted Power Coach, Author, and award-winning Fitness Competitor. Jana is a sought-after radio guest and a well known workshop leader in Intuitive development. She blends her knowledge of intuitive power with her dedication to health and fitness to create a mind, body, soul approach to her coaching sessions.

How To Stay Healthy At The Workplace

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By Grace Bailey

operatorsWhoever goes to work (and we all know that almost everybody does) knows how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle while at the workplace. Especially if one’s work is in an office. The sedentary day at work makes it hard for one take care of his/her body. However, there are ways out of this situation. One just needs to be devoted to the idea of staying healthy at the workplace and results are sure to follow.

1. Leave coffee behind
It’s almost everybody’s habit to start the day with a cup of strong coffee. Even though this caffeine drink gives us a temporary high, it is sure to make you crash later on. This will affect not only your concentration, productivity and energy but will also make you want more and more coffee. And, with time, this will lead to dependency and fatigue. Something as simple as water can refresh you. And if you happen to need a little more energy, eat an orange. What’s also bad about coffee is the fact that it is usually loaded with a ton of sugar or some other sweetener. If you really can’t imagine your day without a cup of coffee, make it more like a cup of milk with a little coffee.

2. Have breakfast
By all means do! A lot of people start the day at the office with nothing more than a cigarette and some coffee. Needless to say, this is bad for you. The body needs energy to start the day properly and that energy could be provided by a nice morning meal. A toast or two, a bowl of oatmeal or some fruits. Whatever rocks your boat. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is food. You wouldn’t want to collapse onto your keyboard, right?

3. Stick to healthy snacks
As snacks play a vital role during one’s working day (after all, everybody gets hungry in between meals, right) do your best to make these snacks be as healthy as possible. Forget about the various types of bagged junk food. Not only it doesn’t satisfy your hunger, but it is also not ‘clean’ at all, but rather filled with all types of preservatives. Smart choices would be a mix of different nuts – almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc., as well as fruits – apples, bananas, pears and so on.

4. Mind the lunch
healthysaladUnless your company has a cafeteria, where nice, freshly cooked meals are served, it would be way better for you to pack your lunch. Devote thirty to sixty minutes a day to prepare yourself a nice lunch meal for the next day at work. It is definitely worth it. In any case, it is way better than a mayonnaise-covered hot dog from a nearby stand.

5. Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of liquids. However, try to avoid sweetened carbonated drinks the best you can. Again, water is the best choice. Or freshly squeezed fruits, if your workplace’s kitchen area has the proper appliances.

6. Move
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should leave your workplace for a walk in the nearby park. Just grant yourself a couple of minutes each hour to get up and pace around the office or the corridor. With sedentary types of work, this practice is obligatory. However, if leaving the workplace whenever one decides is not allowed at your job, do plenty of stretching while sitting on your chair. Stretch your arms, legs and back. Something like office yoga. Also, you should rest your eyes from time to time. Staring into the computer screen could be really tiring for them. Two minutes looking out the window each hour is something you can easily do to protect your eyesight.

- Grace is a housewife and writer keen on flowers, Italian food and healthy house organizing. You can also enjoy her tips and suggestions for creating a better home and Hackney removals.

Keep Your Child Fit With Physical Activities

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kidsarmsupFrom Your Health Journal…..”I found a great article today from an online publication called The Leadership written by Rakuat Ahmed-Yusuf called Keep Your Child Fit With Physical Activities. The article begins by discussing how children need exercise as much as adults need it. Children innately love to play and run, which gives them the opportunity to stay fit and healthy. Most experts recommend at least one hour of physical activity each day, which many children are not getting. It is crucial to enhanced health, fighting obesity, reducing heart disease, cancer, bones weakness, and type 2 diabetes. They have better self esteem and more confident. Modern day technology has played a large role in creating a sedentary generation, whose life expectancy may be shorter than their parents if they are not careful. The author then gives some valuable tips / suggestions to assist parents in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for their children. Please visit The Leadership web site to read the complete article. It was very enjoyable, and I would love to bring traffic to their site. The link is provided below.”

From the article…..

Like adults, children need exercise. Children love to jump, climb and play games. These outdoor activities give them the chance to burn some energy, develop coordination and build their strength and confidence. Exercise and physical activities are two important factors in childhood development.

At least, one hour of physical activity everyday keeps the kids healthy. Regular exercise helps children to reduce stress, maintain healthy weight, and build healthy bones, muscles and joints. A recent research found that exercise can help reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes in children. It also helps them to sleep well at night, feel better about themselves, and even feel more ready to learn in school.

Unfortunately, children these days spend more of their time watching TV, which reduces the time they spend running and playing. As kids spend more time inside, it makes them less and therefore exposing them to risk of being overweight, feeling tired and lazy, and losing muscle tone. Parents have a very important role to play, by encouraging their children to engage in exercises regularly.

They should also try as much as possible to limit their video games, TV and computer time activities.
There are specific guidelines to follow when considering the kind of exercise for children, as age matters a lot.

To read the full article…..Click here

Spread Your Activities Throughout The Day

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From Your Health Journal…..”I found a great article/interview today by Irene Maher of the Tampa Bay Times that I wanted to promote here. I hope you all visit the Tampa Bay Times site (link provided below) to read this great article about keeping active throughout the day. Experts state one key to healthier lifestyle is to make your entire day more active by building movement into your day. It is a habit best started as early as possible. This is so important. I know for myself, I do try to make physical activity a big part of my day by taking steps, doing extra chores, walking from place to place, always going outside for fresh air, making more walks to the bathroom at work…..etc. I feel it helps to keep me fresh and vibrant, and not stiffening up. So many people spend a big part of their day sitting and just being very sedentary, so getting up and about is very important for many people. We know that heart disease is still the number one killer in the United States, and many young children already suffer from risk factors for heart disease, so change is needed. Please visit the Tampa Bay Times / ABC News site to read the complete article.

From the article…..

How do you get in shape and stay in shape? Experts say the real key is to make your entire lifestyle more active by building movement into your day. It is a habit best started as early as possible.

To find out more, we talked with Lisa Witherspoon, co-director of the Active Gaming Research Laboratories at the University of South Florida.

Anything with “gaming” in the title might sound like fun, but her specialty could hardly be more serious: getting kids moving.

Americans of all ages spend too much time on their backsides, and lots of experts think that’s a major cause of the obesity epidemic and a growing list of attendant maladies.

But Witherspoon will not tell you and your kids to put down your beloved electronic devices. Her research centers on finding ways to use technology to increase physical activity.

The interview:

Q: What happens, physically, to inactive people?

A: The first and most obvious result is obesity or weight gain. Also well-documented are the problems inactivity causes related to heart disease — blood pressure, cholesterol, circulation, heart rate, diabetes. Bones lose density, putting you at risk for fractures and osteoporosis. Muscle strength declines, limiting you physically so you’re not able to do as much, even just around the house. Balance and coordination decline also as muscle strength declines. Basically, if you don’t move, you’re slowly killing your body.

Q: Why are some kids running around all the time and others seem glued to the TV?

A: It has a great deal to do with parents and other role models at home. If the parents aren’t active, chances are the kids won’t be active. Many schools are eliminating or reducing physical education and recess time. So, if they aren’t getting it at home or at school, it’s no surprise that kids are becoming accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle.

Q: Do parents only need to worry about activity if their child is overweight or obese?

A: Kids who are not active are at a major disadvantage for their health. This isn’t about being fat or skinny. We want them healthy so their bones and their hearts, their muscles and their lungs are strong. Active people live longer, have fewer health problems, less pain and live independently longer.

To read the full article…..Click here

Live Fit Live Healthy

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From Your Health Journal…..”I just love Augusta Magazine, and I really suggest your visiting this site (link below) to read many great health articles, including the one ‘here’ being reviewed. This article starts off by discussing ‘fitness from the past’ with the likes of Jane Fonda, Jack Lalane, and many other celebrity fitness experts who pushed the fitness craze decades ago. But….things have changed, and many (including children) are leading sedentary lifestyles now – in many cases, due to technology. Now, in our advanced technology era, many humans now suffer from risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Please go to the Aungusta Magazine web site to read this complete article, you will not be disappointed.”

From the article…..

ThighMasters, Shake Weights and Ab Lounges lie discarded in dusty corners of attics everywhere. Sauna Suits and shape-up shoes, as enticing as their promises are, have joined the assortment of closet clutter in homes across America. Names like Jane Fonda, Charles Atlas, Suzanne Somers, Cindy Crawford, Richard Simmons and Jack LaLanne now bounce around in the collective consciousness like they once did on television and in videos. These pop-culture artifacts and personalities reflect a fascination with fitness tipped off by the fallout from the Industrial Revolution.

Building steam in the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution resulted in masses of people leaving their agrarian way of life to move to and seek work in urban centers. No longer bound to the plow, men, women and even children earned wages through more sedentary occupations, and they purchased, rather than produced, sustenance and other necessary goods. Not that the work wasn’t hard; it simply wasn’t as physically demanding as it was for the generations that came before them.

By the 1950s and 1960s, the results of this dramatic, nay, revolutionary change in lifestyle reared their ugly head. For the first time in history physicians noted a significant increase in cardiovascular disease, cancer and type II diabetes. The digital age has done nothing to reverse the damage. In fact, while the intervening decades saw a decline in death due to cardiovascular disease, it is now on the rise again, along with type II diabetes and obesity, among other serious conditions. Plus the Baby Boomers are aging.

Much media attention has been devoted to the health status of the populace. People know they need to eat right and exercise, but these things take effort. And, unfortunately, when done correctly, results are not instant. A person can’t go from a Fat Albert figure to an Adonis physique in a matter of days. And if he does, he shortly finds out that a quick fix isn’t effective or lifelong. That’s why things like ThighMasters ultimately end up under the couch, out of sight, out of mind.

Fortunately, the fitness industry is more and more ruled by research and less influenced by fly-by-night fads. Approaches to achieving and maintaining true physical health evolve in response to science. Augusta benefits from a medical community and fitness professionals who value providing programs saturated with substance and not just wrapped in bling. Real fitness is about changing habits not about buying gadgets. The following fitness trends predicted for 2013 will make this year your healthiest one yet.

To read the full article…..Click here

Keeping Your Family Fit Indoors During The Winter

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From Your Health Journal…..”Getting the family outdoors in the colder months is a tough task for many of us. Trying to keep fit and healthy as a family is sometimes another challenge. Many children and their parents do become very sedentary over the Winter months. But, with a little creativity, you can motivate your family to get moving. This article gives some excellent ideas to follow. Some ideas I like are taking the family to the local indoor mall for a long walk browsing the store windows, commercial-cizing (exercise during commercial breaks), indoor fitness scavenger hunts, and indoor obstacle courses. I recommend this article to everyone, as it gives some excellent ideas to experiment that may help keep your family healthy this Winter.”

From the article…..

Does the cold weather outside have you wanting to curl up on your couch and take a long winter’s nap?

According to Beverly Anderson, Executive Director of Ebenezer Child Care Centers with locations in Milwaukee, Mequon, Greenfield, Oak Creek, and Wauwatosa, “Just because it may be getting chilly outside doesn’t mean that you should make staying active any less of a priority for your family. Children from toddler age on up need to have at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity every day to help foster healthy development and to keep sedentary habits from taking hold.”

So how can you keeping everyone moving during the winter months? Here are some useful tips.

Dance the Night Away
A very easy way to get the family moving together is to simply turn on the radio or your child’s favorite CD and start dancing. Dancing can quickly get your heart rate up while you have lots of fun together. While you’re at it, you can also teach your child to hop, skip, spin, do jumping jacks, and march by playing a fun game of follow the leader to dance music!

Head to the Basement
If your basement is unfinished, it can be the perfect place for active indoor activities such as roller skating, riding scooters, throwing and rolling light-weight balls, jumping rope, and setting up obstacle courses. Use the open space to your advantage, and encourage your children to get active!

Play Games
It may seem like an oxymoron, but there are actually some video games out there that can help get your older children moving. The Wii Fit exercise board and Dance Party Revolution video games are both excellent examples of fun activities that encourage older kids to get up off of the couch. There are also other non-video games out there such as Twister, musical chairs, and tag that older children often enjoy participating in.

Utilize Community Resources
Take advantage of the Milwaukee County Parks system, and go sledding or ice skating outside. Or, if you want to stay indoors, consider skating at the Pettit Ice Center. This facility also has an indoor track you can walk or run on. Another fun indoor physical activity is hitting one of the many bowling alleys in Milwaukee for a game of bowling.

To read the full article…..Click here

Guest Post – Simon Hopes, What Are Some Ways To Keep Fit While Working Long Hours At A Job?

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workdeskPeople that work long hours often find themselves with no extra time for working out to keep fit. Not only can decreased exercise lead to a poorer physical body, but it may also take a toll on someone’s mental health as well. However, if one maintains a simple exercise regimen alongside eating healthy whilst at work, they may find themselves staying trim and they will also have more energy throughout the work day.

Lunch Break

When it’s time for that lunch break, people should go out and have a break; usually office workers are forced to sit at their desk for long periods of time without fresh air or exercise. The human body was not designed to sit for long hours at a time confined in a chair. It is important that an individual get up at break time, stretch their legs and take a walk to get lunch; they may also bring a bagged lunch if

The human body was not designed to sit for long hours at a time confined in a chair.

preferred. Whatever meal they bring, it is important to remember to take a walk so that the person is able to get some fresh air, sunlight and to stretch their legs. This will also help give them more energy when getting back to work so they’re not as tired when working. These techniques may also apply to other workforce jobs other than desk sitting jobs. However, active jobs where people are standing on their feet and moving throughout the day typically get an ample amount of exercise. Although it is still beneficial for them to get some fresh air and sunlight on their lunch break.

Simple Exercises

There are also simple gym exercises that one may incorporate into their daily routine at work. These simple exercises can be performed whilst sitting at a desk, or on a call, if the individual is performing light exercises. This will help to keep individual’s fit, and trim while still at work. Exercises that one may try are push-ups, sit-ups, lunges around their desk, calf-raises, wide-grip push-ups, and other various light weight exercises that may be performed in a small space.

Eating Right

saladIt is important for someone working all day long at a desk, or cubicle to remember to eat the right foods. It is very tempting and easy to bring or purchase oily potato chips, or foods high in saturated-fats and sugars. While these foods may give a temporary energy boost, they will ultimately cause the individual to suffer from a sugar crash due to the contents of the food. Afterwards, people tend to get drowsy and may end up eating more junk food to liven up. This is why it is beneficial to eat healthy foods at lunch, and when snacking to have healthy snacks. This can include things such as apples, bananas, orange slices, carrot sticks, celery wedges or other healthy choices. Not only are healthy choices better for the body, they will also help to keep the person lean and give them longer lasting energy throughout the work day.

- Simon Hopes is a freelance writer, professional blogger, and social media enthusiast. His blog Cheapestservice.com focuses on Internet Service.

Guest Post – Trish Sweeney, Stopping Colds & Flu Before They Start: Smart Strategies You Can Use Now

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womanWith cold and flu season around the corner, how can you stay healthy in the coming months? There are three approaches: prevention via vaccine (for the flu only), treating or shortening the duration of colds and flu, and preventing them from gaining a foothold by using barrier products.

Prevention with a Single Dose

A flu shot is the best, earliest way you can avoid a miserable week in bed. Each year, the CDC determines which types of flu are likely to be transmitted. Vaccine is then manufactured and distributed across the U.S. at doctor’s offices, hospitals and walk in clinics. Generally costing $20-30 and often covered by insurance, they can be given through a shot in the arm or inhaled through the nose. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the nasal spray flu vaccine reduced the chance of influenza illness by 92%.

Treating or Shortening The Duration of Colds and Flu

If you’re alert to symptoms—achy joints, fever, scratchy throat, stuffy nose—you may able to respond quickly and treat a cold or flu early.

Are you in touch with your body? If you’re alert to symptoms—achy joints, fever, scratchy throat, stuffy nose—you may able to respond quickly and treat a cold or flu early. Antiviral drugs—usually obtained by a doctor’s prescription–can lessen the severity and duration of the flu but can be a bit more expensive. One popular brand I’ve seen offered is $99. Other options include over the counter holistic treatments, homeopathic remedies and immune system boosters from $5 to $25 or more depending on the product.

Barrier Products

Used diligently, alcohol based hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes can reduce the spread of cold germs and flu virus. These can cost as little as a dollar for travel sizes. Now, there are other products that reduce your exposure to germs, viruses and bacteria.
Because they’re used daily, often in high traffic areas, handbags can act as a subway for millions of germs. One company now offers a hanger that goes on the outside of the purse. The advantage is clear: it’s easy to find so it’s used more often. Another plus: this type of hook goes on the bag’s strap, minimizing contact with germs. MSRP: $20-40.

soapMore Tips

According to the CDC, a thorough hand washing with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds can reduce the spread of infection and illness. If you’re in a public restroom that offers paper towels, use them to dry your hands, turn off the faucet and open the door handle. And if you’re in contact with many people during the day—cashiers, tellers, bellmen, delivery personnel—latex gloves may be the single best way to prevent illness. One brand marketed to food service personnel is 100 pairs for $4.50. That’s a small price to pay compared to the misery of the flu or common cold.

- Trish Sweeney is the vice president of Topcor, where she oversees marketing for the Clipa instant handbag hanger. For more information, please visit http://www.clipa.us