Getting Motivated to Exercise

Getting Motivated to Exercise

Staying motivated to lose weight and exercise is tough -- and the hardest part is usually gettinstarted in the first place.

Most people say, "I'm just not motivated."

We make plans to exercise but, when it comes time to do it, we find a hundred other things we suddenly must do (exercise while my sock drawer is in such chaos? Ridiculous!).

So, why does exercise seem great until we actually have to do it? If a lack of motivation is what's hampering you then maybe we need to figure out just what motivation is. Is it a feeling? An action? Or a little bit of both?

What Is Motivation?

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines motivation as "that which gives purpose and direction to behavior." By that definition, we're looking for something to drive us to exercise, something to get us moving. So where does that 'something' come from? For some people, like athletes, it may come from the desire to compete and to win. For others, it may come from a desire to be healthy or live longer for their kids. For most, losing weight is often the goal. But is that enough to motivate us? Judging from our obesity problems, that would be a no.

The problem with motivation is that many of us believe it's something that will come to us if we wait long enough...that someday we'll wake up and finally want to exercise. Rather than believe in that fantasy, maybe we'd all be better off by realizing that motivation is something we create, not something we wait for.

Is it Possible to Get Excited About Exercise?

When do you get excited about exercise? For me, it's usually right after I've made the decision to do it at some future time. Just deciding to exercise makes me feel good...almost like I've already done something. The problem happens when it comes time to follow through and my motivation has suddenly disappeared. If that sounds like you, maybe it's time to focus your attention on what's important. Deciding to exercise is important, but it's what you do to follow through that really matters. 

Redefining Motivation

I believe motivation comes from different places -- it's not based on how we feel or even something we have to wait around for. It's something we create for ourselves. Use the following elements to create your own motivation, and you'll find that exercising will be easier.

Goals

You already know that the first step in motivating yourself is having something to work for. It doesn't matter whether that's a weight loss goal or a goal to run a marathon -- anything that gives you reason to exercise will work. And don't think you have to set only one goal. You can set as many goals as you like, whenever you like. Set daily goals (I'll walk for 20 minutes today), weekly goals (I'll get a minimum of 3 workouts in), or even hourly goals (I'll get up every 45 minutes and walk around the building). Always having something to work for, big or small, is just one way to keep yourself going.

Preparation

Once you've decided to exercise, make it as easy as possible to follow through. That means having what you need and getting it all ready for your workouts -- pack your gym bag, prepare meals or snacks, and plan out what you'll do that day. I've skipped plenty of morning workouts because finding my running shoes turned out the be the equivalent of finding the lost city of Atlantis. I now park them right next to the bed, unlaced, so all I have to do is step into them and I'm ready to go. Find ways you can be ready for your workout well before it happens.

Discipline

Part of doing what we do each day has to do with routine and habits. If you can make exercise a habit, you're that much closer to making it easier to do. It helps to have a regular day and time you workout so that, once that time comes, you know it's time to get busy. You can also create a ritual around your workout to help you get ready. For example, if you're a morning exerciser, take a few minutes to stretch before you get started. Or, if it's cold, throw your clothes in the dryer before putting them on. Find ways to make your workout just another part of your life, like brushing your teeth.

Flexibility

Part of being able to stick to your routine is allowing some leeway. You may plan on jogging 5 miles, but there will come a day when you're too tired or you don't have the time. Most of us end up skipping our workouts rather than coming up with something else to do. Have a goal in mind, but be willing to change it if you find you're tired that day or you have to work late. Always have a backup plan -- if you find you have to work late, see if you can fit in a quick walk at lunch, or use your breaks for some stair walking. Everything counts!

Commitment

Being healthy isn't a decision you make once -- it's one you make every day. Recommitting to your goals is necessary to keep yourself on track. See if you can spend a few minutes each morning thinking or writing about what you want to accomplish that day and how you'll do it. Remind yourself of your goals and take some time to appreciate how far you've come in reaching them. Write down your goals and stick them on your desk or wall so you can see them. Do whatever you can to remind yourself of your commitment to exercise.

Having Fun

All those words I've just used (preparation, discipline, commitment) sound like the opposite of fun, don't they? If you're like me, you sometimes get tired of being so mature all the time -- of all the obligations and responsibilities you have. Exercise often sounds like just another duty. We forget that moving our bodies can actually be fun. Making time for unstructured, free-flowing movement can help you lighten up a little. I highly recommend taking a stroll, jumping in a big pile of leaves or challenging your loved on to a wrestling match.

Reward Yourself

For me, motivation happens almost instantly whenever I reward myself. It might be something small, like a leisurely trip to the bookstore, or something big, like a massage. Check out Spa Wish to purchase your own massagegift certificate -- but don't allow yourself to use it until you finish all of your workouts!

In thinking about it, I've found that what motivates me changes from day to day -- what got me moving today may not do a darned thing tomorrow. If that's true for you, that means digging deep to find that thing -- that thought, feeling, goal, reward -- that gets you moving. Make motivation easier by eliminating your excuses before they happen. But, most of all, realize that this motivation thing gets easier with practice. When you exercise consistently, you gradually fill your motivational stores as you understand what makes you tick and what gets you moving. The more you practice, the better you'll get. You'll realize your actions are what generates that feeling you've been searching for -- motivation.

Benefits of Weight Training for Chronic Health Conditions

Benefits of Weight Training for Chronic Health Conditions

The benefits that many of us derive from weight training are diverse 
and categorical, so I'm inclined to view them in two conveniently defined categories:

1. Wellness, self-esteem and mind-body fusion and:
2. Remediation and alleviation of injury or chronic health conditions

The distinction is that the first category is about preventing disease, 
staying physically and mentally fit, longevity, building good body image, 
doing sport, socializing and having fun; and the second category is more 
about treating diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, metabolic 
syndrome and quite a few more chronic disease states for which weight 
training has shown benefit.

Weight Training for Wellness and Mind-Body Fusion

Preventive health and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and 
body image are the core concepts in this category.

Bodybuilding, Shaping, Sculpting and Competing
Some people get such self esteem and confidence out of bodybuilding, 
shaping and toning, and powerlifting, including competition, that many 
of the other benefits are almost secondary for them. It becomes a way 
of life and a satisfying one at that.

Try these Top Ten Exercises.

Weight Management You know about this one. Exercise of 30-60 
minutes each day helps to keep weight in check, especially if combined 
with a healthy, energy-neutral diet. Weight training is an essential part of 
the mix, enhancing muscle strength, tone and bulk and contributing to an 
efficient metabolism.

Strength and Balance
As you gain strength, joints and muscles work more efficiently together 
to increase your functionality all round including balance, flexibility, stamina 
and injury prevention. Weight training is heralding a revolution in the maintenance 
of functionality into older age. The muscle mass decline and the unsteadiness 
that goes with ageing may not be as inevitable as once thought.

Bone Strength and Density
Did you know that losing weight by calorie restriction alone can produce a 
decline in bone mass and density? Weight training is the ideal companion for any weight loss programbecause it helps maintain bone density while you're dropping 
those kilos. Muscle building and impact exercise strengthens bone by muscle and tendons impacting on the bone at the attachment points and producing growth stimulation.

Why should women do weight training?

Boost Wellness, Immunity and Sleep   It sounds like a tough call doesn't it? 
To do all these things with weight training, but let's look at it. Regular exercise 
tends to improves sleep patterns; that's no revelation. Moderate exercise and 
good sleep both enhance immune function. Put it all together with weight training 
and you'll do well.

"Wellness" is a catch-phrase for good health and being fit, energetic and 
resistant to disease. Regular, progressive weight training as part of an exercise 
ethic can improve your self-esteem, confidence and may help to prevent or 
even remedy depression.

Weight Training for Chronic Health Conditions

If you're unfortunate enough to have a chronic disease, that is, a persistent,
longer-term disease, weight training can probably help. In recent years progressive
 resistance training or PRT has been used in a wide range of disease settings 
in order to assist with day to day function or even to achieve more permanent
improvement.

Weight training programs are increasingly being recommended in diabetes management.

Cardiovascular Disease
Weight training is increasingly approved in cardiacrehabilitation programs, usually to
complement aerobic training. With appropriate supervision and programming it has
been shown to be safe and effective in building strength and mobility and the capacity to complete a wider recovery training program. Cardiovascular disease includes heart
attacks, stroke, artery disease and heart failure.

Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of symptoms which can include excess weight,
high blood pressure (hypertension), glucose intolerance and high cholesterol.
Both aerobic training and resistance training provide benefits. High-intensity weight
training is ill-advised for those with uncontrolled hypertension.

DiabetesIn a randomized trial, high-intensity progressive resistance training in
type 2 diabetics improved glucose control, increased lean body mass, reduced
systolic blood pressure, reduced fat mass, reduced glycated hemoglobin A1c and
allowed a reduction in medication compared to a non-exercise control group.
(Castaneda 2002)

Cancer
Strength training has been employed with success with cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, for breast cancer patients post-surgery, and has been shown to
prevent and even reverse the adverse effects of testosterone suppression chemotherapy
in men with prostate cancer. Benefits in all situations included lean mass maintenance,
strength and fitness enhancement.

Depression
In one randomized trial, high-intensity progressive weight training was found to be
more effective than low-intensity weight training or medical care for the treatment of
older depressed patients. (Singh 2005)

Additional studies of resistance training for depression have produced positive results,
perhaps in relation to sleep and mood enhancement.

Osteoporosis
Evaluation of the effects of exercise on bone quality suggest variable results according
to age, hormonal status, nutrition and exercise type. However, in a review,
a Tufts University group stated that: "Both aerobic and resistance training exercise
can provide weight-bearing stimulus to bone, yet research indicates that resistance
training may have a more profound site specific effect than aerobic exercise." (Layne 1999)

Lung Function and Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation from, or management of deficiencies in lung function such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) usually involve aerobic exercise such as walking.
 In recent years however, strength training has also been trialled with some success.
It seems that strength and perhaps stability improvements provide the functionality to
increase exercise capacity and tolerance, resulting in better performance all round.

Parkinson's disease
A ground-breaking study found that high-force eccentric resistance training produced
improved mobility in Parkinson's disease patients compared to conventional care.
Eccentric training targets the return movement of joint action -- a straightening leg
under weight emphasizing the quadriceps muscle of the thigh for example. (Dibble 2006)

HIV/AIDSWeight training has been shown to be safe and provide benefits within
a general fitness program for sufferers of HIV/AIDS.

Arthritis and Fibromyalgia
Both osteoarthritis and autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis responded to strength
training with measurable benefit in carefully constructed programs of progressive
resistance training. The belief that joint inflammation, pain and inflexibility as a result
of arthritis are best treated with rest and little movement stress seems to have gone
right out the door as the exercise modalities prove their worth in maintaining and
perhaps restoring function. Optimum programs are still to be established.

Fibromyalgia patients have responded positively to resistance training.

The list above is probably not comprehensive :new applications of weight training for health conditions emerge regularly. I'll keep you updated.

Fourth of July Diet Survival Tips

Fourth of July Diet Survival Tips

The fun and festivities have already begun for Fourth of July celebrations, and it's easy to fall off track with that diet you planned to stick with throughout the year. With the temptation of strawberry shortcake, homemade peach pie, and hot dogs galore, it can be easy to sabotage your diet in just a few days. If you're heading out to a potluck or community gathering, at least you have the option to bring your own healthy creations with you; if not, you'll likely be left with a diet catastrophe on your hands. Whether you're on theSouth Beach diet, an Atkins fanatic, or just the caught the wave of low-carb diets in general, here are some key items you'll want to keep off limits--your diet depends on it!

Diet Saboteur #1: 1. Potato salad

A low-carb dieter's nightmare, you're looking at extra calories from both carbs and fat; the most popular potato salads at the Fourth of July picnic are usually the ones loaded with full-fat mayonnaise and extras such as bacon and cheese. Steer clear of this diet saboteur and you'll be saving over 350 calories and 20 g of fat per cup.

Diet Saboteur #2: Fruit and cream Jell-O

That colorful jell-o mold sure looks friendly from afar, but if it's loaded with cream and sugar, it won't be making your diet to-do list. Unless you're sure it's sugar-free jell-o and fat-free whipped cream in the mix, the fruit cup might not be as diet-friendly as you hoped-no matter how good those strawberries look. Skip this one to save those extra calories from the cream; just 2 tbsp. is loaded with at least 10 grams of fat.

Full of flavor and spoonfuls of sugar, the fruit punch at the picnic table is loaded calories that can be much better spent on healthier options such as fresh fruit or even a smoothie. Avoid the Kool-Aid fair and save yourself at least 150 calories per cup.

Diet Saboteur #4:. The Hot Dog

According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage council, three-fourth of Americans sya hot dogs are more strongly associated with 4th of July than with any othe rholiday. Unless you're planning on joining a competitive eating contest anytime soon, limit your hot dog intake to one without the bun, or forego it all together. A vegan hot dog will be a healthier option, preventing you from ingesting the average 300 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Diet Saboteur #5. Barbeque ribs

Sure they look lip-smacking good, but when you learn that they're loaded with over 1500 calories and 65 grams of fat per serving, the barbequed ribs aren't necessarily the best choice for your Fourht of July picnic. They may be high in protein, but you're looking at a meat source that's filled with artery-clogging saturated fat too; switch to an alternative main course as quickly as you can. . . .

The best diet strategy for Fourth of July? Pack a picnic and manage your day by being well-prepared. Eat light and frequently throughout the day, picking up fresh fruit, salads with low-fat dressing, grilled vegetable wraps, or even some marinated chicken on the grill. If you're heading out to a barbeque or other grilling event, take along your own specialty dishes to share; there are plenty of low-fat and low-carb recipes available, and you can get creative with dessert by adding your own patriotic theme. Enjoy the best of Fourth of July season this year without packing on those pounds; after all, it is still bathing suit season.

Health Benefits of Honey 


Good source of antioxidants: 

It plays a big role in the prevention of cancer as well as heart disease. Has a low calorie level: Another quality of honey is that, when it is compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40% less calories to the body. Although it gives great energy to the body, it does not add weight. Rapidly diffuses through the blood: When accompanied by mild water, honey diffuses into the bloodstream in 7 minutes. Its free sugar molecules make the brain function better since the brain is the largest consumer of sugar, thus, reduces fatigue. 

Supports blood formation: 

Honey provides an important part of the energy needed by the body for blood formation. In addition, it helps in cleansing the blood. It has some positive effects in regulating and facilitating blood circulation. It also functions as a protection against capillary problems and arteriosclerosis. Does not accommodate bacteria: This bactericide (bacteria-killing) property of honey is named "the inhibition effect". Experiments conducted on honey show that its bactericide properties increase twofold when diluted with water. It is very interesting to note that newly born bees in the colony are nourished with diluted honey by the bees responsible for their supervision - as if they know this feature of the honey.

The nutrients or enzymes that raw honey does contain are destroyed by manufacturers who heat it in order to give it a clear appearance to enhance sales. It is healthier for you to buy 'local honey' and not the manufacturer processed honey you find on Supermarket shelves. Much of the honey on Supermarket shelves comes from overseas and you will not really know that fact. Keep in mind that store-bought honey is pastuerized and all of the beneficial bacteria has been "cooked" out of it.

A SCOTTISH pharmacist has developed a new diet which allows slimmers to burn fat while they sleep by eating honey before bed.

Mike McInnes, 61, came up with the diet when he was helping athletes with their nutrition. He discovered that eating foods rich in fructose, such as dried fruits and honey, helps people burn fat and increase stamina. The body burns more fat during the first four hours of sleep than it does during any other activity, including exercise. Eating two teaspoonfuls of honey before bedtime and doing resistance exercise three times a week helps to stimulate this process. Mr McInnes said most of the commonly-held wisdom about weight loss is not true. He said: "People think they can lose weight by not eating in the evenings, or by cutting out carbohydrates. "And they are told that spending hours in the gym will help them lose weight." "Of course, spending time in the gym gets you fit - but in an hour of aerobic activity you only burn an ounce of fat. This diet uses recovery biology, the process which burns nothing but fat. The most important time for fat-burning is in the first four hours of sleep. While working with athletes, 

Mike McInnes discovered that eating fructose-rich foods such as honey helped to burn fat and increase stamina. He also found that the best time to burn fat is while sleeping. Eating honey before bed activates the body’s natural recovery biology, which is fuelled by burning fat. These effects can be maximized by the accompanying 15 minute exercise program that is effective with only three sessions per week. Tested by professional athletes, this dream diet aims at creating a healthier lifestyle and increasing athletic ability rather than just losing weight.

For more information checkout: http://news.scotsman.com/

The skinny on carbohydrates

What Are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are found in a wide array of foods—bread, beans, milk, popcorn, potatoes, cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks, corn, and cherry pie. They also come in a variety of forms. The most common and abundant forms are sugars, fibers, and starches. 

Carbohydrates were once grouped into two main categories. Simple carbohydrates included sugars such as fruit sugar (fructose), corn or grape sugar (dextrose or glucose), and table sugar (sucrose). Complex carbohydrates included everything made of three or more linked sugars. Complex carbohydrates were thought to be the healthiest to eat, while simple carbohydrates weren't so great. It turns out that the picture is more complicated than that. The digestive system handles all carbohydrates in much the same way—it breaks them down (or tries to break them down) into single sugar molecules, since only these are small enough to cross into the bloodstream. It also converts most digestible carbohydrates into glucose (also known as blood sugar), because cells are designed to use this as a universal energy source.


Fiber is an exception. It is put together in such a way that it can't be broken down into sugar molecules, and so it passes through the body undigested. Fiber comes in two varieties: soluble fiber dissolves in water, while insoluble fiber does not. Although neither type nourishes the body, they promote health in many ways. Soluble fiber binds to fatty substances in the intestines and carries them out as a waste, thus lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol). It also helps regulate the body's use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check. Insoluble fiber helps push food through the intestinal tract, promoting regularity and helping prevent constipation.

When you eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which then enters the blood. As blood sugar levels rise, special cells in the pancreas churn out more and more insulin, a hormone that signals cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells sponge up blood sugar, its levels in the bloodstream begin to fall. That's when other cells in the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that tells the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar.

In some people, this cycle doesn't work properly. People with type 1 diabetes (once called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes) don't make enough insulin, so their cells can't absorb sugar. People with type 2 diabetes (once called non-insulin-dependent, or adult-onset diabetes) generally start out with a different problem—their cells don't respond well to insulin's "open up for sugar" signal. This condition, known as insulin resistance, causes blood sugar and insulin levels to stay high long after eating. Over time, the heavy demands made on the insulin-making cells wears them out, and insulin production slows, then stops.

Insulin resistance isn't just a blood sugar problem. It has also been linked with a variety of other problems, including high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and excess weight. In fact, it travels with these problems so often that the combination has been given the name metabolic syndrome. (1) Alone and as part of the metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and possibly some cancers.

Genes, a sedentary lifestyle, being overweight, and a diet rich in processed carbohydrates can each promote insulin resistance. (The combination is far worse.) Data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study suggests that cutting back on refined grains and eating more whole grains in their place can improve insulin sensitivity. (2) As described in "Health Gains from Whole Grains", the benefit of eating whole grains extends far beyond insulin to helping prevent type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis (the build-up of cholesterol-filled patches that clog and narrow artery walls), heart disease, colorectal cancer, and premature death from noncardiac, noncancer causes. PLEASE TAKE HEED! 

The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables,fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. Easily digested refined carbohydrates from white bread, white rice and other refined grains, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.


Five quick tips on adding good carbohydrates to your diet: 

1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like old-fashioned oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list. I prefer hot cereal like oatmeal. Be careful of cold cereal, sometime the sugar content is high and that defeats the purpose.

2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Look for bread that lists as the first ingredient whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain —and even better, one that is made with only whole grains, such as 100 percent whole wheat bread. Or try this recipe for hearty whole grain bread.

3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner. Read "Health Gains from Whole Grains" for a list of whole grains and their health benefits, or check out thesewhole grain recipes. 

4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice. I prefer water over everything. I have eliminated ALL juices from my diet.

5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein.