Benefits Of Exercise To Heart-Health

Research has shown that exercise improves heart-health and body health generally. It is also a proven fact that you don’t need to exercise all day to reap the health benefits of exercise. Heart-healthy benefits of exercise can really make so much difference in your life.

The following are some of the benefits of exercise to your heart health.

Lowering Of Blood Pressure

According to a study by The National Institute of Health of America, a regular exercise of about 30 minutes of moderate activity for five days a week can reduce blood pressure (with approximately 10mmHg). The blood pressure lowering effects of exercise can be observed between one to three hours after a single 30 – 45 minutes workout according to The American College of Sports Medicine.

Improvement Of Cholesterol Level

Regular exercise help improve cholesterol level. It increases HDL which is good cholesterol and decreases LDL which is bad cholesterol. Studies have shown that improvement in cholesterol levels are related to the amount of exercise activity and not the intensity of exercise. This means that the more time you exercise per week the more your cholesterol level will improve.

Strengthening Of The Heart

Exercise strengths the heart allowing it to beat more efficiently, thereby helping in the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.

Prevention Of Type II Diabetes

A recent study shows that the combination of physical activity and weight loss has a very powerful effect on preventing the onset of type II diabetes in high-risk individuals.

You may be wondering how long and at what intensity you will workout to achieve these heart-health benefits of exercise. You can achieve most of these health benefits of exercise through a moderate intensity of physical activities. According to experts, a minimum of 30 minutes, five (5) days a week physical activities are recommended. Maintaining a healthy heart should be one of your top most priorities if you want to stay active and healthy.

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Water And Exercise

According to research, the human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water.  The fact is, we can only survive for a total of 3 days without water.  Water has however, been replaced in most diets by soft drinks and other sugar sweetened refreshments.  Keep in mind that water is a healthier and necessary for you to achieve a better health and longevity.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature.  Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis.  By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be.

A majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water.  Bear in mind that by so doing you cannot meet the gauge of the water needs for the body.  By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply.  Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty.

It is very important that you don't substitute beverages with alcohol and caffeine for water.  The reason being that those beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose more weight through increased urination.  You may think and feel as if you are getting more water through these beverages, although the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it.

Anytime you exercise, you need more water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water.  For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water.  Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water.  By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you will need more water than any other time.  When you get a cold or flu, your body can become dehydrated quickly.  You can help to prevent this by drinking more water when you are sick.

Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis.  You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day.  You should also learn to drink water instead of other beverages that cannot take the place of water in your body.

Exercising Properly

There are two main types of exercise that you can do -aerobic and anaerobic.  The first one, aerobic, means with oxygen.  Aerobic type exercise has an important distinction, it burns fat as the main fuel.  

Anaerobic on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel.  Despite common myths, exercise does not have to be drastic in any way to provide massive benefits.  Even if you choose light exercise, you will still burn fat.

Light exercise will clear out lactic acid, which is a waste of the body, and stimulate your cells to regenerate.  To be sure that you are burning fat rather than sugar, it's very important to make sure that you are doing several things as you exercise.

The most important thing you can do as you exercise is breathe deep.  You should always breathe in deep into your stomach through your nose, hold it for a few seconds and then exhale hard through your mouth.

Second, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level.  You should exercise at a level of 7 out of 10, and still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise.  You should do this for at least 45 minutes each day, and then you’ll begin to notice just how much your energy will explode.

Even if you don't have the time to exercise, think of the enormous benefits you will derive from exercise and create time for exercise. If you have to, use the time that you would normally spend sleeping.  With exercising, you will actually need less sleep than before.

You can also use the time of your lunch break to exercise as well.  The increase in productivity will have you more on the ball, and you can save your time through the dramatic increase in your overall productivity.  Use any break you have at work to engage in some type of movement and deep breathing.

Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart.  It will make it a stronger and larger organ.  Deep breathing will help your lungs become stronger and larger as well.  There is research now that links exercise to helping benefit and almost prevent each and every type of disease or ailment.

Movement of the joints will promote proper blood flow and create energy, as sitting down all day will rob your body of much needed energy.  If you sit down all day, it's very important that you promote blood flow, circulation, energy, brain flow, and the strength of your heart.  With just a little bit of your time devoted to exercise, you'll find yourself healthier than you have ever been in the past.

Exercise As Power Source

This day and age it can be very difficult indeed to go to the gym due to so many factors.  Life is very hectic and busy, which has created a serious challenge for remaining consistent with exercise each day.  Exercise is however, one of the major things we all need to reduce stress, and give the body the extra energy it needs to carry out normal living.

The best results of exercise are achieved through the use of refined techniques, functional exercises, cardio, the right nutrition, variety, awareness, consistency, and motivation over a period of time.

The refined techniques mean correct form to isolate muscles or to target areas of the body.  Efficiency is needed to ensure stimulation of the muscles.  With weight lift training, which is also known as resistance training, you'll need to eliminate any type of momentum.  

It is also important to move the weight about using a full range of motion.  Full range of motion causes the muscle to contract for the right amount of time and help to ensure the right length of the tendons.  The goal here is to strengthen the joints of your body by stimulating the muscles.

Cadence is also helpful, as it is a term that refers to the rate in which the resistance or the weight moves.  The best results with cadence are gained by slow movements which will cause the muscle to contract for a longer period of time.  You can mix in a series of fast and slow cadence, which is very beneficial with sports type training.

Using the correct angles will achieve muscle isolation in target areas and help to decrease the risk of injuries, which is great for those using heavy weights. 

Functional type exercise is a popular technique that will stimulate the core and torso of your body while you work on another muscle group at the same time.  As an example, when you perform a dumbbell press while lying on an exercise ball.

Your abdominal muscles and the core muscles will contract to hold your body into this position, while your chest and triceps muscles will push the dumbbells up.  This type of exercise and challenge will cause maximum stimulation to your body and keep the workout interesting and refreshing.

Cardio is another exercise that is great for the heart and lungs.  The total number of calories you burn is very important along with maintaining the right heart rate.   Cardio will help detoxify the body and also help to strengthen the immune system along with other benefits.  The muscles will contract and pass the lymph along, which will allow the immune system to clear away dead cells and bring new ones in.

Anytime you exercise, warming up is very important, as it will prepare your body for the more demanding workout of cardio.  You should always allow 15 - 30 minutes prior to weight lifting and 10 - 15 minutes prior to cardio exercises.  You should also stretch as well, as this will help get the blood flowing through your muscles and get them limber as well.

An ideal schedule for working out is to warm up then follow with cardio.  Even though you may think your schedule is simply too busy to maintain a schedule for working out, you will find that adding exercise will actually add more time, as you will have a lot more energy in your normal everyday life.  You can think of exercise as the batteries that will help to give your life power.

Exercise And Your Complexion

It is an established fact that exercise does the body a lot of good.  It can help you stay trim, tone muscles, and help to boost energy as well.  What you probably don't know, is the fact that exercise can actually help you achieve the complexion you have always wanted.

It is true that regular exercise will nourish the body and skin with fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients.  Also, the increased blood flow and circulation that come with working out will help to draw toxins out of the body and improve the condition of all your vital organs, including the epidermis.

A lot of people think that sweat can trigger acne flare ups.  The fact is, sweating is great for any type of congested skin, as it helps promote the flushing of impurities from the epidermal layer and also clean out the pores.  The vigorous exercise can actually correct the hormonal imbalances that can trigger blemishes, therefore reducing the likelihood of outbreaks.

Any physical routine that you like to do, such as yoga, running, biking, spinning, Pilates, jogging, goju, karate, taekwondo, boxing and  any such activity, will help to lessen the stress that you encounter on a daily basis and help to prevent stress related issues.

Exercise is great for some skin conditions that may or may not have to do with the presence of acne. Your skin losing its elasticity or becoming thin and less resilient is something that we all encounter.  This is a common problem for many of us as we get older.

As we all get older, we start to lose collagen, which will make us look tired.  As many of us don't know, physical activity can actually help to promote the growth of collagen in your skin cells, which will plump up your facial skin and make you look younger and more vibrant.

If you are worried about wrinkles, you should consider relaxation that comes after you exercise. This has the effect of making your muscles, facial muscles included, soften up.  What this means, is that your lines will appear less pronounced, helping you to achieve a youthful look.

With exercise you can achieve a smaller waist, better muscle tone, softer skin, fewer blemishes, and an overall younger, fresher look.  If you wanted a change to your complexion, you shouldn't hesitate to exercise.  Exercise will help you feel more alive as well as improve your body.  All you need to do is taking a little bit of time out of your schedule to exercise .

Buttocks Exercises

Most people are not happy with their buttocks. Many think they are too small, too big, too saggy, too flabby and so on. Engaging in the right cardio exercises and weight training activities can give you your desired backside, depending on your body type and genetics. This should include thighs exercises, hip exercises, glutes exercises and lower body exercises. Here are the best cardio and strength training exercises for strengthening and toning your glutes, hips and thighs.

1. Squats

One of the best exercises you can do for your hips, buttocks and thighs are squats. They are functional exercises that help us in building strength for our daily activities.

How to squat:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and, you can, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides for added intensity.
2. Bend your knees, and lower into a squat, keeping the knees behind the toes and  keeping the torso upright and contracted.
3. Put Pressure into the heels to stand up.
4. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps

2. Lunges

These are challenging exercises because they work on so many muscles at the same time. On the front leg, you work the glutes and hamstrings while on the back leg, you work the quads and calves. There are a variety of lunges to choose from such as:

• Static Lunges
• Side to Side Lunges
• Sliding Lunges
• Low Lunges
• One-Legged Lunge
• Step by Step  Lunges

3. Step Ups

This is another great exercise for the glutes. Place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel to lift the body up. To get the best result concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. Lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. Take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

4. Hip Extensions                                                                                 
 Hip extension is an exercise that specifically targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus. You can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity.

5. Biking

Bike riding is great for the heart. It targets almost every muscle in your hips, thighs and buttocks. You burn a lot of calories biking.

6. Running

Running is easily accessible, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, and also makes you feel good. Added to that, it works your buttocks, especially when you run on a hilly route. Sprints are another option if you want to burn more calories. 

7. karate/Taekwondo

Karate and taekwondo are excellent workouts for the entire body, including the hips, glutes and thighs.  Controlled front kicks, roundhouses, sidekicks and back kicks work your hips, thighs and buttocks while complex combinations that include punches will target your abs to make them stronger.

Eating And Exercise

The main purpose of engaging in regular exercise is to maintain good health. To have the energy needed to exercise and to carry out your day to day activities properly, you need a proper diet and a healthy eating habit. To get the best of your exercise, what you eat before and after you workout is very important.

It does not matter if you are doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout, always make sure you eat a balanced diet containing a mix of protein and carbohydrates.  What determines the percentage of carbohydrate and protein you consume is the type of exercise you are doing and the intensity level you plan to work at.

The ideal time for you to eat your pre workout meal is at least one hour before your workout time.  If you plan to work at a low intensity level, your calories intake during your pre work out meal should be kept low.  If you plan to exercise at a high level of intensity, you will probably need a high level of calorie intake in your pre workout meal.

Eating a mixture of carbohydrate and protein will give a longer sustained energy from the carbohydrates while the protein will keep the muscles from breaking down during exercise workout. 

Eating after you exercise is just as important as your pre workout meal.  Anytime you exercise, regardless of the form or type of exercise you went through, you deplete energy in the form of glycogen.  The brain and central nervous system rely on glycogen as their main source of fuel, so if you don't replace it after exercise, your body will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids, and then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and the central nervous system.

Keep in mind that mostly during resistance exercise, you'll break down muscle tissue by creating micro tears.  What this means, is that after a workout, your muscles will instantly go into repair mode.  Protein is the key here for muscle repair, and you don't want further muscle breaking down even to create fuel to replace lost glycogen.

Once you have finished an exercise session, you'll need to consume mainly carbohydrates and protein, preferably those with high fiber.  Rice, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, and fruits are excellent sources. The protein will help to build up and repair muscle tissues so that the muscles can increase in size and strength. The carbohydrate will not only replace the lost muscle glycogen but will also help the protein get into muscle cells.

BEST CARDIO WORKOUTS FOR ALL

                                 

It is a known fact that what works best for one may not be the best for another.This is also applicable when it comes to designing a work out program.To create a work out program,one has to put some certain things like body type,physical activity preference and level of fitness into consideration.However there are many different activities to create the best cardio work outs from no matter your fitness level, body type or physical activity preference. Lets examine the following activities for cardio work outs for women.

DANCING

No special equipment is needed and you don’t need to go to a party to dance.All you need is your musical set and your sitting room or anywhere in your home to dance to your favorite songs to set the heart pumping. You can make it a family affair where every body catch fun and work out at the same time. You can as well register in a dance studio to get a professional touch.

SPORTS

Sports like football,martial arts,basket ball,tennis,handball,squash and any other sport where you are not allowed to sit idle for more than a few seconds is one of the best cardios for women. However picking your favorite sport is advisable as this will give the double dose of catching fun and working out in one.

SKIPPING

The only equipment needed here is a skipping rope for you to get your body moving. You can change the tempo and style as you progress. You can take slow, fast, double jumps, skipping on one leg, cross ways or a combination of all. The good thing is that all parts of your body are involved.

RUNNING,JOGGING AND WALKING

The only difference between these three is speed. No matter your physical level you can take advantage of this type of cardio work out. You don’t need any special equipment other than your pair of shoes and you don’t equally need any special place to walk, jog or run. You can map out a root around your locality or you can go to sports center or field. Almost all parts of your body will be simultaneously involved.

SWIMMING

This cardio activity involves all the major muscle groups and you will be having so much fun that you won’t realize you are working out. You can alternate slow and fast pace to get the best result.

These cardio work outs and many more are especially very good for women because most women like socializing while exercising. No matter your preference, this list should guide you towards creating the best cardio work out routine for your needs and life style.www.facebook.com

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REDUCING WORK PLACE STRESS

Wherever you earn your living, whether in an office, a factory or a private business place, there is always stress associated with the place. Too much stress is bad and can make a person irrational and can even kill. However there things one can do that will help reduce and cope with work place stress. These tips will be helpful.

First take a look at your habits to find out behaviors that may be contributing to stress and then take necessary action to improve on those behaviors.

DON’T EXPECT PERFECTION 
By putting unrealistic pressure on yourself or others to be perfect in their jobs, you are guaranteeing yourself stress. You should always bear in mind that nobody is completely perfect and there is always room for improvement.

STOP CRITICIZING YOURSELF
 If at you want to criticize yourself it has to be a constructive criticism. Being positive about your work and accomplishments and acknowledging the contributions of others is better.

EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT 
This is very important to avoid extra work load. If you are always running late to work, forgetting things always, don’t have a work schedule, you are bound to have work place stress which can even extend to home and any other place. Getting an alarm and having a work schedule will be of great help.

YOUR WELL BEING IS IMPORTANT 
Whenever you find yourself in a situation that causes your temper to rise and frustration setting in, it is better you walk away from the situation at that point in time. Spend some time to calm yourself down and then return to the situation with an open mind and a clear head.

WORRY DOES NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS 
Realize that there are some things that are not worth worrying about and there are some things you can’t change no matter how long you worry or how hard you try. Don’t waste your time stressing over the things in any of these categories.

EXERCISE IS VERY IMPORTANT
 Making exercise a part of your daily schedule in the office is very important as this will help take your focus away from any stress causing situation. Getting your circulation moving and stretching the muscles will help you relax and be more comfortable. Exercise enhances the production of the brains feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins that makes you feel good and better.

Stress is experienced every day by different people at different levels. However seeing stress as a normal daily routine will help you get over it faster and better.     

 

WAYS EXERCISE HELP IN STRESS RELIEF

It is no longer news that the health consciousness of our society today has led to increased focus on the health benefits of exercise. There are so many ways exercise is beneficial to man and stress relief is one of them. Regular physical exercise is a very effective way of relieving stress. These are some of the ways exercise help in stress relief:-

PRODUCTION OF ENDORPHINS  Endorphins are the brains feel-good neurotransmitters. Exercise enhances the production of endorphins thereby helping to give your mood a natural boost.

AS A DISTRACTION  Engaging in regular exercise or any form of sports helps take your concentration away from what is causing you stress. You will focus on the very activity you are engaged in thereby helping you to forget about the day’s ups and downs.

AS A MEANS TO SOCIALIZE  Exercise and most physical activities often involve others which makes it an avenue to socialize. This gives you a double benefit of exercising and having fun all together. Apart from making you feel better, working out with others gives you a lot of motivation to work harder without feeling the stress of hard work.

RELAXATION  Exercise helps in the reduction of skeletal muscle tension thereby helping you to feel more relaxed. It energizes, motivate you and improve your mood to deal with the days challenges. It also helps you get sound sleep which is another way of to relieve stress.

Exercise is a very great way of stress relief as it helps you relax well and provide a kind of diversion from your source of stress. It also helps raise your energy level, boost your self esteem as well as boosting your immune system and general well being. Fitting exercise into your day can be a way to deal with future stress. 

WHY REGULAR EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT

             

Your tight work schedule or age should not be an excuse not to exercise regularly if you consider the benefits of regular exercise to your health, wealth and general wellbeing. Diet undoubtedly has its role to play but regular exercise remains one of if not the most essential part to living a healthy active life. Some of the reasons you must exercise regular include the following.

FAT BURNING: The most cherished side effect of exercise I know is fat burning. I wonder if there is any other way to burn fat faster than the combination of a balanced meal plan and exercise. This help you keep your bucks as you don’t need to change your cloths every now and then.

TO LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE:  By exercising regularly you strengthen the heart muscles and by so doing you help it pump more blood with less effort. Exercise also helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

INCREASE ENERGY LEVEL: Regular exercise helps increase your energy level. This means having more energy to carry out your day to day activities. You become physically and mentally fit and alert with a sharp reflex. It makes you feel much better and great.

STABILIZATION OF BLOOD SUGAR: Doctors in most cases encourage patience with diabetes to engage in regular exercise, they will of course give them guidelines. This is because when you exercise regularly it improves your body’s use of insulin and as you lose weight insulin sensitivity is also improved, thereby helping to check your blood sugar.

IMPROVED OUT LOOK: When you exercise regularly, your mirror becomes your companion because people around you will be telling you how great you look. Your body becomes well toned and the envy of many. Smiling becomes a part of you as a result of the positive remarks you get from people around you and you look younger.

Stop giving excuses, now is the time to get that needed regular exercise.