Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween Tricks To Help You Control How Much Candy You Eat!

Halloween is always a tough day for me. I have a huge sweet tooth! I've learned a few tips that have really helped me to survive Halloween without suffering from extreme guilt and an upset tummy.

Buy candy that you don't like. That's challenging for me because I like most candy. I don't like regular tootsie rolls, Jolly Rangers or a lot of candy corn so that's what I buy. I also give any left overs to my church or the food bank so it's not around to tempt me.

My kids are all grown up but when they were young I let them choose they're favorite candy and let them choose what they were going to give a way. I believe it's good to teach children about sharing at a young age.

I had a protein bar that's really filling tonight to get some extra will power. I hope the ghosts and goblins gobble up all your candy!


Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org


A special thanks to
Free Stock Photo: FreePhotos.com
for supplying the photo

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Aerobic Classes Offer More

Aerobic classes have so much to offer you! You work your body in more ways than if you walk, run, or bike. You build coordination, work various muscle groups, improve fast twitch muscle development and improve your balance if you have a well-designed routine.

Finding a good instructor is key. You want to make sure they are certified or have a college degree in exercise physiology. Knowing how the human body works is key to creating a good aerobic routine.

Having fun during your classes is important. Being the best in the crowd is not necessary. Having good form and listening to your own body is where your focus should be. It is difficult to have fun in a class if you believe that you have to compete with the other participants. We all have our gifts. Some people are naturally coordinated while others have to work at it. I am not a natural. I have to work hard at learning new routines.

If the class uses a lot of jumping and leaping moves, known as high impact; a good instructor will demonstrate low impact examples for those who are not able to do the high impact moves. Older people and those with injuries should limit the amount of high impact they do.

Many gyms and studios label their classes as to the difficulty so you will know if the class is your level. That is extremely helpful. If they do not label the difficulty of their classes be sure to ask what type of classes the facility has so you will be able to take the appropriate level of class. You do not want to find yourself in a class that is meant only for the "super fit" unless you are highly fit. In the advanced classes no examples of low impact are generally shown and the instructor usually really pushes her students.

There are lots of different types of aerobic classes here are a few:

Step classes are very popular. If you are coordinated and have healthy knees step classes are great. Step classes can be tough on your knees and if you are not coordinated you can get hurt falling off the step.

Dance classes like "Zumba" and "Hip Hop" are packing women in! They are fun and get your heart pumping while you wiggle your hips which gives you great abs. They are generally low impact as well which makes them doable by most people.

Boot Camp classes are very effective. Know that when you enter a boot camp class you will not be babied. They are no-nonsense get the job done classes. You will be doing a lot of basic moves like push ups and jumping rope. The instructor may play the "tough guy" role for effect. Take that with a grain of salt and go at your own pace.

Spin classes generally require a pre sign up do to limited equipment. You may need special shoes. Some facilities provide them other require you to bring your own. A good instructor will have you huffing and puffing in no time. She will work your coordination by having you up and down in your seat, swinging your arms and lots of other fun moves.

Water aerobic classes are great for those who are not able to do regular "land aerobics" as well as those who just love to be in the water. The instructor will have you using the water's resistance to challenge your muscles and lungs. All you need is your bathing suit, a towel, the willingness to work and you are ready!

Kickboxing is my favorite type of aerobic class. The moves utilize your upper and lower body very effectively. You will have lots of oxygen in your body which allows you to burn lots of fat and to keep going longer due to having so much oxygen in your system. Fat requires oxygen to become used as a fuel source. The more oxygen you have in your system the more fat you can burn. It is a large fuel source so you can keep working out for a long time and it's by-product is water so you will be more comfortable throughout your workout session.

Most gyms and community centers offer aerobic classes. You also have the option of using workout DVDs at home or doing the DVDS with a group of people at a common location. Workout DVDS are wonderful for those days you are not able to get to the gym as well.

If you have not tried aerobic classes I highly suggest that you do. They challenge your muscles, coordination, balance and are really fun to do! They offer more than most other forms of aerobic activities.

Your fitness expert



Sunday, October 24, 2010

Foods You Eat And Foods You Taste

My husband and I went out with friends last night to a French restaurant. We really enjoy spending time with this couple. They both want to trim down and asked for my help.

They asked me if I didn't like my food. I told them I 
loved the food but I have a rule. I only eat half of my food at restaurants. I went on to tell them that using your fist to determine what a healthy portion is works well too.

Dessert...well I only tasted it. Diving into a really rich dessert is something I gave up when I got my first grey hair! It's just not worth gaining weight for a short lived pleasure. I can taste it and pretend I ate the whole thing lol.

I don't deprive myself but there are certain foods I eat and others that I taste. It's worked very well for me and I highly suggest it to you.

As we age our metabolism slows down. Accepting that and making changes is important for retaining good health through out your life.

The other thought "I paid for that dinner" has changed in my mind to "yes I paid for it but I don't want to pay for it later too." Cleaning your plate is not a good idea. My mother was wrong on that one.

I look forward to working with my friends to help them rethink about food.

If you're struggling with weight issues you can always leave a comment here or visit my website 
www.getrealfit.org and leave a question on my contact page. I'll do my best to answer your questions.



Your fitness expert


Lynn     www.getrealfit.org

Friday, October 22, 2010

What Is The Argument About Swimming And Weight Loss?


If you need an aerobic activity that is easy on the joints swimming is your best choice. There is little argument in that fact but there is plenty of argument about other aspects of swimming.

There are those who say that swimming is not a good exercise for weight loss. Their theory is that swimming causes the body to hold on to extra fat in order to keep it's self warm in the water. They also say that the water supports your body so you do not get as much muscle development as with "land" aerobics. Muscle is active tissue so it raises your metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight you want your metabolism high. Others believe that the resistance water provides does allow muscle development to occur while swimming.

Most agree that swimming does increase your appetite. It is very important to be aware of that possibility and to avoid over eating after a swimming session. Being highly aware of your food portions is critical if you want to lose weight while using swimming as your aerobic choice.

Another factor that most agree on is that when you do "land" aerobics your core body temperature increases and needs to cool down after you exercise so you continue to burn calories after your "land" workouts in order to bring your temperature back to normal. The water keeps your temperature down while swimming so you do not burn the extra calories after your swimming session.

No matter what the augments are, swimming is a worthwhile activity. It does burn calories, tones your body and gets your heart in great shape while being easy on your joints. Just be calorie aware and you should reap the benefits swimming offers.

You do need to swim for at least twenty to thirty minutes at a good clip to get an aerobic effect. Just playing in the water is not going to get you fit.

If you do not have health issues that require no impact, a great idea is to combine swimming with "land" aerobics like walking, jogging, aerobic classes and such. Your body loves variety and needs some stress to get strong.

Finding a pool can be more difficult than going out your front door to take a walk. Researching your local community centers is an option. Some colleges and high schools also have swimming pools that may be available to the public during certain hours.

Your fitness expert 



Wednesday, October 20, 2010

There's Nothing Like The Love Of A Pet

I have a new furry family member. Her name is Betty. She was born with one eye smaller than the other. It has some other problems too so the breeder offered her to me. She's an Australian Terrier.

My house is crazy right now. I have 2 other dogs and they are not happy about their new girl friend. I'm dedicating my time to my furry family so I may not be posting every day for a week or two.

Betty is such a gift to me. I had spine surgery and have a bit of a stiff neck so I look a little odd and Betty has one eye that looks a little odd so together we're perfect!

She is touching me in ways I didn't even know I needed to be touched. She is so innocent and loving. This is going to be my favorite breed of dog.


Here she is with her "boy friend" one of my other dogs, Andy. My other dogs have not spent much time around dogs. I had a little 2 pound pup with lots of issues so we couldn't get out much plus my oldest dog is dog aggressive as well as neurotic. He really is. Bringing this sweet girl into our home is going to be a lot of work but the rewards should be amazing if I do the work.

We're taking dog training classes from a great trainer that's an hour away so lots of traveling is going on. She's the little black pup in the middle of the picture.

I'm getting tons of exercise walking all my doggies so that's good. I'll do my best to post as often as possible but I have to take care of my furry family, get them working together and get her potty trained ugh.

I'm a total computer addict so it's great to have her limiting my computer time:)

There are tons of posts to read on this blog. Please enjoy them. I'll be back to my regular daily posting once I'm sure my furry family is able to take care of themselves.

Lynn

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Outdoor Biking Tips and Cautions


Biking can be a good aerobic activity whether inside or outside. There are some precautions needed to keep outdoor biking safe.

Outdoor biking is not for everyone. If you have neck or spine issues it can add to that problem. Today's aerodynamic bikes may help you go fast but they also cause stress to your neck and lower back. The impact caused by going over normal road and or trail irregularities can aggravate spine issues.

Having your handlebars at a good height is important. If they are too low the neck extension and back flexion that creates can do some real damage to your spine. A good way to see if your handlebars are the correct height is to place a yardstick on your bike seat and on top of your handlebars.The yardstick should be level. If the yardstick is lower on your handlebars then you need to adjust them.

Opting for a comfort bike can be a good alternative to standard bikes. Your handlebars are high so your are not leaning over. Having good suspension is very important if you are sitting upright. The impact caused by going over road and or trail irregularities causes the vertebrae to jam together so having adequate suspension is extremely important when riding a bike that has you sitting upright.

Finding the correct height for your seat is trial and error. Most people have one leg that is longer so having the prefect height for both legs can be tough to find. One suggestion is to place your heels on the pedals then pedal backwards. Your knees should fully extend. Then when you pedal forward with the balls of your feel on the pedals you will have a slight bend in your knees which is the desired position for your legs.

Having the correct saddle size is important too. Most women need wider saddles to accommodate our wider hips.

Your helmet should allow you to see without having to over extend your neck. If the brim is too low it will cause you to lift your head up to see under the brim. That is very damaging for your neck.

Recumbent bikes are becoming more popular. The sitting position on a recumbent bike is similar to sitting on an easy chair. The seat back provides support and allows you to push your pedals without sliding backwards. The balance point is different on the recumbent bike. You do not steer with your body. It takes some practice to ride a recumbent bike. If you fall you generally land on your feet so you are more likely to break an ankle than get a concussion. On a regular bike you generally land on your head. If you have osteoporosis you should be sure to check with your doctor before riding this type of bike. Also make sure that you are wearing bright colors and reflectors because it is far more difficult for an automobile driver to see you.

Riding a bike outdoors can be very good exercise but you need to be knowledgeable about the pluses and minuses of bike riding outside especially if you ride on the streets. You need to use precautions. Be aware of the vehicles around you. Have your helmet on. If you have spine issues it is very important to make wise choices when selecting your bike. Find a bike with a good fit and go out and have fun!

Your fitness expert


You can use this post on your blog free at Enzine Articles



A special thanks to 
Free Stock Photo: FreePhotos.com
For providing the above photo

Friday, October 15, 2010

Making Your Goals Come True

The number one thing to do when you start planning a goal is to make sure that it is a realistic goal. Is it achievable? If you are going to lose weight have you found out how much you should weigh or did you just pick a number that sounds good? Working with your doctor to find your healthiest weight is crucial to being successful at losing weight.

Maybe your goal is to gain weight. Again working with your doctor is the route to take. Perhaps you want to add exercise into your life. Are you being realistic about your available time and the type of exercise you should be doing for your age, health needs and abilities? Being realistic about the goals you set is where you need to start in order to make your goals a reality.

Once you get your realistic goal the next step is to create a goal sheet. Writing things down has proven to greatly increase your chance of success at achieving your goal. You need to make a contract with yourself. To increase your chances of realizing your goal make a contract with someone else as well. You become even more accountable if you have someone supporting your goal.

Here are some things to include on your goal sheet:

The date you plan to start your goal.

What your goal is. It could be exercising daily, eating more fruits and vegetables, losing weight or learning how to handle stress more productively. Be clear about what you want to achieve.

State how you plan to achieve your goal. For example, if regular exercise is your goal, you could write; I plan to achieve my goal by exercising five days a week. I will exercise at 7:00 AM. I will walk some days and run others. I will include two days per week of strength training.

If losing weight is your goal, you can write down your goal weight. You could break down how much weight you want to lose each month and how many calories you will consume in a day.

If handling stress is your goal you could create a goal sheet that included various ways to deal with your stress and then an area where you can rate your stress from one to ten scale as to how much stress you are feeling now and then rate your stress level on a daily basis so can see if the solutions you find for dealing with stress are effective.

You can list the potential obstacles to achieving your goal and have an area where you list solutions to over coming those obstacles.

You can have a place on your goal sheet where you evaluate your progress daily, weekly or monthly according to your goal's needs.

Listing a support team is very helpful to include on your goal sheet. That could be family members, friends or co workers. Many companies create group goals. They all throw money into a hat and whoever achieves the said goal gets to keep the money.

Be creative with your goal sheet. Break down your path to obtaining your goal clearly. Take some time to develop your goal sheet.

Creating and implementing a goal sheet has proven to greatly increase your chance of making your goal come true. Give it a try!

Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org




If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it at Enzine Articles free!





Thursday, October 14, 2010

My Special Place-Guest Blogger!


My special place is anywhere near water. Water is such a spiritual element . I do my best thinking near large bodies of water, the shower, in the rain, even when I am washing the dishes. It draws me in to introspect on my life. It calms me to actually hear and take notice of my thoughts. In this transient state I have had many good talks with myself. I have reworked my future plans. I have made new financial goals. I have practiced apologizing for when I really have to do it. I refer to things people have said in order to get a better perspective on my parenting, on my marriage and for healthier relationships at work. I reminisce about good days in my past that elate my spirits and cause me to feel euphoria, or the peace of forgiveness to those who were mean towards me as a child. I am reminded of scriptures as I enjoy reading. Here is where I have such amazement and affection for our creator.  It is also here that I have learned to love myself and appreciate the best and worst about me. I am inspired by others in relation to myself and absorb their strengths.

There are just certain environments where people thrive. I heard some people say for them it is the mountains. For some a flat plain that goes on for miles. Some say definitely the forest for camping in the great outdoors. I still can’t figure out why people enjoy the snow so much. That one is beyond me. But anywhere near water makes me feel as though I am in my natural habitat. I just learned to swim this summer! Once I saw how much I love it, I went almost everyday. I think I was even more of a pleasant person as well. At this stage in my life I have a lot more inner growing to do and I have found my therapy lies in my meditation maximized by a fluid environment. 

Petrina Yemane

Give her blog a visit:)


A special thanks to
Free Stock Photo: FreePhotos.com
for providing the above photo


How To Increase The Benefits Of Walking

Walking is a great way to get your aerobics in. Whether you walk on a treadmill or outside, it is easy on your joints and pleasurable. You can walk every day!

You do need to have two to three non-consecutive days per week where you put a little push in your walk. On the remaining days of the week it is best to walk at a moderate pace. You can over exercise. There is a term for it, over training. Your body needs some stress to get strong too much stress injures your body.

I am a big believer in interval training. Interval training is done within your workout time. You vary your intensity from fast and hard for about four minutes, slow it down for a few minutes to catch your breath, and then fast and hard again throughout your walk. That really pumps up your calorie burning and conditions your body faster than maintaining a steady pace.

Being aware of how your body is responding to the challenging segments of your walk is crucial. You can take your heart rate but an easier method is using what is called "perceived exertion". That is a fancy way of saying, pay attention to how you are feeling.

A scale of one to ten is used to judge where you are in your effort level. One is little effort and ten is too much effort. When you are doing the push segments of your walk you want to be at about an eight level. Your general pace should be about a five on the perceived exertion scale.

The talk test is another simple measure of where you are on your effort level. On the push segments you should feel like you could say a few words if need be but would prefer not to. You should never push yourself to the point where you could not talk at all. The moderate pace you should be able to carry on a conversation.

You can increase your effort when walking outside by adding some hills and or wearing a back friendly backpack with weights in it to increase your effort. Start with light weights and then work your way up to a bit heavier weights. Always caution toward a lighter amount of weight. You are just trying to add some challenge not to damage your body.

I am not a supporter of wearing leg weights or holding hand weights when walking. I believe that puts too much stress on your joints and can cause injury. Your arms and or legs are swinging with your motion which can compromise your joints and other skeletal structures. The back pack is stationary so as long as the pack is well- fitting and the weight amount you are carrying is appropriate the chance of injury should be less. You can buy weighted vests that work very well and further eliminate the risk of injury.

If you walk on a treadmill, you can increase the incline and have segments where you increase your speed to create the push needed on your more go for it days.

Walking three to seven days a week and making use of this system two or three of those days should increase the benefits you receive from your aerobic walking.

Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org 


If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it from Enzine Articles free!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Your Dog Can Help You Get Fit!


Dogs are amazing! Not only are they great company but they can help you get fit. When you want to grab a cookie instead grab your dogs leash and go out for a walk. The fresh air and change of scenery may be all you need to lift your mood and get you away from the cookie jar long enough to make better food choices.


The Dog Whisperer is one of my favorite shows. He insists that walking your dog is the best way to deal with bad behavior. It can be a great way for you to deal with bad behavior too. Skipping your exercise will be a thing of the past. Studies show that dog owners who walk their dogs can lose up to 8 pounds per year. Walking 20 minutes a day burns around 600 calories per week. If you cut out a few cookies you could lose even more!

Getting out in the sunshine (or the rain if you live in Seattle like me) is good for the soul and the body. Vitamin D is obtained from exposure to the sun and that happens whether it is cloudy or sunny. Stress is relieved by walking and being with your best friend. It is a perfect combination.
Here are some suggestions to make your walks a big success:

Take your dog to a class to learn how to behave on a leash. Being dragged down the street is not the best thing for you or your dog. Using a harness may help but it is best to get some training for you and your dog.

Make sure the area you chose to walk allows dogs. There are some places that do not allow dogs even on leashes.

Wear a back pack with water for you and your dog, a dog bowl, poop bags, a picture of your dog, and proof of rabies shots. Make sure your dog is wearing his tags as well. You can get dog bowls that fold up and fit nicely in your back pack. Cleaning up after your best friend is a law so to avoid paying a big fine and making other people really angry be sure clean up after your dog. The picture is to help you find your dog if for some reason he or she gets away from you. If it is really hot out a spray bottle is a great idea. Dogs do not sweat and can get over heated so a nice mist can keep them comfortable.

Your dog brings you all kinds of joy. A nice long walk everyday will add to that joy by giving your dog and yourself the exercise, fresh air and sunshine you need so make sure you grab that leash every day and get fit with your best friend.

Your fitness expert 



If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it from Enzine Articles free!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Great Information About Exercise Shoes


I did a podcast recently with this information as well as an Enzine Article so there are few places you can get this information from me. I wanted to make it easy for you to get this information. It's good stuff! So if you prefer to read it from
my blog here's the info...

Shoes are a topic near and dear to most women. Some have closets just to house their passion. Depressed? Go buy shoes is the mantra for many.

Unlike dress and casual shoes, buying exercise shoes is something most people do too seldom. I always tell my clients their shoes looks will far out live their effectiveness. The support aspect of exercise shoes breaks down at a much faster rate than the outside appearance of exercise shoes.
Worn out exercise shoes is one of the main causes of exercise injuries.

If you have a few pairs of exercise shoes that you trade-off wearing than your shoes will last longer. The average time is 7 months if you exercise 5 to 6 days per week. If you wear one pair of shoes, they generally lose their effectiveness after about 3 to 4 months if you exercise 5 to 6 days a week. If you only exercise 3 days per week your shoes may last a bit longer.

There are suggestions as to how many hours you should wear a pair of shoes but that can get pretty taxing trying to figure out how many hours you have worn your shoes.

Keeping the receipt for your exercise shoes helps two-fold. If you need to return them you have your receipt and you also have the date to refer to for the age of your shoes. You can write the day on your calendar as well. Find a way to post the date you started wearing your shoes so you will have something to refer to when it is time to get new exercise shoes.

The time of day you shop for shoes is important. If you shop for shoes in the morning your feet are smaller so your shoes may be too tight. Afternoons are a better time to go shopping for shoes. Be sure to bring along the socks you will be wearing too so you get the best fit possible.

Finding out if your feet pronate or supinate is very important. Some people pronate or roll their feet in favoring the inside of the foot when they walk while others roll their feet out, supinate, favoring the outside of the foot while walking. There are shoes that address both issues.

It is very important to know if your feet have either of these conditions. There are shoes designed to help with both conditions. If you pronate and you buy a shoe for those who supinate the shoe will make your pronation worse!

Each sport or exercise form has a different requirement for shoes. Running and walking shoes support front to back motion. Aerobic shoes support side-to-side motion while basketball shoes support a multitude of motions.

It is very important not to wear a running, walking or basketball shoe for aerobic classes. Kickboxing, step, low or high impact aerobic classes all travel side-to-side as well as front to back. The support running and walking shoes give is for front to back motion. You could easily sprain your ankle wearing running or walking shoes while doing aerobic classes.

You might think that a basketball shoe would work well for aerobic classes because they support all angles of motion but not really. They tend to be very stiff and heavy so the moves done in aerobic classes do not do well with basketball shoes either. Aerobic classes require either aerobic shoes or cross trainers. They support the moves you will be doing and are the best weight and flexibility for aerobic classes.

If you are a walker getting a good walking shoe is important. Walking is a different motion than running so the weight, flexibility and cushioning of the walking shoe is different. If you are a serious runner you also want to invest in a good running shoe because their construction supports your movement better. If you want an all around shoe the cross trainer may do the job for you. They support from varies angles and are generally lighter than a basketball shoe.

As confusing as it may seem it is a blessing that so many shoes are available. They help to prevent sport injuries so the time spent finding your "perfect" shoe is time well spent. You will have a much better chance of being injury free.

Let's recap the above information, it is best to:

Buy exercise shoes often

Shop for shoes in the late day with the socks you will be wearing

Find out if your feet pronate or supinate

Buy the shoe that is designed for the type of exercise you will be doing

Armed with this information you should be able to make wise shoe choices and enjoy the exercise or sport you will be doing with them.

Your fitness expert 




If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it from Enzine Articles free!



A special thanks to
Free Stock Photo: FreePhotos.com
for providing the above picture

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Self Defense For Girls

Teaching self defense is another one of my passions. I have an amazing website www.selfdefenseforgirls.com   That has tons of great information. Here's a clip from it.



I hope you'll pass it on. All women as susceptible to being attack but young girls between the age of 17 to 24 are the most at risk. Share this with your daughters...

Your fitness expert

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org 

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Restaurants Friend or Foe

Americans are becoming over weight at an alarming rate. Most feel that's due to lack of exercise. I can't disagree with that but I am very concerned that many don't recognize the relationship with over eating.





From 1977 to 1996 the portions of foods restaurants serve went up dramatically.  All you can eat restaurants got plenty of competition.

The portion sizes that seemed typical to people got twisted. Having a full plate meant having a full plate, way too full.

Are restaurants to blame?

With the fast pace of life now more and more Americans are eating out. Home cooked meals are becoming a special treat instead of going out to a restaurant being the treat. The portions served at restaurants has clearly affected peoples perception of how much they should be eating.

Fast food restaurants are getting a lot of pressure about offering healthier choices to their customers. That's great but the portions they offer should also be govern. Unless you're a fast growing teenage boy, Sumo wrestler or a body builder the portions are out of balance.

The cost over eating has on you and our nation is plenty. Insurance rates are rising. The studies show that overweight or obese people live 8 to 10 years less than normal sized individuals and the quality of life over weight or obese person have is far less. 63% of Americans are over weight or obese.

I propose a challenge to you. When I go out to a restaurant with a girl friend we usually split the meal. The restaurant doesn't get as much money nor does the waiter. The fast food chains also get less for their registers. If enough people did this maybe restaurants and fast food chains would decide to be reasonable with their portions.

We wouldn't have to worry as much about how much we should be eating when we go out and just enjoy our food. Using our fists to judge portions and all the tricks we need to do would not be needed. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Your fitness expert

Lynn  www.getrealfit.org


If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it from Enzine Articles free!

a special thanks to
Free Stock Photo: FreePhotos.com
for providing the above photo!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Is Yoga Good Or Bad For You?

I've been asked many times if Yoga is good or bad for you.  For the continuing eduction requirements for my ACE certification I took a Yoga instructor course. I learned a lot.

I just wrote an Enzine Article called "Is Yoga Good Or Bad For You" it's a pretty in depth article.

I share a short history of Yoga. The different branches of Yoga. A few different kinds of Yoga and their focuses. I share precautions to take so you don't get hurt practicing Yoga and alert you to a few poses that cause problems for a lot of people.

If you want to learn some great information about Yoga please use this link to see the article. It's a really good one...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Yoga-Good-Or-Bad-For-You?&id=5169659


                              You can also listen to it on my podcast   http://lynnhahnpodcast.libsyn.com/

Your fitness expert

Lynn     www.getrealfit.org

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Exercise Balls Can Be A Good Way To Get Some Exercise At Work

Working on a computer all day can really put a dent in your fitness goals. Studies show that the exercise you get between exercise sessions is just as important as your scheduled workout.

Having an exercise ball as your part-time chair at the office can do wonders for your core body and your posture. You can also use it to do wall squats and such. If you have any back issues check with your doctor before you try using a ball for you office chair.

It's very important to take it slow if you decide to give an exercise ball a try. Your body is working pretty hard to maintain your balance when you're sitting on an exercise ball. your abdominal muscles and back muscles are active trying to keep you upright. They can tire easily if you haven't been strengthening them a few times a week during regular strength training workouts so starting out very slowly is wise.

I wouldn't suggest sitting on the ball for your full 8 hours. That's too much of a good thing. You could very easily over tax your muscles and get injured. Getting 20 to 30 minutes a day on your ball is a better plan. Start with a few 5 minutes sessions and then work your way up to a few 10 minute sessions. Having a good ergonomic chair for your primary chair is a better idea than relying on the ball.

Getting the right size ball is crucial. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your thighs should slope downwards rather that at a 90 degree angle. If your desk is 29-30 inches and you're of average height and weight a 65cm ball should be a good fit. If you're under 5'3" a 55cm ball might be more appropriate. If you're over 6'3" a 75 cm ball may be a better size.

There is some controversy about using a ball as an office chair and for most people with back issues it's generally not a good idea but for healthy individuals using a ball in moderation it can be a very useful way to add some exercise to your work day.


Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org




If you'd like to use this post on your blog you can get it from Enzine Articles free!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Strength Training Is The Number One Way To Slow Down The Aging Process

Aging starts at birth! At the age of about twenty-five you start to lose muscle mass. It's up to you to slow down that process by strength training. Strength training is the number one action on my how to slow down aging list.

Most people start losing a significant amount of muscle mass at the age of fifty. It's almost 4 times the amount you lost when you were twenty-five. There's a term for it, sarcopenia. Strength training becomes a must at this age if you want to slow down the aging process.

Muscle mass is very important for your well-being. It's active tissue so it burns calories. Muscle mass also makes you strong and independent.

You need to make a few changes when you do strength training after the age of fifty. Your joints are more prone to injury when you're older. You lose elasticity and moisture in your joints so they get injured more easily than when you were younger. Taking the amount of weight you lift down a bit is very important.

I'm not a big supporter of body building so I do not encourage my clients to lift heavy weights even when they're young. I am a big believer in moderation. When you're young a moderate amount of weight for your larger muscles for most women is between 10 to 20 pounds. As you age keeping your weights at 10 pounds for your larger muscles is what I suggest.

Older women need to eat a little more protein. You need that to help your body deal with the aging process. If you add strength training to your weekly schedule eating a little more protein is needed to help you build muscle. The average woman needs about 5 ounces of protein per day. Taking that to about 5.5 ounces is a good plan.

One thing you need to be careful about when having that little extra protein is to make sure you get your needed liquids. Protein can dehydrate you. Your body uses more fluids to digest protein than it does carbohydrates so you need to drink more fluids to avoid getting dehydrated. You can become constipated if you eat too much meat so try to vary the types of proteins you use.

When you do strength training you use glycogen for fuel. You have a limited supply of that fuel. It's important to keep your strength training sessions under an hour. That's about the amount of time it takes to use your glycogen storage. If you go past that time your body will need to find glycogen from somewhere. It generally breaks down your muscle mass to create glycogen. That defeats the time you spent building muscle.

You also want to strength train every other day. It takes about 48 hour to replace your glycogen storage and you build muscle on your rest day so you need to have a rest day.

Keeping your muscle mass is one of the most important thing to do to slow down the aging process. If you strength train every other day, keep your sessions under an hour, and use lighter weights you should be strong and able to enjoy your "golden years".

Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org



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Monday, October 4, 2010

You Are Beautiful


Women are so great! We come in many sizes and colors. I struggle with the pressure that's put on us to have ripped abs and perfect hips.

I see a lot of my fellow fitness folk pushing the six pack abs and the "be skinny in 10 days" promise and it saddens me...well it actually makes me mad!

Women don't have to have perfect hips and ripped abs to be beautiful, valuable or even healthy. If you're born with the type of body that easily acquires ripped abs and you have small hips great. If not, so what!

I believe in becoming the best you can be. That's why I called my company "Get Real Fit". I wanted to support women in being who they are and becoming the best that they can.

I'm not fancy or flashy. I'm a small town gal but I sure know how to put together a good workout and I've done my homework so I have lots of great information to share. The information is grounded.

I love the Ivory Soap commercials that show "real women" promoting their products. Those women are gorgeous! The are full figured and proud of it.

There are lots of girls that are developing eating disorders and low self esteem because they want to be what is being pushed off as beautiful. Being healthy is beautiful no matter what size or shape.

I had an eating disorder for many years because I felt I wasn't thin enough. It took a lot of hard work to overcome that problem and I still struggle a bit with it. I have not gone back to the behavior but only because I work hard every day not to.

My rule is to eat as healthy as possible and get your exercise. Embrace your own beauty. I get pretty passionate about that. I can't help it. I've seen so many women unhappy with their bodies it truly makes me cry. I allowed myself to fall prey to that kind of thinking at one time and it's "stinking thinking".

Wanting to be healthy so you can enjoy your life and give to those around you makes sense that's where I try to get my thoughts focussed.

This is a subject that I could go on and on about. It's why I do what I do.

Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org

Saturday, October 2, 2010

What Are You Doing On Your Weekends?

Getting out with family and friends is so important. You can get in some great exercise going to fun functions. My husband and I got about 2 hours of walking done today. We walked to the Wings and Wheels festival in Wenatchee Washington. Then we walked around looking at all the cool airplanes and cars.


My favorite plane!


My favorite car! Hey it's a matching set...

The latest studies show that what you do in your spare time determines how fit you are. If you sit around all weekend after sitting around all week and only exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week you will not get fit. I'm so glad they are finally talking about that. I've been singing that song for a long time. You do need your 30 to 60 minutes of exercise 3 to 6 days a week but you also need to keep moving as much as you can during the day. 

People were out with their kids and dogs. If you look around your town you should find some fun things you can do other than just going to movies...I am a movie nut but my husband and I  do walk around the mall before and after the movie. My husband is an exercise fanatic too. 

Sunshine, beautiful cars and planes and plenty of walking what a great day! 

Your fitness expert

Friday, October 1, 2010

Why Can't I Lose Weight?

Often women over eat due to "wrong thinking". I had a friend when I was growing up that had extra weight she was struggling to lose. She always said that she didn't eat very much.

She really didn't eat very much at meals. She ate while she was cooking, while she was shopping and when she was bored.

One day when she was cooking, eating and complaining about her weight I pointed out to her that she was eating quite a bit while she was cooking our meal. Her answer was, "it doesn't count".

Her thinking was that the only calories that count were the ones she ate at meals. The sampling at the store, tastes while cooking and little bites while bored didn't count toward her daily calorie intake.

The interesting thing was when I started working with clients I saw that she was  not alone in her thinking. When my clients would journal their food it looked like they weren't eating enough. When I asked them if they tasted food while they cooked, took samples at the stores and if they took little bites of food when they were bored the response was, "am I suppose to write that down too?". "Yes!" would be my reply.

All the food you put into your mouth counts as your daily intake. Your body doesn't know if you're sitting down for a meal. It just knows that there's food coming in and it needs to burn it or store it.

I realize tasting food while you're cooking is needed sometimes but keeping it to a minimum and really just tasting the food is important. Those calories do count. Chewing gum while you cook can help prevent the extra nibbling that goes on when cooking.

Next time you're at the store and you're offered a sample think twice! Ask yourself this question," do I really want to add this to my days calories?". If you do then help yourself but know that you need to eat a little less at your next meal.

All the food you put in your mouth does count. Being aware of that could help you lose the extra pounds you want to go away.

Your fitness expert

Lynn      www.getrealfit.org

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