How Do You Find Your Healthy Weight?

Finding your healthy weight is extremely important. Each woman is different. Relying on a bathroom scale and the Body Mass Index chart could lead to problems if you’re trying to lose weight. Knowing how much fat weight verses body weight you have is very important if you believe or are told by your doctor that you need to lose weight.

I’m not suggesting that you should stop weighing yourself on your bathroom scale. I’m a firm believer in daily or weekly weighing. I’ve found that knowing what you weigh helps you get a handle on your weight.

Your body comes with a set healthy weight. That set weight depends on how much your body weighs. Some women’s bodies are heavier than other women’s due to larger bones, more muscle mass, and other factors. Trying to go under your set weight is asking for problems.

Having a normal amount of body fat is the goal here. Your body has essential fat and non- essential fat. Essential fat is needed. Most women need 10 to 13% of essential fat to support the normal functioning of their bodies. Essential fat is incorporated in to the nerves, brain, heart, liver, lungs and mammary glands. You have to have it to be healthy.The ideal amount of body fat women need is around 14 to 24%. Having up to 31% is acceptable and more than that is a problem.

There are mathematical procedures used to determine your ideal amount of body fat once you determine your body weight. There are many ways to determine your body weight.

I’m going to share some “big word terms” with you so you can ask for these services from your medical doctor or fitness professional.

Anthropometric measurements are the easiest and least expensive way to determine your body composition. Anthropometric measurements include circumference and skin-fold measurement.

Circumference measurements measure 4-body sites to determine body composition: The abdomen (at your belly button), the hips (at the widest part), the iliac (the top of your hip bones), and the waist (the narrowest part of your torso). Those areas are measured and a mathematical process determines your body composition. Your doctor or a qualified fitness professional can do this test for you.

Skin fold measurements are taken with calipers specifically designed for this purpose. You need to go to a professional to get an accurate reading. The theory is that 50% of total body fat lies under your skin. Various key areas of your body are pinched and measured with the calipers to determine how much fat you’re carrying.

Some methods that require more technology are:

Bioelectrical Impedance. This uses a device that measures your body’s resistance to electrical flow. The theory here is that lean mass conducts electricity better than fatty tissue so they can differentiate lean mass from your fat and give you a good idea of how much fat you need to lose using this method.

Hydrostatic Weighing ( underwater weighing) is a good way to find out what your body mass is. It involves sitting in a chair attached to a scale while you’re under water. Water displacement determines your body mass.

There are other more advanced methods available such as:

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry is a very accurate test. It involves a specific type of scanner reading your bone and soft tissue mass.

Air Displacement Plethysmography uses air displacement instead of water displacement to determine your body mass.

Near Infrared Interactance uses infrared light to determine your body mass.

These methods may be new to you and some of the terms are a mouth full but it’s very valuable information. It’s worth the time and expense to have one of the tests done so you can have a realistic healthy weight goal. 

Relying on generic charts and scales are not the best way to go. You have a unique body. The more you can find out about it the healthier you will be.

Your fitness expert


Lynn     www.getrealfit.org

The Art Of Relaxation Is Important to Learn

Including relaxation time in your day generally adds to your productivity by enhancing your ability to think clearly. It improves your relationships with those around you at work and at home allowing not only you but also others around you to be more productive.

Relaxation lowers your blood pressure, improves your immune system and a host of other benefits. Benjamin Franklin said, "He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities".

A certain amount of stress is needed. Your body and mind grow with some stress. Too much stress breaks your body down. Illness and depression can result.

Too much stress causes your body to go into the "fight or flight" mode. Powerful hormones run throughout your body allowing you to run fast and fight hard. Your body also prepares for the attack by accelerating your heart and lung action. Your blood vessels constrict in some areas and the vessels that go to your muscles dilate. Your digestion slows down and many other bodily functions are altered to prepare you for the up coming event.

If your body stays in this mode too long your immune system is weakened, constipation occurs, panic attacks and a host of other problems can arise. Learning to redirect your mind so your body can shut down the "fight or flight" response is important for your physical and mental well-being. Relaxation is important for your health.

Learning to relax is an art. We do not all find relaxation from the same activities. Taking the time to try out several methods of relaxation is time well spent.

Including some relaxation time in you day is very important. Quieting the mind generally requires awareness of your body. There is nothing more vital than your breath. Focusing on your breath is an excellent way of learning to be aware of your body.

Here is an exercise that will help you become aware of your breath. It is my favorite breathing exercise:

Sit in a chair with your feet on the ground. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head is gently pulling you up helping you sit up straight. Allow the natural arch in your back to occur. Relax your shoulders and let them drop down.

Place one hand on your belly. Breath in through your nose filling your belly up like a balloon. count in your mind how long it takes to fill up your belly. Once your belly is full slowly release the air through your mouth. Count in your mind as you do this and try to double the amount of time it takes to empty your lungs so if it took three slow counts to fill your belly, your goal is to take six slow counts to empty your belly.

Do this exercise for two minutes a few times a day. Once your body learns to deep breath you can stop counting the inhalation and exhalation instead breath in and then say something like "calm" or "peace" as you release your breath through your mouth.

Now that you are aware of your body you can go on to expand your search for other ways to relax your mind and body.

Exercise is key in assisting your body to learn to relax. It actually decreases your stress hormones and increases your "feel good" chemicals. Research suggests that those who exercise develop some immunity to stress so relaxing is easier to do when you exercise on a regular basis.

There are many ways to relax. A lot of people meditate to relax. The use of candles, calming scents and hot tubs are effective for many. Listening to calming music can help you let go of the day's stresses. Just sitting and doing nothing can be relaxing.

Laughter is a great way to relax. Watching comedic movies and television shows as well as reading funny books adds to your ability to relax. Laughter releases chemicals that sooth stress.

Massage therapy can be very relaxing. Surrounding yourself with positive friends helps too. Use your imagination.

Having a list of ways for you to relax should be on the top of your list of things to do. Learning to relax will enhance your life and those around you. It is an art worthy of learning!

Your fitness expert


Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

Aging Is A Scary Word

Aging can be a scary word to some women. Like everything else, there are good and bad experiences as you age. You do have some control over how many bad verses good experiences you have aging.

Some of the changes of aging start as early as the third decade of life! By the age of twenty-five or thirty your heart's ability to pump oxygen through your system declines.

When you are middle-aged your blood thickens and becomes stickier which can lead to heart conditions. Most Americans begin to gain three or four pounds of weight per year at mid-life. The weight is fat not muscle.

Your muscle mass declines dramatically as you age and your bones start to soften. Blood sugar levels can begin to get higher if steps are not taken to keep things under control. Your reflexes slow down, co-ordination declines and your memory begins to suffer.
There are so many things we have no control over. You do have some control over your body.

Exercise helps you get control over these changes. It slows down the process. You do need to exercise differently at the different stages of your life. Those who have done moderate exercise throughout their lives generally benefit the most from the wonderful things exercise does for your body. Extreme exercise can damage your body and lack of exercise allows the body to age faster.

When you are young your body can handle more stress. Your joints and spine have more cushion and you heal quickly. When you are older your body does not synthesize protein as well so does not heal as quickly as it did when you were young. Using lighter weights and lower impact aerobic exercise is important. Less stress allows your body to get strong.

It is ideal to do both strength training and aerobics. Some people with heart conditions are not able to lift weights. Knowing your limits and working within them is crucial.

You are never too old to get started with exercise. Great improvements can happen at even the very late stages of life. Working with a qualified fitness professional to create a program for you is money well spent.

Getting older does have its pluses. Retirement can be lots of fun if you are healthy and able to spend time doing things you enjoy like traveling, gardening, and or playing with your grandchildren. Making exercise part of your daily routine will allow you to have more freedom and more fun! If you are not exercising I highly suggest you get started today!

Your fitness expert


Lynn    www.getrealfit.org

Keeping Your Brain Fit Makes Sense!

I'm still nursing my new pup and trying to get my old dogs to accept her. Not an easy task! It is surely providing brain push-ups for me. I had no idea dogs could be snobs lol

Here's the enzine article for today. It's a good one! I hope to be posting soon. These articles are really good so take the time to select the link below and get some great info!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Brain-Pushups!&id=5377960





Your fitness expert

Lynn      www.getrealfit.org

Eating Disorders Are Serious Problems!

Here's my new enzine article about eating disorders.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Danger-Of-Wanting-To-Be-Perfect&id=5367684

I will be able to start writing again soon. My little girl is still healing.

My daughter-in-law and I are taking really good care of her:)

Your fitness expert

Lynn     www.getrealfit.org

How Can I Lose That Extra Weight?

Here's my new enzine article
 http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Can-I-Lose-That-Extra-Weight?&id=5361055
I hope this article helps you stay on your fitness path.


My puppy is keeping me really busy. She needed eye surgery so I'm on 24-7 duty to keep her from ripping out her stitches. Here's a fun movie I made of her dealing with her cone.



Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org

Dogs Get You Off The Couch And On Your Feet!

I've been very busy with my doggies. I got a new pup. Housebreaking is always tons of fun lol. She's doing great now though. I hope she keeps it up! My other dogs are old and not well socialized. I've had to work really hard at getting them to even be with my new puppy.

The good news is that I've lost a couple of pounds due to training these doggies. I don't need to lose weight but I love to eat so when I do lose a few pounds I get to eat more to gain the weight back! That always makes me smile:)

I've said before and will say again, "dogs keep or get you in shape!". My other dogs are getting really old so they weren't making me get off the computer and on my feet often enough. This new pup has me up and run about most of the day.

It's tough to find time to post as often as I was but I try to keep up. Don't give up on me. I'll get back to normal soon. I have several blogs to keep up. I love to write but I knew I needed to get up more so I got my new pup. She needed a home and I need the exercise.

There are lots of dogs that need homes. You might think about getting one. Dogs can always be trained. Often really great dogs are left at the pound because people lack the time or do not take the time to learn how to train their dog. I admit to being a dog freak. I can't help it. They make me smile...

Your fitness expert

Lynn    www.getrealfit.org

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

Sleep Should Be On The Top Of Your Priority List!

The old saying, "get your beauty sleep" is pretty accurate. Sleeping does make you beautiful. If you do not get enough sleep you not only get tired but you tend to gain weight!

There are two hormones in your body called gherlin and leptin that play a large role in your feelings of hunger and fullness. Sleep helps to regulate those hormones. If you do not get enough sleep you will very likely feel hungrier due to their imbalance.

Also the feeling of tiredness and hunger often get confused in your brain. You may think you are hungry when in fact you are tired. So getting enough sleep controls your appetite.

There is another hormone, your growth hormone, which is released during sleep. That hormone is responsible for developing your muscles. Muscles are hungry tissue. You burn more calories during the day and night if you have good muscle development. Getting enough sleep increases your metabolism allowing you to burn more calories.

Sleep affects how you looked, feel and perform daily tasks. Sleep has a major impact on your life!

How much sleep should you get? According to most current studies seven to nine hours is what you need. It is important to get the full seven to nine hours and not to break up your time. Your body goes through several important stages that can not be accomplished by sleeping several short periods.

You can nap during the day. A short nap can help you deal with stress and give a boost of energy. Often a nap can help you to avoid over eating. Napping should not replace your regular sleep. A nap should be twenty to thirty minutes. Longer naps leave you feeling groggy not refreshed. Avoid napping late in the afternoon because taking late naps can make it difficult to sleep at night.

I realize life is not black and white, some nights you struggle to sleep. On those nights get up and do something relaxing until you feel tired and then go back to bed. The old stay in bed and count sheep routine does not often work.

Here are some tips to help you get your sleep:

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evening. They can all cause sleeping problems.

Exercise regularly but allow three hours of calm before you go to sleep. Late night exercising can keep you up. You need to wind down after you exercise.

Establish a regular bedtime behavior pattern. Turn down the lights and relax ten or fifteen minutes before you go to bed. You can have warm milk or take a warm bath, anything that calms you and lets your body start to wind down.

Avoid the computer, the television and doing work just before bed. You want to slow your thoughts down not reeve them up.

Keep your room at a comfortable temperature. Crack a window if need be. You can get window locks at your local hardware store to keep your home safe while you are sleeping.

Investing in a good bed is money well spent. Go out and lay on several beds until you find the one that you just have to have.

Limit the amount of water you drink late at night so you are not up going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Keep your food intake low late at night. Eating a big meal and then going to bed can keep you up because your body is working at digesting your food instead of taking time off to do its other night-time tasks.

Sleeping is a very important part of life. It often does not get on the high priority list for many people. It should be at the top of your list! Not only will you tend to gain weight but your ability to think clearly and enjoy life is limited if you go through life tired.

Your fitness expert

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

You're As Young As You Are Limber!

You're as young as you are limber. That's a saying women who are deeply into yoga chant. There's truth to those words. Flexibility allows freedoms. You can tie your own shoelaces when you're limber. You can bend down to pick up your dog or cat. Your joints and tendons need to stay long and healthy.

Everyone can stretch. If you look at animals when they get up after sleeping you'll see them stretch. Stress in your body is alleviated when you stretch. Have you noticed how tense you become when you're under stress? Taking a big breath and stretching can help the tension go away. Headaches and back aches can be prevented if you spend a few minutes breathing and stretching.

Your relationship with your body improves when you stretch. Often we forget about our bodies. Sometimes it seems our bodies just get in the way. It's important to take the time to relax, breath, stretch and become aware of your body. Your body tells you when things are amiss. Investing time in your body by keeping it limber is time well spent.

When should you stretch? You can stretch anytime; when you first get up in the morning, in the evening before you go to bed, at the office after working on the computer is a great time. It's important to do a few arm circles and walk around for a few minutes or march in place to warm up your muscles.

Getting your muscles warm and supple is important. You'll get better results and lessen your chance of tearing a muscle. The goal is to lengthen your muscles not tear them. If you stretch on a cold muscle it can tear.

In the old days we'd stretch before we ran. Now most trainers either lightly stretch before a workout or wait until after the workout to stretch.

How long should you hold the stretch? That's debatable. Most physical therapists say thirty seconds. My favorite book, "Stretching" says ten seconds. The American Council On Exercise taught me fifteen seconds. Trying them all and finding what works for you is the best advise I can give you.

Breathing while stretching is crucial. That relaxes your muscles and allows them to lengthen.

In the old days we'd bounce when we stretched. No more! There are two tendons that respond when you stretch. One tendon's job is to prevent tears so it will tighten to prevent tearing. The other tendon's job is to let the muscle lengthen. Holding a stretch activates the lengthening tendon while bouncing activates the shortening tendon. Holding a stretch without bouncing will produce better results.

Stretching is a natural thing that you want to do often. These few tips should help you get the most out of it.

Your fitness expert

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

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

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

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

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 

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

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!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Making-Your-Goals-Come-True&id=5177947

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!

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Increase-The-Benefit-Of-Walking&id=5193542

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 

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

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

http://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Dog-Can-Help-You-Get-Fit&id=5168368

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 

Lynn   www.getrealfit.org

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

http://EzineArticles.com/?Good-Exercise-Shoes-Equal-Less-Injuries&id=5175507

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

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 

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!

http://EzineArticles.com/?Restaurants-Friend-Or-Foe?&id=5177685

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

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

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