Obstacle Workout | Eric Walker, Author at Obstacle Workout

Once upon a time, it was all about calorie counting and nothing else mattered. Now, we’ve stepped things up a notch. While some people might roll their eyes at yet another fad that has been introduced by the weight loss industry – this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to weight loss programs. They are gaining some real authority in the industry, and it’s for good reason. Through today’s article, we will take a look at just what these programs involve, and some of the best ones on the market for you to try.     What is a weight loss program and how does it work? Well, a weight loss program does exactly as the name suggests – it gives you a program to lose weight! As simple as it might sound, this is the basis of one of these offerings. A lot of them will tend to provide a weekly food menu, and combine this with an exercise regime, to help you along your way. Of course, this is a weight loss plan in a very basic format and it’s worth mentioning that they all run very differently. It means that some of them might be very strict with the food and dietary recommendations, and even tell you the exact ingredients to turn to and the day to do this. Others meanwhile will work more with a numbers game; allowing you to decide what foods to eat so long as they satisfy the nutritional requirements that the plan has set. Of course, when we use the word “strict”, you shouldn’t become too worried. Sure, these plans can be tough, but at the same time they have been built to be rewarding so that you ultimately stick by them. There will be times where it feels all-but impossible to stick to the dietary recommendations, but the people behind this program will then throw a reward in to make sure that you keep going.   What are the documented benefits? As you may have gathered by now, weight loss plans are certainly not equal. Each will have different offerings, and this means that it can be difficult to pinpoint exact benefits. As such, we’re not going to suggest that they help you burn more calories or anything else related to specific body goals. Sure, some of them might do this, but others might for example concentrate on helping you put together an exercise regime. What we can say about these weight loss plans is that they provide a structured meal or exercise plan, and this can be invaluable for a lot of people who need that direct plan to stick to. Not only that, but many of the modern weight loss plans are quite community focussed and will have a bank of other people in a similar position to you, usually at the other end of a forum. Alternatively, many have the experts available online or over the phone as well, which can help your plight. Finally, the majority of weight loss plans will give you a way to track your progress. This, coupled with the regimented way in which these programs work, mean that they tend to help people realize their weight loss goals much quicker than other methods.   What are the most reputable weight loss programs out there? As you may have guessed, this is an industry which has grown substantially over recent years. It would be fair to say that there are five main players in the industry at the time of writing, and we will now break each one of these down to give you a fair comparison.   Weightwatchers Out of all of the programs that we look at, Weightwatchers is arguably the most renowned in the world. It’s a huge brand, for the simple reason that it has been proven to work very well. When we speak about working well, the company are quite open about expectations. They say that you should expect to lose up to two pounds per week, which will make a phenomenal difference to your body. With Weightwatchers, everything is on the menu. They operate on a points structure, and even have 200 foods in their system which don’t have any points attributed to them. In other words, you can eat as many of them as you want and still reap the rewards. As well as inspiring your diet, Weightwatchers will also provide you with personalized fitness goals. Weightwatchers currently have a really attractive joining offer. There’s no joining fee, they will give you a month of the service free of charge as well as giving you a complimentary Blue Apron box.     Probody Probody is another big brand and its reputation has only been growing over the last few years. It works in a much different, but very effective way, to Weightwatchers. It works by providing you a set of guides, videos, reports and tools to hand you plenty of weight loss data. Ultimately, Probody facilitates a flexible approach to weight loss. Using their tools and data, you can work out which foods and exercise plans are going to work the best for your body. Probody make no secret of the fact that they are big on data, with their calorie tracker for example being the largest on earth. It means that whatever food you put into your mouth, there’s a high chance you can find out its nutritional values in a flash. Probody has a free version, but even if you want to unlock everything including the videos, reports and tracker you will still pay just a one-off $37 fee. Visit the official Probody website to learn more!   Visit the official Probody website to learn more!   Jillian Michaels’ Program Next on the list is the Jillian Michaels program. For those unaware, Michaels is a high-profile personal trainer who has released books and appeared on umpteen television programs. In other words, she knows her stuff. The program will hand you personalised workouts, meal plans and tracking tools. All of this occurs in an easy-to-use app, which has won awards on the Google Play and Apple App stores. This is a program which is full to the brim of real-life stories, of people shedding the pounds. Some of these individuals have lost hundreds of pounds – all by sticking to the program they have been given. If you join the Jillian Michaels plan today you will pay $14.99 for just one month. You can save as much as 45% on this if you buy for 12 months, with this retailing for $99.99. For those of you who want to try the program for a short time, the product is available as a free 7-day trial as well.     Kayla Itsines This next plan has also been put together by a personal trainer in the form of Kayla Itsines. The community that Kayla Itsines has formed is certainly impressive and you will be part of thirty million other people who are following her philosophies. Suffice to say, she must be doing something right to attract such a community! Itsines has tried to make things has versatile as possible by offering two programs. The workouts are 28-minutes in length, making them ideal for anyone who is short of time. The program is priced at $19.99/month, or you can save by switching to a $119.94 annual package.     Di.et Finally, Di.et will cover all elements of your fitness regime in a bid to stay slim. et will tackle every element of staying healthy. You will be handed guides on your diet, your workouts, your supplements and your maintenance. The last one here is pretty important – it will tell you how to keep things going as others start to fall back into bad habits. Some of the past results with Di.et are hugely impressive. The product claims that it will help you lose up to 15 lb of body fat in 15 days, which in turn translates to as many as two dress sizes. The product is priced at $45, which is more than half the price of the standard $99. In addition, they offer a hugely generous 75-day money-back guarantee. Visit the official Di.et website and learn more!   Visit the official Di.et website and learn more! ...

Supposedly, it’s New Year, new you. Unfortunately, all we are hearing is New Year, same excuses. This might be the period of the year where the gyms are full to capacity, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that everyone is throwing themselves into their new regime. On the contrary, some guys just can’t wait to make up the next excuse on why not to go – and this is where today’s guide comes into the picture. We have put together the seven most common excuses when it comes to avoiding going to the gym. Suffice to say, if you can get over these, you’ll do your chances of long-term improvement the world of chances. Let’s jump straight into the list.     “My gym is too busy and I don’t want to queue” In some ways, this is a legit excuse. After all, who wants to drag themselves to the gym after work, only to see that they’ll be waiting in line for the next piece of equipment. Unfortunately, particularly at the turn of the year when New Year’s resolutions are out in full force, this is something that regularly happens. However, in reality, this isn’t something you should be using to halt your fitness plans. It’s certainly frustrating, but don’t try and fool yourself and suggest there are no other options on the table. The likes of squats, pushups and pull-ups aren’t just adequate replacements – they are some of the best exercises you can do anyway. You can do these in a spare corner of your gym (it will certainly have at least some free floor space) or even your own home. Either way, let’s abandon this excuse once and for all.   “My schedule is too tight to work out” Sure, life seems to have gotten busier. At the same time, we aren’t buying that you don’t have ten, lonely minutes to spare to have a quick workout. You might question whether or not really it is enough, but give us time. There’s been a huge development in the fitness industry over recent years, and it’s been going by the name of HIIT. Short for high intensity fitness training, this sort of training only needs around ten minutes to be truly effective. “Truly effective” means more worthwhile than lots of traditional exercise which has been drilled into us for so many years, as well. As long as you have a spare corner of your home, you’re good to go with this one. You don’t even need a gym.   “I look good anyway, it’s fine to miss a few days” Firstly, it’s completely fine to skip a day. In fact, if you don’t, your body is going to tell you in the very near future that it’s time for a rest – and it won’t be pleasant. However, suggesting that you’re looking too good to workout is bordering on laughable. Unfortunately, this is proving to be something that’s increasingly common, with experts even coining their own phrase; the genetic invincible effect. It basically sums up those who don’t decide to take their health seriously as there are no signs of obesity. Let’s remind you that it’s also usually these people who face problems down the line. So, feel free to skip a day, but any more than this you are asking for trouble. Missing sessions will become a habit, and that’s the last thing that you need. Trust us.   “I’m not sleeping enough to go to my workout” You can probably guess our response when it comes to this next issue. Go to bed earlier! In all seriousness, if you haven’t slept enough there’s every reason that you shouldn’t go to the gym. Countless studies have shown that a lack of sleep isn’t just going to impact the workout itself, but also for the whole day and your muscles just won’t repair as efficiently as they normally would. The crucial part of this excuse is defining just how much is “enough” sleep though. If you’ve only managed two or three hours, you’re right – don’t go, it’s going to do more harm than good. If on the other hand you are doing it so you don’t have to set your alarm at the weekend, this is questionable to say the least and a completely invalid excuse.   “I’m injured” Just like a lot of the excuses we have mulled over, we will exercise a degree of caution whilst talking about this next one. After all, injuries need to be taken seriously and if you do have a genuine one, you need to sort it as a matter of urgency. If this means that you’re not going to visit the gym, then so be it. However, there are different types of injuries. Something that’s often confused with an injury is a “pain”. This pain doesn’t have to be necessarily bad, it might be because you are just a little sore from the previous days’ session. In short, this is no excuse. Even if you’ve pulled your glutes, let’s not forget that there are exercises which can affect other areas of the body. There’s nothing stopping you from performing pull-ups or pushups, and being completely unaffected.   “I just don’t feel like going” Let’s now proceed to the lamest excuse in the book. Firstly, we should applaud you in some ways, as admitting that this is the real reason is something that far too many people aren’t willing to do. We do have some sympathy with this excuse, as it’s a very hard rut to get out of if you just don’t like and generally don’t want to go to the gym. We are going to leave you with the results of a study which will hopefully fine-tune your mind a little. In 2017, a study in Frontiers in Psychology concluded that people who placed their future as a priority were benefiting from a solid exercise regime. As such, before you give yourself the opportunity to hand this excuse in, start to think about your future and the true ramifications of “not feeling it”. Is it worth obesity or other health problems later down the line? Additionally, if you really don’t feel like your current exercise regime, what is stopping you from changing things up? If you don’t like cardio training, why not try weights? And before you ask, both can help you with weight loss if that’s your end goal.   “It’s raining” We’ve purposely saved the very best excuse until the end. Hopefully you don’t fall into this category, but some guys just won’t make the effort to go to the gym for the simple reason that it’s too cold, or wet. Of course, it might be that little more difficult to get out from under the covers, but in reality this really is a wet excuse (pardon the pun). Sure, it’s hard to get out of bed when the temperature drops, but let’s direct you over to a study in 2017. This was based on soldiers who were ski-marching in the Arctic and it was found that they were burning more calories than any other military exercise of a similar intensity. In simple terms, you’ll burn more calories when it’s cold, so get out there and do it. ...

It might be a new year, and it might be the time where you think that your fitness goals finally click into place, but it’s also the time where you need to ask yourself if they are really going to happen. Or, as every year has it, are the same mistakes going to creep in and you’ll be back to square one quicker than you know it? Unfortunately, far too many of us make fantastic-sounding New Year resolutions, only to see them fly up in tatters by the end of January. If you do fall into this group, the only consolation we can offer is that you’re certainly not alone, and we’re going to try and do everything we can to help you pass those first few milestones. Following on from the above, we have put together the following five points. These points will now look to address some of the common obstacles that hinder the typical person starting a fitness routine in January, and hopefully mean that your short-term plans can be extended indefinitely.     Don’t forget about the smaller goals In the process of setting your big goals for the New Year, many people simply forget that these need to split into smaller segments. Sure, it’s going to be almightily satisfying if you manage to achieve your goal when the end of the year strikes. In the period before then though, things could get frustrating. Most days you are going to wake up realizing that you’re nowhere near your end goal, and you have a long time before you get anywhere close. In some cases, let’s not forget, that you might have to weight nigh-on twelve months to reach that elusive target. This is why it is crucial to split down the goal into smaller goals, so you can work on the back of the motivation needed to complete them. As well as the above, some people will decide that a big goal is just too difficult to achieve on its own. For example, if you were to lose 40 pounds in a year, it sounds a huge figure. However, if we were to tell you that you only need to lose between three and four pounds a month, suddenly things start to become easier and your motivation levels should rise as a result. Remember, when it comes to setting goals, always go with the SMART principle. This is tried-and-tested, and places a big emphasis on everything we have spoken about in this section.   Buy into the era of the selfie To say that we’re in the era of the selfie would be a gross understatement. For some of us, it’s the photo which actually dominates our day-to-day life. However, when it comes to fitness they actually serve a very good purpose. For years we have been used to relying on the scales, but now might be the time to ditch this approach and turn to your trusty mobile phone. By taking regular selfies, you will quickly see visual evidence of where your weight loss journey is heading. This can turn out to be much more revealing as well, for the simple reason that the scale might read higher, even though your fat levels have dropped. A selfie meanwhile can show your tone a little more, and generally make you feel better about yourself. If you want to take things a little further, don’t hesitate to upload these selfies to social media either. This will immediately provide some accountability to your actions, while there was also a study in 2013 which showed that those people who added their fitness progress to Twitter actually lost more weight than those that didn’t. As such, it’s one of those matters where the science does the talking as well.   It’s time to team up Going to the gym with your friend might seem a little too social, but there are huge benefits in opting for this approach. It’s all about having a degree of accountability. When you wake up in the morning, and everything rests on you, you won’t be letting anyone else down when you roll back over and go to sleep. When there’s a buddy waiting at the gym, such actions are far less likely to happen. This isn’t something which is purely based on theory either. A report in the American Society of Training and Development went as far as saying that by having someone with you during your workout progress you have 95% more chance of reaching your fitness goals. Clearly, this is a monumental difference. Of course, you’ve got to be quite selective of who your training buddy actually is. If it’s someone who is going to let you down, or someone who will always accept any excuses you throw at them, it’s probably a sign that they are not going to be suitable for this role. Instead, it needs to be someone utterly proactive who is really going to raise your game, and bounce off you.   The 90 day factor It doesn’t matter who you are, competition tends to bring the best out of people. Of course, you might be the type of person who doesn’t like engaging in competition but even if you do fall into said category, it’s time to battle on and try to agree to this next suggestion. The basis of it is to schedule some form of competition around 90 days after the turn of the New Year. This is the optimum amount of time to provide yourself with the adequate motivation to plough on and continue with your fitness goals. By having this in the diary, you are far more likely to keep going and attempt to conquer your ambitions. However, there is a word of caution. It’s recommended to book in this event within the first week of January (or the earliest time possible). If you leave it later, you run the risk of not even having the motivation to book the event, never mind take part in it.   The one big workout a month challenge If you’ve managed to work out consistently for a few months, you need a round of applause. There’s just one problem with this; you are probably going to start to get burnt out soon. In other words, the workouts which have served you so well over time will soon become boring, forcing you to lose interest and the rut to set in. As such, a solution is required. You need to try anything and everything to spice your workouts up, just so the boredom factor doesn’t come into play. One such idea is to invest in one big workout every single month. We don’t mean a heated gym session, or anything else that is remotely similar to your normal surroundings, but rather something that is completely out of the ordinary. To coin a few examples, it might be rock climbing or an obstacle course. Both of these options have something completely unique about them, whilst challenging your body immensely. At the same time, they aren’t something that you are likely to participate in every week, which is where they can step in and rescue you from your boring routine. ...

As any exercise enthusiast will tell you, January is the worst month for going to the gym. It’s absolutely rammed full – with queues for machinery just adding to the misery. It’s full of people who are aiming for the “new year, new you” phase, and finally looking to get into shape. If you fall into said category, this guide is for you. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with starting a gym routine, and you will reap so many rewards if you stick at it. However, in order to do so, you really need to avoid some of the common pitfalls that plague so many new members. Through the course of this guide we’ll mull over some of these mistakes, and help build you build a “new you” the right way.     Stay away from the modern toys Nowadays, gyms are full of modern toys. For the established gym enthusiast, this isn’t a problem. They can resist when necessary, and turn to them on the few occasions its required. For the newbie, this seems hard to achieve though. They will be desperate to try the shiny new machines, and opt for these over free weights and established exercises that are guaranteed to help them get in shape provided they persist. When we talk about this new equipment, we’re referring to the likes of TRX belts and other “modern” stuff. Sure, there’s a place for these, and they can work well in some workouts. For the new person going to the gym though, there are far more powerful tools at your disposal which can really supercharge your progress. The likes of squats and deadlifts are tried and tested – so make sure you turn to them. The fancy equipment and exercises meanwhile, is designed for those established pros who need to tap into new stimulus in a bid to enhance their performance. When you get to said stage, then is the time to turn to them. For now, stick to the classic movements – they will serve you well.   Your phone is your worst enemy In the age of the smartphone, you might not believe us. But please, leave your phone away from the gym floor – as it’s not doing you any favorites whatsoever. In short, it’s an out-and-out distraction. Receive a text message from your significant other? You need to respond. See the latest breaking news story on the sports app? You need to check it. Such distractions aren’t going to do you any favors and will stop your focus. Let’s not forget that it’s not just you who suffers here, but everybody waiting for that piece of equipment you’re hogging due to phone-abuse. At the same time, the gym isn’t a place for chatting. If you’re on the phone and exercising, we can bet that you really aren’t getting the most out of your session.   Arriving as a group isn’t cool Every so often you will see groups of guys hitting the gym, cycling through the loud jokes between sets and generally making the gym aware of their presence. This presence is by no means positive though; people aren’t looking at them for their amazing ability to bench press huge numbers, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Sure, the gym can be a social environment, but there are limits. Big groups just don’t work, and you’ll also find that there are individuals in said group who are happy to dish out plenty of advice, despite their poor shape. In short, it’s just not giving you any benefits whatsoever. Going with a buddy is fine – studies have shown that this can actually help. Anything more than this is overkill though, and will hinder your progress.   Start your new year resolution with good form If going to the gym is your new year’s resolution, at least make sure that you are implementing good form. It’s all-too common to see guys hitting the gym for the first time and just trying to cram as much weight on as possible. The result of this is form which is absolutely terrible; you’ll be rocking, swinging and doing everything with the weights which makes you something of a laughing stock. Also, let’s not forget that this isn’t going to make you stronger – it’s just going to enhance the chances of picking up an injury. Instead, opt for lower weights, but learn the form. Watch videos, talk to the right people, and just make it your goal to learn the correct way to do the exercises – rather than be the clown with the big weights.   What is your goal? Finally, let’s talk about one of the big problems that plague everyone at the gym – but it’s going to affect newbies even more and really impact their motivation levels. So many people just rock up to the gym without really knowing what they want to do. What are your goals? Do you want to lose weight? Build muscle? Let’s get these goals down to a tee before we go any further. If you don’t do the above, you will cycle through exercises without really knowing where you are going. How will you know if it’s been a good session? What will you think after a month of going to the gym? To tackle all of this, it’s time to come up with a plan. Some of you might turn to a personal trainer, but if you do opt for this approach at least do some research and find a good one. During new year, there are far too many amateurs doing the rounds which aren’t going to help in the slightest. Or, do-it-yourself. Just because you have little past experience in the gym, doesn’t mean to say that you can’t devise a plan of action. There’s now so much material on the internet, that it’s almost inexcusable not to go alone. Or, just talk to friends – but let’s reiterate that these friends need to be in-the-know, not just guys who think they know what they are talking about. ...

Suffering from high blood pressure is a guaranteed way to increase your chances of serious illness, disability, or even death.  Inactive people use drugs to monitor and maintain blood pressure because they just won’t engage in a simple fitness program to keep the blood pressure levels under control.  We’ll need to look at how and why a good general fitness program can do the job.   High Blood Pressure Hypertension is caused by several factors .  It’s just not having an inactive lifestyle.  It includes diet and diseases and other conditions that need to be addressed.  A doctor’s examination will generally determine what the causes of one’s high blood pressure and it may turn out to be more than just one source.  Regardless of what is causing the high blood pressure, a good general all around fitness program should start working within a few days.  No need for surgery or drugs.  It all depends on your doctor’s professional opinion, mind you.  In some cases drugs may be prescribed, but not for the rest of your life if fitness shows a dramatic and remedying effect.   First Step: Examination The first step to determining what is causing hypertension comes after a thorough examination of the person.  The doctor will know from multiple tests just what the factors are.  Once that is determined a battle plan can be determined and structured.  This will allow for planning a fitness routine that will be both safe and effective from the start.  Do not evade this step.  It’s of most importance as it lets you and your doctor know where you stand and how to best prevent and solve the problem.   Basic Approach Once it’s determined what the basic problem or problems are, it’s now time to set up an exercise regimen that will work from the start.  Your doctor will probably have you start out with the kind of cardiovascular exercises that bring about safe and effective results.  Walking or jogging or swimming would be great starts.  It will open up blood vessels and allow for the pumping of blood that will lead to reducing hypertension from the start.  You’ll be taking your blood pressure regularly during this phase. With today’s new technologies, it will be easy to monitor your vital statistics to see how you’re progressing.  After a while, you’ll have gathered enough vital data so that your doctor can determine which exercises and how those exercises best suit you for effective results.  It is of extreme importance that you do not neglect to keep vital statistics.  This is a battle of numbers.  How you feel is irrelevant, how you register is not.   Diet Is Part Of The Regimen Your doctor or nutritionist will know what effect diet is having on your blood pressure .  If you’re pounding down too much fat or salt you’ll get those high blood pressure numbers.  This isn’t a constant though.  There are people who eat astonishing amounts of salt and it has no effect on their blood pressure.  If one looks carefully the answer is simple.  It’s due to the kind of salt they’re ingesting. Sea salt is far different from the table or processed salt that goes into food.  Sea salt has the minerals that allow for the salt to be processed by the body in efficient and safe ways.  Table salt or processed salt doesn’t have these ingredients thus making it a culprit for high blood pressure.  Aside from sodium, there are compounds that can affect the body as to increased hypertension.  Only a careful examination will reveal what is causing any detrimental effects.  This will take some time, but afterward, a careful diet can be planned.   Toxins Can Do It Toxins in our environment can cause any number of detrimental problems including hypertension.  The toxins need to be identified and avoided.  In most cases, toxins that have built up in the body and are stored in fat tissue need to be flushed out. Exercise and a good diet can flush these toxins out thus causing hypertension to be treated. The reason being is not all allergies manifest themselves the same or as assumed.  The levels of harm via allergies might not be detected at first and might appear to be something else.  This is why you let your doctor do thorough examinations.  If exercise will help flush out or prevent the allergens to take root, then a good exercise regimen to relieve hypertension caused by all this is recommended.   Stress Induced If one’s hypertension is caused in part or in whole by some form of stress, it’s already a proven fact that it is a double dose of danger as both hypertension and stress are known as “silent killers” meaning that they may show no symptoms aka asymptomatic, and aren’t detected until severe damage has been done to the body.  Fortunately, it will be easy to determine if it is stress and if that stress is caused by disease, diet, or just lack of exercise.  In this case, exercise can’t help and by monitoring oneself it will show up quickly that exercise is treating the problem.   Treating The Problem There are several ways to treat hypertension.  It depends on the results of the professional analysis by one’s doctor.  This is a very intense moment because it has to be done right the first time especially if pharmaceuticals or surgery are prescribed. You doctor will give you instructions that might cross into other disciplines where another professional specialist is involved.  It may come to your seeing several doctors to resolve the problems.  If it’s found that your diet is a major factor in your hypertension you’ll be sent to see a nutritionist.  Should you need to see an endocrinologist then that will be a step also and so on and so on.  So prepare to get involved to a great degree. If one is lucky you’ll find out that the source of the problem is some basic dietary choices or fitness situations like being overweight.  From there on you can work out a plan to modify your behavior so that you can tackle the problem once and for all.  A fitness and dietary program, of course, means consulting a nutritionist and a fitness coach, but that won’t hurt a bit as with both in sync, you’ll see results in a short time. From then on in, it’s a matter of monitoring your progress and keeping vital statistics for further analysis. If pharmaceuticals are prescribed then you’ll probably have a daily regimen.  It might take more than one drug and they may or may not be permanent.  It’s a matter of just the right doses at the right times and should be easy to incorporate into your daily routine.  Of most caution is that you follow your doctor’s orders to the T regarding the use of pharmaceuticals.  This is not an area to introduce irresponsibility.  If you’re using supplements for fitness they might conflict with your blood pressure medicine.  Let your doctor know all things consumed and follow the orders.   The Mind In many cases, it’s the state of a person’s mind that can cause hypertension.  This can only be determined by a specialist.  Often once one knows what is causing the stress from the mind, the problem is resolved. In other cases, it may take some time and require you to modify your thought patterns.  Fear, lack of REM sleep, and other mind related issues.  Don’t worry as these conditions are usually not permanent.   Final Word Basically, hypertension is a killer.  It’s not to be joked about.  Prevention is a good idea and following doctor’s orders after diagnosis is equally important.  Don’t engage in medically unproven activities.  It isn’t worth the risk.  There are many natural herbs and such and your doctor will know the history of the substances and will determine if they are of sound use.  Get your blood pressure checked regularly and the moment it is detected, go to work on treating it. ...

You’ve been sitting on your duff for far too long and the warning signs are clear.  Your circulation is down, blood pressure is high, and there are a number of other problems cropping up that all spell out exercise.  To far too many, the word exercise is a four-letter word.  It’s due to the sedentary lifestyles people have adopted.  It’s only when dire circumstances arise that people will find a will and way to start an exercise program.  That’s all well and good, but you’ve got to take it easy and do things one step at a time or end up in a worse situation.     Personal Evaluation Nothing is going to happen if you’ve not taken a real good look at yourself.  You’ll need to be honest with yourself and tally what you’re lacking in and too excessive in.  The first thing at a glance is whether you’re overweight.  Don’t use the old excuse of being ‘big boned’.  That’s a poor excuse.  You’re either too fat or you’re not.  The amount of fat that causes detrimental effects can vary from each person. Some people can support 100 pounds of fat and still have normal vital statistics  Other people can put on only 10 pounds of fat and start falling apart.  It all depends on one’s genetics but the bottom line is that excess fat will eventually turn into a catalyze for health problems. Once you’ve done that, the next step is your energy levels and vitals.  Go see your doctor and have a full examination.  The doctor will be able to tell you what is wrong at present and what you might develop that will be detrimental to your health.  Always follow doctor’s orders but also get a second opinion just in case.  Once you’ve gotten the right clearance to exercise you’ll need to get a nutritionist to step on board and get you to rehabilitate your diet.  Without a proper diet, you might as well call it quits right now.  At this point, you’ve got yourself well oriented on where you stand, where you need to be, and what you need to do at the minimum.   Planning Next, comes the planning.  You’ll have to realistically look at what you’ll have to schedule and when.  Are you willing or able to adjust or make a schedule that will benefit a new exercise regimen?  If so, then do so smartly.  Pick times when you can have recovery time afterward.  Without rest and recovery, your body won’t metabolize properly nor repair itself so. Plan an exercise regimen that will grow on a gradient.  Don’t try to do an Olympic style program just yet.  You need to move into it and do each exercise cautiously.  You’ll be introducing your body and mind to new things and you want to give your systems the room to compensate and build up repair and growth.  Keep a chart on your first set of exercises. For example, if you’re able to walk, do a walking regimen that starts off with a mile a day for two weeks.  Keep statistics on how fast you do that mile and also if possible, keep vital statistics before, during and after.  These statistics will give you and your doctor a great look at how you’re progressing and whether or not the exercise regimen can be improved.   Ramping Things Up Once you’ve gotten your exercise regimen up and going, after a time it might not be challenging enough and you’ll have to ramp things up.  If you’re walking for exercise you may need to quicken your pace or extend your time and distance. You may need to add a weight lifting program or biking or rope jumping.  With each new exercise, you’ll need to follow the same basic approach and methods.  Keep statistics and follow professional advice.  Once you’ve gained new momentum you’ll see the improvements in relatively a short period of time.   It Doesn’t Happen Overnight The results of exercise don’t happen overnight.  It takes patience and diligence so be aware of this.  In many cases, you’ll see weight loss in just a few days.  Drinking enough water and cutting calories will cause toxins and fat to disperse and be expunged from the body.  It’s not unusual for even just a change in diet and exercise can see several pounds of fat lost in a week alone. At the same time your body will be building muscle which is more condensed than fat so you need to be aware that as you lose weight through fat burning, you’ll also be gaining weight from muscle growth.  Don’t let the scale scare you.  It’s just a normal part of the process.   Take Photos And Video Thanks to today’s new technologies, it’s easy to take pics and video of one’s progress during exercise.  As a matter of fact, you can wear devices that record and transmit vitals data so that they can be analyzed in real time or later at your doctor’s convenience.  This will also be of great benefit down the road when you reflect on your progress and challenges you’ve faced and overcome.  The web is full of ‘before and after’ videos and pics of people who engaged in exercise regimens.  These pics and vids are of great inspiration to tens of millions of people worldwide. You can find yourself an internet star in some cases.  People who’ve had one career have changed up when responses to their web based success pics and videos dropped.  It’s because once your vids and pics are published, people will visit your website or blog or social media pages.  That is the kind of website traffic that can be converted into sales of either your own products or products you endorse.  In this case, a new exercise program can lead to financial augmentation and success.   Have Fun One of the best pieces of advice to keep your exercise regimen at a good pace at the start is to have fun.  There are lots of ways to have fun while starting exercise.  Today we have devices that allow for listening to your favorite music or lectures, even audio books.  Pick your favorite songs in a playlist or tune into an online radio station and enjoy the music while you workout.  This will keep your spirits up and you’ll not focus on how difficult an exercise is, but on how much you’re enjoying the routine. Soon your mind and body will associate exercise with fun and it won’t be such a chore to engage in.   Get A Buddy It’s a good idea to get a buddy to workout with you.  If you’re just starting out a buddy will keep you reminded that you need to take it easy at first.  As you both workout together you’ll be able to keep tabs on one another and make sure the other doesn’t overdo it.  This way you’ll be comfortable with the fact that someone is looking out for you.   Rest Do not underestimate the power of good rest.  A good resting period after exercise is essential.  It allows for the body to do diagnostics and moderate the resources available for repair and growth.  It will also complement the anti-stress benefits.  Far too many people don’t realize this and wonder why they don’t get the proper results from their exercise efforts.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Get the rest and see the best.   Final Word As we can see, exercise is important, but doing it right to avoid failure is essential.  The longer you procrastinate the more dangers will emerge in your life.  Take it easy at first and do each step with your doctors’ knowledge.  Ina short time you’ll see the positive results and later on, it will be so second nature that you’ll not even see exercise as a chore, but as a solution to everything that makes you down. ...