Statistics And Fitness Go Hand In Hand

Any fitness regimen needs to be evaluated via the statistics gathered before, during, and after exercises.  Statistics allow us to keep a tab on what is being done and how well it is being done.  Such data can be stored and analyzed later or in real time by professionals and oneself.   Value Statistics allow us to evaluate what we’re doing regarding fitness.  Some people just count the number of times they’ve completed a push-up or how many miles they’ve run.  That’s fine but there’s more going on with the body than just that. Today’s technologies allow for people to record and transmit their vital data to a storage system for future review, or directly to a coach or physician who can then make their own real time evaluations.  This is important because a professional who is monitoring your activities can better guide you as to what you should and shouldn’t be doing. Statistics of vital information allows oneself and one’s doctors to work as a team to better develop any preventative measures or treatments for ailments.  It is something that one can look at a glance and make a quick assessment as to what is going on.   What Statistics Are Looking For If you’re taking vital statistics with your fitness routine you’ll be able to monitor what is happening to your body during its exertion.  You’ll be able to monitor respiration, blood pressure, pulse and more.  Many devices in the exercise equipment industry can take one or more vital statistics.  These can now work in tandem with several remote devices.  Even today’s smartphones and watches can take and record and transmit statistical data. The data collected can be sent to your physician or specialist as well as coaches.  Computing allows for one to program one’s fitness routines to afford for safety and optimum results. Joggers benefit substantially when it comes to statistics.  Vital stats are one thing, but performance is another.  How long one is capable of running, speed, and metabolic rate efficiency.  A coach can look at the data and then determine what is most beneficial for the person.  The coach will estimate the peak potential of the enthusiast and better plan a progressive program.  The coach will be on the lookout for possible injury and if an injury occurs, the coach will have the data as to what caused it and when.  This information could be then sent to the hospital where treatment will be more precise. Coaches will gather information from several of their students and compare them.  The coach will be looking for common denominators to determine why one student performs better than the oth4er.  The coach will try to figure if they can match certain statistical data so that it can benefit all students.  Without stats, the coach would just be shooting in the dark hoping to hit something.   Statistics Don’t Have To Be Boring Keeping statistics doesn’t have to be boring.  That’s why companies that make devices that collect data usually have unique designs and features.  It’s a wonder some don’t have holographic displays depicting workout partners and dazzling landscapes.  People love the new gizmos and it’s certain even more advances will be in the future. One of the futuristic fun statistical devices is found with the new VR systems.  A person on a treadmill can wear a VR set of goggles and exercise with the illusion of running through a forest or some fantasy world.  All the while one’s vital statistics can be collected and even broadcast to the user so they can tell what they’re achieving and the effect on the body. Apple is forging ahead with this kind of technology and others are sure to follow.  Just keep an eye on the latest developments and partake of them when they come out.   Examining Fitness Statistics Examining one’s fitness statistics isn’t difficult, however, it’s not advisable to make medical evaluations on one’s own.  That is left to professional physicians only.  You’ll be able to look at distance traveled during exercise and what one’s heart rate and pulse have been during the exercise.  If the pulse goes up while going uphill, that data can be compared.  If heart rate goes down during running on soft soil or sand, that data can be compared. Each set of statistics can be compared with the others so a clearer picture of what is being effective can be clearly acquired. Blood work should be scheduled each month or at the schedule of which one’s physicians ask for.  Each physician might ask for blood work at different times.  It depends on your present state of health as well as the type of exercise you’re involved in.  These can later be cross referenced to determine what the exercises are doing as well as your diet. Diet is important as it goes along with any vitamin regimen you’re undertaking.  If certain vitamins become used up during certain exercises it will show up in the blood wok.  Often a body will need more of certain vitamins and minerals in specific ratios after undergoing physical stress.  These are very important stats to keep an eye on because a deficiency in one or more vitamins and minerals can precipitate disorders or diseases. Each lab will provide you with a copy of these types of statistics so you can follow along with your physicians.  Again, do not even attempt to interpret what’s going on or act on those interpretations as it’s your physician’s job to do so.  Far too many people get the idea that they know more than the doctors and end up taking the wrong vitamins, minerals, and supplements or taking them in the wrong amounts and ratios.  This could bring on more trouble than one is willing to face.   Specified Fitness Statistics Just about all of us have different disorders or diseases or states of health.  This makes analyzing one’s fitness statistics a challenge because if one has a disease like an end stage renal failure, the normal prescribed treatment is dialysis.  Dialysis cleans the blood and removes excess liquids.  This process can take a toll on the body and require a special diet and vitamin regimen as well as prescribed medications. People in this state have to watch what they’re consuming on a regular basis.  Just one goof up and it could lead to serious complications.  Engaging in a fitness program while suffering from this disorder calls for the top of the line statistical gathering of data.  It’s done on a regular basis so doctors can determine how well the prescribed treatments are working in tandem with your fitness regimen.  It’s fortunate nowadays that new technologies allow for doctors to not only peruse your data, but it allows them to okay which exercises you should and shouldn’t do. If you’re suffering from coronary diseases then you’ll definitely want to keep statistics on your daily activities such as exercise and diet.  Coronary diseases can, for the most part, be prevented if one exercises regularly and eats right.  In America, people eat far too much at a sitting and then a snack during the day.  The excess calories lead to the storage of fat and excess fat can bring on a plethora of diseases.  Too much sodium, too much fat, a lack of important vitamins and minerals can lead to coronary problems especially if one has a genetic propensity to such diseases. This is why you’ll need to keep statistics on the times you eat, the type of foods, their nutritional content and most of all caloric content.  If you eat a lot of processed of fast foods, you’ll need to definitely keep a statistics list as these foods are the most harmful. Once you’ve done that, you can use the collected statistics to determine how well you’re managing the foods and materials you’re consuming so that you can modify your behavior to meet doctor’s orders. People who have injuries to overcome like broken bones and torn tissue will have to rehabilitate themselves to better health.  Statistics gathered here are of extreme importance.  A doctor can only tell you how well you’ve been doing, but you’ll need to know what you’ve been doing has been beneficial overall.  When a person has undergone trauma that involves pain, they might shy away from pushing the envelope or they might push too hard hoping to recover quicker.  Keeping a cool head and letting the statistics gathered guide you along the way will prevent complications from arising and allow for recovery in a safe and sane manner.   Final Word If you’re the kind of person who hates doing math then you had better get your mind cleared about the issue.  Statistics are how we gauge our activities for more efficient results.  It’s not something you can avoid because you hate numbers.  Today’s computing devices do much of the work for you, but they can’t make your decisions.  Learn how to take statistics and how to enjoy doing so.  It will lead to a better overall you. ...

Are Legal Steroids Safe? Which Supplements are Safe & Effective to Bulk & Build Muscle Faster?

Take a walk down the high street, look around your local store and one thing will become blatantly obvious – bodybuilding is huge. It’s promoted in absolutely every place possible – and there’s no doubt that the internet and general media has helped to intensify this. Something that the industry is perhaps guilty of is making bodybuilding seem much easier than it really is though. Sure, the journalists might keep writing piece after piece which suggests you can net that six pack in a fortnight, but in reality it’s not going to happen. In fact, there’s only one thing that’s guaranteed in this industry – there isn’t a substitute for hard work. Without this, even the best workout plan on the planet isn’t going to suffice. Of course, you still need to compliment your dedication with a solid routine and even stronger diet – but without that core mental philosophy you are destined to fail. One of the main reasons that so many people struggle with this is because they can’t deal with the slow progress. Building muscle mass is a tedious process and there will be occasions where you just don’t seem to be moving. This is the reason that supplements have become more popular than ever before – they will allow you to realize your goals in much quicker speeds. Following on from the above, we will now looking at bulking in general and show how you can use supplements to your advantage – in a completely safe manner.     What is the deal with legal steroids? We might be placing a particular emphasis on bulking over the course of this page, but in truth it doesn’t matter what your fitness goals are – they are all hard to achieve. It involves pushing your body to the limit and any progress that you do make is often much slower than you’d ever want, or imagine. The above is why legal steroids have caused such a stir over recent times. For a long time athletes, and those seeking super-quick results, were chasing after anabolic steroids. When you looked at the benefits that these supplements arrived with , it really came as no surprise either. They allowed you to boost your muscle mass, in record speeds, and put simply achieve that beach body in no time at all. The fact that so many celebrities have gone on record to talk about their steroid use in their younger days says everything you need to know about their effectiveness. Dwayne Johnson was one such celebrity, although the list really could go on. Something that occurred with the majority of these celebrities was that they opted to stop using them. Even though their gains were huge, and their bodies were sculpted beyond belief – all of this came at a price. A quick search for steroid side effects should reveal everything – the changes to your body certainly weren’t all positive. As such, legal steroids have pretty much stepped in and taken over the reins. Let’s get one misconception out of the way here – they don’t reap results which are identical to real steroids. However, they do make an extraordinary difference to your progress, and will make your fitness goals so much easier to meet. The way in which they work is impressive as well. They rely on a concoction of natural ingredients, which are able to mimic the way that “real steroids” affected your body. For example, one common component goes by the name of Tribulus Terrestris, an extract of a fruit. This is something which is able to increase the amount of testosterone that your body produces – meaning that muscle growth suddenly becomes much easier. As this is a natural ingredient, it means that nasty side effects just don’t occur. Therefore, the message to take away with legal steroids is that they are a safer alternative to the real McCoy. Sure, the results are not quite as strong, but they are completely noticeable and most people are thoroughly impressed with how they benefit their fitness journey.   The lowdown on muscle mass and bulking As you know, today’s topic is all about muscle mass and bulking. The problem is that these are terms which are frequently branded around in the industry and while many of us think we understand what they mean, in truth a lot of us actually don’t. It’s for this reason that we’re going to start with something of a 101 based on muscle mass and bulking. Once you have grasped these definitions, we’ll move onto supplements and just how these can help you with your bulking goals.   What are the definitions? Let’s start with muscle mass. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t relate to how strong you are. Instead, it refers to the size of your muscles. Of course, size and strength often go hand-in-hand, but if you’re looking for that rippling physique your principal aim is to boost your muscle mass. That leads us perfectly onto the definition of bulking. In simple terms, this just refers to the process of gaining muscle mass, or gaining size. We’ll get onto how exactly you can initiate the bulking process shortly, but it mainly refers to training accordingly and also consuming a lot more calories. And as such, our definitions are done. If you want big muscles, you want higher muscle mass, and if you want to get to this higher muscle mass – you need to bulk.   What does the bulking process involve? Of course, definitions are easy – it’s the action part which is the most difficult. So, how exactly do you bulk? In short, it’s all about what you eat. Your goal is to get bigger, and the only way to do this is to train (and increase the size of your muscles), as well as consuming more calories. Naturally, the latter is much easier to implement, although to make matters slightly more complex there tends to be two forms of bulking: The clean bulk – For those of you are health conscious, this should be your preferred method of bulking. In fact, scrap that, this should be the bulking method that most of you adopt. It involves consuming more calories than you do currently, but these calories are nutritious. Ultimately, you won’t be filling up your body with trash; there will be plenty of protein to fuel your muscle growth. While you might see your fat levels increase slightly with this approach (as you will have upped the amount you are eating), it’s by no means going to be game changing. The dirty bulk – You guessed it, the dirty bulk is the complete opposite to the above. In some ways, this is much easier to implement – as you can eat anything you desire as the primary aim is just to add size. As you might expect, the downside to this approach is that you will almost certainly increase your fat levels (sometimes quite substantially), and this means that a lot of people will follow up a dirty bulk with a cutting. It’s also worth mentioning that this form of bulking is rarely encouraged, for the simple reason that it can be detrimental to your overall health as you are boosting your calories in an unhealthy manner. Making sure that you train accordingly is obviously key to bulking as well. The end goal is to increase your muscle mass and while eating sufficient quantities is a major piece of this, you have also got to engage in a solid weight training program to make sure that the additional calories and protein you are consuming is being put to good use.   How do you decide which product to choose for you? We will move on to the various manufacturers and types of products out there shortly, but it’s first taking note of the sheer size of this industry. Once you start to fully explore legal steroids, you will quickly see just how much choice there really is. However, rather than testing the first product that enters your eye line, it’s worth asking yourself about your own goals and the type of help that you need. For example, not all products are equal. This article has focused on the topic of bulking and as such, the assumption is that you should try and stick with products that focus on this. In other words, make sure you avoid any that have ingredients which will suppress your appetite, encourage cutting or maybe some form of fat loss. Then, there are the products themselves. We have already touched upon how some focus on testosterone production and suffice to say, if you are female, this might not be the path you want to go down. You may instead opt for a different way of bulking – whether it’s focusing on those products which energize your workouts or a slightly different angle. It may also come down to your age. We’ll again focus on testosterone, as it’s the easiest thing to comprehend for most people, but this is one hormone that decreases as you start to get older. It means that if you are slightly older, a product that prompts testosterone growth might be advisable.   Who are the big players in this industry?   It should have hopefully become clear through this guide that legal steroids are rightfully here to stay, as they are full of benefits for anyone who is looking to bulk. Unfortunately, the industry hasn’t exactly been made simple, with countless companies now getting in on the act and providing legal steroids as part of their catalogue. It means that the consumer almost has too much choice – although not all of the choices are equal. A lot of the companies that are selling these products are based online and as we all know, the internet is an easy place to launch products – regardless of whether or not they are any good. In other words, there are a huge number of smaller firms offering legal steroids, and not all of them abide by the high standards that some of the original manufacturers set when the industry burst onto the scene. Bearing this in mind, we have taken the time to hone in on several manufacturers who are regarded as the most reputable in the industry. While the list might not necessarily be exhaustive, from our experience these three companies are tried-and-tested and you shouldn’t have any worries if you buy from them.   Flexx Labs This next company are arguably the most scientific out there. They were formed by American nutritionists, which is impressive in itself, but can be emphasized even more when you consider the 20 years of sports supplementation experience they have behind them. It translates to their products being some of the best around. This is a company that you can easily try their products as well, courtesy of their money-back guarantee. However, there are some downsides, and unless you are prepared to spend more than $150 you will have to pay for shipping costs. On some orders, this can stretch to almost $14.   Crazy Mass While they are sometimes criticized for not disclosing all of the ingredients in their proprietary formulas, when you look at the advantages associated with Crazy Mass you can most certainly excuse them for this. The biggest in our eyes surrounds the free shipping. This might raise a few eyebrows, as technically many other companies in this space provide free shipping with their products. If you read the fine-print, you’ll often be left with huge delivery times though – with many of these manufacturers cutting costs by using lesser-known companies. Crazy Mass go against this grain and as they hold warehouses in both the US and UK, it means that they can quickly arrange transport and you’ll never be left waiting more than five business days. There is also the quality of their facilities. Once again, this is an industry which isn’t regulated strictly, so the fact that their facilities are FDA approved and cGMP certified certainly means a lot and makes them stand out from a lot of other companies. Finally, their support system is also much better than what we are used to in this industry. We were amazed to see that they provide phone support, something that’s almost unheard of in the legal steroids field.   Crazy Bulk As you can see, our opinion of the previous two manufacturers is pretty high. In fact, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them. However, Crazy Bulk almost fall into a different league. This happened to be one of the first companies to hit the industry and when you look at the size of this company now, their deep history is hardly surprising. They are widely regarded as a company that uses the highest quality ingredients out there, while their catalogue is continuously growing and this means that they certainly appeal to the masses. Such appeal isn’t just down to the umpteen products that they offer though. They also provide free shipping and an excellent customer service team – with the latter being pretty crucial in an industry that’s often unregulated. The only thing we aren’t overly keen on with Crazy Bulk is their emphasis on stacking. As we will come onto, there is a time and a place for stacking, but they really do upsell this and for some people it won’t be entirely necessary. Nevertheless, this is most definitely a “downside” many will be able to withstand and when you view the company overall, there’s no doubt that Crazy Bulk is the most established in the field and rightfully attracts umpteen admirers.     What are the best legal steroids for bulking? Now that we have mulled over some of the big players in the industry, let’s take a look at some of the offerings from Crazy Bulk. As you might expect, we are only going to be focusing on the bulking products here, with the following three products regarded as the best performers.   Dianabol (D-bal) This first product was created following the immense success of Dianabol. For those unaware, this was once up there as one of the most popular steroids in the world. Unfortunately, it was far from legal and safe, although its muscle building potential was second to none. D-Bal has been released as a natural replica. In other words, it works exactly the same, but uses a concoction of natural ingredients. The main way it succeeds is by making your muscles retain nitrogen for longer periods . This is something that can make protein synthesis even easier and suffice to say, this is one of the big building blocks of rippling muscles. You can Buy D-bal by clicking here and visiting the official merchant website.   Trenbolone (Trenorol) This legal steroid has been created on the back of Trenbolone. Again, this was hugely powerful once upon a time, only for a barrage of nasty side effects to kick in which really ruined its reputation. Rebranded as a legal alternative Trenorol, it’s all about nitrogen retention again. Not only this, this is an ideal product for anyone who wants more energy during workouts, as it will increase the amount of red blood cells which results in more oxygen being handed out to your muscles. You can Buy Trenorol by clicking here and visiting the official merchant website.   Testosterone Max (Testo-Max) The next one we’ll talk about is one which is designed to increase your testosterone levels. Once again, it’s completely safe and legal, and only makes use of natural ingredients because of this. Tribulus terrestris is the main ingredient that forms this. Umpteen studies have shown that this natural plant is able to luteinize your hormones, and just make your body produce that little bit more testosterone which can result in those monumental gains . You can Buy Testo-Max by clicking here and visiting the official merchant website.   How can you use cycles to your advantage? One phrase that you might hear frequently whilst researching this industry is cycles. In truth, this is a topic that combines perfectly onto the next one that we will discuss, but for the time being we will just focus on how you can use cycles to your advantage. The amount of time you “cycle”, refers to the amount of time you are using a steroid. You are “on cycle” when you are using a steroid and (you guessed it) “off cycle” when you come off it. It would be fair to say that cycles can be something of a grey-area. In other words, while one product might advocate cycling for a set period, a different product might suggest that you cycle for a different amount of time. This is the reason why it’s important to read the labelling, as each product will direct you differently. To coin some examples, some bulking products will suggest that you only cycle for a period of four weeks. This can be significantly shorter than several products which are designed to aid you through the cutting process, with these tending to advise a time period closer to four weeks.   What is stacking? As we mentioned, the previous topic leads perfectly onto this. While stacking is a different concept to cycling, the principles are very similar. Stacking involves using more than one product at any given time. The idea is that you can consume several products concurrently, and extract maximum results. A common example is taking one before a workout, and one in the evening just before you go to bed. Another is bulking for a set period of time, before then going through a cutting stack to eradicate any additional body fat you may have accumulated. If you research this industry you’ll find that many manufacturers attempt to sell stacks of products. Sure, there are occasions when this is a marketing ploy, but at the same time many of the stacks will provide you with much more of a boost as your body is being aided in multiple ways. ...

General Fitness And Reducing High Blood Pressure

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. ...

Positive People & Surroundings Means Positive Results

It’s easy to say that when a person is around supporting and positive people and surroundings that one feels better and performs better.  This is both a subjective and objective debate, but there’s enough scientific data to determine the validity of this.   The Negative Lifestyle Some people just love to be miserable and won’t do anything to bring about a more positive and healthy lifestyle.  They’ll simmer in their own juices, complaining about this and that, and being as irresponsible as possible.  Soon, they’ll end up in the doctor’s office wondering why they’re out of sorts and in need of treatment. There is an old saying that some people are “injustice collectors”, people who have nothing better to do than logging any situation where they feel they’ve been wronged.  They let these incidents pile up one after another until they’re swamped and couldn’t see the light of day with the sun out at noon.  Medical evidence has been showing that this kind of mindset is just as harmful as if one fell down the stairs.  It may take more time and be more seductive, but having a negative mental attitude can and does affect the body. Doctors will tell you that there is a correlation between mind and body.  That many if not most of our illnesses are based on psychosomatic origins, or from the mind.  Only a trained physician in the mental sciences can determine this and it takes therapy and other medically prescribed actions to remedy.  That being said, it behooves one to pay attention to what one is thinking.   Negative Environment Not all of us has the where-with-all to live in an area that is positive and benevolent.  Often far too many of us get stuck in areas while we’re trying to make enough money to move.  If you live in a  place you don’t like, you’ll see an effect on your mind and body after not too long.  In another scenario, we can be living in a  place we like but the people nearby can be royal pains to live with.  These kinds of people can be family or neighbors.  There’s no such thing as not being able to change your environment but it can be a misery doing so which is why so many fails. People often dream of living in the woods or on a sunny beach where all is gonna be peachy keen.  Then they move to the area and find out the neighbors are a nightmare.  The other people in the area are hostile and intolerable to be around.  After a while, if these people aren’t handled properly, they’ll get under one’s skin and that leads to misery and woe and effects on the body and mind. People can move to a wonderful area only to find that their own friends and family get jealous and critical of them.  They needle and peck at a person to the point the person is confused about their relationships and life’s evaluations.  This can cause conflict in the mind and affect the metabolism which can precipitate further ailments. It’s all about choices in life and the most important choice in life is to be happy no matter what.   Being Happy Is Important Being happy in life depends on several factors.  People get into trouble when they believe they have nothing to do with the choices in their lives and thus delegate responsibility to others or even bizarre ideologies.  This only leads to further unhappy solutions and existence. It truly is one’s own responsibility to make a happy lifestyle.  It means making choices that may be difficult but in the end, it will lead to a positive result.  This is the most troublesome of endeavors as far too often we’re mired with belief systems and cultural conflicts.  It may call for just cutting some people and associations off entirely and that includes so-called friends and family.   Overwhelming Odds Sometimes life can appear to dish out overwhelming odds to a person.  Things just pile up one after another to the point a person is so disoriented that they wouldn’t know happiness if it walked up and bit them.  Too much going on too fast can bring a person to the point of falling apart.  They’ll end up with physical and mental disorders that only professional medical attention can treat.  This is not the area you want to be in and you will need to do whatever you can to avoid such situations.  There are several ways to prevent and fix such things and well talk about it later on. The bottom line here is that one has to pay attention at all times to see the storms on the horizon and get under cover before they hit.  This way one will be in a better position to use one’s resources to prevent a negative outcome.  We must all face challenges in life, but there are things we can do to lessen the impact.   Remedies For Changing Negative Life Situations Tackling those things that bring negativity to our lives starts with oneself, plain and simple.  As mentioned earlier, it’s about one’s own sense of responsibility that is the key.  It calls for being alert and paying attention to all areas of one’s life and choosing those actions and resources that bring about more profitable results.   Taking Care Of #1 First things first.  Many of us get into negative situations due to our not taking care of the most important person in our lives, ourselves.  That’s right, taking care of you first is not being selfish, it’s being sane and logical.  You can want to help all the people in the world, but you won’t be doing anyone any good if you’re barely hanging on. You need to make sure that you’re being taken care of first if you want to help properly.  If you’re up against negative people and a negative location, it will wear and tear at you to the point that getting back into the game of life is next to impossible. This is why you need to make sure you’re aware of the dangers around you and the means by which you can get out of any unpleasant situation.  This can range from changing your diet, getting off drugs or alcohol, getting more exercise, and of course rest.  When one’s daily physical and mental health are taxed, it’s difficult to handle what life throws at one. When you’ve taken care of yourself first, you’ll be the right step to bringing in the happiness and positive good you deserve.   Take A Good Look And List You’ll need to locate and list these kinds of people.  Take notes on what they do around you.  If you buy a new car, what are their reactions?  Are they supportive of the make and model of the car and to your good fortune or do they offer wisecracks and the negative input to the conversation?  Do they decide your choice of car or the fact that you’ve gotten a new vehicle? What do your friends or family members say when you’ve met a significant other.  Are they hostile and critical of your choice with nothing to back it up?  Do they go behind your back to your new love interest and gossip about you? When you get that new promotion at work, which friends and family are quick to not only congratulate you but hold you up to others as a shining example of what a good person is. The closest the person is to you, the more dangerous things can get.  It can be your spouse or even parent or sibling or offspring that is the true viper in your midst.  Just being around these kinds of people will lead to negative energy enveloping you to some degree and the outcomes of life’s choices and actions. Deciding to put these kinds of people in check or to cut them off totally is the toughest of decisions.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to do so and taking years to accomplish.  The sooner you get away from these people the better.  They will only feed on your exploits and twist and turn them into disastrous results.   Move If things are that bad in the place you live, then just get up and move.  There is always some place that offers far more advantages as long as you don’t bring trouble with you.  Some towns, neighborhoods, communities are just cesspools of misery and trouble and the longer you stay in one, the more you’ll end up as a card carrying member of what you’ve always felt was repulsive. Yes, it takes money to move, you’ll lose your job, the dog will move in with the cat, and so on other counter productive considerations, but the bottom line is, no one has to live in a place they don’t like and there’s nothing to force you to do so.  Life is about making big decisions and changes regarding one’s happiness and sometimes it calls for making the decisions that are scary, but in the end, you’ll know at least you’ve been cognizant enough to have taken the bull by the horns and moved on to greener pastures.   Bottom Line Happiness in life is yours to take.  Don’t sit around wondering what will happen if you make a decision and act on it, in the end, you’ll always be where you need to be, with yourself to deal with. ...

The Proper Attitude For A Fitness Lifestyle

There is no winning if you don’t have a winning attitude.  With fitness training, attitude is most of the battle.  Your body will follow what your mind believes and that takes discipline and integrity on levels you may not be aware that you possess.     Be The Winner Visualization is a powerful tool.  Whatever you visualize yourself as looking like, your body will fall in line and adjust itself to follow.  Once you’ve gotten the idea of how you’ll look and perform, you’ll then find yourself following through and going for the gold in ever way. Fitness is a bad word for many people.  They would rather lay around and hope that some mysterious force will always grant them good health.  This is delusional.  You have to engage in some activity or two that will promote good respiration and cardiovascular function and immune system boosting.  Sitting around on one’s butt will only promote obesity and the myriad number of diseases that come along with it.  The only way to thwart this is to convince yourself, to believe, that you will win.  You will achieve your goals.  You will never give up.  Without this mindset you’re doomed from the start. Surround yourself with imagery of success that you’re shooting for.  Pictures of your favorite fitness or sports celebrities, friends who are fit, and quotes from people who’ve fought the good fight.  Their inspirational actions will be a boost to you to rely on.   Make Fitness Fun Some would say if it isn’t fun, why do it?  Well, that can be said in spades regarding fitness training.  You have got to make fitness training fun.   Never engage in it if you’re dreary or bored or under the weather.  When you approach fitness with joy, the experience will be one of joy and you’ll remember such fun and it will make any further exercise an enthusiastic one.  Your body will respond to this.  A cheerful attitude leads to less stress and your immune system will respond positively to it all. You’ll look forward to anything fitness and that means you’ll concentrate more on what you’re doing and your fitness results will be rewarding all the way around. There are lots of ways to make fitness fun.  Of course the first is to do the kind of exercises that you love.  This way you’ll know what your goals are and you’ll look forward to each and every workout.  Choose the right workout gear.  Sometimes the best sneakers aren’t the most expensive ones, but the ones with your favorite cartoon character will do as well.  With today’s technologies, one can even have one’s pic of the kids, spouse, pet, put on sports gear.  That really is a peppy way to spruce up a workout. Favorite music is a standard in today’s workouts.  Just your smartphone and a pair of headphones will do.  You can set your own play lists and watch the fun begin. Interactive workouts are lots of fun. The various Wii products and virtual reality headsets have totally revolutionized the way fitness routines are done.  Today you can wear a VR headset that is programmed to work with your treadmill to follow progress in a virtual environment.  It’s a lot of fun jogging along the corridors of the Star Wars’ Death Star’ or the colorful landscape of the 1930’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ movie.  As you climb hills the treadmill inclines to match.  Be careful though, this kind of fun can make one not pay attention to one’s limits and can be exhausting.  Do it with moderation.   Joke With Yourself There’s nothing like a jovial attitude to get a person up and moving.  Don’t be too critical of yourself or you’ll end up being your worst enemy.  You’ve got to be your own best friend during fitness training.  You must be the person who dishes out the positive criticism or the ticklish retorts.  When you find yourself running out of steam, don’t be harsh on yourself, crack a smile and remind yourself you’ve been through worse so this workout isn’t a challenge that you can’t overcome. You’ll need to be honest with yourself and know your limits as well as your strengths.  When you’ve run out of breath or feel those muscles wearing out, just take time to pat yourself on the back for getting this far, think of something funny, and then move on.   Enjoy The Changes In Diet It’s a mandatory ethic that you’ll have to change your diet to better maximize the benefits of fitness training .  This is where it hurts, but it need not be so miserable.  The reason for the changes in diet is because an active lifestyle can’t do anyone any good when the foods you’re consuming are detrimental to the repair and growth of your body’s systems. Thinking you can keep up a good pace while overloading on soda pop is insane.  You’ll need to eliminate as many sugars, salts, and other compounds and chemicals that interfere with performance and growth and recovery.  You’ll also have to change the way you’ve prepared foods.  Cut out the frying and embrace broiling and boiling. At first you might find the dietary changes so unpleasant that you might not want to continue.  Give it time.  Once your body realizes how beneficial the foods you’re eating are, it will alter your taste buds to enjoy the foods and beverages more.  After a while, you’ll no longer crave those cakes and sugary drinks and start to crave more nutritional choices. There are tons of great fitness diet recipes out there and classes and tutorials for free.  Experiment and take your time.  It’s part of the overall adventure and once you’ve formatted a diet that suits you all around, you’ll find that others might want to partake.  This is a good way of inspiring others to make healthy choices.   Choose The Right Friends With fitness, the same rules regarding life apply.  You’ll always do better if you’ve got supporting friends.  They’ll keep you on your toes and encourage you along the way.  Any criticisms they may offer are positive and enlightening. This way you’ll know whom are your friends and foes.  Good fitness friends respond positively to your diligence and good merit.  They’ll be honest when they see you slacking off.  They’ll recommend the proper techniques and products that they’ve found beneficial and this can be a major step forward.  First hand product endorsements from those you trust saves time, money, and effort. Get a fitness partner who is a good friend.  Together you’ll be supporting one another and giving each other challenges to overcome.  When one falls, the other helps to pickup the pieces.  This will bring about a sense of good cheer and camaraderie that will make your workouts go along smoother and more enjoyable.   Study & Listen To The Pros Nowadays, there are so many professionals in the fitness area who give away awesome tips for free.  There are online tutorials, ebooks, videos, and lots of social media outlets whereby good fitness practices are displayed. Pros know all the secrets and safety tips.  They’ve walked the walk and now can talk the talk.  One can befit dearly from their experiences and offer top of the line products and brand name equipment.  Joining one of their fan clubs or websites can led to discounts on products and services as well as possibly getting one-on-one advice.  This is the real definition of a professional. Being able and willing to share experience that will benefit one and all.  Sure, some pros charge for their services and opinions, but it’s because communicating with people on a worldwide basis can be expensive.  Don’t let this dissuade you.  Follow their advice and if you find it of value, then it’s okay to invest in their products and services as the return on investment is a better you all around.   Don’t Dismiss The Spirit One thing you’ll find among the top fitness gurus out there and that is they do a lot of spiritual training.  Good health involves body, mind, and spirit.  Top pros will espouse the benefits of their spiritual beliefs and many engage in prayers and other activities of a spiritual nature.  This is all up to you, but let no one try to invalidate your spiritual integrity.  It can be of great benefit.   Final Word Not only is a fitness lifestyle one of action, but it’s one of constant growth and enlightenment.  It’s how you think about yourself and fitness that is most important.  Even if your present state of fitness only allows for a walking regimen, it’s still fitness and it’s still a step forward in your overall betterment.  In the end it will be you against you and that makes the playing field even at the start and finish.   Don’t be scared or intimidated.  Keep a stiff upper lip and delve on in.  Keep a steady course and always think positively.  You’ll love the brand new you. ...

Exercise One Step At A Time

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. ...

The Real Deal On Building Mass

Every bodybuilder knows that in order to build up muscle mass, not bulk as both are different, there are rules you’ll have to follow.  It’s a combination of disciplines that must work in tandem with one another for maximum effects.  Here we’ll look at the various tactics that will build mass safely and sanely.   What Is Mass Muscle mass is nothing more than the repaired muscle after it undergoes trauma during exertion.  When someone lifts a heavy object or puts stress on the muscle, the muscle fiber tears and in order to prevent the same injury, the body overcompensates by allowing for more muscle tissue to be produced.  This is the basic principle of what build s muscle. The heavier the weights you use, the more tissue gets repaired and the bigger the muscle grows.  It can only do this if the body has the right amounts of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.  This is how the body repairs itself.  By sending repair materials to the injured area.  There are ways to maximize the amount of muscle grown and that’s as simple s the farming method.  You keep it watered and fertilized with nutrients.  The repair process will max out and a new cycle can begin.  In addition, good rest is also prescribed.   Protein Is The Start Protein is what the muscles need to grow.  Amino acids and other compounds and chemicals go to work so that the muscle can be fed properly. Sources of protein come from animal and vegetable.  All protein sources aren’t the same and will have different results in ratio to the diet.  Animal proteins are usually the favorite of bodybuilders.  Others go more vegan and it’s the bodybuilder themselves that will know how well it’s working for them.  If you are going to try either, make sure you consult with your doctor and a professional nutritionist.  There are many plants that produce protein but they may also contain allergens. Depending on which protein sources you choose, you’ll need to prepare them for maximum effect.  May go for the raw or very rare preparation of their protein.  It’s risky when it comes to meats but with plants there generally is a rule of thumb that says raw is best.  It may not be as tasty but it’s the way nature intended.  You’ll be putting your taste buds to the test but after a while, they will adapt.   Carbohydrates Muscle can’t grow without the nutrients and energy of carbohydrates.  One will have to eat a considerable amount of carbs during the day to keep that muscle mass growing and stable.  Normally one would eat twice the number of grams per pound of body weight and that comes in tandem with a gram per ounce of body weight with proteins.  Without the energy from carbs, the person can’t work out to their optimum levels.  One needs the energy to not only live the weights but to do so repeatedly and the duration of the workout itself.  It’s the fuel that they body uses and one has to be cautious regarding the source. Complex carbs are found primarily in unprocessed foods.  Raw diets afford this and that’s why people switch to a rawer vegetable diet.  With unprocessed veggies, one won’t lack for a bulk meal.  The key is to eat your daily metabolic calorie requirements.  Lifting weights will call for more than normal carbs but nowhere near what Olympic swimmers or cross country skiers do. Experiment and see what works best for you.  Stay away from sugary drinks like sodas.  Processed sugar is the enemy of muscle growth.   Supplements the multi-billion dollar bodybuilding supplement industry has had its share of ups and downs.  Every few years or so, someone comes up with a  new product that is supposed to revolutionize the way mass is put on.  Usually, these supplements are promoted by top celebrities without their knowledge that they might be harmful.  It isn’t against the law to put out a product that claims to build muscle mass quick, but it is against the law to add ingredients that one knows is harmful like anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids will build muscle mass fast, but they will put you in a grave faster.  It is extremely unwise to use such substances without the express permission of a responsible physician. That’s why if you are going this route, it’s best to try legal steroids instead.Often a new product will emerge and get consumed by the public before the harmful ingredients are discovered.  This is why you should only trust FDA approved substances and products.  Look to see if the product went through the stringent methods the FDA applies. This doesn’t go for natural foods.  Only if those foods have been modified to a state that might be harmful under certain conditions.   Techniques The everyday rule in how to exercise to build muscle mass is that one needs to use heavy weights with low repetitions.  It is a good formula and has been tested tried and true for decades.  It takes care and lots of courage and determination.  Using weights that are heavy puts your body and mind and spirit to the test.  Great focus and enthusiasm mean one will do the exercise to completion allowing the muscles to get the safest but most challenging workout.  There is no fooling around when you go for heavy weights and low reps.  Be responsible and you’ll see results fast. Don’t just dive into the bodybuilding thing doing heavy weights right off the bat.  Take it easy with using modest weights and doing each rep in proper form.  This will train you to be efficient in your ranges of motion so that the muscles can be taxed yet not damaged.  Once you’ve gotten the knack for lifting modest weights you can ramp up to the heavier weights.  It’s more likely you won’t injure yourself and the territory will be more familiar.   Guiding The New Muscle After you’ve gotten used to a heavy weights regimen, you’ll need to learn how to sculpt the muscle for better performance an appearance.  Since you’ll be using your large muscle groups for the heavy weights, it means you’ll need to build up the smaller underlying muscle especially attached to connective tissue like ligaments and tendons.  Strengthening these first will allow for better strength and stability to lift the weights and build the muscle mass in the big areas like the pectorals and quadriceps and lattisimus dorsi. Look at your self before, during, and after your sessions and see which muscle groups need more work and definition.  Definition comes later with lower weights, higher reps routine.  Often bodybuilders will build a  large mass of muscle and then get ‘cut’ by doing lower weights and higher reps.  This is perfectly normal but you need to know ‘when’ to adopt it in your routine.  This can be crucial because the body will eat up muscle with a high rep and low weight regimen and you don’t want all your previous work to go to waste. It’s best to start out with low weights and build up to the heavier weights and then back down to the lower weights, keeping full proper form and keeping the challenge going. Cooling down after a workout is of vital importance.  It allows the body to recover as well as the mind so that repair and growth can be achieved without excess damage occurring.  If you injure yourself you’ll have to drop your routine and that means losing muscle in the interim.   Get That Rest More than anything, building muscle mass means getting good sleep.  You need the mind and body in good repair mode or you’ll not get gains and you’ll only get injured.  The mind needs the rest to analyze and diagnose the body in order to see that repair is done efficiently.  The body needs the rest in order for the systems to do their jobs efficiently.  When one goes out of balance, it will lead to less than optimum results.   Final Word Yes, it’s great to be able to build up muscle mass in a relatively short period of time.  It adds strength to body and character as well makes one quite presentable. You’ll feel good about yourself and have the kind of self-confidence that anyone can envy. ...

Take It Easy On Yourself

Life can wear one out if one doesn’t pay attention.  Often we can get involved in so many activities that we don’t take time out to get the proper amount of rest and downtime a human being needs to just live properly.   Problems Not all people have sedentary lifestyles.  Nowadays people can be found working two or three jobs as well as handling things at home.  If one has children and pets, things can get even more chaotic.  This much activity can not only take its toll on the body, but it can take a toll on the mind as well and if the mind goes the body will follow. The human body and mind are extremely tough but they’re not without their limits.  Some people are more able to handle excessive activity than others but in the end, too much will become detrimental.  It calls for developing a  lifestyle where rest and relaxation are an integral part of one’s day. At times one can be so busy that it’s next to impossible to get a good night’s sleep or day’s rest.  This is considered dangerous as the results could lead to debilitating injuries or even death. In other cases, it’s just a matter of not budgeting one’s time well.  This is a behavior modification that had better be adopted if one is going to avoid far more problems.  When the body and mind don’t rest well, both cannot coordinate and will not resolve issues of everyday maintenance.  Diseases and other complications can emerge and then a whole new world of trouble starts. Insomnia can occur and its source will have to be determined by your doctor after some extensive tests.  Do not underestimate what your doctor can do.  It could be something as simple as a dietary change or need for more vitamins and minerals.  Only let a doctor analyze and prescribe solutions here.  Don’t take mysterious drugs and substances that you can’t investigate.   Change Of Routines A change of daily routines can bring on exhaustion or prevent it or even remedy it.  After a doctor’s examination and diagnosis, you’ll get the right regimen for you to adopt.  It may require dropping some activities or picking up others.  One might have to follow a strict nutritional regimen or even drop bowling night for a regimen of jogging or swimming.  If you have to cut out some activities altogether then so be it.  It’s not worth overdoing things to the point that you’re no good to anyone including yourself.   Decrease Volume If you’ve been wearing yourself thin, it might call for less intensity in the projects you’re undertaking.  Are you doing twice as much laundry than normal?  How about cleaning the house or tending to the lawn?  If you’re spending far too much extra time, you’ll need to cut that time regardless the outcome.  If you fall ill from exhaustion that’s going to be days if not weeks of recovery and such projects would fall apart.  It’s important to do things in moderation, not just pile on one chore after another.   Get Some Help If you’re taking too much time fixing this and tending to that, you might just need some extra help.  Hiring someone for a job is easy nowadays.  You’ll want to get the most professional help you can but at a good price.  Just look around for somehow how could possibly do more chores in and around the house.  At the office, you might want to delegate more responsibilities to your juniors but you don’t want to overwhelm them or you’ll be putting them into the same sticky wicket that you’re under. If you’re in an exercise regimen along with your daily duties, you’ll have to measure out which is more important to ramp down on.  It can be tough but it is never impossible.  If you convince yourself that your life is not in your control you’ll be shirking responsibility to the point that nothing will go right.  Take command and go for the necessary scheduling and regulating of your daily duties to your best satisfaction.   Other People’s Problems Some of us are handy at solving other people’s problems.  We’ll pitch in even if it means exerting far too much energy on our part.  There’s a point where one has to just cut off other people who seem to always call on you for help.  This is a tough one to conquer because a battle of conscience and ethics and good sense come into play.  If one doesn’t watch out, one will find oneself constantly in a  quagmire of external duties that do note for self but wear our one’s abilities and resources.  Exhaustion can follow in a  very dangerous manner.   Not Paying Attention Sometimes the problem can be one of just not paying attention to the amount of energy you’ve been using.  If you do live a lifestyle that is hectic and trouble filled, then you’ll end up wearing yourself thin before you know it.  Keeping a good schedule that is safe and sane is the answer here.  Don’t just try to tackle every problem at home or at work.  When you start solving every problem, other people less responsible than yourself will take advantage of this, not necessarily in a hostile way, but they’ll just become used to you towing the line.  This is not safe at all and unfair to your self and others. Let others do their jobs and chores.  If the husband or wife are supposed to be mowing the lawn but get negligent, and you pick up the slack you’ll not be doing either of you good services.  Delegate responsibility for all issues that call for handling and stick to it.   Piling On Too Much Without thinking, many of us will pile on one task after another.  Just because we see it as something that has to be done.  We know others are supposed to carry their own weight but our own impatience and disappointment at the way others do a job can get us tied up with so many duties that we can’t get a moment’s rest.  This is a horrible trap.  Living this way the specter of exhaustion and other disorders will sneak up on a person and it might be cause for harm.  Again, it’s a matter of delegating responsibility and letting others do their jobs or chores.  If you have a superior at the job, then notify them that you’re piling on too much.  If they’re the administrator that is worth their salt, they’ll realize they themselves need to take hold of the reigns and steer everyone to their proper duties.   Play Well, Not Haphazardly When it comes to recreation time a number of problems can arise if one isn’t aware.  That special fun time might call for some very active events.  Tennis, swimming, jogging, all are fine for getting the cardiovascular system up and running and burning off excess pounds, but they can also wear a body down if one doesn’t get enough rest.  If you’ve been working a sixty hour week coupled with extensive at home time, you might make the mistake of going out to play not realizing you’ve been pushing yourself to the limit.  The workaholic is a key example of this.  All work and no play and too much work and too much play can land one in a state of disrepair that might call for medical attention. Don’t neglect your fun time, but realize there is just so much you can do if you have a busy home and work schedule.  This is where you’ll have to sacrifice one thing and then another.  Balance things out so you don’t compromise the quality of what you do but still get things done to your satisfaction.   Downtime Fun Here is where one has to seriously plan and stick to a regimen of actually just having fun on a smooth and relaxing level.  Since no two people are alike, it means that you will have to figure out what really puts you in a relaxing mood.  That doesn’t mean sitting around playing violent video games where the blood pressure shoots through the roof, it means engaging in activities that are one step above falling to sleep. Usually, music is the way for many to chill out.  Classical music, jazz, easy listening genres are bubbling over with the product.  The key is to listen to music while you’re just sitting around or lounging in your favorite hammock. Preparing meals can be a great way to cool down.  Plan meals that call for easy preparation but are rewarding to prepare and partake of.  Have friends and family over and engage in jovial conversation and stay away from arguments and tension raising issues.   Final Word A smooth evening or morning constitutional can do wonders.  You’re not only enjoying some quality low impact exercise, but you’re also getting in tune with your environment.  Take the dog along or listen to your favorite tunes along the way.  Whistle or sing along and take the time to explore your surroundings.  Don’t go overboard and tickle a beehive which would make matters worse, just take a pic now and then and keep your distance from trouble. ...

Knocking Out Stress For Better Fitness Results

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times already that stress is the ‘silent killer’.  That statement is true to a great degree.  The reason being is that stress doesn’t always manifest itself in ways that most people would recognize as stress.  If you’re involved in some fitness or health improvement actions, you’ll find that stress will diminish with changes in diet and an active lifestyle.     Stress, The Real Deal Getting confusion off of what stress is, is the first step.  There are several types of stress  and each can be debilitating or even deadly. There’s the stress the body undergoes when it’s been in a series of situations of trauma or malnutrition or disease.  Often people will either work so hard or play so hard they don’t realize the damage they’ve done to themselves.  When the aches and pains show up and the hospital visits occur, they suddenly realize they’ve not been paying attention to themselves.  Being too busy is how this occurs and not having the where-with-all to keep tabs on oneself can lead to serious conditions. There is also the stress put on the mind.  When social pressure or life’s general challenges occur, one might not know how to solve them easily.  Sometimes we don’t have the courage to face the problems at hand and running away won’t help. When the mind is under stress, it can create serious and perhaps deadly consequences.  Your mind brings about disruptions in the way the body monitors or repairs itself.  One’s metabolism can be set off center as well as one’s immune system when stress on the mind occurs.  Fear, confusion, conflict, all can contribute to mental stress.  So can diseases and toxins, not enough sleep, and a bad diet.  Once the mind goes, the body will follow.   Diseases Not all diseases will manifest in ways that we can detect.  It often takes deep medical analysis to get to the bottom of an illness.  When the body is battling a disease, it can receive stress on several levels.  The minute one feels one is facing an illness, a doctor should be consulted. Don’t listen to homemade remedies or old housewives tales.  Get to a doctor and get checked out.  The body knows when is in trouble but it may take a while for the mind to catch up, meanwhile, the body gets worse and put more stress on its systems.   Emotional Stress Is murder Emotional stress can be a murderous one.  We often hide or suppress our true feelings and that leads to those emotions sitting in the background simmering and slowly dissolving you from the inside out. Those little bits of emotional distress that you might not find important, may soon congeal into a mass of worries and frets that bring about stress that can disrupt every system in the body as well as bring about mental disorders thus turning into a constant downward spiral that only serious therapy can remedy. If things get so bad that treatments are mandated, then you’re in for trouble.  Doctors have to do a series of tests regarding stress.  This can take lots of time so the patient needs patience.  The doctors will try several remedies to see which ones work the best. They do the detective work and you’ll need to be willing to follow the doctor’s orders.  Once the possible source or sources of stress are detected then a smart and safe series of treatments can be administered.  Don’t try solving things on your own.  Stress calls for precise and professional medical help.  Going it on your own might exacerbate problems.   Remedies & Prevention Often, stress can be avoided by engaging in simple needed rest, diet changes, and exercise.  Education about stress works too.  We’ll look at the preventative measures and remedies that help with stress. First and foremost, see your doctors often.  Don’t miss appointments or scoff at lab work.  This is how doctors determine whether you’re undergoing one or more stress events.  Doctors will tell by doing their detective work whether you’re a candidate for excessive stress and if you’re in need of stress related treatments.  This can take a while as some lab work takes time, but the bottom line is that seeing your doctor comes first.   Follow Doctor’s Orders The doctor will know what types of stress you’re facing and how to prevent more incidents or how to treat the ones you’re suffering from.  They may prescribe drastic changes I lifestyle, diet, or even social associations.  This will require several specialists to diagnose so expect to visit quite a few doctors and getting a number of analysis.   Diet If the doctors determine you’re suffering stress due to your diet, they’ll suggest you see some kind of nutritionist specialist.  The nutritionist will look at the collective medical data and determine which systems are being compromised by diet. Often people will discover they suffer an allergy to foods or substances consumed that they never knew before.  Not all allergies can manifest in ways we can detect without professional analysis.  Even medications, pollution, toxins in the environment that affect the foods we eat can cause undue stress on the body’s systems. A new diet may remedy it, even if it involves foods that you can’t stand like vegetables.  You might need to add more whole foods and cut back on certain meats.  Confection foods like cakes and pies might have to be cut out or switch to organic versions.  Whatever the dietary changes are that are going to be prescribed, it is wise if you follow them.   Sleep Far too many people are suffering from insomnia nowadays.  Either that or they’re just not taking the time to get a good night’s sleep.  Sleeping is where our body and minds do their best repair.  While sleeping the body can examine and diagnose what’s wrong with the body and the innate systems can kick in and do the proper repair.  Sometimes insomnia can be brought on by a lack of exercise or dietary problems.  If a person is under mental stress due to life’s challenges, then those challenges must be faced and resolved.  If not, the mind can’t rest and neither can the body, and that’s when just about everything starts falling apart. Take the time to get in that night’s sleep and a daily nap wouldn’t hurt.   Listen to soothing music and have that glass of warm milk or anything that is safe that smooths things out for better relaxation.  Try to stay away from drugs as one can become dependent on them and prolonged use may be detrimental.  If the doctor prescribes a fitness regimen then follow it and see how that works.  Overall, you can go without food for weeks, but you can’t without sleep.   Exercise The double benefit of exercise and stress is that it is preventative and remedial.  Not exercising doesn’t allow the body to operate correctly.  It can cause the body not to be on top of its game and thus diseases and afflictions can take root.  This is how compounded stress occurs.  It will take time for doctors to diagnose everything and they’ll need to be extra cautious to make sure exercise doesn’t exacerbate the problem. Once doctors diagnose that exercise can remedy or treat your stress, the challenge will be put forth to find an exercise regimen that works.  In some or most cases, simple walking or light jogging will do the trick.  Bicycling or hiking or any sport that keeps your body active and systems repairing themselves will suffice. Doctors will have to monitor your progress so you’ll need to keep precise statistics of your workouts.  This can be easily done with today’s apps and exercise equipment.  Your vital data can be recorded and stored and transmitted to your doctor’s office where they’ll be able to see at a glance where you stand.   Blood work may be required as well, so be prepared. After a while, doctors will have analyzed your physiological changes and note where exercise has been beneficial to alleviating your stress problems.  Not only that, but doctors will be able to determine if your exercise regimen has prevented certain stressful parameters from taking root.   Final Word Yes, stress is a dangerous menace.  Often it’s due to our own ignorance and fear and negligence that brings stress on.  One will have to face the fire when the doctors hand out the final prognosis and you’ll have to stick to their guidelines or you’ll be right back at square one. We don’t always know we’re under stress or how devastating stress can be on us.  This is why knowing the warning signs are so important.  By the time the warning signs become apparent, stress has already begun its damage.  This is why regularly scheduled medical exams are mandatory.  Do not give stress a chance.  Sure ewe all do stressful things on a daily basis, but when we’re not aware of those stress inducing things that go under the radar, stress can sneak up on you and put you in the hospital, long term treatments, or even death. Don’t compromise regarding stress.  Be observant of yourself and don’t think you know it all.  If you use alcohol or illegal drugs to de-stress, you’re going to only create a problem that will inevitably bring about a greater series of problems.  Yes, some pharmaceuticals can be as detrimental as alcohol and dope, and we need to be cautious in this area.  If you doctor prescribes drugs, you had better ask them all the pertinent questions and a list of known side effects. So now you’re armed with the basics regarding stress.  Hopefully it has helped you de-stress already. ...

Starting Off With Bodybuilding

When one talks about bodybuilding the images of super muscular men and women who look like comic book superheroes comes to mind.  Considering what it takes regarding mind, body, and spirit to be a bodybuilder, that association isn’t that far off. People bodybuild for two primary reasons.  One is to get strength and the other to develop a physique that others will admire.  This is where confusion starts because people don’t take the time to study up on what it takes to be a bodybuilder.  They’ll often join a gym and go at the weights with no sense of training properly.  This leads to disappointment and sometimes injury. Bodybuilding is a sport and lifestyle that calls for above average determination, courage, focus, stamina, and patience.  It’s a combination of several arts and sciences so one need not be surprised if a conversation with a top bodybuilder is on a high academic level. It’s due to the fact that to bodybuild, you need to know nutrition.  That is the second key to success.  The lists are Form, diet, and rest.  There are proper ways to lift weights and improper.  The improper ways won’t lead to much success and might end up in odd looking physiques or even damage. This is why study and training under someone who knows the sport and art.  Nature will have her say in how you progress and as to what you can take and can’t.  There are several strategies in regard to bodybuilding and one might find that each top bodybuilder has his or her own approaches.  This is why lots of trial and error come into play. Study first.  Read what professional medicine says about bodybuilding.  The doctors will have studies and other vital data that they can guide you with.  Many pro bodybuilders have websites and blogs and have authored books.  Videos that show how to bodybuild can be found everywhere.  Visit the message boards to see what the public has to say and then get ready to analyze what you’ve got to get you where you want to be.     Setting Goals Setting goals, realistic goals from the start is where you’ll be getting off on a good foot.  Read the personal statistics to your favorite bodybuilders and see who matches your physiology.  If there’s someone from your race or culture, it’s a good bet your body will respond like theirs to some degree.  Diet is a big part of the game at this point.  Take a step back and really evaluate where you stand physically. Are you overweight or underweight?  Do you have big or small bones?  Your height can be an advantage or disadvantage.  How is your appetite?  Do you have dietary restrictions or would be willing to impose some on yourself?  Once you’ve considered all that  then it’s time to look at what bodybuilders need to do.   Learn The Exercises There are several exercises for bodybuilding.  Whether one uses free weights or a machine, the movements are generally the same name.  Yes, there is specialization and other modifications, but once you get the fundamental exercises and forms, you’ll be good to go. When performing any weight lifting, you’ll need to know ‘how’ to do the exercise and the form it takes.  Form is everything as it uses the maximum range of motion thus bringing about the optimum results.  Don’t try to do things that you’re not sure of.  Every now and then a professional bodybuilder will tout a new way of doing some exercise.  Don’t just jump into it.  Look before you leap.  Professional bodybuilders have exceptional metabolisms and repair systems.  If they mess up the injury won’t be as severe as that of a novice.  In other words, don’t just follow the trends, but instead wait for medical analysis. Once you’ve gotten a good idea of how to perform the exercises, it will be a new time of trial and error.  You might find that curling first during your regimen works better than curling at the end.  You can find out if doing chest and back exercises are best done on the same day or not. This is going to take time, sometimes years, but what is best for you is what the issue is all about.  Each person is different so depending on your diet, physiology, rest cycles, the results you get only you will be responsible for.  This is why you learn the fundamentals and then build up from there.   The Right Mindset Many bodybuilders will tell you that the most important thing is your mindset.  If you have a mindset where you’re afraid or doubtful, it will affect your workout and results .  This is of such importance that without taking on a winning mindset, you’re doomed to failure. Don’t look at the top bodybuilders and wonder if you’ll get there.  Look at them as mirror images of you and your body will respond to it.  The wonder of bodybuilding is that it tasks you on every level.  As you progress from even the most simple of exercises, your confidence in yourself will grow along and that is a solid foundation to stand on. You’ll probably get your share of naysayers who will try to belittle you and thwart your attempts.  Consider these people as solid validation that you’re in control and your destiny is your own.  They’re only attacking you because of fear and jealousy.  When they shoot you that critical jab, just either ignore them or just smile and say “Thanks, I really appreciate your positive input!”.  Suddenly they’ll ball up and run away thinking they’ve made a mistake. You can’t let others undermine your bodybuilding goals.  Always be cautious when doing anything that is improving you or others because there are twisted people who hate to see anyone do better, they’ll even act like your best friend until they can get the opportunity to stab you in the back.   Don’t Ignore Professional Advice Another major problem with people doing bodybuilding training is that they’ll ignore professional advice.  Too many know-it-alls  out there that won’t listen to anyone else’s viewpoints.  Professional knowledge is worth its weight in gold.  This is any data that others can benefit from.  It contains information on how to workout, how to eat, how to de-stress, and many other things. Professional advice you’ll find the top pros mirroring one another in viewpoint.  Sure they’ll debate on one subject or another, but look for the common denominators as this is information that has been hard won and earned.  Trust your own judgment in the end, but never stick up your nose at sound, professional advice.   Prepare For Thresholds Bodybuilding is unlike any other sport.  The amount of stamina, concentration, strength, and determination are top of the line regarding human abilities.  There’s a lot of pain to deal with but that pain can be managed which is one of the benefits of pumping iron. You not only learn to read your pain, but you become more immune to pain in life.  You’ll associate pain with a step to success, but you have to understand that pain is the body’s communication system that detects injury or possible injury.  Use it as a tool and soon you’ll be walking through pain like you walk through a light fog.   Persistence Is Everything Never give up.  The first week of bodybuilding is the most important one.  The exhaustion, the pain, the shifts in coordination and hormone levels can make one feel like they’re in another world.  This is the time to not give up no matter what.  Persistence is the key here and without it you’ll be going nowhere. That ‘keep on, keeping on’ mentality is the only thing that will get you to your goals. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”, is an old saying and it goes for double here.   Don’t Overdo It Don’t go overboard when it comes to your workouts.  With patience and fortitude you’ll get to your goals. Each of us builds muscle at different rates and don’t listen to gymnasium boasts and gossip.  If the information doesn’t come from a trained professional, it’s all hot air.  In time you’ll learn your best pace and how your body best responds to various routines and exercises. Diet is important too as you’ll find some foods and their combinations will best serve you.  Once you’ve gotten the routines and regimen that best works for you, you’ll be productive and satisfied all around.   Final Word Bodybuilding is both an art and science.  You’re not only building strength but you’re also sculpting your body.  You’ll adjust your regimen to accent those muscle groups with precise exercises and techniques.  In the end it will be you against you and gravity.  Use the gravity to your advantage and with each rep congratulate yourself for completing it, then congratulate yourself for finishing the set, and then congratulate yourself for completing each exercise period.  Little by little you’ll see yourself improving in every way.  That’s the biggest reward you can achieve, being happy with yourself. ...