Did you know research has shown that strengthening exercises are both safe and effective for women and men of all ages, including those who are not in perfect health?  In fact, people with health concerns—including heart disease or arthritis—often benefit the most from an exercise program that includes lifting weights a few times each week.

According to scientific research, exercise can slow the physiological aging clock.  While aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, or swimming, has many excellent health benefits—it maintains the heart and lungs and increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance—it does not make your muscles strong.  However, strength training does.  Studies have shown that lifting weights two or three times a week increases strength by building muscle mass and bone density.

One 12-month study conducted on postmenopausal women at Tufts University demonstrated 1% gains in hip and spine bone density, 75% increases in strength and 13% increases in dynamic balance with just two days per week of progressive strength training.  The control group had losses in bone, strength, and balance.  Strength training programs can also have a profound effect on reducing risk for falls, which translates to fewer fractures.

Benefits of Strength Training

There are numerous benefits to strength training regularly, particularly as you grow older.  It can be very powerful in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them:

• arthritis
• diabetes
• osteoporosis
• obesity
• back pain
• depression

So what are you waiting for?  Consult your primary care physician, get cleared to exercise regularly and go for it!

Remember: if you have not been working out routinely, start off slow and gradually increase the intensity of your exercises over a period of time.

Be safe and have fun!

Best regards,

Carolyn

FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Effective cardiovascular and strength training are crucial factors in many fitness related goals including athletic goals, weigh/fat loss and overall good health.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, overall fitness requires you to combine cardio and strengthening exercises with a well-balanced diet.  (To see why, click here.)

But even a well thought out fitness plan requires periodic adjustments.

How many times have you heard people say (or maybe you’ve even said it yourself) that they were reaching their fitness goals but all of a sudden it was as though they had hit a wall.  They couldn’t lose any more weight.  The inches were no longer melting away.  They couldn’t understand why.  They started to get frustrated.

So what did they do?

Some may have fallen off the healthy food diet because some people overeat or eat junk food out of frustration.

Some may have designed a new fitness plan…not bad.

Some may go out and buy new DVD workout programs…good but a bit expensive to buy new DVDs every time you hit a plateau.

Worst of all, some may have quit their diet and exercise plan altogether.

As you can see this problem can be approached in many different ways.

However, most of the time all that’s required is a simple adjustment or “tweak” to your current plan.

Our bodies tend to adapt to the same routine day in and day out.  That’s why it’s important to have a large variety of healthy foods on our diet plan…so we won’t good bored and our bodies don’t adjust to a set caloric intake.

As with your diet plan, you also need to periodically adjust your workout routine.  If you already have a good workout plan, considering making the following changes.

• Duration: Length of time spent for each individual cardio/strengthening session – increase the number of repetitions or sets in each session.
• Intensity: Level of difficulty achieved during each cardio/strengthening session – take it to the next level.  For example if it’s easy lifting 10-pound weights, switch to 15-pound weights.
• Variance: Varying the type of cardio/strength exercises performed each session – include a variety of exercises performed on different days.

If you don’t already have a good workout program and you’re ready AND capable of doing a high-impact program, you may want to consider purchasing either p90x or Shaun T’s Insanity program.  Both programs are designed to enable you to blast right through that wall, in other words avoid that plateau and reach your desired targets.  (For an overview of each program click here.)

Remember, you hold the key to your weight/fat loss – healthier you success.  Don’t get frustrated.  Keep your eyes on your target and keep moving forward.

Until next time,

Carolyn

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato

FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Hello Everyone.

I just sent some tips to those of you who have subscribed to my email list that I decided to share with others this one time as well.

You know, we all experience interruptions in our exercise and workout schedule every now and then.  Holidays, weddings, vacations, injury and illness can all force us to put aside our exercise program for a while.

So how can you keep exercise a priority when your schedule changes?  What’s considered too little exercise to maintain your fitness?  How long can you stay on a modified exercise plan without feeling those jeans getting tight around the midsection or hips?

Since everyone is different, there really isn’t one right answer.  However, most experts agree that it all depends on your goals and your current level of fitness.  If your main goal is to maintain your fitness level during a few weeks of reduced training, then some moderate exercise for 30 minutes every other day will suffice.  If your current level of fitness is high and you want to keep it that way, you will need to adjust your exercise time, type and intensity accordingly.

Try to maintain an exercise routine during a “break”, even if it’s a modified one because experts believe that you start “deconditioning” in about two weeks if you stop exercising altogether.  Once you lose your fitness, it takes nearly three times as long to recondition your body again.

I’m sure you all want to maintain or continue moving forward with your weight – fat loss targets even during planned or unplanned breaks, right?  So continue to exercise to slenderize.

Below are A Few Exercises You May Want to Try During Your Beak

• Walking (If the weather is nice)
• Jumping Jacks
• Pushups (Not a favorite, but they do help build arm strength.  And remember, you can do them on your knees or against the wall.)
• Leg Lifts
• Crunches
• Jogging In Place (This is a great exercise for your heart.  You can jog in place at home while watching TV or listening to music.  Make sure you have a good pair of shoes to eliminate any stress to your legs.)
• Squats (These are good exercises for your legs and buttocks.  Squats are hard on my knees so I do them by sitting and standing up again from a regular chair.)
• Light Weight Lifting (You can use milk or laundry detergent containers or water bottles…whatever you can find in the place you’re staying.)
• Dancing (A favorite of the group.)
• Step Exercises (Use the steps in your home or wherever you’re taking your break, if there are any.  Several repetitions will help tone your leg muscles.  (Please be careful!)

Keep in mind…

…you don’t need expensive equipment in order to give your body an effective workout.  Use what you have in your home, hotel room, resort or wherever you’re taking your “break”.

For a guide to help you, click the below link to grab your copy of Workout Without Weights, which is loaded with exercises that will keep you fit every day, not just during holidays, vacations and etc.  The book comes with four (4) bonuses and a money back guarantee.  Total value for the package is $96.95, but you only pay $19.95 for the entire package.

So…

…click the link below to start your Workout Without Weights program TODAY!

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Workout Without Weights

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Remember:  the key to your success is NOT giving up.  Keep working out.

Take Care and Be Safe!

V/r,

Carolyn

Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it. ~Author Unknown

FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Hello Everyone,

The holidays are approaching and I know a lot of you want to burn a few excess pounds so that you will be able to enjoy the turkey, stuffing, pies and so on.  And, some of you may still be looking for that max workout program that will give you the ultimate weight loss and fat burning plan.

Well look no further.

Checkout the short video below!

I hope you enjoyed the video. Shaun T is a very dynamic instructor who will keep you moving, motivated and entertained.  With his program you perform long bursts of maximum-intensity exercises with short periods of rest.  You will alternate between aerobic and anaerobic intervals performed at your MAX.

ARE YOU READY?  If so, click on the link below and start your get-fit-in-60-days program now!

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Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout and Fitness DVD Program

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Happy Holidays!

Be Safe.  Be Healthy.  Be Beautiful!

Carolyn

About the Author:  C. Small is an Air Force veteran, mother, Christian and entrepreneur.  She is passionate about helping others in personal development, achieving healthy lifestyles and financial freedom.

(NOTE:  If for medical reasons you need a low impact workout program, this plan is not for you.  And as always consult your physician prior to starting any exercise program, especially one that’s high impact.)

FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Hello Everyone.

I mentioned this in a previous article but I believe it bears repeating: The numbers on your scale do not indicate whether you are fit or fat. They only tell you how much you weigh. Far more significant than your total body weight is the composition of your body tissue. (Click here for healthy body fat percents.)

A small amount of fat is needed for padding the internal organs and as insulation under the skin. However, excess fat leads to such diseases as diabetes, gout, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and gallbladder problems.

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Being fit decreases your chance of contracting diseases

while carrying excess body fat increases those chances!

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Many of you who are serious about your health work really, really hard to get those numbers down to what you believe are acceptable figures. But, you’re still fat…still in danger of having all sorts or medical issues. Don’t get me wrong, losing weight is good, but you must take your fitness program to the next level.

Winning the Battle against Fat

When you think of fighting fat with exercise, you probably think of hours of hard, sweaty exertion. If this is the case, then, you may not get any farther than just “thinking” about losing fat.

Why? Experts contend that when people exert more effort than what they “think” they’re capable of doing there’s a tendency to lose interest, become weary and dissatisfied. Hence, they give up, stop doing their routine exercises, and end up sulking in the corner with a bag of chips for comfort.

It’s at this point that a strong support group is worth its weight in gold. They will remind you of your goals and your purpose for starting the exercise program. They will help motivate you and get you moving again.

But what if your motivation level starts to decline because you’re bored with your workout program?

How do you combat boredom? Cross Training!

After some intensive studies and experimentations, health experts were able to come up with the concept of incorporating cross training in an exercise program to overcome or break the monotony or dullness of the routine.

Cross training refers to the integration of diverse movements or activities into a person’s conventional exercise routine. The main purpose of incorporating cross training into an exercise program is to avoid muscle damage, eliminate boredom and get improved results.

Cross training – 3 basic components:

• Endurance exercises to condition the heart, lungs and blood vessels.
• Exercises to strengthen the muscles. Because you’re doing a variety of exercises, cross training conditions the entire body, not just specific muscle groups. AND, since you’re not doing the same set of exercises every day, you’re not over stressing any particular muscle group.
• Exercises to improve flexibility, speed, agility and balance.

Cross training is indeed a great way to modify the concept of exercising and losing fat without having to endure monotonous activities.

You can develop your own cross training program, have someone else, such as a personal trainer or, a fitness expert at your local gym do it for you, or you can purchase one of the many fitness programs on the market today. Two of the leading programs on the market are Shaun T’s Insanity and P90X. For more info on each program please check out Max Workout for the Ultimate Weight Loss – Fat Burn and How Does P90X Work? (Note: both of these programs are high-impact.)

In short, getting fit and losing fat does not have to be boring. It can be fun if you choose the right program to follow. Remember: everyone is not the same. You must choose the program that is right for you. If you don’t, you won’t stick with it. You will continue doing the same things that you have always done, getting the same results that you’ve always have.

Best Wishes for much Success!

Carolyn

I keep trying to lose weight… but it keeps finding me!  ~Author Unknown

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FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact <a href=”mailto:cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com”>cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com</a>. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Have you ever loss weight, say 5, 10, 15 pounds or more and still not look good in that new outfit you bought?  I know I have.  What I’ve learned is that there is a difference between weight loss and fat loss.  Some people think like I once did that if they lose weight they will also lose the fat that they want.  That’s not necessarily the case.  Depending on your particular situation, you may need to lose weight, or fat, or both to reach your fitness goals.  By now you may be asking yourself, “What’s the difference” and “Which one do I need to lose?”  Well, I’m here to help.  Read on.

Measuring weight loss is essential in determining if the weight you’re losing is really coming from fat.  High levels of body fat are closely tied to many of the diseases affecting people today. And, size is not always the best measure. It’s possible to drop weight without affecting fat stores very much.  The result is sagging skin, no muscle tone, and a level of body fat that leads to a number of health risks.  What the body looks like on the outside can be very misleading when looking at muscle to fat ratios.  And keep in mind that when you step on your bathroom scale every morning, what you will be reading is weight loss not fat loss.

Let’s begin by defining weight loss & fat loss so you know what I mean.

• Weight Loss. You want to lower your body-weight, the sum weight of your bones, muscles, organs, body fat, etc.

• Fat Loss. You want to lower your body fat, the amount of fat your body carries.  For healthy goals see table below.

Problems with Weight Loss. If you want to lose weight, it’s most likely because you carry too much fat.  There are people who must lose weight, like athletes before a competition, but most want really want to lose fat.  So stop weighing yourself.

• Unreliable. Your body-weight can fluctuate daily since it’s influenced by your stomach/bowel/bladder content, water loss/retention, muscle loss/gain, fat loss/gain, ….

• Irrelevant. 2 people with similar height can weigh the same, but look completely different because one has lower body fat than the the other.

So just what is considered a healthy percent body fat?  The table below reflects the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health:

Percent (%) Body Fat

Females	20 - 40	AGE 41 - 60	61 - 79
Under Fat	Under 21%	Under 23%	Under 24%
Healthy Range	21 - 33%	23 - 35%	24 - 36%
Overweight	33 - 39%	35 - 40%	36 - 42%
Obese	Over 39%	Over 40%	Over 42%

Males	20 - 40	AGE 41 - 60	61 - 79
Under Fat	Under 8%	Under 11%	Under 13%
Healthy Range	8 - 19%	11 - 22%	13 - 25%
Overweight	19 - 25%	22 - 27%	25 - 30%
Obese	Over 25%	Over 27%	Over 30%

Make Sure You Lose Fat, Not Muscle? 5 lbs muscle takes less space than 5 lbs fat.  That means you’ll look slimmer at the same body-weight by building muscle.  Keys to losing fat, not muscle:

• Get Stronger. Strength training builds muscle & prevents muscle loss.  It also helps sticking to your diet.
• Eat Healthy. The best way to take off excess fat and still be healthy is by adopting a well-balanced diet.  Eat whole unprocessed foods 90% of the time, eat less starchy carbs, significantly reduce your fat intake and exercise daily.

You can do cardio to speed up fat loss.  But without strength training, cardio will cause muscle loss and you’ll end up skinny, but still have excess body fat…something you will want to avoid.

Remember fat is also a necessary, vital part of our physical make-up.  It is excess body fat that is the big problem. Having excess body fat, being fat, increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and many other serious diseases.  And perhaps most serious of all, if you can get more serious than a heart attack or a stroke, is that excess body fat is being linked to many more types of cancers than previously known.  Excess fat is bad, bad,very bad!

Hopefully the above will help as you design your Healthy Lifestyle Plan.  After putting your Plan into action and sticking with it, check yourself in a couple of weeks.  You may find that you don’t really need to lose weight after all.

I wish you the very best on your quest for losing your excess fat and for achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Feel Good!  Look Good!  And Be Good!

V/r,

Carolyn

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This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me, C. Small. For questions about this blog, please contact cvsbushrod@exercise-and-nutrition.com. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid, not much but I’m retired and need whatever I can get. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

At some point in our lives, 60-80% of all individuals experience lower-back pain (LBP).  The condition is disabling to 1-5% of the population.  Most cases of LBP occur between the ages of 25 and 60 years, but 12-16 % of children and adolescents are LBP suffers.  Males and females are affected equally.

Back in the late nineties, I started having problems with my lower back, and over time the problems increased significantly.  Through my research (I don’t know about you, but I research everything the doctors tell me), I learned from the National Institutes for Health that lower-back pain (LBP) can be acute or short-term low and that it generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks.  Most acute back pain is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis.  Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues.  Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and range of motion, or an inability to stand straight.  Chronic back pain, which is what I have, is pain that persists for more than 3 months.  It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine.  Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis.  Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues.  Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and range of motion, or an inability to stand straight.

According to Sharon A. Plowman and Denise L Smith in Exercise Physiology, for Health Fitness, and Performance, there has been and still is great interest in the link between muscular fitness and the absence or occurrence of LBP.  The interest is high enough that some tests of health-related physical fitness have included sit-and-reach, sit-ups, or curl-ups, and trunk extension tests as a means of testing lower-back function.

One of the things that I learned while going through physical therapy is that in order to have a healthy, well-functioning back, one must have flexible lower-back muscles, hamstrings, and hip flexors, and strong, fatigue-resistance abdominal and back extensor muscles.  The goal is to keep the vertebrae aligned properly without excessive disk pressure, allowing a full range of motion is all directions.  In addition the pelvis must freely rotate both towards the front and back of the body.

Per the therapists I’ve had over the years, individuals suffering from LBP show signs of lower levels of strength in both abdominal and back extensors.  EMG (electromyogram) activity is also increased in the back muscles of individuals with LBP.  These differences, however, are believed to be the result of LBP rather than the cause.  Also, studies measuring strength and muscular endurance have identified back extension endurance as the critical variable.  So, how did all of this new found knowledge help me?  Well, it helped me to understand why my physical therapists developed my exercise plan on a total body workout for strength and muscular endurance, with a focus on exercises for the back and abdominals.  Did the plan help?  Initially, yes it did.  I believe the strengthened back and abdominals muscles, along with other treatment measures have kept my pain level at a minimum.

So don’t wait.  Start protecting your back now. Order Life Without Back Pain in 24 Hours today. If you’re already experiencing back pain consider trying Yoga Therapy for Back Pain.

About the author: C. Small is the Owner/Manager of CVS Unlimited, LLC and a health and fitness enthusiast with more than 31 years of military training. The Company’s desire is to educate you on the dangers of obesity and help you achieve a healthy lifestyle by combining good nutrition with the right exercises, and using the right equipment for lasting results.

CVS Unlimited, LLC is a paid affiliate of Botanic Choice.

Core conditioning is a fitness buzz word these days but few are actually doing it correctly. Many confuse it with abdominal training when in fact the core covers your body from your groin to your shoulders (front, side, back and inside-out). Your core offers stability, balance and flexibility to all your movements. An improperly conditioned core will limit movement capabilities and predispose you to injury whether you are performing every day activities or complex sports movements.

The aim of working the core muscles is primarily one of stabilization and coordination versus strengthening. There are many muscles in the core including the lower back, superficial front and side abdominals, deep abdominals, deep back muscles, and the hip and pelvic muscles. It is the deep muscles that usually get neglected. The ultimate aim of core conditioning is to insure the deep trunk muscles are working correctly to control the lumbar spine during dynamic movements such as lifting a box. The deep muscles act as stabilizers and are isometrically contracted (contraction with no movement). Thus when training your core you should start with the inside and work outwards.

Exercises and products intended to train the core do so by creating resistance and instability so the core muscles must respond to maintain balance. Core exercises often imitate moves we employ in daily life or sports,  reducing the strain we put on our limbs daily. Some popular core exercises come from Pilates which uses both the bodies own resistance as well as balance devices such as foam rollers. The swiss ball provides an unstable platform to perform a variety of core strengthening moves on. Another newer balance and core developing device is the half domed shaped Bosu. Whatever type of exercises and equipment you choose start slowly. Even if you are a finely tuned athlete chances are you do not have a well developed core. Core strength is important for all ages and fitness abilities. Incorporating core training into your exercise routine can reduce muscular fatigue, avoid muscle strain and injury, improve posture and improve strength and mobility.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/getting-to-the-core-of-exercise-85397.html

About the Author: Dr. Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. To find out more cutting edge fitness ideas and information go to aerobic-exercise-coach.com.

Bosu Balance Trainer Home Version

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009.  This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me, C. Small.  For questions about this blog, please contact cvsmall.small@gmail.com. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions.  However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid, not much but I’m retired and need whatever I can get. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.  Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.  This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Whether you are a fitness enthusiast who wants a high-intensity workout or are like most people who just enjoy the benefits of walking, you can obtain even better benefits using Nordic Walking poles and enjoy the added safety to bones and joints by taking the stress off the body. Everyone who can walk, and even many who have a hard time walking, can go Nordic Walking or Trekking with the use these poles and enjoy this great fitness activity.

Nordic Walking is an excellent way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors. It is a mix between power walking and cross-country skiing and can be enjoyed by all age groups all year. Nordic Walking poles help you accelerate your workout by lengthening your stride and it uses all your muscle groups for a full body workout. Use the poles for speed and stability and get in shape with all your friends.

Nordic Walking increases your heart rate, and your overall walking experience. You will not feel like you are working harder although your level of exertion will increase burning more calories and working your legs, upper body and back muscles. With Nordic Walking, your fitness level increases, posture improves and you will notice your energy level increasing with every walk. Living healthy with activities you enjoy is the key to success.

Nordic Walking is not the same as trekking. Nordic walking is a technique with a steady rhythmic pace. Trekking is a general activity with a varied pace , terrain and usually involves added weight such as a backpack for carrying supplies.

After going on a few walks I have noticed that my walking pace has increased as opposed to just walking. I’ve read plenty of material stating the health benefits and thought I would share them with you. I am using the Lekisport Walker now, so far so good.

On a personal level when I walk for an hour or so my heart does increase, distance of walking has increased and my level of energy while walking has also increased. I must say when I first started walking I was breathing heavier but that soon diminished in a few minutes as I kept going and found a good pace to keep walking. I believe it is important to find your optimal pace when starting out as not to overwork yourself resulting in tiredness and wanting to take breaks.

The impact on my joints and back has lightened immensely. I’m sure as I continue that weight loss will be inevitable and the combined benefits be great to help me enjoy a more active lifestyle.

I am closing in on my early forties now and I want to be in good shape so I can better enjoy a prolonged retirement with my family when the time comes. I’m sure everyone would love to be healthy during the retirement years and Nordic Walking is a step in the right direction.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/walking-to-fitness-using-the-nordic-walking-technique-1252291.html

About the Author:

About Rob Hicks Nordic Walker enthusiast, believer in living an active lifestyle, and cofounder of www.walkingtofitness.com. Resides in northern British Columbia with his wife and two kids and enjoys the great outdoors whether it be walking, fishing or hunting. For Nordic Walking Poles and Walking Poles parts and acceessories, I  recommend www.walkingtofitness.com.

LEKI Nordic Walking Traveller Nordic Pole

CVS Unlimited, LLC is a paid affiliate of Botanic Choice.

FINE PRINT

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009.  I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog.  For questions about this blog, please contact cvsmall.small@gmail.com. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions.  However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid, not much but I’m retired and need whatever I can get. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.  Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.  This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

No one should ever be judged, bullied, or teased about their weight, height, or any other physical characteristic — or for any other reason for that matter! So please let an adult know if that is happening to you or to anyone you know.

But that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to know about the health problems that can be caused by being overweight. Right now, 15% of all children in the United States are overweight. At the rate those numbers are increasing, that will soon include one third of all children. If overweight children then become overweight adults, nearly 50 million Americans could have diabetes by 2050. Now that is a very scary thought!

And there are many other serious health risks that can also be caused by excess weight, such as amputations, blindness, kidney failure, and heart attacks from hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol levels. Plus, recent studies also tell us that new cases of asthma are 1½ to 2 times more likely among overweight children.

But are YOU overweight?

Typically, you are considered to be overweight if you weigh at least 10 percent more than your ideal body weight. Obesity is defined as being 30 pounds or more over your ideal body weight. But remember, many people think they are overweight when they are not! If 15% of children ARE overweight, then 85% are NOT, and that’s important to remember since not eating enough can also cause serious health problems. So don’t just assume that you weigh too much. If you think you may be overweight, talk to your parents and your doctor to find out what your ideal body weight really is and what you should do to get there.

What can YOU do if you need to lose weight or just want to stay “fit”?

Obesity can be caused by a combination of several things including your genes, environment, and behavior. But there are still steps you can take to reduce the problem…and your waistline! How?

So the solution is actually pretty simple. YOU can change your environment and reduce your weight simply by walking an extra mile every day and decreasing your calorie consumption by about five percent! So turn off the television, computer, or video games and have some physical fun instead. Here are some other great ideas to get in shape!

P90X Extreme Home Fitness Workout Program – 13 DVDs, Nutrition Guide, Exercise Planner
P90X Resistance Bands Workout Kit–3 bands: Light, Medium, Heavy
Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout and Fitness DVD Program

This policy is valid from 12 November 2009. I am C. Small, the administrator for this blog. For questions about this blog, please contact cvsmall.small@gmail.com. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, since I am an Affiliate of the advertisers in this blog, if you buy something I will get paid, not much but I’m retired and need whatever I can get. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or post made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. Even though I receive compensation for the advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog may not be my own, but I agree with them. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.