Why women need to exercise

Women know they need exercise, but who has the time? Balancing a career, a family and everything in between often causes women’s personal needs to take a back seat to other concerns. There are numerous reasons why women need to include exercise into their daily routines. Of course, there is the obvious benefit of shaping a slimmer body but did you know that exercise for women has also been proven to alleviate depression, help prevent colon cancer and boost your immune system?

In addition, regular exercise for women helps prevent osteoporosis by strengthening their bones. Many women find that exercise relieves the symptoms of premenstrual tension (PMT), painful periods as well as pre - and post-menopausal symptoms.

Women who are physically fit before and during pregnancy often have less severe back and labor pain and experience easier deliveries than women who are unfit. Further, fit mothers-to-be are less apt to become overweight and regain their pre-pregnancy figures much more quickly after giving birth.

In addition to improving their appearance and overall health, many women say that exercise helps to boost their self-confidence in all aspects of their lives. Mary McElroy, professor of kinesiology at Kansas State University says, "Exercising gives women a sense of accomplishment, which is related to self-esteem. It can have a powerful effect on self-image. I would take the benefits of exercise beyond health. Exercise is an important component of one's quality of life."

In recent years, there has been a boom in the variety of workouts for women as well as an increased availability of exercise and physical recreational options, including online fitness programs--primarily because more and more women are taking a serious interest in keeping themselves fit and strong. Studies have shown that a combination of cardio and strength and flexibility training including walking, running, climbing stairs, kickboxing, yoga, cycling at a moderate pace and other recreational pursuits help women to stay healthier, happier and more productive as compared to their sedentary counterparts.

Note: Always consult with a professional health care advisor before beginning any physical fitness program.

If you have questions or need further information about workouts for women, please contact Slimtree at contact@slimtree. com.

Stand up for your feet

Most people walk nearly 115,000 miles in their lifetimes-the equivalent of walking around the world five times.

One person who knows the toll life can take on someone's feet is Katy Rowland.

"Foot care should be a number-one priority, especially for the more than 20 million Americans with diabetes," she said. "Diabetes can cause changes in the skin of the feet and nerve damage which impairs the sensation of feeling. It shouldn't be taken lightly since unhealed diabetic foot ulcers account for more than 60 percent of all nontraumatic lower limb amputations."

As senior vice president of clinical services for National Healing Corporation, Rowland is on the leading edge of foot-wound care for the firm, which manages 20 percent of the nation's wound healing centers.

She offers these tips that everyone can use to put their best foot forward:

• Your feet contain 25 percent of all the bones in your body. Buy shoes that fit comfortably without expecting them to stretch to fit.

• Most people's feet are two different sizes. Stand up when having your feet measured so that they are at their maximum width and length.

• Your feet contain a quarter of a million sweat glands. You should always wear seamless socks with shoes and change them daily.

• Medicare and many health care providers will reimburse a certain amount of money for shoes and custom inserts prescribed by a doctor. Don't buy more than one insert at a time since the size and shape of your feet may change.

• Cut toenails straight across at a length slightly longer than the tips of your toes. Use an emery board to smooth the corners.

• Diabetics should never go barefoot and need to inspect the inside of their shoes daily for torn linings and foreign objects. They should also examine their feet each day for blisters, cuts and scratches using a mirror to see the bottoms of their feet. People with a chronic wound, one that has not healed in more than 30 days, should seek medical treatment.

Weight loss and exercise in tough environmental conditions

:
Working out is working out, right?

Wrong.

Depending on the environmental conditions where you
live, there may be extra precautions that you'll want to consider when trying to lose weight by following a healthy diet and weight loss program.

High Altitudes

High altitude environments have less available oxygen then those closer to sea level. One of the effects of such altitude is that the heart must beat faster in order to do the job of delivering oxygen to the muscle tissues both while active and at rest.

Depending on the specific altitude and corresponding acitivity, heart rates may soar as high as 50% above normal. Also, side effects like hyperventilation, dizziness, insomnia, weakness, headache, and irratability are also common in such an environment.

Because of these possible outcomes, people who exercise in high altitudes will definitely want to consult a local physician for clearance before beginning their weight loss exercise program, and may want to lower the intensity of their weight loss cardiovascular activity---especially if they are beginners.

People living in high altitudes will also want to get medical clearance before trying any diet pills, diet patch, or any other weight loss product(s) that may elevate the heart rate to eliminate risk of more complicated health concerns.

Exercising in Extreme Heat

Under normal circumstances, the body's temperature is at or around 98°. In areas that have very high temperatures (around 100° or more), the body must adjust to maintain the proper temperature by transferring some of its heat back into the environment.

The primary result of this reaction is that he heart rate will be higher than normal, similar to the effect of being in high altitudes. To best aid the body in maintaining its normalcy under such conditions, make sure to drink 3 to 6 oz. of water for every 10 to 15 minutes of weight loss activity and allowing as much sweat to evaporate as possible. It is also important to wear as close to 100% cotton garments as well as stray away from rubberized or water-proof garments that will prevent sweat evaporation. Light colors should also be worn.

Exercising in the Cold

To the surprise as many, water replenishment is just as important in the cold as it is in much warmer environments.

The fact of the matter is that water is lost as vapor as inhaled during cardiovascular exercise and other activities that help you to ultimately lose weight. There is also a risk of losing too much body heat once you are done exercising.

To best be prepared to exercise in order to lose weight fast while living in cold environments, make sure to dress in layers to insulate body heat and drink plenty of water. Also wear a hat to limit the amount of body heat that escapes through the head, which is where most body heat is lost from.

To YourBestBody,

Lawrence Cole

Your Lifestyle and Fitness Coach

See this Weight Loss Article at YourBestBodyNOW. com

Low calorie cooking and exercise the miracle diet

With all the fad diets taking over our televisions, bookstores, and pantries, many people have forgotten the basics of healthy living. When you are busy counting carbs, calculating fat grams, and popping diet pills, perhaps you should consider that the “miracle” diet may very well be the oldest one in the book. Low calorie cooking and exercise may very well be the secret to weight loss and healthy living.

A few decades ago, few people knew what a carb was. However, everyone knew that you were supposed to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Now, however, low calorie cooking has been replaced with complicated recipes with hard-to-find ingredients, all in the name of weight loss. How did this get so complicated? Is it possible that you can lose weight without an advanced degree in physics?

The real key to weight loss and healthy living is low calorie cooking and exercise. Most people have one of two problems with this method. One, it seems too easy, or two, it does not magically make weight disappear.

Although people may say they want an easy solution to weight loss, the truth is the complicated methods make people feel like they are accomplishing something. If it is as simple as lowering calories, people are not constantly reminded of what they are doing, so it seems like they are doing nothing. This coupled with the second reason, it does not make weight magically disappear, makes people assume it does not work. People want to look in the mirror the day after starting a diet and see a difference. They want a manifestation of the hard work and effort they are putting forth. However, few long-term solutions make a difference that quickly. Low calorie cooking and exercise are not capable of getting you into skinny jeans in a week, but the real goal should be long-term health and fitness.

How do you incorporate low calorie cooking into a diet based in deep-fried food and sweets? The first step is to reduce the grease and sugar. You do not have to give it up completely, but make it a rare treat instead of a staple in your diet. When cooking your regular recipes, replace ingredients with healthier alternatives or low calorie counterparts. For example, use low fat cheese and milk and veggies whenever possible.

You can also get exercise into your everyday activities. Park in the far parking places at work or at the grocery store and opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. Every little bit helps get you into shape.