Alien asked:


However, just to be safe, let us take some sensible precautions. Most of us tend to ignore symptoms. But, we want you to be fit and healthy. So, just think for five minutes. In the course of your normal activities, you may have rushed to answer the doorbell or telephone, hurried up the stairs. After doing so, have you felt dizzy or faint?

Got slight pains in the chest? Developed flu-like symptoms? Had an upset stomach? Found difficulty in breathing? There is nothing to panic about – but do consult your doctor. Explain that you want to start exercising and ask him or her to guide you on the activity you choose and how intensely you can do it. Take any test he advises you to. If the thought of visiting your doctor at his dispensary puts you off, you could enrol yourself in a gym that has a medical practitioner attached to it. It is worth the expense as you will be put on the right track of health and fitness suited to your individual circumstances.

Moreover, if you are over 35 years of age and have never exercised, it is better to get a doctor’s green signal to get into aerobics.

Most fitness books advise you to exercise under medical supervision if you have a heart problem, diabetes, are a heavy smoker, are highly stressed out or are extremely obese. Clearly, such factors need careful medical monitoring. To these we would like to add one more condition – the state of your eyes. Are you myopic? In other words, are you short-sighted where you have high minus-number glasses? If so, before embarking on an exercising programme, consult an ophthalmologist, an optometrist or a vitreo-retinal surgeon and have your retina checked out. Your eye doctor should be highly trained in binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy. Retinal detachment can be aggravated by lifting weights or sudden jerky movements.

Being myopic does not automatically put you in the retina detachment department, but the risk exists. Hence, it’s wiser to consult a specialist. However, don’t use your short-sightedness as an excuse – where you do not make an appointment with your eye doctor, and put off exercising indefinitely. Make that call today. Even a person who has undergone retinal surgery is advised to lose weight after the healing and convalescing period. The reason being that that extra load of fat puts a strain on the retina.



Esther

Jonathon Hardcastle asked:


Everyone has suffered from stress at least once. If you remember your palms becoming sweaty before an interview, experiencing headaches when thinking of your last work problem, or having stomach disorders because your test exams are approaching, these can be categorized as instances of stress related to physical malfunctions that have caused you to loose sleep and reduced your performance levels.

Regardless of the age group one belongs, stress is considered today to have an extremely dramatic impact on the human immune system. That is because stressful situations that have and extensive duration affect the hormones of the human body, which in turn direct affect the human immune system. Cases of chronic constipation, migraines, acne breakouts, upper respiration infections, colds, ulcers, and even more serious health problems like diabetes, heart diseases, and certain types of cancers, can be linked, according to scientists, to prolonged periods of stress.

But do not get despaired. Although stress cannot be eliminated, social scientists, psychologists, and doctors, agree that stress can be controlled and people that are able to give themselves another chance can live healthier lives.

Exercise: Known for its tension relieving outcomes, a steady exercise problem can help people reduce their stress levels. A calm evening walk or a more dynamic type of exercise, like an aerobic class, can help a stressed individual get rid of the tension and the anxiety that are caused by stress.

Sleep: Give your body and mind the opportunity to rejuvenate naturally during sleep. Although people under stress experience difficulties in sleeping the appropriate hours needed, experts support that sticking with a steady sleeping plan and going to bed every night around the same time, avoiding heavy food or caffeine drinks, can help a person fall asleep and lower his stress levels.

Breath: Learn how to breathe properly and practice it frequently. Deep breathing exercises can help the brain and body reconsider the parameters of a stressful situation and readjust to the experience. Inhale air from the nose and exhale it from the mouth after holding it for five seconds. In the meantime clear your mind and concentrate on a pleasant thought.

Avoid: Try to avoid consuming caffeine substances and never take it out on yourself. Caffeine can prolong the stress period and since it is a stimulator you can experience problems in sleeping or breathing. Moreover, by blaming yourself and your luck you are not concentrating on solving an issue but rather on prolonging the distress and the anxiety you feel.

Don’t panic: Although it is common to let your feelings go wild when upset, try to focus on what you feel and act as if that was your main problem so as to solve it. Listening to music, breathing properly, writing a journal, exercising, going out, or doing whatever you think is appropriate can put you in a better mood.

Talk: People surrounding you are not indifferent to your problems. Stop treating them as if they were. Speak about what worries you and ask for their help. Even the fact that someone will listen and offer another perspective can be enough for you to see another ankle of the issue and work towards its solution.



Jane

Jerry Cahill asked:


The physical dedication and focus that are involved in a successful aerobics class is enhanced by having the right comfortable clothing to exercise in. Many have witnessed that a new touch of style has developed in conjunction with the new health conscious crowd. It may cost a little more to exercise in aerobics clothing made of premium materials but it can be well worth it in order to make your exercises more comfortable and doable. You could even make a goal oriented incentive program in which a predetermined number of successful workouts results in a reward of buying yourself new expensive aerobic clothing. This type of incentive may help you to more easily reach your exercise goals and move on to higher levels of fitness.

Comfort is the new key to workouts. If you have not done aerobic workouts you may not be aware of the role comfortable clothing plays in successful workouts. Aerobic exercise involves constant movements which may take a toll on your body if your clothing is not right.

Some clothing is actually approved for aerobics and can often be found in sporting good stores or on the internet. The first test in choosing aerobic clothing is to touch it to get a sense of how it may feel to you. This test is not meant to lessen internet shopping but in some cases first hand experience with the clothing may be your best guide in making a good purchase. Those with more clothing knowledge may have better internet shopping experiences. Remember overly cute or clever clothing designs may create problems for demanding workouts. You should take your workouts more slowly in new clothing to be sure it works for you. If you do a lot of flexibility exercises you should focus on soft stretchy material for your clothing.

If your clothing is expensive, stylish and uncomfortable you may soon grow tired of aerobic workouts. You should try to find a balance between comfortable and affordable clothing. A good source of clothing information could be your aerobics instructor. They have preferences for quality items and know where to get a bargain. Keep an open mind. If you have to pay a little extra it may provide lasting benefits you get from comfortable completions of your workouts. If the aerobic workout clothes help you to avoid exercise discomfort than you have achieved your goal.

The bridge for most people is the balance between clothing costs and clothing comfort.

The right niche shopping can help you find the right gear at affordable prices. Also remember that you can get exercise incentives by buying yourself some higher priced clothing, especially if it offers exceptional comfort. This will help you to have something to show for the hard work you are putting into your exercise program for better health and a secure feeling of a longer life. Aerobic exercises can make you look and feel like a winner.



Nathan

Chris Keith, CPT asked:


The first step in taking control of your body fat is understanding how it works. Here are some simple guidelines on how your body can overcome its fat intake and burn fat faster.

When you deprive your body of essential calories, it responds by slowing down your metabolism to conserve fuel. That means that it is important to never skip meals. Eat four to five small meals spaced evenly throughout the day.

* Aerobic activities boost fat burning – for up to an hour after we stop them. By keeping aerobic exercises a frequent part of your daily routing, you can keep your fat burning engine running constantly!

* 20% of the calories we burn in a day are by processing the nutrients we consume.

* Muscle cells burn calories faster than fat cells. The more muscles you have, the more calories you will burn.

* Body composition would be a better indicator than body weight, since muscle tissue is heavier than fat tissue. By replacing fat with muscle, we change the composition and shape of our body.

The key is to eat the right types of fat – both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats – and not to eat more fat than your body really needs. It is commonly recommended that both men and women get no less than 15% of calories from fat which would be about 25 to 30 grams for a 1,500 to 1,800 calorie-a-day eating plan.

If you do have more fat than necessary, how can you burn it? Make a few uncomplicated changes to your lifestyle, and you’re on your way:

* Eat breakfast! Start by making the all-important decision to eat breakfast. Eating breakfast revs up your metabolism.

* Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. It’s less fattening, as long as you monitor the total calorie intake and your energy level remains steady throughout the day.

* Get moving! Work in your garden, do chair push-ups, dance, walk your dog, anything to get the muscles working. A vigorous, functional workout which keeps your heart-rate going at fat-burning levels is an excellent choice.

* Add more muscle. This is the fastest way to tone the body because the more muscle you have, the quicker you burn fat. The best way to shape up is to incorporate strength and toning exercise with aerobic exercises. Arm yourself with these tips and win your battle against fat.

For more information on fat burning, exercise and other fitness tips, ask Chris Keith, San Diego’s finest personal trainer at BOOTCAMP 619.



Danielle

Derek Both asked:


Physical exercise is very important in maintaining health and keeping in shape. There are many types of physical exercise depending on your abilities and what you like to do. Whether you like playing tennis, dancing, climbing or pounding the treadmills at the gym, there is plenty of choice when it comes to working out. Exercise is good for your overall health, for keeping your body supple and lean and improving bone density, muscle strength and the mobility of your joints. Coupled with a healthy diet, physical exercise can result in a supple body and a good standard of overall health.

Over-exercising, however, can be bad for you because the body needs at least one day of rest a week. If you do not get sufficient physical rest, you have a greater risk of circulation problems or stroke. Muscle tissue development might be slowed. When you exercise, contractile proteins in your muscles are consumed to give you energy. Fats and carbohydrates are similarly consumed and excessive exercise can result in torn connective tissue which can be damaging and painful. Some people become addicted to exercise because of the ‘high’ they feel when endorphins are released. It is best to begin with a gentle exercise program, especially if you have not been physically active for a while, and build your way up to a harder fitness agenda at your own pace. Everybody has different limits and abilities.

Two types of physical exercise are aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is a moderately intense activity which is done for a long period. Examples include cycling, swimming and jogging. These exercises get your heart rate up and burn calories. Anaerobic exercise involves weight training or strength training. With anaerobic exercise you undertake an intense activity for a short period of time. Sprinting and lifting weights are examples. A mixture of aerobic and anaerobic activities is a good way to get your whole body in shape and attain ultimate fitness.

A good fitness program agenda would include aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise, circuit training, strength training and agility training. It is important to get your heart rate up with cardiovascular exercise. You cannot target one part of the body with this type of exercise and weight loss (if that is your goal) should be uniform. Aerobic training is good for losing fat. Anaerobic training is good for increasing strength, stamina and muscle mass. Saying that, any physical exercise is better than none at all. If you undertake a type of exercise that you hate, the chances are you will give up, so pick something you like. If you love swimming but **** running then swim and don’t run! You have more chance of sticking to your fitness plan then.

If you are following a healthy physical exercise program and working out several times a week, a nutritionally balanced diet will help you keep fit and provide adequate energy for your exercise sessions. Drinking plenty of water is important, as is making sure you eat a good, balanced amount of proteins, carbohydrates, ‘good’ fats, fruits and vegetables. Sugars and alcohol should be minimal. There is no need to starve yourself or eat things you really do not like but putting a good amount of the right foods into your body is important.

If you want to feel healthy and look great, physical exercise coupled with a nutritionally balanced diet is a must.



Debbie