Exercise
and Your Health
It seems that almost every
time that I watch the news on TV, there is a news story about a
research
study that focuses on the benefits of exercise or physical activity for
your health. This morning I was watching the news and they mentioned
that
European researchers have found that one hour of vigorous physical
activity
or two hours of moderate activity per day will reduce your risk of
colon
cancer.
Do we really need such studies
to tell us this when it's a logical conclusion that exercise will
benefit
your long-term health? I guess we do in order to remind people of the
importance
of physical activity when it comes to your health. The human body was
designed
over time to be physically active in order to funtion optimally.
Would you buy a car and just
let it sit and rust? No. The human body is no different. Physical
activies
includes such things as going for a brisk walk, cleaning your house,
etc...
I know that cleaning your house is not fun. I hate it too. I wish we
could
create self-cleaning houses, but that's never going to happen in our
lifetimes!
That's why many people join gyms in order to exercise in a different
way
and meet some new friends in the process or just get away from problems
of every day life.
If you need help when it
comes to exercising, you may want to check out the rest of my website
or
visit the Fast
Track to Fat Loss Program.
Also besides exercise, in
order to remain healthy, you must also eat properly and try to avoid
extreme
stress. But these two topics are blog issue for another time.
Posted on: Tuesday December
18, 2006
Exercises
at Work
Ever feel tired at work or
you have a problem that you cannot solve, why not take a break and
refresh
your body and mind with some quick and basic exercises. Maybe you will
not have time to go to the gym after work, why not spend 10 minutes on
these exercises before you leave work? They can be done anywhere with
no
equipment required.
Here are some exercises from
Tom Weede's latest book (see below):
Desk Exercises
Chair Leg Extension - Muscles
strengthened: Quadriceps (thighs)
Press
your tailbone firmly
against the back of the chair. If the chair is adjustable, move the
height
so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Lightly grasp the armrests
or
the edges of the seat pad. Keeping your back straight and looking
straight
ahead, slowly extend your right leg with your foot flexed toward your
shin.
At the top of the movement, your leg should be fully extended, but
don't
forcefully lock out your knee. Slowly return to the starting position.
Do 10 repetitions, then repeat with your left leg (this is one
set).
Isometric Hand Press - Muscles
strengthened: Biceps, triceps, chest
Sitting
upright in your
chair, grasp your hands together in front of your chest, and firmly
press
them together. Make sure you continue to breathe throughout the
exercise.
Hold for 10 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds, then repeat four
more
times.
Wall Push-Off - Muscles strengthened:
Chest, triceps, shoulders
Stand
about three feet from
a wall, and place your hands flush against the wall, about
shoulder-width
apart. Slowly lower your body toward the wall by flexing your elbows.
When
your elbows are aligned with your torso, push back up. Do 10
repetitions.
Make this exercise more challenging by using your desk: Stand several
feet
away and position your hands on the edge of the desk, shoulder-width
apart.
Then repeat the raising and lowering of your body by flexing your
elbows.
Overhead Press - Muscles
strengthened: Shoulders
Sitting
upright in your
chair, flex your elbows so that your left hand is in front of your left
shoulder, and your right hand is in front of your right shoulder. Your
elbows should be slightly flared out to the sides, just below
shoulder-level.
Lightly clench your fists with palms facing forward. Next, fully extend
your elbows without locking them out, with your hands moving toward the
center over your head. Slowly return to the starting position. Complete
10 reps. To make the exercise more difficult, use a book to press
overhead.
Drawing-In Maneuver -
Muscles strengthened: Mid-section
Sit
upright on the edge
of your chair, grasping the arm rests or the edges of the seat pad. You
can also stand with your hands on your hips, feet shoulder-width apart.
Next, pull your stomach up and in as far as possible -- think of
pulling
your belly button toward your spine. Hold that position for the count
of
five to ten, then release. Do 5 to 8 repetitions.
Flexibility Exercises Side
Bend - Muscles stretched: Back and sides
Sit
at the edge of your
chair with your back straight, and interlace your fingers with your
palms
facing away from you. Reach your arms straight above your head, then
lean
to the left from the waist and hold. Next lean to the right and
hold.
Cross Arm - Muscles stretched:
Upper back
Sit
upright and bring your
right arm across your upper body at about shoulder level. Your elbow
should
be slightly flexed. With your left hand, grasp under your right arm
just
above the elbow. Gently pull your right arm across your chest, toward
the
left, and hold. Don't shrug your shoulders -- keep them relaxed. Repeat
with your left arm across your upper body.
Neck Stretch - Muscles stretched:
Neck
Sit
or stand with your head
upright. Slowly turn your head to the right as far as comfortably
possible
and hold, then turn slowly to the left and hold. Next, let your head
fall
gently toward your chest and hold. Avoid tilting your head backward --
it weighs about 10 pounds, so this can put too much stress on your
upper
spine.
The following exercises
are from a book excerpt from Tom Weede's latest book: The
Entrepreneur Diet - The On-the-Go Plan for Fitness, Weight Loss and
Healthy
Living (December 2006). Published by Entrepreneur Press ;
Copyright
© 2007 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.Tom Weede was a former
senior editor
of Men's Fitness magazine.
Posted on: Tuesday December
5, 2006
