Exercise
and the Holidays
I noticed that once December
arrives many people stop exercising or stop going to the gym. One of
the
reasons is because of Christmas and the busy holiday season. They just
feel they do not have the time. Winter time also sees an increased
number
of heart attacks which is partly due to the colder weather. Your
arteries
get smaller due to the cold causing your heart to work
harder. Also
most people experience increased levels of stress due to holiday
shopping
and the holiday season.
I recommend that you continue
to exercise at least twice a week during the holidays. Exercise helps
alleviate
your mental stress and keeps your heart healthy. You can then take the
Christmas week off. It's always good to give your body a bit of a rest
with a week off from the gym or a weight training routine every couple
of months anyway, or as you feel you may need it.
Another way to combat the
stress of holiday shopping is to shop online. Throughout my site at popularfitness.com
I have selected a few merchants that can make your holiday shopping
easier
and faster without you having to look for parking or put up with all
the
crowds.
Posted on: Wednesday November
30, 2005 6:20 pm
Health Tip
- Eating Cereal
A health tip for you today.
By now everyone knows the importance of eating a regular breakfast or
you
should, if you don't! One of the causes of weight gain is that many
people
either skip breakfast or eat an unhealthy breakfast. By not eating a
breakfast,
simply stated this forces your body to store food as excess fat
resulting
in weight gain.
Many people say that they
do not have time to eat breakfast, but really how long does it take to
have a healthy cereal with low fat milk? Cereal is a quick and
effective
way of nourishing your body with vitamins, nutrients and energy to
begin
your day. Also, people who eat healthy cereals in the morning also tend
to control their weight more effectively.
Posted on: Wednesday November
23, 2005 12:45 pm
Smoking
and Heart Disease
Many times when I'm at the
gym, someone will walk by me and they really smell of cigarettes. Maybe
it's my acute sense of smell that I notice this or they are simply
heavy
smokers. One of the many reasons to exercise is to maintain a strong
heart
and keep your arteries unclogged. It defeats the purpose if you are
exercising
and then going home and smoking a pack of cigarettes per day.
In a recent Japanese study
that I heard about today, even second hand smoke quickly causes heart
disease.
The scientists discovered that 30 minutes of exposure to second hand
smoke
caused heart disease and the clogging of arteries. This is more reason
to quit smoking or at least be considerate when you do light up to the
people around you.
Posted on: Tuesday November
22, 2005 11:02 am
Escalating
or High Density Training
- Maximum Impact Weight Training
I came across an interesting
book focusing on one particular way of strength training. It's called
Escalating
or High Density Training and it focuses on gaining more muscle in a
shorter
period of time. At the same time, burning off more fat in a shorter
period
of time. This type of training cuts your workout recovery time and
prevents
joint and muscle pains allowing you to safely train without injury.
It's
ideal for athletes, people looking to stay in shape, bodybuilders and
especially
for anyone with limited time for exercise. You can get an effective
strength
training workout in the least amount of time.
Charles Staley is a proponent
of this system and has written a book on this type of training called Muscle
Logic : EDT Delivers Twice the Muscle in Half the Time.
Trainers and
Olympic athletes agree that this system works. It's ideal for both
professionals,
bodybuilders and people interested in just staying in shape.
It's a book that's worth
a read. In his book, Charles Staley provides:
-
both beginner, intermediate
and advanced programs for athletes interested in maximum performance at
any level
-
a 2 hour per week program
for serious recreational bodybuilders
-
simple, effective ways
to apply Escalating Density Training to develop power, speed and
endurance
-
techniques that help you
cut recovery time to train more intensely and frequently to reach your
goals faster
Posted on: Wednesday November
2, 2005 11:09 am
