Staying Healthy Institute |
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Most people, if asked, would admit that they are not happy with their weight or the health status of their body. The sad thing is that most people are trying to change their bodies in the wrong way. Fad diets or the latest hot diet idea, pills, drinks, eat this, don't eat that, don't mix this food with that food are all things that do not work for long term good health.
The key to good health and proper weight is your basal metabolic rate, meaning how efficiently your body burns calories. When your metabolism is high, you burn more fat and have an easier time losing fat weight and maintaining your ideal weight for good health. The best way to boost your basal metabolic rate is with regular exercise. You can feed your body the best food and vitamins, but if regular exercise is not part of your health maintenance plan, you will find as you age your metabolism slows down and you will gain weight. Excess weight can result in a vast array of negative health issues. Heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer and arthritic conditions can be related to excess weight.
Exercise is critical to controlling your metabolism. The three key areas of exercise to help jump-start your metabolism are aerobic to help burn fat, strength or weight training to help build and maintain lean muscle mass, and stretching to promote greater flexibility and to help injury-proof your body.
Above all, the top priority is to make aerobic exercise part of your fitness program at least 5 days a week if you want to lose excess fat. Aerobic exercise uses the big muscles of the thighs and buttocks through activities such as bicycling, walking, jogging, stair climbing, hiking, swimming or kick boxing to name a few. All of these aerobic exercises supply large amounts of oxygen to your muscles; this helps promote the burning of excess fat and food calories. Your aerobic activity should be monitored and kept within your target heart rate zone. To determine this, take 220 minus your age. Then take 70% to 85% of this number to determine your target heart rate zone for 1 minute.
Strength training, also known as weightlifting or resistance training, helps maintain and gain lean muscle mass. Lean muscle tissue is more efficient at burning calories. Pound for pound it burns five times as many calories as most other body tissues. That means, if you have more lean muscle mass than someone of the same sex, age, height and weight as you, you would burn more calories, even when you're both sitting still. That's important for weight management. After strength training, and when your body is in the recovery stage, is when excess fat is burned at a very high rate. You should allow the muscles trained to rest and repair for at least 48 hours before training them again. During the entire recovery time your metabolism is working at a higher rate, this is why it would be a good idea to incorporate strength training at least 2 to 3 days per week. For a better understanding of how to properly do strength training please seek the advice of a local expert in the fitness field.
Last but not least is the importance of stretching. When done correctly, deep stretching of the muscles, ligaments and tendons, helps release excess stress and tension often held in the body. Stretching, strengthening and lengthening your muscles, increases flexibility providing you with a renewed sense of well-being.
Along with these exercise recommendations to maintain a healthy body you must nourish it appropriately and detoxify it with 8 to 12 glasses of water everyday. Good nutrition with regular exercise that includes all three areas of aerobic, strength training and stretching will help boost your metabolism. This will allow you to maintain your ideal weight and create new healthy habits to help your body realize optimal health. Staying Healthy Institute is committed to helping you age healthfully, allowing you to realize that you are in control of your body and your health. Always be sure to consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program.
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Tuesday 7pm
Spiritual Voices
562-789-9424
Toll FREE (866) 2TO-HEAL, 866-286-4325.CATHY L. JAMIESON is a Board Certified Hypnotherapist. She has a degree in Nutrition and Fitness, offers Counseling Programs, Meditation Techniques, Pranic Healing, is a Reiki Master Teacher and a Lightarian Practitioner. Call Toll FREE (866) 2TO-HEAL for more information.
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