Tag Archive for: feel good

Wonderfully Fit Personal Training

Yoga and the Elderly

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Yoga is ideal for people of all ages, but particularly for seniors for a number of reasons.

Low Impact

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The first is that in most cases, yoga is low impact. Hatha, Kundalini and Vinyasa yoga are all good examples of low-impact yoga that can be done safely even by complete beginners.

Increased Strength and Flexibility

A second reason is how much yoga can improve strength, flexibility and stability. This means less risk of slips, trips and falls, which can cause bones to break and even be life-threatening due to complications such as blood clots in the legs and pneumonia from inactivity.

Being more mobile and flexible also means greater independence well into your senior years. After all, it’s not just about how long we live, but the quality of life we enjoy as well. Staying fit and active is one of the best ways to care for your health, especially if you are a caregiver for an older relative or partner, have grandchildren and so on.

A Mental Workout

Yoga is also great for mental fitness. It improves mood, focus and concentration, especially in relation to the types of yoga which include meditation as part of their routines. Two such types are Hatha, the origin of all yogas, and Kundalini yoga. Kundalini yoga was formed in the 5th century AD to work on the energy centers of the body, known as the chakras in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurvedic medicine).

Increased Mobility

One of the biggest health challenges for the elderly tends to be pain and stiffness, such as that of arthritis. If we feel pain when we work out, we avoid working out. However, the less we move, the stiffer we become and the more pain we suffer. So we work out even less, leading to a vicious cycle of pain, stiffness and lack of exercise that can leave many people house-bound or even chair-bound when they could be out making the most of their golden years.

Starting Safely

As with all forms of exercise, it is important to start safely and sensibly through slowly adding activity to your day and not trying to overdo things. For this reason, certain types of yoga such as Bikram and Ashtanga are not a good idea. Bikram, known as hot yoga, is not just physically demanding – it is also known as hot yoga because of the roasting conditions in the studio, with temperatures often reaching 100F or more. This can lead to dehydration and a severe strain for anyone who has heart health issues.

Ashtanga has seven levels, a basic one and six more of gradually increasing difficulty. The fact that few practitioners have ever reached the most advanced levels will give you an idea of how demanding this yoga can be.

Finding the Right Studio for You

If you live in a moderately large urban area, chances are you have more than one studio close by to choose from. Many will offer free introductory lessons so you can try the yoga and see the studio for yourself. Many studios also offer discounted lessons or unlimited classes as part of a reasonably priced monthly membership.

You will naturally wish to focus on the classes themselves and how much health benefit you think you will get from them. Other important considerations in relation to choosing the right studio for you will be the skills, qualifications and experience of the teacher/s. Some specialize in yoga for seniors.

Check out an introductory class near you and see what a difference it can make to your health.

Motivation Series

Do You Feel Ashamed Of Your Body Size?

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This is a cruel world we live in. It truly is. People enjoy laughing and mocking other people. Comedians make fat body jokes. Movies are produced about fat people. That’s the way things are. If you are feeling ashamed or damage when somebody laughs at you, it is usual.

It’s worse if strangers are the ones mocking you. There are numerous rude and insensitive people who will pass comments at you just for being fat. Learn to be proud of your body.

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The question here is… What are you going to do about it?

Are you going to complain? Are you going to go residence, sit on the bed and silently cry? Will you shout at those harassing you and make them laugh at you further? What will you do?

Now imagine this… would these same people make fun of a tremendous, burly biker in a Harley Davidson helmet. Not in this lifetime. He would have no hesitation handing them their butt on a plate. People only make fun of those that can’t retaliate. There is no fear. There is no respect.
Ultimately, it’s not even about them. This is about you. It’s a battle within you.

If you were grossly overweight but you had a PhD. in mathematics, and somebody told you that you were an uneducated idiot, would you be offended? No, you wouldn’t. You’d look at that person and wonder what a moron they were. What if that same person called you a fat cow or a lard ass? Ho!

That’s going to damage. But why? Both are insults and both are from the same person. The circumstance is that nobody can tell something that hurts you if you don’t secretly believe it yourself. This is never-ending truth. Deep in your heart, you may have regret, shame, disappointment, anger and even hatred towards yourself.

You feel helpless that you authorized yourself to become overweight. You may lie to yourself and tell that you’re fated to be this way. Or you have systematically been this way and can’t change. anything story you mention yourself will never eliminate the way you undoubtedly feel about yourself. When somebody else produces a joke at your expense, all the deep seated feeling come back to the best and damage you.

There is only one way out of this. You must change and you must do anything it takes to get into shape, ignore the clowns who laugh at you. You will have the last laugh. You will consume right. You will learn anything you require to about fitness. You will exercise and you will keep at it till you convert yourself.

You feel ashamed? You feel anger? You feel hurt?

Then you work out harder. You run as rapid as you can. You lift the weights till you can’t lift them anymore. You will sweat till the perspiration drips from your forehead into your eyes and produces you tear.

These tears you shed from stressing work will be the tears that change your entire life. These salty tears will tear off the ugly fat from your body and leave you seeking like the person you deserve to be. Nobody will be able to make fun of your weight. You know who you are.

It may take you a durable to get there. You will pay a hefty price in terms of sweat, sacrifice and pain… but the rewards will be worth 10 times anything price you paid to get there. You can hold your head up high and walk with a bounce in your step. Life is too short to live ashamed. Get fit. Get powerful. get on it.

You have what it takes. You systematically did.

Motivation Series

Help! How Do I Motivate Myself?

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Everybody is excited in the beginning. That’s why New Year resolutions are so exciting. However, as time goes by and the initial excitement wanes, the toll of maintaining the effort starts to wear on most people.

They have lost the excitement and their resolution becomes nothing more than a daily grind. So why does this happen?

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The answer to this lies in the fact that achieving anything of any value requires work, commitment, persistence, perseverance and patience. It’s not easy to keep doing what you have to do to get to where you want to go.

Losing motivation is one of the main reasons people quit. What many people do not know is that motivating yourself is not a one-time thing. The famous motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, once said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

This must always be borne in mind. You must constantly motivate yourself every day or every few days to keep up the excitement and vision of your goal. If not, you will lose interest and the entire process will become torture.

One way to motivate yourself as far as fitness is concerned is to have a workout buddy. Both of you will be accountable to each other. When one is down, the other can motivate them to get off their butt and get to the gym and vice versa. That’s one way to do it.

What if you don’t have a friend who can work out with you?

Then you need to motivate yourself. Sign up for Facebook and like as many fitness pages as you can and also the pages of fitness celebrities such as Frank Medrano and Emily Skye. The tips and motivation from their posts will not only motivate you but also educate you in fitness and health.

Place a few picture of fit bodies that you would like to look like, around your house. The constant visual reminder will be beneficial.

You will need to dig deep within you and always remember the reason you started on your weight loss journey or body toning quest. There is always a reason and you should always remember it.

There are 25 quotes below to help motivate you. Print out or write out one that resonates with you. Read it before every workout. Read it every time you don’t feel like training. Read it whenever you feel tempted to eat something you shouldn’t. These quotes will help you in the long run.

• Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.
• Suck it up… and one day you won’t have to suck it in.
• When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.
• Sacrifice is giving up on something good for something better.
• Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most.
• Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret.
• If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up.
• Sweat is fat crying.
• What you eat in private eventually is what you wear in public.
• If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.
• If you eat what you have always eaten, you’ll weigh what you have always weighed.
• If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
• Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels.
• In life you have 3 choices. Give up, give in or give it your all.
• Excuses burn zero calories.
• If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
• Pain is temporary. Quitting is forever.
• You don’t have to be great to start… But you have to start to be great.
• Nothing will work unless you do.
• Dead last finish is greater than did not finish, which trumps did not start.
• Blood, sweat and respect. The first two you give. The last you earn. Give it. Earn it.
• Life never gets easier. You just get stronger.
• No rest is worth anything except the rest that is earned.
• The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.

Ultimately, only you can keep the fire within you burning. Don’t give up on yourself. You are all you have got as far as getting fit is concerned. The training and discipline may be bitter but the rewards are sweeter than any soda or cake you can ever have. Stay strong.

Senior Fitness | Wonderfully Fit

Eating Right in Healthy Aging

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You have to eat right in order to stay healthy. If you do not eat right, your body does not receive the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. You have to eat so it fuels your body. Similar to a motor vehicle, which you add gas to travel; the body requires food that promotes energy, making it go.

Too much food is not good for you and not enough of the right food can be harmful to your health.

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Choosing good foods to eat:

Not all foods is good for you, yet liver is loaded with iron which is good for your blood, but to much isn’t good for you either. Fruits and vegetables are good for you but again not too much because the fruit will turn into sugar and that’s not good for you. Too much may give you the gibes, especially if you have to watch your weight. You can get high cholesterol as well from food if your not careful. High cholesterol can lead to harden arteries, which follows by strokes or heart attacks. So you need to eat but watch what you are eating and how much of it in a days time.

How will I know if am not eating right?

When you go to your doctor, he will tell you if you need to go on a diet. Your doctor will be able to tell by your weight. Then he may put you on a diet to lose weight or a diet to help you gain weight. He will tell you want to eat and how much as well as what not to eat. Then he may tell you to excise everyday. You have to be able to burn up what you take in so it will not turn into sugar or fat.

Remember that you should try to feast from the four food groups. Try to make sure that you only eat the amount your suppose to, and get your excise that you need to make you healthy. You can always call your family doctor to ask him how to do something if you don’t know how they will also help you to learn how to count your calories as well it is a big job when it comes to dieting you have to know how to count your calories and weigh your food. If you don’t you are not going to do want your suppose to do.

The world is filled with support groups that will help you if need support. More then likely you can go to your local hospital and they will know how to get you in touch with a group. These groups are great. The groups will give you support during the time that you need help. At group meetings, you will meet people with the same problems you have and you can give each other the support. Just remember to set a goal but don’t make it so high that you can’t do it and give up. Start out a little at a time and then as you get better you can get a increase your plans. In addition, what ever you do try to stick to it, it takes will power and control.

Willpower the master:

Willpower is a powerful mechanism inside you. If you want to find this willpower take a seat, sit down and talk with you to see what you can find. As you learn more about you, you gain willpower that takes you beyond your abilities, which means you will have a healthy aging in the future.

Senior Fitness | Wonderfully Fit

Dealing with Diabetes to Enjoy Healthy Aging

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Learning to deal with diabetes is never easy. It is bad enough we have to live in a greed-based world filled with confusion, violence, media junk, and so on.

Still, those with diabetes can live healthy providing they adhere to diet, medications and exercise. Diabetes is a serious condition. The disease is the mother of all disease in the world and it is a killer.

diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that you can get if you do not eat right or take care of your body. Genetics play a part in diabetes as well. In fact, hereditary is a hard cause of the problem. The disease can cause blindness. The disease can lead to amputation of legs, or feet. Diabetes is a disease that when your body does not produce enough insulin to break down sugar in the bloodstream. Diabetes includes two types, yet various levels are considered. Diabetes includes Diabetes Insipidus and Mellitus.

The first diabetes is where your body is incapable of producing enough insulin to do what its supposed to do. This type of diabetes is treatable. You will need medications, exercise and strict diet to maintain your health. Diabetes Mellitus has five types. Each type results from insulin interruptions whereas the system is disrupted. The disruption causes chaos within the body’s ability to function. The body cannot act naturally and it takes insulin shots to treat this condition depending on the type.

How would I know that I have this disease called diabetes?

If you go to your doctors on a regular basis, your doctor will monitor your health. If you have family history of diabetes, let your doctor know so he/she can conduct random testing. A glucose test is necessary to find diabetes. Blood lab tests are useful also to spot diabetes.

What you should watch for?

Drinking but not filling your thirst quench. If you feel fatigue often and don’t know, then you should be tested. Diabetes, depending on the type makes a person feels weak, endure pain, lose weight, gain weight, etc. The disease is so confusing to the bodily functions that it doesn’t know the direction to head.

What can I do to help me not to get this disease?

No one has control over disease but you. If you adhere to regular checkups, the doctor can spot the disease at an early stage, which the disease then can be managed. You need to eat right and do excises daily to help maintain your weight, since diabetes takes delight in feeding the disease to the point of death.

What happens to those with diabetes?

Unfortunately, the disease is not partial. The disease targets young and old alike. Once the disease develops it puts the person at risk of blindness.

Some people lose their legs or other limbs resulting from diabetes. Most people with diabetes are at risk of kidney failure. If you already have diabetes then listen to your doctor and follow all instructions. One of the top recommendations to diabetes patients is to consume much fluids. Your body is losing fluids as diabetes drains your bodily organs of its natural elements. You will also need to avoid saturated fat foods and basic sugars. In addition, your doctor will need to test you regularly to control your illness.

You want to take care when diabetes is present since it can lead to meningitis, headaches, tachycardia, dehydration, muscle weakness, pain, and so on. In addition, you may endure blurred vision, sexual dysfunctions, slow healing, and so on. Again, diabetes is a killer; so take care of your health.

Stuck On A Project? Go For A Walk And Clear Your Head

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We all have days when the work just seems to flow. We get more done on those days and the quality of work seems better too. Then we have days where nothing seems to work right. We get stuck on a project with a looming deadline.

It can get frustrating and we do everything we can to get through it. We try to force the flow and work long hours to get stuff done. Sadly that isn’t always the best approach.

walk

The next time you’re stuck on a project and just can’t get into the flow of things, I want you to try something different. I want you to walk away for a bit. Yes, you heard me right. No matter how tight your deadline or how urgent it is to get the project done, I want you to walk away. It doesn’t have to be for a long period. Just go for a quick stroll around the building or down the road.

If that’s not an option, at least take a quick walk down the hallway or do a few stretches and jumping jacks in your office. All of this will help you clear your head and re-energize you. Often that’s just what it takes to get “unstuck”.

There are two positive things at work when you get away from your desk and move around, even if it’s just for a few minutes. The exercise will get your blood moving and that means more blood, and more oxygen is sent to the brain. If you can get outside even better. The fresh air and sunshine will help invigorate you.

Secondly, by walking away and not thinking about the project for a little while, you’re giving your subconscious a chance to take over. Often you come back and find that the solution to your problem was right in front of you. You just didn’t see it. Once you sit back down at your desk after your short break, you’re ready to get back to work.

Don’t be surprised to find that the flow that was so elusive earlier is suddenly there and the work flows much easier. You’re unstuck and back to making massive progress. That’s well worth spending a few minutes away from your task, isn’t it? Not only does it make you more productive, it also helps you de-stress and it’s good for body and soul.

 

Simple Desk Exercises To Ease Tension

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One of the biggest problems working at a desk all day brings is the neck, shoulder, and back pain caused by it. When we spend a lot of time hunched over our desk, furiously typing away for hours at a time, it’s no wonder that our muscles cramp up and we start to ache.

Thankfully there are a lot of preventative things we can do throughout the work day to keep this from happening. Here are some simple ways to ease the tension in your neck and shoulders.

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One of the best things you can do is to simply take frequent breaks. Get up from your desk and walk over to get a glass of water, make a cup of coffee, or go to the restroom. The simple act of standing up and walking around frequently will do a lot to help you stay relaxed and feeling good. When you feel your shoulders starting to tense up, you can even do some simple exercises while sitting in your office chair.

Start by sitting up straight in your chair and do some shoulder lifts to warm up and loosen up your shoulders, upper back, and neck. Bring your shoulders up to your ears and drop them back down.

 

Rolling your shoulders both forwards and backward is another great exercise that will gently stretch those bunched up muscles. When you’re done with that, try squeezing your shoulder blades together in the back. This is a great exercise to offset some of the forward hunching you do while working on your laptop. Last but not least do some spine twists to ease the tension in your lower back.

Reminding yourself to do a few simple exercises like this throughout the day will help you stay in shape and more importantly pain-free. When you get up from your desk, you can do even more. Do some gentle stretching, move your arms, and shake them out. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to work out the kinks. The key is to do these exercises frequently and regularly. It won’t take more than a few seconds at a time.

Don’t wait until you’re in a lot of pain and ready for a trip to the chiropractor. Be proactive and take care of your body by moving more and doing simple stretches and exercises at your desk. Your body will thank you.

Should You Get A Standing Desk?

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We’ve all seen the alarming headlines in health news publications and social media. Sitting is the new smoking and it has all sorts of detrimental impacts on our overall health. As someone that spends a good eight to ten hours a day sitting in front of your desk, you may be wondering if it’s time to get a standing desk. I wish I had a clear answer for you, but frankly, it depends.

It depends on the work you do. For example, if you do a lot of writing while sitting at your desk, the words may simply not flow the same when you’re standing up. If on the other hand, much of your day, or at least part of your workday is spent reading and responding to email or looking over reports, a standing desk may work well for you.

desk

 

Before you head out and buy an expensive new desk, give it a try. Grab some boxes, big books, or head to the garage and build a little shelf-like contraption that you can put on top of your existing desk. Try working standing up for a couple of days and see how you like it. If it works well for you, then you can invest in an actual standing desk.

Here’s an interesting idea. You don’t have to work exclusively from a standing desk to benefit from it. Why not try spending part of your workday standing up when the tasks lend themselves to this style of working and sit down the rest of the time. You can either add a shelf or boxes to your desk as outlined earlier or have a second desk that’s set up for working while standing up. Look around your office. You may already have a file cabinet that’s just the right height. If you’re working from a laptop, it’s easy to switch back and forth throughout the day as needed.

If you’re enjoining the standing desk, or are ready to try something else and move even more, you may want to look into a treadmill or stationary bike desks. You can work away while taking a slow stroll on your treadmill, or while riding a bike. A quick search online will show you some great examples of these active movement desks. If you’re on a budget, rig up a shelf on your existing treadmill, or buy a fairly inexpensive pedal attachment for your office chair that allows you to pedal away while you work.

If nothing else I want you to realize that sitting at a desk isn’t the only possible way to get work done. Experiment, try some new desk habits and see what works well for you.

Keep Healthy Snacks In Your Desk To Not Eat Junk

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We all have days when we have to run out the door without breakfast, end up working through lunch or have to stay at the office much later than anticipated. Missing important meals like breakfast lunch or dinner has us heading to the office vending machine or hitting the fast food drive-through to grab some junk food. We know this food isn’t good for us and won’t help us to stay fit and healthy. But what choice do we have?

Actually, we have a choice. We can choose to be prepared for these meal emergencies with a small stockpile of healthy snacks. You can keep all sorts of healthy snacks in your desk from nuts and seeds to energy bars and even fresh fruits and veggies. All it takes is a little bit of preparation and planning.

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Come up with a few non-perishable, but healthy snacks and drinks that you can keep in your desk at all time. This could include nuts, seeds, and dried fruit and even a few special treats like a bar of dark chocolate. All natural energy bars are a great choice on days when you have to skip a meal. Herbal and black teas along with bottled water are nice to have around for a healthy drink that feels more like a treat.

If you know you’ll need a snack, pack it with your lunch in the morning. A few fresh veggies and a bit of hummus, or a fresh fruit like an apple or a banana make for healthy snacking. A bit of cheese or a hard-boiled egg are other good options that are packed with protein and will keep you full until your next meal. Keep it simple, stick to real food as much as possible, and choose things that are easy to grab and go. Come up with a short list of easy to prepare snacks that you enjoy and stay stocked up on them. If you keep it simple, it won’t take you more than a minute or two to prepare and pack your snack in the morning.

Of course, missing lunch or long meetings in the evening aren’t the only times you’ll be tempted by junk food. Your healthy food emergency stash will also come in handy when you’re feeling tired and stressed and just need a little snack, or when the box of cookies or pizza in the break room is calling your name. Trust me, it’s much easier to resist the temptation when you’re munching on a tasty, healthy snack.

How Moving More And Sitting Less Can Increase Your Productivity

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Have you ever been hunched over your desk, glued to your chair for hours on end trying to finish a project on time? When we’re working hard, or facing a tight deadline, our instinct is to put as much time as possible in, working fast and furious. And it works, for a while…

Then it starts to catch up with you. Your mind is tired, the work doesn’t flow the way it did in the beginning. This is when you have a choice to make. You can walk away for a bit, clear your head and come back refreshed and ready to get back to work. Or you can tough it out and keep plugging away. You may be surprised to learn that walking away, going for a walk, and just moving around will help you work faster and better when you sit back down at your desk.

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And this isn’t just true during crunch time. Moving more and spending less time sitting at your desk can help your productivity throughout your work week. Anytime you take a break to do a few stretches and exercises, go for a stroll through the building, or even leave for a quick walk outside, you come back refreshed and with more focus. Additionally, “losing” time that you spent moving around forces you to focus and get things done. Work has a tendency to expand to whatever amount of time you give it. By taking away some of that time, and using it to workout and move more, you’re simply making yourself work more efficiently when you do sit at your desk. In other words, it can be in your best interest to spend less time in your office chair.

Give it a try the next time you’re stuck on a task, or the work simply doesn’t flow as it should. Get up and move around. Go for a walk and clear your head. Get your body moving and blood pumping through your body including your brain. Then come back to your work task. You’ll notice that suddenly the work goes much smoother and you have no trouble getting into the flow. You’re able to focus and concentrate much better and your productivity soars.

There are two reasons for this. The first is that the exercise as mentioned increases blood flow and more oxygen is transported to the brain. More importantly, though, during the time you spent moving around, your brain didn’t really stop working on the task you set it. Your subconscious and possibly also your conscious mind where working things out, allowing you to sit down and take care of business upon your return.