How to get Motivated for your Workout
Talking about getting fit used to be one of my very favourite pastimes. There was nothing I liked better than a proper girly natter with friends (preferably over a bottle of wine and a big bowl of pasta), going over latest fitness fads and diets. “I really need to start a diet tomorrow.” (slurping up some more carbonara sauce); “A friend of mine is on a diet at the moment – apparently you can eat as many potatoes as you want on it.” “Really? That can’t be right…”; “What’s this dance thing that’s all the rage – zumba – have you tried it? Is it any good?” “I don’t know, I hear it’s all about shaking your stuff. Meant to be a good workout though.” “Hmmm, maybe I’ll try running.” Etc. etc….
Lately, we’re invited to get fit “because of the Olympics.” I must admit, this reasoning surprises me a little, I suppose because when I look at an Olympic athlete, I don’t see a level of fitness I could conceivably ever attain. Wherever you draw inspiration from though, the key is that it gets you motivated to make exercise a part of your regular routine. The inspiration that got me from talking to walking, as it were, was suddenly waking up to the fact that, if I wasn’t fit at 25, when on earth was I planning on getting that toned body I’d always wanted? When I was married, with kids to feed, laundry to do and a full-time job with a bunch of other responsibilities? Doesn’t sound likely, does it?
I’d also, I must admit, grown a little tired of the attitude a lot of single girls in their 20s seem to take; being either to sit about endlessly bemoaning their singledom in a Bridget-Jones-without-the-humour kind of way, or galvanizing into an exhausting life-style of rushing from bar to bar, man to man, night after night, desperate to find the next boyfriend that would stick. I’d taken a rather different attitude on becoming single: I’d realised that this was a time I could concentrate all my energy on ME. The notion was intoxicating. Now, I find I have to fight my tendency to become a bit of a fitness Nazi, I feel the urge to yell “put down the ice-cream / vodka! get to the gym! these are your golden years! stop wasting them! you’re in your 20s for goodness’ sake – you’re in no way in danger of becoming a cat lady. quit moaning and work on your own awesomeness!”
In all seriousness, though, at whatever age and whatever your relationship status, I firmly believe that making your mental and physical health a priority for a period of time each day is of paramount importance. It’s ok to be selfish sometimes. Not only will you look and feel great, you’ll be setting an example of health and fitness to those closest to you. I certainly know that, if I ever am a mother, it’ll be much easier to bring up my children to be aware of the importance of a healthy diet and adequate exercise if I already have such fitness patterns in place for myself.
10 nutrition tips for older Women
- Chill Out! The level of hysteria over food and nutrition for young children has escalated beyond all reason. It was never meant to be this complicated. Normally healthy young children are pretty resilient when it comes to eating. So, again, stop worrying about feeding your kids perfect diets. There is no scientific way to feed children, despite the best efforts of food marketers to convince you otherwise and make you feel guilty.
- Of course kids want junk food all day long. That doesn’t mean you give it to them, so they’re running the kitchen and the grocery list instead of you. If they complain or throw a tantrum because you won’t give them candy or soft drinks or a bright green slushy, tune it out. I know – that’s probably impossible, but it is the best advice.
- Don’t believe other mothers who brag about how their wonderful angelic 3 year-old eats nothing but organic raw broccoli and spinach and organic yogurt. Sure they do.
- Be good to yourself. Buy yourself healthy food, even if no one else in the house wants it. And if you can’t resist junk food in the house, don’t buy it. Your teenaged boys can find it elsewhere, if they really want to.
- Get your vitamin D checked. Supplement accordingly. This is especially critical if you’re pregnant.
- Let convenience be your friend when it comes to fresh vegetables and fruits. Grocery stores are moving more to pre-cut vegetables and fruits. While they may look expensive compared to unprepared versions, it saves you time, not to mention mess and waste. But most important: when fresh veggies and fruit are right there ready to eat, you’re more likely to grab them for a quick snack, compared to having to take the time to wash something and cut it up. Better to have pineapple chunks or sugar snap peas at hand than potato chips or Oreos.
- Eat yogurt, preferably daily.
- Get omega-3, from fish if you like it, or quality supplements. And remember, not all fish is high omega-3. The good sources are limited to salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel.
- Artificial Sweeteners? I personally never, ever recommend them. Not for you. Not for your kids. It teaches you to crave excessive sweetness. How can you appreciate a peach or 100% orange juice or plain water if you learned that food should be so treacly sweet?
- One vegetable-centric meal per day.
Keep fruits and vegetables within reach for healthier eating!
How can you use this information to help you eat healthier:
- Knowing that food that is close to you gets eaten more, try putting away unhealthy snacks such as chips and cookies inside a cabinet where you cannot see them.
- Leave washed fruit such as apples, peaches, and bananas on the counter or somewhere where they are easily visible.
- Precut watermelon and melon and have them in a clear container in the middle of the refrigerator where it is easily visible to you.
- Have baby carrots or cherry tomatoes in a glass bowl in the fridge ready to be snacked on when hungry.
- Never leave chips, cookies, or cakes out on the counter, or table.
Dark Chocolate and Heart Health
The potential health claim for chocolate is that it’s good for your heart. Chocolate is made from cocoa, which contains polyphenols, which may work as antioxidants that lower LDL-cholesterol (the bad kind) and reduce blood pressure. The hope is that eating some chocolate every day will decrease your risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Cocoa contains epicatechins and catechins, which are similar to the polyphenols found in green tea; and quercetin, which is found in fruits and vegetables. Dark chocolate generally has more antioxidants than milk chocolate because certain processing methods remove the polyphenols, which have a bitter flavor.
Research studies as far back as 2006 looked at chocolate consumption and how it correlated with cardiovascular disease risk in large populations, and found a correlation. People who consumed more chocolate of any kind tended to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. This is interesting information, but the problem with these types of nutrition studies is the large possibility of confounding factors. If people who eat chocolate also do other things that decrease their risk of cardiovascular diseases, researchers and reporters can come to the wrong conclusion.
Top 5 Nutrition and Fitness Tips
1. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Studies have shown that eating more fruits and vegetables can reduce muscle damage in athletes and reduce sickness days by as much as 50% as well. Less sick days and less muscle damage means less injuries and workouts missed from being sick! And anyone who’s a serious athlete knows that even the slightest edge could make all the difference in your results – not that 50% less sick days is a just a slight edge!
2. Eat More Omega-3 Fats
Omega-3 fats are crucial to your health. Researchers say we should eat a ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids as close to 1:1 as possible. But the average American has a ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fats of 1:45! We’re way off balance. And that balance of Omega-3 fats is what protects your body from inflammation, the killer that leads to heart disease as well as injuries, soft tissue pain and arthritis.
3. Get More Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not just a vitamin – it’s a hormone. When scientists first discovered it, they thought it was a vitamin so it was mislabeled. But now we know better – it’s a secosteroid hormone that helps modulate over 20% of your genes – including the ones that help with bone and muscle strength. In fact, researchers now believe a lack of Vitamin D can cause weakened muscles – definitely not what you want if you’re working out!
4. Eat More Fiber
When you workout, your body needs every ounce of energy to deliver maximum results. If you’re backed up (constipated) because you’re not eating enough fiber, your body has to spend all that extra energy and resources working on getting your digestive system back on track. Eating a high fiber diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, berries, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes will not only make sure you get plenty of antioxidants, but plenty of fiber as well to make your digestive system work better.
It’s also important because your body creates more waste products and free radicals when you workout – so the cleaner your digestive system is, the better your body will be able to eliminate extra waste products from your workouts.
5. Eat More Berries
Dark blue and purple berries are known for their anthocyanins, a group of powerful antioxidants naturally occurring in many kinds of produce, but especially in blue and purple berries. These antioxidants not only help fight cancer and other diseases, they also help protect your endothelial cells – the single layer of cells that surround your blood vessels. These endothelial cells are responsible for the release of Nitric Oxide, which is what helps your blood vessels expand when you need more blood flow – like when you work out (or in bed too!).
Berries also help protect your blood vessels in other ways and may even help small capillaries form and function much better – like the tiny capillaries in your muscles that provide oxygen and nutrients to the muscle during workouts.
Top 5 Nutrition and Fitness Tips
1. Have a well balanced diet, taken into moderation and coming from the three basic food groups.
- Have a nutritious breakfast packed with protein and fiber
- Make your snacks out of vegetables and fruits, wheat breads, healthy fats and lean meats
- Stay out from fatty, high in sugar and high in sodium foods
2. Drink water regularly – hydrating your body is very important because it influences everything starting from your immune system, metabolism, oxygen and nutrient transportation and overall performance.
3. Get enough rest – having enough rest between work and exercise is essential for optimal growth and development
4. Organize your activities – having a time schedule will always keep you on track
5. Have regular exercise routine – this will keep your body on right shape
5 Tips to Increase your Workout Effectiveness
- Limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes. Though the tendency of some people who really want to get a lot out of their workouts is to spend a lot of time at the gym, the truth is that after 30 or 40 minutes, the benefit isn’t as great. To go that long, you’d have to lower the intensity of the workout, and that means that you’re spending too much time working out. It’s better to work out at a higher intensity for a shorter amount of time.
- High-intensity workouts. If you’re just starting out with exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re running or cycling, for example, build up your endurance for at least a month before you get into anything more intense. That means going at a rate where you can easily talk without being out of breath. However, once you have that base of endurance, step up the intensity to step up the effectiveness of the workout.
- Protein. Many people don’t pay enough attention to getting the protein their muscles need to rebuild. If you don’t, you are going to get very little out of your workout, as both cardio and strength workouts require protein for building muscles. I recommend either whey or soy protein shakes.
- Water. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drink right before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.
- Carbs. Although the low-carb craze might say otherwise, carbs are our body’s main source of fuel. If you do intense workouts, you will need carbs, or you won’t have enough energy. If you do a shake, be sure to include carbs — or a banana is a great source of low fiber/high glycemic carbohydrates that you need for exercise.
12 Foods that Lower your Cholesterol
- 1. Oats
- 2. Red Wine
- 3. Salmon & Fatty Fish
- 4. Nuts
- 5. Beans
- 6. Tea
- 7. Chocolate
- 8. Margarine
- 9. Spinach
- 10. Avocado
- 11. Garlic
- 12. Olive Oil
5 Incredible Workout Tips
1. Be Happy
Be sure to pick an activity you actually enjoy doing, suggests Los Angeles celebrity trainer Sebastien Lagree.
“If you hate weights, don’t go to the gym. You can lose weight and get in shape with any type of training or activity,” he says.
And choose something that is convenient. Rock climbing may be a great workout, but if you live in a city, it’s not something you’ll be doing every day.
2. Watch the Clock
Your body clock, that is. Try to work out at the time you have the most energy, suggests Jason Theodosakis, MD, assistant professor and exercise physiologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. If you’re a morning person, schedule your fitness activities early in the day; if you perk up as the day goes along, plan your activities in the afternoon or evening.
“Working out while you have the most energy will yield the best results,” says Theodosakis.
3. Call In the Pros
Especially if you’re first getting started, Theodosakis suggests having a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise you need most.
“For some people, attention to flexibility, or balance and agility, may be more important than resistance training or aerobics,” he says. “By getting a professional assessment, you can determine your weakest links and focus on them. This will improve your overall fitness balance.”
4. Get Inspired
“Fitness is a state of mind,” says fitness professional and life coach Allan Fine of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One of Fine’s tricks to get and stay motivated is to read blogs or web sites that show him how others have been successful. “Who inspires you?” he asks.
5. Be Patient
Finally, remember that even if you follow all these tips, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories, advises Navratilova. Just be patient, and don’t give up, she says on the AARP web site: “Hang in there, and you’ll see solid results.”
Study: Those with depression at higher risk of sleepwalking
About 8.5 million adults in the USA have experienced nighttime wanderings and those with sleep apneas and psychiatric disorders, depression or obsessive compulsive disorders are at higher risk, says the study of 19,136 Americans ages 18 and older. Antidepressants, over-the-counter sleeping pills and certain other medications can increase the risk, but they bring on events in people with a history of sleepwalking.
“I would like to correct the impression that this phenomenon is rare,” says study author Maurice Ohayon, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford Sleep Epidemiology Research Center. “This is a huge number of people.”
Participants were asked in telephone surveys about their sleeping habits, general health, medications and mental disorders. People who wandered at night at least once during the year were more likely to have a family history of sleepwalking — and they often tread on quality sleep for household members. Ohayon says that’s how most of them reported knowing of their somnambulism.
“Their partners will wake up in the morning and tell them about it,” Ohayon says. “It can be very disruptive to others, while the person walking at night can be quite unaware.”
