effects of exercise on the relationship between low selfesteem and obesity in children may 2000

Effects of Exercise on the Relationship Between Low Self-Esteem and Obesity in Children (May 2000)Writen by John Izzo

Introduction

Obesity is the most common health problem facing children today. It has been suggested that obese children have increased problems with self-esteem and depression when compared to the normal pediatric population. Research in exercise and depression is persuasively showing how exercise may be elemental in treating low self-esteem. Moderate exercise seems to be the most effective intensity in reducing depression and increasing levels of self-esteem. This literature review will illustrate what other researchers have found and concluded in a.) finding a relationship between self-esteem and obesity, b.) the effects of exercise on self-esteem, c.) studies on motivation among children, and d.) the need for more research.

Finding A Relationship

In order to establish a relationship between obesity and self-esteem, a Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale was administered to 550 14 and 16 year old girls. Self-esteem scores were categorized by weight and weight by height. Scores on the Quetelet Index for Obesity were correlated with self-esteem scores. Mean self-esteem of the low-and-middle weight by height group was higher than the mean of the high weight group. In analyzing weight alone, the self-esteem of the middle-weight group was significantly higher than the self-esteem of the high-weight group. The correlation of the obesity index and self-esteem indicated that as weight increased, self-esteem decreased (Martin, Housley, & McCoy, 1988).

In another study, the relationship between obesity and self-esteem was examined cross-sectionally and prospectively over three years in a cohort of 1278 adolescents in grades 7 to 9 at baseline. Cross-sectional analysis revealed an inverse association between physical appearance self-esteem and body mass index in both males and females. In females, body mass index was inversely associated with global self-esteem, close friendship, and behavioral conduct. In males, body mass index was inversely associated with athletic and romantic appeal. These results suggest that low self-esteem may be an important factor in preventing or reversing obesity (French, Perry, Leon, & Fulkerson, 1996).

A study by Strauss supports data from Martin, Housely, and McCoy. Straus's data demonstrates that negative weight perceptions are particularly common among young adolescent white females, which reveals that young obese adolescent females show the lowest levels of self-esteem. Nevertheless, negative perceptions of obesity also exist among adolescent boys. The data also demonstrates significant social consequences of decreasing self-esteem in obese children. Obese children with decreasing levels of self-esteem showed significantly elevated levels of loneliness, sadness, and nervousness. Although these efforts are not unique for obese children, they are nevertheless quite important because nearly 70% of white obese females demonstrated decreasing levels of self-esteem by early adolescence (Strauss, 2000).

Additional studies need to focus on whether positive family or social interactions can alleviate the negative psychosocial effects of adolescent obesity. Strauss concludes that children with obese mothers, low family incomes, and lower cognitive stimulation have significantly higher risks of developing obesity, independent of other demographic and socio-economic factors. In contrast, increased rates of obesity in black children, children with lower family education, and non-professional parents may be mediated through the confounding effects of low income and lower levels of cognitive stimulation (Strauss & Knight, 1999).

Effects of Exercise

The case for exercise and health has primarily been made on its impact on diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, there has been increasing research into the role of exercise in improving mental well-being, including global self-esteem.

Sufficient evidence now exists for the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of clinical depression and low self-esteem. Additionally, exercise has a moderate reducing effect on state and trait anxiety and can improve physical self-perceptions and in some cases, global self-esteem. There is also good evidence that aerobic and resistance exercise (weight training) enhances mood states, and weaker evidence that exercise can improve cognitive function (Fox, 1999).

One study which supports the fundamentals of CHAMP is revealed in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. In the study, 37 males and 28 females participated in a 10-week exercise program. Participants were selected from existing classes forming weight training, aerobic exercise, and activity control group. Results revealed change in physical self-perception, strength, and body composition. Improvements in physical self-perceptions and fitness occurred independent of the exercise group. Correlations among the measures revealed relationships among physical self-perceptions, body satisfaction, global self-esteem, and fitness (Caruso & Gill, 1992).

Study of Motivation

In order to study motivation among obese children, a study used a body video distortion method to compare their body image with the body perception of non-obese peers. A standardized series of body size estimations were used: cognitive (what subject hink they look like), affective (what they feel they look like), and optative (what they wish they looked like). Forty-one obese children (16 boys and 25 girls; average 12 years old) and 42 age-matched control subjects compared percentages of deviation from the accurate body image. The results showed that obese children were more accurate in estimating their real body width, but desired to reduce their body size by about 25% (Probst, Braet, & De Vos, 1995).

The significance of exercise as a healthy related behavior has brought forth the need to address motivational problems associated with its adoption and maintenance. In this respect, exercise psychology research would appear to provide potential for guiding significant public health initiatives. Cognitions about self-perceived quality of life vary across the stages of change, with those who are least prepared to adopt regular exercise reporting the lowest levels of quality of life. These finding suggests that cognitive-motivational messages designed to emphasize quality of life benefits associated with exercise may be useful intervention strategies for people who are less motivationally ready for change (Laforge & Rossi, 1999).

To remedy the localized problem of motivation, CHAMP has incorporated the use of one-on-one fitness specialists who act not only as instructors, but as mentors also.

In general, research has demonstrated that engaging in exercise and physical activity significantly enhances mental health and can increase self-esteem. Extensive
meta-analysis states that exercise has a positive impact on enhancing mood, self-concept, and self-esteem. In addition, feelings of depression, anger, and anxiety tend to dissipate after exercise (Greenberg & Oglesby, 1999).

Need for More Research

Many questions still exist regarding the combination of specific modes of exercise with different intensities and their resulting productivity. Studies show that resistance training is beneficial, but not much is known on intensity and duration.

The relationship between self-esteem and obesity has not received a great deal of empirical evaluation using strong research methodologies. Thus, it is not clear:

whether self-esteem is consistently related to obesity,

whether the relationship is global or specific to physical appearance, whether the relationship differs by demographic variables such as age, gender, or race/ethnicity, or

whether self-esteem moderates weight changes during weight loss treatment programs (French, Story, & Perry, 1995).

More studies need to be done to clarify whether increases in self-esteem are related to enhanced weight-loss. Many studies are methodologically weak primarily due to small and select samples and lack appropriate comparison groups.

Although some inconsistencies still exist and much research remains to be done, the pursuit of exercise therapy to treat obese children is well underway. All of these research efforts work towards improving the future of preventative medicine and better the well being and lifestyle of children suffering from obesity and low self-esteem.

References

Biddle, S & Fox, K. (1989). Exercise and Health Psychology: Emerging Relationships. British Journal of Medicine and Psychology, 62(3), 205-216
Caruso, C. & Gill, D. (1992). Strengthening physical self-perceptions through exercise. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 32 (4), 416-427

Fox, K. (1999). The influence of physical activity on mental well being. Public Health Nutrition. 2(3). 411-418

French S, Perry C, Leon G, & Fulkerson J. (1996) Self-esteem and changes in body mass index over 3 years in a cohort of adolescents. Obesity Resource, 41(1). 27-33

FrenchS, Story M, & Perry C. (1999). Mental Health Disorders. Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Report. 4(1). 10-12

Hunter S, Larrieu J, Ayad F, & O'Leary P (1997). Roles of Mental Health Professionals in Multidisciplinary Medically Supervised Treatment Programs for Obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association (2), 97-113.

Retrieved from the World Wide Web February 24, 2000: http://www.sma.org/smj/97/iune2.

Laforge R & Rossi J. (1999). Stages of regular exercise and health related to quality of life. Preventative Medicine. 28(4). 349-360
Martin S, Housley K, & McCoy H. (1988). Self -esteem of adolescent girls as related to weight. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 67(3). 879-884

Probst M, Braet C, & De Vos P. (1995). Body size estimation in obese children: a
controlled study with the video distortion method. International Journal of Obesity Related to Metabolic Disorders. 19(11), 820-824

Sheslow D, Hassink S, Wallace W, & Delancey E. (1993). The relationship between self-esteem and depression in obese children. (Abstract). Annual New York Academy of Science. Oct. 29 L699), 289-291

fV/-wv*
Strauss, R (2000). Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics, 105(1), 15. Retrieved February 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.pediatrics.org
Strauss, R & Knight, J (1999). Influence of the home environment on the development of obesity in children. Pediatrics, 103(6). 85. Retrieved February 19, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.pediatrics.org

John Izzo, BS, NASM-CPT, is currently the Fitness Director of the YMCA of Greater Hartford (CT) and Master Lecturer for WITS. He holds multiple certifications in personal training and has an extensive successful background in weight management and athletic improvement among clients. For more info, please contact: john12774@hotmail.com

diet and exercise evolution adaptation part ii examples and practical advice

Diet and Exercise Evolution: Adaptation (part II) -- Examples and Practical AdviceWriten by David McCormick

Understanding the theory of adaptation (see previous article, Adaptation I) will give
you the tools to evaluate your diet and daily routine. If you have any question about
whether something is good for you, always examine both the immediate
effects and the adaptation effects equally. This article will look at
various examples of adaptation and practical advice based on this important theory.

Walking

Is walking for a long time a good way of losing weight? Look at it this way: the
direct effect is that calories are burnt over that period, and you will by using your fat
stores for fuel because it is aerobic exercise. So that's a positive: you're burning
calories, and as long as you don't eat too much food, you're losing weight. But what
will be the adaptation? You're telling your body that you will need to walk
for a long amount of time to find food. So, how will your body adapt to make you a
better walker? Expending energy faster? Burning fat easily? NO WAY. If you need
to walk through the savanna for a long time, you want your body to conserve as
much energy (fat) as possible and retain as much water as possible. This is
the opposite of your goal, you will not lose weight in the long-term, so it is not an
optimal solution.

Sprinting

What about high-intensity exercise? The immediate effect is to burn calories in your
blood, but there isn't enough time to start burning fat. Your muscles may burn with
lactic acid, and you can't keep it up for very long. That isn't too good, because you
won't burn as many calories as you did walking. But is the adaptation going in the
correct direction? Your body will try to make you a better runner by making
calories available to you at a moment's notice to fuel your run (burning fat faster),
and will try to get rid of the fat that is slowing you down. This is a great
adaptation.

The best advice regarding exercise for weight loss in accordance with adaptation is
this: warm up by doing a fast walk for 10-15 minutes, so that your body goes into
a fat-burning mode. Then, turn up the intensity as high as you can and speed
through the next 10-15 minutes. This can be running, climbing stairs, bicycling or
whatever activity you like. I recommend a stationary bike because the risk
of falling or hurting your joints is minimized. If you do this before breakfast, you're
also training your body to use stored energy (fat) instead of energy from food in
your stomach.

If You Could Be an Animal...

If your physique could resemble an animal's, which animal would you choose? Try
to ignore symbolism, and just pick an animal whose body composition you'd like to
approach. Many men would choose a lion and many women would choose a
gazelle. These animals have adapted to get the bodies they have, and their
adaptation, like yours, is based on how they behave day to day. So how do
these animals behave? We can't compare their diets, because a gazelle is a
herbivore, a lion is a carnivore, and humans are omnivores. However, we can look
at their exercise needs.

A lion, to get food, has to sprint for up to 5 minutes until it grabs its prey,
which is usually pretty big. When it does, it wrestles with it for up to 10
minutes, flexing all its muscles and changing positions, putting all its force against
the other animal that is resisting with all its might. This builds muscular strength
and size and eliminates body fat.

A gazelle spends a lot of time eating, but each mouthful is tiny. It takes a
long time to eat, and never gorges. When the grass all around it is bare, it bounces
off to another place to find food or water. The gazelle is highly alert because it is
vulnerable to attack, and often twitches or fidgets to make sure it can
escape quickly. When it is attacked, it runs (bounces) incredibly fast for up to 20
minutes until it is safely out of danger. This activity makes it long and slender as an
adaptation to its environment.

Don't be a house cat. Many cats are overweight because their
environment doesn't challenge them to run to catch food (or avoid being caught),
and sleep or lie around for 18 hours a day. If you have a desk-job, and then watch
TV on the couch, that is exactly what you are doing.

Three Squares

Should you eat only three meals a day and avoid snacking to lose weight? Well, you
will be consuming fewer calories, so that's a plus. However, the bigger effect is this:
your body will think food is rare and that you may starve. If you go 5 or 6
hours between meals, or if you skip breakfast and go 16 hours or so without food,
what else could your body possibly conclude? Your brain can't tell your cells don't
worry, we're trying to lose weight, because your intentions don't mean anything to
your organs. Your organs react and adapt to the stimuli presented to them. So they
think that you're in the desert. How do you survive in the desert? Like a
camel: Conserve as much food in your body as possible (fat), slow your metabolism
to prolong your life (so you'll feel tired a lot), and retain as much water as possible.

What about the opposite? What if you eat small portions every two hours and drink
water all the time? Your body will think that you're in a place where there is food
whenever you need it, like a jungle full of fruit trees and other easily furnished food
to eat. What is the reaction? Hooray! Better to speed up the metabolism, so that
the stomach is finished digesting the previous meal before the next one comes; no
need to store fat that is just leeching circulation and water; and get rid of any
excess water in the system, because fresh water is constantly coming in. This is in
line with your weight loss goals, so this is the route to take.

Calories: Eat less or burn more?

The final effect of your body's great adaptation potential is the question of which is
more effective: eating fewer calories or burning more calories with exercise? Let's
look at these two propositions in terms of adaptation.

If you first remove a significant number of calories from your diet, you will feel less
energetic (because calories are energy), therefore, you won't feel like exercising, and
you won't be able to exercise for as long. On the other hand, if you start exercising
more each day, it will make you hungrier (because your body knows it's not getting
enough calories to support this new activity), but as long as you try to keep your
eating habits the same and pay attention to satiety by eating foods that make you
feel full, you'll feel great, your endurance will improve and your overall health will
keep getting better. At that point, if you reduce the calories in your diet, then you
will be able to cope with slightly less energy, because your body will already be
more efficient at using that energy to fuel your exercise.

A Summary

To conclude, in terms of exercise: warm up to get the circulation going with a fast
walk for about 20 minutes, then do a high intensity activity for about 10 minutes.
The best to do that is before breakfast. In terms of diet: try to reduce your calories
overall, but divide them among small meals all day. Never eat a big meal, but snack
every hour or two on something healthy. Also, drink as much water as you possibly
can all day. These practices are optimized for your body's natural reactions, so that
you will be training your body to lose weight. And whenever you hear diet advice,
try to look past the immediate effects and look at it from the perspective of
Adaptation.

David McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products. His Mr. Weightless site is
dedicated to free weight loss articles and advice, primarily targeted to men. There
are no banners, no pop-ups, and you will never be asked for your email address.

Mr. Weightless: Wait Less for Weight Loss!

http://www.weightlessproducts.com

elliptical trainers vs treadmills which one is better for you

Elliptical Trainers Vs Treadmills; Which One Is Better For You?Writen by Tim Gorman

If you enjoy running as a way of keeping fit but do not like the idea of running around busy streets and dodging traffic then you may have thought of buying a treadmill machine or an elliptical trainer. It is worth looking into the costs and benefits of both systems before deciding which is the best for your health and fitness needs. Of course suitability may not be the only criteria, there may also be a price consideration. Both have benefits and disadvantages so when considering elliptical trainers vs treadmills you should make sure that you have looked at all the possibilities and practicalities of both options.

When you start looking at the benefits of elliptical trainers vs treadmills it is a good idea to make sure that you are clear on what each machine can and cannot do for you. Treadmills are really nothing more then an indoor running machine. Although they can have other features such as monitoring the heart rate, which can make them very useful, they are still quite limited. Elliptical trainers on the other hand, provide more of a well-rounded workout. They also have the advantage of allowing you to exercise without any great impact on the knees as the feet remain on the foot beds at all times.

Although there are many benefits to elliptical trainers vs treadmills many people still prefer the basic exercise of running and do not want anything more complicated or expensive. And for those who want a straightforward, simple and of course a more inexpensive option, a treadmill could be the ideal solution. Treadmills are much cheaper in price when compared to elliptical trainers and if you do not really want the extra features may be perfectly satisfactory for your health and fitness desires.

When weighing the different benefits of elliptical trainers vs treadmills it is a good idea to write down the advantages and cost implications of both systems. This can make it much easier for you to decide which is the best solution for you and which exercise machine is likely to deliver the health and fitness benefits that you want at the price you're most comfortable with paying. Although elliptical trainers have many benefits over treadmills they are only worth the extra expense if you really want and more importantly, plan to use all of the extra features that come with purchasing an elliptical cross trainer. For a simple straightforward exercise machine to replace outdoor running treadmills are quite adequate but if you want a more extensive workout then an elliptical trainer may be the best option for you.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com. He provides more treadmill ratings, recommendations and information on elliptical trainers vs treadmills that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

getting the most out of your home fitness equipment

Getting the Most Out of Your Home Fitness EquipmentWriten by Nathan James

Many of us make New Years resolutions to get in shape, lose weight, and exercise more. This usually means either a trip to sign up at a local gym, or buying a piece of home fitness equipment. Buying fitness equipment for your home can often be a better choice, especially if your local gym is out of the way from your home and work.

Many people sign up with full intentions of going but find that it is too much of an inconvenience. However, many people also buy expensive equipment only to end up using it to hang their laundry on (sound familiar?). Read on to learn how to make the most of your home fitness equipment.

If you have a spare room, consider making it into a home gym. Keeping all your gym equipment in one place makes it easy to find and feel more like a real gym. You should also try and remove other clutter from your home gym. Make sure you have some upbeat music on hand and perhaps even a TV. Youll be surprised how quickly a workout can go by when youre watching your favorite shows.

Equipment Must-Haves

If you dont currently have any home fitness equipment but are ready to start building your home gym, you may be confused as to which equipment is best.

Start off with one piece of cardio equipment. To get the most bang for your buck, look into an elliptical trainer. These simulate running, but are virtually no-impact. Look for one that allows you to move your arms as well since this means burning more calories.

Treadmills are also a great choice, but keep in mind that they are much harder on your joints. A stationary bike is also a popular piece of gym equipment, but you wont get as much benefit from your workouts.

A universal gym is a great addition to your home gym as well. These combine several types of weight machines into one. A great choice if you dont have a lot of space. You may also want to get a stability ball, resistance band, and other hand weights. This should make for a perfect home gym, which you and your family can use and enjoy for many years.

About The Author

Nathan James offers information and advice about home fitness equipment at the Best Home Fitness Equipment website. Visit http://www.best-home-fitness-equipment.info for more information about choosing the right equipment.

exercise amp motivation part 4 maintenance amp relapse

Exercise & Motivation, Part 4: Maintenance & RelapseWriten by Tanja Gardner

WHAT ARE THE MAINTENANCE AND RELAPSE STAGES?

In the maintenance stage, youve been exercising regularly for long enough that its become a habit. Youve created a routine that works for you, and (if youre doing it right), youve started seeing the benefits you originally wanted in your life. There are still a few traps that can derail you, though. When this happens, and you find yourself no longer exercising, youre in Prochaskas Relapse stage. Most traps will either involve a change in your life circumstances, a change in your goals, or a combination of both so if youve been exercising regularly for a while and suddenly find motivating yourself difficult, ask yourself whats changed.

CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCE

If your circumstances have altered, youll usually be well aware of whats happened and how its affected your motivation. For example you might enjoy exercising in a gym, then take a sudden drop in income that doesnt allow you to keep your gym membership. Your working hours might change, making your original workout timeslot unavailable. Someone you exercise with might decide to stop, or you might injure yourself somehow. All these things will disrupt what was an effective routine, and if you dont actively plan to work around the disruption, it can sap your motivation to keep exercising.

If this applies to you, imagine you were back in the Contemplation stage, and look at the motivation suggestions for this stage. Revisit your main goal for exercising. Is it still valid? If so, move through the suggestions for the Preparation stage. Your initial how no longer works so what needs to change? If you can no longer keep the routine that used to work, what can you still do thats convenient, enjoyable and affordable? If youve kept a fitness journal, go back through the entries you made when you were setting up your routine. What did you think of to try then (and didnt end up using) that you could experiment with now?

CHANGES IN GOALS

If your circumstances havent changed, its likely your goals have. Perhaps your initial goals arent relevant any longer? If this is the case, dont beat yourself up about it instead, ask yourself what you *do* want now. Perhaps you started off enthusiastic about training for a triathlon, but quickly found the required time and effort unbalanced your life. Perhaps you began wanting to lose 20kg, then realised as you had to replace your entire wardrobe that you actually preferred being curvy now you just want to feel healthy and energetic. Remember, its your life and no-one can tell you what your goals should be. Its OK for goals to change whats not OK is to keep grimly putting time and effort into something you dont actually want any more.

Remember theres a difference between wanting to take a day off, and losing long term motivation. Part of any successful plan is allowing yourself occasional rest days. Taking one or two every week doesnt mean youve moved into Relapse in fact its necessary to avoid overtraining. Its also OK to vary your workout intensity from week to week alternating weeks of pushing yourself with weeks of coasting. This strategy (called periodisation when its done to a specific plan) is actually far more effective for reaching fitness goals than pushing yourself as hard as you can every single workout. If youre starting consistently skip workouts though, you need to figure out why and do something about it.

GETTING HELP WITH MOTIVATION

Finally, as we suggested for those in the Action stage, if its getting harder to stay motivated despite all of the above suggestions, think about working with a personal trainer. In fact, a trainer can help you manage your motivational difficulties whatever stage of Prochaskas model youre at (or even if youre not quite sure where you are right now!) If youve thought about hiring a trainer in the past, but the time has never been right, Optimum Life Ltd has an offer that might convince you to finally make the investment in yourself, your health, and your happiness. If you e-mail us on mailto:optimumlife@xtra.co.nz during October, youll be able to sign up for a full Total Fitness Membership at a 25% discount - only $US30 per month (when you consider that most trainers charge between $50-100 per session, you can see why its such good value!)

As you can see from this article series, the question of how to motivate yourself to exercise isnt an easy one to answer (if it was, wed all be exercising regularly, and thered be no need for this article!). The best way to motivate yourself depends very much on where in the stages of change you are at the moment with respect to exercise. Figure out where you are in the model, then try the relevant suggestions for getting yourself moving. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please dont hesitate to contact us wed love to hear from you. Otherwise, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.

Copyright 2005 Tanja Gardner

This article Tanja Gardner, Optimum Life Ltd. Please feel free to reprint it in whole, as long as this resource box remains intact.
Optimum Life Ltd (http://optimumlife.co.nz) provides balanced fitness and stress management services to clients worldwide. For details of how we can help you achieve your optimum fitness on a budget, visit http://trainerforce.com/optimumlife
For a copy of our free 'What is Optimum Fitness?' Report and Checklist, please send an e-mail to mailto:optimumlife@xtra.co.nz with 'Please send Fitness Checklist & Report' in the subject header

horizon elite treadmills

Horizon Elite TreadmillsWriten by Tim Gorman

Horizon Elite treadmills, a series of high quality fitness products, are manufactured by Horizon Fitness of DeForest Wisconsin. Horizon Elite treadmills are extremely durable, high-end performers created with the committed athlete in mind.

If you're considering Horizon Elite for your exercise regimen you have five treadmill choices, all of which offer the feather light easy fold-away lift system unique to Horizon Elite treadmills.

The Horizon Elite 1.1T, with its 1.75 hp motor, gives you a maximum running speed of 10mph, and a 10 percent maximum incline. The most basic of the Horizon Elite treadmills, the 1.1T features include a smartboard console that displays heart rate, elevation, time, calories, laps, distance and speed.

The next most advanced of the Horizon Elite treadmills is the Elite 2.1T. Additional features in this model include a book holder, a water holder and bottle, a stereo and emergency stop button.

The Horizon Elite 3.1T offers a considerably more advanced workout, with six preprogrammed and manual workouts that include a golf course program and one designed specifically with weight loss in mind.

The Horizon Elite 4.1 treadmill, one of the most advanced of the Horizon elite treadmills, provides 8 different workout programs, manual and preprogrammed, including a rolling and a race regimen. Its belt is orthopedically designed for comfort, with a top-level speed of 12 mph and an incline of up to 12%.

The top of the line of the Horizon Elite treadmills, the Horizon 5.1T provides ten different workout programs, and a 60 inch long running track. The most durable of the Horizon Elite treadmills series, it can accommodate runners up to 350 pounds.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com. He provides more treadmill ratings, rankings and treadmill reviews that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

exercise essential

Exercise: EssentialWriten by David McCormick

The only absolute truth in the area of exercise and weight loss is this: Becoming more physically active will burn calories, and as long as you don't absorb those calories back by eating more, you will lose weight. Getting active and getting your muscles to burn more calories is an essential part of a weight management program. It will improve your circulation and your nervous system more than any diet could. Regular exercise can fight all signs of aging, lower cholesterol ratings and reduce osteoporosis. But the question that fuels the multi-million dollar fitness
industry is, What exercise is best?

This is a very contentious area. Mr. Weightless will only tell the simple truth, so
below is the information that has been proven to be true, but the final judgment is
yours.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race...

Slow and steady exercise that raises your heart rate a significant amount, but
that still allows you to breathe without struggling for at least 20 minutes will
encourage fat loss. This is called aerobic exercise. The term aerobic means with
air, meaning that your muscles are burning sugar and fat in the presence of
oxygen. To be able to burn calories in the presence of oxygen, you have to be
taking regular breaths, so the activity you're doing must be a moderate pace, at
most. For many people who are overweight, this can mean simply a fast walk. For
many athletes, this may be a quick jog. It doesn't matter where you are along the
spectrum as long as your heart rate is raised and you can breathe normally or carry
on a conversation.

Why 20 minutes? At first, your body will only burn blood-sugar because it
is readily available. If you keep going long enough, your body realizes that blood-
sugar won't be enough, so it starts burning fat as well. If you stop exercising before
this happens, then your body will simply be tired and you will feel hungry because
your blood-sugar will be low (see my article on Satiety, click here). Your body wants
to retain the fat and avoid burning it. This is a survival mechanism... read my article
on Adaptation that you can find on my website.

...Or Does Maximum Intensity?

There is another school of thought that has had similar success with just as much
good theory behind it. Vigorous exercise for 10-15 minutes will burn just as many
calories from your blood-sugar as a longer duration exercise, but it will also raise
your metabolism for many hours afterwards. In other words, you won't burn fat
during your workout, but you will slowly burn fat for a period of time after finishing.
This method has been shown to have more dramatic effects on lowering body-
fat than the low-intensity exercise described above. This is anaerobic exercise,
meaning without air. You'll be going fast enough that your breathing won't be
enough to fuel the calorie burning. Carbohydrates (blood sugar) will burn without
oxygen, which leads to the creation of lactic acid. This is what accumulates in your
muscles, and makes them feel like they're burning.

However, there are serious drawbacks to this method, which make it difficult to
recommend this strategy exclusively. Before embracing the high-intensity mindset,
read below.

First, if a person is just starting a program, they risk serious injury if they
try to exercise too vigorously. Knees, hips and ankle joints are very common injury
sites, and muscle cramping can be very painful even if it is short-lived. Don't
exercise at your peak intensity until you're used to exercising!

Secondly, high-energy activities tend to be high-impact on the body.
Running fast, playing racketball, and jumping jacks wear down the connective
tissues in the body, so even if a person is not directly injured, they are causing
long-term damage. People who run road races often have chronic hip, knee and
ankle pain. If you decide to pursue this type of high-energy program, I highly
recommend a reclined stationary bike to reduce the strain on your joints.

The third problem is: How vigorous does a person need to exercise? If you
go at your absolute peak, you may only last three minutes, maybe less, and that
won't be effective. It is difficult to gauge how much you can push yourself to be
exhausted exactly at 12 minutes.

Finally, though vigorous exercise technically takes less time, it requires changing
into workout clothes, doing the exercise, then taking a shower and changing back
again. That means scheduling more time for the preparation than for low-intensity
activities, as well as having access to a place to change. On the other hand, going
for a brisk walk you can do on a whim, maybe more than once a day, in your regular
clothes.

The Best of Both Worlds: Two Alternatives

You can get good results using either method, but the best method is to combine
the two. If you're in the gym using a stationary bike, your goal should be to do a
warm-up of aerobic activity for about 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of
anaerobic exercise. For many people, a 20 minute brisk walk followed by a 10
minute fast bicycling makes the most sense. For those who play high intensity
sports like racketball, a light warm up on a stationary bike for 20 minutes before a
match can kick-start the fat burning process. Everyone is different.

That may be too much for someone who is just starting out, though. The best
recommendation is to start at a low intensity activity like walking, and gradually
increasing the intensity week to week. A good way to do this is to walk down
the street directly away from your home for 20 minutes, then turn around and walk
back at a slightly quicker pace. This low-intensity 40 minute exercise every day
should be fine for the first week. Don't aim to run right from the start, start slow, be
patient, and improve consistently every day. After a week or two, turn the walk
away portion into a quick power-walk and try to jog all the way back. Remember to
use time, not distance, as your measuring-stick. Making your workouts shorter is
NOT the goal, we always want our fat-burning exercise to last 30 minutes, and our
warm-up aerobics to last 20 minutes, regardless of distance.

The best fat-burning work out is difficult to program into a stationary bike, and
works best on the street. This is interval training. This type of workout allows you
to get the benefits of high-intensity exercise and make it last over 20 minutes to
burn fat right away. The formula is simple: Walk for 2 minutes, then run for 1
minute. Then repeat. Use the walking portion to catch your breath and prepare
for the next high-intensity interval. At first, your high intensity may simply be a
jog, don't over do it. Over the weeks, increase the intensity of your high-intensity
portion. When you get up to a run, do NOT try to increase the duration of the high-
intensity portion. You'll benefit more by continuing to increase the pace to a sprint,
if possible. Keep the duration of the entire work out to 30 minutes or more. As I
mentioned above, with all street running, beware the impact on your joints.

Frequency

How regular should exercise be? Every day. Anyone can fit in one half hour
into their schedule. You should look forward to the physical activity, so choose one
that you like to do if walking isn't for you. Remember that you're training your body
to lose weight. If you don't exercise every day, your body will think that when you
do exercise, it's a minor exceptional change. Only by doing it every day will your
body come to expect it, and will therefore prepare for it. Training your body to
expect to burn calories is half the battle! If anything, take the stairs instead of the
elevator.

David McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products. His Mr. Weightless site is
dedicated to free weight loss articles and advice. There are no banners, no pop-ups,
and you will never be asked for your email address.

Mr. Weightless: Wait Less for Weight Loss!

http://www.weightlessproducts.com

exercise bike benefits

Exercise Bike BenefitsWriten by Charles O'Neill

So you know you want to buy some type of home exercise equipment - but why buy an exercise bike?

One of the top benefits of exercise bikes is that they are probably the most affordable piece of exercise equipment on the market right now. Starting around $200 and ranging up to $2500, exercise bikes offer a huge variety of models for every price range and every exercise level.

It is however advisable to keep in mind that you will get what you pay for with an exercise bike. Don't expect a $200 exercise bike to come with all of the bells and whistles and last you over 3 years. However if you are on a budget, an exercise bike is a great way to get in shape for less.

Another great benefit of exercise bikes is that they provide a much lower impact on your joints and ligaments than other piece of exercise equipment like a treadmill or stair climber. This can result in less chance of sustained injury over time and can also be great for people with joint problems, arthritis, etc.

Another recent factor that has made the exercise bikes much more comfortable to use is the introduction of the recumbent exercise bike - where you sit in a semi-reclined bucket seat with your legs angled out in front of you instead of hanging down.

Until the recumbent bike came along, many people just weren't comfortable on the standard upright bike seat. The recumbent exercise bike allows people to get a much more comfortable workout - which means that they can exercise for longer periods of time.

Exercise bikes can also be much safer than other forms of exercise equipment. You can slip and fall on a treadmill. You can lose your balance on an elliptical trainer. It's much more difficult to fall off or injury yourself on an exercise bike. This makes the exercise bike a great alternative for the elderly exerciser or someone who is new to exercise equipment in general.

Another factor that makes the exercise bike so popular in home gyms is the fact that (with a recumbent bike) you can read while you're exercising. Boredom is one of the main reasons people don't exercise. So instead of forcing yourself to trudge through your workout, why not choose a piece of exercise equipment that's going to allow you to multitask and do what you want while working out?

Read your favorite magazine or the latest murder mystery novel. Set the exercise bike up in front of the television and watch your favorite show while pedalling. Time will fly by and you won't even know you've been blasting those calories!

This leads into what is perhaps the best benefit of an exercise bike. Because exercise bikes are so affordable, comfortable, low impact and safe - and because they allow you to fight boredom while exercising - the chances that you'll use it are extremely high.

No one wants to spend a lot of hard earned cash a piece of fancy exercise equipment and then use it for a clothes rack. You want to be able to stay fit, burn calories and keep healthy by working out. But if you buy a machine that you never use, all of your best intentions have gone to waste.

Because of the great benefits of exercise bikes, many people find that they not only use them for years to come but they also end up exercising much more than they thought they would.

Charles O'Neill is a certified personal trainer and contributing writer for Exercise Bike Review a consumer oriented website focusing on the home exercise bike market.

For more buying tips, brand reviews, and best buys visit http://www.Exercise-Bike-Review.com

exercise anxiety amp panic

Exercise - Anxiety & PanicWriten by Joanne King

Yes, all Im afraid this does play a part in reducing anxiety and depression. As much as you may not like doing it (Ive never been a huge fan of it myself) but once you get into it, you certainly feel better for it afterwards.

Exercise is also helps increase your lung capacity, makes your heart stronger, helps your circulation, helps you sleep better, makes your muscles stronger, gives you more energy etc.. etc..

Now there are four main types of exercise, these are;

Endurance Exercise This will be the main type of exercise you want to focus on. This one helps reduce anxiety and depression. Its not particularly intense. Even a quick 10 minute walk a day will help. Optimum would be a half an hour a walk a day.

Strength Exercise This type of exercise builds muscles. Do this if you want a body like Arnold Schwarzeneggar from back in the 80s. I wont say from today, as from recent pictures Ive seen of him, it looks like he has let his muscle turn to flab ;-)

Balance Exercise This is commonly used for older people, to help prevent them from falling over. Examples of this type of exercise would be balancing on one foot for a short amount of time.

Flexibility Exercise This is mostly stretching exercises, and something I highly recommend you do before you tread out for a walk. It can be quite painfully pulling a muscle, and easy to do, especially if you havent exercised in a while. Learn from my mistakes, I pulled a stomach muscle on a brisk walk I did when I began to do this, and then was out of action for a few days.

Starting your day each day with a quick walk will lift your spirits dramatically, I cannot emphasis enough how much exercising will benefit you. If Im wrong, Ill eat my own words *smiles*

Joanne King - http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com

Free sign up of our newsletter! Discover more methods on treating Anxiety Symptoms
You can sign up here and begin eliminating your Anxiety Disorder - Click Here --> http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com

adult bedwetting exercise may help the problem

Adult Bedwetting Exercise May Help The ProblemWriten by Peter Leigh

Adult bedwetting is as embarrassing to adults as it is to teenagers. No one wants to admit that he/she has a bedwetting problem, but doctors see adults on a daily basis that suffer from enuresis. This is the name given to bed wetting in anyone over the age of five because by that time most children have learned to recognize the signs that they need to get out of bed to use the bathroom. Even at that age, they become very upset by bedwetting, so you can only imagine how anyone with an adult bedwetting problem must feel.

Whether adult bedwetting occurs suddenly or develops gradually, it is something that needs to be checked out by a doctor. It could be a symptom of a disease such as diabetes, a sleep disorder, an infection in the urinary system or even an allergy. Once the doctor runs the necessary tests, he/she may send you to a urologist as a precautionary measure. During this time, you can wear bedwetting diapers to keep dry during the night, especially while you are waiting for the medication to take effect. Adult bed wetting also responds well to enuresis alarms to wake you up in time to go to the bathroom.

Adult bedwetting is often result of aging and the loss of muscle tone in the walls of the bladder. There are exercises you can do to reduce the occurrences of adult enuresis. These include doing such things as squeezing the bladder several times a day. This process helps to strengthen the bladder muscles because you pretend that you are trying to stop urinating. It also works during the day when you go to the bathroom so that you are actually stopping the flow. This is one method of exercise that adults suffering from nocturnal enuresis have found effective.

If your adult bedwetting occurs occasionally, you should start a diary recording the events surrounding the bed wetting episodes. This should include such things as how much you had to drink before you went to bed and what foods you ate. Drinking too much alcohol is often responsible for adult bed wetting because it puts you into a deep sleep. Since alcohol impairs brain function, the connection between the brain and the bladder is severed so bed wetting is more likely.

One factor to look at as a cause of adult bedwetting is the psychological factor. Stress and trauma can bring on bedwetting in an adult who did not even wet the bed as a child. This is where keeping a diary of events leading up to the adult enuresis episodes can help you determine what is causing them. Once you realize a pattern in stressful events and adult bedwetting, then you can take steps to avoid certain things that bring it on.

Find out more about Bedwetting, visit Peter's Website Bedwetting Answers and find out about Adult Bedwetting and more, including Teenage Bedwetting and Bedwetting Alarms

6 features found in all the best treadmills

6 Features Found in All the Best TreadmillsWriten by Dean Iggo

Are you just plain fed up? If you have spent any time researching online for a treadmill, every site you visit tells you that they have the best treadmills, buy from us...we are the best...blah, blah, blah!!

It just makes me sick.

Everyone who is looking for a treadmill want the best treadmills (or best value in your price range) the problem is without some guidelines and direction, unsuspecting treadmill researchers can get sucked along by these all promising websites and then before they know find they have just forked out $3000 for the est treadmill.

Before you start you online search make sure you know what you are looking for. If you don't know what features the best treadmills have or look like how will you know when you find one.

Let's have a look at 6 features that all the best treadmills have so that you can take control of the buying process.

1. Quality Brand Name

Most of the best treadmill brands have been around for years. This should be evidence enough that they are doing something right. Some of the better known brands include Precor, Proform, Smooth, Nordic Track, Life Fitness etc.

The problem with many of the well known brands is that you pay for their reputation. So if you have deep pockets you may need to look elsewhere.

You can still get good products from the lesser known brands just make sure they have a number of the following features.

2. Warranty

A strong indication of the quality of a treadmill is in the warranty. The longer the warranty the more confident you can be that it is going to last the distant and not need costly repairs every 6 months.

- For a remanufactured treadmill look for labor and parts warranty of at least 6 months and a motor warranty of at least 1 year

- For a new treadmill look for labor and parts warranty of at least 1 year and a motor warranty of 1-2 years.

- For commercial treadmills you should look for 2-3 years for labor, parts and motor.

3. Testimonials/Customer Satisfaction

Most online suppliers have testimonials of there products if not email them and ask if they have any. Not surprisingly the best treadmills also have the best testimonials. You can learn a lot from what past users of the equipment think so don't take this point lightly, it is one of the best ways to compare different models or different brands.

4. Quality Features

If you are paying good money for a treadmill you want it to have some bells and whistles!! Most of the best treadmills will have the standard features including pre set workouts, heart rate control, large incline range, high weight capacity plus a whole host of other helpful features like a reading rack, customized workouts, CD player, digital personal trainer to name a few.

The key is to get a list of two or three other quality treadmills that satisfy the other points in this list and then compare them for special features. There is no point buying a treadmill with an in built CD if the treadmill is always broken.

5. User friendly

You need to make sure the treadmill is user friendly, and by that I don't mean for other users I mean for you. Some treadmills have a low weight capacity or small stride length so if you are a particularly tall or heavy person you need to find out if the treadmill is appropriate for you.

Details of stride length and weight capacity are usually available with the treadmills specifications.

6. Treadmill Price

Some people might be surprised to see price on this list, but hear me out on this one...

It's no good being the best treadmill if it's so expensive no one can buy it. To me price is a personal thing and only you can decide what your price is. If the best treadmill you can buy is $1500 then that's the best treadmill for you. The important thing is that you buy the best treadmill you can and start achieving your fitness goals.

What's your next step? Take what you've just learned and do your own research you'll be surprised how much easier it is to find the est treadmill when you have a clear idea of what your looking for.

Dean Iggo is a keen fitness enthusiast and home gym user. He is also the webmaster of home-gym-buyers-guide.com. A website providing unbiased home exercise equipment reviews and tips.

fitness through exercise for life principles that keep you going for life

Fitness through Exercise for Life - Principles that Keep You Going for Life!Writen by Greg Ryan

ATTITUDES

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

Exercising has so many physical benefits that most of us
can relate to, but what about the emotional and
psychological benefits it brings? Physical fitness, I
believe, touches far more than just our arms, arteries and
waistlines. It touches our very soul.

LESS EQUALS MORE

Tiger Woods was asked, How do you feel about your
competition? Tiger replied, My competition comes not from
other people, but from the golf course in my mind.
Personally, my workouts are not gauged on how much I can
lift that day or how fast I can run a mile. My workouts are
all about efficiency. If I can accomplish my goals in half
the time, doing half the routines, you're darn right I am
going to do it.

In my experience, less is always more.

WISDOM IS MORE POWERFUL THAN WEIGHT

One of the best attitudes you can have in order to keep your
workouts going is to never be afraid to ask for help. Early
on, I realized I needed assistance. If you want to reach a
goal, find someone who has met your challenge and get advice
from him or her.

FORMULAS

Remember the formula:

CONSISTENCY

If I had to narrow the magic down to one word for getting
results, it would be consistency. If you learn nothing else,
learn this principle. Results are about being consistent.

VARIETY

Your body is a smart, adaptive machine. On occasion, throw a
little change in the mix.

EFFICIENCY

If you work smarter rather than harder, develop a less is
more attitude and watch the results follow.

DISCIPLINES

There's no getting around it. Exercise takes discipline; it
takes courage. Anything you have ever done in life has taken
hard work, perseverance, and willingness to get in the
trenches. You want to feel better, so be willing to pay the
price. If not, you will pay a dear price very soon and it
won't just be monetary.

BELIEFS

HOPE

All it takes to get started is a small amount of hope-hope
that you can feel better, maybe lose a little weight, lower
your blood pressure and stress levels, and at the end to the
day feel happier, inside and out. You get hope and then
you're on your way!

FAITH

Sometimes it takes faith from others to get us started. Some
times it may even take an act of desperation from us, but
believing that it is possible to feel better gives us
motivation to start or continue on.

DESIRE

Desire comes from within. It motivates us when we really
want to be in denial, make excuses or quit. True desire
starts in your heart.

It's time you quit making excuses, quit feeling sorry for
yourself, and quit sitting on your biggest asset.

Just Move IT!

Greg Ryan is a high profile fitness expert and former employee of Kathy Smiths. Body building champion, public speaker and personal trainer to the stars. He is a best selling author of the Changing from the INSIDE OUT through real behavior change, smart eating and effective exercising. Start getting in better shape today!

For FREE MINI COURES click here http://www.resolutions.bz

exercise for toddlers how old is old enough

Exercise for Toddlers - How Old is Old Enough?Writen by Paul Martin

When is the best time to introduce children to exercise? The fact is that by the time children begin toddlerhood, they have already been exercising for the better part of a year. Raising their heads, turning over, sitting up, crawling, then walking. Before you know it, they are running around the house like football players souped up on too much Gatorade.

The problem is not what's happening when they are 16 months old. It's what's happening when they are 16 years old. A typical teenager might wake up and then spend the rest of the day sitting. They sit on the bus to school, sit in class, sit in the lunchroom, sit on the bus back home, sit in front of the tv, sit in front of the computer, and if you are really lucky, they'll sit down on the couch and tell you how their day went. Though unhealthy eating is definitely part of the reason America's youth is overweight, lack of daily exercise is the main culprit.

What changes between the pre-schooler who wants to run all day and the teenager who'd rather gag than play a game of basketball in P.E.? I'd venture to say it is the lack of good role models during those years in between. If you want your children to grow up healthy and active, you have to set a healthy and active example for them. Do as I say and not as I do is the #1 road to failure. In the end, as much as it would pain them to hear it, most children will follow in the footsteps of their parents, so we need to show them how to live the right way.

The good news is that it's easy to exercise, and it's easy to get your kids hooked on it, too. My wife Alison and I exercise around our 2-year-old girls, Ainsley and Sierra, on an almost daily basis. Ali takes them with her to a Baby Bootcamp class designed for moms who'd like to get back into shape after pregnancy. On off days, she does Pilates videos at home where our twins can watch and imitate. I also do calisthenics workouts with the girls in the living room and playroom and, in warmer months, we take a daily multi-generational afternoon walk with the girls' great-grandmother.

Because of this, our daughters have already learned that exercise is a normal and fun part of the day, and they do it now without any prompting from us. They'll be playing in their room, and then we hear one of them yell, exercise, exercise! Peek in their room, and you'll see them doing their own little versions of pushups, situps, squats, and jumping jacks, giggling as they go. They imitate what they see and they turn jump ropes into resistance bands for miniature tricep curls while steps become a great place to practice calf raises.

Even more fun is on Saturdays when we go hiking together as a family. They're still too young to hike very far on their own feet (though they insist at times), but they've already grown an affection for being out in nature. Every rock and tree and stream is interesting to them, much more so than all the blinking lights and loud noises found at the local Chuck E Cheese.

By cultivating their interest in the outdoors, we make it more likely that they will want to spend their weekends out there, rather than sitting on the couch watching re-runs of Beverly Hills 90210. Now, what could be more rewarding as a parent than that?

So if you want your child to grow up healthy and active, don't just ship them off to soccer practice. Get your own legs in gear, and show them that this is how adults should live too, not just kids. Set a good example now and your kids will follow naturally.

-------------------------------

Copyright, Paul Martin, Noss Galen Baby LLC 2006

Paul Martin and his wife Alison are the owners of Noss Galen Baby LLC, a small online business dedicated to offering innovative, hard-to-find products for babies and toddlers at affordable prices.

To see previous issues of Paul's Live and Learn newsletter, please visit http://www.NossGalenBaby.com/newsletter.html.

as seen on tv exercise equipment good buy or just a bad idea

As Seen on TV Exercise Equipment Good Buy or Just a Bad IdeaWriten by Gerald Gore

If you are considering investing your hard earned cash for exercise equipment or diet products that are advertised on TV then it is in your best judgment to do some research before you pay for anything. One general rule that everyone should keep in mind is that if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Any diet or body sculpting product that promises amazing results with very little effort on your part is feeding you a lie. A lot of exercise equipment that is advertised on TV is good but the exercise equipment alone will not deliver the results that you are looking for. Both diet and exercise are the key ingredients to the body of your dreams and one without the other will only produce marginal results.

All As Seen on TV products are not created equal

Exercise machines are as unique as the individuals or companies that created them. No matter what body part you want to train, rest assured that there are a variety of exercise machines that are uniquely designed to train that specific body part. Each exercise machines manufacture has their own customized approach that they feel separates them from the competition. Now keep in mind, even with the proper diet some of the products on the market are a complete waste of money and will not produce the results that you are looking for. If there is a product that catches your eye, you owe it to yourself to spend a little time researching whether or not the equipment is worth the money spent. However, sometimes finding out if the equipment is any good is easier said then done. The key to effectively researching a product is to find unbiased reviews that outline both the positive and negative aspects of the item you are considering.

When you start looking at reviews for exercise equipment, take note that very few items are going to obtain perfect ratings. Any review site the spits out one perfect review after another more interested in selling versus reviewing the equipment. Also, not all things are created equal and not all items are perfect for everyone. The exercise equipment review site should offer a detailed review that helps you decide whether the product in question is right for you.

So you have found a good review site, what are some key things you should consider before you make a purchase for exercise equipment?

Price Is the product that you are considering within your budget? Yes, sometimes the more expensive exercise equipment can be a better buy but that is not always the case. Sometimes the extra features offered will not meet your needs and therefore would be an extra expense that would be worth passing up.

Functionality Does the exercise equipment deliver what it promises or is it all smoke in mirrors? This is where doing some research pays off; if the exercise equipment does not deliver a good workout then no matter how cheap it is it really is not worth the money.

Storage ability How much space does the workout equipment take up and can it be folded for ease of storage? Some people may be able to dedicate a full room to their workouts while others are limited on space. Make sure the product that you are considering meets your storage needs.

Warranty and guarantee Make sure that your investment comes with a warranty and guarantee that you are comfortable with. If the manufacture really stands behind their product, rest assured their warranty will reflect that.

So the next time you are watching TV and an infomercial product catches your eye, take a little time and do a little research to really find out if that product is what you really need. As stated earlier, if the product claims sound too good to be true then there is a possibility that it is too good to be true. There are some great products out there but it still takes a disciplined diet and workout program to accomplish great results. For most people getting the body of their dreams is never easy but if done right, it is worth it.

Gerald is the publisher of the Exercise Equipment Review site One4Fitness. Vist One4Fitness for unbiased As Seen on TV exercise equipment reviews.

choosing the right treadmill

Choosing the Right TreadmillWriten by James Smythe

Home treadmills are becoming a common feature in many homes. Prices can be as low as $399 it is no surprise that many people decide to purchase one. It provides a great form of exercise, you dont have to pay monthly fees for a gym or have to work out in front of vein bodybuilders.
However when buying a treadmill the prices can range from $399 up to thousands of dollars. So what is the difference between a treadmill that costs a few hundred or one that costs a few thousand? This articles aims to answer some of the questions you may have before buying a treadmill and give you the confidence to go out and know what you are buying.

Horsepower

One of the main factors in buying a treadmill is what horsepower to go for. Horsepower is applied to two different ratings--peak duty rating and continuous duty rating. The peak duty rating is advertised on a treadmill tag. The continuous duty rating is stamped directly on the motor and is the rating that determines its quality and duration.

In general, the larger and heavier the motor is, the cooler it will run and the longer it will last. Penn State Sports Medicine Newsletter recommends purchasing a machine with at least 1.5 continuous duty horsepower--higher if you weigh more than 185 pounds or plan to run on the treadmill. (But be sure to check the voltage. Some treadmills with heavy motors are 220, which won't work in most homes.) A brief guideline of what horsepower to aim for is below.

Your workoutYour workoutRecommended horsepower

epic treadmills decent quality at an affordable price

Epic Treadmills - Decent Quality At An Affordable PriceWriten by Tim Gorman

Epic treadmills are a great favorite with a lot of today's fitness crazed treadmill owners, primarily because they offer a wide range of features and are much more affordable than many of the other models on the market. Their most popular model the T20 has a lot of very useful features such as tracing your recent work out patterns to include the ability to perform this function for several different users. It also has a suspension on the belt that has been favorably reviewed as helping to lessen the impact of running on the joints. This can be very helpful if you workout a lot or if you suffer from joint problems. If you want good value with plenty of features than epic treadmills can give a lot of treadmill for not a lot of money.

The T60 is also a good cheap treadmill model with a lot of different features. It has a three horsepower motor with LED readouts and several pre set programs. It is not a model for a dedicated runner but more of a budget model however, with that said it is still very good and effective for those that want something that allows them to enjoy the benefits of a decent treadmill at a reasonable price.

Epic treadmills have the advantage of being widely sold and so are much more easily accessible than many of the more specialist brands. They are also sold by some of the major discount fitness and exercise stores which can lead to even greater savings. If you want something of a better quality, then you would need to go to a specialist retailers store rather than the discount price stores where Epic likes to sell their machines. Some of the more upscale treadmill brands can cost a great deal more and although the quality is usually good, this can put it out of the range of many that just want a good machine that is not too expensive.

Naturally, with the prices being very low and also having a lot of features, the build quality is not quite as good as some of the other models, but it really depends on what you want out of your exercise machine. If you want a very good, well-built treadmill machine then you will have to pay a bit more, but the Epic treadmills offer a good, reasonable quality treadmill for a very good price and there are many fitness enthusiasts that are very happy with their line of treadmills and use them regularly with no problems.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com where he provides more treadmill ratings, recommendations and information on finding the best treadmills to include the poplular line of epic treadmills that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

cheap treadmills the way to exercise at home

Cheap Treadmills - The Way To Exercise At HomeWriten by Dean Iggo

Finding and purchasing cheap treadmills can be an excellent start to your fitness program. Treadmills are a great way to exercise. They are an excellent piece of equipment most people add to their home gyms.

Treadmill Benefits

Because the two most popular forms of exercise are running and walking, treadmills are designed to accommodate both. The speed and incline controls on a treadmill were designed to let the user control the machine to fit his or her needs.

Treadmills also offer you the same workout despite the excruciating heat of summer, bitter cold of winter, vicious wind of spring, or incessant rain of fall. The consistency of workout is one of the reasons people succeed in an exercise program.

Treadmills also offer a low impact workout. Their deck surfaces are designed to reduce pressure on your joints and absorb the impact of your feet as they repeatedly hit the surface. Most treadmills offer some variety as well.

Depending on the model you purchase, many treadmills offer different programs to vary your workout speed and level of difficulty.

Things To Think About

Before you invest in one of many cheap treadmills, though, there are many things to consider.

First, consider the horsepower. Weaker motors wear out easily. If this is a piece of equipment you intend to own for some time, you do not want something that will wear out. Do not confuse this with peak horsepower. You are looking for continuous duty horsepower.

Second, consider treadmill speed. They are built for either walking or running, usually not both. Buy one that fits your activity needs. Next, decide whether or not you want a treadmill with a program. This works for some people, and others really hate it. Go with whatever fits your needs, because if you do not want one, don't spend the extra money for it. You also want to think about belt size, the durability of the deck, the type of incline you desire, and the hand rail options you want.

How To Go Cheap

If you want to buy cheap treadmills, you essentially have three options. First, you can buy used equipment. While it may not be new to you, it still gets you the equipment you need.

Second, you can skimp on the options. This is a good decision for people who just care about the machine itself.

Finally, you can buy reconditioned. This equipment is usually like new when you get it without the high price tag. It often comes from a gym that is updating their equipment. Some online companies offer a reconditioned equipment as well.

Dean Iggo is a keen fitness enthusiast and home gym user. He is also the webmaster of home-gym-buyers-guide.com a website providing unbiased reviews of used treadmills and the 'best buy' treadmill ratings for every price range.

home gym equipment

Home Gym EquipmentWriten by Ross Bainbridge

Home gyms have now become a significant part of exercise programs. A gym at home gives you a chance to exercise in the worst weather, and without the worry of having to wait for your turn to use a machine. Home gym equipment has improved drastically over the last few years. Today, a wide range is available, ranging from the traditional weight bench to the multi-station gym. To set up a gym at home, you should start by purchasing the right equipment.

For your home gym to be effective, the following are crucial: an apt area of space; a seven-foot barbell; a power rack; a strong bench; cast iron weights; a calf block; dipping bars; chinning bars; and a pair of dumbbells.

A 7 x 10 feet area is perfect for a home gym. It is not mandatory to purchase everything that a public gym has; most of those machines go unused anyway. The abovementioned requirements should suffice for a home gym. The power rack is an absolute must, a necessity for such exercises as the squat and the bench press. Chinning and dipping bars generally come with the power rack. Also essential are cast iron weights and a seven-foot barbell. Standard bars and weights should suffice; still, if money allows, there is no harm in going for Olympic weights and bars. A strong bench is essential for bench pressing; so are adjustable dumbbells and a calf block.

Setting up a great home gym is a one off payment and may seem exorbitant initially. However, in purchasing the equipment you would probably be parting with as much cash as you would do for a years usage of a public gym. Furthermore, the exercise equipment is yours for life.

Gyms provides detailed information on Gyms, Home Gyms, Gym Equipment, Home Gym Equipment and more. Gyms is affiliated with Golf Fitness Programs.

image treadmills are designed for the average person in mind

Image Treadmills Are Designed for the Average Person in MindWriten by Tim Gorman

Image treadmills are distributed by Icon Health and Fitness, a large retail company that produces Reebok and Nordic Track. Although the Image name may not be as widely recognized, their equipment offers an extensive selection of features for an extremely reasonable price. In actuality, Image treadmills give you comparable quality to the more well-known Icon Fitness machines for a much lower cost.

The Image company prides themselves on designing a well-constructed, durable treadmill suitable for the average user. Several Image treadmill models have been top ranked in numerous fitness magazine reviews. Considered entry-level to moderate level machinery,the Image treadmill definitely provides the best features for the reasonable price. The only drawback is the warranty; a majority of treadmills only come with a 90 day warranty on parts. However, a few do have up to 3 years coverage.

Image treadmills usually range from $400 to $1,000; a great price for the Icon Fitness name and option selection. Most treadmills are designed to fold up and down, and all have stable quality belts. The basic models offer a heart rate monitor, four programmed workouts and cushioned deck, while the more advanced treadmills offer iFIT capability. This technology allows the user to run workouts from the internet, compact discs, and video. The motor is not as powerful as most brands, and only runs at a maximum of 1.75 horsepower. However, for the beginner to moderate user, this speed is perfect for standard workouts.

Reasonably priced and filled with extra features, Image treadmills are a great choice for the average person. With the prestigious name and durable build, an Image treadmill is well worth the money.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Treadmill-Solutions.com. He provides more treadmill reviews, treadmill ratings and treadmill buying information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

how to replace your treadmill belt

How To Replace Your Treadmill BeltWriten by Paul Webb

Is your treadmill belt worn, torn, or curling up on the edges? Does your treadmill slow down after you step on the belt and begin your workout?

If this is the case then it may be time to replace the belt.

Here are some things to check before replacing your belt.

*1. You need to make sure the deck of the treadmill is in good shape. If it looks good then it may only need to be waxed or lubricated.

*2. If the deck shows obvious signs of wear, or has grooves worn into it then you may need to replace the belt and the deck.

*3. If the deck looks good, and the belt is worn or starting to turn up on the edges then it is time to replace the belt. Here are the instructions for doing that. Most treadmills are basically the same so this is a generic set of instructions. If you have an owners manual please follow the manufacturers instructions.

To begin the belt replacement unplug the POWER Cord and remove the motor cover or hood. Then locate the screws or bolts that are used to adjust the belt tension. They are normally on either side at the rear of the treadmill. Loosen both sides and push the rear roller toward the deck.

Now loosen and remove the front roller. If your treadmill inclines, turn on the power and raise the treadmill a few degrees so the roller can be removed. After the front roller is removed, remove the rear roller. Now you are ready to remove the belt.

I know it would be easier to just cut the old belt off, but if you take it off in one piece then you will remember how to put the new one on. Along the sides of the treadmill you will find bolts or screws that hold the deck in place. Remove these and lift the deck and old belt out together. Now is the time to wax or lubricate the deck.

Look at the old belt and the new belt. There will probably be a visible seam on the belt. Normally the belt should be installed so that the seam goes downward from left to right, much like a backward slash. Some belt manufacturers will mark the belt on the inside with an arrow pointing in the direction the belt should travel.

Slide the belt over the deck in the proper alignment and lay the belt and deck together back onto the treadmill. Start all of the screws or bolts before tightening them securely. Decks tend to get warped after a while so you may need to push or pull a little to get the screws started. I have found that it is a good idea to install the rollers before securely fastening the deck to the frame.

Pull the belt to the rear of the treadmill and slide the rear roller through it. Start the adjusting screws in the roller just enough so they do not fall out. Now slide the front roller inside the belt and replace the drive motor belt over the drive gear. Do this before you tighten the roller. After you get the front roller tight, then tighten the rear roller with the adjusting screws. Tighten each side equally until the belt feels snug on the deck.

Now turn the treadmill on. If the belt starts moving, carefully step on the treadmill while holding the side rails. If the belt stops then you need to adjust more. Step off the treadmill,and tighten each screw one full turn and step on the belt again. Repeat this process until the belt does not stop.

Now increase the speed to a fast walk, hold the handrails and apply downward pressure as you walk on the treadmill. If the belt stops or hesitates then adjust some more. Now increase the speed to a jog, probably around five m.p.h. Once again if you feel hesitation in the belt when your foot hits it, adjust it some more. Continue this process until you are satisfied that the belt is not slipping.

PLEASE be careful, if you do not think you can do this then pay someone to do it for you.

Please follow these directions for safe and efficient use of your treadmill for you and your family.

The procedures for checking these items are all in the Treadmill Report!

About the Author:

Paul Webb has been in the medical and fitness repair business for almost thirty years. So he has seen many of the problems associated with treadmills and fitness equipment.

You can visit his website at http://treadmills.cc or http://treadmillsrepair.com

teach your pup to swim for fun and exercise

Teach Your Pup to Swim for Fun and ExerciseWriten by Pat Nolan

Introduction to the Water

Whether your pup is headed to the duck blind or you just want to teach him to swim for fun and exercise the techniques are the same.

Dogs are land mammals and are not born knowing how to swim. Occasionally a young dog will wade right in and go, but most need a gentle introduction and some encouragement to swim.

When the weather and water are warm, I start my pups on the water as soon as I bring them home from the breeder. The introductory lessons are the same for pups and grown dogs.

The main point to remember when introducing a pup to the water is dont push or rush him. Give the pup a reason to want to swim to retrieve, to follow you, or to chase another dog, and then allow him to choose to swim.

Once the pup knows he can swim, be sure to supply sufficient practice so he can learn to swim well. Much later in training you can work on force fetch and obedience to commands on the water.

Never throw or force into the water a dog that does not know how to swim. If you rush him he may panic. Once your pup is afraid of the water your job will be much harder.

Learning to Swim

The best set-up for getting your pup started swimming is warm water, a warm day, and a bottom that drops off gradually. You can wade in and walk or play with other dogs and allow your pup to follow. If you have a shallow stream, a long walk on a hot day is good. Your dog will enjoy the trip and sooner or later he will find himself in over his shoulders and swimming.

If your pup likes to retrieve, throw bumpers where he can still keep his feet on the bottom and retrieve. As he gains confidence gradually throw a bumper farther out at some point he will have to swim to get it.

Sometimes I wade in holding the pup and have my wife or helper stand a short distance away in the water. Gently lower the pup into the water and face him toward my wife. She calls him and I let him go to swim a short distance to her. When he gets there my wife picks him up and makes a big fuss over him before turning him to face me and sending him back. As he gains confidence we back away from each other so he must swim farther each time.

One of my training ponds has a small island 50 feet long and 20 feet wide. This island is only 60 feet from the nearest shore. Big dogs can walk most of the way across but must swim a bit in the middle to get to shore. With an older pup I have waded out to the island carrying a reluctant swimmer. I set them on the shore and wade off to stand some short distance away in the water. No pup has stayed on the island long.

Stages

When they begin to swim most dogs will swim with the front end only. This results in a head-up, splashing stroke that is not very effective or efficient. This puppy splashing is common. With more experience a pup will engage his rear end and level out and swim.

Typically a new swimmer will start by splashing his way out and back to retrieve his bumper or ball. At some point youll observe that he splashes out to retrieve but swims on the return.

Once they begin to swim well on the return, its just a short time until most dogs begin to swim on the way out, too.

Some pups will go through these stages in one day, some in a week. Most dogs introduced to the water after six months of age take a little longer to work through these stages. Over the years I have had a few dogs that splashed for eight or 10 weeks before they swam well. With time, even the most determined splashers eventually learned to dig in and swim.

A final caution: be very careful about training on cold water. Cold water can be very uncomfortable and once your dog learns he doesnt like cold water he may be reluctant to enter even warm water. Some trainers say the minimum water temperature for training grown dogs is 56 degrees, but for pups I want it at least 60 degrees, with warm air temperatures as well.

Have fun and enjoy your pup's new water skills!

About the Author:

Pat Nolan, http://www.ponderosakennels.com, has trained dogs professionally since 1975. His broad background in training and handling a variety of animals and his foundation in obedience have instilled in him a lifelong passion for learning, and for acquiring and using the most efficient and effective training techniques.

Pat lives with his wife Cynde, five children, and a grandson in Western Maryland, where he trains year-round. He has traveled and competed from northern Florida to northern Ontario. For many years, his family traveled with him, spending winters in South Carolina and summers in Canada and Vermont. Pat retired from competing in retriever field trials in 1999.

Pat continually strives to find new and better ways to present information to dogs and people. He is particularly interested in ways to motivate an animals desire to learn. This approach underpins his successful work with dogs and is Pats stock in trade.

the holiday exercise challenge

The Holiday Exercise ChallengeWriten by Marjorie Geiser

Here we are, embarking on the holiday season, again. As you plan for the family gatherings and parties, you may also be starting to stress about what youre going to do about the temptation to eat all those holiday goodies.

But there is something else at play here: For many people, the holiday season is a stressful and depressing time. Stressful because theyre lonely, stressful because they may start to think about what they are not accomplishing in their lives. Stressful because they have a growing to-do list. That stress can lead to holiday depression. Combine increased depression with increased occasions to overeat and the result is the average weight gain of 5-7 pounds we all hear about each year.

This would be the usual article on avoiding that holiday weight gain if I just gave you tips. However, if you do suffer from overeating and depression and stress during the holidays, Id like to pose a new proposition to you in this article. I challenge you to not worry about your eating; youre going to eat what you want, anyway. My challenge to you is to get some form of exercise in every single day between now and January 1.

Youve just read the above challenge and are now laughing. But, can you seriously think of a reason why not?? Oh yea, everyone can give thousands of excuses why they cant fit exercise into their lives. I hear it all the time! First of all, if you are over 40 and have any health conditions, first consult with your physician. Second of all, put on your walking shoes and start walking. You can start at the mall! Wow; exercise and shopping at the same time! Imagine if you started now, before the holiday rush! Just 10 minutes per day for people who have not been doing any exercise can be a huge improvement. Or, if you have a membership to a health club and theyve been just collecting your payments, and the staff doesnt know you, brush that membership off and check out that gym! If you work, I bet you anything they are open before your work hours. If you have kids and a spouse, let the spouse take care of the kids while you run to the gym. Right now, just 10-20 minutes on a treadmill or stationary bike will be enough. Break a sweat. If you have exercise equipment at home, time to put away all the clothes and boxes that its hidden under and see if it still works.

As you get into your second week, I then challenge you to pick it up a notch. If you were walking 10 minutes each day, I challenge you to add a second 10 minutes to your exercise. Yes, now we can actually call it exercise. Why not? Imagine what youre going to look like and feel like by the New Year! Let that motivate you. Every single person can find 10 minutes here and there in their day. Do you sit down and watch television at any time? What about the time you spend on the computer? If youre reading this article, I bet youve spend spent more than 10 minutes at the computer, total, already. Turn off your computer, get up, put those shoes on, and walk outside. Take your watch. Walk away five minutes, then turn around and walk back for 5 minutes. Or, even easier if you have a treadmill sitting next to your TV. There is no greater escape than turning a fun, mindless TV show on and walking for 10-30 minutes. My favorite shows are the travel shows. I spend 30 minutes on my elliptical trainer while watching the secret get-aways in Hawaii for very little expense.

If you read this article in the middle of November, and December is almost upon you, you have now been exercising for at least three weeks. The parties have heated up and the stress of what the families are going to do or where youre going to hold the business party is starting to weigh on your mind. Go sweat to relieve some of that stress. Maybe youre really starting to feel alone and lonely. Take a walk and enjoy the sights and sounds around you. Get a walkman or iPod and listen to some soothing music while doing your exercise. But sweat out that stress and depression. Research does show that it really helps by increasing endorphins in the brain.

Then the middle of December is upon you. The parties are really hot and heavy now. You look at that yummy piece of chocolate brownie, but because you have been doing SO well with your exercise, remarkably that brownie just doesnt seem worth it, now! There you go; the ultimate reward. Health. Health, Wealth and Wisdom, actually. Congratulations on the new you, and what a way to start the New Year!

Marjorie Geiser is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. Marjorie has been the owner of a successful small business, MEG Fitness, since 1996, and now helps other health professionals start up their own private practice. To learn more about the coaching services Margie offers, go to her website http://www.marjoriegeiser.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.

getting ready for winter exercise

Getting Ready for Winter ExerciseWriten by Bill Nadraszky

The Summer is creeping away here in Calgary. On my ride in this morning the temperature was right at freezing so the nice easy schedule of riding in to work and home will be over sooner than I would hope. Now is the time of year that all of those outdoor activities that keep you in shape so easily are going to come to an end in the northern latitudes.

What will you do about it?

Most people have a bad habit of fluctuation exercise. In the Spring you get sore from exercising outside for the first time since the fall and your body hates you for it, but you endure it and workout through the Summer and in the Fall and Winter get almost no exercise again and have your weight float up a few pounds hoping that you can lose it again next Spring. I will be giving tips all Winter for staying in shape but this is a good chance to look at what you should start thinking about right now.

First prioritize your exercise schedule for the Winter. It may be tougher to work out but of course you can do it if you work out the days and times you will be working out. Most of all be realistic. The best times to workout are early morning before you get caught up with the issues of the day and after work if you have a stable work schedule. If you push dinner out a bit you may be able to either workout right after work before dinner or else get an hour in while watching one of the many great TV shows that eat up our Winter nights.

Next figure out what you want to do this Winter for exercise. A few years ago my family (actually my wife and I, the toddlers had no say in it) bought a good treadmill and exercise bike and then each Fall we go out and replace one of the items and lose a bit on the trade-in but at least have some great new and new to us equipment to keep us interested in the Winter.

Lastly make sure that you have a good mix of exercise. One or two pieces of fitness equipment may not be enough to keep you motivated is make sure you plan on skating, skiing or climbing stairs in an office building to supplement your exercise this Winter. If you can find local fitness events that you can take part in. There are a lot of different leagues in the Winter be they hockey or curling or badminton and volleyball.

One great tip for exercise equipment is to have a running log of your distance. This would be floors for a stair machine or actual miles on a treadmill, bike or elliptical trainer. Using a map it is fun to keep track of the distance that you have covered and you can even try to go city to city with goals in between over the course of the Winter.

Bill Nadraszky is a lifelong fitness nut. His fitness ramblings can be found at http://www.nadraszky.com/fitness and his fitness site is found at http://health-fitness.xptechsupport.com

exercise diet and weight loss when do your desires turn into lifestyle habits

Exercise, Diet and Weight Loss - When Do Your Desires Turn into Lifestyle Habits?Writen by Greg Ryan

Just one more day I can do this, I told myself in the beginning. When I awoke the next morning, I said it again, Just one more day I can do this. I knew in my heart that if I kept a one day at a time attitude something had to happen with my body and my mind.

I see so many people quit their exercise and diet programs for the lamest of reasons. And you know when they do it? The day before something happens. (So it seems) You have to give yourself a fighting chance. First of all, your body is not convinced in the first month or so that you are even serious about your health. Based on your past you have a lot of proven to do. Its not until the second and third months that your body decides to take you serious and release some of those fat storages.

So what do you do? You keep on keeping on until you start to miss the feeling that goes along after a good workout. Sure you have a desire to be healthy in the beginning but it has yet to form to be a part of your life. You have to miss it when you dont exercise. Maybe not the pain, but the feeling! This is when your desires turn into habits! I call this, The point of no return.

Here are a few tips on how to get to the point of no return:

Have no expectations for at least three months from starting.

Set initial goals to feel better and have higher energy.

Dont resent having to exercise.

Put exercise sessions into your day planner.

Give yourself no room for excuses.

Get an accountability partner!

Just one more day, just let me have enough energy for today thats all I ask. I will worry about tomorrow later.

START LOSING WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY FOR GOOD TODAY!
click here http://www.resolutions.bz Discover the common sense way to lose
weight with out dieting that the doctors DONT want you to know.
Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith,
and high profile fitness expert.

exercise and the time clock

Exercise and the Time ClockWriten by Sherri L Dodd

I have to admit that I sometimes find it amusing when someone knows I am a trainer and proceeds to elaborate on the hours that they spend in the gym. One example was a few years back when I was introduced to a nice young women, who proceeded to tell me that she went to the gym twice a day, an hour each time. Unless this second hour was spent in the jacuzzi or making up for lost time due to chatting with fellow gym-goers during the earlier timeslot, I would be leary. Instead of being impressed by her exuberant enthusiasm for working out, my thoughts were that one of those hours might be better spent in a counseling office. Excessive exercising is unsafe and a sign of other deep-rooted problems. So, the question remains how many ticks on the clock should pass before you head for the locker room? And what compels a person to go way overboard in their exercise routine?

First off, if you are one of our valued clients, you already know that the Mom Looks Great program utilizes the thirty to forty-five minute workout. If you have even an inkling of exercise information in your noodle, you atleast know that even twenty minutes a day can benefit your heart. So why are some people intent on doing more, especially when there are serious consequences?

The most common problem with over-exercising is injury to muscles and joints. The idea of regular exercise is to appropriately stress the muscle during exercise. This stress places small tears in the muscle, which upon repair, grow in size and strength, also known as hypertrophy. When the muscle is over-exercised, it goes beyond what is appropriate and can actually damage the muscle. Common areas of injury are legs, feet, back and shoulders as well as joints problems that include knees, ankles, elbows and wrists. This can lead to a lifetime of recurring injuries.

Another negative consequence to over-exercising is the compulsion that usually accompanies it. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and other body starving diet tactics are dangerous enough. When you add an addiction of too much exercise to an already detrimental dieting tendency, you are left with the possibility of heart damage from insufficient fuel and nutrients to sustain the workout. While the aforementioned health issues are serious enough, an individual can also develop frequent headaches, loss of coordination and various stomach problems.

Over-exercising is not a physical disorder. While it will affect you physically, it is more of a symptom of depression or other mental illness. And if you think about it, over-exercising, eating disorders, feelings of inadequacy due to poor body image, poor judgment when evaluating priorities are all symptoms of depression. The bottom line here is when your choices begin to compromise your health, happiness or safety it is time to seek out effective counseling.

A lifestyle incorporating exercise is nothing but beneficial in many aspects. People exercise with a goal in mind whether it is to feel better, defuse stress or build muscle. Luckily, in addition to using an appropriate weight (intensity) during your workout, over-exercising can easily be detected with a simple time evaluation. I advise my clients not to go beyond one hour a day five days a week in a formal gym-type setting; and that is extremely generous. It is also easily controlled when you follow a specific routine. With the Mom Looks Great Fitness Program, you are guided to work different parts of your body throughout the week and have a variety of activities within your exercise regime. And just for good measure, remember that you cannot possibly overdo it by simply strolling your baby in the park or games of tag with your preschoolers. These forms of exercise are most welcome any time.

About The Author

Sherri Dodd is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant. She is also the creator and author of Mom Looks Great - The Fitness Program for Post Partum Women. With over fifteen years of exercise experience, she is dedicated to a life of fitness as well as encouraging others to seek healthy habits and a better quality of life.

http://www.momlooksgreat.com/