Weight Fitness

Fitness Books: A Wealth of Knowledge at Your Finger Tips

October 31st, 2009 at 04:45pm Under Weights and Fitness

Fitness books provide a guide and education for those wanting to delve a little deeper into their own health and fitness.
There are now so many fitness books and magazines available, so how do you know which ones to read?

When looking for quality fitness books, and short of buying the whole store out, always look at the credentials of the author. The best books are those written by coaches, professional athletes, scientists, nutritionists and military personnel. These people really know their stuff when it comes to fitness and you can learn a lot from them.

I am going to list just three of the best fitness books I have read lately. They are all very affordable – a couple are just $10 – and easy to read in just a few days.

101 Workouts for Women: Everything You Need to Get a Lean, Strong and Fit Physique
This book costs around $10 at Amazon.com and is packed full of solid information. It is published by Muscle and Fitness HERS magazine which is a wonderful magazine for all over fitness and health advice. The book contains some great fitness routines with great photos and clear instructions.

Fitness & Health
This book costs under $20 and is the sixth edition. It goes in depth on understanding the relationship between exercise and health. It focuses on aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, weight control, energy and much more. This is an all round book that is suited to people who want to learn more about the ‘how and why’ of fitness and health. However it also contains a lot of practical information with photos demonstrating exercises, plus calorie food listings.

The U.S. Navy SEAL Guide to Fitness and Nutrition
Don’t let the title scare you: this book is for everyone. For just $10 you get to read the material that was developed for Navy SEAL trainees. It talks about extreme conditions and preparing yourself for them, but the information is practical for everyday uses.

These three fitness books provide an excellent starting point for your health and fitness education and you won’t have to break the bank to own them.

By Paul

Fitness & Health – 6th Edition (Paperback)

October 30th, 2009 at 11:21pm Under fitness

Review
“”In this age of trendy diets and looming obesity statistics, this book couldn’t be more useful. Fitness researcher, educator, and author Sharkey (health & human performance, emeritus, Univ. of Montana), who first published this renowned guide in 1974, here teams up with Olympic coach Gaskill (health & human performance, Univ. of Montana) for the sixth edition. Known as the thinking person’s fitness book, this work discusses not only how to eat and exercise well but also why (more…)

By Paul 4 comments

Fitness Center : Motovation and Fun = Results

October 25th, 2009 at 01:41pm Under Weights and Fitness

A fitness center is a great place to get motivated from fellow fitness enthusiasts, whilst also being able to take full advantage of the wide range of equipment and classes at the particular gym or health club that you go to.

There are now so many gyms and fitness clubs to choose from and all offer different services at different prices. So who should you sign up with?

Firstly you need to look at what exists in your local area. If you need to drive any further than 15 minutes or so to a gym, it is very likely that you will not go as often as you need to. If you live in a metropolitan area this will not be a problem as there are now multiple gyms in every single city.

LaFitness is one of the most well known and leading fitness centers in the US. They have many different locations around the country and have different activities for you to choose from. They are more than just a gym; LA Fitness provides basketball, swimming, indoor cycling and other sporting facilities so you can have an all round workout whilst never getting bored of doing the same gym routine.

LA Fitness clubs are also equipped with state of the art cardio and free weights equipment for those who prefer a traditional gym environment.
I could not locate any pricing plans on the LA Fitness website which is always alarming, but they are a very well known brand and as such can be trusted. Call your local LAFitness fitness center to find out which pricing plans they have available.

Another excellent fitness center is BallyFitness. They currently have a $0 enrollment fee and plans from just $29.99 per month. This is one of the most affordable fitness clubs around. The great thing about BallyFitness is that there is no long term contract so you aren’t obliged to keep paying if you don’t want to. They have several membership levels; with the Comprehensive plan being especially enticing as you get personal training included.

These are just two of the many fitness centre choices you have – so do your homework and then get signed up!

By Paul

Jillian Michaels: No More Trouble Zones (2008)

October 20th, 2009 at 01:29pm Under fitness

Amazon.com Get into the zone with TV’s kick-butt trainer, Jillian Michaels, and tackle stubborn problem areas with her surefire circuit training formula that combines upper- and lower-body sculpting moves to obliterate fat even faster. Say goodbye to saddlebags, muffin tops and wobbly arms with this heart-pounding, 40-minute circuit workout that targets trouble zones like never before. By keeping you constantly challenged, Jillian will transform your body from flab to firm in no time! (more…)

By Paul 10 comments

Weight and Fitness for Better Health

October 19th, 2009 at 07:58am Under Weight Loss

Beneficial health is due in part to proper weight and fitness. A proper diet and fitness plan really does work wonders. This combination is responsible for many life changing transformations.

Just about everyone knows that a exercising rids us of unwanted calories and is great for returning to a more acceptable weight. However, there are more significant benefits that go virtually unknown.

A fitness program that incorporates aerobic exercises on a daily basis lowers the level of blood sugar in the body by burning glucose at a faster rate in order to fuel the body’s demand during higher rates of activity. That helps you to loose weight.

Obesity is known to be associated with lower insulin and high blood sugar levels. A weight and fitness plan helps get these under control.

The harder you push yourself, the faster you will burn blood sugar. But keep in mind that you want to ramp up your intensity level on a slow and even  basis.

Here is a good example.

If you are used to walking at about 2.5 mph on a treadmill, start at that speed and walk for a steady thirty minutes on day one, on day two, increase to 2.6 mph, day three, 2.7 day four, 2.8 and so on.  Soon you will find that you are running at a steady pace and you will not be gasping for air!

There’s more to loosing weight than simply exercising though. You will also need a healthy diet that’s low in calories

Try to cut out as much fats and sugars as possible and remember to drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day.

This may sound difficult, but if you approach it in a method similar to our running example above, you’ll find it’s not that hard at all.

You’ll improve your chances for success a hundred fold with a daily weight and fitness plan that grows over time. It’s easier on your body and you won’t feel it to be difficult or depriving.

By Paul

Fitness Clubs : What You Need to Know

October 10th, 2009 at 04:49am Under fitness

If you have decided to join a fitness club this article will help point out some things that you need to know before signing up. By being aware of the entire process you will be in a better position to make the right choice. There are now so many different fitness clubs and gyms, all apparently offering different things at different prices, that it has become considerably overwhelming to make a final decision. In this article I will point out some things to keep in mind before you sign up at a health and fitness club.

1. Avoid Intimidation
Fitness club sales people are now on par with car salesman when it comes to really pushing a customer into making a decision without even considering whether it is the right choice for them. Remember that the sales person exists to gain as many customers as he possibly can, often for a commission, and as such will say virtually anything to win you over. The best course of action to avoid intimidation is to ask for all the details of the club on paper so that you can make your own decision.

2. Long term vs short term contract
Some gyms will offer a discount for signing up for one year, two years or even more. They know that many people simply stop using the facilities after a few months so have paid more than they needed to. Even if you plan on attending long term, paying in 3 or 6 month intervals at most ensures that any unforeseen circumstances won’t result in your losing money.

3. Ask for the Joining Fee to be Waived
Due to fierce competition from fitness clubs situated near each other, some will be willing to forego your sign up fee. But unless you ask, they will not do this so make sure you mention it. After all, they would rather miss out on this fee in exchange for winning your long term business.

These are just a few of the strategies to take with you when you visit prospective fitness clubs. In addition to the above you will need to check all the available facilities so that everything you require will be accessible to you – just make sure there are no hidden extra costs for using very area of the fitness club.

By Paul

Fitness Gym vs Home Gym

October 7th, 2009 at 01:59am Under Fitness Equipment

Should you sign up to a fitness gym or continue working out at home? That is the question so many people ask themself.

When you look at the pros and cons of each arrangement you can gain a better of idea of which will suit your goals better.

Do you aim to work out several times per week? If so, a fitness gym membership would be a valuable investment for you as you would get your money’s worth.

If on the other hand you only work out once per week then there is little point signing up for an expensive gym plan.
Your option here could be continue to work out at home, or if you want the facilities of a gym, to pay each time you attend rather than commit yourself to a contract.

The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to rush your decision. Joining a gym is an important step and can be an expensive one if you don’t play your cards right. You have to know which gyms are the best ones, how to get around pushy sales people and most of all, how to read the fine print to gain a total understanding of your contract.

A home gym can consist of very basic equipment or expensive weight training machines. You can get by with just a set of dumbbells with adjustable weights and still be able to perform a huge variety of exercises. In fact, dumbbells are one of the best pieces of equipment to own, and one of the most affordable.

But a good fitness gym club will have facilities that you may not have at home, and this is worth considering when you are trying to make your choice:

- Swimming pools
- Tennis courts
- Spa
- Personal trainers
- Classes
- Expensive, advanced, high quality equipment

Whilst you can certainly complete effective fitness workouts at home using basic equipment, if you are someone who enjoys socializing and being motivated by those around you then a fitness gym will suit you. Always pay attention to any hidden costs and only sign up once you are 100% certain of your obligations.

If you are looking for a good home gym that won’t break the bank, you should Try Total Gym® for only $1 – As Seen on TV with Chuck Norris & Christie Brinkley. Over 1 Million Satisfied Customers. FREE Shipping.

By Paul

The U.S. Navy SEAL Guide to Fitness and Nutrition (Paperback)

October 5th, 2009 at 01:55pm Under fitness

Developed for Navy SEAL trainees to help them meet the rigorous demands of the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community, this comprehensive guide covers all the basics of physical well being as well as advice for the specific challenges encountered in extreme conditions and mission-related activities. Topics covered include calculating energy expenditure; definitions, functions, and daily allowances of carbohydrates, fats, and protein; nutritional considerations for endurance and strengt (more…)

By Paul 9 comments

Blood Pressure – Your Questions Answered

October 4th, 2009 at 01:48am Under Health

Blood pressure are words used quite often in the English language, but many of us don’t really understand what all the talk is about.

I’ll try to explain it in the easiest possible way. When you are finished with this post, you’ll have the answers to some of your questions.

The best place to start is at the beginning. We first need to understand…

What we are dealing with

We are dealing with the pressure, or strength, of our blood as it pushes on the walls of our arteries.  We measure it with the help of a couple of numbers that are displayed like: 134/79 (This is an actual reading).

The first and larger number let us know the amount of pressure within our arteries while our hearts are busy pumping out life giving blood with every beat. This number is known as ” Systolic”.

The second, and lower of the two numbers informs us of  the amount of pressure our hearts endure in a relaxed state – between beats. This is what is referred to as “Diastolic”.

Contrary to popular belief, our blood supply doesn’t flow constantly throughout our bodies. Instead, it makes it’s journey in  never ending pulses.

The blood’s force climaxes in our bodies as soon as a single beat is finished and diminishes as it prepares for the next. It never stops.

Is my blood pressure normal?

There are no absolute numbers as to what is considered normal, but many do agree that a reading  around 110/70 (read “one ten over seventy”) to 125/80 (”one twenty-five over eighty”) is average for an adult. As we age, the numbers climb and can still be considered in the normal range, but only your doctor can tell you for sure. No matter what, it’s always a good idea to keep a watchful eye on your readings.

What are the effects on our bodies?

Our hearts are under more stress placing us at higher risk for such issues as heart failure, stroke, and heart attacks. It can even be the cause of such problems as eye or kidney issues.

See your doctor regularly, reduce stress, take on a weight management plan, increase your fitness level, and watch your diet. All these thing will help you to keep high blood pressure out of your life.

By Paul