Learn to let go, even if it means walking or running at a slower pace for a few sessions. You will be getting a better workout at a slower pace without holding on than you would at a faster pace holding on.

This advice is for those without significant disability and balance issues. If you have a condition that requires holding onto the handrails, such as low vision, balance problems, etc. then you should continue to use the handrails. But consult with a trainer or physical therapist for advice on how to achieve good walking posture even if you need to use the handrails.

The first mistake is getting onto a treadmill while the belt is moving at full speed.

• Begin standing with one foot on each side of the treadmill – most treadmills have sides that are designed to allow you to stand on them in this way.
• Start the treadmill at a slow rate of speed.
• Observe the speed and carefully get on.
• Increase the speed smoothly after you have gotten on board.
• Know where the emergency halt switch is located. Often this is a bright red switch.

This may seem like unnecessary advice, but I’ve encountered gym users who have been injured simply by trying to step onto a moving treadmill belt, or by being surprised by the jerk of the treadmill belt as it comes to life when they are standing on it.

Step 1 – Don’t diet.

Step 2 – Increase your fiber intake. A study published in the October 17, 1999, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), reported that one of the best ways to control your weight is to increase your dietary fiber. Fiber helps you to feel full without adding many calories. And certain kinds of fiber, such as psyllium husks, have the ability to absorb fat from the foods we eat, carrying that fat out of the body before it is absorbed. That’s how Fat Grabbers work. Additionally, fiber has been shown to help lower serum cholesterol, reduce risk for cancer, and help diabetics control their blood sugar levels better.

Step 3 – Cleanse. Bhia.org recommends that all weight reduction programs begin with a thorough cleansing program. Modern food processing has removed most of the enzymes and fiber from our foods. And the staples of our diet – meat and dairy products – contain no fiber at all. Inadequate fiber slows the movement of the intestines and encourages the build up of waste and toxins in the bowel, liver and blood. Accumulated toxins have been linked with diverse health problems including fibromyalgia, cancer, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), poor skin, headaches, high blood pressure and digestive disturbances. Everyone can benefit from a periodic cleanse to clear out these accumulations.

Step 4 – Eat well. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruit each day. They are full of vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients as well as fiber. Include lean protein, a variety of beans, whole grains, raw nuts and seeds. Minimize high fat foods – these come mostly from meat, dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.), and snack foods (potato chips, cookies, and highly processed foods).

Step 5 – Drink plenty of water. Iit won’t result in weight gain! “Plenty of water” is about 1/2 ounce for every 1 pound of body weight. Water helps fiber in moving out the toxins, and helps reduce feelings of hunger.

Step 6 – Exercise 30 minutes three times a week. It will stimulate your metabolism and you really will feel better, have more energy, and lose weight! Your entire family will benefit from your example.

Step 7 – Design your own Weight Management Program.
Cleanse – choose the cleanse that most appeals to you. CleanStart is a particularly good choice for many people.Multiple vitamin and mineral supplement – Everyone, especially those who are trying to lose weight, should choose a daily vitamin and mineral supplement like Super Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals. This will insure that your body gets the basic nutrition it needs to maintain health. It will also reduce the cravings often associated with an unbalanced or incomplete diet.Fiber – Increase your fiber intake by eating more vegetables, fruits and beans. You may want to include Fat Grabbers.Metabolism – Increase your metabolism by exercise and supplementation. You may want to try Fen-Chi or MetaboMax if not contraindicated by your health. Or you may want to try Garcinia Chi or Garcinia Combination. Garcinia is safe for everyone.Add other supplements you feel meet your needs. Maybe you would like a meal replacement occasionally or maybe you need help regulating your appetite. Perhaps you would like to increase muscle mass as you decrease body fat or maybe you are struggling with cellulite.

With just a little planning, a few products and a couple of simple, but important, lifestyle changes, you are on your way to the weight you want to be!

1. Step Aerobics – one of the most favorite cardio exercises preferred by women. Step Aerobics mainly target your legs, hips and glutes, and can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.

2. Bicycling – stationary or outdoors is a great cardio exercises, depending on resistance and speed can but 250 to 500 calories in 30 minutes.

3. Swimming – like cross-country skiing is an excellent cardio exercises as it is a full body exercises. Swimming is a great cross-training for other cardio activities. Doing the breast stroke can burn approx. 400 calories in 30 minutes.

4. Racquetball – side to side sprinting makes racquetball and excellent cardio exercises. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.

5. Rock Climbing – is not only a cardio exercises, but also uses arm and leg strength and power. Rock Climbing can burn up to 380 calories in 30 minutes.

6. Cross-Country Skiing – whether on a machine or outdoors on snow, is an incredible cardio exercises as it involves both upper and lower body. A 145 lb person can burn approx 330 calories in 30 minutes.

7. Running – Running is an excellent cardio exercises because all you need is a pair of quality running shoes. Running burns serious calories. A 145 LB person can easily burn 300 calories in 30 minutes.

8. Elliptical Trainer – is an excellent cardio exercises and a great way to build endurance. A 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

9. Rowing – is both a cardio exercises as well as giving your arms an incredible workout. 145 LB person can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

10. Walking – Brisk walking is a less strenuous form of cardio exercises. Walking can burn up to 180 calories in 30 minutes. Sprinting, adding hills or an incline can increase amount of calories burned.

For the real high intensity cardio people out there who love the H.I.I.T training (High Intensity Interval Training), below are the top three cardio exercise which will provide amazing results!

1. Jumping Rope – This is one of the simplest, yet most effective exercises one can do. In just 15 to 20 minutes, jumping rope will give you an unparalleled total body workout. Jumping rope is ideal for cardiovascular endurance and enhances performance in virtually any sport – tennis, basketball, football, skiing, volleyball and more. This simple exercise is also great for eye-hand coordination, lateral movement, foot and hand speed and agility.

2. Sprinting – Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories while sprinting, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results

3. Spinning – These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride, complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds, all dictated by the group instructor.

There are two schools of though when it comes to cardio training. The “slow & steady” group and the “high intensity” group. These two groups breakdown like this:

Slow & Steady Cardio

• Long duration (45min – 1 hour)
• Low intensity
• Burn fat and not carbs
• Preserve joints

High Intensity Cardio

• Short duration (20min – 30min)
• High intensity (interval training)
• Burn tons of calories & rev up your metabolism throughout the day
• Treat cardio like weights – explosive movements (sprinting, etc)

Our advice is to try both for at least 6 weeks and make sure to monitor your progress with a journal and take weekly photos of yourself to see if you’re truly losing body fat.

Overall, recent studies suggest that coffee (regular and decaffeinated) may offer a variety of health benefits against diseases such as cancer and diabetes. However, coffee may not deserve a place in the same category with other healthful foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Laboratory studies suggest that the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant compounds in coffee could help reduce risk of cancer. Coffee also has a tendency to speed the passage of waste through the digestive tract. Potentially, this may lessen the time that cancer-causing compounds spend in contact with the intestinal tract, which could reduce the risk of colon cancer. Population studies, however, tend to split between coffee intake having no effect on or reducing risk of breast and colon cancer.

Diabetes prevention
The case for coffee’s ability to protect against diabetes is strengthened by several recent studies. In the Iowa Women’s Health Study, more than 28,000 women were followed for 11 years. The women who drank four or more cups of coffee daily were about 20 percent less likely to develop diabetes. That became a 30 to 40 percent drop among those who drank decaf coffee.

A study in Finland linked consumption of three to six cups of coffee per day with a 25 percent lower risk of diabetes. In both studies, benefits were seen after adjusting for other diabetes risks, such as weight, diet, and activity level. Several studies now link moderate coffee consumption with lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Researchers are working to understand the potential advantage of decaf versus regular coffee and how weight control is involved.

Potential increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease has been one of the long-standing concerns about coffee. Recent studies confirm that caffeine can raise blood pressure, but this effect is observed with soft drinks, not coffee. Laboratory studies suggest that perhaps coffee’s healthful compounds can counterbalance the blood-pressure raising effects of caffeine.

In the Iowa Women’s Health Study noted above, four to five cups of coffee a day were linked with a 19 percent lower risk of heart-related death. Other studies have found no effect of coffee consumption on heart disease risk. But people should follow their doctor’s advice.

Before you drink a whole pot …
Coffee does warrant some cautions, however. Both regular and decaf coffee relax the muscle that keeps stomach acids from rising into the throat, so those with heartburn or reflux disease (GERD) are encouraged to avoid or strictly limit coffee. People with trouble sleeping should limit or avoid caffeinated coffee.

Studies now suggest it is unnecessary for pregnant women to completely avoid caffeinated coffee. Until the impact of caffeine is more clearly understood, however, many experts suggest that pregnant women limit their daily caffeine from coffee, soft drinks and other sources to about 300 mg, the equivalent of three cups of regular coffee.

It’s exciting that something as simple as drinking coffee might help lower our risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. However, while brewed coffee (not instant) is a concentrated source of antioxidants, it can’t be a substitute for berries, legumes, nuts, and other fruits and vegetables that provide antioxidants along with a wide range of vitamins, protective compounds and dietary fiber.

Over the past 15 years, research has found that drinking black, green or oolong tea may offer some protection from cardiovascular disease and cancer, lead to reduced risk of kidney stones, and strengthen bones, teeth and the immune system.

“There is unequivocal evidence that tea as a lifestyle factor can impact health,” said Dr. Carol Greenwood, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. “Drinking tea should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Tea was identified as one of the most healthy beverage choices in recently published guidelines for healthy beverage consumption. Developed by a panel of American nutrition experts and published in the March 2006 issue of the Journal of American Clinical Nutrition, the guidelines determined that tea is second only to water as the healthiest beverage choice. The guidelines, created to help consumers make smart beverage consumption decisions, was based on a detailed analysis of the health and nutritional benefits and the risks of various types of beverages.

The Power of Tea Flavonoids

In addition to containing no calories, salt, or fat and being free of preservatives and additives, tea is rich in flavonoids. Many positive health impacts of tea are attributed to the naturally occurring flavonoids in tea which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize the body’s naturally occurring but cell-damaging free radical molecules. Damage by free radicals over time is believed to contribute to the development of many chronic disease including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“Tea is one of the highest sources of antioxidants in the diet,” added Greenwood.

While tea cannot replace fruits and vegetables in the diet, science has shown that tea leaves contain more of the compound than most antioxidant-rich produce. The antioxidant activity in two cups of tea is equal to seven glasses of orange juice, five medium-sized onions or four medium-sized apples.

Cardiovascular Health

One of the many areas where researchers have discovered compelling evidence that tea’s antioxidant activity can have a positive impact is cardiovascular health. Studies have found that people who regularly consume three or more cups of black tea daily have a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

Scientific research suggests that drinking black tea can improve cholesterol levels and blood vessel function and reduce oxidative damage, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Much of the strongest research support for tea’s potential to contribute to heart health has focused on black tea. However, a major study published in the September 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming five or more cups a day of green tea was associated with a 26 percent lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.

Cancer

Tea is also showing great promise as a potential agent in the fight against some types of cancer including skin, oral, lung and ovarian cancer, as well as cancers of the digestive system. Preliminary research results suggest that the flavonoids in tea act as potent antioxidants that can combat free radical damage, inhibit uncontrolled cell growth, and promote programmed cell death or apoptosis, which could play a role in staving off cancer.

The research to date is encouraging; however, most of it has been in animal and laboratory studies. Due to cancer’s long manifestation period, definitive research takes many years. Numerous major human population studies and randomized clinical trials are currently underway.

Immune System

Tea and the flavonoids it contains may help strengthen the body’s immune system. Published studies by researchers from Harvard University and Bringham and Women’s Hospital found that tea contains theanine, a unique amino acid that primes the immune system in fighting infection, bacteria, viruses and fungi. In human clinical trials, the researchers found that after drinking five cups of black tea daily for two to four weeks, participants’ immune cells produced two to four times more interferon than at baseline. Interferon is a protein that helps strengthen or improve the body’s immune response. The scientists said their findings suggest that drinking black tea provides the body’s immune system with natural resistance to viral and bacterial infections.

Bones and Teeth

Studies have found that tea may help strengthen teeth and bones. Tea is a natural source of fluoride, which can help protect tooth enamel, and the flavonoids in tea are believed to inhibit the plaque-forming ability of oral bacteria. In a 2003 published study, researchers at the New York University Dental Center found that hamsters given black tea extract with their food developed 63.7 percent fewer cavities than hamsters fed water with their food.

Although high caffeine consumption has been suggested as a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density (BMD), studies have found that drinking tea does not negatively affect BMD. In fact, research suggests that tea may contribute to maintaining bone health. One study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that BMD was higher in older women who drank three or more cups of tea per day versus those who did not drink tea. Another recently published study found that habitual tea consumption, especially for more than 10 years, had a significant beneficial effect on the BMD of adults 30 years of age and older.

Kidney Stones

Science has found that drinking tea can help reduce the risk of kidney stone development. A recently published study that followed 81,093 older women for eight years found that for each eight-ounce cup of tea participants with no history of kidney stones drank daily their risk of developing stones decreased by eight percent. A previous published study of 45,289 men found a similar relationship between daily tea consumption and reduced risk. Only in that study, for each eight-ounce servings of tea consumed daily there was a 14 percent decrease in kidney stone development.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural component of tea and is considered safe when consumed in moderation. According to Health Canada, a balanced diet can include a moderate intake of caffeine with daily recommended consumption limits of between 400 to 450 mg. This is equivalent to 10-12 cups of tea per day. Actual caffeine levels in tea are dependent upon the specific blends and strength of the tea brew, but most servings contain only 25 to 34 mg. Tea contains one third to one half less caffeine than coffee.

• Make sure you have quality shoes for your chosen activity.
• Start slowly. Doing too much too soon can lead to injuries and misery.
• Try new activities. Doing the same thing can lead to plateaus, boredom and injuries.
• Be ready for exercise by feeding your body regularly throughout the day and by staying hydrated.
• If you’re sore or tired, give yourself extra recovery days if needed.

My name is Kevin and I will be your host for the material you will see here.

You will see all kinds of fun stuff here from home work-outs to free advice for maintaning your precious Fitness Eqwuipment.

Don’t be shy either.  Add a comment…..put me in my place!! LOL

I would love to hear from you.