66 Year Old Fitness Fan Comments on Senior Health and Fitness

Staying Healthy As You Age Means Taking Care of Yourself...First

2012-01-28T07:06:00.000-08:00

Aging is something that happens...every day of our lives.

It is completely impossible to stop the clock, or the process, but we can do many things to reduce the effects of aging and maintain health, vitality, and fitness.

However, while medicine continues to advance, adding years to our lives, the quality of those years depends to a large extent on the choices we make...and have made.

That aging which began the day we were born is something which can be worked on and adjusted long before we get "old".

If you are a senior who has neglected his or her health and fitness over the years, it is not too late. If you are not yet a senior, you can make choices now, choices about diet, exercise, and lifestyle, which will have a major impact on who you are when you do reach your older years.

In addition to checking regularly with your healthcare provider(s) and getting all the tests done, exercise regularly, take a good daily multivitamin, get plenty of good sleep, make friends, love, laugh, and enjoy life to the fullest.

By all means, take care of those you love, but, like the airplane oxygen mask scenario, take care of yourself first, and then you will be better able to take care of those you love...by example as well as by action.

There are many places on the Internet which offer the latest tips on senior exercise, health, fitness, and many other topics. I have spent years tracking down many of these and often share what I have uncovered in this blog.

However, one really good website on senior health is impowerage.com. They offer tons of free information of value to seniors who wish to maintain, and even improve, their health and fitness. Don't forget to sign up for their free fitness newsletter while at their website.

Kick in the Afterburners To Burn Fat

2012-01-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

Ever go to an air show?

I grew up in Pensacola, Florida, and my dad worked at the Naval Air Station, so I also grew up going to air shows...usually with the Blue Angels as top act...and a tough one to follow. Along the way, I got to see a lot of neat flight demonstrations and teams, including the Air Force Thunderbirds and, years ago, a Canadian team which was top notch.

One thing common to these events is "cutting in the afterburners".

What the afterburner does is inject additional fuel into the jet exhaust, providing for sudden thrust. One of the "normal" uses for such thrust is in aerial combat, when a fighter jock needs to "get the hell out of Dodge"...and quick!

There are two other things about the afterburner.

For one, it burns a lot more fuel than normal.

This is not necessarily a good thing, except for the part about escaping from an enemy fighter...which is worth the fuel consumption!!

So, why are we discussing aerial acrobatics in a health and fitness blog?

Well, although it is different, you also get an "after burn" when you exercise. It's not just the calories you burn DURING the exercise period itself, but the extrea 10 - 15 calories you normally could burn AFTER a good exercise session. In fact, tightening up your routine, doing circuit training, or extending your exercise session could up that amount to around 25 additional calories burned after you've headed for the showers.

Add that to the calories burned during the session and the increased metabolism which can result from regular exercise, and you could be on the way to really burning fat!

Oh yeah! The other use of the afterburner is to make the hair stand up on the people watching the air show as that big bird suddenly roars and leaps upwards and away.
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Moving! Back Soon.

2012-01-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

We are in the process of moving and this blog will be iffy for a while. Stay healthy. Get information on senior health and fitness at impowerage.com.

Senior Exercise: How to Make Your Walk More Effective

2012-01-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

By now, most seniors know that walking is great exercise. You can get tons of health benefits from walking. However, we tend to hit a personal "wall" when it comes to walking.

You either have to go farther, faster, or the benefits level off.

And, even with all the possible health benefits you can get from a reasonable daily walk, they are really nowhere near the top end of what you can experience.

However, in most people's minds, tapping into that upper range of benefits means going for more walks than they want to take, walking longer than they want to, or increasing the intensity in ways they don't want to!

So, the question is, "What can I do to make 'my walk' more effective?"

Well, the first thing IS to think about those three options a couple of sentences ago...walk longer, faster, more often, and in more challenging terrain (or settings on your treadmill). Even adding one extra walk a week, making your walks a few minutes longer, or making them just a wee bit more challenging could take your benefits up more than just a notch.

But, what if you either don't want to choose those options, or want to get even more out of 'your' walk.

Well, you can carry hand weights.

These can increase your calorie burn as much as 50%! Of course, you are probably either going to be carrying some hefty weights, using the earlier upgrades we mentioned, or both to get that much benefit.

Even so, simply adding some hand weights to your walk can still increase your calorie burn and the cardiovascular benefits as well.

Start light and slowly build up to heavier, but comfortable weights.

Another simple trick is to exercise before you walk.

This starts the calorie burn, and your walk simply adds on to the benefit. Since we need strength training for all-around fitness, a strength workout followed by a walk is a good option.

The strength workout does not need to be particularly intense, either. Grab a couple of dumbbells, do a few exercises with them and take off.

Remember a muscle can benefit from strength training as little as one day a week. With this in mind, you can create your own varied strength routine followed by cardio.

For example, you could exercise your chest and back on Monday, your legs and abdomen on Wednesday, and your arms on Friday.

One last tip since my wife just said we are leaving to see the grandkids in 30 minutes (Which means, "Get off the damn computer, Love!"). Exercise your core (abdominal area) before any walk. Your core will be exercised during the walk, and doing some form of abdominal exercise beforehand will increase the benefits of the walking.

The Craftiness of Crafts in Retirement

2012-01-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

Retired life often brings along with it more free time than we are used to. While having time to do things you always dreamed of doing and to just take life slow seemed like a dream when you were working for a living...raising kids and dealing with a mortgage at the same time.

There never seemed to be enough time to do the things you wanted to do, did there?

As is the case with many of our dreams, the reality of the lifestyle we had to live back then did not always line up with our imagination.

Now that you are a retired senior citizen, theoretically with time to pursue your own interests, asometimes you are not able to motivate yourself to get out there and accomplish those things you may have been putting off for decades.

For one thing, you may not know how to write the great American novel or take on some other big ambition. Big jobs require time to get your stamina and abilities up to the challenge. Just like with exercise, many cannot really enjoy the benefits of retirement because they are trying to do to much with it too fast.

So, what you may need to get you started enjoying your retirement are some smaller scale accomplishments to jump start the process.

This is where crafts come in.

While you may feel like you have sold your soul out to the life of just passing time doing trivial crafts, the truth is if you want to become a great painter, you will have to learn to paint every day. By doing prepared crafts or learning to make things with your hands, you can begin the process of moving towards your ambitions in that way.

Hey! When you sell your first great pieces of art to a gallery in New York, you don’t have to tell them you got your start doing paint-by=numbers sets at the senior citizens center.

You see, there is a method to your madness at making crafts a big part of your lifestyle as a senior citizen.

You can use such crafts as a means to an end to accomplish some other goals in your retirement life. This is part of the "craftiness of crafts" that, by becoming a member of a creative community, you also reap the benefits of that community which are worthwhile goals whether you personally make anything worthwhile or not.

Almost any new artistic pursuit will require a learning period and initial training. Picking up some basic craft materials at Hobby Lobby, or even at WalMart, can be the same as taking a course in the basics of your new interest.

From a mental health point of view, and, by the mind-body link, a physical one as well, crafts are a great way to keep your mental atmosphere in good shape. It’s undeniable that just the act of creating something does a world of good for your feelings about life in general. And if you love crafts as so many of us do, you can start a whole new passion late in life which you can finally afford to give in to with abandon because many of the “cares of life” are behind you now.

A more crafty byproduct of doing crafts is the good it does for one of the biggest problems of senior citizen life which is loneliness.

Your retirement center or local senior citizens center may sponsor craft sessions routinely. There, other creative people in your peer group come out pass happy hours at a crafting table...often improving mental and physcial health more by the companionship than by the craft work itself By becoming a regular at those crafting tables too, you can forge new friendships and maybe meet a new friend of the opposite sex while you’re at it. Nothing wrong with that.

Even the home crafter can still benefit from the companionship of others. With all the online forums, and personal contact with other retirees trying to find their way, the senior crafter can be "little grasshopper" to some mentor, join with peers in some informal setting, or even eventually become the craft "guru"!

"Snatch the pebble from my hand..."

Probably one of the most "crafty" things about becoming a grandma or granddad who makes crafts is your home will become a creative playground...and training ground...for the grandkids. You can stock your crafting closet with paints, crafting supplies and all the fun accessories that go with it. Then when your grandkids find out that coming to your house means making fun things, they will bug mom and dad to death for more time with you.

You can also get them started early on the path that eluded you for so many years.

It’s tricky but it works if you do, and it’s a totally legitimate way to make your home a place where the little ones come to be. You get to see them more, you get more friends at daily craft sessions and your self esteem goes up every day.

One last note on the value of crafts in retirement. Many have learned how to turn a hobby into a home business and make a few extra bucks, perhaps to supplement that tiny social security check or even create a new, totally fun, career.

Now, that's what I call one great retirement hobby.
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Is It Just Normal Aging, or Abnormal Aging?

2012-01-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

As we age, things happen. Some of them hurt, some are just "inconvenient".

Some should be followed up on, some are "normal" and just be dealt with.

Which is which?

Well, sometimes that is a difficult question, but, since it has to do with possible debilitation or even death, if we are not sure, let's check it out with an expert, okay?

But, how about the rest of the stuff?

Well, "sudden", especially with no obvious explanation, is a good one to get checked.

"Extreme" is another clue. A sudden pain may just be a pulled muscle, but an extreme pain may have something to do with damage.

If it's "unique", that might be a hint. For example, if one knee starts hurting and the other doesn't...

Well as one article I read put it, if both knees are the same age and get the same use, what's causing one to hurt?

In fact, it's a great article and you can read it here.
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Bad Memory? Here's Food for Thought...Literally!

2012-01-06T05:21:00.000-08:00

A lot of things influence how our bodies, and our minds, work. Sleep, exercise, even the social links we have, and the activities we pursue for pleasure or profit can influence not only outwardly observable features such as strength, or even skin tone, but can also subtly or specifically influence our ability to think clearly.

Among the mental abilities which appear to fade with age is memory.

In fact, noticeable errors in memory, such as forgetting where our keys are, can be an early, and sometimes terrifying harbinger of old age for many of us.

It is good news for many of us to learn that we can have some control over the strength and ability of our mind, and improve memory skills at any age.

It is often even better news, for some at least, to learn that memory lapses not only are common as we age, but do not necessarily signal the onset of senile dementia, or worse. In fact, in many instances, some of the apparent increases in memory loss are often accounted for simply by the fact that we have become more aware, and afraid, of them.

It is also good news to learn that some simple changes, such as in our diet, can have an effect on our memory as well as other aspects of our health.

If you are in, or approaching, your senior years and are concerned about health matters, you will almost certainly have heard of antioxidants. If you know of them and what they can do to help keep you younger, longer physically, you may not be surprised to learn that to keep your memory young as your brain gets old, scientists recommend eating foods that are high in antioxidants. These include blueberries, apples, bananas, dark green vegetables, garlic and carrots.

Good news for some of us is that, in moderation at least, red wine, and dark chocolate can be good sources of these compounds as well.

Apparently, Omega-3s are found in many types of fish and nuts, have also appeared to help brain functions, including memory.

OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE BRAIN FUNCTION:

1. Exercise regularly
2. Socialize
3. Challenge your brain with puzzles or by learning new skills
4. Take a daily multivitamin if your diet might not be the best

For those of you who would like to be a kid again, some studies have even hinted that chewing gum might be good for better mental acuity!

More easy ways to improve your memory can be found at www.memory-improvement-techniques.com. Discover how to improve your skills in memorizing numbers, events, names and other important information without difficulties.
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Good Anti-Aging Tip: Avoid Smog!

2012-01-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

Pollutants in general, and smog in particular, have been linked to various forms of ill-health.

A new Danish study has linked exposure to smog, particularly nitrogen dioxide, a major component of automobile exhaust.

As researchers pointed out, previous studies have found that air pollution particles, many of which are small enough to make their way into the blood stream, seem to contribute to inflammation of the blood vessels, which ultimately may lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Researchers also state that their results, which come after factoring out other health factors, seem to indicate that high levels of nitrogen dioxide, found in high auto traffic areas is a major risk factor for stroke. However, statistically, the numbers do not indicate conclusively that it is.

Me? Given the choice, I will live as far away from traffic as possible! A desert island would be nice, but, for the moment, I have to live near Dallas - Fort Worth, so I just try not to breathe.
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Senior Exercise: It's the Dickens when Great Expectations Cause a Bleak House!

2012-01-03T06:41:00.000-08:00

Wow! A triple play in the title!

Dickens - Great Expectations - Bleak House!

C'mon, get in the spirit. At least chuckle a little!

Okay, let's see if we can figure out how my little trifecta can help the senior exerciser...especially a beginner.

Over the years I have started a lot of new exercise routines with great expectations. I was either trying something new, or had slipped and had to get back into shape. I have also known many people who began exercise programs and have read and heard about many others.

Most quit.

When I look back over the "reasons" for these failures, I, and others, can point to many of the "usual suspects"...lack of time, poor motivation, injury, etc. However, I saw a deeper, "root" cause in most cases.

Expectations were too high.

Either the exerciser expected too much of their exercise or themselves.

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health, both mental and physical, but, like so many things, you have to work at it over time to experience all the health benefits related to exercise.

Many people want their results "right now". When this does not happen, they quit and go looking for the next magic bullet. Their expectations of what exercise can do are too high...at least in terms of time.

Many people feel that to get their desired results as rapidly as possible, they have to do more. In most instances, especially for people who have not been exercising or who may be older or have health issues, their expectations of what THEY can do are too high.

One of the single most common reasons for people not attaining their goals with exercise is, quite simply, high expectations.

You have to start low and gradually increase the effort and intensity to prevent overextending yourself, and you have to be mature enough...inside at least...to give the yourself time to reap the health benefits of exercise.

How low do you start?

Well, low enough that you CAN AND WILL keep exercising. The literature of exercise is replete with stories of people who started exercising with cans of soup in their hands...or nothing. You hear of people who eventually ran marathons, but began by walking only a few feet.

The secret is to stay with it, and, to do that, you have to begin and progress in a way that will allow you to do just that.

New Year's Resolutions Don't Need to Be Hard

2011-12-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

There are several reasons why people seem to "fail" to keep their New Year's resolutions. However, a very common one is simply that they try to do too much, or expect too much from themselves.

Now, I am not saying we should not set high goals for ourselves, but, as the old saying goes, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

With New Year's resolutions, most people are trying to do the whole journey with one or two steps!

In fact, achieving a goal such as "losing weight" can be the work of a week or several years depending on the situation, the person, and many other factors.

Even the simplest resolution, such as "save money for a vacation" or "be a better person" can actually involve several actions and alterations in lifestyle.

Too many of these actions or changes can be unsettling and hard to keep up over time.

Let me introduce the technique of Kaizen.

Kaizen is a way of making changes one small step at a time.

Although brought to its present level of success in Japan, it was an idea actually introduced to that country by Americans hoping, and helping, to rebuild Japan after World war II.

In Kaizen, one tries to achieve a bigger goal by implementing one small step at a time, usually allowing that small step to become a permanent change before moving on to the next one.

Two examples often cited are mentioned in One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by David Allen.

One example is that of the person who regularly ate french fries who was able to reduce calories by leaving one french fry on the plate, then two, and then three...and so on until it was a simple act to not eat any at all.

In the other example, a busy single mother with no time or energy to exercise, began by walking in place during one TV commercial a night. Gradually, over time, she increased her walking time until it became more important, and fulfilling, to her than just sitting around. In time, she became an avid exerciser and experienced the mental and physical health benefits from her activities.

The point is, no matter how much weight you want to lose, how healthy you want to get, how much money you want to make or save, or how many countries you want to travel to, you might not get there this year, but taking the first small step is the most important part of achieving your New Year's resolution.
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Should Seniors Walk, Jog, or Run For Aerobic Exercise?

2011-12-25T06:12:00.000-08:00

Everybody needs some good cardio exercise, ususally through aerobic exercise, and seniors are no exception. However, many seniors may have special needs or considerations. Many simply are not sure if some forms of exercise are acceptable or may actually be dangerous for them.

While any form of senior exercise needs to be carefully scrutinized and considered, activities such as walking, jogging, and running need to be looked at a bit more carefully.

There might be many considerations, but there are two major ones that can especially concern a senior.

1. Any cardio exercise stresses the heart and cardivascular systems. After all, that's what it's supposed to do. That's why you do it.

While most healthy hearts and cardiovascular systems benefit from aerobic exercise, the condition of these is often deteriorated or comprimised in the older exerciser. This makes such an individual subject to dangerous complications from what would be an obviously healthy activity in others.

Such people could potentially be risking heart attack or stroke by exercising too strenuously.

2. Cardio exercises such as walking, running, or jogging can worsen the affects of arthritis, which is common in seniors.

However, despite this, these activities may still be valuable and viable in various forms and at various levels, and should not be left out of a senior exercise program simply as a matter of course.

Of course, any participation in such programs should be with the knowledge and blessing of the individual's doctor. Consideration should be given not only to the activity and the health status of the individual, but to their present physical condition as well.

For example, a senior exerciser with no joint problems or cardiovascular contraindications may quite reasonably participate in marathons with appropriate training. However, even they will not be able to begin exercising one day and run that marathon the next. Everyone should start low down on the ladder and gradually work their way up.

Walking is the "easiest" of the three to do, but, if done properly, can provide a great aerobic exercise. Jogging, the combination of walking and running, is a bit more intense, and running is the highest of the three.

If you have cardiac issues, you really need to get your doctor involved and maybe find some aerobic activity, such as walking or swimming, which can be done at a lower level.

But, what do you do if you have osteoarthritis or other joint pain?

Well, circuit training, a combination of short periods of resistance exercises and cardio activity may be the answer for some. A couple of drawbacks here are that if you have a condition which interferes with cardio, it may also interfere with resistance training. Also, cardio needs generally to be done almost every day, and circuit training may be a bit tough to handle that often.

Many find that elliptical trainers are good exercise machines for cardio when there is a joint issue, such as osteoarthritis, involved.

Bottom line is that finding exactly the right cardio for you is an individual "exercise"...pun intended. However, there are many ways to accomplish this, and, while you might not be able to run marathons, many will benefit from walking, jogging, or running, and many may need to opt for some alternative form of aerobic exercise.
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Ways to Stay on the Fitness Path...or Treadmill

2011-12-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

I am a dedictated fan of exercise and have been for years...and have fun exercising. It is relatively easy for me to stay "motivated" and to do a workout even if I am not in the mood, because not only do I understand to my very core the health benefits I will derive from exercising, but I simply enjoy my workouts...usually.

However, I am human, and sometimes it seems like exercising has become a bit of drudgery that has to be gotten through.

If even I, who enjoy and desire the exercise experience need to "change things up once in a while, what about those people who know they should be exercising but see it as something...well...borrrriiinnnnnggg?

Well, the following article has a few ideas for them...and me.

The Path to Getting in Shape Starts With One Step
By Molly T Fischer

Deciding to get in shape is a goal that many people strive for, but sometimes it's not that easy. That's why it is important that you are focused and ready to commit. When you just aren't determined or well-informed, then chances are, you will not have great results. Review the advice in this piece, and learn how to make working out more enjoyable.

A good song can do wonders to get you moving. How difficult do you find it to stay still whenever you listen to a fantastic tune? Making music the center of your work-out routine is essential. Play a Disc, insert your own playlist on your mp3 player, or tune in to radio stations and boogie the extra weight away! Your favourite music can lift your spirits and give you the extra push you need to follow through with your fitness goals.

Ask family and friends if they are interested in working out with you. A mate is usually a good incentive as a training companion since he or possibly she will be enjoyable to exercise with, and you're able to monitor one another's improvements. It can also make it seem like you are doing less when you talk about things. When you're preoccupied with your companion as opposed to the routine, you will be more prone to enjoy yourself and even keep it up.

Video games can make a great addition to your workouts. It's just like getting your own private fitness instructor. Physical exercise will become well guided enjoyment instead of boredom. As soon as your thoughts are occupied with having fun, then it doesn't perceive it as exercise, so you will be able to work out longer.

Looking and feeling good as you work out will make you want to go to the gym more often. Get yourself some workout outfits that fit you well and are comfy. Just be sure that it is something that you don't feel self-conscious wearing. If you look good, you will be motivated to workout at the gym.

You will get bored with an exercise routine if you do it every day, which may cause you to stop. Your exercise routine can come to a grinding halt if you allow yourself to get bored. As a way to keep inspired, you should include various workout routines which you consider are a blast and also exhilarating. This is critical to your success, because once you have lost interest it is much more difficult to get going again.

Whenever you accomplish one particular workout objective, allow yourself a treat. This can inspire you to go on with your program having renewed energy levels. Your reward does not have to be big or fancy; it can as simple as a small portion of a delicious dessert or something new to wear. Chose a reward that you will really look forward to receiving. Small rewards throughout the weight loss process will keep you motivated and help you to succeed.

The definition of fitness is being physically sound and in a healthy condition. Whenever a person attains proper physical fitness, they likely are going to have an easier time physically and mentally. When you've got problems getting fit, among the finest ways is to try a Exerputic Electric Treadmill. Pay a visit to the Motorized Treadmills website where you will find reviews and advice on Motorized Treadmills to suit every budget.

Article Source: The Path to Getting in Shape Starts With One Step
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Treadmill Exercise - Change it Up for Better Results

2011-12-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

The treadmill is a great piece of exercise equipment. However, many believe it is a set-and-forget exercise machine. They find a routine that suits them and that's all they ever do.

Sure, you can get fitter than you are now and stay healthy that way, but you are not getting the full health benefit of your treadmill.

In the following article, author Susan Johnson shares some good tips for making your treadmill live up to the price you paid for it.
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Treadmill Workout For Weight Loss
By Susan A Johnson

The most significant hurdles to accomplishing your workout goals is a phenomenon referred to as plateauing. To put it simply, this means you have hit the wall with your exercise sessions. You continue performing the exact same things every week and your improvement stalls.

The easiest method to conquer the plateau issue is to modify your exercises regularly. With a resistance training workout, every 6 weeks or so is adequate. With treadmill routines though, you will need to modify your workouts more regularly.

Our treadmill program trainer provides us a new routine every fourteen days. This stops your body from becoming accustomed to one specific program, thereby removing boredom and continuously challenging the body to adjust. Our most recent exercise is a half hour speed program. It is well suited for runners but could be easily modified for walkers too. Let us take a close look...

The objective of this system is to warm you up fairly rapidly and get you straight into a stamina type exercise. Run or walk the whole half an hour at 2% incline. We usually suggest using a 2% incline rather then having the treadmill level because 2% simulates typical outdoor walking and running conditions. Let's begin...

First Five Minutes: This is the warm-up. For optimum outcomes, walk the first 2 minutes after which get into a gradual, steady jog. This is a guideline for speed. Suppose your fastest speed is six mph. Your warm-up speed needs to be a little more than half that, so for this instance, approximately 4 miles per hour. Therefore, for your warm-up, your final two minutes needs to be an easy jog of 4 to 4.5 miles per hour. Naturally, if you go quicker and want to, just do it.

Five To Ten Minutes: You are now heated up, so let's get near to your working pace. Determine your fastest pace and run.5 miles per hour less quickly. Using the situation previously mentioned with a 6 mph best speed, this means you'll be running for 5 minutes at 5.5 miles-per-hour.

Ten To Fifteen Minutes: Slow your running speed by 1 mph for five minutes. This is called an active recovery. You are not trying to cool off here, you're just actively recuperating so that you can put forth the required effort over the next section.

Fifteen to Twenty Five Minutes: Raise your pace back to your best pace for Ten minutes.

Twenty Five to Thirty Minutes: Warm down at half your full pace for five minutes and finish.

Overview

This half hour speed exercise is not complex, but it is extremely effective. Utilize this exercise as a break from slope programs and level ground jogging at continuous speeds. Your body will be pushed and you'll be that much nearer to your workout goals!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hi, My name is Susan, I have created a weight loss blog and collected the most useful weight loss tips and advice that have helped me reach my target weight, to learn more about treadmill workouts weight loss please visit fast-way-to-lose-weight.net.

Article Source: Treadmill Workout For Weight Loss
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A Little Insight Into Interval Training for Fat Loss

2011-12-20T16:05:00.000-08:00

Again and again, when reading about fitness, weight loss, and burning fat, you hear about interval training or workouts. That's all well and good, but what exactly are they talking about?

What Are Interval Workouts?
By Cory Sandyke

I often hear people asking the question, "What are interval workouts?" The answer quite simply is performing high intensity exercise for a short period of time, with short rest in-between the next exercise. As you can tell this is a very general answer, which does not explain to the casual exerciser, exactly how they can incorporate this type of workout into their exercise routine. What many people do not realize is that interval training can be done by only performing cardio exercise, by only doing strength exercise, or it can be done using a combination of the two. Let me explain.

Interval training that involves strictly cardio training such as jogging, can be accomplished by varying the intensity(speed) at which you run, and the amount of time you keep up this intensity, as well as the amount of time you rest (walk or slow jog). Like most exercise the key to the amount of benefit you will achieve performing interval workouts, will depend on these two main factors. The key to interval strength training exercise, involves varying the amount of time between sets; when you combine this with altering the weight and speed per repetition, you will achieve an interval workout. Similar to interval cardio training, the amount of time/rest between sets plays an important role in the benefits you will receive.

One of the best interval workouts you can perform involves a combination of both cardio and strength training. An example of this would be something as simple as chopping wood. As you can imagine, the strength and high intensity it takes to swing a heavy wood splitting axe over a period of 1-2 minutes or 10-20 repetitions, is enormous. There is only so many chops that you can do until you are totally exhausted and need to rest for a short time, and then start again. Not only does this engage many muscle groups, but your heart and lungs will be working over time trying to feed your body with enough oxygen to complete the next swing of the axe.

Now that we know what an interval workout consists of, why exactly would you want to integrate this type of training into your routine? Those of you who seek fat loss would benefit the most from interval training. Elite athletes such as hockey players include this type of workout because their sport demands that their fitness level reflects this type of training. If you are bored with your present workout regimen, interval workouts allows you to spice things up considerably by altering the time, speed, and intensity of your workout.

In conclusion, it all boils down to what your goals are. One of the best aspects about this type of training is that you are done your workouts well before most conventional workouts, because it's much too difficult to keep up an intense workout for a long period of time. Simply ask yourself, do I want to jog for an hour and a half, or do I want to do an interval workout for 30 minutes, and still be burning fat well after the fact?

For more on this, and other unique exercises, check me out at http://www.homefit4life.com

Article Source: What Are Interval Workouts?

Healthy Aging - Another View

2011-12-19T06:08:00.000-08:00

A lot of people reach the same destination by a different road.

Here's an article on healthy aging by someone who shares a lot of my views, and a lot of good advice, but who approaches the topic from a slightly different angle.

Why the Old School Method of Diet and Exercise Will Help You Live Longer
By Paul A Bisquera

My 96 year-old Aunt is proof that the "old school method of diet and exercise" will help you live longer. She doesn't exercise but she is active. Her diet borders on being vegetarian, but she eats meat about 7% of the time during the week. She does not smoke or drink. At her advanced age, stress is a non-factor and she uses prayer as her inspiration to live a long, fruitful life.

For many people of advanced age, they have laid the "blueprint" to anti-aging and their experience should be a guide for all younger people to follow.

Diet

My Aunt's diet resembles the eating habits of Okinawan people--complex carbohydrates, 7 daily servings of vegetables, grains (rice, noodles, and bread), and fish. Meat, eggs, and poultry are limited to 3% and fish to 10%. Add 3-4 servings of fruit and tea.

Like the Okinawan diet, she eats until she is about 80-90% full. She does not deny herself some of her favorite foods like cake or cookies, but its an indulgence that is normally limited to once a month.

In a 2001 UC-Berkeley study, the people of Okinawa, which is an island south of Japan, have the most centenarians than anywhere in the world. In addition, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and obesity are rare on the island. The residents have 80% fewer heart attacks when compared to Americans. For the ones that do suffer a heart attack, they are most likely to survive.

Exercise vs Staying Active

For the population that pre-dates the "Baby boomer" generation (born 1949-1964), exercise is not an activity that is practiced by today's senior citizens. My Aunt says that she doesn't have time to exercise because she is too busy to do it.

Her gardening and housekeeping duties keep her much busier than most seniors. Add in her daily walk to her niece's house (200 yards going and returning) and her jaunt to the market (about 300 yards each way) twice a week, she a has busy day of activity.

Most fitness experts agree that 30 minutes of exercise everyday is enough to have a healthy lifestyle. However, there is a great misconception to an individual who exercises 30 minutes but who is largely sedentary throughout the day as opposed to a person who is constantly active while walking, doing chores, gardening, and housekeeping duties. Experts agree that an active person typifies a healthier lifestyle than the individual who does their 30 minutes but is a "couch potato" the rest of the day.

My Aunt does not know a thing about jogging or lifting weights or aerobics but her walk everyday is her primary exercise and she is proof that staying active helps one live longer.

Stress-free Life

Stress is a killer and a contributor to illness, so how does a person live a stress-free life? My Aunt has been a widow for 40 years and has lived most of her life alone in her modest home. She retired 30 years ago and she lives on a fixed-income. However, she credits her faith for helping her live a long and prosperous life.

Studies have shown that people who attend religious services or feel spiritual tend to live longer, are healthier, and have lower rates of depression and anxiety. Add in a social network among friends and family, seniors of faith tend to be happier and healthier. In addition, previous studies show churchgoers are more hopeful and have a better perspective of life. Not surprisingly, they tend to shy away from risky behavior (smoking, drugs, and alcohol). Most important, religion helps a person cope with stress and life's daily problems.

My Aunt credits prayer as her way to cope with life and the reason why she continues to live a long life.

The Future of Aging

With advanced medicine and technology, it won't be long until an increase of centenarians in the U.S. will be evident. Unfortunately, technology is a "two-edge sword" that brings technical advances that makes life easier but at the same time makes people lazy.

Since the invention of the people moving devices (automobile, escalators, elevators, and "people movers") and the creation of "processed foods," the obesity rate and illness has increased. The automobile and other people moving devices has taken away the need to exercise or walk to a nearby market or to a nearby park or to a nearby workplace. "Processed foods" (Commercially made meats made from beef, pork, poultry, and fish) have toxic chemicals that have made people fat and unhealthy.

In order to live long, an individual has to go back to living a lifestyle before technology and processed foods entered the picture.

Live an active lifestyle by doing home improvement projects, housekeeping, and doing chores rather than sitting on a couch watching hours of television. If your destination is nearby, take your bicycle or walk there instead. Make being active FUN. Sure, you can do your 30 minutes of exercise but what are you going to do the rest of the day?

Eat healthy. Whether you choose the Mediterranean diet or the Okinawan diet, eating healthy should be a priority. Don't eat any processed foods and try to cook your own food because you know what's in it.

Lastly, pray or think spiritually or think positively for a happier, healthier life.

Follow these tips and you'll know why the old school method of diet and exercise will help you live longer.

Article Source: Why the Old School Method of Diet and Exercise Will Help You Live Longer
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Use Your Mind to Get More Out Of Your Senior Exercise and Fitness Program

2011-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

It seems, and understanably so, that whenever you try to get some information or guidance on exercise, senior or otherwise, almost all you ever get is stuff about the exercising itself. However, motivation and planning are important as is knowledge. What you do with your mind can have a lot to do with the success of any program....exercise, wealth building, whatever!

When it comes to motivation, one of my favorite "coaches" is Tom Venuto, author of "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle". However, motivation is not all a successful fitness program requires, nor is Tom Venuto the only source of wisdom on the physical or mental side of fitness.

In fact, I believe that the following article by Peak Performance Coach & Trainer Robert Choat contains a lot of valuable thought for the senior exerciser and the younger as well.

Please enjoy.

Think Fit: 5 Ways to Using Your Mind for Fitness
By Robert Choat

Our thoughts govern every aspect of our lives. Most people go about their lives in mostly a non-thinking mode. Their thinking is non-thinking because they tend to let others control them instead of taking control themselves. I see many people get caught up with some reality TV show when they could be focused on taking care of themselves. They tend to live their lives through the people on the shows.

Others have done the same thing through movies and more. We fall for the newest gadget that will help in getting fit and when we buy it, guess what? It's simply another lousy piece of junk that sits in the corner or stuffed away in the closet. We start blaming all these different devices or products as to why we are not fit. So we go and purchase a gym membership. After paying monthly for a whole year, we are still not fit.

So we'll keep buying all these different things to try to help us get into shape and we do this for countless years. All that has happened is that we keep getting fatter. Well, guess what? It's not the gadgets or the supplements or the gym memberships or anything else that you've bought that is to blame. It's simply your attitude and thoughts that led you to where you are at.

In order to change your level of fitness, you have to change how you think about fitness (as well as health). It's time to get away from buying all those things and start doing the things that work. And that simply takes a change of perception.

That's why I'm going to give you some ways that will help you to change how you think and start using your mind for fitness.

1. Get a journal. This is a simple tool that can be used in a number of ways. What I suggest that you do is to first write down your goal(s) that you want to accomplish regarding fitness. Then start writing down the actions and behaviors that you do when you have certain thoughts. In fact, the simple act of writing your thoughts will enable you to learn so much about who you are.

2. Reframe your views about fitness. This is an NLP technique that allows you to change how you feel about events and anything else. Basically, it's simply putting a different and more useful frame around something that will help you to make changes. Frames can be done in color or different shapes. You can even cover what you view with a different color to change how you feel about it. When you change even one aspect of an event or concept or thought, you change the whole of it. Even look at fitness that can be done anywhere. No equipment necessary.

3. Visualize yourself enjoying exercising. When you can imagine yourself actually having fun doing some exercise or anything that get your body moving physically, then it'll start to change how you really feel and will want to do it. You can even add some aspects of reframing if that will help. In NLP we use submodalities to help increase or decrease one's viewpoint. So as we look at each of our five senses, submodalities are simply the underlying qualities of each one.

4. Start off with some Tai Chi. This is a physical activity that also engages a relaxed state of awareness that will affect both mind and body. By doing this, you'll learn to reconnect with your body as you move through each movement. Focus is also a key and helps to train your brain as your thoughts train your body.

5. Think action. Once you start your journey into fitness, think about engaging in continuous action. This will lead to new habits of fitness being created. After about a month of doing this, you'll feel fully engaged and fitness will be a part of your life.

You are now on a journey and fitness will be a part of your life as it is with mine. Keep on track and you'll glad that you did. Pass what you learn onto others.

Check out Optimal Life Seminars today! Just go to optimallifeseminars.com for learning and more... Watch for upcoming events and seminars...

Bob Choat works as a Peak Performance Coach & Trainer and is focused on people in every industry reach a higher level in their lives.

Call 818-620-2494 for coaching/training bobchoat.com

Article Source: Think Fit: 5 Ways to Using Your Mind for Fitness
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Some Thoughts on New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

Well, that time of year is nearly upon us again.

The end.

The end of the year, and the beginning of a new one, that is.

And what are many of us going to do with the coming fresh, unspoiled, new year?

Well, the truth is that we will turn it, depite our best intentions, into pretty much a carbon copy of the one just past. Twelve months from now, we will be thinking the same thoughts about what we "coulda, woulda, shoulda" done over the period just passed.

Sometimes, this speculation spurs us to plan to do something more in the coming year...go back to school, stay in school, lose weight, gain weight, get rich, give away our money...as many options as there are people.

However, within a few days, weeks, or months, we will be back at, or near, the proverbial "square one".

What's to do?

I often say that one of the problems with politicians is that they think that once they have made a law to correct some problem, they believe that in some magical way the problem has been corrected!

No so, of course.

Once the law is in effect, somebody has to enforce it. Plans must be made, people must be trained, resources set aside, systems set in place, and action taken, just to name a few steps which must be done.

The same is true of New Year's resolutions.

Simply to say that in some way I am going to be, or become, a different person next year than I have been all the days of my life is nonsensical...particularly if I do not take concrete steps to accomplish my new goals.

In fact, I have to run my New Year's resolutions pretty much the same way a successful business or any other organized program is run.

I must plan, act, review, revise as necessary, and...continue to act.

In his article, "Goal Setting for the New Decade. Beyond the New Year's Resolution", fitness trainer Tom Venuto says, "The problem lies in the doing. You have to do the work..."

That's the issue for me. Changing for the better or the worse, takes a certain amount of effort. Standing still is the easy way out. However, deluding yourself that you are doing something, or going to do it, just by setting out a list of wishes is even easier for some.

To change what you are and what you will be requires an act, not merely an intention to act.

Just thinking out loud. It's a bad habit. Maybe I'll try to cut it out next year.

The Senior Exercise Idea I Stole from my Mom

2011-12-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

My mother is 93, going to be 94 next week. She is not as able to get around as she used to, but for years, she stayed ahead of her age group when it came to fitness. One reason was that she created opportunities for exercise. She always tried to stay active by being involved in her church activities, but, as she grew older she had to gradually give most of those up.

However, she always had to shop, and, it got her out of the house. Since she had been living in the same area for over 20 years, she knew many people in many of the stores.

So, she would go to a store such as Target or Walmart, or even a grocery store such as Publix or Winn-Dixie, get a buggy and walk around, taking things off the shelves from time to time and putting them in her basket. Once she had made a circuit of the store, and had greeted, and was greeted by, several of the employees, she would follow a reverse route and put everything back...except any items she really did need to purchase.

I cannot run anymore because of my arthritis and a couple of banged up joints, so I try to walk. However, since my wife is disabled I also have to do a lot of the shopping. So, sometimes I will go to Walmart, do a couple of laps around the store, and then start my shopping.

Sometimes, getting the exercise you need is going to take a combination of ingenuity and committment. Many use the excuses of not having enough, time, opportunities, or equipment to get the exercise they need.

However, if you are willing to make the effort, no pun intended, you can work out ways to combine formal exercise programs with lifestyle activities to help you get the exercise necessary for good health.
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Artificial Blood?

2011-12-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know how long this has been around, but there actually is artificial blood.

Here's what I learned:

Artificial blood is a substance that is capable of carrying oxygen to parts of the body when there is a shortage of red blood cells. It has properties that can make it more versatile in some ways than real blood, including a long shelf life, no need for refrigeration and the ability to be sterilized. In addition, artificial blood does not need to be specifically matched for type.

While artificial blood does not perform all the functions of real blood, such as carrying nutrition or carrying off waste matter from the cells it carries out the necessary task of bringing oxygen to the cells.
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Ever Use These Excuses NOT to Stick With Your New Year's Weight Loss Resolution?

2011-12-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

I like most of the articles I get from Nick Nilsson, owner of The Best Exercises You Never Heard Of fitness website. I don't use many of them on this blog because his training is for a more intense audience than mine...and one less likely to wind up in the hospital trying to train, as he puts it, Gluteus to the Maximus.

However, he also publishes humorous exercise and fitness articles which are suitable for us senior exercisers to read and learn from. So, with that in mind, I hope you enjoy todays article by Nick Nilsson:

The Top 20 Excuses Why New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight End in Failure
By Nick Nilsson

It's no secret that New Year's Resolutions generally don't last
very long... have YOU used any these excuses?

January is New Year's Resolution time. Lose weight, gain weight, quit smoking, start smoking, get rich, spend more time working and less time with their families...you name it, people resolve to do it.

Yet how many people actually succeed with their resolutions?

According to a statistic I just made up, 75% of people fail to keep their New Year's Resolutions. That number is even higher with weight loss resolutions.

Why, you ask?

Well, here are my Top 20 Excuses Why New Year's Resolutions to Lose Weight End in Failure...

20. I wasn't getting enough to eat on ONE diet so I had to go on THREE.

19. Its winter and I need the extra insulation to keep me warm.

18. I went to the gym and somebody was on my machine so I realized everything happens for a reason and it wasn't meant to be.

17. I went to the gym and there was no lifeguard on duty in case the rowing machine sank. I complained to the manager but they threw me out.

16. Turns out I didn't really mean it.

15. My other resolution to quit being a cranky jerk all the time wasn't compatible with my low-carb diet.

14. There was a big game on...Wheel of Fortune is a game, right?

13. My DVR broke so I couldn't fast-forward past all the food commercials.

12. I figured since rice cakes don't have many calories, the same was true of other cakes. Like fudge cake. And pancakes. With syrup. And fudge.

11. My personal trainer called and said if I didn't show up for my session on Friday, don't bother showing up on Monday. Woohoo! 4 day weekend!

10. No ashtrays on the treadmills at the gym. How do they expect me stay on that thing for an hour without a cigarette break? It's not like that little TV can keep my mind off how painful and boring it is to hammer away on that thing at 1.2 mph for 60 minutes.

9. Krispy Kreme hasn't come out with an Olestra-filled donut (that they've told us, at least...I have my suspicions).

8. Billy Mays (the bearded infomercial guy) never came out with a Mighty Putty strong enough to keep my mouth shut at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

7. The economy is in such rough shape, it's hard to afford the new clothes I'll have to buy as I get smaller so it'll have to wait until I get a bailout.

6. I have to buy junk foods "for the kids" even though they don't really need that stuff either and I don't actually HAVE any kids or KNOW any kids.

5. I messed up and ate a chip on Day 2 so I gave up until next January's resolution season.

4. I need to get in better shape before I can join a gym...to get in better shape.

3. I made a resolution to give up drinking so I could lose weight but I did it while I was drunk so I forgot.

2. I don't want to insult my co-workers by not eating birthday cake at the office every single day, even when I have to bring it myself.

1. I'm waiting for President Obama to lose the weight for me.

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

Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at fitness-ebooks.com!

Using Stair Exercises For Aerobic Fitness

2011-12-10T08:21:00.000-08:00

Most athletes have known for millenia that climbing stairs are great for condtioning, improving physical fitness, and weight management. The great greek athletes and common soldiers of the Golden Age of Greece, as well as modern football stars use various forms of stair climbing to improve performance. Even modern exercise machine makers have designed steppers and elliptical trainers so that people can incorporate such movements into their exercise routines without actually climbing stairs.

By the way, a few months ago my wife and I were living in a two-story townhouse and I was bemoaning, to myself, of course, having to go up and down stairs several times each day. A doctor on a TV show said that going up and down stairs three times a day was excellent for heart health, and my attitude improved immediately. Sometimes it takes a two-by-four, sometimes I get it the first time! :)

Anyway, aerobic fitness can be improved by simply walking up stairs.

If you have access to several flights of stairs, or even one, here's a few tips on using stair exercises for cardiovascular health and weight management. If you are using a stepper or elliptical trainer you can adapt these tips to them.

Please note that even though I am going to state some times to shoot for in the following article, take it very easy at first. Trust me, there is no hurry as climbing stairs is, by its nature, a very intense form of exercise and one that is very easy to overdo. Use the numbers as targets, but don't be in a hurry to get there. Even doing one flight of stairs a day will take some time to get used to if you have not been doing this sort of activity.

The first round on the stairs serves as a warm up. If you only have one or two flights, go up and down slowly and easily several times for about 4 to 5 minutes. If you have something like a 20-story office building, just walk slowly up to the top.

After this, stretch for a few minutes.

On the next round, pick up the pace a bit.

Take it easy at first as it doesn't take much to increase your intensity with stair exercises.

By simply pushing my walking time to around three or four minutes, you can easily get into your aerobic zone or even higher. However, there is no need to put a final limit on YOUR particular training program. Keep building to where you feel good, but there is probably no need to exercise in this manner for more than 15 minutes a day.

Most seniors are going to have joint problems anyway, so it is important not to overdo it anyway, and never start or follow any exercise program without checking with your doctor before starting and regularly as you practice the program.

Aerobic Fitness Stair Exercise Ideas:

There are not many ways to walk up and down stairs. To add variation to your workouts here are some ideas. Feel free to create your own ideas as well. Just remember to always put safety ahead of anything else.

Regular Walking:

Simply walking up stairs as you would normally do. To adjust the intensity here you just walk faster or slower. You will want to change this from round to round and even from day to day.

Hands Behind the Head:

Another way to increase the difficulty of stair climbing is to place your hands behind your head. This variation will make walking up the stairs more difficult by challenging your balance and increasing the work demands
of your legs and core muscles.

Use a weighted vest, hand weights, or ankle weights:

Another change is with the use of a weights. This will increase your workout intensity. It's like trying to exercise with a heavy coat on. In fact, if you don't have a weighted vest or other equipment, you can use a heavy coat or carry some objects in your hands. Even a can of soup in either hand will increase the intensity a great dea..

For Over 200 Pages on Stair Training Plus 12 Videos Click Here!
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One Senior's Personal Exercise Program

2011-12-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Today, I happened to be reading an article by another senior exerciser and thought I would share it with you. After all, we are all different, and this is how one person chose to deal with the idea of being fit over 40.

I got a couple of good ideas for my own exercise program while reading this article, and I have been researching exercise topics for decades and writing about the subject for several years. I hope that Jonathan will not mind my highlighting some of his comments that I feel are particularly important.

Enjoy.

My Senior Exercise Program
By Jonathan Glenn

I have been reading a number of articles about suggested exercise programs for seniors and I finally decided to discuss my personal exercise program. I should remind my readers that I am a senior so I think I can discuss this subject with, at least, some intelligence and experience.

Before I discuss my program, I must strongly suggest that any senior beginning or changing their exercise routine should first discuss the program with their doctor.

My program is simple but effective, at least for me.

First, I start out by stretching and I probably do not spend enough time on this aspect of my program. I stretch my hamstrings by pushing against a wall, I touch my toes and I do hip rotations. If you work out at a club I would suggest to talk to a trainer so he or she can recommend a stretching routine.

Once I complete my stretching, I then begin my workouts. I start out on the Precor machine for twenty to thirty minutes per day. I set the resistance to "three" and I keep the calories-per-minute over ten. This means if you workout for twenty minutes you will burn two hundred calories and if you stay on the machine for thirty minutes you will burn three hundred calories.

I try to manage this part of the workout by calories per minute because it is an excellent way to determine how much energy is being used.

I also monitor my heart rate.

Some studies show that at my age I should keep my rate no higher than 133 but sometimes I go as high as 140.

I am not recommending that you exceed your doctors' recommended rate.

Once I complete the Precor I quickly start on the weight machines. I only use four machines. I start out with the chest machine which has two exercises. Unlike many, I work out with low weights and high reps. I also only do one rep per machine but many reps. On the chest machine, I do 28 reps for each exercise.

It is important to be sure that you do each exercise slowly as form is very important.

Once I complete the chest machine I go to the abdominal machine and do twenty reps.

Once again be sure you do your exercise slowly.

After the abdominal machine I go to the lower back machine and do twenty reps, again slowly. I then immediately go to the curl machine. I try to do twenty to twenty five reps on this machine depending upon how tired I am. Do this exercise slowly and do not grip the bar too tight.

The final machine is the tricep machine and I do twenty reps very slowly.

My entire routine takes anywhere from thirty to forty minutes.

The machines only take approximately ten minutes. I try to workout at least five days per week.

This program has kept me in great shape with my weight within normal limits, my resting pulse at 60 and my blood pressure within normal range.

We seniors have to do what we can do stay in shape so we can enjoy our golden years. I sincerely hope this article will help some of you seniors. Please remember, to consult your doctor first.

We at lowcostmedicalinsurance.us provide low cost insurance with good coverage and we strive to educate our readers as how to improve their health and quality of life.

We, are dedicated to provide low cost insurance with the most comprehensive coverage possible. My articles are mostly focused upon protecting and improving your health.

Article Source: My Senior Exercise Program
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Isometric Exercises for Seniors

2011-12-08T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am 66 years old (67 in three months) and have been exercising since 1965, exercising regularly and intentionally since 1970, and writing about it since about 2005.

I like isometric exercises and have used them as "part" of my ongoing exercise program for years. When I am unable to fit in a bodyweight exercise program or use weights, exercise machines, yoga, or other exercise options, I find that I can almost always fit in a little bit of what Charles Atlas used to call "Dynamic Tension".

I have also found that, having osteoarthritis, sometimes I have trouble doing bodyweight exercises because of the joint movement required and the pressure placed on joints.

Like any other OA sufferer, I use a wide range of methods of preventing joint pain, and sometimes choosing isormetric exercises is one of those methods.

Anyway, I came across this article by Paul O'Brien, a fitness trainer who has a website dedicated to isometric exercise. It's got a lot of great info and if you are serious about senior exercise, health, and fitness but are not sure where or how to get started, maybe this will help.

Exercise for Seniors - An active life for active people, exercises to roll away the years
By Paul J.O'Brien
B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.

www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

Exercise for seniors?

Not a major aspect of the fitness industry is it?

No.

Unfortunately most fitness instructors don't consider the elderly good candidates for fitness. Luckily you and I know better.

Old school physical culture is the basis for modern fitness and health clubs, and yet its most valued and experienced practitioners are ignored or written off completely.

I was the same once. I remember my grandfather, a great man, who in his time explored jungles people had never heard of, built walls bigger than giants and never missed a day of exercise in his life.

It wasn't exercise for seniors it was just exercise. (Excellent point - Don)

In his eighties he didn't consider himself too old to not be active, and by god he wasn't! Every day when I got home I'd find him leaving for his 4 o'clock walk. Away he'd go, out-pacing and outlasting the young whippersnappers on the street running about.

He'd just chuckle and laugh and keep going. (Remember Clint Eastwood as Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway in "Heartbreak Ridge"?)

My grandfather was always a strong man.

He worked hard everyday of his life and it showed. His arms were taught like layers of thick rope twisting and pulled hard. His posture was impeccable and his energy astounding. He was sharper and faster mentally than most college graduates who think they have all the answers. The reason ' he exercised every day without fail.

Exercise for Seniors is important.

It strengthens the immune system, the internal organs, promotes better hearts and lungs. It keeps the mind sharp and the memory accurate, the bones strong and days enjoyable.

If you are a senior why don't you show the youth of today what real dedication is like and get back to exercise? If you are a son or daughter teach your parents the exercises on these pages and enjoy a nice relaxing break from the rush of modern life.

Every exercise for Seniors here can be performed at home with or without equipment. Many can be done form the comfort of your arm chair. Remember fitness and strength are two forms of freedom all of us can enjoy.

Where can you train?

Let's look at some of the easy places to apply isometrics exercise for seniors. You'll never have to leave your room. So lousy weather is no excuse. You don't need a gym membership and you don't need equipment. Remember you can find full animated instruction for these exercises on my website.

Your Bed
Yep. You can get a great workout in bed, and is not what you are thinking. A little known fact for those that may be reading this, bed was where Bruce Lee began his workouts. It's true. Lying in bed Bruce lee went through a series of isometric stretches and olds to get the blood flowing to his muscles and energise and focus him for the day ahead. Take a tip from a legend, start your day the right way. Workout out the minute you wake.

Your Armchair
I know, it's amazing! You can watch TV; listen to the radio, chat with friends and workout. Simple movements like pulling your legs in against the chair strengthens your hamstrings. Pulling in your arms while holding the armrest strengthens your back and lats. A minute of this and gets the muscles awake, strong and invigorate the body with little effort.

Your Door
Next time you leave a room or get up to answer the door get in some strength training. Try pushing against the door with your arms to strengthen and tone your chest and triceps. Push up on the top of the door frame to work your shoulders.

No Senior Exercise Equipment?

Most senior citizens have access to a bed, a chair and a door frame. That's all you need and few minutes of your time to improve your strength, fitness and energy levels with isometric exercise for seniors.

If you'd really like to improve your health you can get in the best shape of your life whatever your age and enjoy the most effective and intense workout of your life when you follow my step by step 7 week course, 7 Seconds to Build A Perfect Body, the Scientifically Proven Method for Transforming Your Body in Just Seconds! Over 250 pages and filled with more than 100 photos it will transform your body from your face down to your toes, sculpting your physique and letting you develop astonishing strength with just seconds of exercise.

All the best,

Paul J.O'Brien
B.A., N.C.E.H.S., Dip. Acu., Cert Clin. Med. M.T.C.M.C.I., M.C.Th.A.
www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com

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About the Author

Paul J.O'Brien is an international recognized expert in Isometric Training and physcial performance, a certified personal trainer, licenced acupuncturist and western clinical medic and writer. Paul is the author of "7 Seconds to A Perfect Body", which teaches you how to develop a lean muscular physique without drugs, supplements or equipment using secrets of the forgotten founders of fitness. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat, increase your lean muscle tissue, sculpt your phsyique and skyrocket your strength by visiting: www.Strong-in-7-Seconds.Com.
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FREE REPORT: Why Diets Don't Work

Coping with Alzheimer's Disease - Try a Movie or Old TV Show

2011-12-06T06:56:00.000-08:00

While the progress of Alzheimer's in individuals seems to be outpacing the progress of research into preventing and reversing Alzheimer's disease, there are some positive moments which fall outside the realm of medicine and medical research.

One way that caregivers and family have found to communicate with the Alzheimer's patient is through old TV shows and movies. Many times, the patient will recognize an old star, movie, or scene. They will often continue to remember and talk about the event or subject for some time after, and also often look forward to the next chance to repeat the event.

Being able to recognize an old movie star and hang on to the memory, perhaps even discuss it and anticipate another occurence, seems to the give the patient a bit of clarity and confidence as well as providing a semblence of a "normal" relationship between them and the caregiver.

Click here to learn more about this subject.
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Free Report: Why Diets Don't Work

Walking for Weight Loss...and More!

2011-12-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

As I go from website to website, and magazine to magazine, I am practically bombarded by articles and information about the health benefits of walking.

Personally, I think this is good news because walking is about as "natural" as you can get when it comes to exercise...or any process, supplement, or product related to health, fitness...and, of course, weight loss.

We all know how to walk and there are many opportunities to walk...although sometimes we need to look around. It does not need to cost anything, and can be combined with other pleasureable activities such as listening to music, or self-improvement tapes, or walking in parks, such as a very nice one near my home.

Even without the weight loss benefit of walking there are a great many health benefits of a regular walking program. Adding the weight loss opportunities of walking just intensifies and elevates all the other health benefits.

However, as simple as it seems, walking for weight loss in particular, or for health in general, does require a certain amount of knowledge, guidance, motivation, and perserverance.

Now, a broad listing of the benefits and requirements of a good walking program goes far beyond the scope of a blog post. Besides, since it has "already been done" elsewhere, I see no need to re-invent the wheel...or the foot.

Of course, there are many good resources which can help someone create a great walking for weight loss program, and the site I am about to recommend is merely one of them. However, it is targeted for women over 30, although men can benefit as well...in fact, on their website you will see testimonials from men. There are more resources than simply a walking program, however, and several bonuses to do with nutrition and other exercise options are included.

So, what's the link for this great website? You'll never guess.

How about walking4weightloss.com? Original, huh?

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Free Report: Why Diets Don't Work

Good Health Resource from the BBC

2011-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

As I look around the Internet for new information to post on this blog, I sometimes uncover websites that not only have a great amount of information related to health and fitness, but have access to a broader range of resources, and staff, than "me, myself, and I". I try to pass these on.

Today, I was wandering around the BBC website and found myself reading a lot of great health and fitness information, so, if you would like to check it out, just click here (opens in a new window).
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FREE REPORT: Why Diets Don't Work

The Happiest States in the U.S.

2011-12-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

A study was conducted to find the happiest, and unhappiest, states in the country. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index reflects: emotional health, which includes smiling, happiness, and laughter; life evaluation, or an expectation of good times for the next five years; and physical health, which includes daily energy and feeling well-rested.

The following states ranked highest out of a possible 100 pts.

Hawaii (71)
Wyoming (69.2)
North Dakota (68.4)
Alaska (68.3)
Colorado (68)
Minnesota (68)
South Dakota (68)
Utah (67.9)
Connecticut (67.9)
Nebraska (67.8)
Massachusetts (67.8)

Lowest?

Michigan (64.6)
Louisiana (64.3)
Delaware (64.2)
Nevada (64.2)
Ohio (63.8)
Alabama (63.7)
Arkansas (63.7)
Mississippi (63)
Kentucky (61.9)
West Virginia (61.7)
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Be Happy

Want to Cut Grocery Costs? Food Buying Tips for People on a Budget.

2011-11-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Again, I apparently deviate from the basic theme of this blog. After all, what the heck does a lower grocery bill have to do with senior health?

Well, when people get on a fixed income, they sometimes do without to make ends meet. A lot of times, they cut back on the foods they buy. For many, this equates to poor, or poorer, nutrition options.

Also, worrying about money can be debilitating on many different levels, but if the food costs can be decreased, it can go a long way to managing stress which many older people experience as they deal with money, health, and the simple reality of getting older.

Speaking from experience, one of the things that takes some getting used to as a senior citizen is living on a fixed income...as I do.

Even if you have good health, a well-funded retirement, investments, a 401K plan and Social Security benefits, when you stop working, your income usually, comes out of a diminished bucket of funds, at least compared to the working years. This being so, anything you can do to protect your money and economize means your money will last longer, be there for you when you have an emergency, or simply be available for fun things...which is what retirement should be all about.

If you are someone who is able to continue to prepare your own food, you are already well ahead of the game because one big expense in any budget is the cost of food. If you are buying food for a spouse, older children still at home or you are helping to raise the grandkids, you can see a food budget that can quickly get out of control.

With this in mind, it pays to come up with some tips for how to slash that food budget, but do so in a way that does not hurt the quality, or quantity, of the food you eat or feed your family.

Economy begins at home so you can do a lot before you even go to the grocery store by learning to use everything you buy.

An investment in some quality storage containers so you can keep leftovers fresh or keep fresh vegetables or fruits on hand will help you eat everything you buy and cut down on waste.

By the way, if you like to garden, you can even take the organic waste such as coffee grounds and apple cores and make your own compost which can go into your garden to grow your own food next spring.

You can learn more about composting and organic gardening at www.1stoporganicgardening.com and learn how to grow some healthy food, and get some good exercise at the same time.

However, at the grocery store, before the food even gets home, the trick is to be a smart shopper.

Remember that grocery stores stock lots of items that are made to appeal to people who want convenience over low prices. So you can save a lot of money by avoiding fast foods, frozen foods or "TV dinners" and buying the ingredients to make your own meals every day.

Being a smart shopper also means knowing when and where to shop and how to find the good values in food and grocery supplies at the store. Some core principles of smart shopping are…

1. If you can buy in bulk – do so...with a caveat. Many items are cheaper at the unit cost level if you buy larger quantities. So if you can buy and store more food at once, you can possibly take advantage of those savings. However, note that some retailers have caught on to this and I have actually found instances in which two eight-ounce products were cheaper than one sixteen-ounce pack. It does not hurt to carry a calculator with you when you shop.

2. Avoid impulse purchases. Stores carefully place items that are appealing so you will buy higher priced items. Work from a previously prepared shopping list and stick to it. If you see an item which you know you need and left off the list accidentally, go ahead and buy it, but don't grab something not on your list just because you happen to think of it while you are in the store. Make it the first thing on the next list.

3. Slice your own cheese, etc. Pre-sliced cheese comes at a higher price. Buy a good cheese knife and buy cheese in blocks and slice it yourself. Use this as a general guide for purchasing all products. The more preparation the retailer has to do, usually the higher cost per unit to you.

4. Buy fresh produce. Fresh foods are not only better for you, they are generally cheaper. Farmer's markets are often great places to get deals on fresh produce. However, they can also be a great place to drop some extra money, so don't let your guard down.

5. Know your town. Each grocery store has certain categories they do best at outselling the others. Know what stores are good with produce, with meat and with everyday savings and create your shopping lists accordingly. Don't turn your back on local stores, either. My daughter found a local store with a great meat department and buys all her meats there, saving a lot of money in the process.

6. Know your store. Each week, your store marks down certain items in preparation for the weekend. Routinely they will slash the prices of fresh meat to get rid of last week’s supply in preparation for the higher priced specials for this week. If you know when that stuff hits the shelves, you can score big savings and freeze what you buy to use over the next few weeks. I just finished shopping at my local Kroger and got some great Artisan bread on sale. It's going to go great with the beef stew tonight.

7. Know your items. Learn your price points of what is a good price for each item on your list. Try to buy under those price points so your budget is controlled.

8. Buy store brands...usually. Don't follow this blindly. Use that calculator I mentioned earlier. In one store near me, Hunt's spaghetti sauce is nearly 50 cents cheaper than, yet nutritionally equal to, the store brand.

9. Use coupons. However, do not use coupons to buy things you will not use, and definitely do not use them to buy one item if an equal product is available more cheaply. Also, check with your local stores. Some have days on which coupons may be doubled or even tripled. Check also to find if a store honors competitor coupons.

NOTE: While coupons will usually help extend the food budget a bit, it takes some serious efforts to save big money at the checkout. However, it can be worth it. I once bought $120 worth of groceries and paid for over $100 of it with coupons.

10. Leave the grandkids home. Children can add dozens of items to your shopping cart and slow you down. Leave them out of the picture and you won’t have to buy their impulse items. The shopping will go faster and you will be able to concentrate on making wise purchasing decisions too.

By becoming a smart shopper, you can stretch your food budget and see an impressive savings on what you spend on groceries. With the right training and attitude, you can Save Thousands Grocery Shopping, and that helps you stretch your retirement savings which means a longer, more prosperous retirement and one that is more worry free as well.

I think that is worth the extra effort.

Still Want 6-Pack Abs? It Might Not Be as Hard as You MIght Think.

2011-11-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

Look, at age 67, I'm not too caught up in the 6-pack abs thing, but there are some people of my age who might want to slim down in that area. The good news is that most people have the wrong idea about how to get a slim, trim waistline.

Many assume that in order to get a skinny waist, you work the waist with all kinds of exercises which target that area, or use some sort of special exercise equipment.

While strengthening the core is important, getting rid of the fat around the middle has little to do with abdominal exercises.

As fitness trainer and author, Tom Venuto, points out in "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle", many people may have a great set of abs hiding behind a layer of fat. Unfortunately, doing huge amounts of abdominal exercises will not do much to get rid of that fat.

As data from scientists at the University of Virginia has illustrated, it would take 250,000 crunches to burn a pound of fat.

So, how do you get rid of that fat and reveal your rippling abs to the world?

*One of the more important steps is to do resistance training to strengthen all the muscles of the body. This will boost metabolism to help burn fat.

*When exercising to lose fat, target the legs especially. These are the biggest muscles in the body and can burn a heck of a lot of calories. Also, most aerobic, i.e. cardiovascular, exercise programs require the use of the legs, so you get a "twofer"...two benefits for the price of one.

*Strengthen your core. It has been said by some experts that the crunch is pretty worthless as a core strengthening exercise. While there are some good individual core exercises out there, one of the best programs you can follow is yoga.

Strength training should be done every other day. Now, if this seems a bit extreme, think in terms of individual muscles. For example, if you exercise the bicep on Monday, let it rest on Tuesday and exercise some other muscle. Many body builders, for example, split their workouts in different ways. Some will work upper body on one day, lower body the next. Some will do "pulling" exercises on one day and "pushing on the next". Whatever system you choose, exercise each muscle 2 to 3 times a week, resting it for one day between workouts, and giving it a two-day rest each week.

Cardio can be done just about every day, although you may want to give yourself a light day or a complete day off at least once a week.

What the Heck are Kettlebells? How Do You Get Started with Kettlebells?

2011-11-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

First of all, what is a kettlebell?

Well, it basically looks like a ball with a handle. It can be of various weights, and most think that it is simply a different kind of dumbbell. However, that is a misconception that can actually cause someone not to get very good results with kettlebells...if they ever pick one up at all.

In terms of overall conditioning, when used properly, dumbbells are generally better than barbells, and kettlebells are better than dumbbells. This is because with dumbbells, an inherent instability is introduced to exercise which causes the muscles, and more muscles, to work harder. With kettlebells, this inherent instability is even greater.

Kettlebells can be great for seniors, assuming they are okay to do such exercises, because you simply tend to get more "bang for the buck", if you will.

Below is an article by an expert on Kettlebells, and is intended to give you an idea of what to do to get started with kettlebell exercises:
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3 Kettlebell Exercises To Test The Waters
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

There seems to be a certain reservation among "regular" gym goers when it comes to trying Kettlebell Training.

I say this because when I train with my clients at the gym and have them do work with kettlebells, there always seems to be 3 or 4 wandering eyes peering over at what we are doing.

It's pretty humorous because some will resort to stealth-like ninja techniques to perform the "wandering-eye-walk-by" whereby they pretend to be on their way to the water fountain and just casually stroll by 4 or 5 times to try and catch some instruction.

But honestly, 4 drinks of water between your sets on the ab/adductor machine?

If the truth be told, Kettlebell Training is gaining momentum and it's good to see that people are actually taking an interest in a simpler alternative to "traditional" weight training.

So with that being said, let me see if I can ease you into Kettlebell Training.

Here are 3 exercises you can start doing today, just by "subbing-in" a kettlebell for a dumbbell…

1. Substitute a kettlebell Military Press for any type of Overhead Pressing with a Dumbbell

Pick up the kettlebell and bring in it in close to your body ensuring that 1) your WRIST STAYS IN NEUTRAL (never flexing or extending) and 2) it is resting in the nook of your arm between your bicep and forearm.

Brace your abs hard, pretending that someone is about to punch you in the stomach. Keeping your wrist straight, squeeze the handle of the KB as tight as you can and take a breath in, creating an even tenser brace in your abdomen.

Now, press the kettlebell overhead moving your arm from a neutral GRIP (palm facing towards your midline) to a pronated GRIP (palm facing away) as you lock your elbow out over your head.

The important thing here is to LOCK OUT. I know that in some body building circles they tell you to keep a slight bend in your elbow, even in the overhead position, to "keep tension on the muscle".

That’s not the case here. This is NOT body building, physical training.

You are going to LOCK OUT in kettlebell exercises and make sure that 1) Your shoulder is depressed. That is, it’s not up by your ears, it’s down and back 2) Your bicep is almost touching your ear and 3) The kettlebell, while in the overhead lock-out position is in line if not BEHIND your head.

Slowly lower the KB back to the starting position following the same pronated to neutral curve you used when you pressed it over head.

2. Try a Modified Renegade Row in place of a standard 1-Arm Bent-Over Row

Unlike a standard Dumbbell Row, where you would rest a knee on the bench, the Modified Renegade Row will force you to really use your abs to keep your low back stable.

Place a kettlebell on the floor on the left side and then place both hands on the edge of a bench (or chair). With your hands on the bench/chair, set yourself up so that you’re in a “push-up” position with your feet slightly wider that hip-width apart.

Reach down and grab the Kettlebell with your left hand. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes and row the kettlebell into your body towards your hip. Remember when you row to squeeze your shoulder blades together prior to bending your elbow.

As you row, you will notice that your body will want to twist and rotate because of the uneven distribution of weight. You must prevent this from happening. By bracing your abs and squeezing your glutes, you will work your abs like they’ve never been worked before!

Slowly lower the weight, again not allowing yourself to rotate and repeat for the required reps.

3. Replace regular squats with a 1-Arm KB Front Squat

Just as the Military Press above, pick up a kettlebell and bring in it in close to your body ensuring that 1) your WRIST STAYS IN NEUTRAL (never flexing or extending) and 2) it is resting in the nook of your arm between your bicep and forearm (take a look at the picture of me above left in the header).

Brace your abs hard, pretending that someone is about to punch you in the stomach. Keeping your wrist straight, squeeze the handle of the KB as tight as you can and take a breath in, creating and even tenser brace in your abdomen.

Now, keeping the bell close, push your hips back and bend your knees. You’ll notice that as you descend, because of the uneven distribution of weight, your body will want to twist or even bend sideways. Just like the Modified Renegade Row above, you want to resist this and brace your abs hard.

Descend into the squat by pushing your knees out allowing your hips to go below parallel and keeping your spine straight.

Push your feet into the floor (keeping your heels on the ground the entire time) and drive your body up to the standing position.

So there are 3 exercises you can try out today, using only 1 KB, to help familiarize yourself with Kettlebell Training.

In addition to the benefit of only needing one piece of equipment for the above exercises, the uneven distribution of weight during KB Training allows you to use your abs like no other exercises can. They force you to stabilize your spine and to try to stay straight forcing your abs to work the way they were meant to be worked - as stabilizers of your torso and spine and not as "prime movers".

And because of this, you'll find that many people who train with kettlebells tend to have bullet-proof abdominals, while eliminating low back pain and gaining usable strength that will help you in everyday life.

About the Author

Who is Craig Ballantyne?

He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes such well know magazines as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen...to name a few. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com.
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Dragon Core Kettlebells for Dummies Set

On the Personal Side but of Interest to Senior Men

2011-11-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

When it comes to aging, men need to be aware of the health of their prostate. I know this first hand.

I was recently diagnosed as having prostate cancer and am now undergoing treatment.

It should have been caught a bit earlier, and that might eventurally turn out to be significant. The problem is that part of that late diagnosis is my fault. I just kind of waved things off with my last doctor, then I moved, then it took me a while to hook up with a new doctor...and now I am on the line between kinda dangerous, and just plain dangerous.

As I type this, by the way, I have a catheter in place leading to a lovely plastic bag on my thigh.

Not permanent. In fact, it's coming out and off in about 2 hours, but it has been an uncomfortable weekend, and my wife, who is disabled, has had to do many things around the house that I normally would do. She's been a trooper.

A few months ago, after my doctor noted that my PSA blood test numbers had jumped up rapidly, he scheduled me for a biopsy.

NOt terrible, but not fun either.

An ultrasound probe is placed in the rectum to guide the tool which is used to remove small sections of the prostate for biopsy. About a dozen slivers are taken from different sections of the prostate. It stings a little, snap your finger against your arm for a basic idea, but is not terrible.

Afterwards, there will be blood in urine, semen, and stool for a few days, but that fades. There are not any real after effects for most.

My biospy showed that the cancer was pretty well spread throughout my prostate, so I began hormone therapy...a monthly shot. This decreases testosterone and slows down the production of cancer cells.

On Friday, I underwent Cooled ThermoTherapy to reduce postate tissue and relieve the prssure it was placing on my urethra. That pressure is what causes frequent urination and other symptoms. It is a result of enlargement of the prostate which often comes with age.

It was because of that procedure that I have be wearing a catheter and bag over the weekend.

In about three months, I will have radiation therapy for the cancer itself. The doctor will insert tiny radioactive "pellets" in the prostate to kill off the cancer.

Once again, there will be a probe to guide the doctor as he places the pellets.

If all goes well, and it usually does, I have a 95% chance of being cancer free. If not...well, I will still have a few or several years to enjoy.

Prostate cancer is funny that way.

According to the doctor, one problem is that my health is too good. Nothing, other than the cancer, is likely to kill me soon. I am not at risk for heart disease or any of the other major killers. If I was, it might just be simpler, and easier on me, to ignore the prostate cancer, keep an eye on it and just let nature take its course.

However, since I have a good chance of living a long life, the prostate cancer will become more and more of an issue, so it is easier and simpler to take care of it now.

I'll keep you informed.

Live Long and Perspire

2011-11-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

Okay,if you're a Star Trek fan, you know that Spock would say,"Live long and prosper". However, he could have said it my way.

Studies have shown that senior exercise is one of the best ways to maintain health, fitness, vigor, and love of life into our older years.

I have been looking into this subject regularly since about 1970,with a few casual forays into it as far back as high school, which was...ahem...in the early 60's. Over and over again, among all the tips and advice I find that comes out as a result of this study or that research, regular, moderate exercise is one of the top recommendations if not "the one".

Now, don't go out and kill yourself trying to get healthy.

If you used to exercise but got out of the habit, you are probably not going to be able to get back to where you used to be...depending on age and a lot of other factors. However, you can vastly improve your health if you start off easy, build up slowly, and stick with it.

If you have never been an exerciser, you will have to start off even easier, build up even more slowly, and...you guessed it...stick with it.

Over the years, I have heard hundreds of stories of people who were in such poor physical condition that, when they began exercising, it did not even feel like exercise, and they were sure nothing would come of it.

There was the woman who started just by walking out to her mailbox, which wore her out, and eventually got to where she could walk miles at a time.

There was the overweight main who lived a couple of hundred feet from a beach. At first, his exercise program was to walk that couple of hundred feet, rest, and then walk home.

He eventually ran marathons.

There was the single mom who started out walking in place during one TV commercial a night and eventually expanded this into a full exercise programs. While I have long lost the references to the other two stories, you can read about this person in One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, by Robert Maurer.

If you are concerned about your longevity, get out there and sweat. In other words, live long and perspire!

Great Food Site!

2011-11-13T06:15:00.000-08:00

I just stumbled across a great site for those of you wanting to eat healthy. It has a lot of information and recipes, and I simply recommend that you stop by and have a look. It is at mindfultastes.com.
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Want other healthy eating options? Check out the "nutrition" link here.

Men's Health: Male Menopause: Fact or Fiction?

2011-11-07T10:31:00.000-08:00

When it comes to the term "menopause" most of us automatically think of what happens to most women somewhere around age 50. However, men have their own "menopause" called "andropause".

As with the ladies, at about the same time in a man's life, or even earlier...sometimes much later, his hormone balance begins to change. Now, I cannot speak for the ladies, but some feel that one of the "reasons" for andropause is to prepare the man for the second stage of his life.

Women experience a lot of negative reactions during menopause and, while not always satisfactory, there are some products for female menopause relief. Thanks to efforts by many women who want to have menopause understood and the symptoms relieved, many such products are available.

Fortunately, most men do not experience as many or as strong symptoms during andropause.

However, a man will still go through a crucial set of changes once he enters the andropause stage. There are, of course, inevitable changes in psychological, social, interpersonal and even the spiritual aspects.

According to research, there actually are a lot of benefits a man can obtain once andropause is experienced.

A higher level of maturity is the essential benefit to men going through this male menopause.

Men on their first adulthood usually focus on doing. However as they enter their second adulthood, they tend to become more focused with "being" or or "self".

In terms of their career at this point, men are more inclined to accomplish their job because of enjoyment of work instead of going to work because it is necessary. In their social relationships, men tend to look at other men more as acquaintances than competitors as in their earlier, more testosterone-driven.

As he enters andropause, a man's personal relationship also matures.

In his "second adulthood", as some call it, a man tends to become more focused on developing happiness and intimacy with his partner. Andropause may indicate a stop, or at least some sort of truce, in the brain-draining "battle of the sexes". This may allow him to give way and let his partner win more...er...discussions.

Ego and pride tend to be left behind at this point as his focus tends to move towards in-depth understanding and patience.

At this time, men also often gain a new maturity in their sexual relationship. The second adulthood focuses more on being sexually fulfilled as compared to concentrating on sexual performance or conquests which are more common during first adulthood.

Menopause or andropause, can be a period of life where an individual may start to feel incomplete. Accordingly, some may react viscerally to what their body dictates. This can be good or bad.

Even in this time of second adulthood, the word "adult" is still in the mix.

Whatever the male version of menopause may create in one’s life, you are still the one who owns your mind, body and heart. If andropause brings you more benefits, then you are of the lucky ones. On the other hand, if it creates new struggles in your life then it is time to acknowledge the need for help in navigating this unfamiliar territory.

Primarily, you need to recognize that you are undergoing change, and then discuss this with your significant other, and others who may be affected by your actions.

Pointing out the necessary things they must do to help you cross the line can be important in not only preparing them for the new you, but it may helpy you to think about you own reactions. If things should happen to still seem unbearable after exhausting all possible help within your circle of friends and family, then it is time to seek help from an expert.

A successful walk in the journey of male menopause boils down to two things...having a good attitude and being prepared for the unexpected.

Exercise Equipment Review: Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike

2011-11-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

First of all, what is a recumbent exercise bike?

Like all other bikes in that you pedal it to get the exercise benefit, the recumbent bike can be a good senior exercise equipment choice because it has a back rest which allows you to be seated in a comfortable position for long periods.

I have even sat on mine when guests came over and we ran out of chairs!

The Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike is an older model and getting a bit harder to find, but it still consistenly racks up good reviews from owners.

In fact, there seems to be only two specific complaints that I can uncover:

1. Some people are put off by the fact that the readout is not battery powered and the bike has to be near an AC outlet so it can be plugged in.
NOt a problem for me, but, I am sure that some people would have to do a lot of furniture rearranging to get near an outlet.

Hey! That's exercise too.

2. Smaller, or less limber, people may have a little trouble hanging on to the handlebars at full extension.

Other than than, the Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike is compact and ergonomically designed with an adjustable console and seat which allows most riders to get maximum comfort while getting maximum exercise benefits.

Now, one of the reasons I recommend recumbent exercise bikes and elliptical trainers to seniors for exercise is that they are low-impact exercise machines. While most of these types of exercise equipment are intended mainly for a good cardio workout, the Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike, is adaptable and can provide strength training and is great for a weight loss program as well.

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS:

•Integrated grip heart rate sensors
•16 levels of Eddy Current magnetic resistance
•Full complement of 8 workout programs
•Speakers and fan
•LCD computer display
•Retractable magazine rack
•Bottle holder within easy reach
•Transport wheels

The price of a new Schwinn 220 Recumbent Exercise Bike is currently $347 from Walmart.com, but is also available from many other sources and you may be able to find one for a better price at a yard sale or on Craig's list.
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OTHER GOOD RECUMBENT BIKES

Body Flex X-Bike: Good reviews and low price at under $150.00

Weslo Pursuit 3.8 Recumbent Bike: Also good reviews. A bit more expensive at $199.99 from Fingerhut, but they allow you to pay about $20 a month.

Practice Senior Financial Health and Fitness With a Living Will

2011-11-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have recently been involved in the last days of two members of my extended family. I have also, in the past, been involved in situations where I had to ask myself, "If this person becomes unable to answer the questions for themselves, what decision will I make for them?"

It's a scary question to have to ask. It can be even scarier when the doctor comes in with that look and shakes his or her head.

What are you going to say?

Even more important, what are your loved ones, the ones who will possibly have an agonizing choice to make, going to say?

Now, you may think that this is only a personal issue and does not involve finances. However, medical care costs money...big money. Some of that money may eventually come from the pockets of the family or the estate of the deceased, as they say.

He or she won't have to worry about it by then, but what about the family?

Studies have shown that when a patient has a living will, or advance directive, costs of care tend to be lower...sometimes much lower, than in cases where no advance provision was made and decisions are being made by people with no idea of what the patient really wants...or who are afraid of being sued for not doing all they could!

Also, when a living will or advance directive is in place, the patient appears to receive better care. Perhaps not "better" in the sense of eventual negative outcome, i.e. death, but in the sense of quality of life for whatever time they have.

In the final analysis, of course, whether or not to have such documents prepared, and they are very easy to prepare, is a personal choice. However, it is a choice not without impact on the finances of an individual or family.
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Do It Yourself Living Will Kit

Halloween is Over. How to Get Ready for the Holiday Season

2011-11-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

So what does an article on getting ready for the holidays have to do with senior health and fitness? Well, in my experience, as we get older, some things get a little harder. Jill Cooper's article just gives me, and maybe you, some ideas about how to make life a little easier in the long run with a little pre-planning and present effort. Also, Jill, and her friend and partner, Tawra, are experts on doing things cheaply, and that is of interest to everybody these days.

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Holiday Cleaning - Preparing Now For The Holidays
by Jill Cooper
www.LivingOnADime.com

Halloween is over, which means it is now officially time to kick it into gear to get ready for the holidays and to get your house ready for company. It really helps to get your house in order now because if unexpected company comes, or the grandkids, you won't get caught off guard. Then you can concentrate on baking, eating, finding gifts, activities, and just plain enjoying yourself without having to worry about deep cleaning your house again until after the New Year.

Hopefully, by now you have been inspired to start getting things done a little at a time so this won't be too big of a job. Here are a few things to work on:

Get your closets in order. Put summer clothes away and take winter clothes out, tossing as you go.

Don't forget your linen closets. Get your guest towels, sheets and extra blankets aired out and put the linens in a handy spot so they are easy to grab when you need them.

If you have a guest room, get it cleaned and prepare everything for your first guests.

Get your holiday linens prepared. Wash them if necessary and make sure they're ready to go.

Hopefully you have cleaned your pantry. Now you need to make sure it is stocked with everything you need for your holiday recipes, for some quick and easy to fix snacks and dinners for unexpected company or food to take to social events.

Make sure your fridge and freezer are in order. The refrigerator and freezer are going to work overtime for you over the next couple of months so make sure they're cleaned, organized and prepared.

I don't worry about cleaning my oven at this time. I use it so much for baking that it's silly for me to clean it right before having a baking fest. I usually wait and give it a good cleaning after the holidays. If it's really bad or you have company coming and it looks awful you may want to go ahead and clean it anyway.

This week and next week is the time to do any deep cleaning that you don't want to have to mess with again until after the holidays-- things like washing your windows, deep cleaning rugs and carpets and dusting mirrors, picture frames, lampshades or ceiling fans.

If you have been keeping up with your cleaning you may not have to do any of these. Basically just clean your house enough for company. Then you'll know it's done and you will be prepared for the unexpected.

Part of the stress that comes at the holidays is the result of not being prepared, especially for the unexpected things that always seem to come up. Think of it like being prepared for a disaster. If I have a wood burning stove, firewood, lots of candles, blankets and food prepared, I am not too stressed if we lose power from an ice storm. If I wasn't at all prepared, I would be in a total panic if an ice storm hit.

If you are prepared, you have something you can whip up for company in just a few minutes or if the kids need treats for school, you have dough frozen and ready to be baked in the freezer. I'm not saying that I have everything prepared like Martha Stewart but I do try to have everything together enough so that I'm reasonably prepared for the unexpected. My idea of the perfect woman is a cross between Martha Stewart and Erma Bombeck! Some days I am more one than the other and on other days I totally miss the mark, but that's okay, because I tried. :-)

-Jill
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Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit http://www.LivingOnADime.com, sign up for their free Living On A Dime Newsletter and learn to save money!

Take Care of Your Back...I Know!

2011-10-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I have done some terrible things to my back. I can remember some of them. Like the time in New jersey that I lost my footing on ice and hit the ground flat on my back. To an observer, it probably looked like a cartoon. Didn't feel that way.

Or, the time I was helping load a truck in the army and turned to toss a 70 lb bag of camouflage, and felt that ripping, tearing feeling and doubled over in pain. Couldn't stand up straight for days.

Well, I cannot go back and undo those events, or the damage they did. Now, at age 67, I get reminders regularly, and the last few weeks have been quite reminiscent (hope I spelled that right), of the last really bad episode of what is popularly called a "ruptured disc".

Well, there are some things you can do before and after such bad things occur. Here are a few thoughts on....

How to Exercise Back Pain Away

According to the findings of many research programs and studies, I fall into that nearly 80% of all Americans who will experience some type of back pain in their lives.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons believes this as well, as they say 80% of us out there will encounter some type of problem with our back before we die.

Traditionally, the treatment for lower back pain has been increasing core strength to increase flexibility of muscles that are too tight. The combination of strength and flexibility of the core muscles will provide for better stabilization of the spine and a correction of the imbalances of these muscles.

When the muscles that surround the spine are stronger, they will provide stability and support of the spinal column.

Almost every muscle between the hips and shoulders are included in the list of the muscles commonly referred to as the core muscles.

Back pain can can be a result of injury, a result of muscle imbalances, or a combination, Some injury can even be caused by any of these core muscles. If the back of your thighs are weaker than the front of your thighs, for example, there will be an uneven pull on the front of your spinal column.

Another common problem with the core of older adults is the bulging belly that often comes with age. The combination of an increase in abdominal fat, a health risk in itself, and weaker abdominal muscles can both pull the spine out of its normal alignment and create problems elsehhere.

For example, our feet are designed for apecifically designed body. When the belly sticks out too far, different stresses occur to the foot, legs, and hips. Sore, aching feet can be a combination of excess weight and uneven distribution of that weight.

So, what can you do?

Obviously, one of the most important things anyone, including seniors, can do, is manage their weight and keep it at the level it needs to be.

Also, we are talking about exercise, but there might not always need to be a complete change of training goals or the need to concentrate on getting six pack abs.

In addition to getting a leaner body and doing specific abdominal exercises, there are some effective ways that you can integrate core strength training exercises into all of the exercises you perform, rather than doing just the traditional crunches and sit-ups.

One such way is by simply breathing more effectively.

Deep breathing will utilize your diaphragm muscles which will help support the spinal column and lengthen the spine, which is great for your lower back and supporting you when you walk or run.

By the way, learning yoga breathing can be of great help here. It is easy to learn and can be done almost anywhere, anytime.

Exercises such as the tummy tuck and bridge lift can also help you to reduce back pain and strengthen the core muscles. The tummy tuck exercise is a simple pelvic tilt that draws the abdominal muscles away from the floor. To perform a tummy tuck, simply lie face down on the floor and squeeze your glutes to strengthen your spine.

Instead of pressing into your thighs, you should instead reach your tailbone down towards your heels. It may be a bit difficult at first, but, with time, it will become easier. Perform 15 reps of each exercise and alternate them until you have completed a couple of sets.

For the bridge lift, lay on your back, place your feet on a bench or on the floor (I recommend the floor if you are new at this) and raise your pelvis upward, as your rib cage stays low. The bridge lift will help to relieve stress on your back and focus the muscle contractions into the glutes and the hamstrings.

Three other exercises for lower back pain are the lumbar side stretch, hip flexor stretch, and calf stretches, as all three can help to alleviate pull on your spinal column.

Hip flexor stretch

When doing a hip flexor stretch, while standing, bring one foot forward in a bent knee position, at a 90 degree angle, while your other leg is on the floor behind you on its toes with the heel of your foot pointed upwards toward the ceiling. The hip flexor stretch will help to open up the muscles of your back on the side of the spine near your hips. You can also squeeze your glutes as well to deepen the stretch with each breath you exhale. You should begin to feel a stretch in your back leg, in the thigh front and the hamstrings on your front leg.

This is similar to the lunge, an exercise great for strengthening legs.

Lumbar side stretch

This stretch is done with your legs wide and your knees slightly bent while you sit or stand. Simply bring one hand down towards your foot on the inside of the thighs and your other hand behind your head. Repeat from side to side, of course.

Calf Stretch

The last stretch, will help loosen up your Achilles tendon, which is the most distant pull on the spine. For this simple movement, place an object, such as a book or i" thick piece of wood, under your foot and lean the weight of your body forwards. Be gentle. It is easy to do damage by straining too hard.

Maintain a slow calm breathing pattern while you hold the stretches for 30 seconds or so. Don't expect huge and immediate results, but after a while, you should begin to feel a stretch behind your knee and shin.

Senior Health: A Good Book on the Topic of Cancer

2011-10-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

The The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer is one man's “biography” of cancer. From its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the efforts of twentieth century researchers to cure, control, and conquer it emerges a radical new understanding of its essence.

In The Emperor of All Maladies, author, doctor, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with the precision of a cellular biologist, the "all viewing" eye of the historian, and the passion of a biographer laying out the life of a famous, or infamous, subject.

The result of Dr. Mukherjee's passian and ability is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with, fighting, and dying from, for more than five thousand years.

There are readable, yet in-depth looks at the scientific side of cancer, and human stories such as that of the Persian Queen Atossa, whose Greek slave may have performed a primative mastectomy, to that of the nineteenth-century recipients of primitive radiation and chemotherapy.

Part science book, part biography, and part mystery novel, The Emperor of all Maladies is about cancer, of course, but is also about the people who have fought it, the people who have defeated it, and those who have lost their battle with it.

Despite the winning history of cancer, however, The Emperor of All Maladies also provides a glimpse into the present and the future of cancer treatments. It is an informative, illuminating, and, if you can use the term about the topic, entertaining book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify and eventually defeat cancer.

Healthy Aging and Obesity Just Don't Go Together

2011-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Being overweight will hurt you and you need to do something about it.

I recently read where many people do not feel that being overweight contributes to "their" health problems, even though some direct links have been firmly established.

So, my friend, it is not good to be overweight. As the pharmaceutical commercials put it in the legal stuff at the end of the sales spiel, "side effects may cause heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even death".

Yep, obesity can cause your body harm.

What can happen to me if am overweight?

Were not paying attention, eh?

If you are overweight there are many things that can happen to you.

Obesity is responsible for heart attacks. Obesity is behind sleep apnea, strokes, diabetes and so on. When a person is overweight, they often hurt all the time. Sometimes it makes it difficult to breathe. Obesity causes the heart to work harder. You may have a hard time walking across the floor. Obesity can make you feel depressed and not want to go anywhere or do anything.

Being overweight is bad for your health in indirect ways as well. For example, stress has been described by several health experts as the number one health risk in today's world. I even wrote an entire article on this. Stress - The Number One Risk Factor.

Catchy title, huh?

Stress is a contributing factor in many, perhaps almost all, cases of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and, oh yeah, even death.

If I am overweight, what can I do to help myself?

You have several options.

You won't like the first one. Exercise..., no, not physical. Not now, at least. That comes later. Exercise your willpower and take control of your body and your life.

Most of the bad things that happen to our bodies and minds come directly or indirectly from the choices we make.

Got that?

We make the choices!!!

I don't care what somebody else thinks. I don't care what your mother or brother-in-law thinks.

The final decision about what to do to, and with, your body and your life, rests with you!

Only you have the power, so take it and use it.

Once you got the willpower machine goin' the next step is to start eating the right foods, getting some exercise and so on.

If you can exercise like you want to that is great, but take it slow and do a little at a time...especially if you are new to this. However, do not overdo it. If you over work your body, the body will let you know...perhaps even by telling you to cut it out.

It's not just a double-edged sword, but a many-edged sword.

Obesity prevents many from staying active. Not being active contributes to being overweight.

A person's emotions and mental state is affected by their weight and physical condition. If you are overweight, you don’t want to do anything.

But, you have to do something.

Get out of the house and take in a movie. Perhaps you could visit some friends that you haven’t seen in awhile. The more active you are, the more you will start feeling better about yourself and maybe will lose some weight.

Of course, you need to go see your family doctor to see if its ok to do this before you start. Your family doctor may give you a diet to go by and maybe recommend the exercises that will benefit you.

What should I eat?

I cannot tell you what to eat.

I can, however, give you a few pointers.

Instead of frying your food, bake it. Baking meats, veggies, etc will help cut back on grease. Baking will help drain the fat out of the food rather than if you fried the food. Fried foods mean fat, fat, fat and can harm your heart.

Fatty meats contribute to high cholesterol, by the way, which we covered in yesterday's blog post, "Cholesterol, an Enemy to Healthy Aging".

You should eat at least three times a day breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In fact, you should consider eating five or six times a day, but keeping the meals smaller.

Eat plenty of raw vegetables, and salads. If you enjoy chocolates or sweets, find substitutes. Yogurts may offer you a new taste as well as reduce your risks, especially if you choose the fat-free groups.

CUT OUT THE SUGAR!!!

Try to stay away from fast foods. This is an important point. Unless you know exactly what to order, as it is and as it relates to your daily diet. Fast food has obesity written all over it. Heart attacks follow fast foods everywhere.

If you enjoy dining out, then find family owned restaurants, since they will often serve you healthier dishes. When you sit down to eat at home, avoid eating in front of the television. You should avoid seconds as well.

Being overweight is hard on you both mentally and physically.

If you have the willpower then try to start making good choices for your health. When you are living a healthy life, your weight will adjust itself to a healthier level.

Once there, you can concentrate on particular things you want to do, such as getting six-pack-abs, or fitting into a certsin size dress.

However you start, start by taking it slow. Don’t go hog wild since it will only create stress and only make it harder to stay on track.

You will also need to learn your limits to help you lose weight and take control of your health. If you find it still too hard to lose weight then maybe you should see if there is a local support group around so that you can join it and get the support that you need.

Stay away from people that do not give you support.

You will need to be lifted up not let down.
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Exercise Program for Older Adults

Cholesterol - An Enemy to Healthy Aging

2011-10-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

You would think that most of us know that too much cholesterol causes many medical problems...especially as we grow older.

You know, I was just reading a report that many overweight people with major health problems do not feel that their weight is a factor in their condition.

This is despite all the information that's out there about the many links between being overweight and various health problems.

Cholesterol is like that.

However, cholesterol is a substance that clogs the arteries in your heart. In addition, cholesterol, if out of control, can cause massive heart attacks, or a series of strokes.

These are known facts about cholesterol!!!

Okay, I'm covinced (it never happens that easily) so what can I do about my cholesterol?

It is obvious that if your body has too much cholesterol, it isn’t good for you.

The good news is that you have the power within you to take control.

Failing to take control can only lead to problems for most people. If neglected, the problems will accumulate; wear you down until finally abnormal aging takes your life.

You can gain control over cholesterol by exercising each day and eating the right foods. Visiting your doctor regularly is another way to work toward healthy aging. Your family doctor will give you medication to take to help lower your cholesterol if that is necessary...as it is for some people.

When you have high cholesterol, it is important that you to eat right and exercise daily.

To lower your cholesterol take action now.

It can take time to lower your cholesterol, but it will happen if you take action. The sooner you get started, the sooner you achieve results and reap the health benefits of lowering cholesterol levels.

You will also want to take time out for self, activities, socializing, and just plain fun to keep your cholesterol at bay. When cholesterol is out of control, there is the danger of arteriosclerosis, a condition in which cholesterol builds up on the walls of blood vessels and restricts blood flow.

If you lower your cholesterol by taking action now you can increase your odds of avoiding strokes, heart attacks, and even death from such conditions. You can also lower your risks of diabetes and obesity and so on by controlling your cholesterol.

Talk to your doctor or do some research online and learn more about statins to control cholesterol.

You should also avoid smoking to help lower your cholesterol If you do smoke, do whatever it takes to quit smoking.

Keep in mind that many high cholesterol problems include both the worst case scenarios and the not so bad possibilities.

There are two types of cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL(high-density lipoprotein). The worst type of cholesterol is LDL. This is the stuff that can clog up your arteries.

HDL cholesterol at higher levels can be a good thing as it helps remove the LDL. Triglycerides, another kind of fat found in the blood, are also dangerous, and if they, and the LDL increase, your chances of stroke or heart attacks also increase.

What kind of foods contain cholesterol?

While there is cholesterol in most foods, some are cholesterol free, and generally will say so on the label if in a package. Of course, some food has more than others.

For example, many cooking oils and grease have a lot of cholesterol; some of; bread has cholesterol. Eggs are very high cholesterol foods and so are many butters. You have to read the food labels to determine the level of cholesterol in the food you buy.

What can happen to me if my cholesterol levels are high?

The only way that you can tell if your cholesterol is high is to go to your family doctor and get a blood test. If you go to your doctor regularly, like you should be doing, you will have it checked regularly as a matter of course.

The normal or average reading should be 140 or 130 over 200 mg/dl. If you can maintain this level, your cholesterol level will be ok.

If you choose not to deal with high cholerterol, one of the most important, and dangerous, things that can happen to you is that your arteries will harden (arteriosclerosis).

If your cholesterol does get out of hand, it hardens the arteries. This means the blood will not flow through to the heart, causing it to pump unnaturally. The heart will have to pump at higher rates, working harder to keep you alive.

When the doctor takes your blood pressure, a high diastolic pressure (the second number when the heart is trying to fill with blood after pumpin) is an indicator of high cholesterol...that shows increased risk of heart attacks, since your heart doesn’t get any blood to it due to clotting or breaking of blood vessels. Then there is the "stroke" which is when the brain does not get enough blood due to oxygen decrease to it because of clotting or broken blood vessels.

High-cholesterol also puts you at risk of diabetes, since it affects the hemoglobin.

So, exercise, eat lots of veggies, cut back on the butter and sauces, and look into taking a natural cholesterol supplement such as Hypercet from HealthBuy.com or the Cholestrerol Reduction Product from Shaklee.

Texas Site - Exercise for Seniors

2011-10-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

Just found a new site, new to me but it's been around a while. Texas Department of Aging and Disability runs the site called Texercise.

Texercise was developed in 1998 to encourage and provide older Texans and people with disabilities with opportunities to engage in physical activity and proper nutrition.

Now, don't let the "Texas" thing scare you. Anybody can use the site, and it is full of information on health, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle. Excellent senior exercise and health resource.
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FREE Senior Fitness Newsletter and Health and Exercise Articles and Tips

Problems Sleeping? Talk to Your Doctor.

2011-10-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the local Senior News, a recent study at the University of Oklahoma Health Services Center found that people simply fail to discuss problems sleeping with their physicians. We seniors, though we are old, wise people who should know better, are included in that group.

The study, conducted by Dr. James Mold, found that sleep-related illnesses often are not detected simply because most patients don't discuss them with their primary care providers.

According to Dr. Mold's research, on any given day, nine out of 10 primary care patients DO have some trouble sleeping, and that one-third of patients have a high risk for sleep apnea.

So, what's the big deal?

Well, most of us imagine that sleeping is pretty natural, and we tend to take it, and sleeping problems, pretty much for granted.

However, poor sleep can have a lot of bad health results, such as:

We age more rapidly (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

We become more susceptible to colds, flu, and other infections (a dangerous state for older people)

We experience an increased risk of accidents due to sleepiness and poor coordination (more bad news for seniors)

We experience more emotional problems, including depression and anxiety

We feel irritable and experience mood swings

We forget important information (eating properly, taking medicines, etc.)

We experience reduced ability to deal with stress (stress has been called the number one health risk for damn near everything bad)

We increase our risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and death (no comment...just read it again)

We demonstrate poor judgment, poor concentration, and an inability to make decisions

Got the message?

One last comment. I used to teach a safety course to over-the-road truck drivers. One of the most important classes had to do with fatigue. When it comes to reflexes and decision making, not getting enough sleep can be as bad as being drunk. We also found that many accidents could be traced either directly or indirectly to fatigue.

If you want to "live long and prosper" get a good night's sleep. If you are not, tell somebody!!!

Some cases of sleeplessness are temporary and many people find they can take various sleep aids such as OxySleep, Melatrol from HealthBuy.com; or the Gentle Sleep product available from Shaklee.

That wore me out. Think I'll go get a nap.

Conquering the Food Budget - Save Money on Groceries

2011-10-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

One of the things that takes some getting used to, especially as a senior citizen on a fixed income, is living on that fixed income.

Even if you have a healthy retirement income; investments, a 401K plan and Social Security benefits, when you stop working, your income comes out of that nest egg which is, for most of us at least, a diminishing bucket of funds.

So, anything you can do to protect your money and economize means that little pot of money will last longer, be there for you when you have an emergency or be available for fun things which is what retirement is supposed to be all about.

If you are someone who is able to continue to prepare your own food, you are already well ahead of the game because one mega expense for any budget at any age is the food budget. And, if you are buying food for a spouse, older children still at home (common these days) or you are helping to raise the grandkids (not un-common), you might see a food budget that can get out of control.

So, it pays to come up with some tips for how to slash that food budget but do so in away that does not hurt the quality of food you eat or feed your family.

Like charity, economy begins at home; so, you can do a lot before you even get to the grocery store by learning to use everything you buy.

An investment in some quality storage units so you can keep leftovers fresh or keep fresh vegetables or fruits on hand will help you eat everything you buy and cut down on waste. In fact, if you like to garden, you can even take the organic waste such as coffee grounds and apple cores and make your own compost which can go into your garden to help grow your own food next spring.

But, still, the key to saving money at the grocery store is to be a smart shopper.

Remember that grocery stores stock lots of items that are made to appeal to people who want convenience over low prices. So you can save a lot of money by avoiding fast foods, frozen foods or "TV dinners" and buying the ingredients to make your own meals every day.

NOTE: Years ago, I worked in the grocery industry, and every inch of the store is designed and intended to help you part with your money. Nothing in a grocery store is where it is, or how it is, by accident. One of the ways to defeat the "superior" advantage these stores have is to make your shopping list at home and stick to it. If you realize that you need something NOT on that list, start a new list with it when you get home. If you have to go back to the store for one item now and again, that is better than adding item after item that you "forgot" once you are in the store.

Being a smart shopper also means knowing when and where to shop and how to find the good values in food and grocery supplies at the store. Some core principles of smart shopping are as follows:

1. If you can buy in bulk – do so.

Most items are cheaper at the unit cost level if you buy larger quantities. So if you can buy and store more food at once, you can take advantage of those savings. However, in the last few years, the grocery chains, and independents, have caught on to this. Take a calculator and do the math for yourself.

2. Avoid impulse purchases.

Stores carefully place items that are appealing so you will buy higher priced items. Work from a list and stick to your list. Exactly as I said earlier.

3. Slice your own cheese.

Pre-sliced cheese comes at a higher price. Buy a good cheese knife and buy cheese in blocks and slice it yourself. In fact, almost anything which requires preparation before the purchase will cost more.

4. Buy fresh produce. Fresh foods are not only better for you nutritionally, they are cheaper. As in number 3 above, it takes preparation to get that food into a can...and you pay for the can!

5. Know your town.

Each grocery store has certain categories they do best at outselling the others. Know what stores are good with produce, with meat and with everyday savings and create your shopping lists accordingly.

NOTE: However, if you have to burn a $3.00 gallon of gas to save $2.00 on groceries, it isn't worth it. I used to live in a small town where the three grocry stores were within a half mile of each other, however. I took their ads and made my shopping list accordingly and saved a bunch of money each week by buying specials at each store. One store always had the cheapest meat, so I always shopped there. I flirted with the female butcher too, and that helped. :)

6. Know your store.

Each week, your store marks down certain items in preparation for the weekend. Routinely they will slash the prices of fresh meat to get rid of last week’s supply in preparation for the higher priced specials for this week. The Kroger down the street from me is a prime example, no pun intended.

If you know when that stuff hits the shelves, you can score big savings and freeze what you buy to use over the next few weeks.

7. Know your items.

Saving money on groceries works best if you treat it as a business. Learn your price points of what is a good price for each item on your list. Try to buy under those price points so your budget is controlled.

8. Buy store brands.

While you may find the occasional tough piece of asparagus in the store brand, overall you will save and get good tasting, nutritous food products. Even more, such things as store brand toilet paper, paper towels, and pet supplies can be just as good as name brand items.

When generics first hit the market, many were pretty bad. However, a whole new industry has sprung up and there are companies providing quality items under various labels to cover different store brands. About half of what I get at the grocery store is store brand.

9. Use coupons.

Don't turn your nose up at using grocery coupons. Saving ten cents off of a dollar item may seem like chump change, but it's 10%! Take 10% off a weekly grocery bill of $100 and you save $10 a week or $520 a year.

Actually, if you treat grocery coupons like a business, you can save even more. My best performance was the day the cashier rang up $120 before the coupons, and I paid her $20 and some odd cents after coupons.

Would you like to save $100 a week on groceriea?

It can be done.

10. Leave the rugrats at home.

Sorry, don't mean to sound disparaging. Too many years in the army , I guess. However, the fact is that children will generally add dozens of items to your shopping cart, distract you from your mission (army again) and slow you down.

Leave them out of the picture and you won’t have to buy their impulse items and the trip will go faster too. Remember the list? Was Cocoa Pebbles on it?

"But Grandma..........."

By being a smart and savvy shopper, you can stretch your food budget and see an impressive savings on what you spend on groceries. That, in turn, helps you stretch your retirement savings which means a longer and more prosperous retirement and one that is more worry free as well.

Speaking as someone on Social Security and military retirement, that is worth the extra effort.
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Want to save big at the grocery store? Using coupons and buying smart is like anything else. A little education goes a long way. Leran how to Save Thousands Grocery Shopping at www.grocerybook.com.

Where to Find a Free Senior Exercise, Health and Fitness Newsletter

2011-10-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned this site in previous posts, but feel that it is a valuable resource for us older folk and want to recommend it again. It is impowerage.com, and it defines itself as a "Fitness, Health, and Lifestyle Magazine for Older Adults".

I personally like and respect it and visit it regularly for tips and ideas about exercise, health, fitness...and life in general.

One thing I like about the site is that it offers a free newsletter with all kinds of information of value to seniors, and just about anybody, really, who want to be as healthy and fit as they can.

The site, and the newsletter, are not pitched to the hardcore exerciser or "fitness nut". While information is there which would be of interest to those people, there is plenty for the average person simply trying to learn how to be heathier and how to be able to enjoy life more.

As I write this, just a few of the many topics offered on the home page of impowerage.com are:

"Sister Madonna, The Iron Nun"
"50+ Scholarship: Lifelong Learning Contest"
"Supplementing Your Retirement Income with Renters"
"7 Ways to Make Your Workouts More Effective and Less Painful"

Just to name a few of the many options.

There are also specific exercise tips for seniors, information on how to prepare BBQ Bean Burgers, and advice on what to look for in a spa!

In other words, impowerage.com offers a wide, and changing, selection of information of value to anyone, but especially seniors, who wants a healthy and happy life.

I recommend that you take a look at impowerage.com and, while you are there, sign up for their free senior health and fitness newsletter.

Senior Exercise - Learn About Pilates

2011-10-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, what is Pilates?

The exercise and fitness regimen known simply as "Pilates" (pronounced pie-lot-ease with an accent on the middle syllable), gets its name from its inventor, Joseph Pilates.

Considered by some to be similar in many aspects to yoga, this form of exercise was originally called Contrology (basically "sensible control") because Joseph Pilates believed that his method uses the mind to control the muscles.

Very simply, Pilates is a body conditioning routine which not only builds and improves flexibility, but also is excellent for strength, endurance, and coordination training in the legs, abdominal muscles, arms and back.

Many people have never heard of it, many people have heard of it but are afraid it is too difficult to learn or do, and many have tried it but had the wrong guidance and stopped for one reason or another.

True, Pilates, like yoga, is a discipline which must be learned, and, like any exercise program, practiced regularly, but it is also one of those things that you don't know if you like it until you try it.

However, Pilates instruction in a gym or with a personal trainer can be expensive.

The good news is that also like yoga, you can learn Pilates on your own at home. The trick is finding the right instructional resource.

While there are certainly very many such items around, two that I know of are the Pilates Power System, a downloadble ebook which takes the beginner by the hand and leads them along; and a great DVD, Pilates for Beginners with Jillian Hessel.

Many may feel that they are too old for fitness disciplines such as Pilates or yoga. However, many seniors exercise with these types of programs and are healthy, fit, and have a higher level of vitality because they do so.

Wisdom and Wrinkles do NOT Have to Go Together

2011-10-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across an article excerpted from a great book entitled, "You Can Create An Exceptional Life", by Louise Hay & Cheryl Richardson.

Now, I am a fan of self-improvement books of all kinds, but some are a bit too soupy. or sappy, for my tastes. However, this particular article caught my attention...and held it. You see, it's a first person account of a happy, healthy 84 year old woman sharing her views on life, health and happiness with a 51 year old woman.

While they are both into the things I generally write about, exercise, nutrition, and even such alternatives as yoga and meditation, there's more.

Age, and youth, are, at least to some extent, in the mind. Life is not, as some would say, what you make it, but how you live it.

I suggest you read the whole article, The Beauty of Wisdom, and see if you can glean a few ideas about how to live your life a little more fully in the future.

Exercise Can Keep the Brain AND Body Healthy Longer

2011-10-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

"Scientists are starting to think that regular aerobic exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain. While the heart and lungs respond loudly to a sprint on the treadmill, the brain is quietly getting fitter with each step, too. For mental fitness, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every other day."

Source: www.livescience.com

Have You Tried Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Joint Pain?

2011-09-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

As you age, you will probably, at some point or another, begin to experience joint pain. This is commonly associated with degenerative joint disease, or, as it is often known, osteoarthritis. It is natural that, as you learn about the condition, you begin looking around for some product or products to help protect your joints.

Two compounds often touted to aid in preventing or relieving joint pail are Glucosamine and Chondroitin, or more completely, Chondroitin Sulfate.

At this point, considering all the hype, it is fair to ask, "What are Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate?"

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are substances naturally available in the body.

Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that is believed by meny researchers to play a role in cartilage formation and repair.

Chondroitin sulfate is part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that gives cartilage elasticity.

Both of these substances are sold in many forms and formulations, as dietary or nutritional supplements which aid in relieving or reducing pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Sources of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate

Both are extracted from animal tissue: glucosamine from crab, lobster or shrimp shells; and chondroitin sulfate from animal cartilage, such as tracheas or shark cartilage.

What do Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate do in the Body?

Many studies have shown that some people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis reported pain relief at a level similar to that experienced with taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen when taking either glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate.

Research indicates that the supplements might also slow cartilage damage in people with age related degenerative joint disease.

More definitive results about the effects of these supplements are expected from an in-depth clinical study currently being conducted by the National Institutes of Health.

Both substances are available over the counter in various formulations, sometimes simply as a supplement in themselves, sometimes in combination with other ingredients, such as MSM, White Willow, Ginger Root, and Vitamin C, as in a product marketed online under the trade name, "Joint Advance". The additional ingredients are believed to enhance the relief experienced by the user when using these substances.

Sometimes, only one or the other might be combined with other products, such as Shaklee's Joint Health Complex*, which contains a patent-pending, fast-acting form of Boswellia extract, and a concentrated form of glucosamine and other key joint nutrients intended to help bring joint comfort and mobility.

While straight supplementation with Glucosamine and Chondroitin often requires several days, or even a couple of weeks to work, some products claim even better results, such as Shaklee's Joint Health Complex* which is claimed to helps your joints feel better in less than 5 days.

Will these products work well for you? The fact is that each person is different and will often have to experiment with various products and formulations for maximum arthritis pain relief. Even my mother's doctor tried various products with her until one seemed to work better than the other. Of course, osteoarthritis is a progressive condition, and no product will completely stop that progression.

However, many people can actually find relief for osteoarthritis pain with Glucosamine and Chondroitin and other substances.

For more information on joint pain relief, visit: www.jointadvance.com.

Using Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Better Health

2011-09-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Wo, what's the big deal about inflammation, other than it doesn't sound like a good thing, and why would a blogger about senior health and fitness bother to include an article on the subject?

Well, most questions will be answered in the following article.

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Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD
www.mealplans101.com

Q: Recently I have been hearing a lot in the media about inflammation. Is there something I can do or take to help reduce inflammation in my body?

A: That’s a great question and it is good that you are hearing more about it! Inflammation is often called the "silent killer".

It is important to remember that there are different types of inflammation. Acute inflammation is necessary for life. For example, when you cut your finger, an inflammatory process is necessary to heal that wound. That is acute inflammation and is good.

Chronic inflammation, however, is dangerous and is the underlying issue for many diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and more.

With this in mind, you can see why it is important to reduce chronic inflammation; particularly since many of these diseases typically begin to present as we age!

Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to reduce chronic inflammation.

Here are 5 tips to get you started to a healthier you.

1. Eat more color!

Diets which are very colorful, meaning loaded with fruits and vegetables, help decrease inflammation. And the darker the color, the better, so don’t shy away from dark leafy greens, red bell peppers, dark cherries, yellow squash, berries, tomatoes, etc.

2. Eat plenty of high fiber foods.

Carbohydrates can affect inflammation; carbohydrates which are low in fiber can increase inflammation and those which are high in fiber can decrease it. Make it a habit to eat plenty of healthy, high fiber carbohydrates, such as whole grain rice, oatmeal, beans, and whole wheat pasta, which all also are a great source of B vitamins, folic acid, and other nutrients as well. And toss the high sugar items, such as soda, candy, cookies, and cakes, which have no nutritional benefit whatsoever.

3. Eat more omega 3 fats and less omega 6 fats.

Omega 3 fats are found in fish, such as wild Alaska salmon, tuna, cod, anchovies, and others. The American Heart Association recommends at least 12 oz of cold water fish, like those listed above, each week. And consider a fish oil supplement if OK’d from your physician. The healthy fats in fish oil act like Draino for your blood vessels; they keep your blood flowing smoothly and don’t allow it to become sticky, like other unhealthy fats do. When considering a fish oil product, it is important to do your research; Nordic Naturals is the clear leader in quality fish oil products, for quality, purity, and freshness. And while you’re making an effort to increase your healthy fats, make sure you decrease your unhealthy fats, like those found in fried foods, pastries, French fries and the like. The fats found in these foods can be compared to putting sludge in your gas tank; probably not something that would be too wise.

4. Exercise regularly!

Those who exercise regularly have lower levels of inflammatory markers in their bodies. Start each day with a short 10-15 minute walk, do another in the afternoon, and again in the evening. It’s never too late to start moving.

5. Drink tea!

Second to water, tea should make up a large part of your fluid intake each day. Tea consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, potentially lower cholesterol levels, and is loaded with other healthy nutrients! It’s a great replacement for juice and soda, which are both pro inflammatory foods.

Making each of these suggestions a part of your daily routine will improve your health. Any lifestyle changes you can do to reduce inflammation are beneficial and each of the above can help do just that.

Hey! Maybe the old saying is true: "an apple a day keeps the doctor away".

About the Author:

Dr. Chris Mohr RD, PhD is a health nutrition consultant to a number of media outlets and corporations including Discovery Health Channel, Clif Bar, Waterfront Media, and Fit Fuel.

He has authored and co-authored several textbooks and textbook chapters, including consulting with LL Cool J on "LL Cool J's Platinum Workout" (Rodale Press, 2006).

He is also co-creator of Meal Plans 101 nutrition software. For more information on how you can utilize Chris's expertise go to www.mealplans101.com
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Tips For Senior Golfers - Keys to Efficient Golf

2011-09-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Now, I don't play golf myself. I feel a small affinity to the game because I grew up down the street from the Pensacola Country Club and, as a kid going to St. John's Parochial Elementary School in Warrington, Florida, I used to ride my bike across the golf course on my way to school or on my way to see my friend Billy White. Got yelled at a few times too!

Anyway, while I do not put golf high on my list of "exercise" activities, especially since most people ride around on carts, I still believe that it is a great way for a senior to get some exercise and get out, keep active, connect with others (important for anti-aging), and have goals to strive for and think about.

So, when I came across this article for seniors about playing I thought I would pass it on. Now, the author DOES hope to sell his ebook, Senior Golfer's Guide, but there is still some good info in the article even if you don't buy the book. Enjoy
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A Few Keys to Efficient Golf Practice

Whether it's baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis or any other sport that involves a ball, there is that certain feeling of immense satisfaction and pride that comes from hitting the ball solidly.

There are many who would say that nowhere does this apply more than in golf. After all, that small ball goes where it wants to go on anything but a solid shot. You hitting it a tiny bit off can make it go yards in the wrong direction...possibly into a pond or behind a tree! :)

In golf, as in so many other activities, if you want to hit the ball solidly on a consistent basis, the way, little grasshopper, is through practice and more practice.

Though you, and your senior body, may not think so, the best time to practice is right after a round.

At that point, everything that didn't work for you during the round is fresh in your mind, and your body and mind are ready to go. Failure to work consistently on the shots that regularly give you the most trouble means your game won't soon improve.

The key to maximizing your efficiency in practice is creating and working within "real" situations. Ideally, you should mirror what happened in the round you just finished and work on employing your best swings in your practice. Another good practice at any time is to work on hitting balls from every bad lie you can think of.

Even if you have not played recently, it's extra important to keep practicing even if you don't get to play too regularly.

You can boost your game further by visualizing a great round of golf during lunch or breaks, on your way to or home from work, etc. Imagine taking many good swings and hitting a great shot each time. See your entire body flowing in unison through each shot, completely tension-free.

This isn't just a useless practice. You are increasing your muscle memory and preparing them for the next round. Today, many professional athletes use active visualization to improve their performance even when they are not actually practicing their sport.

If you enjoy other sports or physical activities, you can probably transfer movements in these sports to your golf game.

For instance, the way you shift your weight on a tennis backhand shot is very similar to the bodyweight transfer on a golf shot. Use your body's tennis experience to remember what you need to do on the links. For detailed steps on how to swing properly we suggest you pick up a copy of the Senior Golfers Guide, a 210 page ebook dedicated to Senior Golfers; full of great advice, tips and lessons in golf.

When you're hitting a lot of balls in one session, remember to take a break between swings. You will avoid both mental and physical exhaustion and can use the time to process what you've learned or accomplished. Relax. but remember, you're not out there to hit a thousand "practice" shots, rather a few beautiful ones. Hitting 20-30 balls at a time is better than repeating the same sloppy swing on 100 balls, especially if the fewer balls are struck on the sweet spot of the clubface.

On that point, were you aware that regularly practicing a poor swing makes you really good at that poor swing? Why not practice a really good swing instead?

Here's a practice tip:

To hit a more accurate shot and promote better contact, grab your favorite iron and try this exercise: take two tees and stick them in the ground a couple of inches apart. (You can also use two balls.) Try (air)swinging your iron through the tees without hitting them. Start with partial swings and work your way up to full swings as you get better at avoiding the tees.

Soon you will be hitting the ball more solidly.

This may sound corny, but it begins to strengthen the feeling of a good shot in mind and muscles. Memorize it and internalize it, then practice it and you will soon be able to produce it consistently.

Remember, it's very easy to lose the feeling of a great shot because there are so many variables that went into the swing and the hit, from hand position, proper grip and good pre-swing body alignment to the right ball position, clubface impact and follow-through.

Source: The above information is just a small morsel taken from the Senior Golfers Guide. This 200+ page ebook is full of golf tips and advice like the above, and for just $29.50 we think this every Senior Golfer should have it.
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Like I said, I don't play golf, but the info in this article fits in with things have read and heard elsewhere on other subjects...and have sometimes used myself.

One last tip for any sport or activity...regular exercise can help.

Things You Need to Think About Before Starting An Exercise Program

2011-09-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

I have often written on what to do, and not to do, when starting a new exercise program. So, having come across this article by fitness trainer, Nick Nilsson, I thought, with his permission, that I would share it with my readers.

14 Things To Do and Not Do When First Starting an Exercise Program
By Nick Nilsson

Starting an exercise program for your very first time?
Learn the do's and don'ts here.

1. DON'T wait for the "perfect" time to start.

You and I know there will never be a perfect time. Learn a few of the basics and start as soon as you can. Putting it off is a great way to have nothing change.

2. DO start off slowly when you begin.

Rushing into an intensive training program when you are just starting out is sure to be overwhelming. You'll have a much greater chance of sticking with it if you work into it gradually.

3. DON'T try to change everything all at once.

Think of how traumatic it can be for body and soul if you suddenly go from a state of relative inactivity and poor eating habits to a high-powered program and a strict diet. I would recommend you start with an exercise program. Keep at it for 3 weeks consistently then think about gradually modifying your nutritional habits.

4. DO make a firm and genuine committment to exercise.

One of the keys to establishing exercise as a habit is to make a committment to it. If you go in with the attitude that you'll do it when it's convenient or when you feel like it, your chances of sticking to your exercise program decrease.

5. DON'T expect infomercial-level results.

C'mon, get real. Life, and our bodies, do not work that way. It not that I'm going to tell you won't see great results - you will. Just don't expect it to happen in 2 weeks.

6. DO learn as much as you can about training and exercise.

Knowledge is very important, and education is how you get knowledge. If you don't know what to do, take a little time and learn first. The rewards will be huge!

7. DON'T assume you must exercise 2 hours a day to see results.

You don't have to exercise nearly that long. You can see results with as little as 20 to 30 minutes done 3 times per week. In fact, trying to do too much can actually cause you to fail.

8. By all means, DO ask questions.

If you don't know something, there is no shame in asking. I will readily admit I don't know everything about exercise and fitness (though I do know quite a lot). If you have questions, please feel free to ask me! (betteru@fitstep.com).

9. DON'T work your muscles to absolute failure when you begin weight training.

You will most likely make yourself so sore, you won't want to training anymore. Take it fairly easy for the first few session then gradually increase your intensity.

10. DO tell other people your goals.

One of the best ways to ensure you keep your promise to exercise is to tell your friends and family what you're doing. This way, you make yourself accountable to people other than just yourself.

11. DON'T feel you need to buy all the latest exercise equipment in order to start exercising.

You can exercise without any equipment at all! Walking doesn't cost a dime and bodyweight exercises such as push-ups are completely free too!

12. DO stretch and warm-up.

Stretching during and after your workouts promotes flexibility. Warming up prepares your muscles for more strenuous work to come.

13. DON'T give up all your favorite foods all at once.

A great way to make yourself focus on a certain food is quit eating it. For example, if you love chocolate cake and tell yourself you can never have it again, are you going to be thinking about chocolate cake a lot? Chances are, yes. Treat yourself now and again. It will keep you from stressing and bingeing later.

By the way, did you know that chocolate is a superfood?

14. DO try to eat more natural-state, unprocessed foods.

Processing adds fat, salt and sugar, all of which can contribute to health problems. You don't have to cut them out completely but see if you can shift your focus to more unprocessed foods.

If you are thinking about starting an exercise program or have just started one, these tips should help keep you on the right track.

If you know someone who is considering starting an exercise program, please forward this article along to them. Many people don't start a program because they simply don't know where to begin. By passing along this information to them, you may be giving them the best gift of all: better health and fitness.

For more information on how to start an exercise program, including sample exercises, stretches, nutritional information and tips on how to put it all together, go to:

www.thebestexercises.com
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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.

Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at www.thebestexercises.com!

Saturday Odds and Ends

2011-09-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Just a few links which may be of value to someone:

Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Everything Anti-Aging

Retire to Mexico

Fit Desk

Superfoods Book

Have a great weekend.

Superfoods for a Longer, Healthier, Super Life

2011-09-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

Recent research shows that certain specific chemicals in foods, such as sulforaphane, a phytochemical in broccoli, can work with your genes to ratchet up your body's natural defense systems. This helps to counteact toxins and free radicals before they can do the damage that often leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even premature aging.

The hope of some researchers, and some citizens, for the future is to be able to tell someone what diseases or maladies they are might be genetically predispositioned to early in life. This will allow, among other steps, for their diet choices to be focused accordingly. We’ll know which foods to add, which ones to avoid, and be able to take a proactive role in preventing or deterring a genetic disease.

In the meantime, without such forewarning, many foods have been determined to pack a punch when it comes to slowing the aging process.

Lycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red, also appears to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and macular degeneration. It’s also been associated in greater self-sufficiency in elderly adults.

Normally, we tend to think of fresh, unprocessed foods to be the best for us. However, while fresh tomatoes can supply a good dose of lycopene, the most absorbable forms are found in cooked tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce and soup and prepared salsas.

Pink grapefruit, guava, red bell peppers, and watermelon are also rich in lycopene.

Eating at least two cups of orange fruits such as sweet potatoes, squash and carrots boosts intake of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, essential for healthy skin and eyes, and which may also reduce the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

Lutein and lycopene, also found in orange produce, seem to help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and may protect skin from sun damage and even reduce wrinkling as well.

Mangos and cantaloupes are also beta-carotene endowed.

If you don't do anything else to change your diet, at least eat plenty of dark leafy greens.

They have been showed to significantly reduce your risk for heart disease and may also save your eyesight. Dietary guidelines advise at least three cups of greens a week. Frozen or bagged is as good as fresh.

Don’t forget the mental aging process either.

The heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids have also recently been shown to keep your brain sharp. A recent study found that a higher intake of fatty fish significantly reduced mental decline. If fresh fish isn't an option, go for canned tuna, salmon, and sardines.
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Like to learn more about the health benefits of superfoods? Visit nodiet4me.com/nutrition/superfoods

What if You Could Eat Some Veggies and Burn Stomach Fat?

2011-09-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

I guess just eating what you want and losing weight is a bit fanciful, and dieting is a non-starter in my book. However, there are some diet choices you can make which can help you be healthier...and get rid of belly fat at the same time.

In the following article, fitness expert Mike Geary tells about three vegetables you can eat to help maintain a trim, fit looking stomach.

Enjoy!

3 Veggies That Help to Burn Stomach Fat
By Mike Geary

Specific vegetables that actually help to stimulate the burning of stomach fat? Sounds crazy right?

Well, check this out below and you'll see why it's not so far fetched.

First, one fact that you may have not realized is that there are certain chemicals in our food supply and in our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and petrochemicals that have an estrogenic effect inside our bodies. This problem can increase belly fat on both men and women, so pay attention.

These are called xenoestrogens, and exposure to them from these chemicals in our food supply, water supply, and the environment is one factor that can actually stimulate your body to hold onto belly fat. The problem is that in today's world, even if you eat organic and live in a relatively low-pollution area, it is almost impossible to not get at least some degree of daily exposure to xenoestrogens. They are even in household cleaners and cosmetics!

So how can you fight against these xenoestrogens so that they are not forcing your body to hold onto stomach fat?

Well, that's where these specific types of vegetables that I'm going to show you can help.

There are many classes of vegetables, teas, spices, etc that have compounds which can help to fight against the effects of xenoestrogens. However, one of the most powerful classes are cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.

These types of cruciferous vegetables contain very unique compounds (phytonutrients) such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that can help to combat the effects of xenoestrogens in your body, and therefore, can help you to burn abdominal fat more effectively.

As if you needed another excuse to eat more broccoli and cauliflower...

Now, you can add losing stomach fat to the list!

Now here's the cool thing...

On this link, I'm going to show you my program that explains specific teas, spices, and other sources of these unique compounds that help to fight against xenoestrogens and help you to Burn Belly Fat faster and more effectively.

Enjoy, and good luck with your fitness goals!

Mike Geary -
Certified Nutrition Specialist,
Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Article Source: 3 Veggies That Help to Burn Stomach Fat
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Want more info on the truth about abs? Download a free ebook from Mike Geary, at Training & Nutrition Insider Secrets for a Lean Body.

Yoga - A Tool for Healthy Aging

2011-09-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

Healthy Aging - Enjoying Yoga to Live

At bottom, yoga is a kind of exercise.

Yoga can assist you with controlling various aspects of the body and mind.

Yoga helps you to take control of your Central Nervous System (CNS) and more. Enjoying yoga on a daily scale will build you up physically, and you will notice other good changes, such as better self-esteem and personal confidence. Your body will feel stronger, obviously.

For more than 5000 years, people have enjoyed yoga.

Originally, yoga derived from practices in the lands of India. Many believe that practicing the postures (asanas) has helped millions of American citizens take control of their body and mind. Yoga has been proven to reduce stress, which promotes the health of the nervous system, helping it to stay strong.

Yoga, when enjoyed on a regular schedule, is a great method to help you with many of today's pressures and stresses. Yoga combines exercise, positive thinking, breathing, and for many spirituality, to help you enjoy healthy aging.

The Pros and Cons of Yoga:

Yoga is a valued practice for many people worldwide.

Yoga incorporates fitness, health, gymnastics, and training in a set of rules. Yoga helps you to maintain or lose weight. Yoga is a stress reducing method that works...and works well...for many.

Yoga will train your mind, since it teaches you to control your thoughts through meditation and breathing. Breathing right is essential to yoga’s creators.

When you practice yoga, you keep in contact with your inner self. You learn to balance your mind and body, which leads to good health. Your emotions are controlled as well, which means fears, doubts, and other negative influences will not take control of your life. Rather you will have control.

As you practice yoga, you will feel more comfortable with yourself and the people around you. More of the world will become yours, once you learn to communicate effectively and stop sweating the small stuff.

For yoga, the cons include the fact that some branches of yoga are not right for everyone. Another "con" related to yoga is that you sometimes may have to modify the workouts to benefit your body type and to choose the workout best suited for your strengths.

This is not a negative necessarily, but it can be if you have to figure out where beginners start.

Getting Started With Yoga

The first thing you should do is see your family doctor. Make sure you are able to enjoy the type of yoga you choose. When your doctor approves of your choice of yoga steps start out slowly. Guide your way into mediate exercising. Yoga will put you in connection with your spiritual side, so prepare to find a new you. When you first start yoga, perhaps you would benefit from joining groups that practice yoga. The group sessions may inspire you to continue your journey to healthy aging. Having support is essential for all of us, which yoga groups can become your support team. If you cannot find a group in your area, visit your local library. You can also purchase books that train you how to enjoy yoga. Videos are available as well.

Where do I go after I’ve trained in yoga?

After you have taking the steps to get started, you will need to find a quiet area that makes you feel comfortable. You want to avoid interruptions while practicing yoga.

When will I notice the change in me?

Like everything in life, you will not notice a change in you right away. It takes time to notice or feel the changes. If you do this like your suppose to do on a regular basis you will see some changes gradually. Keep in mind that yoga is teaching you how to control your mind, body and emotions. Work with yoga and yoga will work with you.

The Transrectal Prostate Biopsy - A Personal Experience

2011-08-26T06:38:00.000-07:00

Just had a 12-core prostate biopsy yesterday. No big deal.

Obviously, the basic pupose of the procedure is to rule out the presence of cancer. In order to accomplish this most effectively, I am told, the doctor takes several biopsy samples from the prostate. Mine was 12, but I read a comment in another forum of a man who had 16 taken.

Common question: Does it hurt?

Well, there are a couple of different parts of the exam.

First, there was the insertion of the ultrasound probe. This is no worse than the standard prostate exam. My tech was a nice guy named Jason. Very professional and caring with a good sense of humor.

Once the ultrasound was done, then the doctor entered. Again, there was the "invasion" of a very personal area, but no more uncomfortable than previously. The doctor then used a device to obtain the 12 core samples.

The doctor said, "We used to tell guys they would feel a little 'prick' but decided that didn't sound right, so we tell them they'll feel a little 'pinch'."

Leaving the bad humor aside, he was right. While taking each core did sting a small bit, it was very minor, and faded almost immedately.

The whole procedure itself only took about 5 to 10 minutes or so, but I was in the room for about a total of 20 minutes.

There was no pain or discomfort afterwards, and I spent the rest of the day doing things with my family. They gave me a fairly broad breifing on what to expect.

Probably the thing that might bother people the most after the procedure is blood in the urine, stool, or semen for a few days. Actually, I did not see any today, less than 24 hours after the procedure.

(More info than you wanted to have? Sorry.)

Other than that, refraining from strenuous activity for a day or two, and staying off anything that may thin blood for a while, there are no real after affects.

It is my understanding, from reading about other men's experiences, that each doctor may choose a different method of diminishing the pain and discomfort. My doctor used a shot inside the rectum. I read of another doctor who had his patients take a pill that was something like a general oral anesthetic.

I think this is a pretty simple procedure and there should be no real fear or worry on your part if your doctor suggests it.
==============
Prostacet for Prostate Health

Be fit at any age, read "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle".

Review: Will Brink's "Body Building Revealed"

2011-08-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

I know that there's a bit of a disconnect in this article. After all, I normally write for those interested in senior exercise while Will Brink has created a bodybuilding exercise program generally of interest to a younger crowd.

However, when used with discretion, and with a doctor's "okay", many seniors can effectively build muscle and burn fat with Will's program.

With that caveat in mind, I would like to state that I believe that Will Brink's "Body Building Revealed" is one of the the most complete, comprehensive and easy to understand compilations on "how to achieve lean muscle gains".

I am not the only one either, as it has even been described by bodybuilding legend Lee Labrada as a "must read" exercise resource.

The author, Will Brink (fitness author, columnist and industry consultant for over 15 years), is a genuine sports nutrition and supplementation expert, with all the credentials to prove it - not just another of the many self acclaimed "experts" that seem to appear just about everywhere on the Internet these days.

Will's experience itself makes Body Building Revealed worthy of further investigation by the serious exerciser of any age!

There is a well-known fact that anyone who's been working out for any length of time that your efforts in the gym will largely go un rewarded if you don't also eat, rest and train correctly.

In fact, many fitness professionals say that if you're trying to build lean muscle, perhaps as much as 80% of your end results are going to depend on correct nutrition and rest - NOT the training.

This being a fairly well documented fact, it simply makes no sense at all to go to the gym and learning how to exercise properly without learning how to eat correctly as well!

Once you have understood this and made the decision to cover that part of the exercise equation, you will need to find a good reference and training fuide. In my humble opinion, while it is not the only "good" source of such knowledge, Will's training program is one of the very best out there - for two simple reasons:

1) No hype or speculation. It's all scientifically proven. Will is a respected researcher and consultant in the exercise and fitness field, and he doesn't stake his reputation on hyperbole or exagerration.

2) His information has been proven by real world results> Will's personal clients as a trainer include an impressive list of top name athletes as well as SWAT and Navy Seal special operation teams.

In the first section of Body Building Revealed you'll learn just about all you need to know about eating to build lean muscle fast. It is a brilliantly written, extremely easy to understand work which takes you step-by-step through what would otherwise be the daunting task of putting together your own personal "lean muscle building diet"

You will almost immediately get all the informaton you need to do it in the exact same way that professional athletes do.

In the ensuing chapters, Will goes on to explain in depth how to actually do the training, which supplements to use or avoid, how to do your cardio to retain lean mass, while still losing body fat...and pretty much everything else you could ever need to know to gain muscle.

Not really a bonus, but just they way Will does things, besides the written information you will also get access to an amazing resource which Will calls his "Inner Ring" in which you get free consultations with Will, along with an incredible array of diet planning tools, informative articles from other leading industry experts and much more.

You will not find such an immense amount of muscle gain knowledge and information in one place anywhere else that I am aware of!

I am not the most knowledgeable person in the world, but I believe I can safely say this is possibly the most complete guide to building muscle I have ever seen.

There is a downside, however.

IT'S BIG!!!

This thing is 630 pages long! It's a monster, but then again it has a great index and table of contents and you can just click to the section your interested in.

Or, you can just print it out and lift it several times a day. :)

Seriously, I can't recommend it enough.

To learn more about Will's incredible Body Building Revealed click here.
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Click here to read an excellent article on weight loss.

Review - Exercise Equipment for Seniors - FitDesk

2011-08-12T02:43:00.000-07:00

Let's face it.

Computers have changed our lives for the better in many ways, but sadly the modern human's ubiquitous use of the personal computer is directly associated with a rapidly declining physical fitness and health in the general population.

An entire generation is emerging that uses the computer to work, play, and socialize: becoming the focus for just about every waking free hour of their lives. Older generations are following a similar pattern: through social networking sites like Facebook, the daily email check has expanded into long sessions of online chatting, and messaging with friends online.

It's great that the computer has fulfilled almost every need in human life: from the source of many people’s incomes, to the marketplaces where we engage in commerce, to the public forum where we recreate and experience community.

It is true that it is quite probably the greatest tool ever devised for the betterment of man in human history.

However, one fundamental human need that the computer has failed to meet is that of meaningful daily movement, i.e. exercise.

People have evolved over millennia to be consistently active throughout the day, moving, walking, picking, lifting, waving, carrying, bending, and laughing. These seemingly mundane activities constitute the majority of our caloric use. In other words, just doing our everyday activities is what kept us thin, happy, and well.

Today a new generation of solutions is emerging.

Inventions and solutions to marry our computers with our workout routine, so that we can now burn fat calories AND use our computers simultaneously. These devices are not about an intensive no-holds barred workout, but instead a low-stress long-term approach to keep people moving while using their computers.

One of these new inventions, the FitDesk Laptop Exercise Bike invented by Nashville cyclist Steve Ferrusi is one of the most complete solutions available at a price point that just about everyone can afford.

Ferrusi felt he needed a way to keep his mind occupied while training for long cycle races indoors on his personal trainer. He realized that the key to the right design is to allow the user to support his or her weight firmly on the bike, while keeping the arms free to use a keyboard or game controller. Finding nothing that fit this need on the market, he started developing his own design, and eventually emerged with the FitDesk.

The FitDesk Exercise Bike
The uniqueness of the FitDesk lies in the comfortable foam top that allows you to rest your elbows forward, supporting your weight while keeping your hands free to type, use a mouse, or hold a video game controller. The design was so unique that he was able to register a patent on the concept.

After initially receiving overwhelming responses from friends and family, Ferrusi launched his own company in 2009 and developed a complete folding indoor bike solution that features the patented design for a remarkably low price of $199.99.

The FitDesk has become somewhat of an underground sensation and is finding it’s way into homes and offices throughout North America.
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Have you read this no-diet diet book?

New Web Page - Elliptical Trainers Under $500

2011-08-11T00:31:00.000-07:00

A great piece of exercise equipment for seniors is the elliptical trainer. It is low-impact and can give you a great cardio workout. For those of us with arthritis or those with other joint or mobility problems, an elliptical machine can be a great choice. Many of us, however, are on a bit of a budget. You can always save some money by buying second hand, so check yard sales and local sales papers. However, if you want new, there are several good elliptical trainers available for under $500.

In fact, although the cheapest ones are a bit simplistic, even those that are only $95 or so can give a good workout.

I have set up a page here listing several elliptical machines you can get for under $500. I started the page with exercise equipment offered by one company, but will be expanding it to include other sources and more product details, including sales, in the near future.
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Want to get healthy and be fit and trim? Check out this great weight loss book.

Take Control of Stress for a Better...Longer...Happier...Life

2011-08-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

True, some of the effects of stress are still hotly debated within the medical and psychological communities. There are, however, some that are broadly agreed on. Rapid heartbeat, raised blood pressure, a rise in blood sugar level and a lower digestive rate are just a few of the physiological effects of stress that are pretty well documented.

The psychological effects, what happens to your mind, though sometimes more subtle than the physical, are important too.

Stress , especially when it lasts over time, often leads to irritability, for example. A person will be more quick-tempered and easy to anger. He or she will be more impatient, and more inclined to fear the future while feeling less able to cope with the present.

People who are under stress tend to find it harder to concentrate and have greater difficulty making decisions.

The two realms of mind and body are connected.

The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland are two brain components that lead the charge during stressful events. They release a substance called ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) that stimulates the adrenal gland, near the kidney, to release cortisol. Under normal conditions, levels of cortisol will rise and fall during the day, but an excess can contribute to the "flight or fight" response that we experience during stress.

That can lead to neck muscle tension, stomach and bowel upset, as well as a host of other effects. There are studies which have shown that, if the stressful state persists, it can lead to weakening of the immune system.

A weakened immune system then contributes to more frequent colds, illnesses, slower recovery, and other bad health effects.

High stress can cause a shortened attention span, less efficient memory recall, lowered objectivity and other cognitive problems.

As dire thoughts race around the mind, there is less focus on solving life's daily challenges in rational way. Moodiness, unreasonable anger, unwarranted feelings of injustice and other emotional consequences often follow.

The results of this are all too often depression, apathy, crying for no apparent cause, increased fear of failure and an overall sense of doom.

Of course, those are extremes and they are by no means inevitable in every instance of stress.

There is also the common occurence of a vicious cycle.

The conflict between "I must" and "I can't," which is an essential element in stress, and life in general, can lead to greater likelihood that, indeed, one can't. That loss of confidence in one's personal efficacy in dealing with life's challenges can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But that too is not inevitable.

By focusing on the factors that led to stress, evaluating them realistically and keeping a sense of perspective about their consequences, stress can be reduced and even eliminated before it becomes a chronic problem. That, in turn, helps reduce the occasions when a minor problem leads to major stress, even in the short term.

There are many techniques for managing stress.

I like to use the term "managing" because, at the bumper sticker says, using a shorter, less polite term, "stress happens". To remove stress completely from our lives, we would probably have to assume a state closely akin to that of a stalk of celery!

Even more of an issue is that the body does not really recognize a difference between "good" stress (such a marriage or the birth of a child) and "bad" stress (divorce or sometimes the boss). Even people experiencing high levels of good stress experience many of the physiological and psychological effects of stress pretty much equally.

Being proactive is a major step in avoiding the effects of stress. Planning ahead and being prepared goes a long way to removing or preventing the issues which cause stress. Preparing your body and mind to face the effects is also important. Regular exercise, good rest, and proper nutrition go a long way in this area.

Just an aside. The modern concentration on and knowledge of the health benefits of exercise can be traced back to some of the original work done by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the author of "Aerobics", and founder of The Cooper Institute.

Dr. Cooper, an Air Force officer at the time, was tasked, among other things, with finding out if exercise and physical fitness were of value for pilots during crisis (high stress) situations. As you are probably aware, it was learned that being physically fit is indeed one of the best ways to deal with stressful situations, both during and afterwards. It also imparts a level of self-confidence which helps prevent some to the fear and worry we talk ourselves into when we are NOT ready to face the difficult task.

You do not have to exercise like a bodybuilder, or achieve the fitness level of a professional athlete to benefit. Almost any regular fitness routine will help, whether weight lifting, yoga, or walking.
===============
Check out this Weight Loss Book to learn how to be physically fit and prepared for what life throws at you.

You Need More Than a Diet Book for Healthy Weight Loss

2011-08-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

For some people, just knocking a few extraneous calories out of the daily diet may be sufficient to get rid of a few extra pounds.

By my age, and maybe yours, however, managing weight involves a little more than just picking up a diet book from the local library and eating some strange stuff for a few days.

For many of us, managing weight will sooner or later become a life-long issue. Not only that, it will not be something which can be handled just by shifting around a few eating habits...or following some really boring, and usually ineffective, "diet", which usually does not work anyway.

Now, I have pretty deeply covered why diets don't work on another website, and you can view the whole (rather long) article here. So, for the sake of this discussion, let's just let you read that at your leisure, and let's assume that, in most cases, just grabbing the most popular diet book of the moment is not going to take care of the problem.

Unfortunately, neither is a 600-1000 word comment on your friendly, neighborhood blog! You will first need to educate yourself on a few relatively simple lifestyle things such as proper exercise and nutrition.

However, merely making yourself aware of the problem is not always the biggest issue. Just drive past a few yard sales on the weekend, or check out the ads in the local shopper paper, or just check out any open garage door, and you will see evidence of all the good "healthy weight loss" intentions. There will be treadmills, elliptical trainers, free weights, and tons of esoteric, "only seen on TV" exercise equipment, DVD's, VHS videos...ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

The fact is, that while you need guidance, you need commitment as well.

This is one reason I often recommend "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto to those who want to "live long and prosper"...in a healthy, fit body. Tom is not only a great fitness coach and nutrition expert, but he is a great motivational guide as well, and does not simply sell his students what is possibly the best weight loss ebook available online, but gives them the tools to keep their plan going.

I got my first copy of "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle" in 2005, and still read it regularly and learn something new almost every time. I also have access to Tom's guidance and new information through the links available to me.

Am I saying That Tom Venuto is the "only" weight loss or fitness expert you should consult?

Not at all.

I actually like Richard Simmons' videos, and I understand that some people will simply prefer to practice yoga. However, Tom has a great product for those who do want to get fit and healthy...and stay that way.

Short Review: Look Great Naked at Any Age

2011-08-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

Robert Martin is 61 and looks...and acts, and feels, a lot younger. Oh, look at his face, and you will see gray hair and lines which tell you he ain't no young whippersnapper, but look at the body...(you can see it here).

Robert Martin says, and I believe, based on my own study and experience, that even senior exercisers do NOT need expensive gym memberships, personal trainers, high tech exercise equipment, or tons of time (and sweat), to look and feel great..."at any age".

So, what are Robert Martin's credentials?

Well, to start, in his own words after training as a classical musician:

"...I put that training to use while touring the world as a multi-instrumentalist and singer with pop icons including Etta James on tour with The Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, Stevie Nicks, Michael McDonald, and as Musical Director for Bette Midler. I’ve composed for TV shows like “Cybill” and “Baywatch,” performed with Paul McCartney, Sting, Chuck Berry, Bonnie Raitt, Boz Scaggs, and recorded with Prince, The Moody Blues, Gladys Knight, Wilson Pickett, blah, blah, blah."

Whoa Nellie! What does THAT have to do with How to Look Great Naked at Any Age?

Well, for one thing, after all those years of doing THAT, Robert still manages to look like THIS.

Not only that, he has managed to arrive at age 61 looking...and feeling...the way he does because of some conscious lifestyle choices he has made in the past and still makes today. Lifestyle choices that are so simple and easy that he does what he needs to look and feel that way in only a few minutes, he claims 19, a day....and while living the hectic life of a touring and studio musician.

Robert Martin's health and fitness system is centered around three major areas:

Strength
Cardio
Nutrition

Fortunately, Robert has also included motivational aspects that help you get started and keep going.

Robert has put the basics into a course which will show anyone at any age how to do what he does. To make things even better, he offers to show the basics to anyone for free! True, he will want to sell you a more complete edition of the program at a later date, but the free info will be more than enough to get many started on learning How to Look Great Naked at Any Age.

A Good Beginner's Guide to Yoga on DVD

2011-07-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Trying to find well-produced fitness videos that are truly suitable for beginners can be a daunting challenge.

Most "beginning yoga" videos, somehow seem to aim at intermediate exercisers, the ones who already know a grapevine from a box step and a lateral raise from a biceps curl. These DVD's may offer a few easier moves here and there, but the instruction clearly is geared to people who already know what to do.

Worse, the few yoga tapes that are marketed as being specifically for beginners often are unspeakably repetitive, as if flabby muscles go hand-in-hand with a flabby brain. Too often, they provide no way to add extra challenge or difficulty to the routine, almost as if beginning exercisers are going to remain beginners forever.

It's nice, then, to discover Yoga Zone - Flexibility and Tone (Beginners), a "true" beginners' yoga DVD that offers both the depth of instruction and the easy pace that true beginners need.

The instructor here is Alan Finger, a genial-looking middle-aged man who wears a polo shirt, rolled-up cotton pants and a chin-length bob. His physique is not the standard chiseled form of exercise videos. In fact, look closely, and he looks as if he might carry a few extra pounds around the middle.

Just like normal people.....?

But Alan Finger has a lovely voice (with a slight hint of a brogue) and a calm manner, two essentials for a yoga video, where relaxation is key.

Alan has a true gift for instruction, combining the nuts-and-bolts details of positioning with what it feels like to stretch and balance.

When he describes how the muscles of the feet ought to rotate through to the little toe, you'll undestand - and be able to feel for yourself - just what he's talking about.

But each move contains so many of these instructions that it can be a little overwhelming to try to master all of them at once.

If you have tried yoga before, you'll recognize some of them - the down-on-all- fours stretch called the "cat" (Marjari Asana), the inverted V that forms the "downward facing dog" (Adho Mukha Svanasana), and the "corpse pose" (Savasana or Mrtasana), which requires little more, but a little more, than lying flat on one's back, completely relaxed.

In another nod to beginners, Alan Finger also provides true modifications and tips for those who may not be as flexible as they'd like.

Finger shows how a folded blanket can be placed under the knees or for better support while performing seated postures. A folded towel also is used for several poses, although Finger doesn't announce that in advance.

The 50-minute session ends with stretching and relaxation, set to gentle New Age music that might lull you to sleep.

Guest Article: Will Aerobics Kill You?

2011-07-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

I just read this article by Tom Venuto, and thought I would pass it on.

This Doctor Says, "Aerobics Will Kill You!"
By Tom Venuto
www.BurnTheFat.com

I recently got an email from a reader who was told by a fairly prominent doctor/author that aerobics and running will “kill you” (that was more or less the gist of it). As a result, you should avoid aerobics like the plague, says this MD. Since I’ve tolerated enough "steady state cardio is dead" and "aerobics doesn’t work" nonsense over the last few years, despite the success stories I keep churning out that clearly show otherwise, (not to mention my own bodybuilding success, which includes regular cardio), I thought I should not only answer my reader, but also make this topic into an article for anyone else who may have doubts.

Here’s the “killer cardio” question and my response:

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BURN THE FAT READER EMAIL:
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Tom, your articles are great. Here's the problem. More runners die from sudden heart attack and stroke than any other form of exercise on the planet.

It’s because nothing is more foreign to human beings than getting their heart rate up and keeping it there for long periods of time.

Recent studies have shown that while there are benefits to aerobics, (like weight loss), in the long term, statistics show a direct increase in heart disease.

Part of the reason for this is that in an effort to adapt to the unnatural demands being put on the body, to economize, the heart and lungs actually shrink.

Just look at the long list of joint, bone, and muscle injuries that come along with running (it’s right there in the magazines).

As I know you know, a serious weight lifter, if he’s paying attention to form, should almost never suffer injury from weight training. The same is true for the following:

Instead of unnatural, self-abusive aerobics, the best way to actually increase heart and lung capacity and size is to go beyond aerobics. In short, spurts of intense exercise, such as wind-sprints, you move past your ability to produce ATP with oxygen as fast as you are using it, causing your muscles to become ATP depleted.

That’s the point at which your anaerobic energy system kicks in. This is also known as crossing your aerobic threshold.

Burst training, sprints, whatever you want to call it, it shouldn’t be done in addition to aerobics, it should be done in place of aerobics.

Incidentally, I am not saying that one shouldn’t walk, jog, bicycle, swim, etc, just be reasonable.

I had a heart condition that has been totally alleviated. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of each week, I go through a 45 minute weight training session, followed by a 20 minutes of the interval program.

Check it out, I think this sort of thing would be a great addition to your already good program.

-Jeff
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RESPONSE:
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While I agree with much of what you said about the benefits of intense "burst" exercise, I find the anti-running and anti-aerobics arguments promoted by these "experts" to be horribly inflexible, dogmatic and, unlike what you suggested, totally UNreasonable.

Based on the science, I also find the argument that traditional cardio or aerobics is "unhealthy" to be wholly unconvincing. That doctor isn’t giving the full picture.

I subscribe to many sports medicine and exercise science journals and I’ve certainly seen research papers looking at sudden death in elite runners, etc. But most of them were case studies and epidemiology. Believe me, there’s another side to the story.

Marathon running is a highly publicized sport, and the media loves bad news, so the oxymoron of a runner dying of a heart attack makes a great story, which means greater visibility for what is actually a very rare occurrence.

It’s also easy to cherry pick case studies on just about anything to start up a big scare.

This comes from the American Journal of Cardiology:

"The overall prevalence of sudden cardiac death during the marathon was only 0.002%, strikingly lower than for several other variables of risk for premature death calculated for the general U.S. population.

Although highly trained athletes such as marathon runners may harbor underlying and potentially lethal cardiovascular disease, the risk for sudden cardiac death associated with such intense physical effort was exceedingly small."

I also find comparing serious endurance athletes pushing their physical limits to regular cardio for general fitness training to be an inappropriate comparison.

What does a rare cardiac event during a 26 mile run have to do with you doing 30 or 45 minutes of jogging or me doing 40 minutes of moderate work on the stairmaster to get cut for a bodybuilding contest?

Even sillier are the people who keep using the late marathon runner and running author Jim Fixx as an example of anything but a guy who had a genetic predisposition for heart disease (gun was loaded). Rumor has it he was a long time smoker, too.

I know some bodybuilders and weight lifters who died of heart attacks in the gym. Should we argue against against weight lifting too? Should we just play it safe and stay on the couch? Freak incidents happen and heredity is a factor.

Please note, I’m saying all this as a strength/physique athlete (bodybuilder), who understands full well that excessive aerobics is counterproductive to my goals and that weight training is priority #1.

But in the right amounts, balanced with proper recovery (as you said, "reasonable") regular cardio can be instrumental in helping me lower my body fat and it can benefit you in many other ways, physically and mentally.

There are MANY ways to do cardio and all of them have their place at certain times for certain people.

What you’re talking about with sprints or burst training is also known as High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT for short.

HIIT can be a great way to get cardiovascular conditioning and burn a lot of calories in a very time efficient manner.

Furthermore, a paper just published recently in the ACSM’s Exercise and Sport Sciences Review (July 2009) discussed the research suggesting that intense aerobic interval training provides greater benefits for the heart than low or moderate intensity exercise.

The benefits discussed included:

** Increased maximal oxygen uptake
** Improved heart muscle contractile function
** Improved heart muscle calcium handling
** Reduced cardiac dysfunction in metabolic syndrome
** Reversed pathological cardiac hypertrophy
** Increased physiological hypertrophy of the heart muscle
** Overall improved quality of life and length of life by avoiding fatal heart attacks.

This is NOT an argument AGAINST regular cardio, it is evidence in favor of intense cardio.

I like HIIT and intense types of cardio! I don’t need to add it to my program because it’s already a part of it.

My first book about fat loss, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle was first published in 2002 (Blogger note: I got my first copy in 2005) and I recommended HIIT way back then - as well as regular cardio, not one or the other. I Still do!

There were also people promoting HIIT long before me. It’s not any revolutionary idea - people just keep putting new names and spins on it for marketing purposes.

The problem is, to argue in favor of HIIT should not be construed as arguing against conventional cardio or aerobics.

Many of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models used slow, steady state cardio exclusively prior to competitions and they got ripped right down to the six pack abs. They didn’t die of a heart attack and they didn’t lose muscle either.

In fact, many bodybuilders opt for low intensity cardio specifically for muscle retention when they get to the tail end of contest prep where body fat stores are getting low and food intake is low. Adding more high intensity training on top of all the weight training is often catabolic in that caloric deficit situation.

Listen, HIIT and other types of intense cardio are great. It’s time efficient, making it ideal for the busy person, and its very effective for both fat loss and cardiovascular conditioning. It’s also more engaging, as many people find longer, slower sessions of cardio boring.

If you have a history of heart disease and you smoke like a chimney and at the same time you decide you want to take up marathon running, ok, I’ll concede to some caution.

But, "Aerobics is going to kill you!"??????

GIVE ME A BREAK!

Perfect marketing hook for a cultish "HIIT is the only way" type of program… little more.

Bottom line: sure, do your HIIT, do your sprints, do your Tabatas….

OR…

Do your regular steady state aerobics or running too…

Or, do a little bit of everything like I do!

Be sure weight training is your foremost training priority and then do whatever type of cardio you enjoy and whatever type gets you the best results.

If you like to run, then RUN, and tell the "experts" who say otherwise to BUZZ OFF and take their sensationalistic journalism and marketing with them!

Train hard and expect success!

Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle
www.burnthefat.com

Founder & CEO of
Burn The Fat Inner Circle
www.burnthefat.com/products/inner_circle.html

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is the author of the #1 best seller, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle: Fat Burning Secrets of the World’s Best Bodybuilders and Fitness Models. Tom is a lifetime natural bodybuilder and fat loss expert who achieved an astonishing 3.7% body fat level without drugs or supplements. Discover how to increase your metabolism and burn stubborn body fat, find out which foods burn fat and which foods turn to fat, plus get a free fat loss report and mini course by visiting Tom's site at: www.BurnTheFat.com

Dealing with the Joint Pain and Discomfort of Osteoarthritis

2011-07-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

As we age, most of us will eventually encounter osteoarthritis (OA). I know I have.

By age 70, almost everybody has it. Not a surprise to find out that it is the most common form of arthritis.

What is Osteoarthritis?

OA is what happens when the cartilage around joints becomes damaged. Since the cartilage is the "shock absorber", and part of the lubricating system of joints, when it goes, problems begin to develop.

What causes Osteoarthritis?

For most of us, it's simply old age. Cartilage does not get repaired and replaced like bone or muscle tissue, so, with time, it just wears out. However, for some of us the condition may be precipitated, or exacerbated (like them big words?) by genetic predisposition, obesity, or injury.

What are the symptoms of Osteoarthritis?

Well, here's a tricky topic. Pain, stiffness, and difficulty of movement are the most common symptoms. The problem is that, people being the way they are, some don't notice a thing while others experience excruciating, debilitating pain...even with the same "levels" of OA.

How do you detect Osteoarthritis?

You have pain...or not...with OA. An x-ray may, or may not, expose the extent of the condition.

As you may have figured out by not, OA can be slippery...except in your joints. Some people have little difficulty with a lot of it while others have a lot of difficulty with a little of it.

However, whatever your particular experience, while there is no "cure" for osteoarthritis, there are lifestyle choices and medications which can help you deal with your "litte friend".

My little buddy is stabbing me in my left shoulder at the moment, but a few minutes earlier, he was down in one of my toes. Some mornings, I wake up and he has worked me over with a baseball bat. I can't complain, I guess, I'm the one who does not like to take a bunch of medication, so if the pain is bad, it's partly my own damn fault!

Anyway, most people can continue to enjoy life even with osteoarthritis. I guess the first step is just to decide that you're not going to let it win.

Again, each of us seems to react to "our" osteoarthritis individually. Of two people with essentially the same levels of damage in the same joints, one may hardly notice it and the other may be nearly crippled by it. One may take the occasional acetaminophen while the other may require higher doses of a prescription pain-reliever.

Some people find relief with alternative products such as the Joint & Muscle Pain Solutions from Shaklee and/or Joint Advance, an herbal joint pain relief product.

Osteoarthritis and exercise:

Most of us with osteoarthritis will benefit from regular, moderate exercise for five reasons:

1. It keeps us more limber and flexible
2. Stronger muscles help protect the joints
3. It helps keep our weight down
4. It helps keep our attitude "up"
5. It gives us the confidence to go out and live

When setting up an exercise program, check with your doctor first. You will probably want to avoid the more demanding types of exercises and go for the low-impact kinds. There are plenty of aerobic routines that fall into this category, and the good old standbys of walking, biking, swimming, or yoga are usually good choices as well.

Since good nutrition helps keep us healthy, and keep weight down, eating properly is a good step to take as well. The standard recommendations for a healthy diet; fruit, veggies, lean meat (preferably fish or fowl), and whole grains as the base. Skip sugar and processed foods altogether.

Here's a tip from the Center for Health Researchin Portland, OR. Keep a daily record of what you eat. You might be surprised! Several studies have shown a link between keeping such a "diet diary" and better weight management.

As far as medications are concerned, do not "self medicate". Get your doctor in on this one. You might be one of those people who gets along perfectly well with an Aleve, Advil, or Tylenol. However, you might need a prescription strength pain reliever from your doctor. What is going to work best for you may require a little trial and error.
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Why Muscles Get Sore

2011-07-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

As people age, they begin to complain more of pains in their muscles and joints and seek ways to relieve pain.

At least I know I do.

We all seem to stiffen up at least a little with age, and such commonplace activities as bending over for the morning paper can make us wince.

Such pain can be a small nuisance, or it can grip us so fiercely that we are sure it reaches deep within our very bones. Whatever the personal perception, the real cause of most stiffness and soreness lies not in the joints or bones, according to research at the Johns Hopkins Medical School, but in the muscles and connective tissues that move the joints.

The frictional resistance generated by two surfaces of bones rubbing in the joints is negligible, even in joints damaged by arthritis.

Flexibility is the medical term used to describe the range of a joint’s motion from full movement in one direction to full movement in the other. The greater the range of movement, the more flexible the joint.

If you bend forward at the hips and touch your toes with your fingertips, you have good flexibility, or range of motion of the hip joints. But can you bend over easily with a minimal expenditure of energy and force? The exertion required to flex a joint is just as important as its range of possible motion.

Different factors limit the flexibility and ease of movement in different joints and muscles. In the elbow and knee, the bony structure itself sets a definite limit. In other joints, such as the ankle, hip, and back, the soft tissue—muscle and connective tissue—limit the motion range.

The problem of inflexible joints and muscles is similar to the difficulty of opening and closing a gate because of a rarely used and rusty hinge that has become balky.

Hence, if people do not regularly move their muscles and joints through their full ranges of motion, they lose some of their potential. That is why when these people will try to move a joint after a long period of inactivity, they feel pain, and that discourages further use

What happens next is that the muscles become shortened with prolonged disuse and produces spasms and cramps that can be irritating and extremely painful. The immobilization of muscles, as researchers have demonstrated with laboratory animals, brings about biochemical changes in the tissue.

However, other factors trigger sore muscles. Here are some of them:

1. Too much exercise

Have you always believed on the saying, “No pain, no gain?” If you do, then, it is not so surprising if you have already experienced sore muscles.

The problem with many people is that they DO exercise too much thinking that it is the fastest and the surest way to lose weight. Until they ache, they tend to ignore their muscles and connective tissue, even though they are what quite literally holds the body together.

2. Aging and inactivity

Connective tissue binds muscle to bone by tendons, binds bone to bone by ligaments, and covers and unites muscles with sheaths called fasciae. With age, the tendons, ligaments, and fasciae become less extensible. The tendons, with their densely packed fibers, are the most difficult to stretch. The easiest are the fasciae. But if they are not stretched to improve joint mobility, the fasciae shorten, placing undue pressure on the nerve pathways in the muscle fasciae. Many aches and pains are the result of nerve impulses traveling along these pressured pathways.

3. Immobility

Sore muscles or muscle pain can be excruciating, owing to the body’s reaction to a cramp or ache. In this reaction, called the "splinting reflex", the body automatically immobilizes a sore muscle by making it contract. Thus, a sore muscle can set off a vicious cycle of pain.

First, an unused muscle becomes sore from exercise or being held in an unusual position. The body then responds with the splinting reflex, shortening the connective tissue around the muscle. This cause more pain, and eventually the whole area is aching. One of the most common sites for this problem is the lower back.

4. Spasm theory

In the physiology laboratory at the University of Southern California, some people have set out to learn more about this cycle of pain.

Using some device, they measured electrical activity in the muscles. The researchers knew that normal, well-relaxed muscles produce no electrical activity, whereas, muscles that are not fully relaxed show considerable activity.

In one experiment, the researchers measured these electrical signals in the muscles of persons with athletic injuries, first with the muscle immobilized, and then, after the muscle had been stretched.

In almost every case, exercises that stretched or lengthened the muscle diminished electrical activity and relieved pain, either totally or partially.

These experiments led to the “spasm theory,” an explanation of the development and persistence of muscle pain in the absence of any obvious cause, such as traumatic injury.

According to this theory, a muscle that is overworked or used in a strange position becomes fatigued and as a result, sore muscles.

Hence, it is extremely important to know the limitations and capacity of the muscles in order to avoid sore muscles. This goes to show that there is no truth in the saying, “No pain, no gain.” What matters most is on how people stay fit by exercising regularly at a normal range than once rarely but on a rigid routine.
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BURN THE FAT FEED THE MUSCLE

Apologies for My Absence

2011-07-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

I really try to keep this blog up-to-date, but have fallen behind recently due to some special events.

Sort of positive, a little negative.

I have always loved English, was trained as a linguist in the army, lived in Europe for six years, and really enjoy teaching and helping people achieve their goals. I learned that University of Texas at Arlington had a program to certify people who wanted to teach English to speakers of a foreign language (TESOL).

Originally, I had expected to receive tuition funds from the Hazlewood Act, a Texas law which pays for the tuition of Texas military veterans.

When I first looked into that, however, I learned that it would NOT pay for a certificate program. I would have to either go back for a second BA or get into an MA program.

So, I began the process of getting accepted to graduate school at UTA, hoping to complete their MA in TESOL program. I had to take a GRE (day before yesterday - did okay), and get transcripts from the University of West Florida, Pensacola Junior College (now Pensacola State College), and the Defense Language Institute, West Coast (DLIWC) in Monterey, California, which I attended twice, once for German and once for Polish.

With the process begun, I visited the VA office at UTA again and learned that I did NOT qualify for tuition assistance under the Hazlewood Act, despite having entered the Texas Army National Guard while living in Texas, serving eight years with them, and getting discharged in Texas, where I have lived for the last 24 years.

Then, I checked into financial aid, but all that I might qualify for would be loans...loans I would have to work to repay over the remainder of my life. Already being 66, this does not seem to be a viable choice. I simply cannot afford to pay for either the MA in TESOL program or the certificate.

However, I have found a less expensive way to get "a" certification and some training in TESOL, and will be enrolling in that program before the end of the year. Maybe some day, I will actually get a chance to teach English to others.

Anyway, that is where I have been, while also helping my daughter with some legal things. Hopefully, in the next few days, I will get back into blogging about senior exercise and fitness.
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Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle

Retirement Later and Longer?

2011-07-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

This is NOT your father and mother's "retirement".

A report recently released by a consulting organization, SunAmerica Financial Group and Age Wave, reveals some interesting insight into today's retirement

The information, which is based on a telephone survey of 1,001 Americans 55 and older, finds that, in general, those who haven't yet retired have pushed back their retirement age from 64 to 69.

About 82% say that their chief financial goal these days is not a dollar figure per se, but plain ol' "peace of mind" They are not into accumulating wealth as much as they are about somehow hanging on.

Nearly half of those questioned expect that they will have to support aging relatives, adult children, grandchildren, and siblings. Of that group, 70% expect to be supporting their adult children!

The findings also indicate that before the recession 62% of people 55 and over felt financially secure; now only 44% do. Back then, only 28% of them considered themselves to be "worried" about their retirement; now 39% do.

Times, they are a-changin'. I expect to be around a lot longer than my father and have a lot less money to survive on. I probably won't have to support anyone other than myself and my wife (cross fingers), and, for the moment at least, a 17-year-old dog.

I am still working until I reach a better spot financially, and I keep myself as healthy and as fit as I can. After all, my father is dead and my mother is 93. I don't have parents to take care of me. I'll have to handle that myself.

Olive Oil May Help Prevent Stroke - Try the Mediterranean Diet

2011-07-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

I have written before, and ready plenty about, the value of eating a Mediterranean style diet. Of course, I mentioned then, and will mention again, that one of the valuable aspects of such a diet is the fact that it includes olive oil.

Olive oil has cropped up again and again as being a healthy choice for people of all ages. It has been linked to heart health, lower weight, and, by extension, to a myriad of other health benefits.

According to research published a couple of weeks ago in June, in Neurology using olive oil in your diet can also lower your risk of stroke. Far from simply being a deduction based on statistics alone, the researchers found that the polyphenols from virgin olive oil account specifically for its ability to lower oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)” or bad cholesterol. High cholesterol levels are a known risk factor for stroke.

One easy way to get olive oil in your diet regularly, together with a mix of other healthy food choices, is to model your daily food choices on the Mediterranean Diet.
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WHY DIETS DON'T WORK

What are the Health Benefits of Massage for Seniors?

2011-07-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

When you start talking about things that don't seem to be "hard" factually, some people think you are going into la-la land. The word "alternative" makes many people raise their eyebrows and look at you like you're a bit around the bend.

The problem is that when you get into areas such as herbs, meditation, yoga, massage, there are so many claims and so little well-publicized factual evidence that things become a little hazy. Participation in, and knowledge of, such practices is available to the public for ths cost of a trip to the public library and an expert becomes an expert by saying that he or she is, indeed, an expert.

After that, it's every man, or woman, for themselves.

It is my personal belief, based on years of looking at available factual information about "alternative" practices, such as massage, and my own personal experiences with meditation, yoga, and massage that there are benefits from them. Additionally, there is a lot of "hard" evidence of the strength and potency of the mind-body connection in health, happiness, success, and aging.

One thing that has become apparent is, that when done by a trained and skilled professional, a good massage can help promote flexibility, ease pain, especially from conditions such as osteoarthritis, and just plain make you feel better. It is also believed that regular massage can help improve circulation, although I believe that this would probably only be a temporary result. But hey, maybe getting better circulation for even a little while is better than nothing!

It is recommended, by the way, that you check with your healthcare professional before getting a massage with rheumatoid arthritis or severe osteoporosis. Most seniors should also probably avoid deep tissue massage, and think twice about trigger point, unless they are in really good physical condition.

Best bet? Stick with Swedish massage. It is relaxing and leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

While arguments for and against massage swirl at all levels, many prestigious organizations, including the Mayo Clinic, admit that massage does indeed have valuable health benefits. On their website, they indicate that regular massage has the following potential benefits:

Stress relief
Managing anxiety and depression
Easing and Controlling Pain
Relieving Stiffness
Blood pressure control
Infant growth (not normally relevant to my readers)
Sports-related injuries
Boosting immunity
Cancer treatment

Click here to learn more about massage.

Benefits of Cardio Interval Training

2011-06-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

In a long-term study of the health of the people of in the United States, the U.S. Public Health Service documented the chances of developing heart disease among various groups in the population. Long before the any symptoms appeared, epidemiological research could identify high-risk groups.

Among the highest risk factors are being male, over 35, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high levels of certain blood fats, and a family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Other researchers have added to this list another risk factor: the compulsive, hard-driving, highly anxious personality. The greater the severity of this personality, the greater the person’s overall risk.

Stress has also been identified as a major risk factor for almost all health issues. In fact, one researcher has deemed it the most dangerous risk factor of them all.

These threats to the heart can be divided into two main categories: those beyond the individual's control, such as age, sex, and heredity, and those that can be controlled, avoided, or even eliminated. Among those in the second category are what cardiologists call "the triple threat". These are high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and high blood cholesterol levels.

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, your risk of having a heart attack is twice that of a nonsmoker. If you smoke, have hypertension, and eat a diet high in fats without any exercise at all, your risk is five times greater than normal.

The Healthy Heart

If these risk factors endanger the heart’s health, what enhances its well-being and improves its odds of working long and well?

Obviously, quitting smoking and eating a low-fat diet will help. The next best thing you can do for your heart’s sake is to give it what it needs: regular exercise or, even better, a complete cardio interval training.

After all, the heart is actually a muscle, or, more accurately, a group or "package" of muscles, similar in many ways to the muscles of the arms and legs. Just as regular exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it enhances the health of the heart muscles as well.

Since World War II, several large, and well documented, studies have evaluated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. One well-known survey compared 31,000 drivers and conductors of some bus companies in Britain, famous for its double-decker busses. The sedentary drivers had a significantly higher rate of heart disease than the conductors, who walked around the buses and climbed stairs to the upper level.

The why and how behind these statistics were possibly explained by classic experiments with dogs whose coronary arteries were surgically narrowed to resemble those of humans with arteriosclerosis. Dogs who were exercised were had much better blood flow than those kept inactive.

The exercise seemed to stimulate the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so exercised dogs had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart.

Other studies have shown that the human heart reacts in the same way to provide blood to the portion that was damaged by the heart attack.

To enable the damaged heart muscle to heal, the heart relies on new small blood vessels for what is called collateral circulation. These new branches on the arterial tress can develop long before a heart attack — and can actually help prevent a heart attack if the new network takes on enough of the function of the narrowed vessels.

With all these facts, it is now boils down to a single question: What can YOU and I do to avoid heart disease and coronary artery disease?

Some studies showed that simply taking moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice often.

However, we are all a bit different and to create a training regimen for each person would be impossible.

The general rule is that regular moderate exercise helps reduce the risk of harm to the heart.

Some researches further postulate a link between exercise and healthy heart based on findings that non-exercisers seem to have a 49% greater risk of heart attack than exercisers in those studies. Researcher attribute a third of that risk to sedentary lifestyle alone.

Cardi Interval Training

There are different types of exercise, however, and it can sometimes be difficult for someone without a great deal of time, experience, or knowledge, to pick an exercise program which provides the key results desired.

With cardio interval training, you can anticipate positive results not only within your cardiovascular system, but on strengthe, and overall health as well.

What is Cardio Interval Training?

This particular activity that is so good for the heart, and the rest of the body, is a cycle of "repeated segments" that are of an intense nature. In this process, there is an interchange between periods strength exercises and cardiovascular exercises. This allows for recuperation of one part of the body while another is engaged.

It can both be comprehensive activity and moderate motion.

Consequently, the benefits of merely engaging into this kind of activity can bring you more results that you have ever expected. These are:

1. The risk of heart attack is lessened, if not eliminated

2. Enhanced heart performance.

3. Increased metabolism, which results in burning calories, therefore,
by default, de facto weight management.

4. Improved lung capacity

5. Lessening or eliminating the results of stress

Indeed, cardio interval training is the modern way of creating a healthy, happy heart and body.

While circuit training can be approached in many different ways, if you are new to exercise, and especially if you are of the age group which tends to read this blog, you might want to start by visiting Fit Over 40.

Alzheimer's Disease, Coffee and Other Stories

2011-06-24T05:25:00.000-07:00

I have been busy with family and business matters the last few days, so I haven't been updating this blog as often as I would have wished. I got a new computer and somehow lost several of the website addresses I used to use for news about aging, senior exercise and health, and the topics I normally write about, so that has slowed me down a little as well. I am still a little pressed for time, so today's blog post will actually be links to other stories on the topic of Alzheimer's disease.

COFFEE AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
I don't know if anybody can say that there is "good" news about Alzheimer's, but at least the coffee drinkers of the world will be happy to learn that there is apparently some as yet unidentified ingredient in coffee which my provide some protection against the condition. As Maxwell House might say, this is news that is "good to the last drop"! Read the story here.

EXPERTS - U.S. BEHIND WORLD ON ALZHEIMER'S FUNDING
A representative of the Alzheimer's Disease International informed the U.S. House that estimates there are now 37 million people with Alzheimer's in the world, and because of global aging, that number will increase to 66 million by 2030, and to 115 million by 2050. The disease is a growing global problem as the world's population welcomes more and more seniors into its ranks. Read this story here.

NEW TEST FOR EARLY DETECTION OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
A new way of gaining earlier warning from spinal fluid may aid medical teams attempting to delay, halt, or cure Alzheimer's disease. The report results, revealed by the Technical University Munich in Germany, were released in the journal, Neurology, on Wednesday. Read this story here.

ALZHEIMER'S ECONOMIC IMPACT ON WORLD ECONOMY
The world birth rate is slowly shrinking and people are living longer. Reaching your 100th birthday will probably not get your name in the paper anymore. The age of the world population is gradually going up, and with it comes more age-related conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. More and more of the costs related to such conditions is borne by the population as a certain number of people have no way at all of paying for their healthcare costs, and even those who do are often covered by a system which did not truly anticipate such large numbers of recipients...or for the expenses of the treatments they would receive. You can read this story here.
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WHY DIETS DON'T WORK

Exercising with Arthritis - Ellipticals

2011-06-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

If you have arthritis, getting your exercise in can be a little difficult. Walking and running can be rough on your joints and not everyone has access to a swimming pool. One solution is to get an elliptical trainer.

This type of exercise equipment is relatively easy on the joints, gives a good cardio workout, is readily available (you can pick up a good one at WalMart), and don't cost an arm and a leg....well, maybe an arm. You can actually get a low-tech elliptical, such as the "Gazelle" for under $100. Or, you can opt for a high-end model such as the Smooth Fitness Agile DMT Adjustable Motion Trainer...although that model bears as much resemblance to an elliptical trainer as the "Alien" does to a lizard, and pay approximately $2,600...before tax and shipping.

Click Here to check out a wide range of elliptical trainers from WalMart

Click here to see ellipticals available from Fingerhut
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FIT OVER 40

Healthy Snack - Beef Jerky?

2011-06-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

It can sometimes be hard to come up with a healthy snack. Of course, there are all kinds of protein bars, exercise bars, meal replacement bars, and fiber bars.

However, sometimes you just want a simple snack. Something tasty but nutritious. One of my favorites is old-fashioned beef jerky. It is high in protein (usually 10+ grams of protein per serving), low calorie (about 90), and low in fat (sometimes 0).

The two drawbacks to beef jerky are that it can be high in sodium (600 mg, as much as 25% of daily recommendations), and it can break your teeth...if you still have your own. With some brands, if you have false teeth, forget it.

I personally like the beef jerky from Jerky Direct. It is tender, tasty, and has only about 380 mg of sodium, approximately 16% of the daily amount. They sell from online dealer websites such as americanmade.jerkydirect.com.

Is There an Anti-Aging Diet?

2011-06-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's deal with the "anti-aging" thing first.

Nothing is going to stop the clock. Time passes, and things occur to our bodies and minds in relation to that passage.

We get wrinkles, we experience memory loss and overall diminished brain function, and find that we have acquired an increased risk for chronic conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

Some of these things are going to happen, soem will happen to a greater or lesser degree, and some will never experience them.

Some of what happens is not only related to time but to genetics as well. However, some is related to lifestyle choices, and, generally, what we eat is one of those choices.

As it happens, choosing to eat in certain ways can help reduce or prevent many of these "symptoms" of aging. I used the word "symptoms" somewhat jokingly. The fact is that some are actual "results" of the lifestyle choices available to us.

What we eat is by definition a "diet", and, since we can reduce, or even reverse, some of the things associated with aging, the answer is that, yes, there is an anti-aging diet...of sorts.

So, what and how should you eat?

You should eat as close to nature as possible. It is generally the vegetable which just came out of the ground, or the fruit just off the tree, that has the most nutritional value. Fresh fruits and veggies tend to contain phytonutrients and antioxidants which help prevent aging at a cellular level. Additionally, a diet rich in these types of foods tends to be anti-inflammatory in nature, and this is valuable in preventing many of the effects of aging.

You should eat close to home. You are going to get the freshest fruits and vegetables from the area around you. An orange from a local farmers' market is probably going to be fresher and ccntain more nutritional value than one picked early and flown half-way around the world. Okay, so you would really like some cherries but they're out of season right now but the store has some from Chile! There's nothing wrong with enjoying some cherries from Chile, but you are going to get more nutrition from those from the local growers. Do without during the off-season, and you may even enjoy the local ones more.

You should eat a variety of foods. No one food contains all the nutrients your body needs and concentrating on one food, or type of food, may actually give you more of certain substances than you actually need while depriving you of many of the benefits of other, less available nutrients.

You should probably get more fiber. The American Dietetic Association recommends eating 20-35 grams of dietary fiber from a variety of food sources every day. Most people in the United States average only 5 to 10 grams. However, it is not a good idea to assume that if 35 grams can be good for you, 45 would be even better! Too much fiber can cause constipation, cramping, and actually intefere with the absorption of vital nutrients.

To learn more about the health benefits of fiber, read "9 Facts About Fiber".

Here's some important types of foods to incorporate in an anti-aging diet.

Fish
Fruits and vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes
Yogurt
Nuts
Water

Additionally, some health experts, including Dr. Nicholas Perricone, specifically recommend the following 10 "super foods":

1. Acai fruit
2. Allium vegetables: basically garlic and onions.
3. Barley
4. Green foods, such as wheatgrass
5. Buckwheat, both seeds and grains
6. Beans and lentils
7. Hot peppers
8. Nuts and seeds
9. Sprouts
10.Yogurt and kefir

There are many other things which you can add to a healthy anti-aging diet, such as green tea. It is actually a broad subject and many interesting and valuable books, such as Forever Young, by Dr. Perricone.
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FIT OVER 40

Brain Scans to Detect Alzheimer's Disease? On the Way.

2011-06-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

Remember the old comedy thing: "I've got good news and I've got bad news. Which do you want first?"

Often, the straight man says, "Give me the bad news first."

The reply? "The bad news is that there's no good news."

Works both ways, by the way.

This blog is centered on senior health from the point of view of fitness, but I try to keep my eyes open for information of value to seniors, and that means I see a lot of stuff about Alzheimer's disease.

I was a little excited when I saw the headline on an article about a brain scan to detect Alzheimer's disease being available within a year...and then I read the article.

Sure, it's great to have a diagnostic tool to help individuals and families prepare for the coming sad times, but, at the moment, it doesn't do much else. People with the disease have probably already been identified and notified, and, unfortunately, knowing the bad news sooner doesn't do much for the outcome either.

There are not that many treatments avaiable as yet once the condition has been identified...whenever that occurs.

So much is still unknown about Alzheimer's disease and senior dementia that it is hard to find positive news about the subject. I guess that's why the idea of earlier detection seems to be a step towards treatment and cure...if there were an effective treatment and cure.

As it stands at the moment, about all you, and your family, can do is prepare, as best you can, financially and medically for the times that are coming. However, there does seem to be some belief, based on various studies, that choosing the good old standbys when it comes to healthy aging in general may have some value in helping prevent Alzheimers' disease.

The old standbys?

Good nutrition, regular exercise, brain activity, social and familial links, proper rest...you know the drill.

If medical science still can't do much for this disease, except to tell you a little sooner that you have it, you still have options that may be of value. That's the good news.
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FIT OVER 40

10 Ways to Protect Your Joints

2011-06-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Our joints take a lot of abuse throughout our lives. In one respect, that's their job. However, as with so many other things, despite the body's best attempts to protect and maintain them, with time they begin to lose some of their efficiency. This is generally demonstrated by increased pain and decreased flexibility, mobility, and range of motion.

However, there are some things that can be done to either slow down the process, or ease the consequences.

1. Lose Weight: The joints take a lot of pressure every day with every movement. The more weight they have to deal with, the more quickly they wear out. Once they have reached a certain point, the more pain is experienced. This also is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we gain too much weight, we tend to become less active, which means we tend to gain more weight.

2. Stay Active: This is important as exercise keeps the joints themselves healthy, keeps the body and mind healthy, helps you manage your weight, and helps you maintain balance, which is a great help in reducing stress on the joints.

3. Build a Stronger Core: Most acitivities depend on the core, abs and lower back. A week core can cause you to have problems with balance, movement, and other physical activities. This can cause undue strain on joints.

4. Try Activities Such as Tai Chi, Yoga, or Low Impact Aerobics - As mentioned earlier, staying active is important, but so is avoiding injury to your joints. When done properly and carefully, activities such as yoga or Tai Chi can be great for your joints, as can low impact aerobics.

5. Go Fish: Fish contains compounds which improve the health of the joints. Additionally, the high value protein contained in fish can help as well.

6. Stand Up Straight, Junior! Simply heeding this advice from your childhood can help. As we age, and as our joints tend to remind us of their perceived inadequacies, we tend to bow to their arguments...literally. Simply making an effort to stand up straight and move with some of the control and strength we "used" to have may actually help to restore some of it.

7. Ladies - LIghter Purse, Lower Heels: A few years ago, my wife changed to a lighter purse and noticed how a lot of aches and pains disappeared as if by magic. Not magical at all. I could never be a purse snatcher, because I have found that if I were to grab most womens' purses, I would not be able to get very far very fast. These heavy loads, carried on primarily on one side of the body, can cause a lot of stress on the joints. Also, high heels, which might have been great years earlier can also throw the body out of line.

8. Spread Out the Activity: While exercise and other activities are important, it is also important not to try to do everything, or too much, at once.

9. Eat Well - Naturally! A healthy diet helps all parts of the body, including the joints

10. Supplement: Substances such as Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Vitamin C, Ginger Root, White Willow Bark are believed to help keep joints more supple and in better health. While there is some uncertainty about their actual therapeutic effects, most believe that they help. They can be taken individually or in combinations such as are found in Joint Advance (Natural Products Association) and Joint Health Complex. (Shaklee).

Frugal Living - Making a Fixed Income Seem Bigger

2011-06-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Like many who read this blog, my income is iimited. I get a small social security payment, a small military retirement, and my wife is disabled and gets a small benefit from that. I also have a parttime job, but that does not bring in a lot.

Funny thing is, a few years ago, I was making $100,000 a year, but didn't really live any better than I do now.

I have a good reliable car, a small, but comfortable apartment, eat well, and get out and have fun. As you notice, I also have a computer and Internet connection, and a hobby, blogging, which keeps my mind active and me interested in the world around me.

A question at this point is: Why am I writing about money on a blog related to health?

Well, it helps to have enough money to maintain health, but also, when we are comfortable with our situation, financially or otherwise, we tend to be healthier. One reason is that being ok in the money department relieves us of a lot of stress, and stress is a killer...literally. It doesn't always kill quickly and cleanly, either, but can gradually whittle down our defenses over time slowly causing us to sink deeper and deeper into bad health and fall prey to the conditions associated with aging.

If we had a million dollars, or even the energy and income we had a few years ago, staying happy and healthy would not be a problem, at least insofar as money can contribute to health and happiness.

Problem is, that for much of our lives, many of us have lived on the financial edge, and, now that that edge is much thinner, the balancing act can seem much harder...at a time that many of our other resources are diminished as well!

Oh, we can do things such as use coupons more, shop more intelligently and proactively, and take advantage of opportunities such as senior discounts. We can downsize! Heck, my comfortable apartment costs half of what my previous homes would have cost me in todays market. I could save $63 more dollars a month by getting rid of a half-century's "stuff" in a nearby storage facility.

Many of us already do many of the things which are necessary, or valuable, when it comes to living better on less money. Living frugally or being thrifty, I guess you could say.

I'm fairly good at it, hence the comfortable lifestyle on an income less than half of what I used to make and virtully no savings...don't ask. However, no one can come up with all the answers unless they make it their business to do so!

One woman has made it her business, and supports herself and her family, in a frugal manner, of course, by selling what she learns in the form of downloadable ebooks. Her website, surprise, is Living on a Dime, and can be found at www.livingonadime.com.

Even if you don't buy anything, the website provides links to all sorts of valuable resources for those on a fixed income, limited income, or people just trying to get the most mileage out of the money they have.

Best of luck.

Donovan Baldwin

Senior Health Website You Might Not Have Thought Of

2011-06-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

Years ago, and I mean many years ago, I was reading about health issues, and stumbled across a great piece of advice.

If you want some of the best and most up-to-date information on a subject, ask an insurance company which covers it!

Actually, if you think about it, no real surprise here.

Let's take a life insurance company, for example. When someone buys one of their policies, the person is, in essence, betting that they will die, and the insurance company is betting they will live!

It is in the insurance company's best interest to provide some of the latest and best advice on health to their customers. Additionally, big insurance companies have vast resources at their disposal, thanks to your premiums, and they not only can get the info, they are willing to share it.

It used to be that you had to request pamphlets, or maybe you would get a handout somewhere. In today's world, however, all you have to do is go to a company's website.

Now, I am not promoting any particular company, but I have a link here to MetLife. They call their site Healthy Living from Met Life. It is a good example of the kind of health and fitness information you can find for free online.
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FIT OVER 40

Exercise is Good for Sleep

2011-06-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Exercise is good for you. So is sleep. Just to make things better, exercise CAN be good for sleep. However, there are a couple of things you need to know to get a good night's sleep when you exercise.

For starters, regular exercise helps you sleep. By "regular" we normally mean at several times during the course of a week, however, in this instance, we also want this exercise to be at about the same time each time it occurs. This helps the body establish a schedule which includes the exercise and sleep periods.

On the same note, it is generally a good idea NOT to exercise within about three hours of going to bed. For good sleep, with or without exercise, there should be a wind-down period before bed, and the routine should be roughly the same to encourage to body and mind to recognize that sleep time is on the way.

A couple more tips: Avoid caffeine in the afternoon, but get a little sunlight in the afternoon. The sunlight helps "set" your internal clock, and avoiding caffeine allows your body to reach a more natural state for bedtime.

Some people also benefit from an OTC sleep aid such as OxySleep Natural Sleep Aid.

Fiber - Not So Tough a Choice for Health and a Longer LIfe?

2011-05-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have written on the health benefits of fiber before. Here, on this blog, on various websites, and in articles I have published at Ezine Articles.

I don't intend to beat a dead horse, but one of the purposes of this blog is to bring new information about senior health and fitness, even if all it does is substantiate old ideas.

The idea that dietary fiber is related to health and longevity is one of those ideas which has been around a while. Also, there have been many studies to give this idea value.

However, the National Institutes of Health's AARP Diet and Health Study, published earlier this year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is relatively new, but supports the old ideas about fiber.

So, what were the overall conclusions? Well, researchers found that those who consumed the most fiber were 22 percent less likely to die from any cause during the nine years they were studied. Men were 24 to 56 percent and women 34 to 59 percent less likely to die of heart and infectious or respiratory diseases.

Now, not all fiber seems to be created equal. Also, the mechanism by which fiber provides health benefits is still a bit cloudy.

The general consensus is that fiber probably lowers levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, improves blood glucose levels, reduces inflammation, and binds itself to potential cancer-causing agents, helping to flush them from the body.

However, it has also been found that the health benefits seem to be most effective, in terms of longevity, when the fiber comes from grains such as oatmeal, cornmeal, and brown rice. Fiber from fruits, vegetables, and beans, which still had health benefits, had no measureable impact on death risk itself.

Fiber from all sources can help with colon health, heart health, weight management, and even help lower blood pressure in some instances. In fact, dietary fiber provides synergistic health benefits in that one result of a diet rich in fiber, such as weight management, helps reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes.

To learn more about the health benefits of fiber, read "9 Facts About Fiber".