EXERCISE MELTS BODY FAT

EXERCISE MELTS BODY FAT

If you want to reduce your body fat, focus on increasing the amount of exercise you get rather than decreasing your food intake. A recent national study was done using two groups of sedentary men, one group in their 20's and the other over age 65. A lot was learned from this accumulated data and it is interesting to note that there was a significant relationship between lack of physical activity and fat. Not surprisingly, the most sedentary men had the most body fat.

These studies have also indicated that the governments current recomended daily allowance for calories does not correlate with the body's actual energy needs. For example, although 2400 calories have been calculated for older men, they in fact burned an average of 2800 calories daily.

The leading experts now recommend that people who want to lose weight start increasing their physical activity. Just being more active in general (such as climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, moving around instead of sitting still, sitting up instead of lying down as well as showing some excitement and enthusiasm instead of boredom), are things that more effec tively burns calories and reduces body fat. Everyone seems to have lost sight of the value of being active. Consider this, a half-hour aerobic workout accounts for far less energy expenditure than our minute-to-minute movement in the office or at home.

Millions of Americans are trying to lose weight, spending approximately $30 billion a year on diet programs and products, often they do lose some weight. But, if you check with the same people five years later, you will find that nearly all have regained whatever weight they lost. A national panel recently sought data to determine if any commercial diet program could prove long-term success. Not a single program could do so.Being seriously overweight and particularly obesity predisposes individuals to a number of diseases and serious health problems, and it's now a known fact that when caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess frequently is saturated fat.

People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid getting fatter over time, increase your metabolism by exercising regularly.

Walking is one of the best exercises for strengthening bones, controlling weight, toning the leg muscles, maintaining good posture and improving positive self-concept.To lose weight, it's more important to walk for time than speed. Walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less soreness - leading t more miles and more fat worked off on a regular basis. High intensity walks on alternate days help condition one's system. But in a walking, weight-loss program, you are not requried to walk an hour every day as some people would have you believe.

When it comes to good health and weight loss, exercise and diet are inter-related. Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting whle remaining inactive.

YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY

YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY

The world we live in today is much safer than the one known by your parents and grandparents. Even considering the constant bombardment of news to the contrary, the government and industry have taken some major steps to protect us all. In almost everything we do, we are surrounded by protection based on safety experience from the past.

You'll be safer - - but only if you have a strong feeling for safety. Why? Because many of the safety factors developed to protect you function only if you do something about them. Do you buckle your seat belt every time you get in the car? Do you cross the street at crosswalks instead of jaywalking? Do you walk or jog on the left side of the road so that you are facing oncoming traffic? These are just a few of the things that you know and can do something about.

We all must acknowledge the fact that we bear some of the responsibility for making our environment safe and safety is thinking about other people, too. Because in this safety awareness, we can take steps to help others. For instance, a jagged piece of metal and certain types of broken bottles on the street can cause tire problems to cars. Broken glass on the beach might also send someone to the hospital for stitches. When you take time to clean up things such as broken bottles, etc., you're taking a big step toward protecting others.

An accident is something that happens to you and to others. It's easy to think that these accidents just happen. Buy they don't. They're not just bad luck or bad breaks that come to you out of nowhere. An accident is never supposed to happen. It isn't planned and it isn't deliberate. Accidents are caused!

An accident can be caused by an unsafe condition. Look at your automobile. It can be a typical example of an unsafe condition. Bad brakes and unsafe tires, faulty headlights, loose steering, and, yes, even dirty windshields and side windows can cause accidents, and they are all unsafe conditions. And along this same line, we need to consider unsafe acts as also contributing to the cause of accidents. These are not "conditions." They are what you, or someone else, does or doesn't do. A good example is jaywalking. You know it's dangerous to walk out between parked cars to cross the street, but it's easier than walking down to the next corner.

Both unsafe conditions and unsafe actions exist, and either one can cause accidents. But you can put the two together, as well. That car with the poor brakes, and all the other unsafe conditions, isn't unsafe at all until someone starts to use it. It's the act of using that causes the accident. Oh sure, the car was at fault, but the driver of that car was the ultimate cause of the accident.

You will find many unsafe conditions in your daily life, but most of them become truly unsafe based on your own actions related to them. What causes you to act in an unsafe way? Is it carelessness? Poor judgement, were you at the wrong place at the wrong time?

There's never a total absence of risks in our lives. Risks are voluntary actions and can be managed. Emergencies can be met and handled, but it takes know-how and constant awareness. What you can't prevent, you can usually compensate for or protect against.

Safety experts classify accidents in four broad categories: Motor vehicle, work and job related, home, and public. The public category excludes motor vehicle and work accidents in public places. It covers sports and recreation (swimming, hunting, etc.), air, water, or land transportation excluding motor vehicle and public building accidents.On the average, there are 10 accidental deaths and about 1,000 disabling injuries every hour during the year. About one-half of the deaths occur in motor vehicle accidents while about one-third of the injuries occur in and around the home.

It's not hard to imagine adding yourself to the accident statistics. Any day of the week, you'll be swamped with stories in the newspapers and on television about the many tragic accidents going on all over the country and it seems to be getting worse all the time. And in every case the victim was somebody who did not plan or expect that they would be hurt or killed.

In a matter of seconds, everything you were ever going to do and be can be snuffed out. At the least, you suffer pain and inconvenience from an accident. At worst, an accident kills or damages you for life.

Safety saves you, but it does more than that. Mix each safety ingredient with all of your day to day activities. An use common sense in everything you do.

Safety in your home is a combination of mind and matter. You mind must be constantly aware of the home safety dangers. The matter is the safety condition of your home.The safety condition of your home isn't a case of rebuilding things to make it safe. It's more the disposal of dangerous items, and a case of good housekeeping. A safe home has a place for everything, and that along with the right mental attitude about keeping those things in place is just good housekeeping.

The home is the most frequent place for injury accidents to occur, and it is second only to motor vehicle accidents for the number of deaths in the country today. Family members are busier than ever rushing in and out so it's easy to understand how careless mistakes are often made.

When you read the daily newspaper or watch newscasts on TV, you'll see that home accidents can be classified in two major ways. There are things that can totally disrupt your entire community - - such as earthquakes, tornadoes, storms and floods.And then there are those kinds of accidents that are centered in your own home, and not involving the whole community. These are things like fires, local earth sliding, flooding and wind damage.

You will need to consider both types when thinking about safety at home. For the community - wide disasters, you may or may not receive any outside help for a considerable period of time, and you must be prepared to survive on your own home resources. With the second type, your home may be destroyed, but some help should be there from the outside, early in the experience. Most cities and communities have some agencies and organizations in place to assist the public in times of severe emergencies.It is wise for everyone to do a home safety check on a regular basis and get the family members involved. Naturally, every family needs to develop its own plan because every house and every family is different.

WHERE DIETS GO WRONG

WHERE DIETS GO WRONG

When we discover that we are heavier than we want to be, we have a natural invlination to eat less food. We may skip lunch or eat only a tiny amount of our dinner in the hope that if we eat less our body will burn off some of its fat. But that is not necessarily true. Eating less actually makes it more difficult to lose weight.

Keep in mind that the human body took shape millions of years ago, and at that time there were diets. The only low-calorie event in people's lives was starvation. Those who could cope with a temporary lack of food were the ones who survived. Our bodies, therefore, ahve developed this built-in mechanism to help us survive in the face of low food intake.

When researchers compare overweight and thin people, they find that they ear roughly the same number of calories. What makes overweight people different is the amount of fat that they eat. Thin people tend to eat less fat and more complex carbohydrates.

Losing weight is not something one can do overnight. A carefully planned weight loss program requires common sense and certain guidelines. Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformantion floating around and lots of desperate people are easily duped and ripped off.

Every day one can open a magazine or newspaper and see advertisements touting some new product, pill or patch that will take excess weight off quickly. Everyone seems to be looking for that "magic" weight loss pill. Millions of Americans are trying to lose weight, spending billions of dollars every year on diet programs and products. Often they do lose some weight. But, if you check with the same people five years later, you will find that nearly all have regained whatever weight they lost.

A survey was done recently to try and determine if any commercial diet program could prove long-term success. Not a single program could do so. So rampant has the so-called diet industry become with new products and false claims that the FDA has now stepped in and started clamping down.

Being seriously overweight and particularly obesity can develop into a number of diseases and serious health problems, and it is now a known fact that when caloric intake is excessive, some of the excess frequently is saturated fat.

The myth is that people get heavy by eating too many calories. Calories are a consideration it's true, but overall they are not the cause of obesity in America today. Americans actually take in fewer calories each day than they did at the beginning of the century. If calories alone were the reason we become overweight, we should all be thin. But we are not. Collectively, we are heavier than ever. Partly, it is because we are more sedentary now. But equally, as important is the fact that the fat content of the American diet has changed dramatically.

People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid getting fatter over time, increase your metabolism by exercising regularly.

Select an exercise routine that you are comfortable with and remember that walking is one of the best and easiest exercises for strengthening your bones, controlling your weight and toning your muscles.

Understanding And Dealing With Everyday Stress

Understanding And Dealing With Everyday Stress

WHAT STRESS IS...

Stress is an abnormal condition that disrupts the normal

functions of the body or mind. No two people are affected in

exactly the same way, or to the same degree, but most people

living in our highly industrialized society suffer from its

effects at one or more times during their lives. Symptoms range

from mind headaches, occasional bouts of insomnia, overall

restlessness, digestive problems, irritable bowel syndrome,

constipation and diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

SELECTED LIFE EVENTS THAT CAN BRING ON STRESS:

Death of Spouse.

Death of a close family member.

Death of a close friend.

Major personal injury, illness or pregnancy.

Sexual molestation, drug abuse.

Major change in the health or behavior of a family member.

Gaining or losing a new family member.

Sexual difficulties.

Marital separation from mate.

Marriage, marital reconciliation, divorce.

Arguments with spouse, family members, friends, co-workers.

Changes in sleeping habits or change in part of day when asleep.

Vacations, Major holidays. In-law troubles.

Financing major purchases.

Beginning or ceasing formal schooling.

Change in usual type and or amount of recreation.

Change in outside social activities, religions, etc.

Major change in eating habits, Iiving conditions, moving.

Spouse beginning or ceasing work outside the home.

Changing to a different line of work.

Major change in responsibilities at work.

Changes in working hours or conditions.

Troubles with the boss.

Being fired at work.

Starting a new job or career.

Retirement from work.

Business readjustment, changes in financial condition.

Minor violations of the law (e.g., traffic tickets, disturbing

the peace, etc.)

Detention in jail or other institution.

Dealing With Work Related Stress

Examples that can cause work related stress are trying to get

too much work done in too little time, cutting corners or

otherwise taking chances that may put you, or someone else at

risk, and trying to get along with superiors and co-workers.

Everybody has days when there simply seems there's too much

work to get done. Trying to get everything done by yourself can

bring on stress. Some people try and deal with the pressure by

delegating certain jobs to others. If you can unburden yourself

and not worry about when and how the work gets done, if you can

put full faith and trust in co-workers or subordinates it can be

an effective escape valve. Trouble is, most people can't let go.

If you have the type of personality that demands to know how

things are going, chances are you're only increasing the

pressure and stress on yourself by constantly worrying if the

work is getting done or not.

To lessen stress you must either learn to trust others to get

the job done, or prioritize jobs to get rid of "what must be

done" first. Many people tend to "put off" the difficult jobs

they hate to do until the last possible minute. Of course, this

only makes it all the more difficult and stressful when you

finally get around to doing what you should have done earlier.

When you feel the "walls closing in on you" if possible, take a

break. Many people in trying to relax actually kick their bodies

into overdrive by using their break time to either get a

nicotine or caffeine fix. Instead of calming you down, both

substances being stimulants speed up your body processes. You

may think you're relaxing, but your blood pressure and heart are

working harder.

Instead of coffee or cigarettes try a brief chat with friends, a

short leisurely walk, even just looking out the window for a few

minutes. Never take breaks, or eat lunch at your work station.

The point of a break is to get away from whatever work you're

doing. You can't get your mind off your work if you're chained

to your work area.

Getting along with your co-workers and the boss can be more than

a sore point. It can be something you learn to put up with, or

it can turn into a festering wound that only gets worse with

time. If you're having problems, get them out in the open. Most

managers today at least have some training in dealing with

personal problems. If you can't clear the air or have tried

using all the company procedures to resolve a grievance, and you

no longer enjoy your job, hate to go to work in the morning, or

feel that the pressure is getting to be too much, it may be time

to seriously consider a change.

STRESS AWAY FROM WORK

Anyone who's ever been stuck in a major traffic jam probably has

seen the darker side of many people's personalities. It seems

everyone is always in a hurry to either get, or go somewhere,

and never seem to allow enough time for the everyday problems

that are bound to crop up from time to time.

Banging on the steering wheel, laying on the horn, giving

someone the "finger," or shooting a string of obscenities is

only reacting to something that has already happened. You can't

make the guy in front of you go any faster, or prevent someone

from cutting you off. Accidents, road repairs, and just plain

heavy traffic happens. Learn to deal with it or don't drive. If

you must, at least change your route from time to time. Always

allow plenty of time, and try and make all trips as pleasant as

possible. You may not realize it, but how you act on your way to

work, or on your way home will have either a positive or

negative impact. Accept the fact that it's something you just

have to get through so you may as well try and make the best of

it.

Most people are smart enough to know that they should set some

time aside to take it easy. If you participate in some sports

activity, remember you're doing it to relax! While many people

naturally have their competitive nature come to the surface when

engaging athletics, don't lose sight of the fact you're

participating to have fun. Don't get bent out of shape if you

don't always win or otherwise play up to par. The whole point is

to enjoy yourself and forget your everyday worries. Treat it as

a night out with the "boys," or gals and relax!

Families can be as source of support, an oasis away from the

everyday pressures or sometimes it's only a place to grab a few

hours sleep and get back in the rat race. Your children, spouse,

family members, in-laws can be a source of irritation at times.

If someone is constantly doing something that really "bugs you,"

tell the offending person or persons and see if things can be

straightened out before things get out of control.

A man's home (a woman's too) should indeed be a place to rest

and relax. Many people find it helpful unwind by sharing the

day's events with their loved ones. It should not develop into a

daily routine, nor should you give a detailed blow by blow recap

of the day's events, but when things go wrong, who better to

talk to than your family? Holding things back, keeping it inside

yourself, almost always does more harm than good and can affect

not only your well-being but everyone else in your family as

well. Talking things over is a great way to get rid of built up

stress that many people overlook.

You should also be a good listener. Don't unload your problems

and have no time for your mate's or children's problems. They

may seem trivial to you, but they are real problems that need

solving just like yours.

A great way to get rid of stress is, every once in a while, do

something totally different and unexpected without any prior

planning. Don't fall into a trap when you must do such and such

thing a certain way, or at specific time or place. If you always

put on a blue suit on Thursday, or go to an Italian restaurant

on Tuesday, break the habit every once in a while. Even doing

things you like can become stressful if you're stuck in the same

old rut week after boring week.

Stress can best be managed by realizing what you can change

about your life and knowing what you can't. Learn how to

recognize the difference and you'll enjoy life more and be

better able to deal the ups and downs that are part of

everyone's life.