Studies show that exercising early in the day will make for a more productive workday. For best results, alternate bursts of rapid activity – like running – with a slower activity – like walking – over a 30-minute period. This will give you more energy than going at a steady pace for 45 minutes. Also, try one-minute sets of jumping jacks throughout your day to get the blood flowing and to fight off those mid-day blahs!

Attaining a Healthy Body and Mind Through the Practice of Yoga

The “Five Principles of Yoga” describes the holistic perspective of yoga. Each Principle emphasizes the idea that yoga is a practiced lifestyle, meant to achieve physical and mental health, as well as spiritual growth, and not just an exercise routine.

Our bodies are made to move and need exercise to maintain good health. We have become an unfit and unhealthy population due to inactivity, stress, and our polluted environment. Without movement, discomfort and disease set in.

Yoga asanas, or postures, are designed to systematically work all parts of the body … stretching and toning the muscles and ligaments, improving flexibility of the spine and joints, and regulating the metabolism and improving circulation.

Yoga poses, practiced properly, relax you, give you strength and vitality and rejuvenate all the systems in your body, including your internal organs, glands and hormones. The flow from one pose to another is combined with proper breathing, which regulates physical and phsiological functions of the body.

Most people breathe in a shallow manner, using only a portion of their lungs. Learning to control your breath  through breathing techniques helps you to use your lungs to their fullest capacity. Proper breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical, maximizing oxygen intake by using all the parts of the lungs. Yoga teaches you to regulate and become aware of the length and duration of your inhalations and exhalations and to breathe from your diaphragm. Proper breathing increases your lung capacity, which sends more oxygen throughout your body, increasing energy and mental clarity.

We live in a stress-filled world. Our lifestyle — social life, diet, work, and even entertainment — makes it difficult for us to relax. Even while attempting to rest, our minds and bodies continue to consume energy through tension. Bad moods, depression, anger, irritation and physical pain use up a lot of energy. Attempting to repress negative emotions can become a way of life. This can be devastating for both the mind and the body. Releasing tension in muscles and resting the whole body revitalizes your nervous system, allowing you to feel relaxed, refreshed and at peace. When you’re relaxed, it’s easy to let go of worries and fears. Tension uses up energy and a relaxed body conserves energy.

Principle 4: Proper Diet

The food we eat not only sustains our bodies, but it greatly affects our minds as well. An improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness.  A proper diet should be well balanced and based on natural foods. Simple meals aid digestion and improve the assimilation of food’s nutrients.  Foods from nature that are free from chemicals and pesticides provide superior nutritional value.

A proper diet also means eating in moderation and eating only to satisfy hunger. Many of us have a tendency to use food to treat sadness or depression and usually reach for unhealthy “comfort” foods filled with sugar, fat and additives. These foods tend to make us feel sluggish, dulling our senses and fogging our minds. And they cause us to crave even more unhealthy foods. This type of eating often leads to diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes. We should eat for sustenance so that we have strong immune systems, light and supple bodies and calm minds.

The way we think greatly affects our lives, because ultimately, we are what we think we are.  Positive and creative thoughts will contribute to vibrant health and a peaceful, joyful mind.

Meditation is the act of concentrating your mind on an object, or turning inwards to your own thoughts or on a mantra. Practicing meditation helps you to become attentive and more observant of the present. It not only relaxes your body, but also sharpens your thinking. With practice, everyone has the ability to meditate  - to shut out thoughts and quiet the mind.

Fitness Myth: The Less You Eat – The More You Lose

You’d think this would be true, wouldn’t you? A lot of us think that if we cut out a meal or two, we’ll lose weight. But when the body senses the lack of food, it goes into a self-preservation mode. Thinking it’s being starved, it slows digestion and holds on to fat.

To effectively lose weight and boost your metablism, it’s best to eat small meals throughout the day than to skip meals and go hungry. This way your body will burn fat rather than store it. And add some exercise into the mix and your body becomes an efficient, fat-burning machine. In fact, it will even burn fat when you aren’t exercising. How great is that!

Stay Strong with Healthy Bones

Did you know that all of us, men and women alike, begin losing bone mass around the age of 30? Bones are composed of living tissue that constantly breaks down and reforms. Up until age 30, your body produces more bone tissue than is destroyed, but once you hit the big 3-O, it’s all down hill. The good news is that whatever your age, the right exercise and diet can help prevent bone loss and keep you healthy and strong.

Exercise Equals Strong Bones

Just as exercising your muscles makes them stronger, exercising your bones makes them stronger and denser.  Health professionals suggest movement for 30 minutes every day of weight-bearing exercise So, include daily activities that will keep you moving like walking, biking, hiking, climbing stairs, dancing, even cleaning the house. Lifting weights is especially important. “Anything that puts stress on the bones strengthens them,” says Lanou.

Bone Nutrition

Strong bones require lots of calcium.  The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. Try to include foods that are calcium rich in your diet. Milk and milk products are high in calcium but as we age, we lose the ability to absorb calcium from these foods. Many of us become lactose intolerant as we age.

But, no worries, there are plenty of other calcium-rich foods to choose from. A diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fish will provide plenty of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a great source and a lot of fruit juices now come fortified with calcium.

In supplement form, it’s best to take two 500 mg dosages at different times during the day with vitamin D and magnesium to help absorption.

Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Our bodies can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D.  There is also research that suggests that vitamin D may play a key role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” D is naturally produced in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Because of the fear of skin cancer and the aging affects of sun exposure, we tend to avoid direct sun or slather on sunscreen when do spend time outside.  But sunscreen blocks the skin’s natural production of the vitamin and the end result is that many of us are D deficient.

It doesn’t take frying on the beach to produce sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. Consider getting outside for 10 to 15 minutes daily without sunscreen.  Foods that provide calcium and vitamin D include almonds, beans, fortified cereal and oily fish, like tuna and salmon.  Vitamin D can also be taken in supplement form, although scientists and nutritionists recommendations vary anywhere from 200 IUs to 1500 IUs a day.

Vitamin D requires fat to stay in the body, so be sure to include healthful fats in your diet, like extra-virgin olive oil, unrefined sesame oil and organic coconut oil, as well as omega-3 fats from fish and flaxseed. A recent study showed that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids may also result in stronger bones.

Our bones give us the freedom to do the things we want to do. They help us stand up straight, to run, to jump and to play. Make sure you take care of your bones so they can take care of you.

Your Target Heart Rate

Everyone has a goal in mind when starting an exercise program, whether it’s to lose weight, burn fat, increase cardiovascular health and endurance, release stress, lower blood pressure or just plain feel good. But in order to reach those goals – in order for your workout to be effective – the most important factor to be aware of is your heart rate.

Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. But there are three types of heart rate that you need to look at when beginning an exercise program:

1. Resting heart rate (RHR): the beats per minute when you aren’t exerting yourself (which varies per person) but averages out to about 70 BPM (beats per minute) for men & 75 BPM for women
2. Maximum heart rate (MHR): the rate at which the heart beats at 100% exertion
3. Target heart rate (THR): the desired range of heart rate during exercise that enables your heart & lungs to receive the most benefit from a workout.

Pacing yourself during exercise provides the greatest results for your efforts. To burn fat and improve cardiovascular endurance, you have to maintain a sustained workout in the “zone” – that means working at your THR level for a minimum of 30 minutes.  Working below your THR won’t give you those fat burning and cardiovascular benefits and working above your THR will make it difficult to sustain your workout.

Heart Rate Chart

The following chart (from the American Heart Association) indicates the estimated THR for different ages. Find the age category closest to yours and then read across to find your target heart rate.

You can also calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 to determine your maximum heart rate and then multiply that number by 70 percent.  For example, if you’re 50, your maximum heart rate would be 170 multiplied by 70 percent for a THR of 119 (220 – 50 = 170; 170 x .70 =119).

Heart Rate Zone

There are three ways to check your heart rate during a workout to make sure you’re working in your zone.

• Find your pulse (either on the side of the neck or on the wrist) and count the number of beats for 6 seconds and multiply by 10. You’ll need a clock or watch with a second hand for this.
• Take the talk test … if you can carry on a normal conversation, you aren’t working hard enough; if you can’t talk at all, you’re working too hard.
• Invest in a heart rate watch, a convenient gadget that straps onto your wrist (some require a chest belt, while others don’t). Press a button or the watch face to get a heart reading.  You can get really fancy ones that come with all kinds of things, like calories-burned calculators, pedometers, timers, stopwatches, and more.

If you’re just beginning your program, start out easy (maybe 50-60 percent of your MHR, to test the waters). If that feels good, move up to 70%. Once you’re comfortable with your program, you can push that number higher and may find that you can go as high as 85 percent of your MHR. But keep in mind that it isn’t necessary to work that hard to stay in shape. And, as always, check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

Practice Yoga for a Pain-Free Run

Runners will tell you there’s nothing that compares to the satisfaction you get from running … the sound of your feet hitting the pavement and the regular rhythm of your breathing can send you into a zone that leaves you feeling relaxed, clear-headed and just plain good.

While running provides a great workout for the heart and lungs, the act of running moves the body through a very limited range of motion. Most runners have developed subtle, but potentially harmful, imbalances in the way their feet hit the ground and the way they maintain alignment throughout their stride, which leaves them susceptible to injury.

Adding a yoga practice into your routine can enhance your running experience. Yoga balances the body, improves breathing methods and brings an awareness to your body that can make running more meditative and help prevent injury.

• Balance. Yoga asanas (poses) correct imbalances resulting from high impact training by stretching and strengthening muscles, aligning joints, and improving bone density. A stronger, more flexible body is less susceptible to injury.
• Breath. Intrinsic to yoga is the combination of movement with breath. While running requires breathing out of simple necessity, yoga involves a much more focused awareness of breath and how it affects the body. The deep breathing that is a part of a yoga practice increases lung capacity, which enhances both energy and stamina for a runner as it relaxes the body.
• Mindfulness. The connection between mind, body and breath that is acheived through yoga practice helps runners find a more meditative state while running and a heightened awareness of their bodies. By tuning into the body, a runner is more heedful of alignment and balance which helps prevent injury.

If you’ve never tried yoga and would like to add it to your running routine, sign up for some beginner’s classes at your local yoga studio to learn proper alignment and breathing techniques.  Some studios even offer classes that are designed specifically for runners.  There are also oodles of yoga for runners’ books and dvds to choose from in bookstores and libraries.

A few tips to help you get the most out of your workout

If you’re just starting out in your pursuit for fitness, or if you’ve been working out but aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, take note of some common exercise mistakes that can prevent you from getting the most out of your efforts. 

1. Skipping the warm up.  The purpose of a warm-up is to gently prepare the body for the increased stress from the upcoming exercise session. Without this, you’re asking your body to work before the oxygen and blood flow have reached the muscles. A 5-10 minute easy jog, brisk walk, dance around the living room, will warm up your muscles and body temp and help you avoid injury.

2. Getting real with goals. Unrealistic or vague goals can lead to frustration and just plain quitting before really getting started. Try to be realistic about what you can accomplish with your schedule and lifestyle. For instance, it takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours a week of physical activity just to prevent weight gain, so it’s going to take more than that to actually lose pounds.

3. Over-doing it.  A common beginner’s mistake is to start working out too intensely which can result in sore, stiff muscles – or worse, injury.  It’s important to work consistently and gradually progress to avoid injury and make improvements. Start slowly, test the waters, and see what your body can safely handle.

4. Same old, same old.   The same workout week after week not only gets boring, but loses its effectiveness. Muscle confusion is a key concept in gaining and maintaining fitness. Switch it up as much as possible … change from the treadmill to the rowing machine or stair stepper, try a spinning or ashtanga yoga class instead of aerobics.

5. Avoiding strength training.  Many people mistakenly think they need only a cardiovascular exercise program to remain fit. But both men and women, naturally begin to lose muscle mass around the age of 30.  Strength training builds muscles, increases the metabolism, helps prevent osteoporosis and also helps us maintain balance as we age. Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you increase muscle mass, you do burn more calories but you may not see that on the scales at first.

6. Technique is everything. Learning the correct way to exercise is essential to getting results and avoiding injury. Improper form in a lunge or squat can lead to serious knee injuries, lifting weights improperly can lead to back injuries, not using full range of motion while exercising will produce less-than-optimal results. Form matters, so if you’ve never worked out before, it pays to invest in a few sessions with a certified personal trainer.

7. Skipping the cool down.  Just as important as a warm up is the cool down.  Another 5 – 10 minutes at a slowed pace allows your heart rate to return to normal and flushes the built up lactic acid from your system, which helps minimize or prevent muscle soreness. Never come to a sudden stop at the end of your workout.

8. Ignoring hydration. Your muscles need fluid to contract properly, so if you don’t drink enough, you can get muscle spasms or aches. Remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated. Drink lots of water before, during and after exercise. Sports drinks are unnecessary unless you’re a high intensity athlete working out for hours each day. The average person working out at the gym doesn’t exercise enough to deplete electrolytes and potassium levels. Stick to water.

9. Foregoing the stretch. Stretching allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture, increases physical and mental relaxation, releases muscle tension and soreness, and reduces risk of injury.  However, stretching cold muscles can lead to injury so do your stretching after your workout. Hold each stretch for 20 – 30 seconds and NEVER bounce in the stretch – bouncing increases your risk of straining or pulling the muscle. Stretching is as important to your fitness plan as cardiovascular training and strength training.

10. State of mind. Exercise should be fun, or at least it should feel good — if not during the workout, then when you’re finished. If you think of it as torture, you won’t do it! There are so many choices out there … find the right type of exercise for you, vary what you do each day, have realistic goals (come on … you really didn’t expect to lose 5 pounds in one week, did you?) and it’ll be easier to make the lifestyle change that leads to a long life, healthy body and happy state of mind.