Fitness Articles of the Week
If You Don't Exercise You Lose Muscle
It's inevitable that in life our bodies will sustain some type of physical injury, so it's important to continue to keep moving, in one capacity or another, to prevent muscle loss. Now for those of you who are already in phenomenal shape, you might not notice the difference, but for the majority of the population who needs to watch their weight the physical changes that will occur from your injury will be dramatic and this loss of muscle mass will affect your recovery.
Depending upon your type of injury, or in some cases a prolonged illness, there might be limited types of exercises that you are capable of performing, so it is important to discuss this with your doctor or a certified personal trainer. In some cases limited stretching might be all that you are capable of, but even a little stretching is better than none at all. For those injuries that allow for more mobility, try walking or swimming, both are low-intensity exercises that will keep your body from getting soft, as well as helping you to maintain your current level of fitness. (read more)
Why Eating Out is so Bad
At this time of year, with friends and family so abundant a lot of people go out to eat to avoid the hassles of cooking themselves, if this is a regular occurrence for you, you might want to reconsider, because eating out can be detrimental to your health. When we go out to eat, as opposed to cooking at home we often end up consuming more food than we normally would. After all how many courses do you prepare when you are cooking? Do you often have bread or chips and salsa on the table to nibble on before the meal is ready? Or what about the appetizer course or soup and salad? Do you go to that much trouble even before the meal is served? More than likely not. When cooking at home one normally tackles the main dish and perhaps a few side items, very rarely does one make additional courses, and it's these additional courses that can really add on the pounds that we all try so desperately to avoid. If you are going to eat out, try avoiding bread plates and appetizers, stick to the main dish, and not only will your waistline thank you, but so will your wallet.
Another dangerous element to restaurant food is preparation. Most restaurants do not explain in detail how the food is preserved, and this is very important information that can affect your health. Restaurants use a lot of butter when preparing food, in order to give the food more flavor, but all of that added butter is bad for your heart and bad for your butt. Another dangerous addition to restaurant meals are fatty sauces. Restaurants pour cream sauces and marinara sauces onto things like chicken and fish to hide the fact that the meat isn't fresh or hasn't been cooked properly. If you're at all concerned about your health, try to eat at home with fresh organic products as much as possible. (read more)
Motivational Tips
In life it is easy to get discouraged with all of the obstacles that are thrown our way, however in order to stay focused on our goals, it is important to keep ourselves motivated. There are a number of things that are readily available to keep you motivated; inspirational books, CDs and DVDs are available at your local library, bookstore or even online. For some people working out helps them to clear their mind, allowing them to refocus and get motivated, while for others meditation or a quite walk help to refocus their thoughts. Whatever words of encouragement or inspirational thoughts you require it is important to keep yourself armed with such techniques in order to avoid depression and self-doubt to stay motivated. (read more)
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