One of the most important things to keep in mind if you feel that you weigh too much is that fitness is not directly related to your weight. Of course, your weight will have some effect on how fit you are, especially if you're exceptionally overweight. However, this is not nearly as significant as most people would guess.
In reality the only real way to tell how fit you are is to see how much exercise you can do. You will find that if you begin an exercise program and begin to increase your fitness significantly, your weight will come down.
If your goal is to not only lose weight, but to keep that weight off, and to keep it off in a natural way - not using some fad diet - then you should look at increasing your overall fitness level, and the level of exercise you get everyday. Diet and exercise go hand in hand, diet will not be truly effective without exercise.
When you start exercising you dont just burn fat, you also strengthen and tone your muscles. This will increase the rate at which you burn fat also. It can be disastrous to start out dieting without a corresponding increase in your exercise. This will often end up burning your muscles instead of your fat. So you will lose weight, but not fat, and in fact your body will naturally burn less fat as a result of having less muscle. This will make it harder for you to exercise and lose weight in the future.
In any case, if you've been exercising regularly, you'll be more fit than somebody who does not exercise at all, regardless weight considerations. For this reason, no matter what diet plan you're starting, you should make sure that you start exercising as well.
If you want to really improve your fitness, then you'll need to do more than just a little bit of exercise. Also, you'll need to do more than just one type of exercise. You'll need to do both cardiovascular exercise as well as some basic strength training.
For your cardiovascular exercise - which is basically any type of exercise that increases your heart rate by considerable amounts - you should work on being able to exercise for a longer period of time than you could before.
This will enable you to build up some stamina.
The strength training exercises are important also, they will not really increase your actual fitness but they will tone your body. They will also increase your strength making you feel and look fitter, this will give you a much needed confidence boost.
Of course you don't need to be lifting weights! A small amount of strength training that doesn't even need equipment can make all the difference in your strength and confidence.
You can do this exercise in the comfort of your own home.
Regardless of your weight, you can be at a suitable fitness level just by adding a suitable amount and type of exercise to your daily life.
Britannia Findlay is the Staff Writer of FOCAL Fitness
There are a lot of interesting articles and great resources at her site. For all the info you want, visit:
http://www.focalfitness.com
Your Guide To Exercise
Any exercise, no matter how small, will help you, so keep at it!
You will get the most out of exercise when you enjoy doing it so you should pick an activity that you'll enjoy doing.
There will be time to wonder if its the most effective exercise you could be doing later.
The biggest mistake that most people make when they start an exercise routine is the choice of exercise. Most people start out excited, and they pick a really hard exercise routine to start out. They also tend to pick the type of exercise that is recommended to them, instead of one that they enjoy.
This will cause people to get sick of the routine within a matter of weeks and eventually stop exercising altogether because they just can't find the energy or motivation to stick with the overly hard program they chose.
This is something that you should make sure that you don't do. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all, so if all you feel up to doing is walking, then you should walk.
Study after study has shown that even people who do only twenty minutes of exercise as little as three times a week have better health than they would otherwise.
Obviously once you get settled into doing some exercise you'll want to begin to step up your routine. A good example is if you like cycling then go for a short cycle ride every second evening, after a while you will notice you can cycle for longer without getting tired - this is your fitness increasing. So when you reach this stage you might want to try cycling further or maybe cycling more frequently.
Perhaps you already get some exercise every day and you feel confident and happy with your ability to complete your designated exercise. You should consider stepping up your exercise program - exercise more and do it more often. For example if you go for a short walk three times a week then try to find the time to do the same walk four or five times a week.
If you find your exercise is getting boring or monotonous then you should look to change the exercise you're doing, add some variety by doing a different exercise instead. If you become bored you will begin to dislike your exercise routine and this must be avoided.
If you're looking for a good type of exercise, you should look for something that works your entire body. For this reason, it might be a good idea to invest in a small exercise machine, or in a membership to one of your local gyms. By exercising all of your body, you'll be able to increase your muscle tone everywhere - which will generally make you feel healthier.
The most important lesson is don't get discouraged. If you are in an off mood and can't bring yourself to exercise, then accept that this happens everyone - it's your body's way of saying it needs a day off! But the important thing is to not let that day off become a break, don't break your exercise routine for more than a few days or it will be very difficlut to get back into it.
Even if you end up not exercising for so long that you get out of your routine, that is no reason to give up. Just start exercising again - no matter how much or how little exercise you do, it will always benefit you. Whether you're looking to continue or change your current exercise routine, or you're just starting to exercise again, good luck!
Peter Hilsper is webmaster and editor at ROAR Exercise
which is crammed with the best in health information, links and articles. For more information, go to:
http://www.roarexercise.com/
You will get the most out of exercise when you enjoy doing it so you should pick an activity that you'll enjoy doing.
There will be time to wonder if its the most effective exercise you could be doing later.
The biggest mistake that most people make when they start an exercise routine is the choice of exercise. Most people start out excited, and they pick a really hard exercise routine to start out. They also tend to pick the type of exercise that is recommended to them, instead of one that they enjoy.
This will cause people to get sick of the routine within a matter of weeks and eventually stop exercising altogether because they just can't find the energy or motivation to stick with the overly hard program they chose.
This is something that you should make sure that you don't do. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all, so if all you feel up to doing is walking, then you should walk.
Study after study has shown that even people who do only twenty minutes of exercise as little as three times a week have better health than they would otherwise.
Obviously once you get settled into doing some exercise you'll want to begin to step up your routine. A good example is if you like cycling then go for a short cycle ride every second evening, after a while you will notice you can cycle for longer without getting tired - this is your fitness increasing. So when you reach this stage you might want to try cycling further or maybe cycling more frequently.
Perhaps you already get some exercise every day and you feel confident and happy with your ability to complete your designated exercise. You should consider stepping up your exercise program - exercise more and do it more often. For example if you go for a short walk three times a week then try to find the time to do the same walk four or five times a week.
If you find your exercise is getting boring or monotonous then you should look to change the exercise you're doing, add some variety by doing a different exercise instead. If you become bored you will begin to dislike your exercise routine and this must be avoided.
If you're looking for a good type of exercise, you should look for something that works your entire body. For this reason, it might be a good idea to invest in a small exercise machine, or in a membership to one of your local gyms. By exercising all of your body, you'll be able to increase your muscle tone everywhere - which will generally make you feel healthier.
The most important lesson is don't get discouraged. If you are in an off mood and can't bring yourself to exercise, then accept that this happens everyone - it's your body's way of saying it needs a day off! But the important thing is to not let that day off become a break, don't break your exercise routine for more than a few days or it will be very difficlut to get back into it.
Even if you end up not exercising for so long that you get out of your routine, that is no reason to give up. Just start exercising again - no matter how much or how little exercise you do, it will always benefit you. Whether you're looking to continue or change your current exercise routine, or you're just starting to exercise again, good luck!
Peter Hilsper is webmaster and editor at ROAR Exercise
which is crammed with the best in health information, links and articles. For more information, go to:
http://www.roarexercise.com/
Walking Meditation Is Meditation In Action
by: Sarah Thomas
It isn’t always necessary to sit in silence with crossed legs in order to meditate or benefit from the meditation. Walking meditation is an excellent example of this. Walking meditation requires the use of focus much in the same way as other types of meditation. The difference is that the focus is placed upon the walking experience.
With walking meditation therefore, we are mindful of the experience of walking; the movement of our legs, the movement of our arms. We focus upon the rhythmic motions of walking. Walking meditation also differs from traditional meditation in that we are aware of and participating in our surroundings. Whereas with the usual types of meditation, one withdraws into silence and closes the eyes. Obviously we can’t do that with walking meditation because we need the eyes open to see where we are going and to watch for dangers and obstacles. So while we are focusing on the rhythm of our walking movement, we are also aware of the sights, sounds, and sensations around us.
It is actually easier for many people to focus and meditate in this environment, and therefore are more successful with walking meditation than with the more traditional sitting forms of meditation. It is easier to be aware of and focus upon your body while it is in motion; the experience can be powerful and a source of deep enjoyment.
A few different types of walking meditation have evolved; however walking outdoors is the most common. To give walking meditation a try, find an open space like a park or empty parking lot where you can walk safely for about 20 minutes without the worry of encountering traffic or crossing busy streets.
How to do walking meditation
Once you have selected the ideal location for your walking meditation, follow the guidelines below:
Begin by Standing
Begin to focus upon your body with the simple act of standing. Notice how your body feels and be aware of the constant little adjustments your body makes in order to maintain balance. Feel the weight of your body pressing through your feet and onto the earth.
Walk and Focus
Once you have placed your full awareness onto your body, begin the walk. Walk with your usual stride and pace, not too hurriedly. There is no need to try and change the way you walk, all you need to do is be aware of your body walking. Keep your focus upon your body and feel it moving. Be aware of your feet as one raises and then the other. Become aware of all the tiny little sensations in your body from the feeling of your feet inside of the shoes, to your knee as it bends to lift your leg. Stay relaxed, relax your eyes and just let the scenery flow past you. Your goal is to be relaxed and bring your focus onto your body.
Become Aware of Feelings
Once you are fully aware of your body, switch your focus onto the feelings or sensations that pass through your body; not necessarily emotional problems, but rather the overall tone of your feeling of the moment. Are you happy? Bored? In a hurry? Pass no judgment on the feeling and don’t analyze it. Your goal is to just become aware of it and then move your awareness on.
Balance the Inner and Outer
Alternate your awareness between the inner, your feelings, and the outer, your body. Play with the awareness, and focus upon them in equal balance. When you are able to do this, your mind reaches a state of stillness and clarity. Your mind becomes calm. Your goal is to balance your awareness of the inner with the outer.
End by Standing
After you have completed the above steps and brought your awareness into a balance of the inner and outer, bring your body to a natural stop and once again experience yourself standing. Bring your awareness to the feelings in your body as you stand in place. When you are ready, bring the walking meditation to a close.
Selecting the appropriate location for your walking meditation will be an important consideration as you can imagine. It is not necessary to find a place of solitude, but you do need to find a location where you will be safe if your full awareness is not upon the environment around you.
About The Author
Sarah Thomas is an established freelance writer. You can find more of her writings at http://www.meditationteam.com and http://www.anxietysos.com.
It isn’t always necessary to sit in silence with crossed legs in order to meditate or benefit from the meditation. Walking meditation is an excellent example of this. Walking meditation requires the use of focus much in the same way as other types of meditation. The difference is that the focus is placed upon the walking experience.
With walking meditation therefore, we are mindful of the experience of walking; the movement of our legs, the movement of our arms. We focus upon the rhythmic motions of walking. Walking meditation also differs from traditional meditation in that we are aware of and participating in our surroundings. Whereas with the usual types of meditation, one withdraws into silence and closes the eyes. Obviously we can’t do that with walking meditation because we need the eyes open to see where we are going and to watch for dangers and obstacles. So while we are focusing on the rhythm of our walking movement, we are also aware of the sights, sounds, and sensations around us.
It is actually easier for many people to focus and meditate in this environment, and therefore are more successful with walking meditation than with the more traditional sitting forms of meditation. It is easier to be aware of and focus upon your body while it is in motion; the experience can be powerful and a source of deep enjoyment.
A few different types of walking meditation have evolved; however walking outdoors is the most common. To give walking meditation a try, find an open space like a park or empty parking lot where you can walk safely for about 20 minutes without the worry of encountering traffic or crossing busy streets.
How to do walking meditation
Once you have selected the ideal location for your walking meditation, follow the guidelines below:
Begin by Standing
Begin to focus upon your body with the simple act of standing. Notice how your body feels and be aware of the constant little adjustments your body makes in order to maintain balance. Feel the weight of your body pressing through your feet and onto the earth.
Walk and Focus
Once you have placed your full awareness onto your body, begin the walk. Walk with your usual stride and pace, not too hurriedly. There is no need to try and change the way you walk, all you need to do is be aware of your body walking. Keep your focus upon your body and feel it moving. Be aware of your feet as one raises and then the other. Become aware of all the tiny little sensations in your body from the feeling of your feet inside of the shoes, to your knee as it bends to lift your leg. Stay relaxed, relax your eyes and just let the scenery flow past you. Your goal is to be relaxed and bring your focus onto your body.
Become Aware of Feelings
Once you are fully aware of your body, switch your focus onto the feelings or sensations that pass through your body; not necessarily emotional problems, but rather the overall tone of your feeling of the moment. Are you happy? Bored? In a hurry? Pass no judgment on the feeling and don’t analyze it. Your goal is to just become aware of it and then move your awareness on.
Balance the Inner and Outer
Alternate your awareness between the inner, your feelings, and the outer, your body. Play with the awareness, and focus upon them in equal balance. When you are able to do this, your mind reaches a state of stillness and clarity. Your mind becomes calm. Your goal is to balance your awareness of the inner with the outer.
End by Standing
After you have completed the above steps and brought your awareness into a balance of the inner and outer, bring your body to a natural stop and once again experience yourself standing. Bring your awareness to the feelings in your body as you stand in place. When you are ready, bring the walking meditation to a close.
Selecting the appropriate location for your walking meditation will be an important consideration as you can imagine. It is not necessary to find a place of solitude, but you do need to find a location where you will be safe if your full awareness is not upon the environment around you.
About The Author
Sarah Thomas is an established freelance writer. You can find more of her writings at http://www.meditationteam.com and http://www.anxietysos.com.
Start Getting Fit With Yoga Exercise
by Christopher Smith
Yoga through meditation works great to achieve synchronization of the body and mind. It's actually a very common occurrence for people to be unable to perform tasks properly and satisfying because of their mental state of mind. Stress is the largest suspect for affecting parts of physical and emotional systems of all of us. Yoga however, can help cure this. In the physical sense, yoga has proven to be one of the most effective way to cure yourself of various disorders.
Listed here are some benefits of yoga that you can obtain:
1) Yoga is a perfect way to increase flexibility. Yoga has positions and postures that help flex and trigger joints of your body that you sparsely use. Including ones that are not included in your average exercise routine. 2) Yoga increases lubrication of joints and other important areas of the body including ligaments and tendons. There has been years of research behind the yoga concept to help improve this. It is also been found that people with rigid bodies can end up with extremely flexible bodies due to yoga. It can be quite remarkable how much flexibility one can gain from just yoga alone. 3) Yoga helps massage all organs of the body. Yoga is one of the only exercise routines that works through your internal organs thoroughly, as well as those that rarely get stimulated externally as well. 4) Yoga is an extremely wholesome activity on the various parts of the body. This massage and stimulation of the internal organs can turn benefits on us by helping reduce disease and disorder. Not to mention that yoga is a great way to improve your sense of awareness. This also helps improve health disorders and infections. 5) Yoga is completely different than any other exercise and helps detoxify the body unlike your average exercise program. It stretches and massages the various muscles and organs which ensures optimum supply of blood to all parts of the body. This helps release all the bad toxins from within your body and provides to be great nourishment for your body as a whole. This helps your body age better and retain your energy on a daily basis. 6) Yoga is a great way to stay in shape and tone all of your muscles. Yoga helps drop off flab and fat and put on pounds of muscle with just a simple program.
But, the fitness and physical improvement is just a side-dish to this powerful practice. Yoga harmonizes and synchronizes the body and mind. The mind alone has enabled many people to achieve unbelievable acts of physical feat which proves mind and body connect amazingly.
In fact, yoga is a form of meditation because both work in sync in achieving the goal of unity of the mind, spirit and body. This can lead to an eternal sense of serenity. That's the great feeling you get from yoga. Meditation through yoga helps to achieve an emotional balance through detachment. This helps to create an amazing calmness and sense of security with life. It will make your outlook on life improve by a large amount. This as well helps create amazing benefits for the physical health of your body.
About the Author
Now that you have a good understanding of the multiple benefits that Yoga can provide please visit the Start Yoga Now Resource section or read "staying fit with yoga exercise."
Yoga through meditation works great to achieve synchronization of the body and mind. It's actually a very common occurrence for people to be unable to perform tasks properly and satisfying because of their mental state of mind. Stress is the largest suspect for affecting parts of physical and emotional systems of all of us. Yoga however, can help cure this. In the physical sense, yoga has proven to be one of the most effective way to cure yourself of various disorders.
Listed here are some benefits of yoga that you can obtain:
1) Yoga is a perfect way to increase flexibility. Yoga has positions and postures that help flex and trigger joints of your body that you sparsely use. Including ones that are not included in your average exercise routine. 2) Yoga increases lubrication of joints and other important areas of the body including ligaments and tendons. There has been years of research behind the yoga concept to help improve this. It is also been found that people with rigid bodies can end up with extremely flexible bodies due to yoga. It can be quite remarkable how much flexibility one can gain from just yoga alone. 3) Yoga helps massage all organs of the body. Yoga is one of the only exercise routines that works through your internal organs thoroughly, as well as those that rarely get stimulated externally as well. 4) Yoga is an extremely wholesome activity on the various parts of the body. This massage and stimulation of the internal organs can turn benefits on us by helping reduce disease and disorder. Not to mention that yoga is a great way to improve your sense of awareness. This also helps improve health disorders and infections. 5) Yoga is completely different than any other exercise and helps detoxify the body unlike your average exercise program. It stretches and massages the various muscles and organs which ensures optimum supply of blood to all parts of the body. This helps release all the bad toxins from within your body and provides to be great nourishment for your body as a whole. This helps your body age better and retain your energy on a daily basis. 6) Yoga is a great way to stay in shape and tone all of your muscles. Yoga helps drop off flab and fat and put on pounds of muscle with just a simple program.
But, the fitness and physical improvement is just a side-dish to this powerful practice. Yoga harmonizes and synchronizes the body and mind. The mind alone has enabled many people to achieve unbelievable acts of physical feat which proves mind and body connect amazingly.
In fact, yoga is a form of meditation because both work in sync in achieving the goal of unity of the mind, spirit and body. This can lead to an eternal sense of serenity. That's the great feeling you get from yoga. Meditation through yoga helps to achieve an emotional balance through detachment. This helps to create an amazing calmness and sense of security with life. It will make your outlook on life improve by a large amount. This as well helps create amazing benefits for the physical health of your body.
About the Author
Now that you have a good understanding of the multiple benefits that Yoga can provide please visit the Start Yoga Now Resource section or read "staying fit with yoga exercise."
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