You’re probably all too aware of the effects of poor fitness, but do you know the real benefit of good fitness? Good fitness benefits you both physically and mentally.

Here’s a quick look at the physical benefits of fitness.

Regular exercise can lower your resting heart rate. Your heart is a muscle, and muscles get stronger and more efficient with exercise. In fitness terms, cardiovascular exercise can improve the efficiency of your cardiovascular system. The average resting heart rate is about 72 beats per minute. In comparison, marathon runners and many aerobically fit athletes report resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute.

Think of your body as a smooth-running car. If the engine is properly tuned and burning gas efficiently and all of the mechanical parts are in working order, the car will cover the most distance with the least amount of work. Similarly, if your muscles (including your heart) are healthy and strong, your body will operate more efficiently with the least amount of work. Just as a car engine is most efficient when it operates at the lowest RPM (revolutions per minute), your heart is most efficient when it’s beating as few times per minute as needed. Exercise strengthens the heart muscle and promotes cardiovascular efficiency.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet keep veins and arteries elastic and free from obstruction. Think of the veins and arteries in your body as the hoses in a car. Just as regular maintenance keeps those hoses strong and clear, cardiovascular exercise keeps your veins and arteries healthy and clear. Healthy veins and arteries help the heart to work properly and keep blood pressure within normal limits.

Regular exercise is good for your lungs. What do you need most when you exercise? More oxygen! The more you use your lungs, the easier it is for them to absorb oxygen and remove waste products. When you don’t exercise regularly, your lungs are like a dusty old storeroom with all of the windows shut. When your lungs get regular exercise, it’s like opening up those windows and filling that storeroom with clean, fresh air. As you probably already know, it’s very important to keep your “storeroom” clean by avoiding tobacco products.

Regular exercise burns more calories. When you stick to a regular exercise program, your body burns calories more efficiently.

Weight-bearing exercise strengthens bones and joints. Everyone should strive to maintain strong bones and flexible joints throughout their lives. Regular weigth-bearing exercises such as walking, running, and aerobics help to keep bones and joints strong.

Regular exercise strengthens muscles. Muscles will become stronger, firmer, and toned with proper exercise. Firm, well-toned muscles can also improve your physical appearance.

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of disease. Along with a healthy lifestyle, exercise can help reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease—two chronic and oftern deadly diseases.

Regular exercise can help to alleviate the harmful effects of stress. Stress can take a large toll on your body. Exercise can reduce the harmful effects prolonged distress can have on your body.

After learning just a few of the physical benefits of fitness, you might be motivated to get up and get moving. But wait, there’s even more good news about fitness.

Here, take a look at the mental benefits of fitness.

Exercise produces endorphins, which are naturally produced hormones that create feelings of happiness and well-being. When you exercise regularly, your lungs become more efficient. More efficient lungs take in more oxygen. Oxygen activates endorphins. When you put it together, being physically fit and mentally satisfied creates happy individuals who look and feel great.

Exercise increase the ability to better handle stress and tension. People who exercise regularly say they feel less tired, which makes it easier to cope with everyday whims and whines. The connection between body and mind becomes more apparent day by day. Throughout your fitness program, you’ll see how your physical and mental well-being are inextricably entwined.

Exercise reduces stress-related ailments. At one time or another, you’ve probably felt you’ve suffered from a stress or tension headache or stomach upset. With all being well, you haven’t developed stress-related hypertension (high blood pressure) or elevated cholesterol, with resulting heart disease. If not controlled, your body’s reactions to stress can be damaging. Regular exercise can help lesson the physical damage caused by stress.

In just these few examples, you can see both the physical and mental benefits of routine, physical exercise. Regular physical exercise can reduce stress, as well as reduce the risks of many diseases and conditions that harm the body. As you develop a physical fitness routine, you’ll have more energy, be better able to handle stress, and start to feel great about yourself.

Take a look at the major components of physical fitness:

Cardio. How well your heart gets oxygen-rich blood to all your muscles while you’re exercising is cardio. If you’re fit, your heart is pumping efficiently, your blood is loaded with oxygen, and your muscles are able to use oxygen and make energy.

Strength and Endurance. Lifting bags of groceries, moving furniture, carrying text- books, and lifting free weights all require muscular strength. Performing these tasks for extended periods of time requires muscular endurance.

Flexibility. If muscles and joints aren’t exercised, they become short and tight. If you’re flexible, you may be able to prevent some common injuries, reduce lower-back and shoulder and neck pain, and feel better about performing everyday jobs.

Body Composition. The overall makeup of the body, including the percentage of fat, the ratio of fat to muscle, the level of hydration, and bone density refers to body compotision. Athletes and physically fit individuals generally have a lower percentage of body fat than people who don’t exercise. Increased body fat can be related to an increase risk for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. A consistent and regular exercise program will reduce body fat and increase muscle. What you eat obviously affects your body composition as well. Exercise and food intake go hand-in-hand when it comes to a healthy body composition. Too many calories going in and too few being burned contribute to body fat.

Core Conditioning. Fitness is about making the whole body healthy. Many exercises help you to strengthen or flex particular muscle groups, and that’s good. Core conditioning is about getting your entire body moving as one entity and producing stability that comes from the trunk and the spine.

Preventing Injury. Properly done, exercise is very, very good for you. Improperly done, exercise can lead to muscle strains, pain, and muscle soreness. Selecting the right exercises, wearing the proper footwear, and using the right equipment and training area will lessen the chance of injury. Exercise, done properly, can help strengthen many body parts, reducing soreness during and after a workout. Proper exercise instruction will teach you how and when to move different body parts for maximum benefit and minimum injury.

Mental Health. Undue mental and emotional stress takes a toll on your body. Exercise and relaxation techniques can help alleviate stress and make you a happier, all-around healthier person.

Healthy eating is about keeping your body lean and mean. Overall weight isn’t so much of a concern as is overall body fat. Eating healthy, balanced, lower-fat meals will help you build more muscle, reduce fat, have more energy, and give you that ruddy glow of good health. Just as in the story about Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ beds, you don’t want to be too thin and you don’t want to be too fat, you want to be just right.

Let’s take a quick look at why healthy eating habits are essential to a successful wellness plan. Just as a car can’t run without fuel, your body can’t meet the physical demands of exercise without healthy food intake.

Healthy eating is necessary to:

• Supply energy and nutrients so your body can build muscles

• Develop and maintain your body’s strength and endurance

• Maintain flexible joints and muscles

• Promote a proper muscle-to-fat ratio

• Prevent many avoidable conditions and diseases

Did you know that the word diet is from a Greek word that means, “matter of living”? Today, the meaning of diet is sim- ply “nourishment with food and drink.” From a nutritional standpoint, a diet might be prescribed for weight loss, but it might just as easily be prescribed for weight gain, or simply for healthful weight maintenance over a lifetime. Yet, the word “diet” evokes a negative reaction from almost everyone. Many of us have been on and off weight-reduction “diets” with little to show for it but low self-esteem and a sense of failure. It’s time to start thinking of our diets as a purposeful matter of living well.

A regular diet of cupcakes and chips doesn’t contribute to the nutrition your body needs to do its important work. Don’t despair, however. There’s no such thing as a good food or a bad food (unless you have food allergies). Balance is the key. If you establish a basic healthy diet, there’s room for an “extra” food now and again. A healthy diet (or manner of living) should include:

• Five or more servings of fruit and vegetables (coming from juices, salads, soups, fresh, dried, or frozen fruits or vegetables, etc.)

• Lots of whole grains (such as barley, brown rice, whole wheat or vegetable pasta, and whole-grain hot or cold cereals such as oatmeal or raisin bran)

• Beans and lentils and lean protein foods (such as chicken, turkey, fish and seafood, low-fat soy products such as tofu or tempeh, and nonfat dairy products)

Everyone needs a little fat in their diet—yes, it’s true! However, according to health professionals, only 30 percent of your daily calories should be from fat. Try to use unsaturated fats from plant sources, such as:

• Vegetable oils, such as canola, olive, and corn oils

• Nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, or nut butters

• Seeds, such as sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds

Unsaturated fats are less likely to gum up the works, as in arteries, than saturated fats from butter, bacon, and coconuts.

A healthy diet needs to include a moderate amount of a wide variety of foods, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts, and seeds. Imagine trying to get great per- formance from your car’s engine by putting water in the gas tank. Or worse, soda pop. The same goes for your body. Eating nachos and soda won’t give your body the fuel it needs for top performance.

The basic rule of weight management is, Calories in equal calories out. This equation will be referred to again and again as you become skilled in fitness and nutrition. Using this equation, you’ll determine that if you consume more calories than you burn off, you’ll gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, your body will convert body fat into calories to burn for fuel.

With the “calories in equal calories out” equation in mind, review the following rules of weight control:

1. If the calories eaten equal the calories burned through- out the day, the result will be no weight loss (or weight maintenance).
   • If the calories eaten are fewer than the calories burned, the result will be weight loss.
   • If the calories eaten are more than the calories burned, the result will be weight gain.

2. To gain one pound, you must increase your intake by 3500 calories. To lose one pound, you must decrease your intake by 3500 calories.

3. Never try to gain or lose more than two pounds per week.

4. Establish an eating plan and pattern you can use over the long-term. Short-term diets yield short-term results.

5. Establish the weight you feel will be healthy for you. To estimate a healthy weight range, refer to the weight charts or the body mass index (BMI) table.

6. Consult a healthcare professional. Before taking the Chevy out for a long road trip, you have the oil, tires, and air filter checked. Before you march headlong into significant lifestyle changes, take your body in for a check-up. Make your healthcare professional part of your fitness team.

The basic rule of weight management is, Calories in equal calories out. This equation will be referred to again and again as you become skilled in fitness and nutrition. Using this equation, you’ll determine that if you consume more calories than you burn off, you’ll gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, your body will convert body fat into calories to burn for fuel.

With the “calories in equal calories out” equation in mind, review the following rules of weight control:

1. If the calories eaten equal the calories burned through- out the day, the result will be no weight loss (or weight maintenance).
   • If the calories eaten are fewer than the calories burned, the result will be weight loss.
   • If the calories eaten are more than the calories burned, the result will be weight gain.

2. To gain one pound, you must increase your intake by 3500 calories. To lose one pound, you must decrease your intake by 3500 calories.

3. Never try to gain or lose more than two pounds per week.

4. Establish an eating plan and pattern you can use over the long-term. Short-term diets yield short-term results.

5. Establish the weight you feel will be healthy for you. To estimate a healthy weight range, refer to the weight charts or the body mass index (BMI) table.

6. Consult a healthcare professional. Before taking the Chevy out for a long road trip, you have the oil, tires, and air filter checked. Before you march headlong into significant lifestyle changes, take your body in for a check-up. Make your healthcare professional part of your fitness team.

BMI, or body mass index, involves nothing more than a ruler, a scale, and a chart. Remember that a simple weigh-in doesn’t give a full picture of physical condition, because the percent of fat to muscle isn’t shown on a scale.

Many health professionals feel that the BMI is more useful than a height-and-weight chart. You’re familiar with those charts—you look up your height and then see what you’re supposed to weigh. That’s okay, but it doesn’t take into account how much of your body is muscle, and, more important, how much is fat. What you weigh isn’t as important as how much of you is fat. Why is that? Moderate muscle reflects healthy living, and high body fat indicates risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and circulatory diseases.

Your BMI is just another indicator of overall health. The bodies of people who include weightlifting, skiing, and swimming in their regular exercise program will probably be composed mostly of lean muscle. When referring to a height-and-weight chart, these people might seem overweight because their denser muscle mass weighs more than fat. Now don’t jump up and say that a pound of muscle is as heavy as a pound of fat. Of course it is. However, picture it this way: If your skin were a hollow shell and you filled it with muscle, it would weigh more than if your skin were filled with fat. That’s because, by volume, muscle is denser than fat, and therefore an equal volume of muscle weighs more than an equal volume of fat.

The BMI has ranges for height and takes other factors into consideration. Another perk of the BMI is that it can be used for all ages. Other height-and-weight charts, such as insurance tables, are geared specifically to adults or children.

Check out a BMI chart. Locate your height and then your weight. Look to the top of the chart for your BMI. A BMI of 19–25 indicates a healthy weight, a BMI of 25–30 is considered overweight, and more than 30 indicates obesity.

The ad says you can lose 10 pounds over the weekend. What do you think? Remember the calorie equation: calories in equal calories out. Many, many different products on the market guarantee weight loss. You’ve probably heard about grapefruit juice or vinegar preparations that will “burn” fat away. Not only is this not possible, it could be dangerous to drink acetic acid (the acid contained in vinegar) over extended periods of time. In addition, grapefruit juice shouldn’t be consumed with several common hypertension medications.

Not only is it impossible to lose real weight (fat) quickly, it can be dangerous to lose more than one or two pounds per week. Certain pharmaceutical and herbal preparations can induce the loss of fluid in the body—referred to as the diuretic effect. Along with losing water from your body, you lose essential minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. Lose enough of these minerals and your blood pressure will rise, your heartbeat will become irregular, and your kidneys will fail. Every year people are seen in emergency rooms after taking certain weight-loss formulas. In the past several years, deaths have even been associated with some of these prod- ucts. Drinking enough water is important; note that thirst isn’t a good indicator of the body’s need for fluids.

Any plan that guarantees that you can “lose all the weight you want and eat everything you want” is obviously false advertising. It either doesn’t perform the way it promises or it’s so dangerous no one should use it.

But what about products that seem reasonable? Many years ago there was a “diet bread” that was very popular. You were to eat a slice of this thin bread before meals and follow the diet plan that came with the bread. People lost weight on this plan, crediting the bread for having special properties.

How did it work? Well, to give you a hint, if you replaced the bread with a glass of water, you would have had the same effect. If you take a small portion of a low-calorie food before you sit down to a meal, you’re already partially full. This will usually lead you to eat less and still feel full. The diet plan that came with the bread was a reasonable, low-fat menu. Was this product false advertising? No—just a way to make the wallets of non-nutrition-savvy people a little lighter.

There are no foods that burn or absorb calories. There’s no single food that will enhance athletic performance or guaran- tee an “A” on your next exam. Of the two recent top-selling “diet” books in the country, one tells you to eat protein foods almost exclusively and the other claims carbohydrate foods are the way to go. How can they both be right? The only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than you need. The only way to enhance performance, scholastic, athletic, or otherwise, is to eat a balanced diet, drink lots of fluids, and get reasonable amounts of exercise and rest.

But, you say, I feel better when I take the herbal study aid or I lose weight when I make my favorite diet soup. The mind is a wonderful thing! The power of suggestion makes many things possible. If you think and believe that that herbal study aid will help you concentrate, then it probably will. That diet soup you make is probably low in calories and fat, and you’re probably careful about the other foods you eat with it. That’s what’s working!

As you begin your fitness plan, you’ll need to think about your fitness goals, types of exercise you can do or would like to learn, budget restraints, and the time you’ll be able to allocate. See the following for a sample table that will help you determine what some of your short- and long-term exercise goals might be.

Don’t shortchange yourself by jumping into some type of exercise before having a clear plan of where you want to be and how you’re going to get there. Before you can do it, you need to plan it.

Planning exercise goals means sitting down and figuring out reasonable short- and long-term goals and identifying what the obstacles could be to these goals.

Write down your goals so you can remind yourself what they are from time to time.

We all tend to do a bit of dreaming when we’re goal setting. You might picture yourself exercising on the beach, doing yoga at dawn, or running five miles after work each day. Unfortunately, what you’d like to do and what you’re able to do might not be the same. If you’re realistic when developing your goals, you’ll increase your chances of achieving them. Understand that your first plan of action might include a bit of wishful thinking. Take a realistic look at your new goals and identify any legitimate obstacles. Revise your original plan to take into consideration available time, exercise preferences, and budget.

As you develop your fitness plan, keep these keys to success in mind:

• Establish short- and long-term fitness goals

• Choose activities that you enjoy

• Choose convenient workout locations

• Have a regularly scheduled time to exercise

• Keep your enthusiasm and motivation up by rewarding yourself for reaching mini-goals along the way

• Read articles about your chosen exercise

• Hang out with people who do the same exercises

• Exercise with a friend if it helps keep you on target

• Adjust your goals and routine to suit your schedule and your body’s needs

• Incorporate physical activity in your day whenever possible

• Instead of watching the news at the end of the day, throw on your iPod and stroll while you listen to the radio news.

• Walk around downtown or go bowling instead of playing video games.

• Rent a rowboat or canoe instead of going to the movies.

• Take a bike ride instead of a drive in the country.

• Join a friend for a lunchtime stroll rather than a heavy lunch.

• Dance around the house to music while cleaning rather than dragging through chores.

1. Identify the behavior to be modified. Be very clear on exactly what you want to change.

2. Want the change. Only you can make this step happen. You can’t lose weight to please your friends or stop smoking so your doctor will stop nagging you at each annual checkup. Wanting to change your behavior is crucial to your success.

3. Stop at this step until you’re ready to make a change. Without the deepest desire to change the specific behavior, you’ll have little chance to succeed.

4. Look at how the behavior developed and any “history” attached to it. Why did you start (or stop)? What pleasure do you gain from the behavior? What pleasure will you gain from modifying the behavior? In your mind, the pleasure and long-term benefits derived from the change must outweigh the pleasure of the current “bad” behavior for you to want to change the behavior.

5. Write down short-term and long-term goals.

6. Make a signed, written contract with at least yourself and preferably with a friend or family member committed to supporting you as you modify your behavior.

7. Develop a plan for meeting your goals and changing the behavior.

8. Start changing the behavior. As you do, constantly assess what works and what doesn’t. Are you moving toward or away from your goals? If you’re moving away, reevaluate your plan and get yourself back on track.

9. Report your progress to your contract-friend and build a support network for positive reinforcement.

10. Plan how you’ll keep the change going for the long term.

Urban myths, superstitions, and just generally incorrect information abound about, well, just about everything! Remember the “if someone hits you on the back when you’re crossing your eyes, your eyes will stay crossed?” Do you avoid walking under ladders so you won’t have bad luck? There are hundreds of superstitions and urban myths that circulate around the world and move through generations.

Take a moment to see how you shape up in the urban myth department. You might be surprised at what you accepted as fact, that’s simply misinformation.

1. True or False? As you get older, you lose muscle and gain fat, no matter how active you are or what you eat.

False! Certainly as you age, your “shape” may change a little. You can’t defy gravity or the effects of being exposed to sun and wind. However, physically active people who maintain a healthy weight can continue to increase their lean body mass (muscle) and decrease the percentage of body fat. It’s true that you require fewer calories as you get older—and this starts sooner than you think. You actually begin to require fewer calories as early as 18 years of age, not 80. Most people don’t change their eating habits as they age, so they continue to consume the same amount of calories while becoming less active, which results in more fat and less muscle. More fat and less muscle results in weight gain and flabby bodies.

2. True or False? The more you exercise, the more protein you need.

False! Your body uses carbohydrates, protein, and fats for different types of energy. Protein is usually saved for repair (for cuts, burns, tears, etc.) and for maintaining tissues. A balanced diet will give your body the correct fuel it needs to exercise at maximum efficiency. And, by the way, eating more protein doesn’t help to build muscles. In fact, Bill Pear, a Mr. Universe, is a vegan!

3. True or False? You should have a doctor or healthcare professional checkup before starting a fitness routine.

True! A solid fitness routine requires a decent amount of planning. Part of the plan should be to get a checkup. You can undergo a treadmill stress test to determine your cardiovascular fitness, or a body fat percentage test to determine your present body composition. Many healthcare professionals can help you determine the types and duration of exercise best suited for you. Do your own research and also take advantage of a health- care professional’s expertise.

4. True or False? No pain, no gain.

False! Pain is never a good thing and should not be accepted as part of fitness program. An occasional sore muscle or a little tenderness here or there may be part of starting a fitness program or trying out a new exercise. But “working through the pain” is bad advice at best and a serious injury at worst. Listen to your body. If an exercise is painful, it could be your muscles aren’t warmed up enough or you’re not using the correct technique. Pain can also indicate that your body simply isn’t suited for that particular type of exercise or isn’t strong enough yet to endure the length of the workout. Pain means stop. Soreness means you should allow your body to recover and muscles to heal.

5. True or False? Drinking water while you’re exercising is a good idea.

True! Sipping water before, during, and after exercise is a good idea. When you exercise, your muscles generate heat. Water helps to keep the body cool, so you don’t overheat. Also, if you don’t replace the water you lose during exercise, you can become dehydrated. (Remember that 60 to 70 percent of your body is composed of water.) Dehydration can lead to confusion, fatigue, dizziness, irregular heartbeat and is eventually life-threatening.

6. True or False? You don’t need to drink water when you exercise if you don’t get thirsty.

False! Thirst is a very poor indicator of dehydration. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re probably already on the road to dehydration. During exercise, drink water early, drink water often.

7. True or False? To lose weight, you need to limit starches such as pasta, rice, beans, breads, and potatoes.

False! Carbohydrates and proteins both have four calories per gram when eaten. There’s no point in totally eliminating one or the other from your diet. Many times, it’s not the carbohydrates we eat that are fattening, it’s the fat we add to the carbohydrates. Baked potatoes don’t come from nature with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and butter! Your body requires carbohydrates for fuel and doesn’t work efficiently without sufficient amounts of carbs. It’s never a good idea to eliminate an entire category of food.

8. True or False? You shouldn’t work out with joint pain, especially “weak” ankles.

False! Fitness training helps to improve joint flexibility, increase blood circulation, and keeps the joints mobile. There are exercises for every muscle that can be done with care to develop and strengthen joints. Consult a healthcare professional and devise a workout plan that will work for you without pain.

9. True or False? Warm-ups are for wimps.

False! Soft-tissue injuries are no fun for anyone. There are different methods to warm up your entire body, and a warm-up should be a part of every exercise routine. Warm muscles are more flexible, making them less prone to injury.

10. True or False? I can work out at any time of the day and get the same exercise benefit.

True! Some people believe that if you don’t exercise in the morning, you won’t get any benefit. Not so! The best time to work out is the time you’ve got! Though exercise at any time of the day benefits your body, a good workout gives an energy boost, so you might not want to work out too close to bedtime.

Well, how did you do? Hopefully, you knew many of the correct answers already. If not, you’re on the path to learning the facts about nutrition, exercise, and wellness that will last you a lifetime.

There has always been fitness and nutrition information that sounds reasonable on the surface, but has no backing in science. There may be a kernel of truth in the information, but not enough to make it reliable. At the least, following such information might cost you some money or time, but it might not cause harm. For example, you might have been told that brushing your hair 100 strokes each day will make it look silky and lustrous. There’s no scientific proof that 100 brush strokes will provide any benefit to your hair, but it might make your arms a little stronger!

At worst, bad information can lead to illness, physical harm, or even death. For example, chromium is a mineral known to participate in the body’s efficient use of insulin. Several years ago, some nutritional-supplement purveyors and borderline healthcare professionals were claiming that diabetics could throw out their insulin and just supplement their diet with chromium tablets. This was very, very dangerous advice that cost several people their lives and resulted in many hospitalizations.

Fitness and nutrition are relatively new fields of study and are combinations of many subjects, including physiology, psychology, biology, economics, and medicine. The more you study fitness, the more you’ll learn about all these sciences and their impact on the body and mind. The more you arm yourself with accurate, scientific information, the better prepared you’ll be to sort out fact from fiction.

Rice, wheat, corn, beans, and potatoes are all carbohydrates. Most nutritionist agree that carbohydrates should be the largest part of your daily intake. Carbohydrates should be at least 55 to 60 percent of your daily caloric intake.

All carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. Carbohydrates are divided into three categories: simple carbohydrates, also called “sugars”; complex carbohydrates, which are starches; and fiber.

Carbohydrates are easily digested and absorbed and are a good and efficient source of fuel for the body. Most carbohydrates are very low in fat and sodium. Minimally processed carbohydrates, such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and dried beans, are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Fat is a very efficient source of energy and is an essential part of your diet. Because it’s so efficient, only very small amounts are required on a daily basis. About 60 to 70 percent of the energy you need at rest comes from fat calories. Resting energy needs include things like breathing, blinking, swallowing, muscle contractions, and so on. Saved or stored energy is in the form of fat, to be used when needed.

All fat contains the same amount of calories (9 calories per gram). However, different types of fat can cause damage and disease to the body whereas other types of fat can actually contribute to health.

Protein differs from fats and carbohydrates in that it contains nitrogen, a mineral that’s essential for life. Protein is essential for sustaining life and keeping body systems in good repair. Too little protein can result in poor growth and healing, immune function problems, breathing difficulty, and even heart problems, such as dangerously low blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms. However, too much protein, eaten over long periods of time, can result in kidney disease, poor liver function, and vitamin deficiencies and might play a role in some forms of heart disease and cancer. What’s the answer? Balance!

Your body produces and uses thousands of proteins, each with its own job. Proteins are found in the internal organs, the muscles, the skin, and in the blood. They’re also an important part of the immune system.

Without protein, your body doesn’t do very well, because it lacks the building material necessary to keep the body functioning properly. Too much protein causes problems, too, because excess protein puts a strain on the liver and kidneys.

Whole proteins aren’t exactly what the body is looking for. It’s the amino acids that make up the protein chains that the body can use. Proteins are chains made from the 20 different amino acids contained in animal and plant protein.

Nine of the amino acids are essential amino acids. In nutrition, essential means the body’s got to have it but can’t make it on its own. Essential nutrients must be obtained from the diet. You can get essential amino acids two different ways: by consuming animal products or plant products.

Protein helps you in your endeavor to keep fit. Some proteins take energy and turn it into physical work. It’s not energy, like what you get from carbohydrates and fats, but actually flexing and gripping and contractions that involve muscle action. Every time you type on a computer keyboard, climb stairs, lift weights, blink or breathe, you need protein to fire the muscles.

If you’re not eating enough protein, then you’re not doing your immune system any favors. Antibodies are specific proteins found in the blood that attack and neutralize viruses, fungi, and bacteria and anything else that doesn’t belong in your system. Your white blood cells, lymph fluid, and antibodies are all necessary for a well-functioning immune system and rely on protein as their building material.

Protein tells your circulatory system how much fluid to keep and how much to discard. In this way, your body has the correct fluid balance, which means your tissues get nourished correctly and your heart can pump at a normal rate. If there’s too little protein in the diet, then the body can’t maintain correct fluid levels. If fluid levels are incorrect, fluid tends to flow out of the veins and arteries and into the surrounding tissue, causing edema. Edema is uncomfortable, resulting in swelling and pressure. Edema can cause blood pressure to rise and damage joints and muscles.

Protein is a real workhorse. Proteins carry lipids, vitamins, and minerals around the body in the blood. If you don’t have enough protein, then the body doesn’t get nourished correctly, because there are no delivery people around to bring what’s needed to where it’s needed. Protein also helps to transport toxins from used-up nutrients away from the muscles and organs. If there’s a protein deficiency, then you can have a build up of toxins.

Your body much prefers carbohydrates and fat for energy but will use protein in a pinch. Converting protein to energy is a clunky, inefficient mechanism. The body will start to break down its own muscles for energy if no other sources of energy are available. This happens in cases of extreme starvation.

Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The eight water-soluble vitamins include the B vitamins and vitamin C. The four fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E, and K.

The B vitamins, which include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B12, B6, and folic acid, aid a large number of functions in the body, including muscle control, nerve function, healthy skin and eyes, and the manufacture of red blood cells. Folic acid has been found to prevent certain kinds of birth defects, and B12 can prevent certain kinds of anemia. B12 is best absorbed from animal sources, so vegans might need to think about special B12 supplementation.

Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system. It also helps to build collagen (the “glue” that helps joints to function correctly) and aids in healing.

Because water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored in the body, there’s very little chance of vitamin toxicity. However, because water-soluble vitamins aren’t stored, they need to be consumed on a daily basis.

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the fatty tissues of the body, so some are left over from day to day. This isn’t to give you permission to eat healthy one day and live on chips and ice cream the next. Vitamin toxicity is almost impossible from food consumption. A varied diet provides an adequate amount of fat-soluble vitamins without worrying about an overdose. Most vitamin toxicities come from taking too many vitamin supplements over long periods of time.

Do people need to purchase vitamin supplements? Or should they just get their vitamins from foods? The answer depends on a person’s diet.

According to dietitians and nutrition professionals, most people can get all of their vitamins and minerals from their diet. Certainly, food contains all the vitamins and minerals that a person could ever need. The challenge, however, is in eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, lots of whole grains and fiber-containing foods, and a variety of protein foods, such as seafood, poultry, red meat, beans, legumes, and soy foods.

Vitamins don’t provide energy directly, because they don’t contain carbohydrates, proteins, or fats, which are the only sources of energy. Even though you can’t get energy, or calories, directly from vitamins, vitamins help the body to use energy. Vitamins guide the way for the body to use energy in an effective way. A vitamin deficiency makes it difficult for the body to use the energy in food.

Vitamins help with lots of different activities in the body. Without vitamins, you couldn’t grow, metabolize nutrients, use energy, or maintain health.

Some people know that they eat a healthy diet all the time and don’t worry about supplementing their diet with vitamin and mineral pills. Some people know that they eat healthy some of the time and worry about those times when they don’t have time to eat well. And other people think that the tomato sauce and onions on their pizza constitute a healthy serving of vegetables. These people should consider using vitamin supplements to make up what they’re missing.

However, there’s no substitute for the real thing. A glass of orange juice is more beneficial to the body than a vitamin C pill. It’s more enjoyable and healthy to get calcium from stir- fried tofu or strawberry yogurt than from a calcium tablet. Experts agree that whole foods have more health-promoting properties than supplements. Eating whole foods delivers the nutrients to you in the original package. An orange isn’t just a packet of vitamin C, but a whole carton of vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, and other natural substances meant to function together.

It can’t be emphasized enough that vitamin supplements are just that—supplements. Supplements aren’t meant to replace a good diet.

Minerals make up only about 5 percent of our body weight, but they’re essential for life. Minerals are present naturally in foods, in the environment, and in our bodies.

The two classifications of minerals are major and trace minerals. Major minerals are found in greater amounts in the body and are needed in larger amounts in the diet. Major minerals include calcium, potassium, chloride, sulfur, magnesium, and sodium. Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts and include iron, iodine, zinc, fluoride, and cobalt. If you eat a balanced diet, then you should be able to get all the minerals you need from the food you eat and the beverages you drink.

Water is an essential nutrient. It doesn’t supply energy; it doesn’t ramp up the immune system; and it doesn’t build better bones. However, the body is about 60 to 70 percent water. Muscle tissue has about 70 percent water, and fat tissue has about 20 percent water. A well-nourished person could theoretically go about 6 weeks without food. It wouldn’t be pretty, but it would be possible. However, a person can go only about 3 days without water.

Most people take water for granted. It’s not interesting, and it doesn’t seem to do very much. In reality, water participates in just about every chemical reaction and function in your body and is a large part of each and every cell.

Water is a large portion of your blood supply and other body fluids, such as lymph. Water in these systems, as well as in your muscles and internal organs, helps the body to rid itself of waste products. Water is used and waste products are produced as a result of digestion, exercise, breathing, and all those other things bodies do to stay alive. Water helps dilute the waste products so that the kidneys aren’t damaged and helps to move the waste products out of the body.

Because the body loses water every day, and because the body is 60 to 70 percent water, it’s important to replenish your supply. You even lose water when you breathe! The old rule of thumb was that everyone needed eight glasses (or 1/2 gallon) of water per day. Technically, 1 milliliter of water is needed for every calorie burned. If a person burns 1200 calories per day, then he or she needs about 1200 milliliters of water, which is 1.2 liters or about 5 cups of water per day, minimum.

You don’t have to get all your daily water from drinking straight water. Most fruits and vegetables (and their juices) contain water; many other foods are mostly water or ice, such as soups, gelatin, and sorbets. In addition, water can be obtained by drinking herbal teas, decaffeinated beverages, or sparkling or flavored waters. Of course, plain water is still the best source of water.

Caffeine and alcohol are the enemies of water. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, green and black tea, colas, sodas to which caffeine is added, chocolate, and other products that have been “fortified” with caffeine, as well as alcohol-containing products, act as diuretics. Diuretics tell the body to get rid of water even though water is needed. So, theoretically, you could drink caffeinated iced tea all day and wind up becoming dehydrated!

Dehydration can be an important concern for people who work out, especially if they’re working out in hot conditions, have extended workouts, or are out of shape. Dehydration can have mild to severe symptoms, which can range from headaches and thirst to muscle aches, flulike symptoms, fever, irregular heartbeat, and even mental confusion. Heat makes the body lose water at a faster rate, and remember that you need to replace everything you lose. Dehydration strains the body’s organs and can cause physical and mental damage if it becomes a chronic condition.

Feeling and staying healthy is based, in part, on the amount and type of fuel provided to the body. Sufficient amounts of the right type of energy help to maintain all of the body’s systems.

The goal is energy balance. Energy balance is the relationship between energy intake (what you eat) and energy output (what you burn up). If energy in equals energy out, then you’re in energy balance. This state is a great state to be in! Energy balance means that you’re eating just the right amount and type of food to maintain your weight and to perform all of the tasks you want to do, such as basic body functions, exercise, and day-to-day activities. If you take in more energy than you put out, then you’re in positive energy balance. This means that your body can open a savings account in your liver and fatty pads (doesn’t that sound attractive!) and that you’ll gain weight.

Positive energy balance is a good place to be if you’re growing, as in childhood and adolescence; repairing, as in recovery from a broken leg or the flu; or pregnant. With a positive energy balance, the body is able to call on stored energy supplies, as needed. However, a positive energy balance isn’t a good thing if you’re a fully grown adult who’s in good health. Too much stored energy can lead to obesity and obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

If you take in fewer calories than you need, you’ll be in negative energy balance. You’ll see weight loss, but you might also feel tired and suffer from depressed immunity. The moral to the story is that the body likes to be in balance. Think of your body as a car. When all of the fluid levels are correct, the oil and gas tank are filled with high-quality products, and the belts are all properly tightened, your engine just purrs along. Your body is the same way—it likes to stay in balance. An energy-balanced body will reward you with great performance. Selecting the correct amount of food, fluid, and exercise is the key.

Every person is in either negative or positive energy balance sometime throughout the day. After a good night’s sleep, you’re well rested, but your body is very low in usable energy. Thus, you’re in negative energy balance. Another example would be if you wake up too late to grab breakfast and by noon all you’ve had time for was coffee. You’ll definitely feel the effects of negative energy balance, including headache, fatigue, and lack of energy. Just about everybody is in positive energy balance during the holiday season or after a big birthday dinner. Both types of energy imbalances are easily correctable.

However, if you’re constantly in energy imbalance, you’ll see variations in weight and frequent changes in your energy levels. You need to assess your intake to avoid this.

What makes you feel hungry? How do you know to stop eating? Hunger (feed me!) and satiety (I’m full) are a real team effort, with different parts of the body reacting in different ways. When you’re awake, if the stomach goes without food for three or four hours, it starts to contract and might even generate a growling sound.

A part of your brain, the hypothalamus, gives you cues about when to stop and start eating. Being exposed to cold seems to trigger the hypothalamus to send out “eat” messages. This is a good survival instinct. When you eat, your metabolic rate increases, helping you to generate heat and increase your fat stores, which provide insulation. When protein, fat, and carbohydrate levels in the blood get too low, your liver sends messages to your brain to go on a search-and-seek mission.

An interesting connection, or lack of connection, exists among tasting, salivating, chewing and swallowing, and satiety. When you eat, food passes through your esophagus and into your stomach and small intestines. The stomach becomes distended and sends messages to your brain that say, “Enough already, turn it off!” However, research conducted among people with certain medical conditions that prevent food from entering the stomach, such as a hole in the esophagus, found that these people still experienced a sense of satiety. This finding demonstrates how the different parts of the body are interwoven.

The pace at which you eat also is important. You should try not to eat too quickly. If your body doesn’t get a chance to register that you’ve eaten, you’ll never feel satiated. This scenario will result in overeating, and eventually excess weight gain. There’s some truth to the suggestion that you should eat slowly, without any distractions, such as reading the paper or watching television, to help you eat only the amount of food you require.

Appetite has very little to do with physiological sensations of hunger. Appetite has to do with the psychology of hunger. To put it another way, hunger is a basic, physical response to the need for fuel. Appetite is a nonphysical response to eating, such as eating based on your mood, the time of day, or your cultural background. If you eat when you aren’t physically hungry, then you’re responding to your appetite. That extra slice of pizza and that dessert you thought you were too full to eat are examples of a response to appetite. Appetite can be related to culture. For example, many people think of cold, sweet cereal when they head to the breakfast table. If they’re met with barbecued ribs instead, their psychological appetite might say “no way,” even though they’re physically hungry.

Appetite can be taught. You’re probably familiar with the concept of behavior modification. Small children are told, “Finish your broccoli and you can have dessert” or “Sit quietly for 15 minutes, and I’ll give you a cookie.” Both examples teach children to respond to appetite, not hunger. Child psychologists and nutritionists will tell you that food isn’t a good reward.

A shorthand way to determine the calories required for energy balance is to add a zero to your desired weight. For example, if you would like to weigh 140 pounds, you should take in approximately 1,400 calories per day. Most adults consume 1,200 to 2,500 calories per day. It’s obvious from looking at energy expenditure tables that most people aren’t burning the majority of their calories through exercise.

About 60 percent of all of the calories you eat go toward basic physiological functions, such as respiration, heart function, blood circulation, digestion, food absorption, body temperature regulation, and muscle tone (we’re not talking about biceps here; we’re talking about muscles in the lungs and small intestine). Another 30 percent is used for physical activity, such as walking, chewing, speaking, and, oh yes, working out and going to the gym. The remaining 10 percent is the amount of heat you burn by processing food. It takes energy to break popcorn down into glucose and sushi into amino acids. If you want to get fancy about it, this process is called the “thermic effect of food.”

The body’s energy needs increase when the outside temperature is extremely hot or cold, when you have a fever, if you drink caffeinated beverages or smoke, if you’re pregnant, or if you have a very lean body mass (like an Olympic runner). Some medications and medical conditions can also increase energy needs. As you get older, your energy needs decrease, which is part of the natural aging process. Your energy needs also go down when you sleep.

Mother Nature designed it so that women have lower energy needs than men do. This fact is related, in part, to gender differences in the ratio of lean muscle to fatty tissue. Lean muscle uses more energy than fatty tissue. Women have less lean muscle than men do. This doesn’t mean that all women are fat or that women athletes aren’t muscular. It just means that ratio-wise, women have more fatty tissue. Women require more fatty tissue because of the physiological requirements of childbearing.

Recall the difference between hunger and appetite. Although
a woman might “feel” she needs the same portions of food as her male counterpart at mealtimes, the reality of the situation is that a 70-inch woman, no matter how lean she is, still requires less energy to run her body than a 70-inch man does. The man has many more square inches of muscle to fuel and probably has a bit less fatty tissue. This is Mother Nature’s cruel joke, but it’s a fact of life.

Once you understand that weight gain and loss depends on your energy balance, you’re in a good position to evaluate deceptive nutritional claims. To understand how the truth is distorted, let’s establish some basic nutritional truths:

1. Calories in equals calories out is the rule of weight maintenance. If you need 2,000 calories to meet your daily energy needs, and you eat 2,000 calories, you’ll maintain your weight. If you eat more than 2,000 calories, you’ll gain weight. If you eat less than 2,000 calories, you’ll lose weight.

2. One pound of weight equals approximately 3,500 calories. To gain a pound, you have to add 3,500 calories to your diet. To lose a pound, you have to cut out 3,500 calories.

3. You can’t choose a particular spot to lose weight from. You can tone an area or tighten up some muscles, but you can’t pinpoint a spot to lose weight.

4. As far as we know, there are no nutritional cures for cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, or other severe diseases. Proper nutrition is very important in helping the body to combat disease, but there’s no “miracle food.”

5. Herbs are medicine, too. Just because a product is advertised as “all natural from herbs,” doesn’t mean it can’t raise your blood pressure or cause kidney damage.

6. No one food will reverse or prevent aging, get rid of wrinkles or cellulite, or whiten your teeth. Proper nutrition is a combination of lots of different types of food and fluids. If someone has found the fountain of youth, they’re keeping it a secret.

Remember that calories in equal calories out and that to lose a pound you have to take away 3,500 calories. Many different products on the market guarantee weight loss. Some advocate grapefruit juice or vinegar preparations that will “burn” fat away. Not only is this impossible, but it could also be dangerous to drink acetic acid (the acid contained in vinegar) over extended periods of time.

Not only is it impossible to quickly lose real weight (as in fat), it can also be dangerous to lose more than one or two pounds per week. Certain pharmaceutical and herbal preparations can induce the loss of fluid in the body in a process called the diuretic effect. Along with water, you lose essential minerals, such as potassium and magnesium. If you lose enough of these minerals, your blood pressure will rise, your heartbeat will become irregular, and your kidneys will fail. Every year, people are treated in emergency rooms after taking certain weight-loss formulas. In the past several years, a number of deaths have been associated with some of these products.

Any plan that guarantees that you can “lose all of the weight you want and still eat everything you want” is obviously false advertising. It either doesn’t perform the way it promises or it’s so dangerous no one should use it.

But what about products that seem reasonable? Many years ago, there was a “diet bread” that was very popular. You were to eat a slice of this thin bread before meals and follow the diet plan that came with the bread. People lost weight on this plan, crediting the bread for having special properties.

How did it work? If you replaced the bread with a glass of water, you could save money and still lose weight. If you consume a small portion of a low-calorie food before you sit down to a meal, you’re already partially full. As a result, you’ll eat less food and still feel full. The diet plan that came with the bread was a reasonable, low-fat menu. Was this product false advertising? No. It was just a way to make the wallets of non-nutrition-savvy people a little lighter.

No food burns or absorbs calories. No single food will enhance athletic performance or guarantee an “A” on your next exam. The only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than you need. The only way to enhance performance—scholastic, athletic, or otherwise—is to eat a balanced diet, drink lots of fluids, and get reasonable amounts of exercise and rest.

But, you say, I feel better when I take the herbal study aid, or I lose weight when I make my favorite diet soup. The mind is a wonderful thing! The power of suggestion makes many things possible. If you think and believe that that herbal study aid will help you concentrate, then it probably will. That diet soup you make is probably low in calories and fat, and you’re probably careful about the other foods you eat with it. If it works and does no harm, then go with it!

For permanent weight loss, experts make the following suggestions:

1. Use low-fat cooking methods, such as poaching, roasting, barbecuing, grilling, and steaming.

2. Avoid extreme calorie restrictions. Don’t skip meals or fast.

3. Eat at least 1,200 calories per day.

4. Lose weight slowly, only 1 or 2 pounds per week. Remember, 3,500 calories equals one pound.

5. Select a diet that fits your lifestyle and food preferences. Plan for special events.

6. Exercise at least 30 minutes most days.

7. Be realistic. Look at your body type and heredity.

8. Forget the scale. Weigh yourself once a week at most.

9. Reward yourself with something other than food!

“Good food” can help to keep the immune system functioning at its best and can be lower in calories and higher in nutrients. You’ll be surprised how you can “sneak in” good nutrition and “sneak out” some of the less beneficial ingredients. Here are tips to help you transform unhealthy eating habits:

• Fruits instead of cookies and cakes: Eat fresh apples, pears, oranges, grapes, bananas, peaches, apricots, melon slices, and dried fruit; poached or baked apples or pears; baked bananas; apple and pear cobblers (use low-fat granola and graham crackers for a crust)

• Veggies instead of chips: Carrot and celery sticks, radishes, cherry tomatoes, jicama, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, bell pepper strips, roasted summer squash and eggplant, grilled carrots, baked white and sweet potatoes, baked beet, carrot and potato chips

• Juice instead of soda: Fresh or frozen orange juice; cranberry-orange juice blends; grape juice; nectars, such as apricot, mango, peach, or pear; smoothies made with fresh fruit and juice; fruit ices or sorbets made with juice, pureed fruit, and sweetened with orange or apple juice concentrate

• Whole instead of white: Whole-wheat bread and pasta; carrot and zucchini muffins; corn bread; oatmeal; graham crackers; bran and whole grain cold cereals

Cardio, also called aerobic fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiorespiratory endurance, is an essential component of physical fitness. Cardio is the ability to maintain high endurance exercises, such as cycling, swimming, and running, for a prolonged period of time (for example, a period of 20 minutes or more), without the early onset of performance-inhibiting fatigue.

When you’ve reached an appropriate level of cardio fitness, your heart and lungs work together to transport oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to all systems in the body, as needed. Your muscles are able to efficiently use the delivered oxygen to produce energy needed to sustain exercise without too much fatigue.

Exercise meant to improve cardio fitness can help to prevent or lessen the damage from obesity, hypertension, heart disease, joint disorders, and stress. Many studies have linked cardio exercise to the lowering of blood pressure both immediately following exercise and for almost 24 hours after the exercise is completed

As a couch potatoes, you should start by walking slowly for the first several weeks, with each session being no more than 20 minutes. This will allow you to ease into a walking routine, without discouraging aches and pains. When you’re active and have been exercising regularly, at least two times a week, you can start walking three to five times a week, with a maximum of 30 to 40 minutes a session. If you become very active, exercising regularly three or more times a week, brisk walking sessions can be up to 40 to 60 minutes.

Walking allows for few excuses. Don’t have 20 minutes? If 20 minutes isn’t available, even 10 minutes of exercise can help you get started. Knees hurt? Jog in the pool. Even if you don’t have any joint distress, you might want to jog in the water to add a little spice to your walking routine.

When you feel ready, spend most of your walking time walking briskly. When you’ve been walking regularly, three times a week, for several months, you’ll experience a wonderful training effect. Your resting heart rate will be slower, your stroke volume will be greater, and your heart will efficiently move blood through your body with less effort than prior to walking. 

The heart must be overloaded to get into shape, just like any other muscle in the body. However, you want to make certain that you’re taxing the heart a little, but not too much. Too little overload, and you get no cardio benefit. Too much overload, and you might harm yourself.

Cardio activities are meant to improve cardio fitness, strength, and endurance. This means that you must include modes of exercise that “stress” the body with the proper frequency, intensity, and duration.

The mode of exercise refers to the type of exercise chosen. The mode could be walking, running, jogging, swimming, or cycling, or any other exercise that uses large muscles in a repetitive manner.

Fitness can be achieved only through frequency; that is, your fitness program must be repeated multiple times each week. The current thinking is that a frequency of three to five times per week is minimal, with ten times a week maximal. That’s why it’s important to pick exercises that can be enjoyed over time.

Intensity is another important component of cardi fitness; and this component is often overlooked. It’s not just the fact that you walk for 20 minutes a day, it’s the overload factor—how much did you reasonably tax your system? If you don’t push the body, at least a little bit, you won’t increase the oxygen you can extract and deliver to your exercising muscles.

Some fitness professional use training intensities, rating people at 50 to 85 percent of training intensities (TI). The TI is supposed to show how fit you are by comparing the resting heart rate with the maximum heart rate. To calculate training intensity, you’ll need the following numbers: RHR (resting heart rate) and HRR (heart rate reserve). The HRR is calculated by subtracting the RHR from the MHR (maximal hear rate), or HRR = MHR – RHR. To obtain these numbers, take your pulse when you’re exercising at your hardest. That’s your MHR. Take your pulse about 20 to 30 minutes after you’re through exercising and have been sitting quietly. To figure out how intensely you’re training, take a guess if you think you’re working at 50, 70, or 85 percent of your ability and use this formula:

TI (training intensity) = HRR x 50, 70, or 85 percent + RHR

Remember that the THR (target heart rate) is another measure of cardio fitness. THRs can be viewed from a smartwatch or looked up on charts. THRs are determined based on age and level of fitness.

Not only do you need to push yourself, you need to push yourself for a while. You’ve got to get your heart rate up and keep it there. It’s not enough to get your heart and lungs working for just a minute. Several schools of thought exist as to the amount of exercise time, or duration, required for cardio fitness. Duration will vary depending on your fitness level and the intensity of exercise. The less intense the exercise, the longer it will need to be to get any benfit from it. Some fitness professionals suggest to exercise for at least 20 minutes at a time for cardiorespiratory benefit. Some research has found that more frequent sessions of less time might also provide a cardio benefit, such as three 10-minute workouts per day, separated by 4-hours, at 70 percent TI.

Interval training is a common way to increase cardio fitness very quickly. Cardio activities are performed at an intensity and duration of 90 to 100 percent TI for 60 to 90 seconds. After a period of active rest (walking slowly or jogging in place), repeat the high-effort activity for another 60- to 90-second period. This process is repeated to complete three cycles of this pattern of activity. The workout should be increased by one cycle every two weeks to once a month.

Medium-range training involves time periods of 10 to 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise. The effort should be 90 to 100 percent. You shouldn’t be able to hold a conversation while the workout is being performed. Medium-range training is a type of “racing” workout.

This is an activity that can be sustain indefinitely, such as long walks or easy cycling. A conversation should be possible while engaged in this type of training. This type of workout teaches the body to burn fat and create endurance. This workout should exceed 30 minutes.

Changing and rotaing exercise and techniques help to avoid training burnout. A good way to train for cardio fitness and overall strength is to follow a weight-training program with cardio activities. On days that you’re not training with weights, you do some long, steady distance training. Some circuit training can be done at least once a week, but, for safety reasons, not on a day following a leg workout with weights. The combination of two or more of these techniques with a change (if possible) in the chosen activity can break up the monotony and help to avoid training burnouts as cardio fitness and strength increase.

Here are mistakes to avoid so you can obtain maximum benefits from your cardio activities.

1. Exercising Too Hard, Too Often

If you don’t rest enough between hard workouts, you’ll stop making progress, and you might even lose some of the fitness you’ve gained. You’re also a candidate for exercise burnout.

How to Fix It: To keep your muscles happy and your motivation elevated, alternate shorter, tougher workouts (20 minutes is good) with longer, easier 40 to 60-minute workouts. Don’t push yourself to the absolute limit more than twice a week. Remember, the more intense you train, the more time your body needs to recover.

2. Cardio Coasting

If you stick with the same cardio activity, such as the same aerobic exercise class workout day in and day out, you can actually sabatage your results, and you’ll get bored, which means you might stop exercising! To reliably boost your fitness (cardio) level, you need to get outside that “I know this routine inside and out” to the point where you’re a bit winded and you can feel your heart pounding (within reason).

How to Fix It: Instead of coasting or doing moderate intensity all the time, add in some high-intensity intervals twice a week. For example, warm up on the treadmill and then increase the speed or the incline for 1 minute. Recover for 1 or 2 minutes with easy or moderate exercise. Alternate for 15 minutes. Challange yourself with a different exercise video or class, cycling instead of swimming, etc.

True or False? A healthy diet or regular exercise can slow the progress of heart disease, such as atherosclerosis.

True. Many studies have shown that diets low in saturated fat paired with regular aerobic, cardiorespiratory exercise can slow the development of atherosclerotic plaques (hardened fatty deposits in the arteries). Diet and exercise have also been shown to prevent the progress of heart disease.

True or False? There’s a great risk of sudden cardiac death while exercising.

False. About 10 to 15 sudden cardiac deaths during exercise are reported annually. Considering the millions of people who exercise or play sports on a regular basis, the likelihood of a healthy person dying from sudden cardiac death is extremely small. A thorough medical exam can identify some of the risk factors for sudden cardiac death.

True or False? People get a “physical high” or “runner’s high” when they do aerobic exercise.

True. During sustained, vigorous aerobic exercise, the pituitary gland releases hormones called endorphins. Endorphins are natural chemicals that can give a feeling of happiness or well-being . . . and they don’t have any calories!

True or False? If you exercise and smoke, the exercise will decrease the damage from smoking.

False. Smoking diminishes the body’s ability to transport oxygen through the blood, because the carbon dioxide from smoke combines more easily with oxygen than hemoglobin. Chronic smoking decreases the body’s immune response. So, if you smoke and exercise, you’ll probably be wheezing and sneezing. Exercise can’t compete against the harsh chemical agents found in cigarettes. If you stop smoking and exercise, the increased fitness level may help to increase the function of compromised pulmonary and cardiac tissue.

True or False? You must wait two hours after eating to exercise.

This myth depends on how much you ate and how vigorously you’re going to exercise. You can take a slow stroll as soon as you put down your fork. If you ate a large meal and want to go all out on the treadmill, two hours is a good waiting time. High-fat and high-protein meals might require a longer time to wait before exercise due to increased digestive complexity.

True or False? The best time to exercise is early in the morning.

False. Aerobic exercise can be done any time of the day, except for right after a heavy meal. Of course, midday may be the most hot or humid time of the day, so plan outdoor exercise around the weather. People watching their weight seem to like to work out at lunch time, highly stressed people seem to prefer to exercise in the evening, and people who exercise in the morning seem to stick more regularly to their routine.

True or False? Athletes must drink sports beverages.

False. When you exercise, you burn energy; when you burn energy, you get hot; when you get hot, you sweat, and that’s when you lose fluid and minerals. The aim is to replace the fluid volume and the minerals dissolved in the sweat. A good rule of thumb is to consume 8 to 10 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of vigorous exercise. Fruits, such as oranges and bananas, have minerals, and water has fluid! Sports beverages could be helpful, but read the label; beverages highly concentrated will slow down the body’s ability to absorb water and defeat the purpose of drinking them.

True or False? If it’s hot or cold outside, one shouldn’t exercise outdoors.

False. Exercising in very hot and humid weather isn’t a great idea. It’s hard for the body to accommodate the heat. However, depending on your health, a very short session might be okay. Exercising in the cold should be okay if you select clothing that will conserve heat (the layered look) and if it’s not too windy. Exercise actually increases the production of body heat.

There are lots excuses for dropping out of a cardi program, but very few good reasons. If people start too fast, select the wrong program for their fitness level, or get no instant gratification, they tend to get discouraged. The most common excuse is usually time; that is, no time to do all of the things that need to be done. It can be difficult for you to find time to exercise, but it isn’t impossible. You know what to tell yourself: “If I’m not healthy, I’ll have lots of time when I’m recovering from an illness caused by stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise” or “Who deserves the gift of good health more than me and my family?” The following are more helpful pointers:

• There are 168 hours in a 7-day week; you need only three, 30-minute workouts to get your heart and lungs in shape, to improve cardio fitness. Counting warm-up, cool-down, and clean-up, that’s about three hours per week.

• Exercise must be fun. Find out what you enjoy and design an exercise routine around it.

• You can use exercise time to socialize with friends or to have quiet time, whichever you prefer.

• Keep a record. You’ll be proud to look over your weekly accomplishments.

• Indulge yourself. Purchase a fancy sweatshirt, cool workout shoes, or request a gift certificate for an after-exercise massage.

Resistance training does improve the look and tone of the body, but it’s more than just an exercise that will help you look good on the beach. Medical research has shown that resistance training offers the following benefits:

• Increased muscular strength

• Increased strength of tendons and ligaments

• Improved flexibility (range of motion of joints)

• Increased skeletal system strength

• Improved bone density (decreases the risk of osteoporosis)

• Increased metabolism

• Improved posture

• Limited muscle atrophy

• Decreased resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure

• Improved blood cholesterol

• Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)

• Increased circulation

• Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity

• Improved mood and self-esteem

• Improved quality of life

• Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults

• Lowered risk of heart disease and certain cancers

• Improved body image and self-image

These are just a few of the many reasons why a well-planned resistance-training program is considered an important part of a fitness program, regardless of a person’s age, gender, and physical goals.

What is meant by “hard work”? Many people confuse “hard work” with “lots of work,” but they’re not one and the same when it comes to resistance training. In fact, you shouldn’t work really hard for very long when you’re resistance training. If you’re working out for a long time, you’re not working hard. Hard work (also called high-intensity training) means each exercise should be continued to the point of temporary muscular failure.

What method of resistance training should I use? Resistance training can be accomplished in a number of different ways. A beginner should start slow, with one or two sets of exercises that have the advantage of producing good results in a short time, such as half an hour, three times per week, placing emphasis on skill acquisition and the mastery of technique. Within three to four weeks, the nervous system will adapt to the stimulus and progressive stress should be added. Moving from two to three sets of the exercise and appropriately progressing the exercises ensures new adaptational stress.

Is it supposed to be painful? Unfortunately, resistance training can become uncomfortable toward the end of each exercise. This discomfort is bearable only because the exercise doesn’t last very long. In fact, there should be fewer than 30 seconds of discomfort for each exercise. The discomfort might not bother you once you’re used to it. Don’t try to achieve maximum effort at the beginning—just try to work a little harder each time. Never push yourself to go further when your body is yelling at you to stop.

Should a beginner work hard at resistance training? The answer to this question depends on factors such as age, physical limitations, the activity, and the intensity. A person without preexisting health conditions should be able to work at levels of physiological discomfort once the exercise techniques are mastered. The most important initial goal for any program is to learn good form and training technique.

How is muscle size related to muscle strength? Although a muscle can increase in strength without changing in size, when a muscle increases in mass it also increases in strength. The nervous system accounts for the majority of force production improvements from strength training, but increased muscle mass correlates to increased muscle strength.

I’ve seen people with small muscles lift more weight than people with large muscles. How is this possible? Two principles are involved here, neurological efficiency and skill. Neurological efficiency is a factor of heredity and training. Individuals who develop greater neurological efficiency are better able to utilize the potential of their muscle tissue than those with lower neurological efficiency. If the person with the smaller muscles (and better neurological ability) increased in muscular size, he or she would be even stronger. A person can be compared to only himself or herself when comparing muscle size and strength relationships. Also, many weightlifting feats that are thought to be a test of strength are, at the least, equally a test of skill. A skilled weightlifter can easily lift much more than an unskilled person of similar strength.

The role of heredity: Can I defy my genes? When people are born, they arrive with a predetermined potential range of strength. This range is usually quite large, especially for men. The average untrained male can improve his strength by 300 percent with proper training. This figure is 150 percent for the average female. The message here is that although everyone can make improvements in muscular size and strength, not everyone can be a competitive bodybuilder.

What causes muscle to grow? Muscle growth is an adaptive mechanism in response to the body perceiving that it’s not strong enough to meet environmental demands. In this case, the environmental demands come from resistance training. Although it doesn’t sound attractive, you can think of resistance training as irritating your muscles. Other forms of exercise also cause the muscle growth response, but to a lesser extent.

How important is rest? The purpose of resistance training is to stimulate the body to become more efficient, to attain better strength and balance, to maintain the integrity of the protein content in muscle fibers, and, in some cases, to cause the muscle fibers to grow. The recovery and growth takes place during a time of rest. If there’s inadequate rest, some or all of the stimulation to recover and grow will go to waste.

How does diet affect resistance training? Nutrition is a very important component of resistance training. A balanced diet with adequate fluids provides the fuel you need to benefit from resistance training. Eating a balanced diet is all that’s necessary; nutritional supplements can actually cause harm. It’s important to recognize that increasing protein doesn’t add muscle mass, but may instead place undue stress on the kidneys.

Is it harmful to hold your breath during weight training? It’s dangerous to hold your breath while lifting because it raises your blood pressure and deprives your muscles of oxygen.

Is it dangerous to work through joint pain? When starting on weights, learn how to safely and productively train. Strength training is a productive form of exercise, but only if done safely. While it’s normal to experience a moderate amount of discomfort while you train, you should never continue resistance training if you’re in pain.

There’s nothing more discouraging than being so sore from a workout that you can hardly sit down or stand up. Rest and recovery are very important factors in resistance training. What one is actually doing to the muscles when training is creating microtrauma in the contractile units of the muscle fibers. These small areas break down muscle tissue on a microscopic level. If proper rest is achieved before the next time that muscle tissue is broken down again, there’s progress and growth. The muscle tissue repairs itself by creating scar tissue over the small tears to protect itself and prepare for the increasing demands being imposed on it. This is the process of hyper-trophy in response to stress, and it’s a good thing.

However, if the muscle tissue is broken down again before it has been given sufficient time to recover and repair, then the principles of overtraining and diminishing returns take effect. As a general rule, 48 to 72 hours is usually the time it takes for a given muscle or body part to fully recover and repair from an exercise if one is applying the principle of overload, as in resistance training. Keep in mind that a number of factors might change the recovery time. Many people, because of their fitness level, age, and intensity might require more or less rest and recovery.

• Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient-rich blood to the areas about to be exercised, which warms the muscles and lubricates the joints.

• Stretch when you’re done. Stretching increases or maintains muscle flexibility.

• During the first week, keep it light. Work on technique and good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.

• For each exercise, go through the complete range of motion, move at a controlled speed, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never give up form just to add more weight or repetitions.

• The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level.

• Listen to your body. Heart rate isn’t a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights. It’s important to listen to your body and to do what it says.

• The minimum amount of resistance training recommended is one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of 8 to 10 exercises that condition the major muslce groups, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You’ll get more overall gains with more days per week, sets, and exercise-appropriate resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.

• Strength-training sessions should last no more than one hour.

• As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further for the fatigued muscles to rebuild.

• “No pain, no gain.” This statement isn’t simply false, it’s also dangerous. Your body will adapt to resistance training and the soreness will lessen each time you workout.

Here are the exercises for a beginner strength-training program:

Squat

Bench Press

Seated Row

Overhead Press

Lateral Pulldown

Leg Curl

Triceps Pushdown

Bicep Curl

Overload. To see gains in strength you must stimulate the muscle more than it’s accustomed.

Progression. The active muscle must continue to work against a gradually increasing stress to meet overload.

Specificity. Gains you receive are dependent on the muscles group used and movement pattern performed.

Strength (Maximal Force) Versus Endurance. If you’re interested in strength gains, you should train with heavier weights closer to your 1-RM. Endurance is a submaximal force that’s repeated or sustained. If you’re interested in gains in endurance, you should concentrate on lifting lighter weights for more repetitions.

Breathing. When lifting weight or work- ing muscles against resistance, exhale through the mouth as you perform the work. Failure to breathe correctly during heavy weightlifting can cause drastic increases in blood pressure that may be harmful.

Warm-Up. The warm-up should be tailored to the activity. In other words, if you’re performing the bench press, begin your warm-up with a light intensity and per- form 8 to 10 reps.

Workout. Work on larger muscle groups first, then proceed to smaller muscle groups.

Cool-Down. The cool-down keeps the body active and prevents pooling of blood in the extremities. The cool-down is done at a lower intensity.

Stretch. Stretching promotes elasticity in the muscles, increases flexibility and range of motion, and decreases the risk of injury.

The amount of weight used during resistance training should be based on a percentage of the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted one time or the one-repetition maximum (1–RM) based on multiple reps. The maximum number of repetitions performed before fatigue stops the completion of an additional repetition is a function of the weight used, referred to as repetition maximum (RM), and reflects the intensity of the exercise. A weight load that produces fatigue on the third repetition is termed a three-repetition maximum (3-RM) and corresponds to approximately 95 percent of the weight that could be lifted for 1-RM.

For optimal results, you should train according to your genetic predisposition and level of fitness. Always remember to listen to your body. Even if a weight load has been scientifically calculated for you, if it feels too heavy, don’t lift it.

The strength training zone, or area in which your body will overload, requires you to use loads in the range of 60 to 100 percent of 1-RM. The relationship of percentage loads to number of repetitions (rounded up) is as follows:

The greatest strength gains appear to result from working with 4- to 6-RM. Increasing this to 12- to 20-RM will increase muscle endurance.

One set of 4- to 6-RM performed three days a week is a typical resistance-training program. The optimal number of sets of an exercise to develop muscle strength remains controversial. Research comparing multiple-set programs to produce greater strength gains to a single set indicates that there isn’t a significant difference.

Many types of resistance-training machines and equipment are available, including variable-resistance machines and free weights. If no equipment is available, you can use cans of food, bottles of water, and your own body weight for resist- ance. A simple push-up is an example of using your body weight for resistance.

Variable-resistance machines are effective tools for building strength and muscle tone and are designed to work the target muscle in isolation, without the assistance of the surrounding muscles. Free weights (barbells, dumbbells, and machines that provide the same equal resistance to a muscle) allow you to target a particular muscle group and to engage other muscles that assist in the work. Once they’re conditioned, these assisting muscles help you to increase the weight you use in training the target muscles to stimulate the most growth in muscle fibers. The assisting muscles help to stabilize the body, support the limbs, and maintain posture during a lift. Lifting free weights improves your coordination by improv- ing the neuromuscular pathways that connect your muscles to the central nervous system.

Many weightlifters and resistance trainers use different patterns for exercising called systems. Here are a few examples of commonly used systems:

Simple Sets. A weightlifter might say he or she is doing “3 x 8 with 70 percent.” This means the weightlifter is performing three sets of eight repetitions with a weight of 70 percent of maximum for one repetition. This is the system that all beginners should work on, because the high number of repetitions enables the beginner to learn correct technique and reduces the risk of injury.

Pyramid System. With this system, the load is increased and the repetitions are reduced (for example, 20 pounds x 10, 30 pounds x 5, 45 pounds x 1, etc.). Pyramid lifting is for experienced people who have established good technique.

Super Setting. This system consists of performing two or three exercises continuously, without resting in between sets, until all exercises have been performed. The normal “between-sets” rest is taken before the next circuit of exercises is commenced.

The core is the group of muscles that work in harmony to provide stabilization for the body to transfer power from the legs to the upper body and vice versa.

The core consists of all of the muscles in your abdominal and spinal regions. It includes all of the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, transverse abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and intercostals), as well as the muscles associated with the spine (the erector spinae group) and other muscles that control pelvic positioning, such as the hip flexors (rectus femoris and iliopsoas) and extensors (glutes and hamstrings).

The core enhances your overall fitness level. A strong core enables the body to move more efficiently and gracefully. It can add power in athletic moves and other movements. A strong core reduces the risk of injury and muscle pain.

When the core muscles are weak, other muscles compensate by doing work they’re not intended to do, which can cause poor posture, chronic back problems, and injuries, such as a twisted knee.

Strengthening core muscles to improve core stability requires dynamic resistance exercises that involve multiple joints and balancing responses. More specifically, exercises need to stimulate muscle activity around the pelvic girdle, abdominal area, lumbar extensors, and the arms and/or legs. Lifting exercises performed on a bench or chair tend to support the core structures and encourage stronger contractions of the extremities. Lifting exercises that challenge the core stabilizers generally involve having the feet planted firmly on the ground.

Core-strengthening programs use a variety of tools:

• Inflatable balls, also called Swiss balls, exercise balls, and stability balls, require use of the abdominal and back muscles and work on balance.

• Balance boards provide a platform that tilts in many directions and some recoil. They also require you to use your abdominal and back muscles and work on balance.

• Hoops, also called fitness circles, are made of sprung steel and are topped with contoured pads. Hoops can be squeezed or stretched to provide resistance while exercising.

Flexible individuals can easily twist, bend, and reach. They have less bodily pain and experience improved joint health. Without routine stretching, muscles and tendons can shorten and become “tight”, reducing flexibility. The less flexible you are, the more you feel “tight” or strained. Decreased flexbility leaves you open to injury. Poor flexibility can even make a person unwilling to exercise or reluctant to perform everyday tasks, such as vacuuming, for fear of back pain and muscle soreness. Many studies suggest that flexibility helps to prevent muscle and tendon injuries and might help to reduce lower-back pain.

Here’s a list to remind yourself of the benefits flexibility has to offer:

• Enhance physical fitness

• Increase mental and physical relaxation

• Enhance development of body awareness

• Reduce risk of injury to joints, muscles, and tendons

• Reduce muscular soreness

• Reduce muscular tension

• Increase suppleness, due to stimulation of the production of chemicals that lubricate connective tissues

You know that you bend, twist and reach with different parts of your body in different ways. That tells you that there are different types of flexibility. You need to be able to call on various types of flexibility to perform different tasks.

Just as there are different types of flexibility, there are different types of stretching. Stretches are the “exercise” that helps you to preserve or improve your flexibility. Stretches are either dynamic (involving motion) or static (done while standing or sitting still with no movement). Dynamic stretches affect dynamic flexibility, and static stretches affect static flexibility.

These different types of stretches can be included in a flexibility routine:

• Ballistic Stretching

• Dynamic Stretching

• Active Stretching

• Passive (or relaxed) Stretching

• Static Stretching

• Isometric Stretching

• PNF Stretching

Your goals is to make yourself a stretching expert! Unfortunately, many individulas who stretch don’t always stretch properly. This means, at the least, that they don’t get the benefits of stretching, and, at the worst, they might injure themselves. Some of the most common mistakes made when stretching include:

• Improper warm-up

• Inadequate rest between stretching workouts

• Overstretching

• Performing the wrong stretches

• Performing stretches in the wrong sequence

Many traditional stretches have been found to cause injury when done over long periods of time. These traditional stretches don’t improve flexibility and can cause torn tendons, stretched ligaments, and sore muscles. For example, many years ago, runners and gymnasts would do 100 deep knee bends before exercising. Nowadays, we know that repeated deep knee bends can cause a great deal of harm. Here are some of the more harmful stretches that should be avoided.

The traditional backbend. In this exercise, your back is maximally arched with the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands flat on the floor and your neck tilted back. This position squeezes (compresses) the vertebral discs and pinches nerve fibers in the back.

The traditional runner’s stance, or hurdler’s stretch. This exercise has you sit on the ground with one leg straight in front of you and the other leg fully flexed (bent) behind you as you lean back and stretch the quadriceps of the flexed leg. The two-legged version of this stretch is even worse and involves fully bending both legs behind you on either side. The reason this stretch is harmful is that it stretches the medial ligaments of the knee (remember, stretching ligaments and tendons is bad) and crushes the meniscus (the lining of the knee). It can also result in slip- ping of the kneecap from being twisted and compressed.

Straight-leg toe touches. In this stretch, your legs are straight and your back is bent while you attempt to touch your toes or the floor. If you don’t have the ability to support much of your weight with your hands when performing this exercise, your knees are likely to hyperextend. This position can also place a great deal of pressure on the vertebrae of the lower lumbar. If you choose to have your legs spread apart, it places more stress on the knees, which can sometimes result in permanent deformity.

Rapid torso twists. Performing sudden, intense twists of the torso, especially with weights, while in an upright (erect) position can tear tissue by exceeding the momentum absorbing capacity of the stretched tissues and can strain the ligaments of the knee.

Inverted stretches. These include any stretch where you hang upside down. Staying inverted for too long increases the blood pressure and can even rupture blood vessels (particularly in the eyes). Inverted positions are especially damaging for people with spinal problems.

1. Get organized. By organizing your life, you’re taking control of the way you spend time and energy.

2. Control your environment by controlling your surroundings.

3. Like yourself. Liking yourself involves giving yourself positive feedback and support.

4. Reward yourself by planning leisurely activities. Activities help you look forward to the near future.

5. Exercise a minimum of three days a week for 10 to 30 minutes. Any exercise, including walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming, is great.

6. Relax and take your mind off stress. Visualization and meditation are important when it comes to relaxation.

7. You require rest. At least seven to eight hours of rest a night is needed to remain healthy. Resting doesn’t include only sleep, but also breaks. It’s good if you take a 10-minute break every hour during work.

8. Be aware of yourself in terms of physical health. Any signs of distress, such as headaches and insomnia, should get immediate attention.

9. Don’t poison your body with drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol.

10. Enjoy yourself and don’t get too caught up in your stress. Life will be happier if you can see that things look better and can be handled if you aren’t a “drama queen.”

Sufficient oxygen is very important to the body’s well-being. During stressful situations, our bodies tend to tense up. Breathing becomes shallow, with less oxygen being brought in and less carbon dioxide being pumped out. Excessive stress leaves you in an unhealthy state.

Breathing is one of the main body functions affected by stress. When stressed, most people forget the natural habit of full breathing, which is required for maintaining proper physical and mental health. Proper breathing is essential for life and for cleansing the body. Learning how to breathe properly in stressful situations will help you to handle the stress. With enough oxygen, your overall mental and physical health will improve.

Breathing exercises are a helpful way to settle the body and the mind. Breathing exercises can help you to be calm and at ease. Proper breathing can result in a heightened sense of awareness, which can help you to make logical decisions. Breathing exercises can be helpful in reducing anger, anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, muscular tensions, and stress.

Don’t save breathing techniques just for times of stress. Any breathing technique can and should be practiced every day. Practicing these techniques will not only provide relief during stressful situations, but will also help you be more energized and more relaxed throughout the day.

Follow these breathing techniques and see how good you feel:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. At first, you might want to do this in a quiet area. After you’ve practiced awhile, you can do this exercise anywhere.

• Close your eyes. Inhale to the count of four and exhale to the count of four. Maintain relaxed, slow breathing.

• After several inhales and exhales, combine breathing with stretching. For example, stretch your arms to the side as you inhale and bring them back to your body as you exhale.

• Try this at first for three minutes. You can do this for as long as you need to feel relaxed.

Posture contributes to balance and balance affects posture; one can’t exist without the other. Good posture and balance help to prevent physical dysfunction and pain. In addition, good posture helps to eliminate muscle imbalances. Exercises that improve posture will likely improve balance, and exercises that improve balance promote good posture.

Efficient posture is standing, moving, and sitting so that the skeleton and muscles are in correct alignment. Balance is the ability to stand, move, and sit without unnecessary movement, such as swaying, and without falling.

Posture and balance can be used as a feedback system to show that everything is okay in the body. Many people complain of “tension” headaches; shoulder and neck pain; upper, mid-, and lower back pain or spasms; hip, knee, ankle, and leg pain; and in some cases, difficulty breathing or digestive problems. Note that such disorders can be signs of more serious ailments. Once all medical conditions are ruled out, posture should be evaluated as a possible cause of discomfort and pain. “Standing up straight” might not improve overall mortality or reduce morbidity, but it can eliminate some of the stress that leads to daily aches and pains

Posture is habit, and just like all habits, you can have good or bad posture. You practice your posture of choice every day. The posture you choose determines the relationship between most of your body parts and your skeleton.

Infants and toddlers provide a perfect example of learning about posture and balance. Infants quickly learn that if they have their heads tilted too far forward, they’ll lose their balance and fall down. Once those infants become toddlers and learn to walk, they naturally begin to hold their spines straight and have what’s considered to be correct, although wobbly, posture.

So why, you ask, don’t people just continue their good posture habits that they had when they first learned to walk? These good habits disappear for a number of reasons. Just because something is right doesn’t mean it’s easy. If they can get away with it, most people will take the path of least resistance. Because of the way muscles develop, it might be easier to slouch than to keep the head and shoulders aligned.

It might be the funiture we sit on or the car we drive that encourages poor posture over good posture. You should know the importance of equipment that fits properly. Bicycles are just one example of equipment that, if not porperly fitted, will cause an individual to use poor posture. You can see an example of this problem for yourself. Climb onto a bicycle that’s too small for you. How’s your posture? It’s a safe bet that your shoulders are huched, your back is curved, and your neck is twisted. Ouch!

Posture is a body language, the way we express ourselves through our physical appearance. Very tall people sometimes develop a habit of stooping to make themselves fit in better or not tower over the crowd. Shy people might stoop to make themselves invisible to the crowd. People who are under a lot of stress tend to slouch, almost as if they’re physically caving in to mental pressure. Let’s face it, when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, good posture goes right out the window.

Emotional or mental tension can lead to physical stress, and physical stress can lead to poor posture and balance. If you lean forward at your desk, hunching over work, day in and day out, week after week, you’ll become posturally imbalanced. Your spine is in a constant unbalanced postition that puts more stress on vertebral discs, which leads to a change in body alignment. Before you know it, your body will have learned a new bad habit. Your muscles will adjust by shortening the length of muscle fibers that are chronically in a shortened state, and postural muscles will begin to weakend if they aren’t stimulated to produce adequate force.

You might have noticed that your tension headaches can often be relieved by massaging your neck and shoulders; this is an example of mental problems causing physical problems. Tension headaches can be prevented by identifying postural problems and poor alignment, applying strength and flexibility exercises when needed, and practicing relaxation techniques to reduce tension attributed to emotional stress and anxiety. Increased spinal flexion and protraction of the shoulder blades (slouching) can place the respiratory muscles and digestive organs in a compromised position, which alters their function and can lead to reduced breathing mechanics and digestive disorders.

At any one time, about 93 percent of the population is walking or sitting with poor posture. Poor posture can lead to poor balance, back and joint pain, wear and tear on the joints and tendons, muscle stress, and poor muscle efficiency. The good news is that it’s easy to correct this situation.

1. Stand in front of a mirror. Place your feet firmly and squarely under your hips. When you look down, you should be able to see your big toes. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet.

2. Your lower legs (the shin) should be centered, with the knees slightly bent (in other words, don’t lock your knees; remember to achieve an easy balance—nothing rigid). Your knees should be centered over the big and second toes.

3. Your upper legs (the quadriceps and hamstrings) should hold your hips straight and support most of your body. Be sure they’re firm and not caving in.

4. Okay, this step is tough. The goal is to elongate your waist, but keep your ribs relaxed. You need to concen- trate to lift your midsection without tightening your ribs. Once you’ve practiced this concept, you’ll notice a differ- ence in how you stand and how easy it is to breathe.

5. Have you ever noticed yourself sort of caving in when you’re tired or under a lot of stress? Breathe softly and allow your chest to stay open and strong.

6. Throw back those shoulders. Stress tends to heap up on the shoulders, and we start wearing our shoulders up around our ears. Relax your shoulders, push the shoulder blades back comfortably, and keep your shoulders down, as far away from your ears as possible.

7. Your neck holds up your head, and your shoulders are intimately connected to your neck. Keep your shoulders down and your neck relaxed and elongated—you’re not a turtle! No matter the level of stress, you won’t have any more tension headaches if you maintain this position.

8. The crowning glory—your head! Keep your chin slightly tucked, so it’s not jutting out. Make certain your head is centered and balanced on your neck; don’t hold it to one side or let it fall back.

And there you have it! You’ve built your own private posture palace. You should feel relaxed, but toned. Your breathe should feel easy, and all of the parts of your body should be strong, but calm.

After you’ve conquered standing, let’s practice good posture and balance while seated. You’ve got some choices in leg position. You can sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you, opened in a straddle (“V” position); cross-legged (Indian style); or in a cobbler’s pose (legs bent, knees out to the side and touching the floor, feet flat with the soles touching). Seated on a chair, you can place both feet centered on the floor or cross one leg over the other. You can choose the position of your legs, but there’s no negotiation on your back, torso, neck, and head. Sit up straight or use a back support, but ensure that your spine is softly erect, your waist is long, your chest is open, your shoulders are back, your neck is elongated, and your head is centered, regally.

Good posture is a natural balance main- tained by healthy muscles, bones, and joints. Good posture and balance assists with being fit. The back and abdominal muscles need to be flexible and strong to support the spine. And how do we keep muscles strong and flexible? We move!

Many types of exercise can help to develop good posture:

• Weight-bearing exercise: Walking, running, stair-climbing, and aerobic exercise help strengthen the bones in the lower back, hips, legs, and feet. People who regularly perform weight-bearing exercises display less bone-mineral loss, resulting in stronger bones and less injury, fracture, and osteoporosis.

• Weight-training exercise: Weight training helps increase and preserve bone density, which in turn helps the skeleton stand up for itself. Osteoporosis is a serious disease, and each year it claims the lives of more women than breast and ovarian cancer combined. Approximately one out of every two women and one out of every four men will suffer an osteoporotic fracture after the age of 50. Weightlifting aids in good posture and balance, especially when the shoulder girdle is incorporated.

• Core-training exercises: As you already know, your body works from the inside out. Core-training routines include Pilates, yoga, and Tai Chi, all of which strengthen the core and help the body stand up straight from the inside.

At-home exercises: Posture and balance exercises should be convenient and fun. Some exercises that can be performed while you’re doing other tasks. For example, you might try side bends while holding onto the kitchen counter or table when you’re waiting for your coffee to brew. Other exercises might include balancing on alternate legs during phone calls or balancing a book on your head as you walk around the house.

Fencers and samurai, who often had to face certain life-and- death situations, were given one similar bit of training: make your fighting posture your everyday posture, and make your everyday posture your fighting posture. In other words, unnecessary tension takes away from good balance and posture. Poor balance and posture can lead to mental and physical stress. Hopefully your clients’ “battles” aren’t the life-and-death kind, but they may feel that way. So, while you sit, stand, lean, lay down, walk and exercise, model good posture and balance and encourage your clients to do the same.

If you think posture isn’t important, contact the Association Française de Posturologie, one of many international groups of physicians, physical therapists, healthcare professionals, and fitness professionals that dedicate their careers to the study of posture and balance.

Da Vinci compared the branches of the trees with the veins in the body, the circulation of blood to the flow or rivers, the pulsing of the heart to the rhythm of ocean tides, and the grace of a runner to the sweep of the clouds. He saw the movement of the human body as the workings of a beautiful complicated machine, a miniature model of the universe. Do you live up to da Vinci’s description?

All people are at their best when they’re relaxed and focused. It takes work to maintain this, but it’s worth it. Good posture and balance helps you to feel physically and mentally healthy. Good balance helps you to be at peace with yourself, and to become the person and the professional you would like to be.

Many people think that grunting and groaning during workouts and suffering with aching muscles is the way to fitness. You should know that the “no pain, no gain” school of thought has been totally discredited. However, there’s no escaping the fact that gains make pain more likely.

Of course, you don’t set out to hurt yourself, but, sometimes, things happen. However, most injuries don’t “just happen”. A vast number of injuries are completely preventable if you follow fitness safety basics.

Pain doesn’t earn you any points, and it could lead to lifelong injuries. If your pain persists, then something’s wrong, and you need rest or treatment. Know that feeling a little bad might come with the territory; that first 10 minutes of aerobics or the first turns around the track might not feel wonderful. That’s understandable. Learn to distinguish between your body’s “I’d rather be in bed” feeling and the “I’m going to fall apart if I continue with this” feeling.

The “no pain, no gain” mentality is one of the common causes of exercise-related injuries.

Many people think that grunting and groaning during workouts and suffering with aching muscles is the way to fitness. By now you should know that the “no pain, no gain” school of thought has been totally discredited. However, there’s no escaping the fact that gains make pain more likely.

Overexertion can cause injuries. People don’t set out to hurt themselves, but, sometimes, things happen. However, most injuries don’t “just happen.” But a vast number of injuries are completely preventable if people follow fitness safety basics.

Most injuries involve damage to soft tissues, usually pulls or strains. Fit muscles are stretchable and bendable, which usually makes them pretty forgiving. But you have to know and respect their limits, not only to avoid short-term pain and inconvenience, but also to prevent future pain.

Many injuries can have long-term ramifications, both physically and economically. Doctors speak about seeing patients all the time who complain about injuries they got 25 years ago. If you avoid injuring muscles, you’ll likely avoid damaging tougher parts of the body as well, such as bones, tendons, and ligaments, now and in the future.

Here are some thoughts for your health and safety.

Start with a medical check-up. Anyone who hasn’t exercised in a long time should have a medical exam before starting a fitness program. A health care professional can offer precautions if preexisting conditions are present, such as a high cholesterol level or high blood pressure or a bad knee or a weak back, that would make some exercises dangerous. If possible, discuss the type of exercise you’re planning on doing with your health care professional.

Variety is the spice of life. To avoid overuse injuries that come from repetitive exercise, vary your exercises from day to day and season to season. By choosing fitness workouts that vary the area worked and the activities of joints and muscles, you’re not likely to overstress any one of them.

arying your exercise routine also strengthens opposing muscle groups, which reduces the chance of injury. For example, serious walkers and runners inevitably build strong hamstrings, but they tend to have weak quadriceps. This imbalance can cause a variety of problems. The hamstring can exert tension on the tendons and ligaments around the knee, for example, causing inflammation. By including exercises that build the quadriceps, such as weight training, cycling, rowing, or calisthenics, this imbalance can be avoided. No matter how much you love running, swimming, or biking, you might become bored. By mixing up your choice of exercise, you can avoid boredom and overuse injuries. And you’re more likely to stick with your exercise routine!

Exercise year-round. Your exercise program should include strength, flexibility, and aerobic training. By staying strong, flexible, and in good cardiovascular shape year-round, you’re less likely to injure yourself during any one season.

Muscles serve a vital role in stabilizing joints. Year-round conditioning strengthens muscles to prevent unwanted or extreme movements. The knee joint, for example, relies on all the muscles around it to provide stability. Strengthening the muscles around the knees can help prevent some injuries.

Develop mental skills. Mental readiness for fitness should be part of every year-round fitness routine. Both the mind and the body need to be conditioned. A mental-conditioning program can help you to relax and focus. Practice relaxation techniques and imagery. Studies have shown that a number of psychological factors can predispose an athlete to an acute injury. If you’re overly “psyched out” by the importance you place on how many repetitions you can do or how many games you win, or if
the environmental conditions in which you must perform aren’t ideal (“it’s too windy/cold/hot”), your psychological state could detract from your performance and put you at risk for injury.

Train for your sport. Part of maintaining year-round conditioning is to prepare all the parts of your body for your sport or fitness exercise of choice. This includes training the muscle groups and energy systems required for the sport. Everyone who exercises regularly should be tuned into the condition of his or her body and recognize subtle changes, such as aches, pain, stiffness, favoring one part of the body over another, or fatigue. These signs won’t always be obvious, but it’s wise to become attuned to these signals, because they might help you avoid injury.

It’s important to develop mental concentration and relaxation skills to cope with life’s stresses. How you respond to competitive stress may be a predictor of how likely you are to be injured. “Relax and enjoy” is the right mind-set for fitness and exercise, not “kill the enemy.”

Follow steps to ease your way into enjoyable fitness program that they’ll be able to continue for a long time.

Progress gradually. Nobody likes being told to take things easy, but you can’t safely rush fitness. Pushing the body harder than it’s ready to be pushed results in damage, whether it’s tiny tears that make your muscles sore or larger traumas, such as lower-back spasms. This is a critical point to remember for anyone beginning a new fitness program. Many marathon coordinators will tell you that people with the least amount of training have the most injuries.

Warm up. Muscle fibers are like rubber bands: When they’re cold, they’re stiff and liable to tear. Warm muscles are not only more pliable, but they also contract faster and become stronger. Higher body temperature also lubricates joints and improves muscle cells’ ability to convert oxygen and glucose to energy. Warm up just enough to raise your body temperature about two degrees—enough to break into a light sweat—by doing light calisthenics, jogging, riding a bike, or walking briskly.

Use safety gear. A lot of injuries come from a lapse of common sense, such as not wearing a helmet when performing sports that call for one. People offer many reasons given for “forgetting” the helmet: loving the feel of the wind in their hair, not having anywhere to put it when they aren’t using it, not wanting to look dorky. The same goes for leg and kneepads, gym glove, and so on. Call a local emergency room and get what will be the frightening statistics on the number of cracked heads and other broken body parts they see every year that could have been prevented by the proper safety gear.

When muscles talk, listen. Working through pain doesn’t earn you any points, and it could lead to lifelong injuries. If pain persists, then something’s wrong, and you need rest or treatment. Know that feeling a little bad might come with the territory; that first 10 minutes of aerobics or the first turns around the track might not feel wonderful. That’s understandable. Learn to distinguish between your body’s “I’d rather be in bed” feeling and the “I’m going to fall apart if you continue to do this to me” feeling.

Back pain is very prenventable. Look over the following list to see how you can prevent yourself from acquiring back pain.

• Poor posture

• Weak lower-back muscles

• Lack of flexibility in lower back

• Lack of flexibility in hamstrings

• Using quick, sharp, jerking movements when exercising

• Repeated bending from the waist

• Osteoporosis

• Improper Lifting Techniques