Can a 30 Minute Workout Really Work?

If you talk to almost anyone who goes to the gym to workout and ask them how long a good workout usually takes, they will often answer with; “it takes a good hour to get in a good workout”, or even; “if I don’t spend 1 ½ to 2 hours in the gym, I just don’t get enough from my workout”.

Based on these kinds of typical responses, you can imagine how surprised many of these same people appear to be when I tell them that I only workout for 30 minutes a day, yet still get the kind of results that they do! Many of them will say, no way you only workout for 30 minutes a day! How can you ever get results doing that?

The plain fact is there are a lot of people who have such busy schedules that finding more than 30 minutes to dedicate to a workout is just impossible. It’s not that they don’t want to do it; there just aren’t enough hours in the day to be in the gym for 1 to 2 hours at a time.

If there was a way to get an effective workout in 30 minutes however, then perhaps they could spend half of their lunch hour in the gym, and the other half eating their lunch. That would be perfect, wouldn’t it? But is it really possible to do a workout in 30 minutes that will bring real results? The answer is a definite yes, but you will need a few simple strategies to make it happen.
 Here are some tips on how to make your workouts really work in only 30 minutes a day.

To start with, make sure you have a plan for each day. Write down all of the exercises you will be doing for that day and write down all of the weights you will be using for each exercise. Write down how many sets you will be doing for each exercise and how many repetitions you will be doing during each set.

Do split body part routines. For example, on Monday and Thursday, do legs, arms and abs. On Tuesday and Friday, do chest, back and shoulders. This way you only have half of your body parts to work on each day cutting down significantly on time spent in the gym.

Upon arriving at the gym, set up as many things as you can in advance so that when you get started, you can keep moving from one exercise to the other without wasting time getting the next piece of equipment set up. This way, you can go strait through each exercise without stopping, take 1-2 minutes rest, and then simply repeat until you finish all of your sets.

Avoid socializing. While being friendly is ok, don’t let yourself get distracted by having a conversation with others in the gym. Remember, you only have so much time and 5 minutes spent talking rather than exercising is 5 minutes wasted. Explain to people wishing to talk to you that you are on limited time and you just can’t stop what you are doing at the moment or better yet, put on a pair of headphones before you begin your workout; they’ll get the clue.

Always do your weight training and cardio training separately. On days you are not doing weight training, you can spend 30 minutes on the treadmill or on the stair climber. This way you are still only working out for 30 minutes. Combining the two only means you will have to spend more time in the gym and time spent in the gym is what you are trying to cut down on.

In summary, just remember to write out a plan for each day, split those body parts on different days, keep moving during your routine, don’t socialize, and don’t do weights and cardio on the same day and you will see excellent results in only 30 minutes a day.

The Powerful Healing of Love

"What is love?"

"The total absence of fear," said the Master.

"What is it we fear?"

He concluded: "If the withered tree had survived, nothing would have induced the bird to give up its security and fly."

"Love," said the Master.

Such is the power of love, it surrenders itself so its presence is known.

I am reminded of the quote by author Leo Buscaglia, "Love and self are one and the discovery of either is the realisation of both."

The realisation he speaks of is that at the core of our being we are pure unbounded love.

Any thoughts we hold to the contrary distort this truth.

We go to the source of our pain to heal any thoughts of separation.

When we let go of resistance, what is discovered is pure love. To heal the physical body of undesirable symptoms, we reconnect to that source.

Healing signifies a return to wholeness.

Through distorted beliefs, the mind reinforces this image by disrupting the body's homeostasis.

It was Eugene T. Gendlin, the American philosopher and psychotherapist who coined the term felt sense. He was referring to an internal bodily awareness or body-sense of meaning that develops when we align with the truth.

If you perpetuate fear, your body responds by adopting the physiology of this fearful state. However, love heals and brings the body back into balance when we associate with this all-powerful energy.

It was the late David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D., a renowned psychiatrist and consciousness researcher who said, "If we are willing to let go of our illness, then we have to be willing to let go of the attitude that brought about the illness because disease is an expression of one's attitude and habitual way of looking at things."

When you disconnect from your authentic nature, you detach from your state of ease and the body becomes dis-eased.

Dis-ease signifies disharmony in one's thoughts.

Love renews and restores inner harmony because every cell in our body is attuned to this natural healing state. I liken it to returning home after being away, to find your key still fits the same door lock.

Healing arises the moment we align our mental and emotional frequency to coincide with love.

Love is a healing agent because its energetic frequency is stronger than other emotions and is the foundation of universal order.

"Your body is your subconscious mind and you can't heal it by talk alone," affirmed the neuroscientist and pharmacologist Candace Pert.

As an example of the healing power of love, the Institute of HeartMath states that your heart has an electromagnetic field 50,000 times stronger than the brain's.

Ancient wisdom has known for centuries the heart is the seat of the soul. To heal means to reconnect with our soul within the embodiment of love.

So, at the deepest level, healing is a return to the source of our being.

We disconnect from this wisdom by identifying with fear and anxiety. This creates an inaccurate mental image expressed in the body as illness and disease.

In his book Healing and Recovery, Dr. David Hawkins affirms, "A loving thought then heals and a negative thought creates illness. Choosing to become a loving person results in the release of endorphins by the brain which has a profound effect on the body's health and happiness."

I consider the cause of illness and disease a spiritual abandonment from oneself. The body is crying out to reunite with its core self.

We internalise fear in all forms nowadays to the detriment of our physiology. Over time, our body learns the language of fear by inhibiting vital biological processes.

We must learn to love ourselves and embrace the wholeness of our being if we seek to heal physical symptoms.

Consider this.

How is your body able to heal when it receives negative messages on how it looks or cannot act?

To heal, we no longer oppose what is, yet embrace it.

Love means accepting our current circumstances without opposition.

Your opposition to what is, manifests as fear. Thus, we turn our attention away from fear and embrace our core nature.

At the deepest level, our separation from self intensifies disease and illness. To merge with the wholeness of our being is a call to love as Marianne Williamson states.

Self-criticism and self-hate instructs the body to turn on itself.

The rise of cancers, diabetes and autoimmune conditions have accelerated over the years. We are feeding our bodies with a toxic cocktail of messages that manifest as unhealthy conditions.

In summary, this article may be condensed to the following points:

• Love is the healing agent in the body.
• Fear, anxiety, anger and other lower emotions overshadow this healing force.
• You are not broken or flawed.
• Learn to embrace your wholeness and perfection.
• Transform your thoughts relating to your unworthiness or imperfections.
• As you heal your thoughts, your body discovers its inherent healing power.

Meditate on aspects of love in your daily life.  Article Source

7 Simple Steps to Avoid Overtraining and Supercharge Your Time in The Gym

One of the biggest problems facing men's health, athletes, bodybuilders or anyone in fact who exercises can be overtraining. The lure of massive muscle gains, a lean-ripped body, fast weight loss or fat loss, lead to them to train as much as possible to get the fastest results.

But this can be counter-productive. Training too much - too often at too high intensity - can lead to overtraining, or 'overtraining syndrome' (OS). A study published on the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) describes this as: "Overtraining Syndrome (OS) has been described as chronic fatigue, burnout and staleness, where an imbalance between training/competition, versus recovery occurs".

So basically it's when the body has not been given enough time to recuperate after the stresses of exercise. When lifting weights for example, you cause micro-tears in the fibres of your muscles, and those muscles need time to recover and repair so they can grow and adapt to the load you're demanding for them. Continuing to exercise without proper recovery time can lead you to reach a point of diminishing returns due to chronic physical stress caused by overtraining.

Now, this doesn't of course mean that you don't have to put out in plenty of effort to get good results - whatever your goals are, muscle building, weight loss, fitness, strength gain or a combination of all of these, you need to train hard and train consistently to get those results, that's a given.

What is key is finding a good balance between optimal exercise sessions and adequate rest periods to achieve those results you're after.

This article give you seven strategies you can use to do exactly that.

The Negative Impact of Overtraining

There are a number of ways overtraining can negatively affect men's health - It can lead to high blood pressure, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, tiredness, a tendency to become irritable, as well as keeping the resting heart rate high. If you can relate to any of these symptoms, then it's possible you're in a state of overtraining, and you need to re-evaluate how you exercise. The tips below will help you.

Get Proper Nutrition

Nutrition is first on the list as it's not a tool only used for weight loss and muscle gain, but it's also the most important part of helping your body recover. It provides your body with the raw materials it needs for full recovery - to provide energy, to regulate hormone levels, to create new tissue.

Like anything, prevention is the best cure, and a study in the Journal of Sports Sciences shows that carbohydrates play a large part in this. Generally it's not a good idea to not let yourself go hungry anyway (you can avoid this by eating regularly, every 2-3 hours,) but the absence of carbohydrates particularly can cause your body to get into a catabolic state where it starts using your muscle mass for energy.

So eat right - to recover right.

Time is of the Essence

Exercise time for your body is important for many reasons: help to maintain fitness, to help with weight loss, to lower the risk of some diseases, to basically help your body stay healthy, fit and strong. But rest time is equally, if not more important - without adequate breaks between exercise sessions, overtraining can result.

What is adequate recovery time? Experts recommend recovery time of between 48-72 hours. Generally the younger you are the less time it takes for your muscles to recover, but whatever your age, continuing to exercise without long enough break periods will lead to slow results and poor performance - as sure fire recipe for falling into the trap of overtraining.

Get the Right Amount of Sleep

Taking time off from exercising is one thing, but getting enough sleep is entirely another. Sleep is central to exercise recovery - and to men's health in general. The NHLBI (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute) reports that deep sleep triggers hormones that boost muscle mass and help repair cells and tissues in the body, so getting at least the recommended 7 hours of sleep a night is important for full recovery.

Keep it Varied

Another way to aid your muscles to recover during exercise is to vary your exercises. Introducing new exercises to your routines forces muscles to react to different stimuli and this promotes new growth. You could even have variation with the same exercise - by introducing periodisation. This is where you vary the intensity of your workout in planned phases - so basically you exercise strategically so various muscle groups can recover during the less intense periods.

Feel the Rub

This has to be my favourite - getting a massage is a great way to help muscles recover and relieve post-workout soreness. Deep tissue massage is also believed to increase blood flow, to reduce muscle tension and also help remove toxins such as lactic acid. But perhaps the biggest benefit of massage is psychological - a study on the NCBI reports: "The majority of research on psychological effects of massage has concluded that massage produces positive effects on recovery (psychological mechanisms.)" So use massage to help create an overall sense of well-being and feeling good. After all... isn't that what it's all about?

Pace Yourself

Keep your workouts short, sharp and to the point. As far as men's health is concerned, studies have shown that overtraining can lead to hormonal changes in the body - after about an hour testosterone levels start to decrease while cortisol levels begin to increase - not a good combination as it can lead to protein tissue breakdown. The longer you stay in the gym or you carry on exercising, the bigger the risk of overtraining, so keep your sessions to under an hour.

Know Yourself

Perhaps this strategy underlines all the others - ultimately, you know your body better than anyone. So listen to it. If you still feel sore or fatigued, or just feel that things aren't right, then your body is trying to tell you something. If you aren't making the progress you expect, can't surpass (or even match) the performance of your last sessions, then its more than likely that you haven't fully recovered yet. So take a break - and give it your all next time. Article Source

How Fertility For Acupuncture Can Help You Conceive

It might come as a surprise to you but humans are not that fertile, and evidence suggests that fertility in humans is decreasing due to pollution, lifestyle, and many other factors.

The average woman in her late teens or twenties will have to try for around four months to get pregnant. This means that despite the release of a healthy egg and copulation at the most fertile time she has around a 25% chance of conceiving in any one month. This figure drops off markedly until by the early forties the chance of conceiving has dropped to only around 3%.

Add into the equation the various reproductive problems such as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), endometriosis, fibroids, blocked fallopian tubes and other common problems, it is easy to see why getting pregnant isn't happening for many many women desperate to have children.

Acupuncture has been shown to improve the chances of conception. There are several mechanisms in action. Acupuncture helps to regulate hormonal cycles and also increases blood flow to the uterus thus providing a better environment for the embryo to embed and grow. A major factor in trying to conceive is stress and acupuncture reduces stress.

Not surprisingly, our bodies are designed to prevent conception at times of extreme stress. From an evolutionary point of view this makes a lot of sense. While most people in the western world today are not under extreme stress, there is for many people a low to moderate level of stress constantly present in their everyday lives. Even moderately raised levels of stress hormones such as cortisol can have an impact on fertility levels. Once again, combined with various health problems and age this can lead to problems not only conceiving, but also carrying a baby full term.

It is often worth treating both male and female partners with acupuncture for fertility.

Mental and emotional problems which contribute to stress and resulting low fertility can be alleviated in men as well as women. Acupuncture has been shown in trials to increase the number of sperm, sperm motility and the quality of sperm. There is also evidence that acupuncture has a positive effect on the vascular system and immune system, both of which are essential to maintaining healthy sperm production.

Overall the aim of fertility treatment with acupuncture is to improve chances of having a successful pregnancy. This is achieved by creating the ideal conditions for conception to occur and maintaining ideal conditions required to carry a full term healthy pregnancy.

Evolutions Clinic in Winchester offers acupuncture for fertility with our highly experienced fertility expert. As well as acupuncture, Chinese herbal treatments can be used. We often recommend the two together to give you the optimal chances of conceiving and carrying baby to term. Article Source

What You Need to Know About Tabata and High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity training is extremely popular right now and for good reason - it can help you take your fat loss results to the next level. High-intensity training is shorter in duration, so is also perfect for those people with a busy schedule and will help get you into shape very quickly.

This said, there are two primary types of interval training...

• high-intensity, and
• Tabata.

Let's look at what the difference is between these and what you need to know...

1. What Are They?

Tabata, in essence, is a form of high-intensity interval training, so basically falls under this category of exercise.

high-intensity interval training is a workout where you typically perform intense bouts of exercise lasting between 15 and 60 seconds and then pair that with a rest period that's about 1 to 3 times as long. This routine is then repeated 5 to 12 times, forming the session.

Tabata training, on the other hand, is an ultra intense session that has you doing 20-second intervals and then resting for 10 seconds between each interval. This practice is then repeated eight times, making a 4-minute long session.

2. Who They Are Best For? So who benefits from these different types of interval training?

interval training is for anyone who is at an intermediate level of fitness and who is looking to advance their skills and fat burning.
Tabata training, on the other hand, is for someone who is more advanced and who is looking to push their body to the limit. This form of training is supercharged. As such, it'll be best done by those who have some experience with interval training already in place.
Need To Know Factors. In addition to considering your skill level when determining whether Tabata training is right for you, you should also consider your other workout sessions as well. While Tabata training is so very intense, as it is just four minutes in length, it can be performed more often throughout the week.

If you are doing three weight training workouts per week, for instance, you can do Tabata training on your off days quite easily.

With interval training, as the sessions are longer in duration - 15 to 25 minutes, you may not be able to do quite as many. Aim for no more than four weight training or interval training sessions per week.

So there you have the key differences between these two workout protocols. The main differing factor is the intensity level, so be sure you do the one that's right for your current capabilities.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight. Article Source

7 Benefits of Flexing Your Muscles Daily

Our body quite remarkably functions just like a machine. Just like any piece of mechanical equipment it needs to be maintained from time to time. Physical exercise, for instance, is a huge part of how our physique shapes up. Whether you lift heavy weights in cardio exercises or practice traditional yoga, it's completely your choice. But doing nothing is unacceptable when you consider that people hardly are subjected to physical labour these days.

For over thousands of years, physical exercises have been an integral part of the human lifestyle and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The extensive variety of exercise is what makes it so fascinating in the sense that if you decide to get one, you'll be able to choose from a variety of options. Physical fitness, in general, has become imperative.

So what is it about physical exercise that makes it an imperative part of our lifestyle?

• Freeing up muscles: Any kind of physical activity is great for freeing up your muscles. If you are subjected to a considerable time of inactivity, your muscles will create spasms that can be quite painful.

• Relaxes the mind: Several types of research have proved that people who exercise regularly are far more relaxed than people who don't.

• Reduced heart problems: One of the primary reasons why people exercise is the fact that it helps a lot in making their hearts stronger. It helps reduce heart problems to a great extent.

• Helps build metabolism: If you are exercising daily, your body will automatically build up metabolism that is important to increase your longevity.

• Stronger Bones: Putting pressure on your body through exercise will help strengthen your bones that will invariably help you in your later years.

• Good mood: Exercising produces a good level of endorphins which stimulates the brain creating a happy and positive feeling. This enhances your mood greatly.

• Helps deal with weight issues: Probably the most important reason people exercise is to decrease their weight. People who are obese find it extremely beneficial to exercise regularly.

Though exercising is a truly amazing option, it's not the only one available. There are several other facets of fitness that many people are not even aware of. Each individual is different from one another and so are their capacities that are why you shouldn't follow anyone. According to what you are capable of, take the necessary route to achieve fitness.

But it shouldn't always be about fitness. In times when people are living a hectic schedule, it's necessary to relax a bit and what better way than to enjoy a massage? It can be revitalizing and should go hand in hand with your fitness regime. Article Source

6 Of The Most Common Brain Imaging Techniques

Brain imaging makes it possible for doctors and researchers to see the inside of human brain and try to identify a problem or understand why someone is having a given behavior. The technique is heavily used in mental and cancer hospitals.

There are many brain imaging techniques that are certified for use in hospitals and research centers. These techniques include:

MRI

Also known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, this is a technique that measures brain activity. The fMRI machine detects changes in blood oxygenation. The most active areas of the brain consume more oxygen compared to the less active areas.

You can also use the technique to come up with activation maps that show the different areas of the brain that are involved with a given mental process.

PET

Positron emission tomography (PET) makes use of trace amounts of radioactive material in order to map the functional processes in the brain. When the material undergoes radioactive decay, a positron is emitted and picked by the detector. Areas that show high radioactivity prove brain activity.

There are many radioactively-labeled materials that you can use, the most common ones being: nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and fluorine.

The main advantage of this technique is that it provides you with an image of brain activity. The setback of using it is that it can be very expensive especially if you attend a high end hospital. Also, a radioactive material is used which can be harmful to some people.

CT

Computed tomography is a series of X-ray beams passed through the head and images are produced. Bone and tissue absorb X-rays well while water and air absorb it poorly; therefore, you are able to get clear cross-sectional images of the brain. You should note that this technique gives you the structure of the brain, but not its function.

EEG

Electroencephalography is a technique that measures the electrical activity of the brain. It does this by recording the electrodes placed on the scalp.

The technique is non-invasive and often used in research projects. It's adored by many people due to its high temporal resolution. Studies have shown that the technique is able to detect changes in electrical activity in the brain in millisecond levels.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging detects radio frequency signals produced by displaced radio waves in a magnetic field. There are a number of advantages that come with it. One of the advantages is that no x-ray or radioactive material is used. It's also non-invasive thus you don't have to worry of pain.

Through the technique doctors and researchers are able to get detailed views of the brain in different dimensions.

NIRS

Near infrared spectroscopy is an optical technique that measures blood oxygenation in the brain. The doctor shines light in the near infrared part of the spectrum (700-900nm) through the skull and detects the amount of remerging light.

Conclusion

Different brain imaging techniques have different capabilities. You should do your research and settle on the technique that gives you the most details. Article Source

How to Connect With Others to Improve Your General Health and Wellbeing

We hear and read a lot about how to improve our general health and wellbeing but mostly I find it's around diets and moderate or intensive activities. Whereas these may be important elements of any health and wellbeing programme, frustration may set in if you've reached a plateau in your weight loss schedule or if you simply find life has fewer surprises for you.

Why not consider a different approach? In this article I focus on connecting with others to help improve general health and wellbeing. You only need to take one small step to see how you might benefit from connecting with others.

Connecting with others through learning. Enrolling on a learning course is traditional but it's still a wonderful opportunity to engage and wallow with others in a topic you love such as fashion, criminology or garden design. You may need to organise yourself and arrange transport, but it might also help you build confidence through chatting and engaging with others. Or you might like the idea of a learning holiday, to be whisked away on a cookery adventure in Tuscany, a wine making experience in the Loire valley or mastering photography in Spain.

Connecting with others through hobbies. Joining a hobby group or society, if you haven't done this for some time, may take a bit of courage but the benefits are worth it. Most groups allow prospective members to test the water for free first, so get your diary out and start planning. Local community centres, church or village halls are having a bit of a renaissance and are welcoming new groups. If you can't find a group near you, why not think about setting up your own? Most national hobby societies provide the help to do this. From sporty to crafty, traditional to trendy, there's a hobby out there for you. And if you like the idea of getting out and about on day trips, then check out your local freebie magazine for walking groups, theatre groups or 'friends of' groups.

Connecting with others through volunteering. First think carefully about how much time you can give to volunteering. It doesn't matter how many times a week or month or year you volunteer, just so long as you stick to it. Reliability is the key! If you are the outdoorsy type, then you might like to consider local landmarks such as canals and waterways, troughs and peaks, parks and woodlands and check out their volunteering opportunities. If you are the indoors type, you might like to consider advocacy, design or mystery shopper. It may help to carry out a bit of research first, so you become familiar with what's happening in your area. Why not check out national websites that co-ordinate volunteering activities or pop round to your local charity shop or organisation?

So whether it's through learning, hobbies or volunteering, connecting with others could help you improve your general health and wellbeing. You just need to take one small step! Article Source

Tips for Choosing Which Type of Hair Extension Suits You Best

Hair transformation has gone to a whole new level as it introduced hair extensions in the market. There is no need to go to salons every week to have the latest trend in tresses on hairstyles for women. It basically makes you your very OWN stylist.

1. Ask before you explore

Before you delve into the world of hair extensions, makes sure that you ask the pros first. Your chosen stylist will let you know which method can be most convenient for your lifestyle, and how you can get that winning look with the different kinds of hair wigs and extensions available.

2. Genuine is important

So you are ready to try out the newest hairstyles? Wait, you still have to examine those hair extensions. In choosing the right hair extension, make sure that it is not synthetic but is manufactured with real human hair. The importance of this goes along with the quality since human hair is stronger, more durable and more resistant to wear and tear unlike the synthetic one which cracks down when heated.

3. Time to shine

Now is the moment for you to try and choose among your favorite weave hairstyles. There are wide arrays of hair wigs or extensions you can choose from. It all depends on your preference! One is Remy, these hair wigs or extensions are made of finest grade of human hair. It is frequently the desired choice of hairstyles for women. It has stable cuticles which results to a tangle-free natural looking hair. Another choice is the seamless hair extensions; this gives you a wonderful blending which makes your weave hairstyle very natural looking. The last one is the virgin hair extensions. These are taken from a single donor and have never undergone any treatment, color, or process. It is very clean so you have to make sure that before you install these, your very own hair is free from dirt.

4. Handle with care

Hair wigs or extensions may be your best friend for the longest time if you take care of it well. You can put color on it, treat it, brush it, but remember to use high quality and gentle products when cleaning it. Also make sure that it is air dried.

These artificial hair extensions are fun to have and a great way to add length, volume and color without the wear and tear of your natural hair.

You can go long with your weave hairstyles or even try short hairstyles for women. Go now and have a fun transformation with your versatile and new crowning glory! Article Source

Fitness Over 50: 5 Stages To Getting Back In Shape

If you're over 50 and noticeably out of shape, heading out to the gym to start lifting weights, running on the treadmill or using an elliptical may not be the best idea - in fact it could have horrible, even fatal consequences. Instead, follow this 5-stage plan to get back in shape in a safer, healthier process...

Stage 1: Assessment
You already know you're
out of shape, but you probably don't know HOW out of shape you are unless you've had a recent physical and had your blood work done. Don't take foolish chances - start by getting these done now by your family doctor. While there, discuss your decision to get back in shape and ask whether you have any issues that need to be dealt with first. Also, are there any existing conditions you need to be aware of or find workarounds for?

Stage 2: Building Healthy Habits
Once you have the green light from your doctor it's time to lay the foundation for your new SUSTAINABLE lifestyle. And that's just what you want to create - your new healthy lifestyle that works for you and keeps you in good shape for the rest of your life. To do that, you need to establish healthier habits in your daily life...

The first of these is proper nutrition - don't expect to get back in shape and stay in shape eating like you have been. Remember that your current diet and activity level got you where you are today, so both need to improve to get you out of this mess, right? It's not as hard as you might think - make it a rule to eat at home whenever possible and stick to healthy choices when you shop. You won't be pigging out on chips and soda if they're not available in the house, so don't bring home unhealthy choices.

The second healthy habit you need to adopt is daily exercise. Block out an hour to 90 minutes a day that will be used to get yourself back in shape, and to start with go for a walk for that time each day. It doesn't have to be a long walk or even a fast walk - but you DO have to go EVERY DAY, no matter what. If you can't walk for that long yet, split it into 2 or 3 sessions through the day til you can do it all at once, making sure you get at least an hour of walking each day. This will program your body for daily activity, help your cardiovascular system get stronger and get YOU into the habit of exercising every day without exception.

Don't go on to Stage 3 until you've been practicing healthy nutrition and getting your walks in everyday for at least 3 weeks straight. If you miss a day on either, simply start again - it may take a few attempts, but you WILL get there!

Stage 3: Bodyweight Exercises
Now it's time to add in some exercise in place of some of your walking. Take any 3 non-consecutive days each week and do bodyweight exercises in place of walking, and just do your walks the other 4 days. Bodyweight exercises are just those you can do without additional weights - squats, sit-ups, crunches, push-ups, etc. There are a lot more exercises you can do than you are likely to think of off-hand, so do a bit of research to find a good variety for yourself. Start off simply with just a few exercises for a few reps each, then increase both as you go along. Try to find the right mix to give you a good workout without leaving yourself sore the next day.

Stay with just bodyweight exercises for 1 - 3 months - you'll be pleased with the changes you'll see even though you haven't been lifting weights yet. At this point building muscle is just one of the benefits you're striving for; you're also looking to improve your flexibility, loosen up your joints and get your ligaments and tendons stretched enough to allow full range-of-motion for each part of your anatomy.

Stage 4: Dumbbell Workouts
At this point it's time to either start equipping your new home gym or join one of the commercial gyms in your neighborhood. Where you train is a matter of personal preference, so make your choice based on which you're most likely to stick with. There is no right or wrong - some people prefer working out at home while others do best within the gym environment.

Replace your 3 days per week of bodyweight exercises with full-body dumbbell workouts. Because you spent years or even decades not working out with weights, you most likely have imbalances in your muscles. For example, if you're right-handed your right arm and the grip in your right hand are probably stronger than your left arm and grip. By starting with dumbbells, each arm works independently, forcing the weaker side to catch up and match your dominant side. For legs, use a single leg for your leg extensions and leg curls and do lunges instead of squats or deadlifts for now.

On every exercise you want to use as much weight as you can while still keeping your form correct, so try not to go too light or too heavy at any point. As any given exercise gets easier for your weaker side, up the weights for your next workout, always keeping the same weight for both arms or both legs. Once you find your entire left and right sides are equally strong, move on to the final stage.

Stage 5: Full Workouts
Congratulations on making it to this point! You're eating a healthy diet, working out, walking a lot and it's all become your habit - your new fitness lifestyle! By now you're seeing lower bodyfat levels, more strength and a LOT more energy - feels good, doesn't it? Whether it took you a few months or a couple of years to get to this point, it should be a real confidence boost for you as well, considering all you've accomplished so far!

Now it's time to move to full-blown weightlifting workouts. Add in squats or deadlifts and other barbell compound exercises along with dips, pull-downs and/or pull-ups, etc. You're now in condition to do just about any style of workout, as long as you continue to practice perfect form and keep the weights appropriate for your strength level - don't let ego push you past that point.

Keep your sets in the 5 - 8 rep range - there's no need to worry about building muscle size, it's strength you're after. Plus, strength training helps with bone density and helps to moderate or prevent osteoporosis. Make sure your workouts are still taxing your muscles each session, but don't push it to exhaustion on any set or exercise - you don't need extreme measures. Simply increase the weights for any given exercise when your current weights seem to be using too little of your available strength and energy. Keep it trending up over time and you'll not only be living your fitness lifestyle but you'll surprise yourself with how good you look, how good you feel and how strong you become. Just because you're in your 50's, 60's, 70's or 80's there's absolutely no reason why you can't become stronger than you've ever been before! Article Source