Balance Your Health

Is Aerobic Exercise the Best Exercise For You?

Aerobic fitness or cardiovascular fitness is the ability of your heart and lungs to supply your muscles with enough oxygen so you aren't winded or fatigued when you climb stairs, walk a few blocks, or take out the garbage.

This is the second in a series of what exercise is best for you. The first talked about exercising to prevent disease.You can read it here.

In this post about aerobic fitness you need to work out if not more often then for sure more intensely. You need to push your rate to between 60 and 90 percent of its maximum rate. You can calculate that by subtracting your age from 220.

Jogging can push your rate into that aerobic zone but it is often viewed as too demanding because of the stress it places on the hips, knees shins and feet. However, brisk walking with arms swinging can also get you to your aerobic rate especially if you're walking on hilly ground with lots of ups and downs.

Low-impact aerobic dance is another alternative. You usually can increase the intensity by increasing the arm movements you make at or above shoulder level. Arm movements make the heart pump blood against gravity.

Step aerobics also works. This exercise involves stepping on and off a low bench while moving your arms, usually in time to music. Swimming can help you reach your aerobic rate but overweight people may have to work even harder to get a good workout since their extra body fat lets them float more easily. If water is your favorite place to be, try rowing or kayaking. You might as well have fun while you are exercising.

During the winter months snowshoeing and cross country skiing are wonderful aerobic exercises. The new high tech snowshoes are surprisingly light and easy to maneuver.

A good way to make sure you get in your aerobic exercise is to find a friend and exercise together. This is probably the most simple but the most effective way to enliven an otherwise routine jog or brisk walk.

If you have suggestions for other ways to reach your aerobic rate, type your suggestions in the comment box. Sharing tips is always a good idea.

To your success at a balanced health.

Ruthan Brodsky

Which Exercise Is Best For You?

If you are at all even a little health conscious, you already know the benefits of exercise:

• Reduces the risk of disease;
• Increases stamina;
• Builds strength;
• Burns calories;
• And relieves stress.

What you may not have considered is that exercising the wrong activity can be depressing or even harmful. For instance, let's say you are overweight and need to lose 45 pounds. If you start off with a vigorous running program, you are likely to not only end up sore but your knees and hips will probably hurt because the exercise may be too hard and overwhelm your joints at your current weight. Not only that, you probably won't burn off more than a couple of pounds in a month and that will be disappointing.

One of the first things you need to do is to figure out WHY you are exercising, what is the purpose of your exercising, and then find the exercises that fulfill that purpose the best. I am going to describe several possibilities in the next few posts. I thought it fitting that this first post describe what you can do to reduce your risk of disease because this type of exercise needs to become part of your lifestyle. After all, as long as you are living your body will do its best to protect you.

Any regular exercise that requires continued movement, such as walking or bicycling, reduces your risk of major diseases including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and probably cancer. The more intense your work out the more you reduce your risk. However, the greatest benefit is for inactive people who start doing even a little exercise.

To get that modest, disease preventing dose of exercise you don't need special work out clothes. Gardening, dancing, and chasing after your grand children are moderate exercises. You could add some exercise into your daily routine by parking your car two or three blocks from the office and walking or doing the housecleaning and gardening with more speed and energy.

You may also consider taking on some strength training because it reduces your risk of osteoporosis, the loss of bone mass. Strength training workouts put more pressure on your bones, especially your spine than nonweight bearing exercises such as swimming or cycling or even moderately weight bearing exercise such as walking. Keeping your bones in shape will keep you exercising longer without problems which mean your body will be able to fight off disease that much longer.

Those are all good things and certainly worth the exercise.

To your success at a balanced life.

Ruthan Brodsky

Healthy Feet Require Changing Your Shoes and Socks

It only takes 3 to 10 minutes to take care of your feet on a daily basis. The problem is we don't take the time and the result is generally some kind of foot problem. It doesn't matter if you're getting your aerobic exercise on a treadmill, walking the neighborhood, running on the school track, or practicing for a 10k race, if you don't take the time to manage your feet they will manage you.

Self Massage Can Work for You

Athletes have given themselves massages for years. Massages are usually part of the training routine for professional and college athletes. You and I will schedule a massage when we need to repair some body part or we're on vacation and massages are part of the spa package.

An increasing number of people are giving themselves a massage especially those of us who engage in daily workouts. I massage my back and my calves almost daily and on some days, twice a day, using a foam roller.

The fact is devices for self massage are more prevalent today than even 2 years ago. A massage may sound like a luxury, but when made part of your training program, it really becomes a good habit.

There are now more than a dozen good products that can help you give yourself a massage. There are also videos on Utube that show you how to massage yourself just using your hands or with something as benign as a foam roller. Most small balls, including golf, tennis, baseball and lacrosse balls, can help unkink sore muscles by lying on them and rolling around.

Here is a massage you can use for your calf muscles. Standing, place one leg on a low chair or bench. Reach down and place your thumb and forefinger of one hand on the opposite side of the top of the heel. Squeeze your fingers and slowly raise your toes, flexing your foot. Lower the foot. Repeat twice and then move a half inch up your leg until you get to the back of your knee.

Rubbing your feet is an age-old practice. Some feel that working on your feet is like massaging the entire body. People who practice foot reflexology believe that massage to the feet can break up energy blockages and recharge that side of your body.

If you have plantar fasciitis you may want to consider foot massage as part of your recovery. I also invite you to claim your special report  (no cost) on how to find the shoe that fits even with foot problems.I bought the book on Plantar Fasciitis and believe it has excellent information. If you  happen to purchase the book from this post I will earn a commission but I never recommend anything I don't personally use.

Love to hear your comments about the book. My goal is to always avoid surgery so this book was a big help.

To your success at a healthy balanced life.

Ruthan Brodsky

5 Reasons To Try Yoga

oga is a 5,000 year-old practice that has many instructional approaches in yoga techniques and many different schools that train different yoga styles. Although the instructional approaches to yoga may vary and the postures and their sequence may vary, the ultimate goal for yoga is to unite the body and spirit. Here are five reasons why you should try yoga.

Fitness Fun Keeps Your Resolutions on Track

There are several new exercising trends this year. If you have any doubts watch the TV infomercials about exercising and weight loss programs. Here are two of them that can help you keep those resolutions you made for the 2009.

First, dynamic stretching is in. I was always under the impression that before you stretch or work with weights, you should warm up those muscles by doing something aerobic. I was only partially right.

Static stretches aren't going to improve your ability to move better when you exercise. However, dynamic stretches can. Dynamic stretches target specific muscles by mimicking movements you're going to use during a run, tennis or golf game. For example, walking with knees high as if you're in a marching band is good for running or tennis. Walking lunges are good for tennis, running or golf because they target the hamstring, glutes and hip flexors. Watch for more information on this topic.

Stability exercises have become very popular particularly with the baby boomer group who want to improve their balance as they age. Lots of equipment options for these exercises. There are the Swiss balls which come in all colors and sizes and almost always with instructions for exercising. They work very well on strengthening your core. I personally like the BOSU ball, which looks like a half inflated circle, and is very unstable when you stand on it. I'll life weights when I'm standing on the BOSU. It wobbles and I have to work my abdominals while I'm lifting.

Dynamic stretches don't cost. The BOSU does. It costs around $100 no matter where you shop. If you find one for less let me know.

Enjoy and keep on exercising to balance your health.

To your good health

Ruthan Brodsky

P.S.I know too well that economic times are tough. My writing about health now includes another facet. I am helping professionals and entrepreneurs (consultants, coaches, small business) market their business with an internet presence. If you're interested, visit my blog and click here. OPT IN for the special report.

8 Exercises That Can Make the Most of Your Workout Time

On my last blog post I wrote about effective exercise and how many hours some people spend daily to get in shape and stay in shape. I really hadn’t thought much about this but I do know several women who are compulsive about exercising – maybe even addicted – to their exercise.

I understand there is no magic to exercise but I for one am usually feeling guilty because I didn’t exercise enough that day. That doesn’t mean I need to work out for hours each day, but it does mean I’m only going to get out of it what I put in. I'm learning how to exercise smart.

Any exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise which strengthens the heart and burns calories. Here are 8 exercises that are working well for me.

What is Effective Exercise for You?

A personal trainer sat across from me at a seminar last week on breast cancer. She is probably somewhere in her mid to late 30’s, in great shape, and wearing the kind of clothes that magnify a lean torso and curves in all the right places. I’m guessing she was a petite size zero or 1.

One reason I can’t get too envious is that no matter how much I dieted and exercised I could never get to where she is because of my age, unless, that is, I had surgery – and lots of it.

In conversation she told me she works out twice a day, at least an hour aerobically in the morning and then 90 minutes in the afternoon with weights. She also works out some with her 3 or 4 clients she trains every day.

The next day I thought about this personal trainer and decided I would never have her body even if I could because I don’t want to work that hard to lose weight and have a celebrity figure. And I don’t want to balance my life devoting all that time to exercising. There are other things I want to do.

I also figured out most people are like me. They don’t want to work that hard either. and frankly, some don’t have 3 hours a day to devote to exercise.

I’ll work out maybe an hour a day for 4 or 5 days but that includes aerobics, weights and some stretching. And if I’m taking a 4-5 mile walk on a particular day, I’ll only add on stretching and not deal with weights.

Like lots of others who are active, I try and get in some moderate exercise in some of my recreation like playing tennis once or twice a week in the winter and golfing in the summer. Granted, golf’s not much of an aerobic exercise, unless you’re pulling a cart and walking, but it does keep me out of the kitchen for 4 hours. Besides I’m getting a good dose of vitamin D when I golf.

Let me know how you fit in exercise in your daily routine. Click on comments below and write in the blank window. Or e-mail me at rab@balanceyourhealth.com.

My next post will describe some of my favorite moves for exercising. Cheers Ruthan

Choosing the Right Personal Trainer Part 2

Getting the most out of your training session

The expense of hiring a personal trainer can be motivation itself to get fit. Although getting a trainer at a commercial health club is probably the cheapest way, money shouldn’t be your only deciding factor.

1. Know your expectations for training
When I asked myself what I wanted from a personal trainer my answers were a better body, hit the golf ball 15 yards further, speed up my tennis serve, and keep up with our daughters. Then I stopped dreaming and realized that I wanted this body to be fit and flexible so I could keep doing the activities I enjoy as I got older. If that gets in place maybe my golf and tennis games will improve.
But at least now I had a goal and something I could talk about with my trainer.

2. Make sure your personal trainer has liability insurance.
Trainers who work for a commercial gym usually have their insurance covered by the gym. If they work privately or come to your home, check your home insurance policy also. (If you get hurt, you may be looking at thousands of dollars in medical bills, even if you have medical insurance. A trainer's liability coverage may foot the bill if you can prove your injury is a direct result of the trainer's negligence.)

3. A personal fitness trainer shouldn’t be offering suggestions on topics about which they’re not trained.
No matter what their education, they can’t know everything about exercise, nutrition, plus your psychological and medical needs. Over relying on a personal trainer is not uncommon but you need to establish the correct boundaries.

4. Check with your physician before starting a program.
Your personal trainer may want to collaborate with your doctor to develop a workout routine.

5.Ask your trainer to help you build on exercises, showing you additional moves that meet your preferences. She should be able to give you exercises you can do at home without a machine.

6. Expect good teaching skills.
Your personal trainer may be intelligent and well educated but can he show you how to perform a push-up correctly? Good trainers don’t use jargon when they talk to you. For example, make sure that you understand not only how to adjust the seat on a piece of equipment but also why you’re adjusting it that way.

7. Show up on time.
Your personal trainer is busy and wants to give you the best session. You paid for it. If he wants you to come in 20 minutes early to warm up on the bike or treadmill before he starts working with you, put that in your schedule.

The pressures of daily life can be daunting. Being physically fit, however, will benefit you in whatever you do. If working with a personal trainer will make it easier for you to achieve your goal, it’s not difficult to find one that will meet your needs.

Do you have other suggestions that will help others work better with their personal trainers? Click on comments and let me know what they are. I’ll share them with our readers.

Cheers, Ruthan

Choosing the Right Personal Trainer for Yourself - Part I

There’s a definite trend out there for baby boomers. In their efforts to not look like their parents did in middle age, they’re catching on to the idea of hiring a personal trainer for themselves.

For a while there, a woman – and a man to less extent - in their 50’s or 60’s would never walk into a gym. The atmosphere, permeated with flat bellied young men and women working out with personal trainers who encouraged them to increase their reps and improve their form was intimidating. The gyms were filled with people who were already in good shape which seemed to exaggerate their own protruding bellies, thickening waistlines, and flabby whatever’s.

Besides, working out is probably the last thing you have in mind after a demanding work schedule and raising a family. You may find the time to watch your favorite TV program , but going to the gym just doesn’t excite you.

Keep in mind, however, physical fitness can benefit you in lots of ways.

Being in good shape has nothing to do with marathons or 10ks or about looking great on the beach. Being fit helps you look your best, live longer and a probably live a more fulfilling life. It can benefit your body, your mind, and your sense of self.

You know, you do deserve the right to physical health and vitality. You can look attractive and fit. And who says you can’t play touch football with the guys or tennis with the gals.

If you’ve already had these thoughts, then this is probably a good time to consider hiring a qualified personal trainer.

Here are questions to consider before hiring a personal trainer: