Mom~Z~Mean Business (MMB not UFC)

Finding Time for Fitness Training

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:50:00 +0000

Finding Time for Fitness Training

With the demands of modern life we tend to neglect the most important things, like the condition of our body and our health.

How often do we use the excuse that we just don't have the time for fitness training?

By taking the time to actively plan our exercise programs we will always find the time for some form of fitness.

This time is essential to rejuvenate the body and the mind and you will find that setting time aside for fitness will actually help you get more done during your working day.

The added benefits of reduced stress will help you to work better and stay happier.

Along with this will be a reduction in the time that you might have to take off due to illness.

With the abundance of good home gym and fitness equipment, we can now train at the times that work of our schedule. All hours of the day or night become available and the convenience of this means there really is no excuse to avoid dedicating 20 - 30 minutes three times per week to fitness.

If you find that you can't spare that much time each week then you need to take a serious look at your lifestyle as it is one that will lead to poor health in the long term and a reduction in the quality of your life over time. If you can't squeeze a few minutes of fitness into your day, can you really say that you are in control of your life? Is that the way you want it? Is that the example yo want to set for your children?

By getting out of bed earlier a few mornings a week and training before you go to work, your energy levels will begin to increase after a while and your metabolism will remain at a higher level throughout the day which will assist in burning any extra fat that you might be carrying around.

At the end of the day you will be able to rest in a more relaxed and stress free manner and have a better nights sleep.

Fitness Plateaus

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 May 2012 22:39:00 +0000

Fitness Plateaus

We will all hit plateaus in our training progress whether we are beginners or advanced fitness experts.

Even the top bodybuilders, and those who are taking steroids will plateau from time to time and it is something that we need to understand to breakthrough.

The first thing many people will do is to increase their training intensity. This is the wrong move for most beginners and intermediate people as it quickly leads to over training.

Many times these plateaus will come about when the body is crying out for a bit more time to recover and rebuild. Inexperienced fitness enthusiasts will see this as a sign that they need to push harder to continue their development and so begins an ever more difficult time where the training intensity increases but the results diminish.

If this problem isn't addressed soon enough it can lead to illness as the immune system gets overloaded with the loads that are being placed upon it.

If you find that you aren't making progress with your training then it might be time to reduce your training intensity, either by lifting lighter weights, working out for a shorter time, or in the case of aerobic exercises like running, reduce the distances and times of your training for a week or two.

In some cases where the training has been particularly intense you might even need to take a few days or a week off where you have a complete break and come back rejuvenated.

The more you exercise the better you get at reading your body and understanding when it is time to train harder and when it is time to take a break.

You might also need to consider having a backup training plan for these times where you will do something completely different to maintain fitness but still have a rest from your usual regime.

If you usually run for fitness you might try swimming for a week or two before coming back to your running training again.

You may also want to consider a secondary fitness program that is not as intense as your primary. Many parents have reported that pursuing a physically active hobby/sport with their entire family not only increases the quality of the family time that they get to spend together, but when they hit a plateau in their primary program, the family fitness activities really give them a chance to recharge while still remaining active!

Fitness is Often More About Attitude Than Anything Else

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:05:00 +0000

Fitness is Often More About Attitude Than Anything Else

It is our attitude that often determines the level of fitness that we will achieve. It is our attitude that will determine whether we want to sit on the couch or get out to the gym for a workout.

The way we feel about our health and what we believe we have to give up in order to maintain it will be the deciding factor for the level of fitness that we achieve.

If we believe that we have to miss out on some pleasures in life, such as watching the television or drinking with our friends then the price we have to pay for our fitness will seem too great and we will find a lot of excuses not to workout.

Alternatively, if there are activities that we find can give us immediate satisfaction, and more satisfaction than long term good health, then often the choices we make will be determined by those activities rather than the ability to still be able to do those activities as we age. In other words if we find some healthy activity that we like to do and makes us feel good right away, we are more likely to do it becasue it feels good rather than because it will keep us healthy over the long haul! (They needed a study to tell us this?)

Kidz are a great example! If something is fun and makes them feel good, they don't care how healthy it is, they want to do it because it is fun!

It is not until it is too late that the wrong decisions, made because of our attitude towards health and fitness, determine the quality of life we are left with. Just when we should be at the point of being able to enjoy life, we end up becoming so focused on our declining health that there is little time to enjoy any thing that we have worked so hard to acheive!!

If only we could turn back the clock.

We need to look at our attitude towards health and ask ourselves the questions we would ask others if we were giving them advice.

Would you recommend someone starts smoking or drinking excessive alcohol if they were asking for advice on finding health for life?

Not likely - Yet we make decisions like this every day that we will pay for dearly in the future.

When you change your attitude and you can change your health, and in doing so you can expect to live life to the fullest!

Exercise builds energy and energy is the source of all life. We have the opportunity to take this energy that is readily available, and all it takes to get it going is a positive attitude and consistent action.

Introduce your loved ones to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle at an early age. When they see fitness as a part of daily life, we are encouraging our children to be healthy, fit and safe!

Do You Need a Personal Safety/Fitness Camp

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 May 2012 10:12:00 +0000

Will attending a Personal Safety/Fitness Camp really be able to help you and your family?

If you are unsure what to do to get started, or maybe need someone to help motivate you to really follow through, it might be time to consider signing up for a personal safety/fitness camp.

These specialize camps can give you attention that you wouldn't get with your membership at a gym. Personal attention will ensure that you follow through and perform all the exercises and drills that are put together for your program.

In addition to the motivational factors of having a small group, your training partners will also be able to see if you are performing any of the drills and exercises incorrectly. Ensuring that you are performing the exercises and drills correctly will decrease the likeliehood of injury and allow you to maximize your efforts and results.

If you have your own home gym your camp leader can work with you to devise a program that is best suited to your body type and the improvements that you want to make.

Knowing that the training will be at a certain time each week will also ensure that you are warmed up and ready for a workout and more likely to continue with any program that you have started.

To find the best camps in your area try to get recommendations from others. Talk to your friends or others at the gym you go to. This way you can have some idea of the type of workout that the leaders use with clients and a little about them as a person. Lets face it, if you aren't comfortable with them or their type of workout, you won't stick with the program long enough to achieve the results you are looking for.

Many camps have their own equipment, or don't require any special equipment. If you choose to make the investment of having your own work out equipment, it will allow you to train at times that are good for you using the exercises and drills you learn from your sessions.

You might only need them short term to learn what you need to know and ensure you are doing the exercises and drills correctly and then you can continue to practice on your own under your own motivation.

One of the benefits of attending the camp, is that once you have completed the program you can train at home on your own, knowing that you are practicing correctly, but if you get bored or what to work with a partner, you can always sign up for another session with out the long term commitment of a gym membership!!

As with anything in life, having an experienced teacher can reduce the time it takes to reach your goals.

The Function Counter Aggression Training program is specifically designed to show participants how to get into the best shape of their lives while practicing some of the most effective material to keep you and your entire family safe during a hostile confrontation! Check it out today!

Good Abdominals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:20:00 +0000

Good Abdominals

Who doesn't want to have a six-pack of firm abdominal muscles?

A fit body can be best represented by a display of well defined abdominal muscles and part of the reason why this is associated with fitness, apart from the obvious sexy look of good abs is the fact that good abdominals require more than just one specific action to achieve.

It is not possible to have well defined abdominal muscles if you are carrying excess fat around. You can do all the stomach crunches and leg raises in the world, but no one is going to see those strong abdominal muscles if they are covered with a layer of fat.

There is no such thing as spot reduction. It is a myth that is used to help sell products that promise people of ripped abs and a sexy body when in reality a change in diet will do more for the look of your midsection than any amount of exercise.

You can build up the size of your arms, legs and chest and they will look more impressive from the additional size even if you are carrying excess body fat, but the abdominals are the one area that fat reduction is more important than the exercise that you might do.

Don't get me wrong, abdominal exercises are all important for strengthening your core and assisting with most exercises, along with supporting your back, but for looks alone you need to reduce body fat.

When we reduce the fat content in our body it is reduced throughout the body. You can't just target the stomach while all else remains the same.

So the first and most important step in getting a good set of abs that you will be proud to show anyone will be to reduce your fat to the extent that you can actually see them. Greats abs are fantastic if they aren't hidden by fat.

Focus for Success

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:11:00 +0000

Focus for Success

Fitness training, like most other things should always be based on expert advice. Without using proper techniques we can become susceptible to injury and this is counter productive in the least.

The biggest mistake most people make when they start a fitness-training program is let their enthusiasm get the better of them and over do their exercises in an attempt to reach their goals as soon as possible. This can be a fast track to disaster where muscles that might not have been used much in years are subject to intensive workouts.

Or alternatively, we decide that we need to reduce weight and eliminate fat and want results like yesterday.

It is also common for people to have a goal that might be completely out of reach for any number of reasons. While we might like to have the body of a professional bodybuilder, there are factors that might make this impossible like the genetics that we have been born with.

There is also the time involved to get to that level of condition and the supplements and other foods that need to be consumed to reach those goals.

It is better to set goals that are achievable in the short term and change the 'goal posts' once you have started down the road to fitness and managed to see some results.

It is also vitally important to listen to the advice of the experts and let them help you plan your fitness program. They might be telling you something that you might not want to hear about your goals and expectation, but initially you will need to rely on their advice and experience until you have sufficient knowledge of your own to work with.

Staying focused is one of the biggest problems that is found where people don't reach their goals. While it might be good fun to go to the gym for socializing, you can't expect to build a powerful body by leaning on the machines and talking to the other people in the gym.

Focusing on one fitness program at a time will produce better results too, rather than changing from one program to another before either gets a chance to make an impact.

Eating the Right Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:15:00 +0000

Eating the Right Foods

Eating well is as important as the exercises you do each day. You may be working out like a madman, but it is not going to do your health any good if you have a diet of foods high in sugar and fat.

While the exercise will help you achieve better health, the food you eat can do more harm than many people realize. It is the fuel for your body and to eat the wrong food is like filling a regular gas car with diesel fuel. Its not going to be pretty!!

You need the fuel to do your workouts and you need high quality food to help your body to recover from those workouts.

Along with a fitness program it is wise to include good eating into your lifestyle. This doesn't mean that you need to give up all the foods that you love to eat, but it does mean that you should be eating the correct foods most of the time.

We all have times when we feel like eating some fast foods or something that isn't high on the nutritional ladder but the basic foundation of our diet needs to be good food that can add to the quality of our health.

If most of your exercise is cardio work then you will need more carbohydrates to give you the energy to get through the workouts.

If on the other hand you are doing a lot of resistance training and trying to build muscle then you will eat more protein foods as these are the building blocks that help your muscles to build bigger and stronger after they have been broken down by strenuous weight training.

The food you eat before and after your exercise can have a huge effect on the results that you will get from your training.

You can't expect to perform well at the gym if you have just finished a three-course meal, just as it would not be real smart to go for a run after having too much to drink. Doing so could actually endanger you where the body becomes overloaded and stressed by having to deal with digestion and exercise.

Getting the most out your workouts and exercise is not difficult when you have the right tools and a plan.

Self Defense/ Fitness Boot Camps

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 May 2012 04:34:00 +0000

Self Defense/ Fitness Boot Camps

Self Defense/ Fitness Boot Camps are gaining popularity these days. It seems that a lot of families want to find the best youth group activities. If you’re among the parents with teenagers, Self Defense/ Fitness Boot Camps are an excellent choice.

The programs and standards followed by boot camps are firm to provide a safe, fun experience. However, in some way the programs are also gentle so that they can reach the level of all teenagers. All the members of the staff of the camp will definitely go down to your kids’ level to achieve better understanding of his or her personality.

Some people mistake boot camps for a detention center but there is a big difference. In a boot camp, brutal punishments, humiliation, and degradation are not used because these kinds of treatments are not proper for a troubled teenager.

Each country often has a juvenile system and the youth boot camp plays an important role in it. Some teenagers commit social crimes and by doing so, they will be sentenced by the authorities to spend a certain time in a boot camp. The boot camp is the best way to help a troubled youngster rather then sending him or her to a detention camp.

That way, the professionals can guide your kid into the right path and not further aggravate his or her criminal habits. Lessons should be conveyed in the right manner to the kid and not through disturbing offenses. The operations of youth boot camps are allowed by a country’s penal system.

During the stay of your kid in the camp, there will be different program that can provide skill enhancements, counseling, and education. Most of the programs included in the camp are activities that form the right values, proper conduct, and even discipline related activities.

Once the kid is disciplined, he or she will be more obedient to the law and authorities. Although the programs may seem tough, it can still be considered love. No matter how troubled your kid is, the boot camp officers can condition him or her to be renewed. Growing up involves a lot of changes and that includes mood swings. Problems can aggravate your kids’ situation so before anything else bad happens, have your kid enrolled in a boot camp.

According to the officers of boot camps, family is a strong reason why kids commit mistakes. In order to rebuild the family relationship, some of the activities involve the whole family. Counseling and proper care can immediately change your kid for the better.

Other teenagers will also be in the camp. Most of the activities will be conducted in groups. All the campers will be treated fairly and the officers will most likely use a confrontational approach. This is the best way to teach the kids the right social behavior. Communication skills can also be enhanced through a boot camp.

After the boot camp, the teenager will still be monitored to ensure that he or she is following everything that is taught in the boot camp.

Have you seen a military camp? It’s quite similar to the boot camp but the teenagers might also find it fun in some way. If they are willing to change, then they can do so with the help of expert staff members. Enroll your kid in a boot camp now.

Exercise and Back Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:11:00 +0000

Exercise and Back Pain

With the majority of people experiencing some form of back pain in life an exercise program that assists in the strength and flexibility of the back will be highly beneficial.

It can help to reduce or eliminate back pain, or for those who have never suffered with back problems, it might be all that is needed to ensure that back pain won't be a part of your life.

There are various exercises that can help with the strength and flexibility of the back. If you are already suffering from back pain it is best to consult with your doctor first as some of these back-strengthening exercises can aggravate a back that is already inflamed.

There are some excellent programs available now that target core strength training which assists in the support of the spine and the back muscles.

People with weak abdominal muscles will be more susceptible to back pain because the abdominals offer most of the core strength to the body.

There are some basic and effective abdominal exercises that will help to strengthen the abdominals and the best of those are exercises performed on the Swiss ball (which is a very cost effective fitness item), leg raises to the chest while supported in an upright position with your arms, and an abdominal wheel where you roll the wheel along the floor using the strength in your abdominals to maintain control and return to your starting position.

Fortunately all of these core-training exercises don't require expensive apparatus and are highly effective without the need for weight machines.

Initially core training can seem extremely difficult, especially for those people who have never worked their abs before, but progress is usually quite rapid if it is done on a regular basis and it soon becomes a lot easier to bear once you gain some strength in those muscles.

Core strength is one of the keys to Functional Fitness.

Exercise is for All Age Groups

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Fitness Training and Exercise is a Must for All Age Groups

Exercise is beneficial for people of all ages.

Men and women, and especially children, can improve their health and well being by undertaking a fitness program.

The earlier in life that we start exercising the more likely we are going to be healthy in our later years.

Resistance training is one of the best types of training for all age groups.

There are women who believe that resistance training will make them look bulky like a bodybuilder when in fact resistance training can help them to build a lean, fit, and fat free body where they can look slimmer and sexier.

Muscle burns fat so the action of building more muscle will help to burn the fat and that in turn will lead to a higher level of health.

Elderly people can benefit from resistance training even if they have never exercised before as this will help to strengthen their muscles and add to their stability and balance.

With many elderly people suffering falls and a corresponding decline in their health after a fall, maintaining strength and balance becomes all the more important as we age.

Even light resistance work for short periods of time can reward elderly people with considerably better health. This can add years to their life and help them to enjoy that time with renewed energy.

Children shouldn't use any heavy weights or machines while they are still growing as this can place too much stress on their body and they would be better off focusing on aerobic and body weight training to maintain and improve their levels of fitness.

Any form of fitness training, whether it is resistance training or aerobic exercise or a combination of the two, will improve a persons health and even small amounts of exercise can add up over time to some excellent benefits health wise.

It is an investment in your future that will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

Get a Better Sleep from Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:07:00 +0000

Get a Better Sleep from Exercise

There's no doubt about the importance of regular and sound sleep for optimum health.

One of the benefits of regular exercise is the fact that it also helps to encourage better sleep patterns.

By exercising there are benefits such as a reduction in stress levels that will also help you to relax more easily and this in turn will help you to sleep better.

You should not however exercise just before going to bed as the stimulation that you get from exercise can hinder your chance of going to sleep.

The best times to exercise are in the morning or early afternoon. This is not always convenient and many people are unable to exercise any time earlier than after work.

If this is the case then it is still best to exercise as early as possible and allow a little time to unwind and relax before retiring for the night.

As your sleep patterns become more regular from the exercise, your energy levels will increase from the additional sleep and this in turn will allow you to exercise more often and for longer periods.

With exercise and sleep complimenting one another you can make quite rapid gains in fitness and overall health provided you exercise consistently.

If you don't focus on getting good sleep, then there is a possibility you could wind up over training if you are exercising intensively.

Aside from good exercise and good sleep, you must always maintain good nutrition. Nutrition also has a bearing on your ability to sleep well, so as you can see, you need balance in your life to get the most out of it.

When any element is missing and there is something out of balance all else suffers. Even a little exercise will help a lot over a period of time, as will increasing your sleep and relaxation time.

Fitness Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:48:00 +0000

The Benefits of in Home-Fitness Equipment

It is entirely possible to get fit and improve your health with nothing more than a good pair of walking shoes. Difficult, but not impossible.

Weather conditions and work commitments can make it very difficult to find a good time to get in sufficient exercise to get the benefits that you are looking for.

Fortunately there is an answer, and that can be found in the vast array of home fitness equipment.

By shopping around it is possible to buy a complete home gym for a reasonable price that will 'work' the whole body.

There are multi station gyms that offer as much benefits as a gym membership without the inconvenience of having to travel to the gym each time you want a workout. Other benefits include, never having to wait for someone else to finish using the equipment, and not having to pay a membership fee year after year.

When these factors are taken into account it becomes clear how realistic it is to invest in your own equipment.

By shopping online for fitness equipment there can be substantial savings due to the lower overheads of the online stores. Remember, you may have to pay for shipping and you will probably have to put it together. (If you check with your local athletic stores, they may know of someone who can do it for you! I don't know about you, but I want to workout, not get a degree in engineering!)

When looking for equipment you want to determine what your specific requirements are and then you can choose more wisely.

If you have no intentions of lifting heavy weights then a machine with a large weight stack will not get the use of the components you are paying for. By the same token, if cardio isn't big on your list, a treadmill will soon become a clothshanger!

Everything from treadmills to heavy weight stacks are available to choose from and the range of equipment is matched by prices that can suit most budgets.

If the exercise equipment is in your house you are more likely to use it and having a sound system or television in the room can make your regime all the more enjoyable. It gets really boring hitting the treadmill for mile after mile, because the view never changes! I catch up on the news and use it to time out a 30 min walk!

Whether it is the gym or a home gym we all have times when we just don't feel like exercising and working out. Those are the times when you won't want to be paying for a gym membership.

At least with your own equipment you can have a break for a period and it isn't going to cost you any more money.

Getting Started With Fitness Training

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Getting Started With Fitness Training

One of the hardest parts of any fitness program is getting started.

It is so easy to just sit around doing nothing and it takes some degree of motivation to get started exercising. Many people find that joining a gym gives them the motivation they need to get started and follow through with regular workouts.

The reality is that most of the people who join gyms never complete their membership. Gyms actually base their costing on the fact that the majority of people will never use their membership regularly.

Why is this so?

There are many reasons why people don't exercise regularly and that can range from inconvenience to boredom. When you are deciding what to do to lift your level of fitness it is wise to honestly think about your personality and where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

If you are a person who can motivate yourself then a home gym might be the best solution as it will offer the convenience of allowing you to train whenever you like and you won't need others to motivate you.

If, on the other hand, you find it difficult to motivate yourself then a membership at a gym might be a better solution. Paying for the membership might be all that is needed to ensure that you will attend classes and often we can get motivated by those around us and challenge ourselves to improve and compete with others in the gym.

Alternatively, you might be a person who prefers to go for a run or a walk rather than lift weights. No matter what you are capable of doing, there is only one action that you need to take however small that might be initially and that it to get started with some form of fitness training sooner rather than later.

Fitness will add to your overall well-being and the more exercise you do the fitter you will become and the more likely you will be to continue with a fitness program.

There is never a better time to get started than right now, not only for you but for your entire family!

Exercise Anytime and Anywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Exercise Anytime and Anywhere You can, it Adds Up Quickly

There is no excuse for not exercising.

An exercise can be as simple as some freestanding squats with no weight done in your office during working hours. It only takes a few minutes to do the squats but this is one of those exercises that can be done a few times a day and it will really stimulate blood flow and increase your heart rate.

You can get on the floor and do pushups! These will only take a few minutes to do, but over time will develop your upper body strength.

Various yoga exercises, such as the standing poses can be performed almost anywhere and will add to your leg strength, while improving your posture and balance.

Everyone, no matter how busy they might claim to be, has the time to spare a few minutes throughout the day to do these types exercises.

If you believe that you don't have this much time then there is something seriously wrong with the way that you are running your life.

Stretching is something that can also be done almost anywhere, even while you are sitting at your desk. You can perform these simple exercises while watching television and they are unlikely to disturb anyone else in the room.

It can become quite a fun challenge to find different exercises that you can do throughout the day while at work. The beauty of it is that all these exercises will not only add to a healthier body but will also help to relieve some of the stress of work.

Get others to join in and for fun, challenge them to do more exercises or hold poses longer than you.

Walk around your workplace at lunchtime and before you start work.

Take a few extra minutes to do some exercise before leaving for home at night.

There are many opportunities throughout the day where you can give your health a boost. Seize all the chances you can to improve your fitness and you will reap the rewards.

Fitness Gimmicks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:02:00 +0000

Fitness Gimmicks

There are many different fitness items advertised on the television every day of the week.

Some of these are actually very good for helping gain and maintain a strong healthy body but there are others that can best be described as gimmicks.

If anything promises to give you the body of a bodybuilder or fitness model over night then it is something that you should steer clear of.

It is not possible to make drastic changes over night and promises to that effect are untrue and quite possibly dangerous to your health.

You cannot lose vast amounts of weight in a few days or reduce your waist measurements dramatically overnight even if you were to starve for a few days.

What you are getting is all advertising hype to get you to part with your money.

Unfortunately this type of advertising can often make people skeptical about the benefits of other quality pieces of fitness equipment.

Progress should always be gradual whether it is for weight loss or weight and muscle gain. Nothing happens overnight and there is about a 3 week delay between what you are doing and to see some results. Don't forget some effort and a lot of consistancy is required to get results.

People promoting gimmick products are trying to sell a dream. You can't expect rock hard abs in an instant if you have been over weight for the last twenty years. You can however, expect to get good results from using quality fitness equipment on a regular basis that has been designed correctly to target specific areas of the body.

If you are constantly looking for a fast fix all you will get is a delayed start to a quality fitness program that could deliver the results you long for.

When you see the results that can be achieved with something as simple as a barbell and free weights you will understand that fitness is not about the equipment you have but the actions you take to improve your health.

Fitness Programs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Fitness Programs

To get the maximum benefit from your fitness training you should be following a specific program.

You need to determine what you are trying to achieve with your fitness program and then design a course that will deliver the results you are after. The E-Z Functional Fitness program gives you a manageable, family friendly fitness program that any and every family can follow with out the usual hassle! Find out more at www.safekidz.us/blog to get started today!

If you have program to follow you will be able to record your progress and make changes as your level of fitness increases.

This is particularly important if you are doing resistance training, as it is difficult to know what changes to make if you don't know what your progress has been.

Recording your progress will also spur you on to better performances. This helps your subconscious mind to drive you on as you realize the benefits of your training.

Record the number of repetitions that you achieve for each exercise and the weight that you use for each exercise and constantly challenge yourself to do better.

Even increasing weights or repetitions in small increments can add up to some substantial improves in your levels of strength and fitness over time.

Without a record of progress many people tend to continue with the same weights, or the same number of repetitions and wonder why they fail to achieve the levels that they hope for.

If you are training to reshape your body it is also a good idea to record your starting point on film. Take a photo of yourself before you start your fitness program and at intervals along the way. It is best to only do this every few months as it can take time to see noticeable changes to your body. By recording this on film you can look back and the progress that you see visually and this will help to encourage and motivate you to continue with your program.

There is nothing better than visual proof of accomplishment as a motivator!

Fitness Maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:42:00 +0000

Fitness Maintenance

It is a lot easier to maintain your fitness than to try to regain it once it is lost.

The same applies to your muscular size and strength.

If you don't use your muscles they will become smaller and weaker and will require more effort building them back to their former condition than it would have taken to maintain them.

Fitness maintenance requires minimal effort once you have achieved a level that you are happy with.

If you are happy with the level that you have reached then there is no need to continue challenging yourself to reach higher goals.

Just by continuing on with fitness maintenance you will still be improving your overall health, as the more we exercise the better conditioned we get even if we are doing the same exercises with the same weights every week.

Naturally you will get more benefits if you strive to do better all the time, but sometimes it does a lot of good to have a break from trying to better yourself and just implement a program of maintenance for a while.

Generally people who do this find renewed enthusiasm after a while and either change or improve their training program.

Having a record of what you looked like, and what you were able to achieve when you started your fitness program, and where you managed to progress to, is often the best motivator to get back on a fitness program if you ever take a break.

Some people like to have a complete break for a short while before resuming whereas others like to continue with light training for a period of time.

Whatever works best for you is the action you should follow, keeping in mind that it is always easier to maintain fitness than to start again from a lower level.

Good Nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:34:00 +0000

Good Nutrition

Nutrition is a study in itself and there is far more than could ever be covered here. There are however some nutrition basics that will help you to get better results from your training.

Many people are against taking supplements, but fitness training does place additional demands on our body and sometimes this can only be addressed by taking good supplements.

There are many different brands of supplements on the market and these have been developed due to the growth of the fitness industry and the fact that more people are concerned about their health.

Eating the right food will go a long way to supplying us with the nutrition that we need however even the best foods can't always supply us with the requirements of our busy lives.

One of the main food items (if it can be called that) that needs to be eliminated from our diets wherever possible is sugar.

Sugar will add nothing to your health and can do a whole lot of damage and cause problems such as diabetes to occur even for those people who are following good fitness training programs.

You will need a level of quality complex carbohydrates to give you the energy to do your fitness training and also protein to help your muscles to recover and grow stronger.

These can be supplied through the foods we eat or by buying quality protein powders and nutritional supplements designed for people who train.

Recovery times can be shortened by supplements and taking supplements can enhance improvements in many aspects of fitness.

Good nutrition is probably the most important aspect of any fitness-training program, as it will ensure you are getting the maximum benefit from the work that you are putting in to your health.

It can be quite costly but the rewards can be quite impressive too.

Fitness is a Lifetime Investment

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:17:00 +0000

Fitness is a Lifetime Investment

The time we put into our fitness at any time throughout our life is an investment in our future.

Just as we try to build up our financial wealth, we should be doing the same with our health, as this will determine the quality of life we live as we age.

Consider the compound effect that smoking can have over the lifetime of a smoker and how detrimental it is to their health.

The opposite effect occurs when we do any form of fitness training even if it is only for a few minutes a day, or for short periods a few times a week.

We don't have to do hours of long intensive weight training 7 days a week to get fit. To lose weight we don't need to go on strict diets that are too hard to maintain.

It takes a long time for most people to get fat and this usually occurs from eating just a little too much of the wrong foods too often.

If we are to reverse that situation and only reduce our calories by 100 per day, which is something that most people can achieve without too much difficulty, then the effect after a year or so can be quite dramatic.

If we were to walk for twenty minutes three or fours times a week, we would be a lot healthier after a year of such exercise.

All these small changes won't encroach on our lifestyle to any extent but they can make the difference between normal activity when we age and the inability to get the most out of life.

The sooner we start to make these changes the more health we are investing in for our future. One of the best things about easy fitness like this is the fact that it gets even easier the more we do it.

When we make this type of on going fitness a part of our children's daily lives, they carry it with them into their adulthood. By laying the foundation now, as parents we are influencing the health of our grandchildren in a positive manner! That's a long term investment.

Is your child a bully?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:59:00 +0000

One of the goals of our Momz Mean Business classes is to encourage mature females to bring a younger female to classes so that they will have the skills to avoid being bullied in school. It is a problem that is not going away. Many schools have instituted a ZERO tolerance level of aggression at school. The problem is that frequently both students are suspended, rather than looking at who was doing the bullying. That is insane!

Any way another issue that parents have talked to me about is how to tell if their child is the one who is doing the bullying. This is not an easy pill for any parent to swollow. To help identify those behaviors that may indicate a problem, here is a quick artical that I found. Hope it is helpful and we will see you in class!

If you suspect that your child is a bully, you should take steps to ensure that they do not harm others or start a habit of ridiculing people that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Bullying can have serious consequences for children, including the bully. Children who bully are much more likely to get involved with drugs and crime later in life as well as have poor interpersonal skills. This is why it is important to stop them if they are bullies, not to mention all the damage they can do to other children.

If you think your child is a bully, there are some questions you can ask to determine if they really are, and behaviors you should look out for. If you know that your child has repeatedly hit, pushed, or otherwise hurt another child, this is a sign that they may be a bully. Not all children will exhibit this behavior in front of a adult or even admit to it, but habitually hurting others is a big bullying warning sign. If your child has ever ganged up with another child to hurt someone or asked their friends to hurt another person they may also be a bully.

If you have seen your child spread rumors about another child either when talking to a friend or through a note, email, or IM, then they may be a bully. Emotionally hurting other children is another common way that children bully one and other and is just as serious. If your child is a bully, they will use these methods to humiliate other children. Bullies will also exclude others from play and other activities to bully them so if you think your child is a bully watch for this behavior.

Good natured teasing does occur between children and chances are you will hear your child teasing their friends at one point or another. Teasing another child if it is unwanted or hurtful, indicates bullying. If you think your child is a bully, this teasing will not be good natured and between friends. It will be frequent and directed at children that they are not friends with. If you see your child doing this behavior make sure you let then know that it is not acceptable, and that it is not funny and will not help them to make healthy friends. Many times a bully does not understand the consequences of their actions and needs help understanding what can happen.

If you notice that close friends of your child partake in this type of behavior, it does not always mean your child is a bully but they may act along with their friends. It is common for a child to bully others because their friends do it, and even though they are not the one who initiates the bullying, they can suffer just the same. If you notice this type of behavior in either your child or their friends, make sure they know that bullying is not acceptable.

Maximize Your Efforts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:34:00 +0000

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Turbulence Training Review

(Normally I would put this under the Training Products page, but this program is a fantastic way to supplement the Functional Counter Aggression Training program that we are about to launch in Winchester. at the EELM Community Center, Winchester, NH. I have used this program myself and have been very happy with the program, but check it out for yourself!)

Turbulence Training is a program created by Craig Galantine, who is a ‘Men’s Health’ Magazine Expert and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. The plan is designed to enable you to loose fat and gain muscle without cardio and it uses three short but intense workouts per week. The plans keep changing in order to keep your body from adapting to a fixed routine and these changes work to stimulate rapid muscle growth.

Research has shown that high-intensity interval training (often called HIIT) combined with lifting heavier weights for fewer reps, is a better and more efficient way to build muscle and lose fat than lengthy cardio exercises, longer repetitions and training with lighter weights. The Turbulence Training program shows you how you can do only 3 workouts a week of 45 minutes each and loose fat while gaining body muscle. The program includes a warm up exercise that you do for 5 minutes followed by strength training of 15-20 minutes and then interval training of 15-20 minutes as well.

While these workouts are shorter in duration and less frequent, the difficulty level is high. They are designed to make you do as much work as possible in a shorter duration of time, and you'll feel that you have done some training by the time you complete a session.

A big advantage of the Turbulence Training program is that it does not bore you with repetition. A lot of people start fat loss programs with enthusiasm but stop doing it after a while because they just can do the same thing over and over again. In this program, you will be changing workout routines once a month. You are doing the same exercise only 12 times and this does not allow your body to adapt itself to the changes which will halt your progress.

The program includes: “Turbulence Training System" in PDF & MP3 format, Dumbbell & Bodyweight Fusion workout manual, Nutrition guide by Chris Mohr, “20-Minute Workouts for the World's Busiest Dads!", Total Body Transformation Secrets, Turbulence Training for Mass (Muscle Building).

This workout system does not come with a diet plan and it may be too intense for some people. As you may have noticed this program is not for people who are looking to build some serious muscle its oriented more towards the combination of fat loss and muscle gain.

The system just asks for 45 minutes of your time 3 days a week. It has a routine that is not that does not require too much time. So, if you have a busy schedule and cant find time to loose those gained pounds then this workout is something that you can do.

If you are serious about your health and the health and fitness of your entire family, it may be time to check out the Turbulence Training System!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don
Action Arts Academy-NE

To learn more about this dynamic and results oriented training program click here!

Helping Kids Deal With Bullying

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:47:00 +0000

The article talks about bullying among children. Apart from defining what bullying is, the article also explains the two main reasons why some kids bully other children. In addition, the article also enumerates some of the ways on how kids should deal with school bullies

It is not very uncommon to see withdrawn and shy kids in schools. These kids are aloof and somewhat indifferent to other children. Most likely, these kids seem unhappy because they are being bullied at school.

Being bullied can be a total nightmare for any child. Although bullying can also be experienced by adults, this kind of social act frequently happens among kids or adolescents.

Define bullying

Bullying is different from an innocent teasing of a classmate, friend, or a sibling. Mere teasing is not harmful when done in a humorous or in an unintentional way. However, when teasing becomes extreme to the point that it is hurtful and turns into a habit on the part of the teaser, this act is then considered bullying.

Generally, bullying is the purposeful or intentional act of an individual to verbally, physically, or psychologically torment another person. This act may be in the form of threatening, mocking, hitting, name-calling, and even soliciting money from the poor victim.

Reasons why kids bully

There are a number of reasons why kids bully their classmates or siblings. One of the major reasons for bullying others is the desire to feel superior among peers. School bullies often want to show others that they are important or in control of their clique. Usually, the victims of bullying are kids who do not have popular friends as well as those who appear timid or emotionally weak.

Another typical reason why some kids bully other children at school is that they want to let others feel how is it like to be bullied or ridiculed. Studies show that bullies are oftentimes victims of bullying as well. Hence, they pick on others as means of getting even.

Dealing with the school bullies

Since bullying is inevitable to school environment, kids should know the ways or strategies in dealing with mean school bullies. Below are some of the important things that kids should know in handling or approaching bullying situations:

1. Tell your parents

Telling adults about the situation will most likely stop the bullying. Once parents know about it, they can talk to the school principal or the teacher to arrange a meeting with the kid bully’s parents.

2. Literally avoid or ignore the bully

Do not go to places where the school bully typically hangs around. It is always best not to be alone while at school. Be with close friends or classmates. Some bullies prefer to attack when their victims are alone. Thus, make sure to use the buddy system.

3. Simply walk away

Be strong and courageous enough to say no to the attacks and demands of a school bully. When a bully says hurtful remarks, act like you don’t hear anything and just walk away. At some instances, the bullying eventually stops when the attacks are ignored by the bully’s target.

4. Be open about it

Do not be afraid to talk about the bullying situation with someone you can trust other than your parents. These people may be the guidance counselor, a therapist, or your best friend. Remember that bullying can result to a number of grave side effects, thus, affecting the mental health of a child.

Schools' Biggest Threat

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:39:00 +0000

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This article discusses bullying and depression among students and the resulting school shootings that partly may have resulted from those situations.

What do W.R. Myers High School, Heritage High School, Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, have in common aside from being academic institutions? Do the names Todd Cameron Smith, Thomas Solomon Jr., Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold and Cho Seung-Hui sound familiar? What is the common factor among those persons mentioned earlier? Why is it important to talk about their situation? This is basically what this article is all about. The relationship among those questions posted initially will be shown as the answers are revealed one by one.

Schools are considered by most parents as their children's second home. This may be because most students actually spend more time in school than at home. These institutions are also known as places of learning and it is of great importance that the atmosphere and condition in these places are conducive for such undertaking. Also, most parents expect their children to be safe and secure in school. However, the situations in W.R. Myers High School, Heritage High School, Columbine High School and Virginia Tech during 4 fateful days were far from being conducive for learning. It was on 28 April 1999, 20 May 1999, 20 April 1999 and 16 April 2007 when several students were killed during school shootings at W.R. Myers High, Heritage high, Columbine High and Virginia Tech, respectively. These tragedies are just four of the several school shootings that have happened in the United States since 1966. Because of the increasing incidence of this type of crime, law enforcers, parents, teachers, and other concerned citizens are now taking action to come up with a solution for this problem.

Todd Cameron Smith killed one student and injured two others at W.R. Myers High School when he was just 14 years old. Thomas Solomon Jr. was a 15-year-old sophomore at Heritage High School when he brought a rifle and a handgun to school and randomly shot and injured six students. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were both students at Columbine High School when they bombed their school cafeteria, killed 12 students and a teacher, and injured 24 others before committing suicide. Cho Seung-Hui was a 23-year-old senior at Virginia Tech when he killed 32 students and injured a lot more before also committing suicide. All five students are said to have experienced being bullied in their respective schools, thus, partly being the cause of those students' anxiety problems or depression. Also, their aggression towards others resulting to crimes committed may also be partly attributed to their depression and the experience of bullying.

In 1998, the National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD) conducted a survey on bullying among 15,686 6th to 10th grades students all over America. The survey showed that 30% of those students who participated have either experienced being a bully, had been victims of bullying or both. From the survey, it was further determined that nationwide, 3.2 million kids or teenagers were being bullied while 3.7 million others are bullies. Another study done by NICHD correlated the act of bullying and of being bullied with depressive and suicidal tendencies among those who have experienced it. The study indicated that “frequently, bullied kids are more depressed and suicidal.” Figures also reflected that among those who took part in the survey and had experienced being bullied, 26% of girls and 16% of boys have moderate to severe depression while eight percent (8%) of girls and four percent (4%) of boys are suicidal. Though it is said that bullies have higher tendencies to commit crimes, the profile of most attackers in school shootings are mostly those of the victims of bullying. This is supported by a study also done by NICHD which stated that “those who have both experienced being bullied and being bullies may be more at-risk and more dangerous.”

Various preventive measures have been promoted in response to the school shootings that have occurred over the past few years. Security within schools have been improved which included stricter screening of students who could possibly be carrying illegal firearms or weapons into campus. However, organizations such as Fight Crime: Invest In Kids and the US Secret Service suggest that getting to the root of the problem rather than just mere physical security will provide the best solution to address the serious situation. Considering that these school shootings somehow resulted from distress in school caused by bullying, efforts should also be directed to setting up programs that would prevent these types of negative or destructive behavior among students. Nowadays, there are already existing anti-bullying and anti-aggression programs such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program which is implemented in the US and in other countries. These programs aim to increase awareness about bullying among parents, teachers and students; create rules in school that prevent bullying; provide positive consequences for those who avoid; and negative consequences for those who engage in bullying.

Through these preventive measures and awareness programs, both government and non-governments organizations, as well as numerous concerned citizens, hope to avoid another Columbine or Virginia Tech incident. It is also a way of keeping the image of schools as institutions for learning with assurance of safety and security. Preventing the incidence of bullying not only answers problems with depression among the youth but also decreases the rise in youth crimes.

Cyber-Bullying: Threat and Intimidation Online

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:22:00 +0000

The article is about the growing social problem called Cyber-Bullying, which is the use of digital devices and systems like the Internet to harass, attack, intimidate, or threaten other people. The article also cites several ways how Internet users can protect themselves from this new form of harassment.

Ahh...the Internet...the amazing portal to a vast world of information, entertainment, and everything else in between. Internet technology has revolutionized the way we work, play, learn, and communicate. What started out as an experiment in a Harvard University laboratory is now one of the primary means by which people in the 21st century do business, exchange information, and relate with other people. Aside from its use as a research tool, the World Wide Web provides other services such as email, instant messaging, file sharing, online forums, and blogging. As a technology, it has made an impact on the social structure and behavior. As an example, there now actual cases of people who met online and later got married.

But even the Internet is not immune from misuse or abuse. Like other inventions of man, it too has been subjected to various forms of wrong application. One good example is cyber-bullying, a term that refers to bullying and harassment by use of electronic devices. Cyber-bullying and harassment is actually done through e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, mobile phones, text messaging, and other electronic media.

In a survey done by Pew Internet and American Life, it was found out that at least 33% of teenagers had been the victim of some form of cyber-bullying. These acts involved sexual harassment, threats of harm, name-calling, and other harmful and unwanted acts.

Online bullies use their computer and Internet skills to shock, intimidate, insult, and control unsuspecting online users. These acts of intimidation cause embarrassment, fear, stress, and anxiety. Some people who have become victims of online harassment also suffer from depression. The depression has caused many of these victims to either retreat in isolation or seek revenge through their own brand of harassment.

Since surfing the Web can be done outside of school or out of the watchful eyes of teachers and parents, many young people need to be re-educated about “Web Safety.” School authorities, guardians, and parents must help young people and other individuals who use the Internet to learn the following Web Safety Measures:

·Don't use your real name every time you sign up for a web service;
·Don't give personal information such as your gender, age, address, school etc.;
·Don't send photos or post photos on the Internet;
·As much as possible, avoid entering chat rooms. Most people who are in the chat rooms are not truthful with their profiles or identities. They are not who they say they are.
·Keep a copy of the offending email. You may need the copy if you decide to take legal action about it.
·Never easily agree to meet with anyone that you just met online.

One of the worst things that can happen to a victim of online harassment or cyber-bullying is to be neglected. If a victim feels that he or she does not have anyone to go to for help, that person may fall in a deeper state of depression. Much worse, the victim could even develop a serious anxiety disorder, which, in turn, might lead to suicide.

It will take the joint effort of school authorities, parents, and the community as a whole to stop cyber-bullying. Everybody must take part in preventing the cyber-bullies from using one of the world's most important inventions into a cyber-tool for threat and intimidation.

Bullying Happens On The Internet Too

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Once, the Internet was used as a safe haven from bullying by the socially inept or physically targeted. However, as the Internet evolves, so do the communities with it, which has spawned its own form of bullying. Cyber-bullying is harder to spot without knowing the signs to look for, mainly because most parents tend to be unaware of how this new form of bullying is done or how much damage it can do.

Bullying, according to some, is sort of a rite of passage. A source of stress and anxiety, as well as fear, that everyone has to endure at one point or another. The advent of the Internet and better, more advanced communications technologies has not really changed this, though the virtual world has given bullied children a place to go where they won't be targeted for being physically weak. For most, the Internet is a place where one's ideas and ability to express ideas solidly is more valuable than muscle fitness and raw power. However, that may all be changing with the times, arguably due to the Internet itself slowly changing into a more and more tangible community.

The Internet has long been home to a number of “virtual communities” that mirror those found in the real world. These communities are often based on a common interest shared by members, such as video games, anime, certain genres of books, or cult TV shows. A little surfing can lead someone to find forums, chat rooms, and wikis (databases that can be edited and added to by the community itself, rather than a single administrator or group) dedicated to a wide range of topics. This virtual environment of relative safety and anonymity has afforded bullied people a safe place to express their opinions, often using these sites as a means of stress relief and social interaction at the same time. However, one alarming thing to note is that, as these communities grow larger, their evolution starts to mirror the evolution of real-life communities.

Elitism is a major problem, particularly in larger, less-monitored communities. The mentality of making new members pay their dues by taking abuse from established members is prevalent in a number of Internet communities. Even if there is no outright elitism, it may still manifest in some form, usually with older members telling younger members to just shrug off the abuse and stress associated with one of the less friendly members of the community. Abusive members who have been established for a long time tend to be removed only with difficulty, particularly because most of the members in power have already gotten used to them and feel that newer members will have to do the same.

However, bullying via the Internet reaches further than that. Stress and social anxiety can be effectively reinforced on the Internet as well, especially with more and more people engaging in activities such as blogging and maintaining personal websites. While most people who set up blogs and personal sites are aware that they are risking being attacked by damaging or derogatory remarks, they are often ill-prepared for those same remarks. The fact that the Internet makes it all too easy to launch such attacks both anonymously and openly makes it a particularly inviting means of “putting someone down.” This was the case in Japan, when schoolgirls “cyber-bullied” a fellow student via attacks on her personal website; acts which prompted a violent response, resulting in the infamy of the “Nevada-tan” persona.

While not all victims of bullying turn violent, the potential damage done by this to social and psychological development can be devastating. It can lead to a number of negative behaviors, including the formation of an inferiority complex and, in rare cases, excessively violent outbursts.