Getting Fitness Right

“Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.”
-- Hippocrates

America’s estimated 75 million dieters. Dieting has become an obsession. But despite the 60 billion diet industry North Americans are still over weight and obese. For this reason, one out of 2 people die of heart disease each year.

The body is a complex machine and, like any machine, it needs regular maintenance to keep it working efficiently. Aside from daily exercise, the body needs daily intake of fluid and food to provide it with energy, to keep it healthy, and to help repair and renew damaged cells. Three things we must understand to achieve fitness:

1. Exercises such as crunches, leg raises, and sit-ups are the LEAST EFFECTIVE method of getting rid of stubborn stomach fat & love handles.
   
   Fitness starts with good nutrition, hydration, relaxation and exercising your core muscles from the inside out. These muscles lie deep within the torso. They generally attach to the spine, pelvis and muscles that support the scapula. When these muscles are in good shape, they stabilize the the spine, pelvis and shoulders and create a solid base of support. We are then able to generate powerful movements of the extremities.
   
   
2. There are foods that are promoted as "Health Foods" but actually stimulate your body to hold onto excess belly fat.
   
   Scientists have even discovered that some of these particular foods can even produce a hormonal imbalance in your body that triggers belly fat to resist burning and signals it to be stored excessively. Avoid processed food with white sugar.
   
   
3. Cardio exercises is not the best way to lose body fat.

Reducing your waistline and toning your core muscles is important for facilitating your balance and body movements. Recent properly controlled scientific studies have revealed that people using cardio-based workout routines lost significantly less body fat compared to people who did mostly low intensive training based circular routines.

IMPORTANT: Whatever your choice, weight training to build muscle, aerobic fitness for the lungs and heart or stretching exercises for flexibility, core training should the first priority of your fitness plan. It is important to remember that while exercising, you need to pay attention to your diet. Depending on the length of your workouts, your diet will affect the fuel used by your body. Your diet needs proteins, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and plenty of water.

"Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) continues to be one of the leading causes of death and morbidity among adult." - Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Flatten Your Belly with our New Shape-Up Plan:

Whether you're running a 10K race every weekends or learning the ropes at work, you need to function at your peak potential. But it's hard to keep your edge when you're feeling dull and wiped out. Lack of energy may indicate a need to supplement your diet and may lead to more serious health concerns.

How can you shake that sluggish feeling? A quick fix from a cup of coffee or a sugary snack won't last, but a natural hydration and nutrition can. If you play sports or work out, natural hydration and nutrition will give you an energy boost, help build muscle tone and enhance utilization of nutrients. Here is your plan:

• Fresh water - 8 glasses
  
• Fresh fruits - 5 different types
  
• Fresh vegetables - dark green leaves, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, celery.
  
• One portions of beans - soak and cook dried beans
  
• One portion of rice - brown rice or Basmati rice
  
• One portion of dairy products - yogurt, cheese, or milk
  
• Two portions of nuts - almonds, pecans, walnuts
  • One portion of protein - fish, chicken or beef
    

"Chronic back pain is said to account for more than $2.5 billion lost to the British economy each year" - The British Medical Journal

How To Make Healthy Decisions

Throughout your life you will have to make healthy decisions for yourself and your family. The decisions you make will influence your fitness.

Fitness can be attained by combination of various things like proper diet, exercise and mental power. As a result, we can achieve weight loss, natural detoxification and manage arthritis, depression, aging and overall well-being.

Various exercises like skipping, jogging, walking are done to remain healthy. Then there are aerobics, yoga, Pilates and Core Training which are very good for muscle tone up and general flexibility of the body. Playing games is another way of attaining good health and fitness.

"Back injuries account for nearly 20% of all injuries and illnesses in the workplace in North America." - The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Fitness Facts:

Everybody needs regular physical activity. Along with a positive attitude and healthy diet, your fitness level plays a major role in how well you feel, what illnesses you avoid, and how much you enjoy life.

Most people inadvertently focus on all the wrong types of exercises in the wrong combinations. That will most likely just set you up for failure and years more of a fat belly, bad posture and back problems. Maintaining a healthy life style can start at any age. Once you learn to free yourself from the poisonous addictions of junk food and artificial drinks, you can work towards your fitness goals and you can prevent diseases, injuries and remain fit.

• Fitness lowers your risk of premature death and death caused by heart disease.
• Fitness is the result of a healthy body and a discipline mind.
• Fitness helps you maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
• Fitness reduces your risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and osteoporosis.
• Fitness is not a chore it is Life.
• Fitness helps you maintain a healthy body weight.
• Fitness improves your mood, relieves stress, and promotes a sense of well-being.

"Excess weight and lack of basic abdominal strength put extra stress on the lower back; back injuries are still the second leading cause of work absenteeism."
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Fitness Options