The Ultimate Fitness Secret - A Permanent Change For A Permanent Results

If you really want to get in better shape and live a life where you feel good about yourself, then this article is a must read for you...

Are you happy with your body?

Have you ever heard of those ab gadgets and gizmos on TV, you know the ones that you see and know are completely worthless.

I'm willing to bet you have!

While all these gizmos sound like fascinating news. I'm sorry to tell you they're one of the most worthless tools you can spend your money on.

People are always looking for the easy way out, the wonder drug or the miracle pill, some people just don't want to put in the hard work and dedication required to put their selves on the road to fitness...

These gadget companies would have you to believe that doing just 5 minutes a day on their wiz-bang machines without doing anything else will have you ready to hit the beach in a matter of weeks.

News That Will Change Your View Of Fitness

Well unfortunately many people fall prey to such advertisements and it really irritates me as a Fitness Coach to see such things in this country. In this article I'll cover the essential components that absolutely must be present for any weight loss or fitness program to be successful

Any weight loss program must have 3 key components present in order to be successful.

A Supportive Eating Plan

Stressing Your Muscles

Cardiovascular Conditioning

I want to go into a little more detail about each of these starting with:

Cardiovascular Conditioning

First let me say that aerobic activity definitely is important when it comes to weight and fat loss, however you can go too far, which may be news to you!!.

Aerobic exercise is very popular with women of all ages, and some would have you to believe that endless hours of cardio is the key to a shapely body, but I have to tell you it's not.

Not only is excess cardiovascular exercise not the best thing, but it can in fact be detrimental to successful weight loss. As a Fitness Coach this is probably the most common misconception in the health and fitness confusion.

Too much cardiovascular activity will start to break down your muscle, and that's not what you want. As muscle is what makes up your metabolism.

So you want to preserve as much muscle as possible by limiting the cardiovascular exercise to around 30 min. 3-4 times per week. To supplement the weekly aerobic activity some form of strength training should also be included!

Stressing Your Muscles

This portion of the fitness formula is often forgotten or just left out intentionally.

Really it is not very hard, overloading the muscle just means putting higher than normal amounts of stress on the various muscle groups in the body to ensure that all of your muscle is at least maintained while on a weight loss phase!

This can literally be an endless amount of activities, from push-ups and pull-ups to rock climbing or whatever strikes your fancy. Most importantly if it is something that you enjoy you will much more likely to continue doing it.

Continue with this News below where we talk about Supportive Nutrition, the last pice of the fitness puzzle.

Supportive Nutrition

The nutritional aspect of a Fitness program is probably the most confusing for many individuals in this country.

After all with literally hundreds of different diet's and their books touting the various forms of food exclusivity or focusing on just one food or food group or macro-nutrient.

Often times people are so confused that they just don't do anything which is the worst thing you can do. Whatever you do, do something, you don't have to have a perfect plan, just to get started. This is news to most people, and a different way of viewing fitness.

You can always improve upon what you are doing the further you get into it and the more you learn.

So really what are the right foods to eat, should you eat half a cow's worth of meat every week, or is fat-free cookies and fat-free ice cream the way to go.

Really, all you have to do is just a healthy, balanced food plan that your mom would be proud of. It is really, so simple, just think of what common sense would tell you.

Would 3 cinnamon rolls for breakfast be better or a couple of eggs and some fruit, or perhaps a bowl of oatmeal with some cottage cheese?

Basically you want to eat as many unprocessed foods in their natural state for carbohydrates, various forms of meat are great, limiting the amount of high-fat meats to a few times per week. Then you need to add a small amount of healthy fats through, almonds, walnuts, avocados, fish oil and other good fat foods.

The Sum Of All 3 - The Ultimate Fitness Secret

None of these 3 components can get you the results you are after on your own. You need the combination of all for a multiplication effect.

So to sum it up, whenever you want to go on a diet again, remember this article and apply it. Are they going to just do the usual starvation diet thing.

A diet or fitness plan in order to be successful should include those 3 elements as discussed, and they are again to remind you, moderate amount of aerobic activity, overloading the muscles, and probably the most important a balanced and healthy nutrition plan.

I hope this news has helped you. Now just take action and expect success!

Zach Hunt is the owner and head fitness coach of Physzique, a high-end personal fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. Go to Spokane WA News Local to find out more about this incredible news. Or go now to Your Fitness Spokane Directory for immediately usable health and fitness tips

How to Begin a Golf Fitness Program

Golf fitness is the hot topic on the professional golf tours, at the collegiate golf level, at the country clubs, and everywhere in the golf industry. But many don't know what it means, what it should include or how to start a program.

Golf fitness means something different to everyone. It can mean anything from stretching before you play to a supervised and progressive daily program. For others it means it's the only way to play golf pain free, and of course there are those that think it is a big waste of time. Whatever your belief, the one thing that can't be denied is the great benefits of regular exercise!

The benefits of exercise are many and backed by much research. We know it can improve your general health and quality of life, but it can also give you greater pleasure and a competitive edge on the golf course. Improved posture (my favorite topic) and flexibility are necessary keys to developing a repeatable and effective swing. Strength, stability and balance are paramount in producing the power needed for out-driving your friends!

However, the secret ingredient to an effective golf fitness program is your ability to take action, and be committed to working consistently on your program. It takes consistent action to make changes in your body. In some cases, you are making changes to muscles that have been lazy or dysfunctional as a result of many years of bad habits and programming.

Research specific to golf has been conducted over the past several years. One study conducted in 2004 looked at a group of male golfers and the effects of a conditioning program on drive distance. The study looked at their club head speed and driving distance before and after an 8 week training program. The training program consisted of strength training and plyometrics (explosive exercises) conducted 2 sessions per week. All subjects in the exercise group showed a significant increase in both club head speed and driving distance. The control group (non-exercise group) showed no significant improvements. Effect of an 8-Week Combined Weights and Plyometrics Training Program on Golf Drive Performance; The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 59-62.

Consult with a fitness professional:
One concept to understand when considering a golf fitness program is the immense value of finding and working with a professional. Just like taking personal lessons from a PGA teaching professional, you will benefit from consulting with a fitness professional.

I will discuss the process of selecting a fitness professional in a minute, but I have to emphasize the fact that nothing is more beneficial than physically working with a professional that can watch your every move and assess your physical abilities. Our body, specifically the nervous system, and muscular system are great compensators which results in dysfunctional movement patterns. In other words, our body changes over time resulting in weakness, tightness and even pain. The result is difficulty moving into certain positions, such as those needed in a golf swing. A trained professional can recognize poor movement patterns, bad postural positions, and therefore make changes to your program and initiate corrective exercises.

All of the great sports coaches such as John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, and Casey Stengel, all focused on fundamentals when coaching their players. When training your body as we do with golfers it is no different. The PGA teaching professionals always spend time with fundamentals. When training the body to have better posture, improved flexibility, or a stronger core you need to focus on fundamentals. If your body's muscles do not function correctly from a fundamental perspective any advanced exercise will be a waste of time.

OK now, when searching for a fitness professional, ideally try to find someone that has several years of experience working with golfers. Make sure they have adequate training. For example a licensed athletic trainer (ATC), a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) or a certified personal trainer (CPT), are credentials that make them qualified.

Ask questions regarding their golf experience. Do they play the game? Do they have relationships with teaching professionals? Do they understand the mechanics of the golf swing, as well as swing faults? Also, ask specific questions regarding their approach to fitness. Do they provide a physical assessment? Do they address the different components of fitness (see below)? And, are they experienced in dealing with injuries or chronic problems?

You need to be able to trust your fitness professional, have confidence in their abilities and feel comfortable working with them. When you are satisfied with their answers to your questions, make a decision and go for it.

Components of a Golf Fitness Program:
Posture, I believe is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to fitness training. An individual's posture tells a lot about how their body is working and what kind of restrictions there may be when trying to swing a golf club.

When discussing posture it is important to keep in mind that I am referring to more than just sitting up straight, or not having rounded shoulders. The entire body from head to toe was designed to be aligned in a precise manner. The body follows the principles of physics by the way the ends of the bones are shaped, how they connect to each other and how the muscle act upon the bones & joints They are subsequently designed to function and move in specific ways.

When out of alignment or out of muscular balance, your muscular function and movement patterns are limited.
With the golf swing the most common postural problem that contributes to bad positions in the swing is the forward shoulders, forward head & rounded upper back. This slouched position makes it really difficult to get in a good set up position and significantly limits your shoulder turn or what we call thoracic rotation. The shoulder turn into the back swing is dependent upon a good position of the upper back at address. Tight muscles and restrictions in the upper spine prevent the golfer from maintaining good posture in the set up. Ultimately resulting in bad positions during the swing, The bottom line is you need to find a fitness professional that understands posture and its influence on movements specific to golf.

Flexibility/Range of Motion refers to the body's ability to move the bones and joints to the limits of its designed capacity. However it must be controlled motion, which I will discuss next.

An example of needed flexibility or range of motion is in the hip joint during the golf swing. As you stand in your golf position and swing there needs to be an optimal amount of rotation through both hips. During the backswing (right handed golfer) your right hip should internally rotate because your pelvis is rotating on top of it. If you have tightness in your hip muscles this motion will be limited. And, as we know, limited motion in one joint leads to compensated or excessive motion somewhere else. Subsequently tightness in the right hip may result in locking of the right knee, a reverse pivot and excessive stress in the lower back during your backswing.

Dynamic Stability refers to the body's ability to stabilize joints or positions during movement. The one area that is most often discussed is core stability. This refers to your ability to stabilize or limit movement in the lumbar spine & pelvic region, an important component of your program.

Dynamic Strength essentially means the same as functional strength. Golf strength training should utilize all planes of motion the body moves in and somewhat golf specific. Isolated strengthening may be appropriate in certain situations but you should mostly strengthen in a dynamic way.

Dynamic Balance is closely related to posture because of the requirements of a balance between muscles and having them function correctly. Your golf professional will work with you in terms of weight shift, balance and the coordinated movements of the swing. The fitness professional may at times address this, but should not get carried away.

Dynamic Power is the actual power that is produced in the movement of the golf swing. One of the key aspects of this power is the good swing that is developed by working with a PGA teaching professional. Power can also be enhanced by first working on the above components and then adding some power exercises. However training power should be the last part of your golf fitness program. I see too many people start with the cool golf specific power exercises with no concern for the fundamentals I talked about earlier.

Cardiovascular Endurance, although not an obvious component for golf, it may be a factor in some cases. You should be able to walk a golf course (may be some exceptions) and generally be in some sort of cardiovascular condition.

To summarize, ensure your program focuses on fundamentals and includes all components of golf fitness. Remember don't do an exercise just because it looks cool or you were told it is good for your golf swing. Every exercise should have a purpose based on your individual needs. Good Luck!

Mark Tolle is a Golf Fitness Specialist in the Chicagoland area. He specializes in functional fitness, golf specific training and is trained in Muscle Activation Techniques. He can be contacted at 773-965-4959 or http://www.chicagogolftrainer.com

Making Fitness Part of Your Life

The pressures of daily life can be daunting, and with demanding careers and raising a family, working out is probably the last thing on your mind at the end of a busy day. However, physical fitness can benefit you in more ways than you think.

Being physically fit is not only about conquering marathons in record time and not only about looking your best on the beach -- even though looking your best is always a bonus. Being physically fit can help you live a longer, more fulfilling life, it can benefit your body, your self-esteem and help you deal with the stresses of daily life.

Isn't it ironic how you always manage to find the time to watch TV, time to catch up on your favorite program or the time to get together with friends? Yet when it comes to going to gym or getting physical, you can easily come up with at least 10 different reasons why you're either too busy or just don't have the time to break a sweat.

Making fitness part of your life should be a priority in everyone's life -- it should become a daily habit, the same as brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Setting aside one hour of your day isn't much to ask when you take into account all the positive things you achieve just by being physically fit.

Apart from looking and feeling good, working out can benefit you in the following areas as well:

* Help to relieve stress, depression and anxiety
* Increase your ability to concentrate, think faster and become more sharp
* Help reduce blood pressure
* Lower the risk of developing colon cancer
* Keep your heart healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease
* Help with gaining muscle, which can build and maintain strong bones
* Increase flexibility, which can help prevent injury and help with muscular tension.

So next time you put off going to the gym, stop and think about all the benefits you're missing out on. Just 30 minutes to an hour of physical fitness a day can be a major health investment. And remember you don't have to be in a gym to be fit. You can enjoy fitness with your kids, your spouse, family or friends by coming up with fun, physical activities such as going for walks, swimming, mountain biking, hiking or playing golf to mention a few.

GET A PLAN

There are many great fitness plans out there that can help you get into shape and enjoy fitness, but there are also many scams that promise you the world and don't deliver. If you have spare cash on hand, get in touch with a personal trainer at your gym and take up a few sessions or visit a biokinetisist who will help you with your goals. You can also browse the Internet for reputable sites for information.

KICK START YOUR FITNESS PLAN

If you're a beginner into the world of fitness, ease into a routine by starting off slowly and gradually increase your endurance level. If you go all out on the first day, chances are you'll burn out and overwork yourself to the extent that you'll be put off fitness forever. If you're a newbie, also remember that it takes time to get into a fitness routine and the only way to reach your ideal level is be consistent and stick with the program.

MAKE TIME

The best way to ensure that you avoid the excuses-zone is to make a habit of getting your workouts done first thing in the morning. Set your alarm to wake up an hour earlier, get to the gym and from there, you can shower and head for work. By doing your workout in the morning you are more likely to put it off later due to tiredness (or laziness), plus research has shown that you burn more fat if you do your cardio sessions first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

Visit Susan's website A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness for more information on health, nutrition, longevity, beauty, fashion and fitness.

*** This article can be freely used as long as a link to "A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness" http://health.learninginfo.org is provided

Your Physical Fitness Definition Will Determine Your Success

It always amazes me that FITNESS is a multi-billion dollar industry... Yet a solid, concise and universal definition of fitness is hard to nail down.

Just ask someone participating in a physical fitness program, or even someone in the fitness industry for that matter, to give you a clear definition of fitness.

You will most likely be met with the "deer caught in the headlights" stare accompanied by nonsensical stammering.

If you do get an answer, it will most likely be slanted toward the specific abilities of the person asked.

For example...

A marathon runner will define fitness in terms of muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance... A power-lifter will define fitness in terms of absolute strength... A bodybuilder will define fitness in terms of muscle size and definition... etc.

But the overwhelming majority of people participating in a physical fitness program are not professional athletes concerned with the improvement of only one physical ability.

Therefore, basing your definition of fitness on one specific physical skill does not lead to a universal definition of fitness.

The fact is, your physical fitness success will be determined by your definition of fitness... So take some time to make sure you have a clear fitness definition.

Once you see how much a clear definition of fitness can improve your physical training, you will wonder how you ever physically trained in the past without one.

So what would a universal definition of fitness be for someone who wanted to physically train to become a better, all-around human being?

I'm glad you asked... but let's take it step by step.

Here is a GOOD Fitness Definition...

The degree of competence and skill to perform in ALL the physical abilities of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness.

I can already hear the criticism from the athletic crowd... You cannot "maximize" the performance of all the physical abilities in this fitness definition at the same time.

And they are absolutely right!

Fitness is not about the "maximization" of one particular physical skill at one particular point in time, but rather the "optimization" of all physical skills at any given time.

Fitness is a compromise of all the different physical skills that make up human activity.

Look at it this way...

Let's say all of the physical skills were tested separately.

Some specialized athletes would score very high on some physical skills... and very low on others.

But a person that personified true, universal fitness would score well on all of the physical skills... without necessarily being the best at any one skill.

Here is an EXCELLENT Fitness Definition...

The acceptable and deliberate compromise of competence and ability to perform in ALL the areas of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness to produce optimum performance results under the greatest amount of circumstances.

Not only is universal fitness a compromise of all the physical abilities... but it is the over-all ability to integrate all of the physical abilities and flow from one ability to the next in a seamless fashion to successfully complete a task.

So, what would adopting this definition of fitness do for you?

Your physical fitness training program would be assessed according to how well it "optimized" all the physical skills and not just how well it "maximized" one particular skill at the expense of all others.

Basically, structuring your physical training to improve all the physical skills of this fitness definition would enable you to greatly improve over-all physical performance in a wider variety of activities.

Now isn't that why most of us physically train?

Study this definition of fitness and use it to measure your current physical fitness training program.

How well does it measure up?

If your current workout program is lacking... it is definitely time for a change.

Your fitness success depends on it!

Coach Lomax, founder and president of the Optimum Fitness Network LLC, has gained a reputation for creating and recommending fitness resources that get results. To see his ever growing network of fitness sites, go to Best At Home Workouts His best selling ebook, Workout Without Weights - Bodyweight Calisthenics Workout Progression System shows you how to perform, feel and look your best without costly equipment or expensive gym memberships.

Exploring the Mental Aspect of Fitness

I promote and teach the 3 phases of fitness to all my clients. Many are unaware of what the three phases entail. If you fall into this same category...let me take this opportunity to enlighten you.

The 3 phases are the Mental, Physical and Financial aspects or phases of fitness. This is a concept I developed a little over two years ago and have had great success with improving client's mindsets. Let's look at how each of these relate to your health and fitness.

Mental fitness: Everyone has a fitness "script" or mindset concerning fitness. This is what is instilled in each of us at an early age. It is how our parents, teachers, loved ones, and society as a whole views health and fitness. Just like most beliefs we posses... they were learned.

I like to call it a fitness script.

Most scripts have been formed from the experiences in one's life. This script is what is keeping people overweight, unhappy and full of excuses.

Speaking of excuses, in order to fulfill the "I am not worthy prophesy," clients will sabotage their potential success with reasons why exercise will never work.

You see, they do not actually want to succeed.

Achieving their goals would mean they are abandoning the script; the script for failure.

No matter how much weight some people lose, they will eventually start to gain it back because they are "destined," in their minds, to have big hips, thighs and buttocks.

There is also the added pressure of keeping it off, lifestyle changes, ridicule and judgment from the family.

Making excuses relieves the pressure. Actually, people become pretty good at it. The more excuses they make, the more they will believe them too. It becomes reality.

A lot of the excuses are based in fear as well.

When he or she attempts a weight loss program the fears begin to surface.

"What if I fail?"

"What if I lose weight and then gain it all back?"

"How will people look at me ...judge me?"

"This will take up a lot of time."

"I will lose a lot of freedom."

"I would rather go down the traveled road...the easy road."

All of this thinking is based on someone's blueprint or script of fitness and of success.

Much of failure in life is rooted in fear.

The good news is anyone can edit the script at any time. They can discard the old ways of thinking; the thoughts that belong to someone else anyway - the reasoning that has lead to being overweight, unsatisfied and miserable.

When clients make up their minds to develop their own fitness script, one that involves proper exercise, eating habits and respect for their body, then they begin to write a "happy ending " for themselves.

Proper fitness knowledge, affirmations/positive self-talk, support partners or friends are all tools to re-set the mental aspect of fitness and to get it moving full steam ahead.

When it comes to meeting fitness goals, I feel changing the inside first is the way to go. Your mindset will affect how you approach health and wellness. It can make all the difference in your fitness aspirations.

Looking and feeling good should be something you desire to do; not what you think should be done.

Beyond achieving goals or resolutions, proper health should be a way of living. If people would just make it a priority, then being fit would not be such a struggle or loathsome routine per se.

One of my clients, we will call her Joan, tells her story this way:

"I am a busy mother who put work and family above my health. After talking with you I decided to make my health a priority; not a time-consuming one, nonetheless a priority. I don't really set goals. I just make sure I do something everyday for at least 20 minutes. Sometimes that is 7-8 minutes here and another 10 minutes there, but I always find time to exercise... it is never a matter of if, just when. I have a passion to look and feel great. By making exercise a part of my day, no matter what, it has made all the difference. I am a better mom, better accountant and better person for it."

You see, it does not take extravagant routines, flashy exercise garb or expensive equipment to be fit. The main thing is that you do something to stay healthy. For me, (and my clients) it begins with the mind. Train your way of thinking. Write your own script on what the "healthy you" looks and feels like.

Find routines that make you feel good about you.

Before you ever pick up a dumbbell, get rid of all the "negative information" about exercise. Create a new script based on good, solid health and fitness information; this, alone, will have a huge impact on your fitness results.

Take home points:

Don't believe what others have told you about exercise and fitness.

Develop your own fitness script based on good health information and positive experiences.

Begin any program focusing on your mindset and getting the inner self prepared.

Prioritize: make exercise a must... for you.

Do some type of exercise everyday. This does not have to be time consuming to get results.

Focus on improving how you feel about yourself and how that affects the world around you.

Having a fitness lifestyle is not just about the exercises you do; it is about how you view exercise and its ramifications on your life that makes the difference.

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust

Want to learn how to improve your finances by adding exercise to your daily routine? Go to http://www.hiptobefit.com John B. Perry, P.T., C.S.C.S. is a fitness and biomechanics enhancement expert. He has a fitness newsletter website, writes e-books and articles, produces fitness videos and performs seminars and teleseminars on Health, Wealth and Fitness.

What is So Important About Fitness?

Before you can consider what is so important about fitness, you first need to consider what fitness is. Although there are many components related to fitness, there are a few that stand out as the most important. Here you will find the five basic components of physical fitness.

What Is Fitness?

Simply stated, fitness is the ability to perform physical activity. However, having adequate energy to go through your day and to be in a state of overall health is also a part of being fit. Both physical exercise and diet are important components of fitness. There are many reasons to get and stay fit. Let's look a the most important ones.

Increased Energy

Having energy for daily activities is vital to happiness. Have you ever been at work and felt that you could fall asleep at any moment if you just closed your eyes? Or, perhaps your job is to take care of small children. Do you frequently feel as if you are just going through the motions and you are not able to enjoy the pleasant moments because you are just too tired? Building up your energy reserves is a great way to improve your overall state of well-being and happiness. With the proper amount of energy, you will have more ability to share yourself with others, be more productive at work and have more time for your hobbies and leisure time activities.

Lowered Risk Of Illness and Disease

When you are fit, your body is in a positive or even an ideal state. If you are not fit, you put your body at risk. The diseases most frequently associated with lack of fitness are: coronary heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. By having a well-balanced diet and getting enough exercise, you will be decreasing your chances of contracting a serious illness.

Better Sleep

If you find yourself not getting at least 7 hours of sleep, you are putting yourself at risk for illness and being overweight. To combat your sleep issues, try going to bed an hour earlier than usual and turning off the tv at least an hour before you turn in. Also, don't exercise right before going to sleep. Try a cup of soothing, herbal tea to calm your mind and body while you get ready for bed. Another great way to enhance your ability to get a good night's sleep is to keep the same schedule, even on weekends. Your body will adapt to the schedule and you will begin to get sleepy when your bedtime is near.

Less Stress

We all have stress, but some people are better at dealing with it than others. It is important to control your response to stress because it is a known risk factor for weight gain. A good way to help you de-stress is by using meditation, yoga and exercise.

Higher Self-Confidence

Being fit is more than just a health issue. When you look good, you feel good. If you are in shape, you will certainly carry yourself in a more confident way. When you perceive yourself as fit, you are much more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, including working out regularly, eating a well-balanced diet and treating yourself with respect.

How To Get Fit

Even if you are not at your best yet, there are plenty of ways to become fit! If you have some weight to lose, choose a diet plan that fits in with your lifestyle. This will increase your chances of success. Work out regularly, get plenty of sleep and reduce your stress with meditation, yoga and exercise. The most important way to make sure you are healthy is to choose a strategy that you can easily maintain.

B. Page is a health and fitness writer at DietReviewsGuide.com. Ms. Page has reviewed many popular diets including Strip That Fat as well as many others.

Are You Fit?

I've always thought the word "fit" is over used in the "fit"ness industry. I mean, what does being "fit" actually entail? If we take three different individuals:

Powerlifter

Marathon Runner

Housewife

A power lifter's sporting discipline requires them to lift as heavy a weight as possible once. Competitors at the top of this sport are very strong, but put them on the running track and see how far they can run... not very! But does this mean that they are not fit?

A marathon runner can run long distances and maintain a constant speed over a long period of time, they are certainly aerobically capable but ask them to lift a weight. My guess is that the weight that they lift will not be that heavy... so... fit or unfit?

A housewife/husband may not participate in any form of organized exercise, however, they can spend their days cleaning, lifting, walking and generally being very active, but couldn't survive a session in the gym. Where would you place them on the fitness spectrum?

I don't think that we can use the term "fit" as it doesn't really exist, what we do mean though is "fit for purpose". So if you compete as a power lifter, you will be fit and proficient to lift weights. If you are a footballer, you will be fit and proficient to run in short bursts and have good co-ordination.

What if you don't participate in a sport but just want to be fit and healthy? Here are the four areas of fitness that I work with my general health clients.

Strength
You should be strong enough to bear your own body weight, whether it be working out with weights, resistance bands or your own body weight, you should be performing resistance training at least three times a week. This with strengthen and define your muscles and increase bone density and joint stability.

Flexibility
Each time you exercise, you should engage in an all over body stretch, this will decrease the risk of injury and allow you to be more mobile.

Cardiovascular
This involves exercises such as running, cycling, swimming, rowing etc. depending on your fitness goals, the times and intensity varies but for general health, a 20 - 30 minute session should suffice, however as previously stated, this can change dramatically as your fitness goals change.

Mental
Not often thought about but total fitness to me is about getting the grey matter working as well. This would involve developing yourself through reading and learning, choosing the right company and relationships, setting fitness and non fitness based goals for yourself and achieving them.

Taking all four areas into account will form the basis of a fully healthy, well rounded and balanced individual.

Rich Lucas is a Personal Trainer, Martial Arts Instructor and Weight Management Consultant. Go to http://www.rl-personaltrainer.co.uk to download your free "better body challenge" ebook.

Fitness Training For Golf - An Easy Guide

Let's take a quick look at general fitness. Any exercise you do that requires physical effort will build up your fitness. Playing golf is actually very good exercise. Walking along the course is a very good cardiovascular exercise and will improve general fitness, but this is obviously not the case if you ride around in a golf cart!

Fitness means a healthy body that can handle a fair amount of everyday stress, breathing easily and recovering normally in a short amount of time. Naturally, every sport requires some effort and certain muscles are generally called on while others are specifically called on.

Therefore it is easy to see that depending on which sport you participate in you will need to follow different fitness routines.

Fitness training for golf requires all four of the following qualities - strength training, stamina, flexibility and focus. So let's see how we can do fitness training for golf.

Stretching

Stretching is extremely important for improvement in golf performance. The more you stretch, the easier and more powerful your swing becomes. Stretching will also loosen up your muscles to increase movement.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular training is what most people think of when they think of fitness training for golf. This includes running, cycling or any other activity that can get your heart rate up. This will enable you to walk down the whole golf course without becoming so tired that you start making forced errors. Generally the more tired you are, the sloppier your technique becomes.

Strength

The main idea for fitness training for golfers is to increase your strength for making longer drives. You only have to look at Tiger Woods and you can readily see that he works out. He is a vision of strength, stamina, flexibility and focus.

Now, the problem about golf is that it mainly works one side of your body and that is there is an asymmetrical motion that develops. Unless you follow a targeted program to compensate and train in a balanced way, that one side of the body will develop more and your game will start to suffer.

Training program

The following is a basic training program that concentrates on fitness training for golf. If you are unsure of the exercise, please ask your gym instructor.

Start on the treadmill and run a few minutes to warm up.
Now take some time to properly stretch all muscle groups.
Next, go to the weight room. Chest, shoulder and torso exercises are primary in fitness training for golfers.
For your chest, do bench press or pushups.
Follow that with some shoulder presses or dumbbell front raises.
Now do some ab crunches to strengthen your stomach muscles. You will be surprise how much you use these muscles when you swing a golf club.
Now for a crucial exercise to train the obliques (the muscles running vertically down your sides). Take a stick and rest it across your shoulders. Now rotate your upper torso from side to side in a controlled motion.
Finish with another run on the treadmill or a bit of cycling to work on your cardiovascular fitness.

Ultimately it is stretching and strengthening the body core that will enable you to hit the ball further and more controlled so this is most important in fitness training for golf.

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Your Mental Approach to Fitness

Before pursuing anything as great as fitness we must get into our mind a reasonable view as to what exactly is implied by fitness. We must think of it as a regular and pleasant process which is all ours for taking. It is our preeminent duty to guard our fitness approach against all unfavorable conditions and temptations to obvious silly mistakes. It is our utmost duty to emphasize the attractive nature of fitness at all times even though it may be the unpleasant nature of unfitness that may lead us to consider self training.

Fitness should not be looked upon as a chore or a duty but rather as satisfactory and enjoyable experience. However this is easily said than done and most people seriously consider a fitness regime only when recommended by their doctor. The reason as to why fitness is regarded as a duty is because our ideas of physical duty as of despicably low type. Since any "duty" is mostly regarded as being an unhappy, gloomy and pathological activity, our entire approach to fitness is destined to be associated with being an unpleasant one. You will continue to remain in this vicious state of mind until you substitute the above with a pleasant sense of fitness.

Fitness must be regarded as a process and not as an end. It is far more than bulky muscles, brightly lid face or even the power of physical endurance. All round fitness would inevitably result in physical and hygienic endurance in addition to bringing a continuous enjoyable state of mind. In other words, the purpose of all round fitness is not just the attainment of good character but also the attainment of expressing that good character in an easy, happy and adequate manner. All this will inevitably result into the formation of a better man as compared to one's past self. From an intellectual standpoint, attainment of fitness is actually a test to work well in any direction that propels us to the highest consciousness.

It's an enormous mistake to regard fit people as being "morbid" or "self centered". Although you may not subscribe to this kind of thinking, you may still not be convinced that fitness is as high a duty as church going. All round fitness is inevitably prospective, which means that it aspires for a better future--for self and others. It only leads to good work for others without hurting anyone and is always radiating and infectious.

Many people believe that fitness can be easily attained by simply cutting oneself from undesirable surroundings, undesirable foods and undesirable air. However, a person that can only be healthy under such conditions is still a slave to external things and hence has not attained true health. Although good air, food and surroundings are indeed valuable for a fit physique, they are not health itself. A fit body will inevitably be free but your continued dependence on afore mentioned simply signifies a special form of slavery.

The purpose of following a fitness regime is simply to strive for a better life, both physically and mentally. This can only be attained by getting into a mental habit of reiterating fitness rather than the effects of unfitness.

You can find more helpful articles and tips here at http://www.newagehealthtips.com/fitness_blog

Top Fitness Equipment and Activity Tips For Kids

Are your kids getting enough exercise? If you are like most parents, you are deeply concerned about the state of your kids' fitness...or their total lack of fitness altogether.

Kids today just do not get enough exercise. The Lure of dozens of screens, with hundreds of functions in almost as many sizes is leading to record levels of obesity in kids as young as six years old and well into their teens.

To help you cope with the fitness vacuum, here are ten tips you can apply in your kid's life before it is too late:

A) Kick them out. It is a proven fact that kids who are throwing balls, skipping rope, chasing each other and climbing on structures are more fit than kids who sit around the house. Just one detail...don't kick their cell phones and their iPods and their other anti-fitness equipment out with them.

B) Try more physical playing with your children. Chase your kids around. Bonus, you get exercise too.

C) Make Christmas a celebration of fitness. No, don't chase your kids up the tree...just give them some fitness toys instead of toys they would play sitting down.

D) Make fitness a family affair. You have probably already noticed how hard it is to find time to do things together as a family. This is your golden opportunity. The element of peer pressure (the whole family is going, so you can't skip out) will help the kids keep on track. And let's face the facts - it's not easy to keep fit when you are a parent. So why not find a family fitness center near you?

Good fitness equipment for your children

E) Choose hydraulic fitness equipment for your children. You will normally find these only at fitness centers (another reason to make fitness a family affair) What makes hydraulics special, is that they don't need to be adjusted for each child. The resistance depends on the force exerted. So your 6 year old, who pushes with less intensity, will face less resistance than your 12 year old, who will face more. This is far superior to weights, where you have to keep adjusting the amount of weight until you get it right.

F) Try circuit training. This is also best done at a fitness center, because circuit training involves a variety of machines, all set up in a circuit. Kids accustomed to computer games, are less likely to be bored by circuit training, because they are constantly on the move from one machine to the other.

G) Sign them up for an organized physical activity, one where they will develop a sense of accomplishment . That sense of accomplishment is the motivation that keeps them going. It does not need to be competitive, but it does need to provide them with goals to work for. For example, sign them up for a dance class where there is a show to practice for at the end of the year. Or a swimming class where they can achieve various levels right up to certified life guard.

H) Don't just sign your kids up for a physical activity. Have them practice it at home...only, don't call it practice. That sounds too much like homework. Ask them instead to show you how good they are. That sounds a lot more like showing off and getting quality attention. (The ask them to show Aunt Penelope and cousin Bart and the next door neighbor and...)

I) Unplug the TV. If you can't limit their watching to an hour a day, limit the days on which you plug it in. Ditto for the computer and any other addictive screen-based electronic gadget.

J) Your kids won't like me for this one, but give your kids more household chores...specifically those that involve physical activity like mowing, raking and vacuuming. Caveat: this means that you will have to find new forms of exercise (but I think we covered that in the chasing your kids around and taking them to a family fitness center.

K) Walk more in real life. Do you take the stairs or the escalators? Well, so do your kids. Take them on the healthy route. Do you park near to a store (where your car will get dinged by other car doors) and deprive your kids and yourself from your rightful walking? Or do you park far away from the store where your car is safe from dents and where your kids and you are safe from inertia.

Oops. That's eleven. Oh well, you get a bonus tip.

So just what is a parent to do? Chase your kids right onto hydraulic fitness equipment at the nearest fitness center, give them more fitness-oriented equipment for Christmas (to replace the TV and gadgets they would otherwise play with) and put your children to work around the house.

The writer is David Leonhardt , a professional freelance SEO writer

If You're Not Fit in All 4 of These Areas - You're NOT Really Fit!

Fitness is a necessary part of life but it's not something you should have to struggle with.

When each part of your body is cared for the entire machine works at optimum performance levels. When your body is neglected either partially or completely, then the machine won't run well and eventually won't run at all.

In order to experience overall fitness you need to be fit in each of the following 4 elements or areas of your life. If one part is not fit all the other parts will be affected and you'll soon find yourself suffering from aches, pains and illnesses.

ARE YOU TRULY FIT?

Element # 1 - Body Fitness

Blood pressure, weight, waist to hip measurements, body mass index

Your body is a well designed machine - each part of it functions well because of the supportive roles that the other parts play.

Your heart pumps oxygen rich blood to each cell in your body so that it can perform its duty. Your lungs supply your heart with that necessary oxygen. Your brain keeps everything working, even those things that you don't think about doing.

Your job is to give your body what it needs to continue to perform correctly. To do its job correctly your body needs to be fit and physically able.

Element # 2 - Diet Fitness

We're not talking about a diet to lose weight here but proper nutrition

What you want to accomplish through a good diet is to train your body to eat healthily. You need a diet that becomes a way of eating, a way of life. Not a temporary thing but something permanent.

Don't think about a healthy diet as troublesome, limiting or boring. Think of it as being free, open, full of taste and adventure, with all of the comfort that you want and need.

Element # 3 - Mind Fitness

Brain health, emotional health, stress management, spiritual well being

There are many ways in which your mind may not be as fit as it should be. In fact, for many people living today's hectic lifestyle, it's anything but easy to make it through the day without dealing with some type of stress or pressure.

Your mind's health plays a significant role in the quality of your life and its longevity. When you're emotionally or mentally unfit, your body's health is directly affected. You may find yourself battling illnesses more often and with greater intensity than someone whose mind is fit.

Element # 4 - Lifestyle Fitness

Your lifestyle is the way you live your life. Although each of the elements we've already discussed are very important parts of your lifestyle, they're not everything. Each decision you make throughout the course of the day plays a role in your fitness.

Improve the following areas in your life you will inevitably increase your overall fitness:

• Smoking, drinking, drugs - you already know the health risks these substances pose
• Sleep - do you get enough? Too much? Each of these will negatively impact your health
• Supplements - giving your body what it needs throughout the day is essential to your well being
• Financial concerns -getting your finances in order will relieve stress in your work and home life, your marriage and your overall fitness level
• Meditation and Yoga - just two ways to improve the quality of your life. Yoga is a great tool for both exercise and relaxation, meditation a great way to relax and release the days stresses and problems

Each of the 4 elements listed above are critical for creating total fitness. By knowing and understanding where you stand now you'll be able to work to improve your overall wellness and increase your lifespan and the quality of your life.

Discover the steps you need to take to improve your fitness in all 4 of these important areas by Clicking Here!

To find out more about the 4 elements of fitness and how you can achieve your optimum fitness level read Your Guide to Lifetime Fitness

When is a Person Too Old to Begin a Fitness Routine?...Never!

Think you're too old to begin a fitness routine? Think again. Fitness guru Edna Leavitt joined her first gym at the age of 50. What started out as a simple, but dreaded, 1-day day per week aerobics' routine morphed into a 5-day per week total body workout that has become a major passion in Leavitt's life. She loves it so much, in fact, that she earned a personal trainer certificate at the age of 65 and now operates her own fitness centers called 50 + Fitness. For the past few years, she has been enthusiastically training her clients that, despite a rather exercise-avoidant youth, they can still develop excellent fitness over 40, over 50, over 60, and beyond.

Never Too Old
Once thought to be a province of youth, physical fitness is now considered to be an essential activity for all age groups-but especially so for the over 40 crowd. The American College of Sports medicine and the American Heart Association, in fact, have even recently included special guidelines for the older segment of society who believes that they are too old to get fit.

These guidelines were developed after years of extensive studies into the health affects of fitness over 40.

Compelling Science for Fitness over 40
A landmark study at Tufts University is probably the most cited research into the importance of fitness over 40. In this study, the researchers found that strength training increases bone density regardless of the age at which the strength training begins, potentially reducing a major health hazard for the elderly-osteoporosis.

But the slow, controlled movements of weight training are not the only type of exercise that seniors should perform. Indeed, another study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, showed that aerobics' activities are particularly beneficial for this group of people.

Research Methodology
The researchers enlisted 63 women and 59 men, raging in age from 59 to 77, to take part in this study. All were instructed to undergo aerobic exercise, of varied intensities, on a stationary bicycle for ten days. During that time, each was monitored for caloric expenditure, diet, and particular body composition.

At the end of the ten days, this study showed that those seniors who had performed the more intense level of aerobics' conditioning on the stationary bicycles had lowered their LDL (or bad) cholesterol, reduced their fat storage, and had significantly increased the efficiency of their oxygen transportation and usage. These results led the researchers to conclude that seniors who perform aerobic exercises had a lessened chance of heart disease than those who only participated in moderate, but non-aerobic, exercise programs..

But don't expect the results of these studies to surprise fitness experts, who see daily examples of such positive effects in their fitness over 40 programs. One such expert is Robert Reames of Gold's Gym, who told Forbes Magazine, "I train people in their 60s who can kick butt...if you're a 65-year-old in good shape, you can accomplish what an average 25-year-old can accomplish."

Tips for Getting Started
Leavitt, who specializes in increasing the physical fitness of those aged 50 to 90, agrees-and she has some advice for those who want to begin fitness over 40 exercise routine:

Start S-L-O-W-L-Y

Don't try to exercise for an hour all at once, especially in the beginning, says Leavitt. Start out by exercising just 10 to 15 minutes at a time, twice a week.

Warm up and Cool Down. These pre- and post- exercise exercises don't have to be long or complicated, says Leavitt. A brisk walk or a few minutes of jogging in place are effective such exercises.

Make it Routine. Add physical fitness into your daily activities. Never drive where you can walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Increase your pace while vacuuming the carpet. The positive effects of exercise are cumulative, says Leavitt.

Achieving peak fitness over 40 does not have to be complicated. Today, millions of those aged 40, 50, 60 and beyond are reaping the health benefits of a physical fitness routine. So...

When is a person too old to begin a fitness routine? NEVER!

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Want to Improve Your Fitness and Don't Know What Exercise to Take?

Many people think that it will take too much time and effort for little reward. If you are thinking along these lines you should know that, if you keep active throughout your life you are up to a third less likely to die at an early age.Exercise is good for your mental health, warding off stress and depression, helps you sleep better, helps keep bones strong, and helps prevent joint and back pain by keeping them mobile.

In addition, you should know that exercise does not have to be strenuous and prolonged to do you good. Any amount of exercise can do you some good, even if it's just walking to the shops a few times a week. You do not have to run a marathon or sweat for hours in the gym. In fact, there is good evidence that mild to moderate exercise, is for most people the best way to better health.

What to do and how much?

It is much the best thing to take up an activity that you will enjoy, as you are much more likely to stick with it. Some people may get satisfaction in a gym, undergoing a tailored program on their own, and gradually improving their strength and performance with measurable results. Many others however, prefer a game with other players bringing a social and competitive element into it. Games such as football, tennis, badminton, and squash enable you to get fit whilst enjoying beating an opponent at the same time.

There are in fact, different types of exercise: aerobic, strength training, and flexibility, and the best way to ensure all round fitness is to incorporate some of each of these elements into your routine.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise uses oxygen, increased amounts of oxygen over the resting rate, and raises your rate as the heart works harder, pumping more blood to the muscles. The heart is composed of muscle itself, and this exercise of the heart is good for it, strengthening it along with improving lung capacity, and artery health.

You should aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes 3-5 times per week. The exercise should raise your heart rate and make you slightly short of breath, i.e. mild to moderate exercise. If you can't manage this straight away you can begin gently with brisk walking, graduating in time to jogging, or, you can split up the 30 minute sessions into two or even three shorter equivalent sessions.

If you just want to keep your heart healthy and maintain general health, then you only need your heart rate to go up to about 50-60% of your maximum. Your maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age in years from 220. For a 50 year old person, for example, the maximum heart rate would be 170 beats per minute, and therefore a health rate during exercise would be 85-102.

If you are trying to lose weight or want to increase fitness then you will need to work harder by gradually increasing the intensity, or varying intensity over longer periods of time. Any adjustments should be carried out in small increments rather than overdoing things.

Strength training

A rounded exercise program should include some strength training which helps to build and maintain muscle, and generally improves body appearance. Strength training involves moving your muscles against a resistance of some kind. The resistance can be supplied by strong elastic bands, free weights or weight lifting machines. You can even use the weight of your own body as in press ups. General training could include some strength training twice a week of upper and lower body muscles.

Some everyday activities such as gardening or carrying shopping can help with this kind of muscle building.

Flexibility exercises

If muscles aren't stretched they tend to shorten and become less elastic. They are then more at risk of injury when called upon. It is a good idea then to include some short sessions of muscle exercises to counter this.

There are different ways of achieving this. Many of these exercises are incorporated in the routines of Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi, by gently easing and stretching the body into different positions. Increased body flexibility can help breathing and balance, as well as protect joints.

With all these exercises and undertakings start gently with small goals and gradually work upwards increasing intensity and duration as you become fitter.

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