Wednesday, March 26, 2008

6 Weight Training Techniques for Results

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com

Secrets of Successful Weight-Lifting Workouts

6 weight-training techniques that will help you get results.

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Feature

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today.

The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say.

"Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

And unlike other forms of exercise that burn calories only while you're working out, weight lifting keeps on incinerating calories for hours after you stop, experts say.

"It increases your metabolic activity for the entire day -- not only when you are challenging your muscles, but also during the repair process that occurs when you stop working out," says Alex Schroeder, an exercise physiologist and trainer at Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee, Wis., gym and rehabilitation center.

Of course, a successful weight lifting workout does involve a bit more than just moving those soup cans from the kitchen counter to the cabinet a few times a week. To help put you on the path to success, WebMD asked Bryant, Schroeder, and Mike Ryan, a weight expert from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute for some tips on how to start a weight lifting workout and stick with it until you meet your goals.

Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 1: Define Your Goals

For any exercise program, it's important to start with a realistic goal in mind. But for weight training, experts say, it's essential. Why?

"Setting a goal that's attainable is important to not only give you a sense that you are accomplishing something, but, in the case of weight lifting, to insure that you don't overdo it when you first begin," says Schroeder.

Because successful weight training involves small steps, having short-term goals will keep you from giving up too soon, he says.

Ryan agrees with this strategy. "It's extremely important to set realistic, achievable goals so that you don't get discouraged, and so that you don't try to do too much too soon and increase your risk of injury," he says.

What's more, he cautions that this advice is as important for seasoned athletes as well as fitness newbies.

"No matter how much you've accomplished in another sport, if you haven't done weight lifting, you're still a beginner, so don't expect too much too soon," says Ryan.

Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 2: Choose the Right Equipment

One of the best things about weight training is that your muscles don't know the difference between a $2,500 machine and $25 resistance band. So you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot of results. All you have to do is to challenge your muscles.

"The really nice part about that is if you are on a tight budget, you don't have to feel you are getting a compromised weight training workout because you can accomplish your goals without spending a lot of money," says Bryant.

Whether you're using hand weights, barbells, or resistance bands, Ryan says, look for whatever size allows you to do 12-16 repetitions. If you can't, they're too heavy.

But if you can do more than 15 with good form, then the weight load is probably not quite challenging enough, Bryant says. "So look for something a bit heavier or add on more resistance," he says.

Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 3: Don't Go It Alone

When it comes to weight lifting, how you do the exercises can be as important as which ones you do. That's why having even one session with a personal trainer can definitely get your weight training program going in the right direction, experts say.

"This is particularly true if you are working with dumbbells," says Schroeder. "It's important to have someone overseeing you at least the first few times, so you can achieve the correct form and function."

If that's not possible, the next best thing is using strength-training machines. These work well for beginners, Schroeder says, because they force your body into the correct position.

"It's still a good idea to have someone looking over you the first few times, to make sure the machine is adjusted correctly for your weight and size, but generally, the machines do help keep your body in line," says Schroeder.

If your time or money budget is extra-tight, Bryant says, pick up a weight training DVD from a well-known trainer, or visit web sites like that of the American Council on Exercise (acefitness.com) to get technique tips.

"You can find pictures that show the starting and ending positions for weight lifting and tips for keeping your body properly aligned during the activity," Bryant says. "It's definitely worth your while to spend your first weight-training session learning the proper technique and form."

Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!

When it comes to weight lifting, experts say, the tortoise beats the hare every time. The reason?

"The key to success in weight training is known as A-B-C – which stands for always be in control," says Bryant. The best way to do that, he says, is with slow, deliberate movements.

"I don't want to give the impression that you are working in slo-mo, but you do want to make certain that your muscles are what are responsible for controlling movement in both direction, lifting and lowering," says Bryant.

Ryan agrees. "A lot of sports rely on high, fast motion, but when you're doing weight training, it's slow, deliberate motions with controlled breathing," he says. "Don't hold your breath and do the reps, and don't move too quickly."

Further, Schroeder says, beginners will benefit more from doing more repetitions with a lighter weight than trying to use heavy weights they can lift only a few times.

"In the beginning you have such a huge adaptation phase -- you're using muscles you never used before, and you're shocking your system, even with a light weight -- so you are much better off, and much safer to start much lighter with more repetitions," he tells WebMD

Starting with lighter weights mean you're less likely to end up with the kind of muscle pain that could end your weight training workout program on the spot.

"It's a discouraging scenario when you hurt all over, and starting slow means you are less likely to feel the kind of pain that causes you to get discouraged and quit after one or two tries," says Bryant.

Weight Training Workout Rule No. 5: Rest and Recover

Although it has little to do with form or function, experts say the real key to successful weight training is to understand the importance of rest and recover. At the core of weight training is a tearing-down and building-up process that ultimately makes muscles strong.

Schroeder explains: "In order for muscles to build, muscle fiber has to be torn, which is what happens when you stress the muscle with weights."

While that tearing-down process is vital for the muscle building activity to begin, it's really the respite that follows in the next 48 to 72 hours that ultimately results in muscle strength.

"Think of it like paper being torn," says Schroeder. "You've got to tape it back together before you can rip it again, and that's what a rest and recovery period allows you do -- it allows the torn muscle fibers to come together so you can tear it again." Each time you do, he says, the muscle gets stronger.

If you try working out every day, you'll not only increase your risk of injury, but also work against getting the results you want. Ryan says that one of the key reasons some people don't see results after 8-10 weeks of weight training is because they are simply not giving their bodies adequate time to recover.

"If you don't see any change in your body after a few months, don't think you need to do more. You probably need to do less," he says. "If you overtrain, all you get are breakdown and no buildup."

So how do you know when you're ready to hit the weights again? Ryan says to use muscle soreness and fatigue as a guide. "If you feel significant soreness, if your muscles feel fatigued, then it's too soon," he says.

Bryant says that as long as there is no injury, for most folks, the recovery process occurs within 48 to 72 hours after a workout. If you want to work out more often than that, he says, simply switch to a different area of the body for each workout.

Weight Training Rule No. 6: Chow Down to Build Up!

While good nutrition is vital to getting the most out of any exercise program, it's especially important for weight training. And if you're thinking fruits and vegetables, you're only partly right. Experts say muscles also require protein.

"You need protein for your muscle to recover," says Bryant, who advises everyone doing weight training to have a snack containing both protein and carbohydrates after every workout.

Ryan says that adding some extra protein to your diet, while cutting down on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and "bad" fats like saturated and trans fats, can help you see results sooner.

Published March 10, 2008.

SOURCES: Cedric Bryant, PhD, vice president of scientific affairs, American Council on Exercise. Alex Schroeder, CPT, Form and Function, Milwaukee, Wis. Mike Ryan, CPT, weight training expert, Gold's Gym Fitness Institute, Gold's Gym, Venice Beach, Calif.

©2008 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved














Monday, March 17, 2008

Achieving a Balance in Life

Please visit: Carole Fogarty's Healthy Living Blog for more entries similar to this.
http://www.thehealthylivinglounge.com

The Seven Deadly Sins of Work Life Balance:

Carole’s Note: This is a guest post by Jennifer Jefferies, professional speaker and author of Seven Steps to Sanity.

The Healthy Living Lounge and Jennifer will be giving away three 7 week on-line mentoring programs (valued at $99.00) later this month, so stay tuned.

balance-rocks.jpg
Hickorees

In the thirteenth century, Dante listed the Seven Deadly Sins on the pathway to Paradise: Gluttony, lust, greed, envy, pride, anger and sloth. Now, almost eight hundred years later, people are still committing these seven sins in Work Life Balance. So let me share with you the Seven Deadly Sins of Work Life Balance … and how to avoid them.

1. Gluttony: Trying to be all things to all people:

Don’t try to be all things to all people. If you try to please everybody, you will end up satisfying nobody.

The secret to being successful at balancing life is to allow yourself to be human and release guilt from your life. Everyone gets wound up at times, when you notice it happening simply acknowledge where you are and move back to doing something more balanced. Don’t give yourself a hard time or anything-just keep moving forward.

Success with a balanced life is just like success anywhere else: You choose your market, find a problem, and provide a superior solution. If you try to be all things to all people, you’re not just a glutton – you’re a glutton for punishment.

2: Lust: Falling in love with “gimmicks”

Focus your time, money and energy on the things that matter, not just those that catch your eye right now. This doesn’t mean an endless quest for Mr. Right, but it does mean that you don’t have to settle for Mr. Right Now.

When it comes to balancing your life, this means stop buying a new thing every time you feel stressed or unhappy. Shopping has become the latest way that people try to make themselves happy. You keep buying stuff that brings happiness for a very short period of time and when this wears off you’re back at the shops again.

Next time you have this urge, speak to a close friend or colleague and share how you are feeling, if you just stop for a minute and acknowledge where you are at it passes. Go for things that really make you happy like time with good friends compared to short lived shopping trips for more dust collecting stuff.

3. Greed: Looking for too much too fast:

When you first get started living a balanced life, there’s a temptation to do everything at once. But if you chase two horses, you’ll catch neither of them. The best way to get started is to choose one activity that is likely to give you high value, do that well, and then move on to the next.

That’s not to say that you should only be doing one thing at a time. But just be sure that everything you do is done well. Go for quality not quantity.

4. Envy: Copying tactics that don’t fit your strategy:

A Russian soldier stationed in West Berlin after the Second World War wandered into an empty house and saw an electric light bulb for the first time. Fascinated by this magic light-generating globe, he cut it off with his bayonet and put it in his knapsack so he could carry around the light with him wherever he went.

The same is true with living a balanced life. Don’t just do what somebody else tells you to do, unless you know why they do it. If they are successful, what they are doing is just one part of their strategy. You can’t just pick up that one thing, put it in your knapsack, take it somewhere else and use it to light up your world.

For example, perhaps you know a person you see as living a balanced life you get all excited and choose to do the same things he or she is doing. The only problem is that you have no system to what you do, you shadow them and copy the superficial parts of their life and get exhausted doing it. Why, because they are doing the pieces behind the scenes elements as well, not just the apparent ones.

By all means, look around to see what others are doing, but don’t just copy their tactics without understanding how and where they fit your life. Get the whole picture and then implement it as a system.

5. Pride: Holding on to things that aren’t working:

If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else! I know that that sounds obvious, but it never ceases to amaze me how often people keep repeating unsuccessful patterns.

If you’re running tired all of the time, or don’t even have time to run tired, look at what you are doing. Your lifestyle is obviously not working for you if it is sucking the life out of you constantly. Find a system you can use to get what you want out of life and implement it one step at a time like you would with any new system in the workplace.

It usually doesn’t take much effort to solve these problems. But the first step is to recognise them, and commit to doing something about them one step at a time.

6. Anger: Blaming other people for your lack of success:

If you’re not getting the success you desire, look to yourself first. Even if it is somebody else’s “fault”, you could be waiting a long time for them to fix things for you. It is far better to take responsibility yourself to find a solution.

For example, if you have lost your spark for life and your health is suffering, you need to look at what you have been doing to get to that state. You are responsible for what you put in your mouth each day, for how you treat yourself and for what you get out of life.

If you are treating your physical and emotional body like a second-class citizen then that is what you will get back in return. You will get a body that won’t give you the energy for anything. Accept the responsibility and be healthy now.

7. Sloth: Dragging your feet:

Above all, do it now! None of the other advice in this article will do you any good at all unless you take action.

It’s too easy to say “I’ll go to the gym next week”, or “I’ll start eating healthy tomorrow”, or “I’ll fix my office environment after I finish this next project.”

It’s often easy to take action, but it’s almost always easy to not take action. Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people don’t do.

Your success is in your hands – it’s up to you!

Digg this:

Please visit The Healthy Living Lounge’s Wellbeing Toolbox which has been created just for you or join Carole in Bali for her annual Womens Rejuvenation Retreat

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Emotions Even Effect the Way We Shop

The Association for Psychological Science recently released a study that demonstrates the power of suppressed emotions. Just one more example of how powerful the mind is and why it really does make sense that the mind is the first place to address your health and fitness needs. Here is a copy of the report's highlights:

Misery is not Miserly: New Study Finds Why Even Momentary Sadness Increases Spending

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- How you are feeling has an impact on your routine economic transactions, whether you’re aware of this effect or not.

In a new study that links contemporary science with the classic philosophy of William James, a research team finds that people feeling sad and self-focused spend more money to acquire the same commodities than those in a neutral emotional state. The team’s paper, “Misery is not Miserly: Sad and Self-Focused Individuals Spend More,” will be published in the June 2008 edition of Psychological Science and will be presented at the Society for Social and Personality Psychology’s Annual Meeting on Feb. 9.

The new study follows up on earlier research that established a connection between sadness and buying. Researchers Cynthia Cryder (Carnegie Mellon University), Jennifer Lerner (Harvard University), James J. Gross (Stanford University), and Ronald E. Dahl (University of Pittsburgh) have now discovered that heightened self-focus drives the connection -- a finding that expands understanding of consumer behavior and, more broadly, the impact of emotions on decision-making.

In the experiment, participants viewed either a sad video clip or one devoid of human emotion. Afterward, participants could purchase an ordinary commodity, such as a water bottle, at various prices. Participants randomly assigned to the sad condition offered almost 300% more money to buy the product than “neutral” participants. Notably, participants in the sadness condition typically insist, incorrectly, that the emotional content of the film clip did not carry over to affect their spending.

Self-focus helps to explain the spending differences between the two groups. Among participants “primed” to feel sad, those who were highly self-focused paid more than those low in self-focus. Notably, sadness tends to increase self-focus, making the increased spending prompted by sadness difficult to avoid.

Why might a combination of sadness and self-focus lead people to spend more money? First, sadness and self-focus cause one to devalue both one’s sense of self and one’s current possessions. Second, this devaluation increases a person’s willingness to pay more for new material goods, presumably to enhance sense of self.

Notably, the “misery is not miserly” effect may be even more dramatic in real life, as the low-intensity sadness evoked in the experiment likely underestimates the power of intense sadness on spending behavior. The effect could extend to domains beyond purchasing decisions, causing people to engage in increased stock trading, for example, or even to seek new relationships-- without conscious awareness that they are being driven by their emotions.

The study is an early step toward uncovering the hidden impact of different, fluctuating, and what would otherwise seem irrelevant emotions on our day-to-day decisions.

The paper is co-authored by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists. Cynthia E. Cryder, a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon University, studies behavioral decision research. Jennifer S. Lerner, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School, specializes in the study of emotion and decision making. James J. Gross, an associate professor at Stanford University, studies emotion and personality. Ronald E. Dahl, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, specializes in brain maturation and emotional functioning.

The article is available at several websites:

Carnegie Mellon: http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~ccryder/miseryisnotmiserly.pdf

Lerner Lab: http://content.ksg.harvard.edu/lernerlab/papers.php



###

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Discover Your Body's Natural Abilities to Maintain and Heal Itself

Book Review

Dr. Andrew Weil is a popular authority on achieving and maintaining wellness naturally.

His books are extremely informative and enjoyable. See what one person has to say about his book "Spontaneous Healing".

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource. Enjoyable reading., February 23, 2001
By Lisa Dolan "externalaffairs" (Sevilla Spain) - See all my reviews
Dr. Andrew Weil is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and was for 15 years a research Associate in Ethnopharmacology at the Harvard Botanical Museum. He is founder and Director of the Program of Integrative Medicine at the U. of Arizona. His educational background, medical formation and years of professional experience are formidable and, I feel, give him the authority sufficient to write a book of this caliber.

For the last 7 months I have been receiving his monthly newsletter which discusses natural remedies to health problems and maintenance. They are wonderful. Over the Christmas holidays I purchased three of his books. By the time I finished reading Spontaneous Healing I had already sent a copy of the book to my mother, an LPN under treatment for Leukemia, and a friend of mine with Rheumatoid Arthritis. With another friend, who suffers from chronic eczema, I've shared my copy.

In this book Dr. Weil covers a number of case studies and explains how traditionally non-conventional medicine (herbal treatments, Traditional Chinese Medicine, hypnotherapy, creative imagery, etc.) has alleviated or cured sicknesses or health problems for which conventional medicine offered little to no relief. However, that is not to say he is an opponent of conventional medicine. He names instances in which he feels it is best to turn to it.

One of the case studies which made me reflect deeply on "alternative" medicine was of a 70 yr. old woman who had suffered her entire adult life with Rheumatoid Arthritis. After a series of dietary changes he recommended to her, her symptoms (i.e. her pain) decreased significantly. His recommendations included adding to her diet omega-3 fatty acids, organically grown produce and flax seed; eliminating from her diet all polyunsaturated and partially hydrogenated fats, dairy products, and most meat; taking a number of herbal remedies and practicing breath relaxation. Simple (and affordable)recommendations, but with very powerful benefits.

I have found Dr. Weil's suggestions for health maintenance more than reasonable. He makes sense. This book is well written, enjoyable to read, easy to understand and with suggestions that can make a difference between feeling well or ill. I highly recommend it to all and any interested in improving one's health.