BodyForTheAges.org Blog

Have you been meaning to drop those extra pounds?

Whatever your reason, be it aesthetics, athleticism, or heart health, health problem prevention, there’s never been a better time to do it than now.

According to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, two thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and about one third are obese. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/

Extra weight plays a contributing factor in numerous health problems.  A report recently released from our nation’s capital states that more than 100,000 cases of cancer each year are caused by excess body fat.  Read more here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/05/obesity.cancer.link/index.html

Weight Loss is not easy, and it takes commitment.  But we all know that commitment will pay off, when we see that we’re increasing our extra energy and self-esteem, along with decreasing our health concerns.

Your time is valuable, and the Body For The Ages Online Wellness Program will show you how to make it count, with fun workouts, wellness tips and anti-aging tips, valuable advice from our very own Panel of Experts, and an online personal trainer available for guidance 365 days a year.

Are you ready to commit to your health and happiness?  It’s the best investment you’ll ever make.

Go to www.BodyForTheAgesNonprofit.org, get your four free gifts, and become part of the Body For The Ages Team.

Lot’s of people ask how to get great abs. One of the important aspects of having great “anything” is to exercise it properly.

For your enjoyment, here’s Pax’s descripton of how to do a proper trunk curl, an exercise that targets the upper abdominals.

There is an art to the trunk curl or crunch exercise (frequently, but improperly called a sit-up). You curl your upper torso toward your feet. The full range of motion is only a short distance. You don’t keep the upper body rigid above the hip. It’s a curling action, not a bending from the hip joint. Optionally doing a slightly different curling motion, you can alternately crossover left elbow to right knee and then right elbow to left knee to target your obloquies.

Shown on the machine below is Helen Bentley, the original Ms. Romper Room, and former news anchor.

Do you want to learn more? Then visit http://www.bodyfortheages.org, and sign up for the Body for the Ages Online Wellness Program.

Key concepts can be quite useful in inspiring our training. One of my favorites is the acronym FIT.

F stands for frequency. Working out once a week will not get you fit. A minimum commitment of at least three times a week is required to maintain our bodies. We are all familiar with the suggestions to take the stairs instead of the elevator, park several blocks away from your destination, and add to that three workouts a week to improve the functioning of your body.

I stands for intensity. We may go into the gym, do a couple of sets, and talk with other gym buddies. However, to utilize workout time efficiently, the number of sets, reps, and which muscles are to be worked needs to be determined before you start your workout to get the most out of it. If you have ever gone to the supermarket without a list, and wandered around and bought things you didn’t need, you know how inefficient we all can be.

Alternating muscle groups, allowing 45 seconds in between sets, or running the weight stack will get you moving and your mind focused. The weight needs to be heavy enough so you can’t do more than 12 repetitions after your warm-up set.

Several years ago there was a study done testing muscle fibers while the person focused on the working muscle compared to those who would look around and talk to others while training. Those who focused on the working muscle recruited more muscle fibers and were able to increase their strength in a shorter amount of time—not surprising.

T stands for time. Time needs to be dedicated to your workout sessions. In your personal calendar, your workouts require a time slot in your day, just like any other appointment. However, the time can be reduced to 45 minutes if you keep the intensity going.

A friend once commented to me,” We have to work out twice as hard, and eat half as much!” The reality may not be quite that harsh and there is also some truth to it. So plan your workout, work your plan and have a great workout!