Sexy Shape-Up Secrets

Workout tips from Carmen Electra's trainer.
by Kate Dailey for ExerciseTV

You need a body-boosting workout but you don't have time to spend hours in the gym. Celebrity trainer Michael Carson feels your pain. His client Carmen Electra doesn’t have a lot of time to spend doing squats either. Carson’s solution? Spend as little time as possible working out—and avoid exercise moves you hate.

To follow Carson’s advice, you need to maximize your gym time with a series of dynamic movements that tone muscle, increase flexibility, and burn calories. That means giving tried-and-true exercises a mobility makeover and using more muscles at once.

Carson calls his workout system “rotational”--think of it as three-dimensional body movement. You’re not just moving back and forth and side to side, but in all directions. “It gives you a lot of muscular use with very little impact, and it helps prevent injury,” Carson says. “It’s all about fluidly increasing circulation, improving metabolism, burning calories, and doing everything with one movement.” Sounds good to us.

Follow his tips for a body you’ll want to show off:

Twist and shout: Crunches and traditional core exercises shorten your torso and can actually do more harm than good for your posture. “The more you twist and stretch, the more you make your muscles elongated. Traditional abs training shortens them,” he says. Carson emphasizes moves that encourage full range of motion, like the HELICOPTER SQUAT. Not only do they make you look longer and leaner, they can help prevent injury as well.

Don’t ignore your core: Everybody knows the importance of core training to increase stability, posture and strength. But do you know what your “core” is? If you think abs and back, think again. “Your core goes down below your thighs, almost to your knees,” says Carson. It’s made up of many muscles that all work together to keep you stable and strong. That’s why when you work out, you should engage them all in tandem instead of trying to spot train. Try moves like the BENT OVER PRESS to give your core a real-life workout.

Posture makes perfect: How you stand when executing a move can impact how your muscles fire, which in turn can hinder the effect of your workout. When lunging, keep your weight on your heels and squeeze your glutes for maximum impact, says Carson. Throughout your workout, shift your weight from the ball of your foot to the pads of your feet. Pay attention to which muscles are firing as you move, as well as which moves challenge you more. (If it hurts, don’t push it; check with a trainer to ensure you’re not setting yourself up for injury.)

Ugly moves have pretty results. It’s a natural impulse to want to check yourself out in the mirror when you’re working out. But doing so can sometimes hurt, not help, your form. “To do a squat properly, you want to lower your shoulders to the same degree that you’re lowering your hips,” says Carson. The result can be a move that looks awkward, but it’s better for you.

“Otherwise, you’re putting too much pressure on your knees and shins,” says Carson. “It might feel like there’s a lot going on down there, but there’s no benefit.” Watch him in the FIGURE 8 SQUAT for perfect form.

For more workouts with Michael Carson or to check out Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease workouts, go to http://www.exercisetv.tv/.

© 2008 ExerciseTV LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Flatten Your Abs Without Hurting Your Back

Which exercise can help without hurting?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Q. I have a herniated disc. What is the best way to flatten and strengthen my upper and lower abdomen, but avoid straining my lower back?

A. A common misconception is that specific exercises will “flatten” the abdomen. Another common misconception is that different abdominal muscles need to be worked—upper vs. lower, for example. Here’s the truth:

If you wish to flatten your abdomen, this suggests that you have extra fat in the area. You can lie on your back and do zillions of ab crunches, V-sits, bicycle moves, reverse curls, curls on the ball, and so on—and not make a dent in the fat on your belly. Why? Because lying on your back and contracting your abdominal muscles burns very few calories. It burns about as many as lying on your back and watching TV (OK, maybe half a calorie per minute more).

To reduce body fat, you need to burn more calories—and a lot of them. This is best accomplished through a combination of eating fewer calories than you normally do, and burning up more calories with greater-than-normal amounts of exercise. The best calorie-burning activities are cardio or highly vigorous workouts such as walking, running, cycling, cardio machines, dancing, and vigorous, quick-paced heavy-weight-lifting circuit routines.

What’s deceptive about ab exercises is that they feel like something is happening. The more you lie on your back and pummel away at those muscles, the bigger the burn. But, don’t be fooled—that burn is not burning fat. It’s simply the result of the occlusion of blood flow and muscle fatigue from the repeated muscle contractions.

You can’t feel fat burning. When you walk for an hour, even at a slow pace, you are burning extra fat, but you can’t feel it being sizzled off your thighs or arms. When you eat less, you also burn extra fat. But again, you can’t feel this happening. What you might think is happening to your abs as you pound away at them with core exercise, is not. So what is happening? You’re strengthening the muscles, or developing increased muscle endurance. This is beneficial, as long as the type of ab training you do is not stressful to your back—especially if your back is already vulnerable from a previous injury or weakness.

To reduce your waistline, do more cardio. You can improve the strength and endurance of your core muscles by making sure that you have good posture during any cardio that you do. Stand up tall, lengthen your spine, and engage your abs—but don’t suck them in too deeply, because then you flex the lower back and increase the pressure on it.

I’ve written extensively about the best exercises for strengthening your lower back. Ab muscles work synergistically: When you work one, you work them all. Also, there are no separate upper and lower muscles. The rectus abdominis (your six-pack muscle), for example, is one long muscle that spans from your ribs to your pubis. When you do a reverse curl that targets the “lower” area, the upper area still contracts. When you do a curl and feel it more in the upper area, the lower area still contracts.

But these moves may not be the best way to help your spine. Instead, concentrate on exercises that stabilize, rather than mobilize (or move) your spine. Pushups, planks, and hands-and-knee ab-tightening exercises are best. Check out my columns Six-Pack Abs, As Seen On TV and Are Crunches The Wrong Move? And try these exercises in MSN’s Fit Zone: Build a Better Back Now and Flat, Sexy Abs in Five Moves.

Find all articles by Martica.

Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica? Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line.

Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.

Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-training for Dummies. (Read her full bio.)

Fitness: Gyms Go Designer

Mood Lighting: Milan's Younique gym and spa pays attention to the details
By Tiffanie Wen NEWSWEEK

Those seeking a gym worthy of their Stella McCartney exercise clothes are in luck. A new wave of luxury fitness centers allows exercise lovers to work up a sweat in high-concept spaces designed by brand-name architects.

London's trendy $10 million Gymbox even resembles a high-end nightclub. Created by Ben Kelly and the award-winning firm Light and Design, the space offers neon lighting, film projections, split-level flooring and a "floating" dance studio that can turn into a nightclub at the flip of a switch (www.gymbox.co.uk).

The 1,700-square-meter Younique fitness club and spa in Milan features a downstairs spa area that includes a Swarovski-crystal-studded sauna, Turkish bath and warm-massage waterbeds (yhc.it). Famed design firm Conran and Partners transformed an old glass factory in Cambridge, England, into Glassworks, a sleek new health club that preserves the original timber roof and exposed-brick walls. It also boasts a ground-level Jacuzzi, where members can view boats passing on the river through one-way glass (theglassworksgym.co.uk).

New York's Equinox gym chain features the by-invitation-only E Club, which is limited to 200 members. Entrance to the gym on Columbus Circle is gained through an iris scan. The $2,000 monthly membership includes access to private changing cabanas and Frette robes, an elite group of personal trainers and Olympic-quality training equipment (equinoxfitness.com).

For complete privacy, the Technogym Kinesis Personal Heritage home machine allows for more than 200 resistance-based exercises but takes up just one square meter of space. The limited-edition gold model is completely hand-covered in gold leaf, guaranteeing that even those who slack off from their workout routines have something pretty to look at ($19,950; www.technogym.com).

© 2008

Six of the Worst Workout Habits

Some of the most common exercise routines could be turning your gym sessions into wasted time. Here's how to make every minute count.
By Sarah Kliff Newsweek Web Exclusive

Simply going to the gym doesn't guarantee you'll have a great workout. Reading a magazine on the treadmill, skipping breakfast before aerobics class, and ditching the weight room altogether are all things people often do that diminish the value of their visit. Here are six of the worst exercise habits many personal trainers say they see every day-and the best ways to avoid wasting time at the gym:

It's Not a Library: If you're concentrating on an article in Cosmo, it probably means that you're not focusing enough on your workout. Amie Hoff, a fitness consultant with New York Sports Clubs, says that reading can be one of the worst things to do while exercising. "If you're going to be there to work out, you have to focus on pushing your body," she says. If you do need a distraction to make it through, Hoff suggests watching television with earphones instead, since it tends to take up a little less attention.

Don't Sweat It: While getting drenched in sweat may feel like a more intense workout, shedding a few pounds of water weight is anything but healthy. "One of the things that continues to amaze me after 30 or 40 years is that people still try to sweat fat off," says Mark Occhipinti, president of the American Fitness Practitioners and Associates. "They exercise in a hot environment, thinking that they're losing fat or weight, but all they're doing is dehydrating themselves." And serious sweat can come with serious risks-the dehydration can lead to cramping and injuries. Your water intake-making sure that you have a bottle of water on hand at all times-is much more important than your water output.

Just Resist: Simply riding a stationary bike or running on a treadmill means missing out on the benefits of resistance training, which can have an even more significant impact on weight loss than a lap around the track. "You might burn 100 calories walking a mile but in the same 20 minutes with a weight machine you may burn 300-400 calories," says Occhipinti. Resistance training will also strengthen the muscles necessary for every day activity, like climbing stairs or reaching for groceries, and keep muscles in shape for old age.

Weigh In: Scared that a round of weight lifting will cause you to look like Mr. Universe? Fear no more-it's a common misconception that heavy weight lifting or resistance training will cause females to bulk up. "That doesn't happen unless you're doing growth hormones," says Occhipinti. "You're not going to become a feared freak of nature if you add some weights."

Take a Bite: Exercising on an empty stomach is like driving on an empty tank. Your body needs energy to work with. A healthy snack, such as oatmeal and a banana, can digest during the drive to the gym and provide the extra boost you need. This is especially important in the morning. Because your body has been fasting overnight, you need to give it fuel to get moving.

Speak Up: Trying to look like a know-it-all will win you few workout points. For those new to the gym, one of the worst habits can be scanning the room, attempting to copy those around you. Most gyms have trainers on the floor and Hoff suggests taking advantage of them. "Don't abuse it, but if you're really questioning whether it's proper form, then go ahead and ask," she says.
"You really want to prevent injuries." The same goes when you're new to a fitness class-let the instructor know about any injuries or concerns. Your body will thank you.

How to Optimize Your Workout So You Fall Asleep Fast

By Phil Tsang

Have you heard the regular exercise will help you fall asleep? There's no question that regular exercise is good for you, and maintaining your health in general does help you sleep well at night. But in order for exercise to have the maximum beneficial effect on your sleep, it's important to do the right exercises at the right time.

First of all, exercise is good for you. It improves your heart health and helps your blood pressure to stay in the optimum range. Exercising also helps you combat stress. It's great for easing muscle tension and improving your mood. Exercise can also play a role in helping you to sleep soundly at night. However, when it comes to making you sleep better, some exercises and some exercise schedules are preferable to others.

If you want to exercise to improve your sleep, then it's best to do it at certain times of the day. Exercising right before bedtime actually makes sleep more difficult. That's because physical activity tends to stimulate your body. It also raises your body temperature. This is an important point, because falling body temperature helps you fall asleep.

Exercising in the morning is especially good for improving your mood during the day. If you combine morning exercise with exposure to light, you can look forward to an energetic and positive day. But the best time to exercise if you want to sleep better is in the late afternoon or early evening. That's because exercise at this time of the day raises your body temperature early enough to allow it to fall back to normal levels before bedtime. In fact, your falling temperature will help you feel sleepy.

The type of exercise you do also makes a difference. Strength training, yoga and stretching are all good exercises for your health. But the best exercise for sleep is cardio. Perform vigorous cardiovascular exercises three to four times a week, at least 20 minutes at a time. As with any exercise program, you should start slowly and check with your doctor if you have any health issues.

Regular exercise is definitely an activity that will benefit your body. But if you specifically want your workout to help you fall asleep, then you need to schedule time in the late afternoon for cardiovascular exercises.

Fall Asleep with ease every night with this highly effective Sleep Program. Sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.howtobeatinsomnia.com/fall_asleep.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Tsang

7 Adrenaline-Boosting Workouts

Boost your strength and endurance with these fast-paced workouts from Men's Health experts
By the Editors of Men's Health

1. 3-Mile Challenge

Boost your strength and endurance with this fast-paced workout from Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S.

How it works: Crank out as many pushups as you can. Then, resting a minute between exercises, do one set each of chinups and dips, completing your maximum number of repetitions for each exercise. Now go for a 3-mile run. Record the number of reps you were able to perform and your run time. Retest yourself each month.

2. Hoops Fat Blaster

Sculpt your body on the court, says Alan Stein, C.S.C.S.

1. Sit at one baseline and hold a basketball in front of your chest. Stand up and sit down without letting your arms, hands, or the ball touch the floor. Repeat 10 times, then sprint to the other baseline.

2. Assume a pushup position, but with one hand on the ball. Perform a pushup, then roll the ball to the other hand and repeat. That's 1 rep. Aim for 10, and then sprint back to the other baseline.

3. Hold the top of a pushup on the ball for 1 minute. Rest 30 seconds. Repeat the entire sequence 4 to 6 times.

3. Muscle Express

Use your bicycle as a barbell to build your upper body. Pedal hard for 2 minutes in a high gear.
Then hop off the bike, flip it, and grab it by the frame. From this position, you can train your back, arms, and shoulders, using the bike as resistance. For example, perform 10 reps of single-arm bent-over rows, arm curls, or front raises. Then ride for another 2 minutes. Continue this pattern of lifting and riding until you've completed each exercise 3 to 5 times.

4. High-Speed Rope Circuit

Alternate between jumping rope and doing strength exercises to build a leaner body.

1. Skip rope 20 seconds.
2. Do 8 walking lunges forward, then turn around and lunge back to the starting position.
3. Skip rope 20 seconds.
4. Do as many pushups as you can (to failure).
5. Skip rope 20 seconds.
6. Do pullups to failure.

That's one round. Complete 4 to 6 rounds, adding 10 seconds to your rope-skipping time each round.

5. Rock-Hard Abs

This 3-day-a-week plan is fast yet brutal, says trainer Juan Carlos Santana, C.S.C.S.

Lie faceup on the floor with your arms and legs straight, in an X. Lift your arms and legs 8 inches off the floor, toes pointed out. This is the starting position.

1. With your right arm, reach up toward the ceiling, then lower to the starting position. Repeat with your left arm. Do 5 reps.

2. Raise your left leg above your hip and reach toward the ceiling with your foot, then lower back down. Repeat with your right leg. Do 5 reps.

3. Do 1 and 2 simultaneously with opposite limbs. Perform 5 reps.

6. High-Power Muscle

Add air to classic body-weight exercises for an athletic challenge, says Nate Green, a certified personal trainer.

Alternate between two movements, such as squats and pushups, but make them explosive by pushing yourself up with enough force so your feet and hands leave the floor on squats and pushups, respectively. Do 10 reps of each move and rest 10 seconds. Then do 9 reps of each exercise and rest 10 seconds. Continue with this pattern down to 1 rep. Repeat the sequence up to 5 times.

7. Leaner in 5

Perform this lower-body strength workout before you pound the pavement. Transition from one exercise to the next without resting.

1. Do 24 body-weight squats.
2. Perform 24 body-weight lunges, alternating legs.
3. Complete 24 jump lunges, alternating legs.
4. Do 24 jump squats.
5. Hold a plank for 2 minutes.

Rest for 5 minutes before running sprints.

Source: MSN

Diet Plans For Muscle Building

By Peter Tremayne

Diet plans for muscle building are crucial to your success. Exercise and weight training can only do so much for you. If you are not implementing the right diet into your muscle building journey, you are essentially not doing yourself much good at all. Knowing what to eat and how to eat are critical elements in it.

Remember when you were younger, your parents told you that every growing child has to eat the right foods to become big and strong? Well, the same applies now, even as an adult. In order to grow, you have to eat, but in order to grow in the desired way, you have to eat right. Eating the wrong foods will lead to fat. In body building, there is nothing worse than fat.

There are many different types of diet plans for muscle building. These include protein, anabolic, and low carb diets. The protein diet is one diet that many body builders use and maintain. It is a known fact in the world of bodybuilding that protein is necessary to gain the muscle mass you are looking for. There are many ways you can get your protein, but with a protein diet, it consists of animal meats and other such forms of protein.

Another one of the many diet plans for it is the anabolic diet. This diet is not as popular because it takes more discipline and careful planning. In this diet, all you eat is protein, that is it - nothing more. Carbs are kept to a minimum during the week. When the weekend comes, carbs are allowed and you try to eat as many as you possibly can. However, this really takes some discipline.

If you are not careful and watchful, the anabolic diet can actually increase your body fat instead of your muscles. It is important to stick to the diet during the weekdays, in order to refrain from gaining the fat.

The low carb diet is another of the diet plans for muscle building. Again, in this diet, you are limiting the amount of carbs you are eating. However, as with the anabolic diet, it is not the preferred diet for bodybuilders. It is difficult to stick with and tends to wear out the bodybuilder quickly, increasing fatigue and weakness.

The reason for this is that your body loves carbs. It turns the carbs into fuel for the body.
However, with this diet, the body is tricked into using fat for its fuel instead of carbs. Depending on who you talk to, this diet may also cause you to lose muscles as well.

For more articles like this and to download an awesome FREE Report - '8 Things You MUST Do To Build Maximum Muscle' visit my website -

http://www.BodyBuildersGuide.com/Diet-Plans-For-Muscle-Building

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Tremayne

Liposuction - An Alternative to Diet and Exercise?

By A Aaronson

When liposuction first came onto the market in the 1980's many people would joke that they could now eat what they wanted, never exercise again, and simply have their fat removed from their body when it built-up.

However, nothing is further from the truth; in reality, liposuction is never an alternative for proper diet and exercise. Liposuction is a medical procedure, with some risks, which should only be performed after healthy diet and regular exercise have failed to achieve the desired results.
Liposuction is wonderful for removing stubborn pockets of fatty tissue which have not responded to weight loss and targeted exercise. Some areas which are common trouble spots are the chin area, the cheek area, the abdominal area, the back, the buttocks, the knees, and the thighs.

For many people, even though they are at an ideal weight, and exercise regularly, they still have some fat in these areas which they are unable to do anything about getting rid of. In this case, liposuction can be used to remove the fat, permanently, and greatly improve the look of the area.

While liposuction can be great for those troubled areas mentioned above, it is not for everyone. People who are diabetic or have other ongoing medical issues are not good candidates for liposuction.

In addition, people who are overweight or who do not have firm and elastic skin are not good candidates either. Plastic surgeons always advise overweight patients to lose weight and exercise regularly and then return to their office to be re-evaluated for candidacy for liposuction surgery. Without attempts at weight loss and exercise, a reputable plastic surgeon will not perform liposuction.

Prior to considering liposuction you should make sure to eat as healthily as possible. This means that your diet should contain as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. You should also stick to lean cuts of meat and restrict your intake of fats.

The easiest way to eat a healthy diet is to focus on eating more whole foods and less of those which have been processed and put into a box or can.

In addition, anyone who may undergo any surgical procedure is advised to quit smoking well in advance of their surgery date. The reason for this is because smokers tend to heal more slowly because their blood flow is restricted and this restriction keeps blood from flowing freely to the surgical area.

Besides eating a healthy diet, prior to liposuction surgery you should also take the time to exercise your body on a regular basis. Whether you choose to go at it alone or workout in a gym with other people, the addition of a personal trainer can help you to work on the specific problem areas which you are considering for liposuction.

By helping you to learn the exercises which can be used on your target areas, you may negate the need for plastic surgery all together. And, if this is not the case, you can at least increase your chances of being a good candidate for liposuction.

While liposuction is wonderful to remove unwanted fatty deposits from the body, it is never an alternative to healthy eating and regular exercise.

For men and women in Atlanta, liposuction from a skilled, board certified plastic surgeon is an absolute must. The board certified plastic surgeons at Swan Center for Plastic Surgery offer information and before and after pictures to help you make your decision. http://www.swancenteratlanta.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A_Aaronson

The Stationary Recumbent Exercise Bike Gives The Best Aerobic Workout

By Robin OBrien

The stationary recumbent exercise bike is becoming more and more popular as real people are discovering its comfort and cardiovascular benefits. Upright bikes can give you a sore bottom, painful wrists and lower back; treadmills are high-impact, causing painful joints; and you can fall off an elliptical trainer. If you want safe, comfortable and low-impact, go recumbent.

Uprights have been around for years but it's only recently that the stationary recumbent exercise bike has become popular. This is surprising as it's been known for years that road models are more comfortable and faster; in 1938, a Frenchman, called Francis Faure, became the first cyclist to exceed 30 miles in one hour - a record that stood until 1984 when the record was finally beaten using an upright with special aerodynamic disc wheels in the thin air of Mexico City.

So, why haven't we seen the recumbent exercise bike until recently? The answer is probably complacency and because the industry was obsessed with the bike instead of the user.
Thankfully, things are changing as now more emphasis in placed on the benefits of the cyclist rather than the bike.

And recumbents aren't just a passing fad; they're here to stay. The real benefits enjoyed by real people will see to that. Fact: most people who use a stationary exercise bike aren't the well-toned, young athletes we see in the ads but real people who are getting on in years, or have never exercised before, or who are over weight, or have physical limitations. Cycling in a reclined position while seated in a chair is more beneficial for most people.

When cycling on a recumbent you don't get saddle sore. Even the best seats on the best upright get to be uncomfortable after a little while. Also, as head and feet are more in-line it helps to keep blood pressure low, ensuring a safer overall workout. You can also good bye to sore or numb wrist and fingers like you do on an upright. It is more comfortable for those who suffer from lower back pains as the back of the chair provides support.

The recumbent stationary exercise bike is also more ergonomic than its upright counterpart. It's been found that people who use a recumbent get a gentler, longer workout, which is the best form of cardiovascular exercise for the majority of people.

A recumbent bike is one of the safest pieces of gym kit to use; you can slip and fall off a treadmill; you can loose your balance and fall on an elliptical trainer; you can even fall off an upright bike, but your chances of falling out of a chair in a reclined position are minimal.

One last point: a recumbent works the gluteal muscles (buttocks) more than an upright, so by using one regularly you'll get that perfect pert butt.

If you are thinking of buying a piece of exercise equipment and aren't sure which offers the best in terms of comfort, safety and cardiovascular workout, then get yourself a recumbent stationary exercise bike. You won't be sorry you did.

Follow the links for a stationary exercise bike like the ProForm exercise bike, the Lifecycle exercise bike and many more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien

Combine and Conquer

Use these winning food pairings to protect your health.
By Elizabeth Drake, Men's Health

What began as small talk at a holiday party ended in a revelation — only this one didn't involve the office copier. It all started 6 years ago, as Rutgers University scientists Allan Conney, Ph.D., and George C. Wagner, Ph.D., chatted at an office get-together. Both researchers were studying the health benefits of caffeine, but from different angles. "I was investigating the effects of caffeine on Parkinson's disease," says Wagner. "He was looking at green tea and skin-cancer protection."

From this conversation, the two decided to pool their knowledge and join forces. The result: The surprising discovery that the combination of caffeine and exercise may shield you from skin cancer.

This is just one of five dynamic duos we've unearthed. Read on to find out how simple nutrition additions can multiply your health benefits.

Fish + Broccoli

The benefit: You can sock it to cancer with this one-two punch.

The science: Tuna and halibut contain selenium, a mineral that raises your levels of a cancer-fighting enzyme called thioredoxin reductase (TR-1). Likewise, broccoli provides sulforaphane, a plant chemical that also boosts TR-1. When British researchers combined these two nutrients, they noticed that the tag team was 13 times more effective at slowing the growth of cancer cells than each was individually. The scientists believe that as selenium concentrations in your cells rise, the ability of sulforaphane to elevate TR-1 increases.

The take-home message: Eat meat with vegetables regularly. In addition to fish, foods such as beef, turkey, Brazil nuts, and mushrooms are excellent sources of selenium. And cruciferous vegetables — broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage — are loaded with sulforaphane.

Salsa + Avocado

The benefit: Your idea of health food is about to become tastier.

The science: Bright and vividly colored vegetables — such as the ones used in salads and salsas — are rich in carotenoids, powerful plant pigments that reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts. But here's a little-known secret: To fully benefit from these disease-fighting compounds, you need to eat them with fat. In fact, Ohio State University researchers found that people who ate a salad topped with half an avocado absorbed five to 10 times more beta-carotene and lutein — carotenoids found in carrots and spinach, respectively — than those who had salads sans the fatty fruit. And eating avocado with salsa boosted the absorption of lycopene — a carotenoid in tomatoes — by almost five times.

"Fatty acids are needed to help carotenoids dissolve in the intestines," says lead study author Steve Schwartz, Ph.D. "These lipids are also an essential part of creating lipoproteins, which transport the carotenoids in the bloodstream."

The take-home message: Any time you eat colorful vegetables — whether raw or cooked — have some fat, too. And it doesn't have to be an avocado: One ounce of cheese, two pats of butter, or two tablespoons of full-fat ranch dressing will have the same effect, says Schwartz.

Nuts + Beer

The benefit: These two pub staples can decrease your risk of a heart attack.

The science: Numerous studies have shown that nuts boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels while reducing the "bad" LDL. And it's thought that alcohol acts as a blood thinner, helping prevent the formation of clots that can block bloodflow to your heart. What's more, Swedish researchers found that the fat and fiber in nuts slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. This can help smooth out the effects of moderate alcohol consumption. For best results, try to eat about 15 minutes before taking your first libation.

The take-home message: Moderation is the key here. Up to 3 ounces of nuts and one or two glasses of beer or wine a day have been shown to reduce heart-disease risk without leading to weight gain.

Garlic + Fennel

The benefit: These foods fight disease, but without the need for an after-dinner mint.

The science: Both garlic and fennel contain active compounds that help prevent cancer, according to University of Texas researchers. In fact, these chemicals target cancer in different ways, so they complement each other. But the active compound in fennel — anethol — provides another perk: It helps neutralize garlic breath. Japanese researchers found that anethol speeds the rate at which you produce saliva. Saliva inhibits microbial overgrowth, and also clears the bad-breath-causing sulfur compounds that garlic releases.

The take-home message: To make any dish healthier, try mixing garlic with fennel seeds, which contain more anethol than the leaves do. Here's a garlic-fennel seed rub you can use to season beef, chicken, or pork:

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Place the seeds on a flat surface, and use the bottom of a heavy pot to crush them. Mix the crushed seeds with the remaining ingredients and rub liberally on meat before grilling or roasting.

Caffeine + Exercise

The benefit: A daily Starbucks run may protect your skin.

The science: Researchers from Rutgers University found that when sunburned mice guzzled caffeinated water and then hit the running wheel, their risk of developing skin cancer plummeted. Turns out both caffeine and cardio trigger damaged skin cells to self-destruct before they can turn cancerous. And when the two are combined, this effect isn't just cumulative; it's exponential. Case in point: The rodents that drank and ran had one-third as many damaged skin cells as mice that did only one or the other.

The take-home message: To realize the same effect yourself, try one or two cups of coffee after your exercise session, say the scientists.

Double Trouble
Some couples were just never meant to be together. Divorce these dangerous combos:

Swiss Chard + Warfarin
If you take the blood thinner warfarin — typically prescribed to prevent the clots associated with deep-vein thrombosis — you'll want to avoid leafy greens such as Swiss chard, spinach, collard greens, and watercress. The high levels of vitamin K in these vegetables can negate the anticoagulant effect of the drug.

Grapefruit juice + Allegra
Compounds in grapefruit render sneeze- and sniffle-fighting fexofenadine — the active ingredient in allergy medicines such as Allegra and Telfast — nearly powerless. In fact, a recent study found that 1 cup of this citrus juice can act for 24 hours to block the intestinal enzymes needed to digest the drug.

Kava + Alcohol
Kava, an extract from a South Pacific plant, is marketed as a stress-reducing supplement. However, its active ingredients — kavalactones — act on the same receptor in the brain as alcohol. Combining the two increases the impact of alcohol intoxication, and results in lower scores on both cognition and balance tests.

Exercises For Bad Posture

By Natalie Cordova, D.C.

If you've bought a back brace or posture support, you may have already realized that using such a device is not going to be the long-term solution you were hoping for. You may decide to look for more supports? You may now be ready to start doing exercises for bad posture. Why exercises? Why not move on to a more sophisticated (and usually more expensive) back support brace?

Exercises for bad posture are so helpful because your posture problem probably began due to a lack of exercise. Really, it was a lack of movement in a way that would allow your back muscles to get stronger.

Everything you do in a typical day is usually done in front of you. This involves and engages the muscles on the front of your body. Your back muscles do little else during these movements except keep you upright.

Throw in a poor postural position and you back muscles are getting longer and weaker by the second. This is the formula for developing bad posture. We can keep calling them exercises for bad posture, but really what you're doing is counteracting the ongoing strengthening and movement being done by the front of the body.

Without doing exercises, your back muscles can only continue to strain and keep causing the painful symptoms you experience when sitting at your desk or computer all day.

Changing your posture with exercise makes sense when you realize how you got that way in the first place. This is where people have difficulty. After all, putting on a brace may not work, but it only takes a couple of minutes to put on. Doing exercise? Now we're talking about something that will need to be maintained... but it will work.

Dr. Natalie Cordova, a chiropractor and posture expert, wants to help you change your posture for good. Learn to improve posture at http://www.ImproveMyPosture.com

Exercise The Brain

By Trevor Kassulke

The brain is not a muscle, but regularly "exercising" the brain actually does keep it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. As scientists learned more about the brain and how memory actually worked, they realized that there were things you could actually do to improve not only your short-term memory, but to help recall facts that were stored in your long-term memory as well.

These tips can be as easy as paying closer attention to details, such as when meeting persons for the first time. Nervousness or distraction may mean that you're not really listening when a name is said, making it harder for you to recall it moments later. It is believed that it takes about 8 seconds of attention for a memory to travel from short-term to long-term storage, so quickly glossing over information you are hearing for the first time will only hinder your ability to recall it later.

"Over-learning" is another common technique for strengthening memory. This is what a person does when they repeat a bit of information over and over again - they are over-learning it so that there is more of a chance that it will be stored in long-term memory.

Other techniques can be somewhat complicated - until you learn them, that is. Like driving a car, once you learn the "procedure" you never really need to think much about them after that. Memory techniques become just like memories themselves - once they're burned into your brain, they become a natural process.

There are many different memory claims. For example, researchers say that if you are looking for a quick memory fix, just move your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds. Then we have the claim that chewing gum can help to improve memory and enhance cognitive power. You probably know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and "healthy" fats will provide lots of health benefits. This same diet can also improve memory. There is obviously no one method or technique that will improve memory for everyone. However, it is important to "exercise" the brain, otherwise the adage "use it or lose it" definitely applies to the brain.

The author owns and operates http://www.memory-improved.com, a website dedicated to improving your memory.

The Best Exercise For Losing Weight

By Arkady Itkin

Both, scientific research and my extensive observation and study prove beyond any doubt that the best kind of exercises, which consistently makes people lose weight faster and more effectively, combines a simultaneous intensive cardio work-out and intensive resistance training which involves a large group of different body parts. This kind of combination of physical activities causes that essential all-encompassing stress on a body that makes your metabolism skyrocket not only during the time you work out but for hours or even for days later.

Although all forms of exercise contribute to increased metabolism and burning fat, the most common exercise - light jogging and lifting weights - are the most ineffective ways of losing weight because they are lacking the above essential elements of an effective weight loss work-out: they are lacking the "all encompassing intensity" - the activity that will put physical stress on different parts of the body simultaneously. Light jogging at a comfortable speed doesn't put serious stress on any part of human body. Simple weight lifting may put great stress but only on one set of muscles, and thus - the essential "all encompassing" part of the work-out is compromised.

One, incredibly effective exercise for weight loss that proves to bring amazing results over and over is climbing stairs. And by "stairs" I surely don't mean that little machine that moves underneath your feet at a gym; I am talking about real stairs - a long set of stairs and much preferrably outdoor stairs. Climbing / running upstairs is a great exercise because it is both a very intense cardio work-out and it also engages several of your major muscle groups - legs, lower back and upper back.

If you want to lose weight and you are serious about achieving your goal, I suggest that you explore your locality, drive around and find a hill or some kind of elevated landmark which has a stair access. The longer the set of stairs is the better.

A 20-minute intense stair skipping in the morning before work / school that can be done in sets of five minutes with 1-2 minutes rest will jump start your metabolism and will raise it to levels that very few other exercises can. As you get in a better shape, you can challenge yourself in all kinds of ways by using that same set of stairs. You got try reaching the top faster, or making your breaks between the sets shorter, or you could make it hard to go up by carrying a backpack or a set of dumbbells in your hands as you go up which will engage yet another group of your muscles and will make your work-out even more intense.

There are two huge advantages to this exercise:

First, it's much more fun to go up the stairs in a nice area outdoors, enjoy fresh air, and see all the different things around you than being stuck at a stuffy gym and pumping steel or stairs while standing in one place and impatiently waiting until it's time to go. And if you enjoy your work out more, you are likely to do it for longer and thus achieve better results.

Secondly, it's hard to find a more intense exercise that would combine both - muscle work and cardio work and that will be as effective when it comes to raising metabolism and burning fat as climing stairs.
So, go - drive around and find one or more stair routes and s
tart using them tomorrow to your great benefit and let me know how it goes!

Arkady Itkinhttp://www.powerfulweightloss.blogspot.com
Weight Loss Advice that Makes a Difference!

Core Strength Exercise Sequence With A Mountain Climbing Theme

By John Harker

Here is a fun sequence of three exercises, all with a mountain climbing theme designed to work the thighs, the core muscles, and the arms. A mountain climbing theme is one where you repeat the same body-lifting exercise continuously and endlessly but never get any higher! Kind of like the feeling you get when climbing a mountain and the each peak you were headed for turns out to be only a small rise in a path to a much higher peak.

Since the theme is mountain climbing, start out in a classic yoga ‘Mountain Pose’. From a kneeling position with both hands on the floor under the shoulders, let your hips lead in pulling you up into a right-angle posture where you are bent with a 90-degree angle at the hips. Your legs are straight making one line, and your hips, back, head and arms are all aligned making the second line. To make that right angle tilt your pelvis so your sit-bones are pointed to the ceiling. Spend a minute getting the alignment right and paying attention to your breath.

The first mountain climb is the classic ‘Mountain Climbers’. This exercise targets the thighs and the core muscles in the pelvis and lower back. From a Mountain Pose, bring one leg forward placing the foot between the arms into a lunge. Lower your chest forward, keeping your back straight, and place your hands on the floor out in front of you, a little more than shoulder-width apart. You should look like you're ready to run a race. Switch the position of each leg repeatedly for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Think of it as running place but with your hands on the ground. Finish with the opposite leg forward than you started with, then let your hips lead in pulling you back into Mountain Pose. Again spend a minute getting the alignment right and paying attention to your breath.

The second mountain climb is a variation on classic Mountain Climbers done with the arms. This exercise targets the upper body pressing muscles - triceps, pectorals and the anterior deltoids. Starting from Mountain Pose rotate forward on the shoulders dropping the hips so you legs come into line with your back. Now the right angle is at the shoulders, with one line formed by the legs, hips, back and head, and the other by the straight arms. In yoga this is often called ‘Plank Pose’. Hands are flat on the ground facing forwards. Raise the right hand and drop onto the right elbow. Raise the left hand and drop onto the left elbow. Raise the right elbow and putting your hand down straighten the arm. Raise the left elbow and putting the hand down straighten the arm. Then repeat this sequence also for 30 seconds to a minute. End in plank pose, and then raise the hips to return to Mountain Pose. Spend a minute getting the alignment right and paying attention to your breath.

The last mountain climb is a standing Duck Walk. The Duck Walk develops strength in the upper thigh muscles, develops stretching in the lower back muscles, and coordinates legs and balance in the squat position without the use of the arms. This seemingly harmless exercise gets really hard after a short period of constant fast movement. Starting from Mountain, jump both legs forward landing between the arms in a squat position. Legs a little wider than shoulder width apart. Drop your right leg from the squat onto your right knee. Then drop your left leg from the squat onto your left knee. Then raise your right leg putting the foot back on the ground into a squat, then raise the left leg and put the foot back on the ground into a squat. Then drop the right leg onto the right knee, and the left leg onto the left knee. Continue with this sequence for 30 seconds to a minute. End in the squat position and take a light leap back to Mountain. Drop the knees and pull your hips back into extended child’s pose.

These three exercises were un-symmetrical with respect to left/right, so to balance the whole sequence is then repeated on the other side. Done properly, these three mountain climber exercises should provide both entertainment and improved fitness…

John Harker is a cardio kickboxing teacher in Santa Cruz, California. He teaches at Westside Aerobics and Martial Arts. More information can be found on their website at http://www.wama-club.com and in his personal blog at http://www.myspace.com/johnharker

Seven Simple Exercises to Invite the Extraordinary Life

By Guy Finley

I can think of no greater encouragement than the self-evident Truth that there dwells in each of us the opportunity to explore and know the Extraordinary Life. The meaning of Extraordinary I wish to convey points to the immutable and inexhaustible source that is the secret center of each of us: a timeless resource open and available to anyone who would seek this Life that sits behind life as we know it. Will we spend our lives in mere dreams of winning a limitless life, or will we do the inner- work of awakening from this dream? Choosing the Extraordinary Life begins with our conscious work to realize it, which the following special practices help to ensure.

1. Let Nagging Questions Go Unanswered: In stressful moments, listen to what life is trying to tell you about you instead of searching anxiously for familiar answers to make life feel "right" again. All fearful, doubt-filled moments are secret reflections of what we have yet to understand about life and ourselves, not life's rejection of us or our wish for happiness. Choose to go consciously quiet whenever there is a riot in you. Refuse to take part in the search to repair what you fear may be coming undone. Let go and watch what happens when you consciously sacrifice the fear-filled self. This new action allows the Extraordinary Life to enter into you where its presence alone proves that all is well.

2. Don't Make the Rescue Call: In times of anxiety and fear, we almost always call upon someone or something to help us get through our stress. This dependency on others for strength not only weakens our soul, but also steals from it the possibility of being educated by the Extraordinary Life, which means we miss two major lessons. First, the crucial lesson that all our fears are based upon false evidence that appears real. With this revelation comes our second realization that the same frightened self that seeks rescue secretly confirms its imagined condition as being real each time it cries out for help. Refusing to rescue ourselves from inner states that scare us invites the Extraordinary Life that shows us that no such scared self exists that needs saving.

3. Take the Hard Way: Rut and routine are two sides of the same sad street. Repetitive patterns are the well-worn pavement that our spiritually asleep self loves to tread while it talks us to death with its empty promises of extraordinary times "just ahead." We can learn to do much better let ourselves be betrayed in this way, but it takes inner work! Instead of caving into the demands of those slipshod parts of ourselves always looking for the easy way out, we must choose in favor of what our false nature wants us to see as being the "hard" way. But it's not. In fact, once we learn that the only real way out of what we would rather avoid is to go through it, we discover another self-liberating truth: the only thing that's hard on us is when we allow our unenlightened nature to convince us that getting around something is the same as rising above it.

4. Do the Thing You Fear Doing: There is a correct time and place for thinking through practical plans in the ordinary scheme of life's events. But nothing that is founded in thought can serve to reveal the unthinkable plans that the Extraordinary holds in store for anyone willing to leap into the moment without a parachute. Never mind those old fears of falling. Just jump! Being willing to risk failing is a prerequisite for fearless living. If you will take the leap into what you are afraid of doing, the Extraordinary Life will prove to you that Its unshakable ground is everywhere beneath you at all times. Nothing compares with this discovery because, once realized, there's nowhere to go but up! A note of caution: taking a spiritual leap is far different from taking a reckless physical risk. Never risk the well being of your physical body for the sake of a passing thrill: for what is possible to attain with a body, cannot be without one. The temporary rush of adrenalin has nothing in common with one's awakening to the reality of a timeless, fearless life.

5. Take Time Out from Yourself Every Day: Unseen by the self that walks upon it, thought is a treadmill powered by the movement of our yesterdays as they produce our tomorrows. This is the real meaning of "doing time." The domain of the Extraordinary Life is Timeless. To share Its life, we must enter into Its world. Here is a good way to begin this Work: Every day, as often as can be remembered, chose to break out of that gilded, but self-confining cage called "thinking about yourself." We live under the power of these unconscious ponderings, for when they turn dark and stormy, it is we who are left out in the cold. Even if we can only collect ourselves to meditate, pray or contemplate a Higher Idea for a few minutes at a time, we must do it anyway. These small windows -- opened by our work to remember the Extraordinary Life -- grant us passage into its timeless domain.

6. Open Yourself to Life: Dare to see and experience yourself as you are without giving names to all the varied emotional sensations that present themselves before your watchful inner eyes. Allow the meaning of whatever states you see coming up in you to reveal their actual nature to you. Resist the temptation to interrupt their upwelling by explaining to yourself what you are experiencing. Have no intention toward these thoughts and feelings other than to be open to them and, in doing so, to permit them their uninterrupted passage through you. Why open up to life in this way? For one thing, this gives negative states the back door they need to depart. For another, the Extraordinary Life is very possessive. It will not enter any zone marked "occupied."

7. Make No Campsites: The Extraordinary Life visits individuals, not groups or organizations. It strengthens the soul willing to be alone for its sake. Keep your distance from people who insist that you believe as they do, who hope to convince you that the reality they have satisfied themselves with should satisfy you as well. These deceivers want only to keep you in their unreal camp. Never mind who is walking with you and who isn't. Be wary of any campsite -- inner or outer -- with its bright "welcome weary traveler" sign. Most of these campers desire your company so that they can forget they are going nowhere. Walk on! Your persistence is an open invitation to the Extraordinary Life to show you the Way back home.

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Guy Finley is the acclaimed author of more than 30 books and audio programs on the subject of self-realization, several of which have become international best sellers. His popular works, published in 16 languages, are widely endorsed by doctors, professionals, and religious leaders of all denominations. Among many others, his popular titles include: The Secret of Letting Go, Design Your Destiny, The Lost Secrets of Prayer, Apprentice of the Heart, and Let Go and Live in the Now.

To learn more about the work of Guy Finley and his non-profit Life of Learning Foundation, visit http://www.guyfinley.org for a wealth of free helpful information, free audio and video downloads, and to request your FREE Self-Improvement Starter Kit.

The Top 11 Benefits Of Exercise

By James Mcconnell

So many people buy audio books to launch or improve their exercise regimen. After all, everybody wants to look great! But did you know that looking great is only one of the many benefits of exercise?
Daily exercise is a necessary ingredient in the recipe for optimum health. Here are just a few of the very important health benefits of daily exercise:

1. Exercise is the number one stress reliever. When we feel stressed out, our bodies produce adrenaline as part of the fight-or-flight response. But we can't always jump on a treadmill the very second we feel stressed out. So all this stress ricochets around in the body for days on end with no outlet. Chronic stress can seriously compromise health over the long term. Exercise is the natural outlet for stress; that's why daily exercise is so important. The stress must have an escape route.
2. Exercise lowers the risk for developing cardiovascular disease.
3. Regular exercise lowers the risk for developing diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is becoming a global epidemic. In the United States alone, 18 million people are afflicted with diabetes; and it's on the rise in India and China. Diabetes can also lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and kidney disease. It can also cause nerve damage that can lead to gangrene and amputation.
4. Daily exercise lowers the risk for stroke.
5. Exercise lowers blood pressure.
6. Exercising regularly strengthens the immune system. People who exercise regularly are less likely to catch colds and flu.
7. Exercising boosts self-confidence.
8. Exercise increases your overall energy level.
9. Regular exercise improves your mood. And who doesn't want to feel happy?
10. Daily exercise even improves your sex life! You have the self-confidence to show off your birthday suit, and your higher energy level is ready for the proverbial roll in the hay!
11. Of course, exercising eliminates obesity, which is a high risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Daily exercise is crucial to our overall health and well-being. And there are so many types of exercise that are just plain fun, that you can enjoy right at home or in your neighborhood, and that the whole family can join in. Some examples include walking, bicycling, roller blading or yoga. And of course, there are all manner of sports: soccer, volleyball, basketball and tennis, to name a few.

You can learn even more types of exercises from audio books. Audio exercise books can help you look and feel your very best!

No matter how little time you have with an audio book you can listen:

• On the go!
• On a train
• In the Car
• On your Walkman/iPod
• While in the Kitchen
• While commuting to work
• Even while you're exercising!

For a complete list of our Execise Audio Books Visit http://www.TheAudioBookSuperstore.com
James McConnell is a Successful Full Time Internet Marketer & Published Author. Learn More About him at: http://www.JamesMcConnellRecommends.com

Listen To Him Speak For Free At: http://www.MoneyMagentSecrets.com

Balancing Your Writing Life - Exercise Your Body

By Beth Barany

Is your life balanced? Do you work, rest, and play equally? If you’re a modern person, juggling writing, a day job, and a family, your response is: “What are you talking about?” Most likely, we need to move more*, play more and rest more.

Physical exercise is a wonderful counterbalance to the focused mental work and solitary lifestyle of a writer. Our work as writers needs to be first priority if we want to get our work done. Ironically, however, making time in our schedule to move reminds us that we are more than only the mind. We are of the body too.

Exercise is a great way to juice up your creativity and change your perspective on your writing. I see exercise as a form of play. Remember when you were a kid and you ran around playing tag or hide-n-go-seek until dusk? I assert that the right exercise for you can be that same kind of "in the moment" joy. All you need to do is re-discover what is the right kind of exercise for you.

After nearly three years of exercising regularly, I share my insight from the perspective of someone who had never exercised regularly before.

Step One - The Fun FactorFind an exercise that you love! Use your childhood passions for inspiration. How can you turn one or many of them into something you can do now? Bicycling, walking, swimming, running, yoga, one of the many forms of dance - the list is endless.

Step Two - Baby Steps Start out with brief, low-impact classes or short stints outdoors. Take walking, for instance: it’s simple, most anyone can do it, and the equipment investment is minimal. On Day One, take yourself to a nice place and walk for ten minutes. Enjoy your surroundings, the creatures and people. Notice how you feel. Breathe the fresh air. Remember to stretch.

If you’re out of shape, your week one goal is to walk twice for only ten minutes each. Stick with a regular schedule until you can move the frequency up to three times a week. Then incrementally move up the duration of your walks, going from 10 to 12 minutes. Then add a few more minutes, until you’re walking 35-40 minutes three times a week. The object of the game is to keep it fun and to say, “I can do this!”

Tracking Track your routine and your progress. Keep a log of the date, the activity, and its duration on an index card or exercise logbook.

Be kind to yourself Don’t over-do it. Over-high expectations are counter-productive in this realm of baby steps. Be aware of what’s reasonable, in terms of activity chosen, time allotted, and the expectation that it will change your life and body instantly. Choose a place to exercise that is between work and home, or easy to get to, like your living room. And use music, if you like, to lift the spirits while you move!

Sacrifice Like anything important, making time for exercise requires giving up something else in your schedule, like TV, or too many volunteer jobs.

Balance out the intense demands of your writing life with time spent in the body. A calmer and clearer writer’s mind, and improved health the rewards from taking the time to exercise.
Happy Exercising and Writing!

*This an informative article only, not intended to give medical advice. My information comes from my own experience and that of others.

The Importance of Taking Time to Rest, Relax, Sleep, and Exercise for a Self Confident Living

By Lena Tucker

Recently, a friend of mine told me how he has been working so hard and not taking time out to relax, that he is now starting to feel the toll it has taken on his health. He didn't take the time to fully recuperate when he first starting feeling ill. Now his health has gotten worse and he has no choice but to take time off to go to the doctor or doctors. He may also have to miss a lot of work whereas, if he had taken the time off to rest and fully recover, his illness may have been shorter but now he will probably have to take off more time to recuperate.

It was kind of a wake up call to me, as well as it was to him. He told me that if I didn't start taking better care of myself, I would end up as sick as him. I go to bed way too late and I have been starting feeling exhausted. I am always tired and sleepy, and the toll of not properly taking care of myself has already started affecting my health. If I don't take his advice, I may go down the same path.

I usually go to bed way too late because I am either over committed, in the things that I need to do or I have not been as efficient in my time management, while the kids are in school. I have a hard time with efficient time management. I am very good at wasting time, whether it is someone calling to chat, chatting with people when I bump into them while running errands, or chatting while just waiting for my kids to get out of school. I, unfortunately, just love to chat and socialize. There always seems to be so much to do. I try to run my errands, clean house, and work at my computer, when the kids are in school because if I don't then, as soon as the kids get out of school, it is too late. There are basketball and baseball practices to drive to. This month, as been exceptionally crazy, with 20 baseball games (two during the week and two on the weekend) and at least 3-4 baseball practices a week (with two kids playing in the local league) and then 2 2hour basketball practices a week and a game 45 minutes away (for one of the two kids previously mentioned). There is also homework and projects to finish.

As I don't don't always finish all my work, when my kids are at school, I end up finishing the rest, after they go to bed. I then end up staying up late doing laundry, cleaning the house, and doing my work. It just seems endless. I also tell myself that it is OK to function on little sleep because I will catch up by the weekend. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen so I continue to run ragged. My self confidence suffers because I am not as efficient as I can be, as I am always exhausted. I feel like I am always trying to play catch up and not ever catching up. It is a vicious cycle.

My friend reminded me how important it is to make sure I have adequate sleep and to not run myself ragged like he has done. I decided, starting last night, to do the best I can everyday (as far as accomplishments, assignments or to do lists). I will set more realistic goals and say "no" more and not overcommit myself.

It is important to make time to relax, do some fun things, and renew your spirit and body for your health and well being. A fun way to relax is to plan a night out with some girlfriends, with other couples, or other families. I like planning potlucks and game nights, with other couples, at my house. I would take out my old board games, like "Outburst" and play the women against men. It was a blast! Another of my favorite ways to relax is to plan a night out going to dinner with a bunch of girlfriends. My kids like inviting their friends and their families over for a potluck and swim party. I have a girlfriend who take nightly bubble baths to relax and feel rejuvinated for the next day.

It is also important to have at least 7 hours a night of sleep. Recently, studies have stressed the importance of having enough rest. Sleeping is a way that our body is able to repair itself and for our minds to feel renewed or refreshed the next morning. We are then usually able to be a more happy, positive, and efficient. It also improves our self confidence and self esteem.

Lastly, it is important to start exercising. It makes you feel energized, you sleep better, you feel healthier, and you feel more self confident in yourself.

So by making and taking the time to rest, relax, exercise, and have adeqate nightly sleep, you will be healthier, more efficient, and therefore accomplish more. You will also feel self confident. You will also be able to enjoy life and have a more self confident and fulfilling life.

Lena Tucker is the founder of http://www.successinlifeandmoney.com An avid blogger, Lena is helping to change the lives of others through her articles and blogs about living a successful life, having true self confidence, successful parenting, and all things money related. Transform your life now through her amazing insights at http://www.SuccessInLifeAndMoney.com

Exercise Swimming Programs

By Anne Clarke

The focus of many different kinds of exercises is to maintain physical as well as mental health and stability. Especially in cases of people with disabilities, many of the swimming exercise programs for the disabled focus not only on the body, but the mind and spirit as well. Now, the unification of “body, mind, and spirit” is quite a clichéd concept, but it works. I suppose my argument is that, in some way or another, when the three are out of balance any person is relatively disabled anyway.

A perfect balance of the body, of mind and (if you will) of the spirit is the very best way to live. Homeopathic, other alternative medical professionals – and even strictly scientific medical professionals agree that the better someone is feeling the better his or her chances of healing are. This includes the maintenance of an individual’s overall health, and of course, exercise is a very important part of that.

If you want to enhance your overall quality of life you do not have to have an illness or physically disabling disease or injury to do so. Of course, medically, an illness can be successfully treated through exercise and meditation. Movement, activity, freedom and overall quality of life will improve, but also, healthy people will benefit as well as help prevent potential health problems in the future. I believe that everyone should consider their future and their own happiness. And this is why an exercise program, such as one of the swimming classes I mentioned, is so great.

These swimming programs target the relaxation of the body, increase the issues of mobility and physical function, as well as provide a soothing sense of mind that will last much longer than the class itself. Therefore, these special swimming programs are important, because they combat the issues which virtually any people with different kinds of disabilities have to face. Swimming programs are wonderful – but as far as exercise is concerned, swimming also works every muscle group.

The main point is that your workout time (disabled or not) should not be a chore – but a sanctuary. A time where you can relax and enjoy the health you are bringing to your body – something that you want and need as part of your daily routine, that is what your workout should be. No matter what kind of exercise you do, the notion of breathing, enjoying your workout program, and even meditating on the unification of mind, body and spirit is going to prove healthy for you in the long run.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching, gardening, and fashion.

For more of her articles on fitness, please visit americanfitness.net, supplier of high quality Weight Equipment and Rowing Machines.