Exercise is one of two main components and principles for reducing weight and for good health. Some might say exercise is the key to weight loss and some say a good diet is the key. There is one thing for sure though that if you combine the two together they react to form an unbeatable team in the fight to reduce weight and maintain it!

So what is the difference between Aerobic Exercise and Anaerobic Exercise?

Aerobic Exercise

Firstly Aerobic Exercise is basically exercise that is carried out at a moderate intensity and for a longer period of time. Most types of exercise are actually aerobic including jogging , cycling, walking etc.

Aerobic exercise is carried out at any intensity from 60-80% of your maximum heart rate and at an intensity you can carry on for a longer period of time. When exercising, for example jogging, your body uses the energy stored from food which is turned into glycogen to push you along. There is only a certain amount of glycogen in your body and as you use up your stored energy during exercise, you will feel your body tiring and aching. This is basically your body running out of glycogen. The fact is that when your body has used up its energy stores and to keep going it has to find a new fuel source and thus fat comes into the picture.

Fat lies in reserve for energy source and exercising for a longer period of time will then be burned up by the stored fat. From aerobic exercise you will most certainly witness an increase in your overall longer lasting fitness meaning overtime you can exercise for longer and longer meaning you maximise fat burning.

Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic exercise is the opposite of aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is performed at a much higher intensity between 80-100% max heart rate. This obviously means it isn’t long lasting. It is used by athletes to help build power, strength and speed into there bodies as exercises under an anaerobic intensity are examples like sprinting and weight lifting.

Anaerobic defines exercise carried out without the use of oxygen. As your muscles don’t have sufficient oxygen they then have to utilize another source within your body known as creatine phosphate.
The uses of these energy sources quickly burn up over a period and the use of fat as energy does come into play sometimes a lot quicker than if doing aerobic exercise. This is all done in a matter of seconds as the creatine phosphate generates what we call ATP that produces muscle contraction and after further seconds other sources are made available to ATP which includes glycogen, then lastly fat.

Muscles trained under anaerobic exercises obviously give different results than that of aerobic exercise and lead to greater performance in shorter duration activities and sports.

So Which Type Of Exercise Is The Better To Reduce Weight & Maintain It?

The fact is both will burn fat within your body for extensive research does suggest that combining the two can be hugely beneficial as your body is made to train under different intensities meaning it isn’t able to adapt to one or the other which does maximise fat burn as the human body is always looking to adapt to what you do to it.

Depending on your goals and what sort of fitness you are looking at would depend on the type of exercise you undertake but for fat burning and weight loss a combination of the two would be most beneficial within your plan.

Before you start any of the above exercise, keep in mind to see your physician first for an evaluation

Everybody knows that exercise will help you physically, making you strong, fitter and giving you more stamina. It will also help raise your metabolic rate, which will help you loose weight and keep weight lost. But not many people know the mental effects of exercise.

Exercise gives a natural ‘high’, this is because it makes the brain release different chemicals, serotonin, dopamine, nor epinephrine and endorphins all of these are known to have strong effects on your mood, they can help to reduce feelings of anxiety, stress and they can also help stop you feeling depressed. One of the main benefits of using exercise to help lift depression is that you can start to feel the effects instantly, where as drugs can take several weeks to have an effect. Also if you are more active you will be able to sleep better, since a lot of sleep problems are linked with depression which will certainly help straight away.

If you do a lot of exercise you will not only look fitter and healthier you will feel healthier and fitter. Exercise will help you gain a more positive image of yourself; in turn this will boost your self-confidence and your self-esteem. This also means that you will be able to socialize with more ease. Regular exercise will also help reduce your stress and tension levels. It will also help you clear your mind, which in turn will help you relax and unwind in the evenings rather that dwelling on those problems you might have. Another helpful factor of exercise is that it will boost your energy levels, a lot of people who are depressed often lack energy. When you forced yourself to go and do some exercise a few times you will soon see the difference in how energetic you feel.

Researchers at Duke University, Carolina, USA, studied people who were suffering from depression for four months. The found out that 60% of the participants who exercised for 30 minutes, three times a week, overcame their state of depression without using any antidepressant drugs. It was the same percentage rate as those who only used medication to help treat their depression. Another survey carried out by the charity Mind in 2001 found out that 83% of people who have mental health problems looked to exercise to help them lift their mood or to help them reduce their stress and tension levels. Two thirds said that exercise helped them to reduce stress and anxiety. 6 out of 10 of the respondents said that physical exercise helped them to improve how motivated they were. 50% also said it boosted their self-esteem and 24% said it help improve their social skills and they were able to interact with more ease.

Before you start on any exercise program, it is always highly prudent to check with your physician that there are no underlying illnesses.

Tired? Sleepy? Non-stop yawning? Bloated? Sluggish? Constipated?

Well, once again its the time of the year to go for a free of toxic weekend lifestyle, which means going for plenty of fresh natural raw foods and drinking plenty of fluids, cutting out all those junk foods,sugar, caffeine, canned foods and processed foods! Oh dear, do I hear the “oh oh’s” and “argh argh’s” but there’s also the guilty conscious lingering somewhere in the back of your mind… ?

If you are done with all those merry making, this weekend would be a good time to do the simplest body detox, nothing too drastic. It is better than not doing at all, right? I don’t think it would make much difference missing all those toxic foods just for 48 hours.

So, we’ll start the weekend taking it real easy.
On Saturday and Sunday morning, drink about 400ml of filtered tepid water upon waking up. It would be ideal if you could squeeze some lemon juice in the water to your acceptable taste, no sugar added. Fluids help to eliminate the toxins that have been accumulated over the holidays and at the same time this will give your digestive tract and organs a well -needed rest.
You could start doing some light exercises after that like stretching, breathing, any of yourfavourites as long as they are not strenuous. After 45 minutes or so, munch on your favourite fruit like apples, pears, bananas, etc

For lunch, prepare a salad of your favourite fresh raw vegetables and sprinkle some chopped up nuts and olive oil.

At the same time, some fluids or if you prefer your favourite herbal teas like rooibos, crysanthemum, mint, green tea, etc would be great, and they do not contain caffeine.

Fresh and natural whole foods contain the important different nutrients, fiber and enzymes. They are known to nourish the body cells and at the same fight free radicals. If your budget permits get all your stuff organic.

In the later part of the day, you should include juicing of fresh fruits and vegetables like apple, cabbage, carrot, cranberry, celery, pineapple and spinach for effective cleansing process.
Take 30 minutes and go for a walk in the open for some fresh air as this would help to clear the ‘cobwebs’ on your mind.

For dinner, you could make some vegetable broth, munch some more fresh fruits and drink more fluids of filtered tepid water or herbal tea.

Lastly, before you end the day with a shower, do some skin brushing as it removes old skin cells, stimulates the lymph system and draws out toxins through the skin. Skin brushing is also a gentle way of detoxing and a dry skin brush made of soft vegetable bristles is highly recommended.

By Monday morning, you will be able to feel much better, feeling more healthy and have higher energy levels. Your body will thank you for your efforts to change to a healthy way of life.
Now, it is not that hard is it?

There are many ways to detox the body. I always believe it’s up to individuals to customize what suits their lifestyle and preference because no one is the same.
Remember, we are not on prescription but if you do have any health concerns, it is better to consult your physician first!

This is so common for many of us to eat our way through the holiday season, even as we plan to make “losing weight” one of our primary New Year’s resolutions. But of course this overindulgence only makes it harder on us when the New Year rolls around. Instead of having six kilos to lose, we have added another nine or ten.

Because of the traditions and festivities, EATING is always part and parcel with almost every celebration regardless of culture. We eat because the food is yummy and plentiful and because we believe that since it’s the holidays, calories don’t count this time of year. So, is there really a foolproof way to stop this terrible cycle?

With all of those cookies, candies, fudge, buffet-style dinners, delicious breakfasts, and never-ending snacks, we would be foolish to simply wing it. If you go in unprepared, you stand a much greater chance of failing before you even begin! Thankfully, we can create an easy and effective way to keep the pounds off, while still managing to enjoy the holiday season and a sampling of the foods that come along with it.

Here’s The Three-Pronged Attack

First, the exercise which can be as simple as taking a walk each day, or even every other day. Set up your iPod with your favorite songs (holiday-themed or not) and get out into the great wide open. If the great wide open isn’t your bag, head to the gym or buy a treadmill to do your walking indoors. Studies have shown that walking for at least thirty minutes in your target heart rate is amazingly effective in the battle of the bulge. When you combine the walking with some resistance training, you’ve set up what amounts to a defensive army against the attacking calories.

Second, organise your family activities. Whether it takes the form of outdoor sports, indoor movie watching, or game play, anything you can do to take the focus off of food is a good thing. Does this mean cancelling your special holiday dinner? Of course not! We’re simply talking about shifting the focus from food to the reason for the holidays in the first place: the camaraderie and love between friends and family. Food is just there as a garnishment. As long as it stays that way and doesn’t become the main reason for the gathering, the holidays (and your waistline) will be a lot better off.

Third and lastly, if you have a tendency to get depressed during the holidays, find some things to take your mind off food and put yourself in better spirits. This could be seeking out friends or even strangers in order to partake in holiday events. Or it could be as simple as going outside and breathing in some cool, fresh air and letting the glow of the sun shine on your face. Just try to avoid hitting the cookie jar too often as that only brings a temporary relief. Remember that far from soothing your mind, food is only going to aggravate your health and mar your happiness.

Now, you’ve got yourself a winning plan for staying slim and trim through the holidays. Whenever it seems like it’s getting too hard, just think about the smile you’ll have on your face when everyone else is complaining that their pre-holiday dresses and pants don’t fit anymore. In the meantime, yours don’t either, but for the opposite reason. Come on, if that’s not a holiday miracle, what is?

Well, here’s wishing all my friends

‘A Happy Healthy & Prosperous New Year 2008′!

During this long holiday season, as expected there will be a lot of merriment in shopping, eating and drinking but then it can be also be the most stressful time of the year. So here are the 12 ways suggested to help you to preserve your health and sanity so that you can enjoy your holidays smoothly.

On the first healthy way of X’mas : balanced diet

Watch out the calories of minced pies, log cake, canapes and X’mas punch, your body needs all the different nutrients to maintain health and well being in appropriate amounts through the foods we eat.

On the second healthy way of X’mas : exercise

There should be no excuses to skip it, just because you have to go shopping and/or partying. Just put a side, a minimum of thirty minutes for brisk walking which would burn 150 calories, and if you choose to cycle or running this will burn approximately 300 calories each. This will offset the extra calories intake.

On the third healthy way of X’mas : fruit juices and herbal teas

Over indulgence in greasy, spicy or over eating of foods would cause indigestion. Therefore, blend one banana with either mango or pear juice and drink it as this will relieve stomach inflammation because the drink is smooth and easy to digest. Suggested herbal teas like peppermint, thyme and chamomile would also help indigestion.

On the fourth healthy way of X’mas : moderation

Do you know that for 230gm of turkey breast without skin, the fat contains is 2 gm when compared with the skin on is 26gm. So bear in mind to keep to moderate portion size even though turkey is lean meat but its skin is full of fat. No wonder people put on weight during the holiday seasons.

On the fifth healthy way of X’mas : breathing

One of my favourites, as breathing helps to calm down and reduce mental stress. Take long, slow and deep breaths by breathing in through your nose allowing your stomach to expand at the same time. Hold your breath for two to four counts and then slowly breathe out through your nose while your stomach contracts at the same time. Hold your breath out also between two to four counts before breathing in again. You can do it as many times as you like at any time and any where. Please check with your physician if you have any health concerns before trying this out.

On the sixth healthy way of X’mas : pudding temptation

X’mas pudding is a must for some diehards, after all it is a classic X’mas staple. Guess what is X’mas without the pudding and turkey. Instead of serving the pudding with brandy or rum butter, maybe with plain yoghurt. It is also suggested that instead of the dried fruits in the pudding, maybe serve with fresh fruit salad.

On the seventh healthy way of X’mas : quality time

Share quality time, relax and enjoy with your family and friends during this holiday season of joy. Learn to decline invitations that you rather not attend and also learn to prioritize your tasks to reduce stress levels.

On the eighth healthy way of X’mas : cinnamon-spiced

Spiced up your rice pudding with cinnamon because a study has been carried out in Sweden that cinnamon lowers the blood-glucose levels, hence it could help prevent diabetes because the blood sugar was moving efficiently into the cells. Even the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published a study that cinnamon might help in regulating blood-glucose levels.

On the ninth healthy way of X’mas : snacking

Instead of minced pies which is considered a X’mas snack, it is suggested by the British Dietetic Association to consider a bowl of fresh fruits. Do you know that one mince pie has 250 calories in it? And instead of salted peanuts, you could choose chestnuts which is the only low-fat nuts around. Also, you could opt for reduced-fat crisps or pretzels or even have raw vegetable sticks with low-fat dips.

On the tenth healthy way of X’mas : do a stretch

With all the stress from shopping, cooking and entertaining, its time to loosen up your muscles… stretching, which is another favourite of mine and also this is very simple and easy that can be done at any time and any where as long as you are comfortable.

Go on the floor and sit upright with both legs straight out with hip width apart. Press ankles to the floor and your toes pointed upwards. Next, stretch out both your hands in front of you and take a slow deep breath, then exhale while easing your body towards your toe, all the while keeping your back straight and knees pressed to the ground. This act focuses on stretching your back and calf muscles.

On the eleventh healthy way of X’mas : stop smoking

It is best to kick the habit before the year ends…give up smoking! It is an effective way of protecting yourself against lung and coronary heart diseases. Studies have shown that the risks of cardiovascular complications will be reduced by fifty percent when the body starts to repair the damage after a year.

On the twelveth healthy way of X’mas : detoxing

After all the merriment of eating and drinking, it is time to detox and re-energise, re-hydrate the body system to begin the new year. For flushing the system helps to alleviate indigestion, bloatedness, foggy mind, improves sleep and increases energy levels. Suggestions would be vegetable juices, raw vegetables and filtered water.

Here’s wishing you ‘A Merry X’mas and Happy New Year’ from Enya

What made me brought this question up is because of the video I came across which you can watch at the end of this post.

Anyway forward or backwards, walking will still be my favourite form of exercise and I believe it should be easily fit into anyone’s lifestyle. Walking as everyone knows is a low-impact form of exercise and is also one of the safest as it does not aggravate the structures of your lower back.

Why Walking promotes general health and longevity:

* Lowers blood pressure
* Reduces high cholesterol and improves blood lipid profile
* Reduces body fat as it improves metabolism
* Enhances mental well being, elevates good mood
* Increases bone density, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis
* Reduces the risk of cancer of the colon
* Reduces the risk of non insulin dependent diabetes
* Helps to control body weight and maintain it
* Helps osteoarthritis and reduces arthritis pain
* Helps with flexibility and co-ordination hence reducing the risk of falls

Studies have been done extensively and now supports the many benefits of regular walking.

Regular participation in physical activity (like walking) is associated with reduced mortality rates for both older and younger adults (US Dept of Health 1996). In other words, walkers live longer!

In particular, walking has a high impact on cardiovascular disease. Fit and active individuals have around half the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to unfit inactive people. This level of risk is similar to smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol in causing heart disease.

Fit walkers are less likely to fall and suffer injuries such as hip fractures because the bones are strengthened; less likely to sustain injury because joints have a better range of movement and muscles are more flexible; less prone
to depression and anxiety; tend to be good sleepers; and are better able to control body weight.

For general health, experts recommend accumulating a total of 30 minutes of brisk walking on most, preferably all days of the week.

(Sources: US Dept of Health 1996, UK Dept of Health 2000, Health Education Authority 1996)
(Sources: Davison & Grant 1993, US Dept of Health 1996, British Heart Foundation 2000)

In this video, this chap says he does backwalking and encourages it because apparently he claims that backwalking has improved his eyesight which is something new.

Anyone game to give it a try?

Just ended my one day mono-diet detox today, for lately I have been feeling lethargic and body aches all over, and worst, getting so lazy that I feel my brains have been fried! I supposed when one is away from home, the challenge of watching your food intake gets fly out of the window….

Anyway, I haven’t done detoxing for quite sometime which is normally a three-day regime, but when I am lazy I just do the one day detox on a mono-diet. So since my return last weekend, I have been cutting down my intake of food in preparation for today’s detox.

Actually, this is a good introduction for those who just wants to do a quickie detox as you won’t experience any dramatic side-effects but a positive effect on your well-being after. Well, there’s no harm in giving it a try is there? Have to start somewhere….

All sorts of information on dietary supplements can be searched for on the internet. An effective medicine used to loose weight is hydroxycut. Serenoa also known as saw palmetto is one of the very useful species in this regard. Some people do mono-diet detox. In this way they eat raw fruits and vegetables with plenty of water which has abundance of vitamins, minerals and powerful cleansing effects on your body.

Going on a mono-diet detox means you choose one type of your favourite raw fruit or vegetable that you won’t mind eating it the whole day and plenty of water, filtered if possible. Raw fruits and vegetables are ideal for detox because of the abundance of vitamins, minerals and fibre and also their powerful cleansing effects on the body. Besides giving the digestive system an opportunity to rest, the stored toxins in the liver gets the chance to be eliminated too.

For today’s detox, I have chosen organic apples… bought a bag of 12 for $6.80 from my local supermarket the day before, standby 2 litres of filtered water and my favourite herbal tea from Dr Stuart’s Botanical Teas. I chose organic apples because of its natural sweetness, smooth firm texture and with enough moisture unlike some apples which tend to be too crunchy with a metallic taste and dry.

Pre-detox day, I had blanched broccolis and cauliflower with chopped almonds sizzled with some olive oil and wheat germ for lunch, dates for my snack and a bowl of clear chicken soup with mushrooms for dinner. Oh, upon waking up, I had my normal drink of lemon juice water. Then after an hour or so, for breakfast…I had oats with raw honey and yoghurt. Throughout the day, I just top up with water to keep myself hydrate and at the same time to kickstart the toxins.

So today, I had my usual lemon juice drink, did about a 30 minute stretching exercises including the swiss ball. Had a shower and munched two apples for breakfast, decided to tidy up my bookcase and later in the morning I had two more apples. Had a slow lunch….munching three apples and then took a short nap. In the later part of the afternoon, had an apple and a cup of herbal tea. Did some work on the internet and another round of apples for my dinner. All this while, sipping filtered water throughout the day.

As I blog now I have just snacked my last apple for the day. After this, going for my dry skin scrub before showering. How time flies huh….? Should I continue tomorrow? Nah…got a seminar to go to. Looks like I am REJUVENATED already!!!

Swiss ball seems to be a popular exercise these days, especially when one gets too lazy to exercise. It is infact, very easy to carry out simple exercises on it and having fun at the same time.

Initially, I kept on falling off the ball but after much sliding off, for the ball kept on rolling away from me, I managed to ‘tame’ it Recently, I seemed to be getting back aches quite frequently due to not having been exercising as often as I should be. The excuse is the weather is too hot to be outdoors, REALLY, even without moving the perspiration just ‘pours’ out which really irritates me. And often with a tummy full of water top up, naturally I got too lazy to move my butt!

I have been eyeing swiss ball for sometime actually, and I am now glad that I finally got on it. After some back rolling on the ball, my spine seems more stretched and flexible. This therapy should strengthen your muscles because you need them to control the balance when you are on the ball. Have a go at it, but first you need to have plenty of patience before your body knows what you are trying to do.
Let me share with you some of the tips I picked from this video - they are simple and easy for a newbie - Enjoy…