Intermittent Fasting – Is it Safe?

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Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight

Practicing a healthier lifestyle is always the better way of living. Nowadays, the more people look for ways to achieve that perfect body, the more diet plans pop up. Therefore you have more options to choose from. People like shortcuts; the easier, the quicker-the better! Which is why fasting for weight loss is growing more popular by the day.

Intermittent Fasting or simply IF, is unique in that it is time restrictive rather than food group restrictive. It’s the act of fasting for long periods of time then eating during specific intervals instead of restricting yourself from different types of food while keeping regular mealtimes.

Humans have been dieting since the ancient times- before convenience stores, on demand food delivery and microwave ovens. Our ancestors had to hunt and gather for every meal, meaning they literally had to be the predator among the vast choices of prey in the wild.

Sometimes they were unsuccessful, which pushed them to involuntarily fasting.

There are different types of intermittent fasting. They differ in the amount of calories consumed and the period of time you between meals.

Read below to choose which one you’re more inclined to start with

16/8 Method

This type of IF is arguably one of the most popular and easiest one. This could also be your steppingstone before going into more intense fasting methods. Using the 16/8 method means fasting for 16 hours a day and having an eating window of 8 hours. An eating window is the time you get to eat after fasting for a while.

The simplest way to practice 16/8 is to eat early dinner and fast until 12 noon the next day.  Two meals per day is doable for this method; lunch and dinner. You can eat some snacks during the eating window, granted you don’t binge eat.

5:2 Method

Fasting using this method means fasting for only two days per week, hence the five to two ratio. This doesn’t mean you don’t eat for two whole days though, but rather you only eat 500-600 calories for the duration of it. Then, you continue to eat normally on the remaining five days. You can restrict yourself to one meal containing 250 calories per day with this diet.

Eat-Stop-Eat

Once you get the hang of the 16/8 method and you think you’re fit for longer hours of fasting, this method could be your next goal. This method includes a whole day of fasting, or 24 hours to be exact. You could practice it by fasting from dinner to dinner or lunch to lunch- it doesn’t have much of a difference.

Alternate-Day fasting

According to its name, it just means fasting every other day. Studies have found that those who practice it tend to lessen their calorie intake rather than restrict themselves with an eating window. An example could be only eating a total amount of 250 calories for each meal.

The Warrior Diet

The name derives from the fact that it allows you to feast at night within a certain time frame. This method allows for fasting the whole day then eating a full meal by night. Organic food is recommended during your meals in the day for a more effective weight loss.

Spontaneous Meal Skipping

This method is one of the simplest ones to practice but also lacks in studies that prove it works. It could also be called a “short fast” where you skip meals whenever you’re not hungry. Starving yourself is different though, remember to eat when you feel the starvation creeping in.

How do you start practicing it?

Find out what you want to achieve – Laying out goals for yourself is a way to help you achieve it. How do you want to see yourself progress as you practice IF? Do you want to lose weigh, and have a healthier lifestyle?  Find out what’s your end goal so you can pick out a method that best works with you.

Choose which method you want to practice – Your end goal should be the deciding factor when selecting a fasting plan. Remember, you know your own body’s capabilities and limitations best so use your knowledge of your personal history as a guide.

Adopt a disciplined mindset – Any time you try something new, you always have to adjust. So, take some time to let yourself get used to it, some mishaps may happen but learn to also stick to the plan you have.
Fasting is far from starvation so always make sure to practice it healthily. To make sure you can achieve the practice well, read through these reminders:

Plan out a whole diet – Although fasting means that you can eat normally during your eating window, doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want. Help yourself achieve your goal much faster by limiting your calorie intake for each meal.

Create an IF calendar – Write down the pattern you’re opting for in calendar or planner. Even set an alarm for each time you have to eat or start fasting.

Important Tips:

Don’t binge eat – Eating during your “eating window” doesn’t mean making up for all the fasting you did. Eat as you normally would for every meal or else, all those fasting hours would be for nothing.

Drink beverages in between – Stay hydrated; even more when you’re fasting. You should aim to drink half of your body weight in water every day. So if you weigh 150lbs, you want to drink at least 75oz of water.

Consume organic snacks – Snacks to munch on in between meals doesn’t mean those sugar filled snacks you buy from convenience store. Choose healthier options like healthy fats, fruits and vegetables to snack on during your eating window to help fill your stomach.

Practice is key – Not all things you do are perfect from the very start. Adopt the practice of self-discipline and of course practice hard. Start slowly with intermittent fasting. Eat earlier dinners and then eat brunch the next day- that will automatically be a full 12 hour fast. From there, you can adjust your eating window more and more until you feel like you can practice your desired method.

Finally, remember that Intermittent Fasting is safe when done properly. Try It!

 

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Lower Back Pain – Learning to Understand It

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Lower Back Pain – How to Manage It.

Have you ever woken up to sudden back pain, or made a twist and turn that leaves you practically immobile for hours?

Back pain is one of the most common issues that will damper all your activities.

Many people will lose hours of work, and their lifestyle will change. However, there are solutions to diminish lower back pain.

How Pain Affects Your Life

If you’ve ever felt the terrible sting of lower back pain, then you probably know how essential that part of your body can be to daily tasks.

Your lower back and its health will impact your mobility in ways that you’ll never think of until you experience it.

This is because that part of your back supports a large portion of your weight, and it’s full of complex organs and tissues.

A sensitive part of your nervous system also resides in your back. Your spine is like a fibrous highway that is constantly sending information up and down the line.

Any damages to that area can be life-changing. Being able to properly bend and twist is extremely important, therefore you must learn to be careful in these situations.

1. Symptoms

Although some things about back pain tend to be self-explanatory, it’s always a good idea to think about further specifics to help narrow down the amount of things that could be causing the pain.

The following are specific symptoms to consider.

  • You have muscle soreness
  • Sudden shooting pains
  • Pain that spreads to your legs
  • It gets worse when you’re doing any kind of activity
  • You have pain that goes away when you lean back

If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, then the following information most likely applies to you.

2. Causes

Back pain is caused by a variety of things, but the most common factors will be discussed here. In most cases a doctor will have the ability to find out the site of the injury.

A few of the causes might be:

A pulled a muscle or ligament.-If you make sudden movements that aren’t balanced, or you are repeating certain movements, you could be exposing yourself to the possibility of injury.

Damaged vertebrae.- As people get older, the soft tissues often referred to as disks can become damaged. When this happens, the weight of you upper body can press down onto the bones and cause them to grind into each other. Obviously, that’s something that would be extremely painful, so it’s important to get that looked at immediately.

Arthritis.-  Arthritis is one of the most common causes of back pain. Only a specialized physician will offer solutions to arthritis related pain.

Skeletal malformations.- There are various types of growth issues that can affect your spine. Hence, a curvature to your spine, can easily cause pain that disrupts your life.

Osteoporosis.- This will cause your spine to develop tiny breaks and painful hairline fractures.

3. Diagnosis

Whether or not you have figured out exactly where your back pain is coming from, it is important to get proper diagnosis from a doctor. Additionally, This will help to rule out other potential causes, and start working on managing the pain.

A few of them are:

X-rays.- This method has always been a good one for these types of injuries because it can allow the doctor to see your skeletal structure and if there is damage that has taken place recently. This can also find issues that you might not have been aware of yet.

MRI Scans.- An MRI can help to create an image of what’s going on inside your body and are more detailed than x-rays. They can also look at nerve endings and blood vessels to see if the issues are related to those tiny parts of your body.

Electromyography.- EMG measures the electrical signals created by your nerves and keeps track of how your muscles are affected. Also is extremely useful in pinpointing problem areas.

4. Treatments

Just because you are experiencing pain doesn’t mean that you have to live with it. There are a number of ways that you can get some relief, and in some cases it might be completely necessary for healing. You doctor can make determinations about what will be the most useful for you, but here are a few of the things that they might suggest:

Medication

Narcotics.– Drugs that are relatively powerful might be useful for a short time. Opioids, must be administered by a medical professional due to the addictive nature of the medication.

Over-the-counter pain relief.- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like as ibuprofen are some of the most common ways that people use to deal with pain of this type. Although it has less danger associated with it than narcotics, taking too many of them can seriously affect your health. Be sure to keep the doses to their approved amounts.

Topical pain relievers.- Creams that limit pain are the second most popular method of reducing back pain. Therefore, rub the area with pain for quick relief.

Natural Remedies

Improve Your Posture.- Poor posture is one of the leading causes of back pain as well. Sitting incorrectly for long periods of time will strain muscles around the spine.

Sit upright when you’re reading or doing any kind of focused activity.

Core Exercises. – Core muscles wrap and protect organs. Additionally, they keep your organs and tissues in place. Strengthening your core is a must.

Massages.-  Massage is an ancient art that helps to improve your muscle and circulatory health.  Studies have shown that even one massage per week can greatly reduce pain in your body.

Specially trained therapists will correct spinal malformations through manipulation. Many patients have reported increased mobility after spinal manipulation sessions.

Get Better Sleep.-  Sleep is an important part of your back health as well. It takes time to find a proper sleep position that will work for you. Lying on your side is the best way. Hence, be aware of where the pressure is located when you get in bed, and correct what is causing it.

Finally, Lower Back Pain, as debilitating as it is, can be overcome. Find the Solution!

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Yoga Basics – What can Yoga- do for me?

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Yoga Basics – Why it Helps

If you are thinking of trying a new exercise, then yoga is the way to go. Unlike other sports or forms of exercise, yoga does not only strengthen your body but also relaxes your mind and motivates your spirit. Yoga is the union of the mind, body and spirit. It is being one with the universe, leading to unification and enlightenment. Practicing this exercise includes postures or poses, breathing and even internal cleansing and cultivating the life-energy as it is also a form of meditation.

Here are some of the yoga basics you need to know.

Basic Guidelines of Yoga

Yoga can be done at home or in a yoga studio near you. An advantage to going to a yoga studio in the beginning is you can learn the correct way to do the poses since a yoga instructor is present to teach and correct them, and you can meet other people who are into this form of exercise, too.

In this way, you can share your experience about how it is beneficial your health and wellness and get more motivation to really include practicing yoga regularly into your life.

Yoga is simple enough hence  a quiet place and a yoga mat are pretty much everything you need.

Other yoga basics to consider

1. What to wear?
Going to the gym might require you some spandex type clothes but in yoga you can wear clothes that are loose and comfortable such as leggings and tights and pair it with a shirt of your choice. What is most important is that your clothing of choice is comfortable and will not restrict your movement.

2. How long should I do it?
As a beginner you should start slowly. Do not push yourself to the limit and you should be very attuned to your body and its cues. Additionally, you can start your practice depending on your schedule, objectives and ability. Start with 15 to 30 minutes, after some time, 15 to 90 minutes. You can practice 1 to 6 times a week. Always remember practicing longer but less frequently can be better than practicing for shorter periods but more frequently.
3. What to do and what not to do?
As mentioned earlier, do not push yourself too much! Do the basic poses first before moving on to the more challenging ones. Also, if you have any medical issues it is best to consult your yoga master or your medical doctor to prevent injuries or further harm.

Benefits of Yoga: Mind, Body and Soul

After getting prepared physically and mentally, the next thing you should know are the benefits you can get from yoga. This exercise does not only affect the physical body but also the mental state of the person doing it.

1. Improves the health of the muscles, joints and even the heart.
This can help lower blood pressure and pulse rate, reducing the risk of heart problems. In doing yoga, it involves almost every body part to move, this also improves your flexibility and balance.

2. Improves the quality of life.
Yoga develops discipline, devotion and mindfulness in you as it involves not only the body to move but also the mind to be more disciplined, focused and calm.

3. Improves mental health.
Doing yoga relaxes your mind and rejuvenates the spirit. This can reduce stress, relieve anxiety and fight depression. It helps lessen the symptoms of anxiety and depression as it reduces the levels of cortisol or stress hormone and also controls the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked with depression.

Basic Yoga Poses

After knowing how it can benefit you, aren’t you excited to try it out! If yes, then here are some of the basic poses you can do even at home.

1. Corpse Pose
Lie of your back in a neutral position with your arms at your sides. Relax your arms with your palms up. Relax your legs and your feet and close your eyes. Breathe naturally and let your muscles completely relax. Stay in this position for a few minutes.

2. Downward Facing Dog
Bend down in all fours, stretching your arms further from your head, somehow forming an acute triangle. Also lift your hips slightly upwards and hollow your abdominal muscles, holding your breath 5 to 8 counts.

3. Tree
Begin from standing position, your weight distributed evenly on both feet. Shift your weight to your left foot and slowly anchor your right foot on your inner thigh. Also center yourself, balance and press your palms in prayer position at chest level. Inhale and keep to this pose for up to a minute.

4. Triangle
Stretch your legs apart forming an acute triangle and reaching the leg further from the other with one hand to your knees, then the other arm reaching straight upwards. Turn your gaze to the top hand and hold your breath for 5 to 8 counts. This could strengthen your legs and tone the entire body.

In conclusion yoga is an exciting exercise routine to try out. It improves your lifestyle and gives a healthier perspective of things.

Finally, practicing these Yoga Basics will relax your mind and spirit.

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Healthy Weight Loss – Doing it the safe way

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Healthy Weight Loss – How Much Weight is Safe to Lose in a Month?

When our mindset is right and we are determined to lose weight–be it for health reasons or to look good, we often get impatient.

We want to see results immediately and get frustrated otherwise.

However slow and steady is the way to keep weight off long-term.

Actually, studies show that when we lose weight slowly, there are fewer health risks. Despite recent studies that show that rapid weight loss is just as good as slow weight loss.

Long term plans work best.

Evidence shows that unless in imminent danger to someone’s life, a consistent long term plan works best.

Look at the famed Dr. Now on My 600 lb. Life. Even though his clients are morbidly obese, in order to get gastrostomy surgery, they need to drastically cut down on their calories and drastically cut down on their weight to start transforming their lives and go under the knife.

The secret is keeping the weight off, permanently

Many experts say that losing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy and safe rate. Losing more than that is dangerous.

It will put you at risk of developing certain health problems. These can be losing too much muscle, nutritional deficiencies, gallstones, and a drop in metabolism too

If you are starting to diet and exercise, you might lose more than 2 pounds in your first week. That’s OK because that’s the initial dieting period. The body gets a ‘shock’ from less food and more exercise – and you lose a lot of water weight.

When this happens, your body will start to dip into its energy store which is known as glycogen. The glycogen gets burned for fuel and the body releases the water.
You will experience a major drop in weight at first in your first week. Once your body has used up the glycogen stores, your weight might start stabilizing at losing around a pound or 2 a week.

Most people who start “crash diets” usually regain half their weight back in a year

Usually, after 3-5 years, they have regained all their weight. Ouch! It’s the reason that experts suggest losing weight at a slower, steadier pace.
If you are losing weight at a slower, steadier pace, it might be because you are following a kind of lifestyle diet; eating more fruit and veggies and holding back on the sugar-sweet beverages.

Look at some great diets. When you follow these type of diets, you usually keep the weight off long-term.
Again, there are other studies which show that rapid weight loss can be just as effective, even for the long-term as well.

However, these ‘successful’ studies are people on rapid weight loss diets who had ongoing support from dieticians and doctors during the weight-loss study.

Research also shows that when you have support from health professionals, you will experience long-term weight loss success. It is just that this is unlikely to happen with a person at home who does not have a constant dietician and doctor supervision where the rapid weight loss diet would be successful.

Go slow

There are great tips to help you lose weight at a healthy pace. Slow weight loss might not sound as attractive as fast weight loss, but there are some healthy ways you can speed up your safe weight loss program like eating more protein.

Healthy Weight Loss takes time, make it work you!

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Ginger and Lemon Tea – A Recipe for Wellness

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Ginger and Lemon Tea – Why You Should Drink It Daily.

Drinking a hot cup of tea has many health benefits, aside from just making you feel great! A cup of tea a day soothes and relaxes.  It also energizes you and kick-starts your day.

Are you ready to start your tea-adventure? Then start with ginger and lemon tea which is not only a great choice of drink every day, it is also a great alternative to coffee!

If you are a non-coffee drinker then you are on the right track, and if coffee is something you can’t live without, maybe switching to tea every so often would be a great idea too!

Health Benefits
Lemon ginger tea is an aromatic tea which gives you a ton of health benefits inside and out–meaning it does not only provide benefits to your health but also radiates a healthy glow on your skin, hair and body.

Some of the benefits you get when you start drinking Natural Lemon and Ginger Tea:

A. Soothes Gastrointestinal problems

If you are feeling a bit nauseous lemon ginger tea will bring relief due to gingers curative effect.

B. It is a Great Immunity Booster

Vitamin C and antioxidant rich lemon boosts the immune system. Additionally it prevents colds and coughing.

C. Improves Heart Health

Lemon and ginger help the heart function properly, hence it improves blood circulation.

D. Great for the Skin

This vitamin and antioxidant-packed tea also has vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which improves skin health. Additionally it has antibacterial benefits which can prevent skin infections and make it glow.

E. Improved Hair Growth

Lemon ginger tea also helps in hair growth as the vitamins and minerals in it makes your hair stronger and shinier.

Lemon and Ginger Tea is easy to make.

Making lemon ginger tea does not require rocket science measurements. All you need is water and some other ingredients you can easily find in your local market. There are some of the variations of making this tea. Read on and opt for the one you prefer the most.

1. Add Honey for Sweetness.

And enjoy a soothing tea with a dash of sweetness, a tinge of sourness and a touch of spiciness!

All you will need are 3 ingredients: honey, lemon, ginger and of course, hot water.

First, cut the lemon in half to squeeze one half of its juice into a cup or mug. Second, peel the ginger and grate it. Add it into the mug with the lemon juice, then add hot water and honey to taste.

2. For an Anti-inflammatory Tea

Use the same recipe as above tea and add a pinch or two or turmeric powder. This blend will enhance the drink’s anti-inflammatory benefits.

3. Have a Nostalgic Cup of Tea

Similar to the first two blends, to make this you have to mix in a stick of cinnamon in your mug or tea pot. This brings a different aroma and taste to the tea just like Christmas where you just want to relax, read a book and sip a warm cup of tea!

If you are focusing on weight loss you can use any of the blends, but you should drink at least two cups a day –one in the morning and the other at night. It is also advisable to take this 30 minutes before a meal.

Drinking lemon ginger tea on an empty stomach in the morning will help digestion and food absorption.

Lemon ginger tea is a wonderful concoction that has so many health benefits. Always remember though, all these benefits can be gained through the help of disciplining yourself and following a healthy diet.

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Staying Motivated – Four Important Suggestions

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Staying Motivated to Meet Your Goals

Keeping yourself motivated when you have a list of goals can certainly be a challenge.

Imagine having a to-do list of pressures that you’ve put on yourself – that’s basically what a list of goals is.

If you’re not motivated to get them done, you will give up and never make it there.

Here are some quick ways to make sure you stay on track and motivated to meet your goals.

1. Give yourself incentives for staying motivated.

You should be thinking about this when you’re making the goals. How will you benefit once the goal is completed?.  Will you get more than just a sense of achievement?.

Goals focused on qualifications and exams, for example, are beneficial to you since you will have a qualification for the rest of your life if you pass.

Work-related goals could lead to a promotion or increased pay.

For goals which are less incentivized and require an extra push, promise yourself a new wardrobe or a new pair of shoes if you complete it within your desired time frame.

2. Talk to other people about your goals, another great way for staying motivated.

Discuss your goals with other people if you feel comfortable doing so. Thousands of people make goals every year, so you’re bound to know somebody you could talk to about them.

It could give you inspiration, and you could get some useful tips off them on how they manage to complete their goals or how they maintain motivation.

3. Don’t see your goals in isolation

Those who view their goals in isolation are often less likely to meet them.

Rather than viewing your weight loss goal as just a number or another goal, think about other goals you have and ways it ties into them.

For example, you may have a goal to increase your overall health, or you might want to fit back into a certain piece of clothing.

Losing weight will help you to meet those goals, as well as potentially increasing your confidence to complete different goals.

4. Give yourself a break

Life shouldn’t be all about targets and meeting your goals, whether they are personal or work-related. Take some time to give yourself a break every now and then.

When you go on vacation, for example, try not to think about your goals as much and use the time to reflect.

Many people take one day a week to relax from fitness goals, or an entire weekend to stop thinking about work.

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Wrestling Workout Equipment

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Wrestling Workout Equipment

If you are training for professional or amateur wrestling it is very important to have the right equipment to become stronger

The following can be helpful for getting started:

Brief Wrestling Workouts

The workouts should never exceed 35 minutes in duration. Long and strenuous workouts will eventually cut into your body’s ability to recover and become stronger.

Strength is increased when you allow your body to recover.

Use Exercise Equipment and Weights.

Wrestling Workout Equipment must include  both  weights and resistance machines. They both contribute to overall strength and muscle tone.

Additionally, a common misconception among athletes and coaches is that you must only use free weights when strength training.

Free weights are great, however exercise machines are just as good.

Your muscles don’t know the difference. Training intensity is most important when increasing body strength for wrestling. The tool that you use to get there is not.

It also depends on injuries that a wrestler might already have. You can work around and injury and still give the body a thorough strength workout.

Using the thick bar as a wrestling workout equipment tool.

The thick bar is usually a hollow metal tube that you put free weights on the end o itf.

The thick bar forces you to hold on tightly when performing exercises. It develops fantastic forearm and hand strength. It should be part of every serious strength-training program for wrestlers. You can do curls, reverse curls, rows, and presses with it.

The Trap Bar

The trap bar another piece of equipment that helps to gain wrestling strength. The trap bar is a hexagonally shaped bar that allows you to perform dead lifts with maximal stimulation of almost every muscle vital to improved wrestling performance. An exercise that will make your entire body stronger.

Finally, wrestling workout equipment is important. Use it consistently for total success.

 

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Using Artificial Sweeteners – When to Cut Back

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Using Artificial Sweeteners?  What you Need to Know.

While there is nothing wrong with having artificial sweeteners in small doses, if that is a part of your lifestyle, however there are detrimental side effects if used in excess.

Sweeteners affect everyone differently, if you have any of the following ailments however, it is time to rethink your artificial sweetener consumption rate.

Gut Problems while using artificial sweeteners

One of the most common complaints that have been mentioned by consumers is that they are having upset stomachs and some intestinal distress.

Also it is extremely inconvenient if you are under stress. At work it makes it hard to concentrate.

Researchers have found many links to gut health and artificial sweeteners.

Symptoms of gut distress:

Gas and bloating
Abdominal cramping
Constipation or diarrhea
Nausea and general stomach aches
Uneasy feeling in the gut

It may take some time figuring out that the effects you are experiencing in your gut is actually from the artificial sweeteners.

This requires keeping a food diary so you can track what symptoms you have, and what you consumed before experiencing them.

If  you feel this way after using diet or sugar free foods and drinks,then you have found the culprit.

Sudden Weight Changes

Changes in gut flora cannot be ignored,  they will have a major impact on health and even cognitive functions.

These will influence your mood, and trigger depressive episodes that are difficult to handle for some people.

When intestinal flora can’t properly carry out their functions, the body will begin to store energy as fats. Hence, it leads to sudden weight gain.

On the other hand, some people notice the opposite, where they start losing weight, either from the loss of cravings, or from other health issues as a result of the artificial
sweeteners.

Losing or gaining weight unexpectedly and without an obvious reason?  Get help from a doctor.

Feeling bad Without any Explanation

There are a wide range of negative effects reported by people who consume large amounts of artificial sweeteners.

In some cases, you just feel off – gassy or bloated. Additionally you have headaches, low energy, or have heart issues.

Remember: discuss with your physician any of the above changes in your overall health.

Using artificial sweeteners is convenient. Use it with care.

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Burning Calories to Lose Weight

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Burning Calories – Your Pathway to Wellness

We all know that the best way to burn calories is by eating less and by exercising more. However, when you are trying to diet, every calorie burned counts. Because of this, it is useful to try and find extra ways to burn a few calories here and there. Here is a list of a few everyday activities that can help you burn some extra calories.

You should note that these activities won’t burn a ton of calories, but as was already stated, every little bit helps when you are dieting.

Drink Cold Water

Cold water is one of the most underrated dieting aids out there. Not only does it help suppress appetite, but it can actually allow you to burn more calories. Drinking the water doesn’t burn more calories, but cold water  speeds up your metabolism. The sped-up metabolism leads to more calories burned.

Make Yourself a Bit Colder

Studies have also consistently shown that exposing yourself to colder temperatures does result in more burned calories. Why exactly? Well, it seems that your body is forced to use more energy to keep itself warm, which requires your body to burn more calories as fuel. We aren’t saying to go jump head first into the snow naked, but it may be something to consider next time you to go to jack up the heat during the winter.

Go Shopping

Shopping is a surprisingly good activity for burning calories. If you walk around a very big store or a mall for a long time, you burn a shocking number of calories, even if you are just walking a leisurely pace. So, next time you sit down to binge watch a show or go to do some other hobby, why not take a shopping trip instead? Even if you don’t buy anything, your body will thank you.

Cleaning

Cleaning your house is never fun. In fact, it’s such the opposite of fun, that people actually pay to get their house cleaned. However, cleaning your house can actually be a pretty good way to burn some calories. How many calories exactly? Well, for light cleaning jobs like dusting putting things away, etc., you can burn over 150 calories per hour of cleaning. For tougher cleaning jobs, like scrubbing floors and walls, you can end up burning close to 200 calories per hour.

In conclusion, Burning Calories will keep you healthy and on the way to Wellness. Try It!

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Meditation and Relaxation for Wellness

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Meditation and Relaxation Exercises – You Can Do them just about Anywhere.

There are countless benefits to learning meditation and relaxation exercises to help deal with stress and alleviate tiredness.  Meditation is a means to find peace and calm, and relax the body and mind. It is a means to look inward, detach, and focus on a few moments for one’s self. Relaxation exercises are also a means to remove tension but have the added benefit of being able to not only affect one’s emotional and mental well-being but also affect the physical body positively because of the simple movements involved.

In this day and age where people are constantly on the go; and the hustle and bustle of life takes up so much of one’s day, it is important to have the know-how to deal with these stresses any time and to make sure that the body and the mind are always in tip top shape.  Additionally, there have long been connections between how stress manifests itself as illnesses of the body. Knowing how to meditate and learning and practicing simple relaxation exercises greatly help one’s well-being.

 

Meditation Basics

Follow these steps for a few minutes of meditation to center one’s self and de-stress.

  • Find a safe and comfortable place.

A few moments of meditation can be done just about anywhere.  All that is needed is a place where one is safe and secure and comfortable. It may be a few moments in the car, a quiet bench or seat in the house, park or even the mall, or even just sitting quietly at your office desk.

  • Close your eyes and try to block out the world for a moment and focus on just one’s self.

 

This step takes some time to master.  In the beginning it may take a few moments to consciously quiet one’s self and let go of all the distractions around, but as you practice, it gets easier and easier to do so. Try to maintain this calm for as long as possible. After some practice, it becomes easier and one can stay longer in this state.

 

  • Focus on your breathing

 

This is basically the best thing to focus on because it will always be there and present. Being conscious of the regularly and rhythm of one’s breathing helps create a sense of tranquility and peace.  Learn to appreciate each moment of breathing in – feeling the breath filling one’s being.  Also focus on breathing out, imagining stresses and all distractions leaving along with each breath that leaves one’s body.

 

  • Do this consistently for a few minutes, a few times each day

Practicing meditation daily will help improve one’s well-being and one’s ability to deal with the daily stresses and tensions throughout the day.  It only takes a few moments, but its benefits are well worth it.

 

Relaxation exercises that complement meditation

  • Stretching

 

Find a safe place to spend a few moments to relax.  While breathing deeply and purposefully, do the following simple stretches.

 

  • Head Tilts

From looking forward with one’s head straight, tilt your head from to center to one side, moving slowly for up to 8 counts. Slowly go back to the first position, breathing deeply and tilt to the other side.  Move on to tilting from front to back, again focusing on the slow and purposeful movements and doing up to 8 counts.

 

  • Head Turns

While focusing on one’s breathing and starting from head facing forward, lead with one’s chin and slowly turn to the right, taking about 8 to 10 counts to complete the movement. Stay there for a breath or two and slowly go back to front facing position and repeat on the other side.

 

  • Shoulder lifts

With both arms loose and relaxed, slowly lift the shoulder’s up. Pause for a breath or two and slowly lower back to first position. Do this a few times to loosen the shoulders and back.

 

  • Torso Twists

Beginning from the facing front position, slowly turn to one side, twisting from the waist. Do this slowly and be conscious to only twist up to what is a comfortable stretch. Pause for a moment or two and slowly go back to 1st position. Do this on both sides slowly and purposefully.

 

  • Leg Flexes

Slowly and purposefully move your legs to gently stretch and relax the muscles. Start with the knees, slowly bending each knee and pulling it up towards the chest. Additionally, maintain deep breaths and feel the stretch.  Slowly bring the knee back down and repeat on the other.

 

  • Mindful muscle flexing

 

While practicing meditative breathing, flex and relax the muscles to relieve them of tension. Moving up slowly from the toes do this for all muscle groups – the legs, buttocks, abdomen, fingers, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and then face; focusing on slowly flexing them and feeling them tighten, and then releasing them and feeling the tension leave.

These small movements are beneficial not only for one’s physical well-being but also to be more mindful and aware of one’s mind-body connection.

Meditation and relaxation exercises have a lot of benefits. It is not only good for the body but also for mental and emotional wellness. Those mentioned are a few ways that are simple and easy to do just about anywhere.

Meditation and Relaxation Exercises create a better sense of self and well-being.

Human behavior

Download this useful guide to begin your road to Wellness.

 

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