Just a little journalistic "diddy" I ran across as I was net surfin'. Thought it paved the way for any other posts that will come in the future. Have a chuckle, and a "ain't that the truth!" on me. Bonnie
Collective Stuff
Tao: Stuff happens.
Catholicism: If stuff happens, you deserved it.
Protestantism: Let stuff happen to somebody else.
Judasim: Why does stuff always happen to us?
Islam: Stuff happens according to the will of Allah.
Buddhism: The stuff is an illusion.
Zen: What is the sound of stuff happening?
Hinduism: This stuff happened before.
Mormonism: This stuff should multiply.
Baha'i Faith: Stuff happens in a progressive manner.
Agnosticism: I'm not sure about this stuff.
Atheism: That stuff about the stuff is all just made up stuff.
Jonestown: Forget about the stuff and just drink the Kool-Aid.
http://www.beliefnet.com
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Chairs are for more than sitting
Look around you. Pretty much everything you see can be utilized as a working "tool" or device to help you keep firm and tone and burn calories as well. Whether it's inside or outside, things you see everyday can be transformed into muscle building power machines! No muss no fuss, instant workout! A prime example of this would be the following series of squats, benefitting the gluteus maximus (or butt) the quadriceps (or thighs) and hamstrings (or hams). Squats are one of the best leg exercises known to man… and woman! Not only do they require the full attention of your quads, hams, glutes, and calves, they also utilize smaller stabilizer muscles that really sculpt lean legs.
The Beginner Squat
This is perfect for first-timers. Just be sure you use the chairs only for balance, not to hold your weight.
Step 1: Stand between two sturdy chairs with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Squat down, keeping your back straight, abs tight, chest up, and knees over your ankles, through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold for 2 seconds then return to the starting position through a count of 10 seconds. (Exhale and breathe!)
Step 4: Without resting, repeat three times.
Swiss Ball Wall Squat
Step 1: Simply place ball against wall.
Step 2: Sit on ball with back straight against wall, head up, feet flat on floor.
Step 3: Hold until maximum tension (the burn) for 30 seconds, don't hold your breath!
Step 4: Stand to stretch out legs and repeat three to five times, or as desired.
Resist a Tree
Take your resistance bands outside and wrap them around a tree and stretch, squat and pull to your hearts content! (this is more literal translation of the expression "tree hugger").Transverse positions from facing towards tree to facing away from it. Just be sure the tree is sturdy enough and doesn't up root or break! In addition, music always makes exercise time go faster and you can "tune" your body to the rhythm, and also block out outside distractions.
Chair Abdominal Crunches
Here’s a workout that you can do in your cubicle or the comfort of your own home. This move will work your internal and external obliques. Crunch out!
Step 1: Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or workout bench. Reach your hands behind you and grab the sides of the chair. Extend your legs out and allow your upper body to recline back slightly.
Step 2: Breathe slowly as you draw your knees in and up toward your chest through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: Hold and squeeze at the maximum tension point for 2 seconds.
Step 4: Return legs to the starting point through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
Source: Coach Jorge Cruise
Wall "Push Ups"
Putting yourself up against a wall, in this case, is a good thing!
Just position your arms straight out in front of you and your knees slightly bent about a foot or so apart. Place your arms against the wall and "push" the wall with elbows bent. Straighten and bend elbows and "push" again. Repeat as many times as you feel comfortable, you can also incorporate little pulse pushes in between. Adding a "runners stretch" complements the upper body with the lower. Arms against wall, extend back leg straight out and bend front knee, hold for 10 seconds and repeat with opposite leg.Turn away from wall, for a calf stretch, hold back leg straight and front leg straight with foot flexed upwards,( on heel) and bend upper body down over front leg. Repeat sides.
The Beginner Squat
This is perfect for first-timers. Just be sure you use the chairs only for balance, not to hold your weight.
Step 1: Stand between two sturdy chairs with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Squat down, keeping your back straight, abs tight, chest up, and knees over your ankles, through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: At the maximum tension point, hold for 2 seconds then return to the starting position through a count of 10 seconds. (Exhale and breathe!)
Step 4: Without resting, repeat three times.
Swiss Ball Wall Squat
Step 1: Simply place ball against wall.
Step 2: Sit on ball with back straight against wall, head up, feet flat on floor.
Step 3: Hold until maximum tension (the burn) for 30 seconds, don't hold your breath!
Step 4: Stand to stretch out legs and repeat three to five times, or as desired.
Resist a Tree
Take your resistance bands outside and wrap them around a tree and stretch, squat and pull to your hearts content! (this is more literal translation of the expression "tree hugger").Transverse positions from facing towards tree to facing away from it. Just be sure the tree is sturdy enough and doesn't up root or break! In addition, music always makes exercise time go faster and you can "tune" your body to the rhythm, and also block out outside distractions.
Chair Abdominal Crunches
Here’s a workout that you can do in your cubicle or the comfort of your own home. This move will work your internal and external obliques. Crunch out!
Step 1: Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or workout bench. Reach your hands behind you and grab the sides of the chair. Extend your legs out and allow your upper body to recline back slightly.
Step 2: Breathe slowly as you draw your knees in and up toward your chest through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 3: Hold and squeeze at the maximum tension point for 2 seconds. Step 4: Return legs to the starting point through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
Source: Coach Jorge Cruise
Wall "Push Ups"
Putting yourself up against a wall, in this case, is a good thing!
Just position your arms straight out in front of you and your knees slightly bent about a foot or so apart. Place your arms against the wall and "push" the wall with elbows bent. Straighten and bend elbows and "push" again. Repeat as many times as you feel comfortable, you can also incorporate little pulse pushes in between. Adding a "runners stretch" complements the upper body with the lower. Arms against wall, extend back leg straight out and bend front knee, hold for 10 seconds and repeat with opposite leg.Turn away from wall, for a calf stretch, hold back leg straight and front leg straight with foot flexed upwards,( on heel) and bend upper body down over front leg. Repeat sides.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Get Up and Move!
Contrary to popular belief by many, exercise is not a dirty word! But somehow it feels offensive to us. Why would you voluntarily make yourself uncomfortable and maybe even huff and puff or worse yet, SWEAT? Of course if you judge exercise by the way you feel during it, it will feel more like you're enduring it. We have to tell ourselves we will feel good and look better after we put ourselves through the necessary pain. I think you will be able to see the difference in your energy, optimism, and bodily changes without putting yourself through old fashioned, regimented, self-deprecating workouts. Granted there is a place for structured, collective motivation, but all too often people fail to see the opportunities that lay before their very eyes in our everyday lives. I will show you how easily these chances to "exercise" are all around you. Lets take it from the top, starting with the face. (:
There are basically 5 categories of exercise:
* Cardio or Cardiovascular (4-5 times a week): Activities such as walking, biking and running will keep your heart strong (remember the heart is a muscle!) and your energy level up.
* Strength training (twice a week): Builds muscles, supports a healthy metabolism and keeps bones strong (especially important as you age for diseases such as osteoporosis.)
* Core strength (sprinkled throughout the week): Supports your entire body, helps your posture and builds your center from your torso to hips and all through your back.
* Balance exercises (sprinkled throughout the week): Making you more "body confident", Isometrics firm by using own body weight and pressure as resistance. Pilates exercises also improve balance, coordination and strength. Tai Chi is also an example of a balance or centering type of exercise, as well as different types of yoga.
* Flexibility exercises (sprinkled throughout the week): Keeps you agile and limber. Yoga Stretching gives you fluidity of movement plus elongates and tones ligaments and muscles, stretching should always be done before any work out routine along with a warm-up.A regular stretching routine will not only help to lengthen your muscles, it will also improve circulation. And getting more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to your muscles is important to help them recover from your weekly exercise sessions.
*Stretching also improves the health of your connective tissues, which prevents those unsightly little pockets of fat from bulging through and creating cellulite. Finally, stretching keeps you limber and will help improve your range of motion and flexibility, which in turn prevents unnecessary injuries. So don’t just head for the showers after your workout – stop and take five to 10 minutes to stretch – it’s time well spent!
Of course a physical activity that is also loads of fun is dancing!! I think it's the ideal exercise. All of the above categories are rolled into one simply by dancing. Even strength training, by dancing with a partner, is achieved without the use of universal or nautilus machines. Your partner becomes your free weight or resistance band! You use each others body weight to hold up, balance, stretch and tone. Cardio is one of the biggest benefit of dance, using your heart! Just be careful not to give it away while you're at it!! :) There are so many types of dance to try and to learn all around the world,(i.e. belly dancing, hula dancing,salsa, ballet, ballroom, etc.) that it can be an extremely rewarding hobby and pastime as well as a fantastic work out at the same time. Moving in ways you don't ordinarily move, rotating hips, shoulders, ankles and other joints keeps them from tightening up and in a sense you are "playing" your body as a musical instrument! Keeping your mind and body "tuned" at the same time. Basically, anything that you do that burns a lot of calories (or expends energy) can be considered exercise and of course is beneficial in reaching your fitness goals, or just making you feel GOOD. Did you know that to lose one pound you need to cut out 3500 calories out of your meal plan... or exercise enough to burn off 3500 calories?!! If you reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories a day, you should lose about one pound a week, and adding exercise naturally speeds up the process!
Calories burned while walking
Your weight Calories burned/hour
24-minute mile pace
(2.5 mph) Calories burned/hour
20-minute mile pace
(3 mph) Calories burned/hour
17-minute mile pace
(3.5 mph) Calories burned/hour
15-minute mile pace
(4 mph)
120 lb. 163 180 207 272
150 lb. 204 225 258 340
200 lb. 272 300 344 454
250 lb. 306 375 387 511
300 lb. 368 382 438 579
Most importantly for overall health before, during and after exercise is keeping yourself hydrated... an example of a convenient way to get high quality drinking water would be to purchase an affordable counter top water filter which is in the long run a lot more cost effective than a Pur or Brita water filter pitcher system. It's a good idea to purchase a stainless steel reusable water bottle because it has multiple advantages over buying bottled water. It is better for the environment, you can stop recycling water bottles, there is less energy used and less expenditure involved. Definitely a great idea to BYOB (bring your own bottle). I wouldn't recommend drinking water straight from the tap. The excess fluoride and contaminants will build up in your body and cause proven damage as well as health dangers that still remain to be seen. But always remember to make healthy water a part of all your exercise, or work out routines.
Facial Exercises
The muscles of the face are like any other muscles in your body, they become slack and weak from lack of use. These muscles and tissues help support the skin as well and if the muscle structure is weak, the "foundation" will not do a good job holding the skin in place. Gravity, oxidation, and aging are all formidable opponents in the "face off" against time and it's barriers. Exaggerated facial expressions are one way of using muscles we don't ordinarily use. Here are a few exercises to try anytime, anywhere:
The muscles of the face are like any other muscles in your body, they become slack and weak from lack of use. These muscles and tissues help support the skin as well and if the muscle structure is weak, the "foundation" will not do a good job holding the skin in place. Gravity, oxidation, and aging are all formidable opponents in the "face off" against time and it's barriers. Exaggerated facial expressions are one way of using muscles we don't ordinarily use. Here are a few exercises to try anytime, anywhere:
- Open you mouth as wide as possible and than close tightly, do this 5 times a few times a day.
- With mouth closed, swish from side to side as if you have mouthwash in your mouth, repeat this a few times.
- Touching the roof of your mouth with your tongue, form an exaggerated smile and bend your head and chin upwards repeatedly.
- Form a loose fist and push under you chin as you tilt your head back and open and close your mouth, putting slight resistance under your chin each time you open. (helps to prevent "turkey neck")
There are basically 5 categories of exercise:
* Cardio or Cardiovascular (4-5 times a week): Activities such as walking, biking and running will keep your heart strong (remember the heart is a muscle!) and your energy level up.
* Strength training (twice a week): Builds muscles, supports a healthy metabolism and keeps bones strong (especially important as you age for diseases such as osteoporosis.)
* Core strength (sprinkled throughout the week): Supports your entire body, helps your posture and builds your center from your torso to hips and all through your back.
* Balance exercises (sprinkled throughout the week): Making you more "body confident", Isometrics firm by using own body weight and pressure as resistance. Pilates exercises also improve balance, coordination and strength. Tai Chi is also an example of a balance or centering type of exercise, as well as different types of yoga.
* Flexibility exercises (sprinkled throughout the week): Keeps you agile and limber. Yoga Stretching gives you fluidity of movement plus elongates and tones ligaments and muscles, stretching should always be done before any work out routine along with a warm-up.A regular stretching routine will not only help to lengthen your muscles, it will also improve circulation. And getting more oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to your muscles is important to help them recover from your weekly exercise sessions.
*Stretching also improves the health of your connective tissues, which prevents those unsightly little pockets of fat from bulging through and creating cellulite. Finally, stretching keeps you limber and will help improve your range of motion and flexibility, which in turn prevents unnecessary injuries. So don’t just head for the showers after your workout – stop and take five to 10 minutes to stretch – it’s time well spent!
Of course a physical activity that is also loads of fun is dancing!! I think it's the ideal exercise. All of the above categories are rolled into one simply by dancing. Even strength training, by dancing with a partner, is achieved without the use of universal or nautilus machines. Your partner becomes your free weight or resistance band! You use each others body weight to hold up, balance, stretch and tone. Cardio is one of the biggest benefit of dance, using your heart! Just be careful not to give it away while you're at it!! :) There are so many types of dance to try and to learn all around the world,(i.e. belly dancing, hula dancing,salsa, ballet, ballroom, etc.) that it can be an extremely rewarding hobby and pastime as well as a fantastic work out at the same time. Moving in ways you don't ordinarily move, rotating hips, shoulders, ankles and other joints keeps them from tightening up and in a sense you are "playing" your body as a musical instrument! Keeping your mind and body "tuned" at the same time. Basically, anything that you do that burns a lot of calories (or expends energy) can be considered exercise and of course is beneficial in reaching your fitness goals, or just making you feel GOOD. Did you know that to lose one pound you need to cut out 3500 calories out of your meal plan... or exercise enough to burn off 3500 calories?!! If you reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories a day, you should lose about one pound a week, and adding exercise naturally speeds up the process!
Calories burned while walking
Your weight Calories burned/hour
24-minute mile pace
(2.5 mph) Calories burned/hour
20-minute mile pace
(3 mph) Calories burned/hour
17-minute mile pace
(3.5 mph) Calories burned/hour
15-minute mile pace
(4 mph)
120 lb. 163 180 207 272
150 lb. 204 225 258 340
200 lb. 272 300 344 454
250 lb. 306 375 387 511
300 lb. 368 382 438 579
Most importantly for overall health before, during and after exercise is keeping yourself hydrated... an example of a convenient way to get high quality drinking water would be to purchase an affordable counter top water filter which is in the long run a lot more cost effective than a Pur or Brita water filter pitcher system. It's a good idea to purchase a stainless steel reusable water bottle because it has multiple advantages over buying bottled water. It is better for the environment, you can stop recycling water bottles, there is less energy used and less expenditure involved. Definitely a great idea to BYOB (bring your own bottle). I wouldn't recommend drinking water straight from the tap. The excess fluoride and contaminants will build up in your body and cause proven damage as well as health dangers that still remain to be seen. But always remember to make healthy water a part of all your exercise, or work out routines.
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