Helping You Achieve Your Fitness and LifeStyle Goals


Posts Tagged ‘Metabolism’

Anti-aging Naturally is Better

anti-wrinkle
Guest Author: Lambert Klein


When it comes to anti-aging people are willing to do most anything to “turn back the clock”. Everything except the easiest solution ‘ Prevention! We all know, mostly do to media hype, that the sun can cause us to age more rapidly. Because of this knowledge, people have begun to be using more and more sun block as their anti-aging tool.

Did you know that part of the anti-aging fight could start with the foods you put in your body everyday? One of the best anti-aging tools we can find is food with antioxidants.

Foods that contain Vitamins C and E should be part of your daily food intake as well. Vitamins C and E are important because they help fight free radicals, which are forms of unstable oxygen that can render or damage healthy cell function. These forms of oxygen are formed naturally by the metabolism. We also produce them when we are exposed to strong ultraviolet rays and air pollution such as smoke. When these “free radicals” build up in our body they aid in the progression of age and even in developing age related diseases. So in the fight on anti-aging you will definitely want to take in Vitamins C and E daily. But these aren’t the only nutrients you will want to take in daily for anti-aging. You will need protein, calcium, and Vitamin D. Making sure you get these much needed nutrients on a regular if not daily basis can help with anti-aging.

There are several foods that rank high on the recommended list for anti-aging foods because of their natural ability to rid the body of toxins. One that kept coming up while researching this topic was Blueberries. Several other foods were listed even many other berries. But blueberries always seemed to top the list of anti-aging foods, because they are naturally high in anthocyanin. This is an antioxidant found in their blue pigment.

This is not only good for anti-aging, but it help fight cell damage, which could cause cancer, heart disease and many other age related diseases. It is even suggested that blueberries could reverse short -term memory loss and aid in the improvement of motor skills.

Although blueberries ranked high on the anti-aging food chart several, other fruits were highly recommended as well. Kiwis for example are loaded with antioxidants and fiber. Apples were recommended for healthier lungs. Tangerines are believed to reinforce healthy bones and cherries aid in preventing gout.

All of this is very important to consider when trying discovering a natural anti-aging regimen, because when your body is unhealthy you look and feel bad. When you look and feel bad and run down your body will age.

So, I guess the bottom line here is…good nutrition is the best solution to anti-aging. Naturally that is!



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The Importance of Weight Training in Losing Weight Fast

weight training
Guest Author: Roberto Parezze


Many people that are seeking to lose weight do not understand the vital role that strength training plays in helping you to keep excess weight off permanently. Most people focus on diet and tend to ignore the exercise element. Even those that do develop the habit to exercise tend to only focus on aerobic exercise however you must not ignore weight training and just think that it is for bodybuilders or only for men since women need to build and maintain healthy muscles too. Here are some tips to help you lose weight more quickly:

Tip 1: Just get started

The biggest step is to just get started as this is often the hardest thing for most people especially those that have never been on a weight training program before. Join a local gym nearby or buy a good piece of weight training equipment and go through a workout routine.

Tip 2: Do not weight train too much

Weight training is very stressful on your body and it is designed to be stressful so as to trigger new muscle growth or maintain what you already have. If you get over enthusiastic and start lifting almost every day then that can be very bad for your overall health and will definitely not help you to lose weight.

Weight training helps to add muscle to your body which is critical since muscle burns calories continuously. This is important for weight loss purposes since if you can raise your overall metabolism then burning fat becomes a lot easier as it is very difficult and actually potentially dangerous to go on very strict low calorie diets.

Do not even bother trying those starvation diets as again they are very risky for your overall health and well being. It is not necessary to give up your favorite foods, you may need to lower quantities and portion sizes but if you like a food then go ahead and keep eating it and monitor your weight closely and make adjustments accordingly.

Tip 3: Train heavy for short periods

The whole point of a weight training workout is to trigger new muscle growth and not to spend hours and hours in the gym. A good workout routine can simply consist of 3 sets where the first 2 sets are light sets just to warm up and the third set is your heavy set where you lift the most weight you can for 5 to 8 repetitions.

The key point is to lift heavy enough weights to trigger new muscle growth. This does not mean you need to do a ton of reps or do reps until your muscles hurt. Just lift a heavy load for a few reps and that should be enough. Also know when to draw the line and know that you have built enough muscle and then focus on maintenance. Weight training can really make a big difference in helping anyone lose weight and stay fit so make it a regular part of your life. Follow some of these tips to help you get in better shape more quickly.



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Cardio Necessary for Effective Fat Loss?

cardio
Guest Author: Walter Zinsmeister Iii


There is a common belief in the mainstream, that for maximum (or even effective fat loss) you need to do some form of regular cardio to lose fat. This is simply wrong of course because many people have just dieted to lose fat, without any form of excercise. Of course this is a bodybuilding site, therefore dieting only is not ideal, since it doesn’t preserve muscle that well.

The next decision when going on a cutting phase, is whether or not cardio is even necessary? Weight training is actually more effective than low intensity cardio. Then there is HIIT cardio, which is much tougher to do, but isextremely moreeffective for bothfat loss and muscle preservation. You would still have to do weight training for either form of cardio, to help preserve lean muscle preservation and strength.

So who should do cardio and when?

Most bodybuilders would agree that cardio is a pain. It is a nuisance and most would just rather stick to weight training only for their excercise. It is perfectly O.K no matter if you’re a newbie, or a veteran to start your cutting phase without any cardio. When you first start dieting, the act of restricting calories will be enough to start causing fat loss, even without cardio.

Eventually everyone will hit a fat loss plateau, which is when cardio will be a necessity. You can only restrict your calories so much, before you cause your metabolism to crawl to a halt. The cardio will allow a phenomenon called energy flux. Basically what that means is, you will lose fat more effectively if you eat more, but also burn more calories simulatenously. In other words, it is better for fat loss if you eat more calories and burn more, than to eat less calories and burn less simulatenously.

If you don’t want to do cardio while cutting, your fat loss will be slower. But bodybuilders often don’t want to hassle with the time and effort cardio takes and wouldn’t mind, even if the cutting phase took a little longer. You shouldn’t increase weight training to overcompensate for lack of cardio, that would cause more harm than good. You would wind up overtaxing the body putting you into overtraining state.

The Stubborn Fat Protocol is a cardio routine developed by Lyle McDonald, a respected author of multiple excercise and diet books. The routine is innovative, but it is based on scientific research.

You will break up your cardio into 2 separate sessions. The first session will be high intensity interval training, or HIIT, cardio for 10 minutes. The purpose of this first session is to manipulate the adrenaline / noradrenaline levels to mobilize the fat out of your fat cells. You then take a 5 minute rest after the first session.

Next you do 45 minutes of low intensity cardio. Afterwards you wait one hour before having a protein only meal. Then 2 or 3 hours later you can go back to normal diet, with carbs and fat included in the meals.

The reason why Lyle McDonald says it has to be done this way is because the HIIT portion gets the fat out of the cells, but there is a reduced burning effect at the muscle. It is then that you do the low intensity to finally be able to burn the mobilized fat in the muscle. Mcdonald recommends this workout 3 times a week.

Who should do the stubborn fat protocol?

The routine will be highly catabolic (muscle wasting). Ideally it should be for those who are at a plateau and low bodyfat percent trying to get that last bit of fat off. Overweight people should just stick to traditional routines as they are easier to stick to, require less time, and work well anyways. Only when you start to plateau, will a more aggressive cardio plan make sense.



Banish Wrinkles Instantly
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Weight Training For Senior Citizens

weight training
Guest Author: Scott White


Weight training, also known as strength training, is not just for the aspiring body builder, everyone can benefit from weight training. After all it is with weight training that we build muscles and muscles keep our metabolism strong and a healthy metabolism means more energy. So it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that weight training is actually an appropriate and beneficial form of exercising for older adults.

As we age, our bodies experience physical and physiological changes. Weight training for senior citizens can improve those changes so that older adults can remain active and mentally sharp well into their aging years.

With age, muscles lose mass and strength, joints become stiffer and can even develop arthritis, making it difficult and even painful to move. One’s sense of balance can be thrown off kilter causing falls, that may lead to broken hips and many times the need for long stays at the hospital. Strength training puts back muscle mass, as well as muscle strength that has been lost.

Muscle strength not only aids with movement but also aids with balance, so strong muscles will prevent many of the falls and injuries that cause the elderly to be hospitalized and immobile for long periods, if not permanently. Weight training will keep joints limber which reduces the stiffness and pain that causes many people to become inactive.

Immune systems become weaker making the elderly more susceptible to serious illnesses. Concentration and memory also become harder as we get older. Elderly people who do not exercise at all are at a much higher risk for becoming immobile and requiring long term care such as in a nursing facility, than elderly people who do exercise.

Weight training strengthens the immune system helping senior citizens to avoid illness and the expensive doctor visits and prescription medications needed to treat various illnesses. It is well known that after the age of 50 many of the diseases that can cut a life short develop within inactive bodies. By strengthening the immune system through weight training, one can build their resistance to different illnesses, as well as developing the internal strength the body needs to battle more serious diseases.

As we age, our skin loses much of its suppleness which results in skin that just hangs, usually downwards, on the body. Weight training for the elderly renews much of the suppleness to the skin that aging can take away. Skin will be tighter with less hanging on the body which can also help the elderly to feel more comfortable with their bodies.

Studies have shown that the elderly are at a higher risk for the development of depression and other mental disorders than younger adults. So from a physiological perspective strength training helps the body to manufacture greater amounts of hormones which are naturally made by the body.

These hormones help the organs and systems of the body including the brain to do the work they do. Hormones help the brain with processes such as cognitive thought and memory, and hormones hugely contribute to how we feel and respond to different things. Senior citizens who participate in weight training programs report fewer instances of feeling depressed than those who do not exercise.

Weight training has also been proven to slow the progression of the natural effects of aging, and even thwart the development of such conditions as dementia. Exercise programs brought to senior citizen residents in nursing homes has also been shown to help those who have lost mobility to regain some movement and even improve mental functioning. If you work with the elderly in a nursing home setting, consider bringing the benefits of weight training to them.

It is recommended that a weight training program for the elderly be guided by the expertise of a certified personal trainer.



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Resveratrol Supplements and the Benefits of Resveratrol in Fighting the Aging Process

resveratrol
Guest Author: Valerie Rosenbaum


Most resveratrol supplements are not worth the investment. While researchers have shown many resveratrol benefits in the laboratory, the nutrient must reach your bloodstream in order to perform its magic. The latest research indicates that it does not usually make it to the bloodstream.

They have tested people’s blood after drinking wine on an empty stomach, drinking it with food and taking uncoated resveratrol supplements. None of these caused a significant increase in the levels of trans-resveratrol in the bloodstream.

All of the studies concerning resveratrol benefits were conducted using trans-resveratrol. The supplement with the highest trans-resveratrol content is standardized to a 50% concentration. If an enteric coating is applied, this type of supplement can increase the blood level of trans-resveratrol, but most companies don’t use the right form and they don’t include an enteric coating.

You won’t get any resveratrol benefits from a powder or liquid form. You might get some by drinking red wine, but researchers believe that the benefit of red wine is not due to its trans-resveratrol content. The amount that you would have to drink to significantly affect circulating blood levels would be damaging to the liver.

So, resveratrol supplements are a good idea, as long as the manufacturer uses the right form, combines it with other important nutrients and wraps the whole thing up in an enteric coating, to insure that it reaches the upper intestine, where it can pass through to the bloodstream.

Some of the resveratrol benefits include a healthier heart, a reduced risk of cancer, better functioning metabolism and possibly an extension of your lifespan, if the results of the laboratory studies can be transferred to humans.

No one is sure how or why it works in the ways that it does. There are only theories.

One of the most convincing is that trans-resveratrol increases the activity of a gene that can reduce a free radical known as superoxide. Superoxide molecules are not highly toxic, but they can, over time, cause DNA degeneration.

If this theory is correct, resveratrol supplements should include vitamin C, enzymes and glutathione. The gene reduces superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, which is also a free radical. Vitamin C and other ascorbates, reduce hydrogen peroxide to water. If glutathione and enzymes are also present, vitamin C remains more active for a longer period of time.

Some of the better supplement manufacturers include the right combination of antioxidants and other nutrients to provide the greatest effect. Resveratrol benefits are included among them.

There are hundreds of different nutrients and plant extracts that are known to be beneficial to human health. It would be nearly impossible to include all of them in your diet. Some of them are not plants that we normally eat. Extracts from marigold, for example, are known to protect the eyes from oxidative damage. When was the last time that you ate a marigold?

So, supplementation is important and necessary, if you want to live the longest, healthiest life possible. But, single-ingredient resveratrol supplements are not your best choice for supplementation.



Turn Back The Clock
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The Best Cardio Intervals for Fat Loss: Part 1

cardio
Guest Author: Craig Ballantyne


By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

http://www.neusight.com/turbulence.html

Is there really a best interval training system for fat loss?

Do intervals really work as well as regular cardio for fat loss?

I’m going to cover these, and many more questions in Part 1 of your lessons on interval training.

But this is not just interval training 101. Today, you’re going to

leave this email with a graduate degree in interval training for

fat loss.

I’ll answer both questions upfront before the lesson begins, and

I’ll give more details on each as we go along:

1) Conservatively, intervals are at least as effective as regular

aerobic training for fat loss. Personally, I believe intervals are

far superior. And there is no denying that intervals allow you to

get your workouts done a lot faster than slow, boring cardio

workouts.

2) I have to admit, there is no best interval training program for

fat loss. But that is a good thing, because there are so many waysv that you can change your interval training to keep your fat loss results coming week in and week out.

By changing your training program every three to four weeks, you are using one of the key principles of Turbulence Training -

variety. It is essential to change your workouts this frequently,

otherwise you might suffer from a dreaded fat loss plateau.

And if that is the case for you now, I’ll show you dozens of

alternative interval training workouts you can use to kick-start

your metabolism and fat loss.

Now what many people don’t know, or perhaps just fail to recognize, is that interval training is not just for advanced fitness superstars. No way. In fact, intervals are an effective and perhaps even the most effective method for beginners to get fit and lose fat.

First you have to understand that interval training is based on

relative performance. While my intervals would be much too hard for a beginner, my intervals would be a joke for Lance Armstrong.

So even for those men and women that are just dipping their toe

into the fitness waters for the first time in months, years, or

dare I say, decades, they too can do interval training.

If you are a beginner and you can walk at 3.3mph for 20 minutes, then your intervals will start at a walk at 3.6mph for 30 seconds to a minute. That is interval training.

It doesn’t have to be high-intensity, sprint-to-the-death activity.

Instead, just increase the intensity slightly more than you can

normally handle, and do so for a short time, and intersperse that

with periods of easier exercise for twice the duration.

So if you did 1 minute at 3.6mph, drop down to 3.0mph for 2

minutes. Do that up to 6 times, and you’ve had yourself an interval session.

Now for those of you that have been doing only slow, traditional

cardio, switching over to interval training 2-3 times per week is

going to be the fat loss equivalent of throwing a lit, gasoline

soaked rag on a pile of dry kindling.

Here’s why…research has given us a lot of evidence that intervals are superior to traditional cardio. First, a study from Laval University in 1994 compared interval training to aerobic training – straight up – over a 12 week training period. Subjects that used interval training had better results. They lost more fat. You can’t argue with that.

And second, interval training causes metabolic turbulence – also

known as boost in your metabolism. Due to the high-intensity nature of intervals, there is more “turbulence” applied to the muscle. That means more muscle breakdown and more adaptations in the muscle.

Now I know that sounds very technical, but all you need to

understand is that when all this extra activity goes on at the

muscle level, it requires a lot more energy to return your muscle back to normal (i.e. to get out of turbulence and back to a normal resting state).

And when your body uses more energy, it means, in laymen’s terms, that you are burning more calories.

So it’s important for men and women not too get hung up on the

calorie counters in the gym. First, because the calorie count of

the workout is not the only factor in determining fat loss

(intervals burn far more calories after the workout – more on that later).

And second, a report on CBS showed that the calorie counters on some machines are often significantly inaccurate.

Doesn’t that boil your blood when you think back to all those times you did slow, boring cardio and patiently watched the calorie counter creep up to your goal of 250, 300, or even 400 calories? And who knows if that was even accurate?

With intervals, you can forget about the calories on the machine.

Just work hard, do the intervals, then leave the gym and let your muscles continue burning calories on its own while it recovers from exercise.

OK, time is up, so I’m going to leave off here for Part 1.

I apologize, you don’t have your Master’s of Science Degree in

Interval Training yet, but you will after Part 2.

So your homework between now and next week’s class is to start incorporating interval training into your fat loss program. For beginners, see the outline above. Make sure to include a 5-minute specific warm-up and cool-down.

And if you truly did just peel yourself off the couch last week and you have not exercised in years, I insist that you see a doctor before you take up any exercise program. Believe me, you’ll thank yourself for it.

For more advanced fitness levels, let’s start with 60 second

intervals.

Do a 5-minute specific warm-up, then exercise for 60 seconds at a slightly harder than normal cardio pace.

Follow that with 90 seconds of exercise at a very easy pace. (Don’t exercise too hard in the recovery period – that is one of the biggest mistakes people make with interval training!). Repeat this sequence for 3 more intervals (let’s just do 4 intervals for your first session).

Through trial and error, find an intensity that allows you to work to near fatigue – but not complete fatigue, there should still be some “gas” left in the tank – by the end of the 60 second interval.

In the next newsletter, I’ll discuss at least 6 different interval

durations and when you should use them, as well as the best

interval training methods – and don’t miss when I expose the most ineffective machine in the gym.

Hint – It is also the most common machine these days, yet I’ve yet to see a single person change their body by using this machine for their cardio and intervals.



Look Young Again
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The Truth About Cardio & Six Pack Abs

cardio
Guest Author: George Konstantakis


Do you cringe each time you take a look at your belly? Do you sweat it out with hours of cardio daily only to find no improvement? Are you utterly frustrated with your cardio routine? Well, if that belly fat refuses to budge even when you’re doing regular cardio you might want to read this.

Cardio activity in general refers to any activity that lets you speak while working out. Cardio implies doing low paced continuous and steady exercises for a certain period of time.

Many fitness instructors believe that 1-2 hours of cardio training daily help get that elusive six-pack. This theory is refuted by numerous health experts for several reasons. You’ll be astonished to discover that doing extra cardio can slow your metabolism rather than step it up.

Many fitness experts suggest that our bodies aren’t programmed to perform activities at a steady continuous pace. Rather, they are designed to perform activities in short intervals. An apt example of performing an activity in a short interval is running a 100 meters race. You start the race, push your body to the limit and you stop. This helps the body to recover. If you observe sprinters and other sportsmen, you’ll notice the lack of belly fat.

Rather than cardio training, interval training is advocated by health experts to work your way to six-pack abs. Cardio training strengthens the muscles beneath the belly fat. However, this is of little consolation because the muscles are buried under the fat and the bulge will still be visible.

Moreover, scientists say that excessive cardio exercises can even reduce immunity and weaken joints.

Research has proved that several hours of cardio is not going to get you that much coveted six-pack. Rather, go in for high impact intermittent workouts. You don’t have to slog for hours at the treadmill. You can get that six-pack with interval training even if your entire workout lasts only twenty minutes.

However, everybody agrees that a few minutes of cardio daily helps regulate overall body weight.



How French Women Stay Young
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Weight Training For Everyone

weight training
Guest Author: Gray Rollins


Regardless of your reasons for working out, you should add weight-training to your regimen as soon as you can. Too many people avoid weight training because they seem to believe that it’s only for bodybuilders, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The misperception that gaining muscular bulk is an automatic result of weight training makes most true bodybuilders laugh. In reality, bulking up takes a very specific method of weight training combined with a specific diet. Oh…and it takes an incredible amount of work.

If you don’t intentionally bust your butt with the intention of getting bulky, you’re not going to get bulky. That being said, why should weight training be added to your regimen? It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to slim down, tone up, or just get increase overall health, weight training will help you. Here’s how:

1. It Increases Your Metabolism

Increased metabolism gives you more energy on a daily basis, helps prevent you from getting fat, and helps boost your immune system. Weight training increases your metabolism by toning and building your muscles. Muscle is an extremely active bodily tissue and it burns through calories even when you sleep. A pound of muscle burns an average of 35 calories simply sustaining its own existence.

2. It Will Help Prevent Injuries

The majority of the most common injuries people sustain, outside of car accidents and other serious trauma, are caused by weak muscles. Weight training builds the strength of your muscles, which will help you keep from suffering injuries due to everyday activities. Back injuries, the most common serious non-trauma related injury in adults, are almost exclusively caused by weak back muscles.

3. It Helps Stave Of Aging Effects

A well-rounded weight training program helps maintain your flexibility, stamina and balance as well as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Studies are increasingly demonstrating that many of the things we have considered “part of the aging process” are, in fact, due to the decreased activity we tend to experience as we age. Weight training is extremely effective in helping to combat these effects.

4. It Makes You Sexier

While I’d like to imagine that everyone who works out is doing it to be healthier for themselves, the reality is that most people work out to maintain their attractiveness. Like it or not, we live in a society where having a toned body is sexier than either a fat body or a skinny body. Without weight-training, your exercise regimen will eliminate the fat, but you’ll also burn muscle and end up being skinny. If you’re looking to increase your appearance, weight training is really a must.

5. It Will Give You The Body You Want

I’m operating under the assumption that you’re not interested in having a fat and squishy body or you wouldn’t be reading this article. Regardless of the physique you’re striving for, weight training will help you get there. If you want to get big, using very heavy weights and doing short sets will build big and bulky muscles. If you want a toned body, lifting medium-to-heavy weights in longer sets will build longer and leaner muscles. Ladies, weight training will also help you get near-perfect symmetry and emphasize your natural curves.

Hopefully, I’ve helped eradicate whichever myths of weight training have been preventing you from taking up the practice. There really is no reason to exercise without a weight training regimen and, in many cases, you’re making it harder for you to reach whatever goal you have by avoiding it.



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Anti-aging Programs – Eight Primary Factors to Keep in Mind

anti-wrinkle
Guest Author: Danny Nicholas


I believe anti-aging is multidisciplinary and is based on individual choices. Anti-aging is a lifestyle! Each person chooses how to progress down a certain path to health and well being. Below is a list of factors to consider in designing your own personal anti-aging program.

Rev Up Your Metabolism

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in your metabolic rate and an associated increase in your fat storage. As such, your body fails to burn excess fat as we grow older. To combat this anti-aging effect we need to control our metabolic rate by increasing daily activities. The best way to do this is to perform a 20 minute cardio-vascular fitness program a few days a week to help rev up your metabolism. The best time to perform this fat burning workout is when you wake and before breakfast. This is the perfect time to workout because while you slept, your body depleted all the carbohydrates in your system, and since you have an empty stomach your body is forced to use your fat stores to provide energy for the workout.

Keep Your Heart Strong

Growing older also means a reduction in the ability of the heart to pump blood through the circulatory system. In addition, build up in the arteries also contributes to this reduced ability. Since your heart is a muscle its function and circulatory capability can be improved by aerobic exercise. Remember to always consult your doctor when starting any fitness program. However, I once heard a doctor say that if they could put exercise into a pill form, it would be the most prescribed pill known to mankind. As such, using exercise to keep the heart strong is an important factor in any anti-aging program.

Your Brain is a Muscle Too!

Anti-aging research has shown that memory capacity declines if the brain is not involved in mental functions. Mental inactivity causes poor memory function or in some cases memory loss. Playing games, participating in social activities, problem solving, reading and writing will all help “exercise” the brain. Exercising your brain will not only improve cognitive function but will also help eliminate boredom and depression.

Lung Capacity

Did you know that the oxygen uptake test, the one where they measure your lung capacity while your on a treadmill, is so accurate that if they gave a group of people the test and then had that same group run a distance race they could predict how each individual would place in the race before the race ended. With aging comes a reduced elasticity of the lungs and thus a reduced oxygen uptake or breathing capacity. Aerobic or cardio exercise is an anti-aging solution that will increase the breathing capacity of the lungs.

Increase Your Lean Tissue or Muscle Mass

As you age your metabolism slows and you begin to lose muscle. Actually, muscle loss is a symptom of aging. However, you can increase muscle mass, burn fat, and increase your metabolism all at the same time. This is accomplished through an aerobic weight training workout. By using light weights that you can repeat 12 to 15 times per muscle group you will not only increase muscle mass and metabolic rate but also reduce fat stores. In addition, strength training exercises will increase your lean tissue which in turn increases your basal (resting) metabolic rate. Combining an aerobic weight training workout with a diet high in protein and low in fat is a good start for any anti-aging fitness program.

Stay Flexible

Stretching should be a part of any natural anti-aging fitness program. You not only warm up your muscles for the workout but also prevent any unnecessary injuries during the workout. Staying flexible will also eliminate any muscle cramping that is sometimes associated with aging. Moreover, being limber helps you perform better in your day to day anti-aging activities.

Your View of Yourself

Does growing old mean avoiding the bathroom scale or looking into a mirror? The way you perceive yourself is very important to your overall physical, mental and spiritual self. People are flocking to doctors for expanding waistlines and hair loss. Their buying anti-aging skin care products and cosmetics for younger looking skin and the list goes on. Your long-term whole-body physical, mental and spiritual picture of yourself is an important factor of your anti-aging program.

Bridge the Gap

Taking the steps necessary to take care of yourself will help you “bridge the gap” to a longer life. Developing a solid anti-aging program and strategy is essential. Without a plan or a process things are just left up to chance. You yourself can only implement the steps that will take you down the path of becoming a centenarian.

In conclusion, anti-aging overall is multidisciplinary. It involves, in part, the 12 factors discussed here but also total whole-body wellness and longevity. It involves incorporating the ingredients of wellness and longevity into your lifestyle. Anti-aging is an individual process – you decide what ingredients are part of the program. Anti-aging is what makes you feel good. It is what makes you “anti-age”!



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