benefits of running

Running is something that people have been doing since the dawn of time. Originally, for survival and then to hunt and eat. In todays world, no one really needs to run to live or to track down their own food, but millions do run for their own reasons.



One commonality of running is for the health benefits. Most people start running either as kids in school, or later on in their life to help battle the bulge or slim down. No matter when you started to run or why, you can reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle because of it.



Improved cardiovascular health is one of the main facets of running; it allows more blood to flow through your body at a higher rate than normal, thus working all major arteries. The high volume of blood flowing keeps the elasticity of the arteries and greatly reduces the risk for heart attack and stroke. Additionally, running can slow down the aging process, naturally. Bone and muscle loss are at a much slower rate than someone who doesnt run, mainly due to the increased strength from running on a regular basis. Running to look better physically also has a dramatic affect on how you feel inside, while increasing the longevity of your life.



To add on, most runners generally are happier, feel better and are less stressed than non-runners. Coordination and overall agility is also increased.



Many people need a constructive hobby to give them a sense of achievement. Running can provide this and when done correctly will give you all the benefits of health and well being.

Attitude: The Forgotten Power

What would you consider is your most valuable tool for staying in shape? Is it your treadmill? What about your weight set? Is it your arsenal of low-fat cookbooks, and low-carb diet snacks? What about your collection of workout videos?

Would you consider it a revelation that your most lethal weapon in the battle of the bulge is your Attitude?

Think about it. What good is your treadmill if you don't have the energy to get on it, or can't get up the motivation to crank up the speed, or the elevation? How useful are your dumbbells if you can't push yourself to use them in the most effective manner? How good is a nutrition program that you can't stick to? How much fat loss will you get out of your workout videos if you just can't seem to get as motivated as that bouncy cheerleader who is urging you to jump higher, or that buff macho man who keeps saying, "C'mon, just one more rep!"?

No, none of those tools is going to get you very far unless your HEAD is in the right place. As you read this article, you have probably already been exposed to more nutrition and exercise information than you could possibly ever need to actually stay in shape. You've probably read, listened to, or watched the answers to your fitness issues enough times to win the next Mr. or Mrs. Neighborhood fitness competition a dozen times over! Yet, you are still not where you want to be. Why?

Attitude.

Seeing Your Goal

Do you have a clear vision in your head of where you want to be, or what you want to accomplish when you are at a peak level of fitness? I don't mean just some vague idea - I'm talking about an actual burning mental image of a six-pack set of abs, or a nice set of curves, or a clear picture of you crossing the finish line in first place, or taking home that trophy. If you don't have that, you are already just spinning your wheels. How can you expect to get somewhere if you don't know where that "somewhere" is?

Many people start out very motivated to get in shape, or to compete for that prize, but their motivation lacks focus - laser-targeted precision that will guide them down the right path. The term "as the crow flies" comes to mind. If you could leave your house and drive in an exact straight line to your destination, don't you think that you would get there a lot faster? What if you could just fly through stop lights and intersections, disregard all posted speed limits, and go exactly in a straight line to every destination? You sure would get there a lot faster!

Exercise, physical fitness, and nutrition are no different. If you don't have a clearly mapped out and measurable road map to your success, then you will stray, and that will cost you time at the very least - and at the most, it will cost you precious amounts of self-confidence! Take some time to think about WHERE you want to be, HOW you are going to get there, and most importantly, WHY you want to be there. Take the time to do that, and I think you'll see that your previous path may have been road blocked by a few too many trips to Starbucks for a Caramel Frappuccino. Not that anyone writing a fitness article such as this would know anything about that...

Believing In Your Ability

Okay, so you've got yourself a good mental picture. You have your road map in front of you, your path is straight and true, and you are ready to get started. What comes next? Belief.

Do you believe it is possible to wave a magic wand and have all of your excess bodyfat gone, and all of your fitness goals realized in the blink of an eye? Of course not. If you do, and you know the secret, please contact us - I'm sure we could make some money on that secret! For everyone else, I'll ask a different question. Do you believe that you could sit on your couch, suck down some ice cream, and put on some more bodyfat? The answer is, unfortunately, yes.

What is the difference between those two questions? Very simple - one is possible, and one is not. What does that have to do with your fitness goals? Well, it may come as a surprise, but you have been dealing in the IMPOSSIBLE for quite sometime now. You have been striving for a goal, yet not really believing that it was within your power to reach it.

Oh sure, you may have joined a gym, or bought a new Litmus 3000 Super-Decker top of the line treadmill/clothes hanger, but did you really believe that you were going to do it this time? If you are reading this and you are in perfect physical condition, then congratulations - you did it! For the rest of you, are you seeing the point? You didn't truly believe it, because otherwise it would have happened.

Each of us shelters hidden either very deeply or sometimes NOT so deeply a seed of doubt that we will really succeed. When that seed is there - whether it is planted deeply or not - your subconscious waters it and feeds it. The next thing you know, it is has grown into an entire field of self-limiting beliefs, and you have neither the time nor the desire to get out there in the field and destroy that evil crop!

What are you to do, then? BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Why? The answer to that is simple - because you are the only one who truly can. Others may support you, and they may even show you the path, but it is YOU who has to walk it.

Taking Action

We have covered the need for you to clearly see your goal, and for you to use the power of belief to start walking down the path, but what's next?

The next step is the same for you as it is for an aspiring business owner, or a college freshman, or an artist staring at a blank canvas - you have to TAKE ACTION. You can read the top 2 sections of this article all day long, but doing so won't burn off any bodyfat, or pack any muscle tissue onto your body. Only appropriately carried out action can do that.

Think of all the self-help books that you have read, or programs that you have watched on TV, or listened to on the radio. Did any of them do you any good whatsoever if you didn't take action on what you had learned? What about what you have read so far in this article? Has it been helpful? Most likely. Will it do you any good if you don't Take Action? Nope. Negative. No way. Nada. You get the picture.

You can read, listen, and watch your way right into a bodyfat level that would make a sumo wrestler jealous, or consider your options until your muscles have diminished so much that you can't even lift a toast to your dearly departed dreams, but none of that will mean squat if you don't GET UP and make it happen!

Why are you still sitting here? Get out there and Take Action!

About the author:
Aaron Potts is the owner and creator of Fitness Destinations, a content-filled health and fitness website for consumers as well as professionals in the fitness industry. Aaron's experience in the health and fitness industry includes one on one personal training in many different environments, maintenance of several health-related websites, and authoring of many fitness articles and fitness-related products for consumers and fitness professionals. http://www.fitnessdestinations.com

A Sole Treadmill is a Top Quality Exercise Machine

When you purchase a Sole treadmill, you are buying quality, tradition and good reputation. The Sole Fitness Company is the maker of the Sole treadmill and they have been in the business of producing top-quality treadmills and exercise machines for over a decade. Sole have built a solid reputation by taking the time to invest in building exercise equipment that stands the test of time.

When you buy an item as big as a treadmill, you want it to last. You at least want to feel as though you got your money’s worth out of it. This can only happen if the treadmill is built well, if it is durable, sturdy and can withstand some of the light abuse that it will receive from the kids and the dog, as well as the tough workouts that you plan doing on it. Sole treadmills are built to withstand the every day knocks and bangs that daily life brings about.

Such is the reputation of Sole exercise machines, they are the treadmill of choice in many of the worlds finest hotels. In fact, the Hilton hotels have installed and use only treadmills made by Sole Fitness. Many people do not know this, but Sole Fitness guarantees their treadmill motors for thirty years and their treadmill decks and frames for a complete lifetime. This is phenomenal! It definitely demonstrates that Sole machines and treadmills are built with quality components that last.

Treadmills made by Sole are definitely considered to be top of the line and most models sell for over one thousand dollars. There are a variety of Sole models; fold away treadmills and non-foldable treadmills. One of the best exercise machines that Sole currently have on the market is the Sole F85 Treadmill. This is a fold up treadmill that is truly top of the line in every way.

The F85 comes with all of the regular features like speed control, incline control and heart rate monitor. It also has pre-program workouts, it holds users of up to 400 pounds and even allows you to input your own customized workout routine. If you are serious about fitness this Sole treadmill is the treadmill for you.




About the author:
Visit our website and download our popular FREE ebook "It's fun to be thin" This book will motivate and inspire you to reach your fitness goals. http://www.a1-treadmills.com

Are You Fit?

Fitness refers to ability of the body to function with vigor and alertness. Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes. But do we know if we are really fit? How do we tell?
First, you might want to look at your exercise habits, if there are any. If there aren’t any exercise routines to examine, no fitness. Everyone, no matter what their age, benefits from exercise. It keeps our bodies conditioned, our mental sharpness working at top speed, and thanks to the physical aspect, we get a boost to our cardio health, extra calorie burn, and more oxygen to those cells!
Do you take in more calories than your body needs? Are you supplementing your vitamins and minerals to make sure you are getting your recommended daily allowances? If you’re not making the most basic of efforts to take care of your nutritional needs, you aren’t a fit individual. You may not look sick, you may not have any noticeable symptoms of ill-health, but you’re not the fit and toned individual you could be.
What about the stress levels in your life? Do work in an environment with high levels of stress? Is your personal life a source of comfort or does it add to your stress levels? Do you engage in some form of stress-relieving activity? Stress is the number on contributor to heart attacks and strokes, since they manage to speed up the affect of the real culprits. Stress is basically an out of control situation for most adults today. We manage to schedule every moment of our free time, and leave ourselves with no time for quiet reflection, or time to deal with life’s unexpected emergencies.
Fitness requires us to examine more than just our exercise routine. The mere definition of fitness refers to the body’s ability to meet physical stresses. That includes coping with our day to day life, getting from the beginning of the day to the end, without being worn completely out. In order to be truly fit, we find ways to rid ourselves of built up stress, the kind that begins to affect our muscles, muscle tone, and composition. Massages are the best cure for ridding our bodies of the stress buildup that can occur, even with exercise regimens and detract from our overall fitness.
Exercises that demand total body involvement are the best for maintaining and improving your level of fitness most effectively. Running, swimming, jogging, dancing, cycling, and very brisk walking are some of the more popular total body involvement exercises.
There are so many occasions to stop and question our efforts at maintaining optimal health, that we usually don’t even take the time to begin the examination. But it is beneficial to our overall health, the quality and quantity of our life, to make every effort to be fit, healthy, individuals. Read more health and fitness articles at http://www.dietpost.info http://www.fitnesspost.info http://www.takingsteroids.com http://anabolic.ca



About the author:
webmaster of http://www.anabolic.caand http://www.takingsteroids.comhttp://www.dietpost.infohttp://www.fitnesspost.infoand many other websites for over 5 years

Are You Financially Fit?

When it comes to health, you go for a medical checkup to see if you're physically fit. The medical report will tell everything about your health.

But when it comes to wealth, it's as important that you do a regular checkup for your financial health. You need to know where you are financially before you decide what you want to achieve financially.

What do you do to ascertain your level of financial fitness?

You can use financial statements to determine your financial fitness. They are income statements and balance sheets.

It sounded boring and alien to me when I first prepared my income statement and balance sheet. The process is tedious as you need to dig out things and get them organized in a proper format.

But I can tell you once you've done this checkup, you'll have a clear picture where you stand financially and you can take the necessary measures to achieve financial freedom.

Besides that you'll be more in control of your money and know how to spend your money wisely.

Let's get started to determine your financial fitness.

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Income Statement
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First, you can prepare an income statement. An income statement is also called profit and loss statement. An income statement consists of two sections: monthly income and expenses.

Your income would probably comprise salary, rent from real estate, dividends from stocks and bonds, interests from savings accounts, and royalties.

Your expenses would be food, clothing, utilities, car loan payments, credit card payments, home mortgage payments, medical expenses, entertainment, insurance payments, charity, taxes, and education.

List down your income and expenses into each section accordingly. Then calculate your total income and expenses.

Once you've done that, it's time to calculate your net income. Net income is the difference between your gross income and expenses:

net income = gross income - expenses

If you have a negative net income, it tells you that you spend more money than you make. You'll have to have plans to reduce your spending or increase your income.

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Balance Sheet
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Next step is to prepare a Balance Sheet. Like income statements, balance sheets also have two sections: assets and liabilities.

Assets are your cash, real estate, car, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, mutual funds, retirement accounts, and businesses.

Liabilities include mortgages, credit card loans, car loans, personal loans, education loans, and taxes.

Prepare your own balance sheet by listing down your assets and liabilities. Calculate your total assets and total liabilities.

The following step is to calculate your net worth. Net worth is the difference between total assets and total liabilities:

net worth = assets - liabilities

Net worth is usually used to determine whether a person is wealthy.

You deserve a pat on your shoulder if you've come so far with me. By doing this simple exercise, you are one step ahead of many people.

You'd have known the level of your financial fitness by now.

So, are you financially fit?

To help you with this exercise, you can use our free money worksheet at http://www.financiallyrich.com/wealth-calculator.asp

Anti Aging Techniques For Young Adults

The term Anti Aging means different things to different people and also depends on your age and to some degree is governed by fashion and culture.

To a 50 year old woman it may mean "I want to reduce my wrinkles". To a 21 year old girl it may mean "How can I keep my skin like this for the next 15 years?" To a 30 year old man it may mean "How can I keep my current fitness for the
next 30 years?"

This article is aimed at a particular group of people you are interested in anti aging, mainly 20 to 30 year olds. If you are in another group or have some other interest in anti aging you may like to visit my web site
http://www.informationaboutantiaging.com

CAUSES OF AGING

The signs of aging can be caused by many things. Some of the top reasons are listed below.

Genetic
Sunlight: To much sun bathing will cause wrinkles.
Makeup.
Chemicals in cosmetics: Use organic.
Cigarette smoke.
Alcohol.

PREVENTING THE SIGNS OF AGING

It's a fact that we are going to grow old, and with that we will being to show our age. But there are certain things that we can do to slow and reduce the signs of aging. There are four main categories that can help prevent the signs of aging.

FOOD
Being on a good healthy diet goes a long way to slow down the aging process. You need to limit your calorie intake.
Your Doctor or Physician will be able to tell you what your proper intake should be for your particular age and health. As part of your diet you should ensure that it is balanced and consists of the following.

Fresh fruits including berries.
Vegetables, contain antioxidants.
Beans.
Seafood.
Cereals.
Cut down on fast foods.

FITNESS
Your fitness level will also determine how the natural aging process affects you.
Make sure that you include some of the following in your
weekly schedule.

Exercise.
Fitness training.
Stretching the body.
Yoga.

SUPPLEMENTS

There are many vitamins that you can take to supplement your normal diet. But, as always you must consult with your Doctor before starting to take any supplement, this is due to the fact that everyone’s health state is different and you may get ill if you suddenly start taking supplements.

Here is a list of vitamins that you might like to consider:

Vitamin A
Helps to reduce wrinkles.

Vitamin C
Helps produce collagen.

Vitamin E
This strengthens your immune system.

Conzyme Q10
This is an antioxidant which helps protect the skin.

CREAMS

Creams can be used as an anti-aging technique.
Ensure that you follow a regular skin care routine.
Make sure than you are cleansing your face effectively.
Make use of herbal creams

Disclaimer
Please note: I am not a Doctor or Physician. This article is for informational purposes only. No anti-aging technique can be guaranteed to stop the signs of aging. You must consult with your Doctor or Physician before altering your diet or taking supplements.


About the author:
Copyright Jenny Crolson 2005
Please visit http://www.informationaboutantiaging.comfor further information on anti aging techniques.

A New Era in Fitness & Weight Loss

Fitness has evolved tremendously since the early days of round cement dumbbells and jump ropes. Now all the luxuries of home are provided for you in your workout experience, to help make it more convenient, enjoyable and have it feel less like, well, working out, as possible. Cardio machines now come equipped with numerous amenities, from personal televisions to fans. People now can seclude themselves from the rest of the world with head phones that connect to televisions’ as they workout. Strength equipment has also advanced with more user friendly resistance machines that provide every possible way in which to target a muscle.

Yes, our society has defiantly advanced, at least in terms of the equipment we use. However, some how, even with all of our technological advances we are still more over weight and obese than ever. Many people sit and wonder to themselves how could it be that movie stars can obtain and maintain such fit and beautiful bodies? They have access to much of the same technological advances as the rest of us do in our fitness centers and home equipment. After all, is it not about how much you do and not what you do? This is far from the truth; movie stars, models, performers, their just like you and me. They have cravings, they get too tired to workout and they have access to similar equipment. So again, how is it that with their hectic schedules, being constantly bombarded with rich foods, and being only human, that they can look so good, all the time! The answer is that they have access to something most people do not, a great personal trainer! I know what people will be thinking when they read this, “I can’t afford a personal trainer” or “I don’t have time to meet on a regular basis with someone.” Online personal training is the solution to much of the nations’ health problems.

Online personal training can provide people with the direction they need to help them reach their goals. They can do this with access to a certified personal trainer, but without the cost and time needed to acquire one. Online personal training is the New Era of the fitness industry and can get you where you need to be, on the fast track to a healthier more attractive body!

Here’s how it works. Participants obtain access to an online training website. From their, the participant selects the plan they prefer most (prices usually increase depending on the type of program selected). Once a program is selected, a simple questionnaire is required to be filled out to determine you current health status, preferences and future goals. You are then set up with you own login screen name and password that gives you access to your programs online. The trainer will send you your workout plan periodically through email and post it on your login access online. Participants can print out their workouts, which consist of a picture of each exercises start and finish positions, written directions on how to perform each exercise and the correct order to perform each one are all provided. How many sets and reps to perform are included as well. For more detailed explanation of an exercise, clients can even access their program online and watch a video of a model demonstrating each exercise start to finish properly.

Another great advantage to online training is that you have constant access to a personal trainer via email or phone, to ask questions about your program or any general health and fitness inquiries. The benefits seem endless, depending on the program one chooses, nutritional components are also supplied in different degrees. The nutrition component is based on your goals and eating habits. A licensed nutritionist supplies you with a daily meal plan and grocery list in which to choose healthy options based on your goals and health needs.

The best features’ of online training is that it is affordable, convenient and made specifically for you. You too can have the advantages of a personal trainer without the time commitment and cost. Online training truly is the New Era of Health and Fitness!


About the author:
William Mackie is a fitness expert with knowledge base in exercise science and a certification in personal training. For the technical edge on fitness and the attainment of your weight loss goals. For ways to reach your personal fitness goals faster you can subscribe to our popular newsletter at: http://www.upstarttrain.com/