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Why Exercise Is So Important

7/20/2014

As you know, exercise is important for your health. It will keep you healthier for a longer period of time, but how?

There are three types of exercise training – Cardio, resistance training, and flexibility training. Cardio is important for everyone to have in his or her weekly routines. It puts a stress on the cardiorespiratory system, which helps to improve or maintain the function of the heart and lungs. Resistance training is also important to have in your weekly routines. This type of training helps to increase muscular strength and muscular endurance; it keeps you strong and able to perform movements more frequently. Flexibility allows for the joints to move through a full range of motion.

Benefits of Cardio Training

Increased VO2 level
Increased VO2 Flow
Improves Blood Flow
Improves the transportation of nutrients throughout the body (bringing nutrients to the tissues)
Improves the heart’s stroke volume
Improves Blood Pressure
Helps prevent diseases (cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, etc)
Helps to prevent all cause mortality
Helps to boost metabolism
Lowers resting heart rate

Cardio training is: Walking, running, swimming, rowing, elliptical machine, zumba classes, aerobic classes, and even weighted cardio like HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), cardio sculpt classes, etc.

Benefits of Resistance Training

Strengthens Bones, which improves bone density
Protects the joints from injury
Helps with your balance and posture
Helps you remain independent as you get older
Improves your mobility
Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
Enhances performance of everyday tasks and activities

Resistance training is: Body weight exercises, Free Weights, Weight Machines, Resistance Bands, Medicine Balls, Balance Balls, etc.

Optimum Fitness

There are 5 components of fitness, and it is important to focus on each and not just one or two. To have an optimum fitness level, and even a better and healthier life, these components are important to be aware of.

1.     Cardiovascular endurance
2.     Muscular endurance
3.     Muscular strength
4.     Flexibility
5.     Body Composition

Run, Walk, Bike, Row, Hike, etc. Do something to get your heart and lungs working!

Muscular Strength and Endurance will help you become more mobile and strong.

Yoga is a great way to get involved in flexibility training

Don’t get so rapped up over weight. You should focus on building your muscles. Muscle weighs more then fat. Focus on dropping body fat% if you’re not within a good range.

Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of your heart and lung to work together to transport oxygen throughout the body.
Muscular endurance is the ability for your muscles to perform a movement continuously without fatiguing.
Muscular strength is the amount of force that a muscle can exert.
Flexibility is the ability for the joint to go through the full range of motion.
Body Composition is the ratio of body fat to muscle mass.

False Statements I hear In The Gym

“I don’t want to do cardio because I will lose muscle”
“I don’t want my muscle to turn into fat”
Muscle does not turn into fat, and fat does not turn into muscle. You gain and lose fat, and you gain and lose muscle.
You won’t lose muscle while doing cardio, as long as you are still doing your resistance training during the week. With muscles, you have to use them or you lose them. Cardio training won’t cause you to lose your muscles – completely stopping your resistance-training program will cause you to lose them. If you are still doing your resistance training while you add the cardio – and see a weight loss difference, this means that you had more fat stored in your body.

“I don’t want to start lifting weights because I don’t want to bulk up”
You don’t have to worry about bulking up unless you are progressively loading the weights while training – and reaching specifically your 1 rep max or close to it. Keep your weights at a resistance where you can lift for 10-12 reps or more.

Resistance training, whether it is strength training or endurance, is important to put your body through – especially since many people have jobs that require no physical work. The lack of stress on the muscles, cause you to become more weak and lose your muscle mass – while gaining fat mass.

Improving the functions of your muscles will also help with weight loss. Your muscles will breakdown energy more efficiently because they will need more energy to perform.

“I don’t need to be flexible”
If you are in the gym workout out, you are putting your muscles through stress – causing them to tighten up. The more you work your muscles, especially with resistance training, the more they tighten up, and keep your joints from moving within a full range of motion. To go through life’s tasks and activities, you don’t want to be limited with how you move, and how much you move. Stretch!

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4th Of July Celebration

7/4/2014

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Fourth Of July Celebration

What a great holiday, to celebrate the birth of our country, our freedom! Happy Birthday America!

On this day we usually celebrate by visiting friends and family, seeing fireworks at night, and EATING!

I have prepared some healthy Fourth of July food and snacks, that are great to share with everyone!

Red White and Blue Fruit Salad.

With Strawberries and Raspberries for the red; Banannas for the white; and Blueberries for the blue; Topping it off with a bit a cinnamon and mixing it together. This is a great dish that will help nourish your body.

Infused Red Whit and Blue Water.

It is important to stay hydrated! Infusing the water will give it a little flavor.
The water is infused with blueberries and raspberries. Don’t forget to check out my post about staying hydrated.

Skewered baked and broiled Chicken and Vegetables

Marinated with a mustard base, and put onto skewers, make it delicious, fun, and healthy to eat. With chicken, Red-Green-Yellow-Orange Bell Peppers, Onions, Pineapple, and Mushrooms.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These are healthy and easy to make. The sweet potatoes are cut up into small slices, VERY LIGHTLY covered with olive oil to keep from sticking to the pan, and to help keep the moisture in the veggies. And they are seasoned with cinnamon, garlic powder, paprika. MMMMMMM!

These are great, healthy, and delicious foods that can be served at parties! Try it out! Enjoy your Fourth!

#HealthyFoods #AHealthyLifeIsAHappyOne #FitGirlWCurls #HappyBirthdayAmerica

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Always Keep Active

Why Exercise Is So Important

Benefits of Cardio Training

Benefits of Resistance Training

Optimum Fitness

False Statements I hear In The Gym

4th Of July Celebration

Fourth Of July Celebration

#HealthyFoods #AHealthyLifeIsAHappyOne #FitGirlWCurls #HappyBirthdayAmerica

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