Walking is the easiest and safe and most natural form of exercise. Its an effective exercise for people of all ages and all levels of health.

Studies have shown that regular, brisk walking can lower cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation, strengthen the heart, and decrease high blood pressure.

It reduces the risk of developing serious health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis brittle bones, and heart diseases.

Walking strengthens and tones the lower body especially when done on an inclined surface. It increases one’s endurance particularly if there is progression of difficulty. It also reduces stress and depression and increases the sense of well being.

Walking contributes to effective weight control. Numerous studies show that a person who walks 10,000 steps a day can burn 2,000-3,500 equivalent to 1 pound of fat extra calories a week.

For weight loss, it is now recommended to complete 10,000 – 15,000 steps a day.

According to the book “The Fidget Factor” by Frank and Victor Katch, walking on the job for one hour at less than 3.2 kilometers per hour slow pace can burn 108 calories for a 110-pound person, 144 calories for a 150-pounder, and 192 calories for a 203-pounder. This is approximately equivalent to 40,000 steps, 3.2 kilometers.

The heavier the person is and the faster heshe walks, the more calories can be burned in one hour. The number of steps completed would depend on one’s stride length.

Lifestyle walking is the most frequently performed type. It is what people do when they get up from bed and move, walk around, or take a stroll in the park.

This kind of walking is low-intensity. It is different from fitness walking that is designed to increase the heart rate and help burn extra calories.

The amount and duration of lifestyle walking that a person does might depend on several factor.

Occupation

A study by the American Council on Exercise examined on-the-job physical activities of 10 common occupations in the United States, Secretaries were shown to walk only an average of 4,327 steps per day 2.7 km as compared to mail carriers at 18,904 steps 12 km.

Bases on lifestyle assessment, an average office worker, unaware of lifestyle walking recommendations, can only complete 1,000 – 4,000 stepsday.

If your job requires you to sit for eight hours, try to insert at least 30 minutes of accumulated or continuous walk within duty hours. You can further increase inside the mall or in you village. Purchase a pedometer to monitor your steps.

Economic Status

It is not surprising to find out that some well-off individuals with cars and drivers can just finish up to 1,000 stepsday. The effort to walk more for health has been replaced by confinience. But commuters can have an additional 2,000-5000 steps a day.

For those living in secure villages, try to walk early morning or at night outside your house and try to complete at least 5,000 stepsday.

Environment

Asians living in countries like Hong Kong and Singapore are known for their flavorful dishes. They love to eat, yet they do not get fat because they love to walk in a walk-friendly environment.

For office people, you can try to walk your way home.

Now is the time to explore your location and find the safest and most convenient places to walk.

Intention to Lose Weight

Usually, a person who is motivated to lose weight will intentionally increase daily target steps. Daily steps can even be doubled once educated about their effect on faster weight loss. But the amount of additional steps will be based on existing exercise programs and target calories to burn per week.

Identify you goals and set a distance or number of steps per day. An accumulated 5,000 – 8,000 steps during the day is good enough to improve or maintain health.

Its benefits will be more evident if you switch to fitness walking where there is progression in speed, intensity and duration.

You need to walk more to burn more!

Floreshca

Occasionally you hear so much about something that you have to get more information. Hoodia is one of the substances that I just keep hearing about over and over so I wanted to do some research and pass it on.

Hoodia is a cactus like plant that is found in parts of Africa. Of all the various forms of Hoodia available, Hoodia Gordonii is the one that seems to be touting the appetite suppression benefits. Some people may like the fact that hoodia is not a stimulant but rather it is believed that hoodia causes the brain to send very strong signals that the stomach is full even when it is not. The signals sent are reported to be much stronger than the signals sent by sugar.

Hoodia is relatively new on the market so for those of you who are not into experimenting with themselves; you may want to wait for more studies to come out on hoodia. I have not been able to find any studies done on hoodia and weight loss but I have found tons of anecdotal evidence.

Anecdotal evidence sometimes precludes valid scientific findings and sometimes it turns out to be hype.

If hoodia proves to be a non-stimulating appetite suppressant, then I could see it benefiting those trying to cut down on evening eating, those who have trouble eating several smaller portions throughout the day, and those who just tend to be overcome by cravings.

Remember supplements are only a tool in your weight losshealthy lifestyle arsenal.

If you do decide to purchase hoodia, make sure you purchase from a company that is known to be trusted and reputable.

The jury is still out on hoodia and weight loss and appetite suppression but it looks as if the anecdotal evidence is mounting up in a promising way.

Sometimes anecdotal evidence leads to scientific studies. like with creatine and weight lifting So if you are willing to experiment and your doctor has approved, hoodia may be worth trying.

Wishing you the best of health,
Bill

With all of the recent negative press given to body supplements, it makes good sense to be cautions about using different nutritional supplements as a part of your body building efforts.

Whey protein has been lauded as a safe, natural and simple supplement. It’s use has become popular for those genuinely interested in good health through physical fitness and body building.

The importance of adequate protein levels in the body cannot be ignored. Since protein is used up when exercising, body builders must prevent muscle deterioration by maintaining protein levels. Naturally, building additional muscle mass will also require adequate levels.

Whey protein is a substance that is drawn from milk. That’s right, plain old cow’s milk. Whey is known to be a byproduct of cheese and, until the recent discovery of its health qualities, was discarded. In fact, scientists now know that what was once considered junk is actually rich in the amino acids which help build muscles and promotes good health.

As we know, protein is found in other basic foods such as meat, vegetables and grains. But, thanks to the research that has been done, we now know that whey protein is accepted by the body better. As a result body builders and other athletes can usually expect better results from whey protein than from other sources of protein.

This high quality and natural product is also useful for other people who may be on special diets, whether they are for weight loss, food allergies, or even for diabetics. Remember, high quality protein is essential for optimum health…not just for body building. Use of whey protein can help others heal quicker and recover from illness quicker.

As always, be sure to check with your health professional before implementing whey protein or making any other changes in your diet or routines. Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be harmful, so be sure to use it in moderation.

The following are questions that Yoga teachers still need to answer, despite overwhelming evidence that Yoga is the mother of all health maintenance systems. Mainstream thought is finally catching up, with the progress Yoga is making, but it has taken 5,000 years for us to get this far.

Seriously, How Can Yoga Make You Lose Weight?

Finally, some of the Yoga and Weight Loss studies have come in, and even, a little bit of Yoga is much better, than none, for weight control, but there are a number of reasons why. Yoga is a lifestyle change that includes a safe diet; exercise, adjusting posture, breathing, and a whole lot more. Most of the
Yoga practitioners, I know, consume more water, eat more moderately, and take more care of their bodies, in comparison to the many who dont want to leave the couch.

Arent you supposed to jump up and down for at least a half-hour per day to exercise enough to lose weight?

Maybe the masses have been brain washed into thinking that you have to feel the pain, suffer, starve, and have a near death experience, to lose weight. Depending upon your size, the average person, in a moderate Hatha yoga class, is burning in the neighborhood of 200 calories per hour. There are Vinyasa Yoga classes, that will burn more calories, with much more flowing and active movement. Just remember, that your safety is top priority, and you will be fine.

There are also Yoga classes where you can feel the pain, heat, and suffer.
This is great for those who feel the need to pay for their sins. Maybe this is considered penance, for years of consuming excessive pizza, burgers, and buffets. If you feel you must suffer, you may even find a Yoga teacher who missed his or her calling as an interrogator.

If you search hard enough, you will find a Yoga class for every niche. More moderate Yoga classes look easy on the outside of the class, but I have seen many people find them to be a challenge, on the inside of the class. The real benefit of steady Yoga practice is training for longevity. Long-term practice will yield optimum health benefits in mind, body, and spirit.

Couldnt you just invent a Yoga pill?

This has been the ultimate dream of couch potatoes, but every time a weight loss pill comes out, there is a down side. Just look at the health problems that resulted from fen phen and ephedra. This should wake people up, but someone will always put their life at risk, no matter how many warning labels are printed.

In summary, the benefits of Yoga practice have always existed, through steady and safe practice. Seek out a safe teacher and go from there. Never push yourself to the point of strain. Moderation is key, so it is wise to avoid extremes.

What you are about to read applies to teaching, in general. In fact, we are all teachers, to some degree. You teach your friends, co-workers, strangers and family members on a daily basis.

The example you set teaches someone in some way. Whether you are a positive role model, or not, people, and the world, react to you. Sorry to say, you have more responsibility than you thought possible.

Do you realize that when you hurt one person, it will set a chain of events into motion? Even worse is that, most violent acts were stimulated by smaller, seemingly unimportant events.

When you talk to your students, always show mutual respect. Dont take advantage of your position as a Yoga teacher to temporarily feed your ego.

The first thing a Yoga teacher should instill, in his or her students, is self-motivation. The serious Yoga student must be a self starter. This is a person who practices Yoga at home, as well as in class. They dont depend on their friends to come to class, and they show up like clockwork.

How can you make your Yoga students become self motivators?

You must show up to class early, enthused, and energized. Encourage all of your students and sincerely praise their achievements. The truth is, Yoga is like music, you can teach a student the basics, but to be a master teacher, you want to stir the creativity from within.

When your students become creators, you can help them refine their Yoga practice and watch them become self motivators.

A truly great teacher will produce teachers, who surpass him or her; and isnt passing the torch what its all about?

In comparison to many forms of exercise, the benefits of Chair Yoga far outweigh the risks. The therapeutic exercises work the body, from head to toes, to the best of any clients ability.

Therefore, the method used, addresses the whole body in a single routine.
This is an amazing feat, for a low-impact exercise program, where the average session lasts 45 to 60 minutes. The following information will highlight some of the many benefits of regular participation in a Chair Yoga
class.

Increased circulation is a result of movement and every body part that can move is used in a typical Chair Yoga class. For many of us, we think of cardiovascular heath first, and this is right fully so, but Chair Yoga helps many other forms of circulation, within the body, as well.

To sit still for days on end, we invite diseases of many kinds. Diabetics need movement to keep sugar levels in tolerance zones. Chair Yoga also has routines for the feet, toes, hands, and fingers, so there is no part of the body left out. Due to this whole body approach, the immune system is also stimulated by regularly attending Chair Yoga classes.

The many movements, bending, and twisting, in a regular Chair Yoga session, stimulate the elimination of toxins, within the body. Every time you bend the waist in one direction or another, the stomach aids in digestion and the lower back is gently stimulated.

Now, back to cardiovascular benefits – There seems to be a lot of confusion about what is classified as aerobic exercise. One of the definitions for aerobic exercise is Any exercise that would increase circulatory and respiratory ability. When the heart and lungs have to work harder to keep up with the body’s need for oxygen that is aerobic.

In fact, gardening and housework are also aerobic exercise that most seniors routinely do. This is not to say that gardening and housework are complete health maintenance systems, but they do burn over 200 calories per hour, for the average person, and meet the aerobic definition.

Much of this mentality stems from the No pain No gain era. Most of the original advocates of this theory are now nursing their own wounds and practicing gentler forms of exercise. After all, none of us are immortal, and the body can only take so much abuse over time.

May I remind anyone, who is left standing, from the No pain No gain era, that walking is also classified as aerobic exercise. So, whether you walk or run a mile, aerobic benefits are gained and significant calories are burned.