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Involving Rebounders in your Workouts

rebound fitnessRebounding is a great way to add a new dimension to your workouts without completely restructuring your exercise regimen. Rebounders are effective if they are used correctly and they will be a great supplement to any other exercise regimen.

 

Rebounders are sometimes even used exclusively by individuals who are unable to expand their workout regimen because of a lack of time, money or know-how. Although an exerciser could conceivably obtain a well-rounded workout from a treadmill, this method is not recommended since the individual would likely get burnt out with the monotony after a while.

 

The best way to use a rebounder is to get the benefits from it that you can’t get anywhere else. For example, using a rebounder for your aerobic exercises is great, but you could just as easily run outdoors for a while and then use your treadmill to give your lymphatic system the boost that your running couldn’t do.

 

To determine how you will use your rebounder in your workouts, here is a list of some of the health and fitness benefits that rebounding can offer you. Keep in mind that there are also many other exercise regimens that will offer you these same benefits without requiring you to limit yourself to just a rebounder.

 

As stated, rebounding can be a good aerobic and cardiovascular workout. You can get these benefits on virtually any rebounder regardless of model or type and without the inclusion of a jump bar.

 

To get and aerobic workout on a rebounder you will need to jump continuously for at least 10 or so minutes. This length will get your aerobic metabolism burning fat and helping out your heart and lungs, but you will need to do these exercises several times each week.

 

Rebounding can also be a good strengthening exerciser for certain muscle groups. Using a rebounder to exercise your legs might seem like a good idea but you would have to put a lot of effort into jumping high for a long time to get a solid workout.

 

If you are going to use a rebounder for strengthening your muscle groups try getting a good jump off of the rebounder and then performing a second jump immediately after landing on the floor. Another idea is to bounce on your rear end while using your arms for momentum.

 

Besides these benefits, you can get an amazing lymphatic workout by rebounding only for a few minutes. Since there are very few other exercises that offer the same benefits to your lymphatic system as rebounding this will probably be the most beneficial supplement to any regimen.

Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda.

If you didn’t know before after reading this blog I hope you understand how bad soda is for you.  Soda is a highly addictive substance. Caffeine in soda and other ingredients when consumed over a period of time can become something a person’s body craves. This is the reason we keep buying expensive sodas. This is why we should quit drinking soda today. Remember your body needs to eat, sleep and exercise but if you quit drinking soda you will see results.

Save money and stop drinking soda.

These days anyone can use a few extra bucks in our pockets. Here are  three financial reasons to quit drinking soda.

1. Soda is expensive; drinking drinking it adds up.

The average American drinks 216 liters (that’s 7304 ounces, or about 365 20-ounce bottles) a year. If you purchased your soda only at a vending machine, that’s about $550/ year. If, instead, you put this into a retirement account for 30 years at a 7% interest rate compounded annually, you’d have about $60,000.

2. You’ll save money on health care.

One of the most important things each person has is his or her health. When you get sick or hurt you have to see the doctor. If you have done this lately you know it’s not cheap at all. By losing weight and getting in better shape you will decrease the likely hood of you going to the doctor and having other health concerns.

3. Use soda money to buy more healthy food. 

If you have ever seen Food.INC of any other food documentary you understand the importance of buying good healthy food. If you have ever bought organic or locally grown food you understand that this food is pricey. Stop drinking soda and put the extra money towards food that will help you stay in better shape.

Drinking soda is bad for your health.

4. Soda increases your heart rate and blood pressure.

Soda consumption has be linked to higher heart rates and higher blood pressure. This is because the caffeine in the soda speeds up your heart and the sugar in the soda mixed with all of the other chemicals really hurts your body. Stop drinking soda and watch how much energy your body naturally produces.

5. Soda is really hard on your teeth.

Sugar and the acidity in soda is so hard on your teeth. You teeth will become stained if you drink lots of dark soda. Even clear sodas will hurt your teeth because they are so packed with sugar.

6. Stop drinking soda to lose weight.

Soda is packed with calories. So much in fact that one soda could makeup more than 20% of your total calorie intake in a single day. If you cut the soda out and eat the same you will take in less calories thus helping you lose weight. Mix in more healthy eating and some exercise and you will see results in as little as one week.

7. Soda is the lead cause of diabetes.

The fact is that regular soft drinks contribute to type 2 diabetes. Even if you drink those diet drinks you could still be at risk.

8. Drinking soda increases your risk of getting kidney stones.

Drinking 2 or more sodas per day is associated with increased risk of chronic kidney stones. There is so much sugar in soda that it is in most cases directly responsible for kidney stones.

9. Heartburn is contributed to soda drinking.

With all of the carbonation in soda a lot of people get get heartburn after drinking it.

10. It’s linked with liver problems.

People with liver problems are being linked to drinking a lot of soda. While most of us know beer and alcohol are bad for your liver it is no surprise that soda would be as well.

 

While it maybe difficult you should really try to make the change in your life and stop drinking soda. Water is the best thing you can drink. 8 glasses of water per day will keep your body perfectly hydrated. If you really don’t like drinking a lot of water you can try a number of other things. Try to drink coffee or tea if you need to whine yourself off of soda. The caffeine in these will help with headaches and withdraw. Other great drinks would have to be homemade lemonade or ice tea. Also there are packages of flavoring that you can put in your water to give it some flavor. If you really can’t stop drinking soda remember that portions can be the key. Drink less soda.

Choosing Fixed Gear or Free Gear Spinning Bikes

SneakerBikeExercise bikes, commonly called spinning bikes, are a great piece of exercise equipment for anyone who is trying to get in shape by adding aerobic exercises to their workouts. Exercise bikes are stationary pieces of equipment just like treadmills, so you will be able to work out on your bike no matter what time it is or what kind of weather there is out doors.

Continue reading Choosing Fixed Gear or Free Gear Spinning Bikes

How to Eat Consciously and Control Your Portions

When it comes to weight loss, or healthy living in general, we all know that we SHOULD eat reasonably sized portions, yet that is always easier said than done when it comes to diet. Many studies have shown that people who are able to lose weight, and keep it off, learn to control their portions. In fact, portion control can either make or break your weight loss efforts.

Portion Control
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So as you can see learning to control your portions and eat more consciously are crucial to any diet efforts, yet why is it so hard for us to control our portions and not overeat. According to this article from EatDrinkBetter.com, which you can read more about here, a behavioral psychologist named Matt Wallaert, links the ability to manage your food volume intake with that of science and behaviors. Continue reading How to Eat Consciously and Control Your Portions

Most Dangerous Hike On Earth

Mount Huashan in China is a home to a lovely temple.  The spacious mountain tops and the fresh air provide a lovely setting for the magnificent oriental temple.  Many people make the pilgrimage to see the  inside of the holy temple.  The only downside to the hike is that it could quite possibly kill you.

Man sitting close to death

The hike is literally no more than a 12 inch plank that has been bolted into the side of a mountain. Just so you know this man is looking down more than a thousand feet.  If he were to slip he wouldn’t have much chance of surviving that type of fall.  But really, who slips when they are sitting down. I don’t think that is even possible.

How is that for an adrenalin rush?  Now if you are anything like that guy, you are probably going to see this picture and want to experience the thrill of sitting at the edge of death.

Find Real Motivation

No matter what facet of life you are trying to improve it always takes work.  You want a promotion at work. You want to start eating better. You want to start running more. Whatever it is you are going to have to get excited and pumped to work for it.  Now there are a million different inspirational quotes.  That are “supposed” to get you to run nonstop for 2 hours straight, but how many of these actually get you, well, motivated.

There are quotes that make us strive for the things that we want “Don’t complain, just work harder”. There are quotes that make exert more than we thought we had “Push yourself to prove you are alive”. And there are quotes that are meant to make us maintain focus on our goals, in spite of difficulties.  “Persevere…because on the road to success there is never a crowd on the extra mile!” Now truthfully, how many of these quotes actually invigorate your soul and make you want to become better?

Wikipedia has a behemoth of a page for their motivation entry. But I don’t think we have to complicate things like that. I think you can find a short phrase that should do the trick without digging through an entire encyclopedia entry.

To most people  quotes will be clever and entertaining, but they are not going to light that internal flame of motivation.  To do that you need something that speaks directly to you. so the question is:

HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF?

Ask yourself, “How am I going to motivate myself?”  The hardest part to any goal is the very beginning, after that you have momentum and you can continue barreling down the trail, and in some cases accelerating down.  Motivation is what has to come before that very first step.  The first step initiates the course that you will take, but motivation initiates the action.

 

Remember Names Without Forgetting

remember namesIt is actually proven that the most appealing sound is someone’s name.  Think about it.  Out of everything in the world, what would fill you with pleasure most?  For most people it is their own name.  Perhaps it is because this is the noise that identifies you from everyone else, or perhaps it is a sound that is made when someone else recognizes you as an individual.  It may be some hedonistic inherent pleasure, or maybe it is something that is learned over time.  What ever the case may be, think of the power you could wield by remembering names.  Calling someone by their name is a psychological stimulus,like popping a small treat into a dogs mouth. it instantly pumps endorphin’s through their neural pathways.  This is a great way to become more likable.

 

There are five steps to permanently remembering names.

 The most important part to this is that you are consciously aware of these steps during the meeting of a new person.

 

Step 1: Be Motivated 

This is probably the hardest part for me.  When I am somewhere new and there are people I haven’t ever met usually I don’t feel to anxious to get to know them.  Some people are naturally excited about meeting new friends.  Some are not.  For those of us who are not this step takes a little bit of mental discipline.

When you see someone new, pump yourself as if you were about to go push weights or run sprints.  Work yourself up, tell yourself how exciting meeting this person will be.  Think about how interesting they are.  Also here is a huge tip: Treat them like a well known friend. These really help to make people seem, well, cooler.  There is only as much depth as you care to explore.  That should be a quote.

 

Step 2: Sincerity

Yes, it sounds sappy. We all hate that word, don’t we? Sincerity always sounds like a chick-flick romantic comedy you saw with your ex staring some actress like Alexis Bledel or Zoey Deschanel.  You know the type, real down to earth and sweet-hearted, the actress not your ex.  Anyway. Forget about the nostalgic implications and be sincere.

Focus on the person.

Make sure you heard the name right.

 

Step 3:  Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

Fun facts about neuroscience.  Every thought in the brain comes from electric pulses being shot down neurons int he brain.  Simple thoughts like a single persons name are no different.  Every time you think a thought more than once, that specific neuron becomes stronger, like a muscle would from lifting weights.  So repeating will actually work to make the name stick and that is not only a psychological fact but a physiological fact as well.

Don’t just be a goon and repeat the name out loud like some sort of lame parrot desperate for a treat. Be incognito about repeating names.

They say it, then you have one chance to repeat it right of the bat to clarify.

Now silently repeat it in your head, until you get the chance to introduce them to someone else. Bam, score right in the kisser.

If at all possible sprinkle the name in throughout the conversation.

 

Step 4: Associate

Fun fact about neuroscience.  Thoughts lead to other thoughts just like roads and trails.  If you want to get on the Boulevard then you have to take Bluff, or Main, or Riverroad.  Each time you establish a connection between one thought and another there is a new pathway for your brain to follow when you are trying to get to that specific thought.

Easy way to associate is think of the five senses.  For example their name is Paige, I would associate that person with the smell of an old book, the plain sight of a blank page, the sound of a page tearing, the texture of thick brown paper (you know, from like kindergarten. What we are not old enough to use regular fetching paper?) and perhaps I would skip associating this person with the sense of taste because so far I am not impressed with the associations and am afraid it might leave a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Step 5: Review 

This may seem weird and kind of creepy, but it really works.  Review that persons name.  When you get home hours after meeting your new friend. Get a pencil and paper and right down something you and your acquaintance talked about.  Do it in dialogue, it makes thinks more fun and it helps you to think of their mannerisms.