Healthy B.P.M.

OK, I’m climbing upon my soapbox again, and you’d think all the up and down would be a workout; oh well. Why oh why, tell me why people complain that they can’t lose weight, constantly moanin and groanin about how “they’ve tried everything”. Stop it already, you haven’t tried everything. I have clients that will remain nameless of course, who’ve been singing that song repeatedly. Some of them have vowed to do everything I suggest so that they’ll be healthier and ultimately drop some pounds. That works until the workout gets a bit intense or their meal plan is scrutinized. It’s the meal plan that’s really getting me now. I would never suggest to anyone that they eat food they don’t like, I wouldn’t either. But come on, you can’t eat your fill of sweets, eat no veggies and the same old fruit all the time and expect things to change, it’s not going to happen. I remember hearing Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser say once that she wished her clients would do the work necessary but shut the (you know what) up and just listen to her. It’s not in me to tell anyone that, but I can understand the level of frustration that comes from.

Let’s go back to the part about not eating food you don’t like. Hypothetically if someone told you that all you had to do was eat cauliflower or zucchini and you’d lose weight would you do it. Assuming that losing weight was part of your goal. Wouldn’t you at least try it? Most people would, take a cauliflower pill that was laced with a magical weight loss potion; go figure. As I was spewing this morning after yet another mutiny I came across this passage from a book I was reading:

So it stands to reason, if your desire is to be healthier, lose weight or whatever the goal is you will find a way. You will come to the conclusion of what will work and you will do follow whatever the action plan is. Be advised that the plan may or may not include cauliflower.

Ok, I’m still in teacher mode and I have another assignment for you. Of course I’m not asking that you do this, just think about it. Imagine if you will a day where all 4-5 of your meals were eaten outside the home. What might that day of eating look like.

Meal # 1- At the Greasy Spoon

An egg white omelet, made with no butter, cheese or oil, but loaded with vegetables. Include either whole wheat toast or a whole wheat English muffin or oatmeal with berries.

Meal # 2- Veggie Mania

Post up at the salad bar and let ‘er rip. Fill your plate with veggies. Steer clear of the croutons, cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Choose your salad dressing wisely and avoid potato and macaroni salad. If soup is an option have some, as long as it’s not creamy or loaded with noodles.

Meal # 3- Oh Thank Heaven

Sometimes a convenience store is all you have time for. Grab some fruit, pretzels, and a bottle of water and away you go.

Meal # 4- Go East or Check Out Das Boot

Venture into a Chinese restaurant and order chicken with steamed veggies. Order the plainest chicken possible and remove the skin. Steamed veggies here should be no problem. If an Italian eatery is your choice, whole wheat pasta is usually available you just have to ask. Marinara sauce instead of alfredo, skip the breadsticks. Salad with dressing on the side. Don’t forget the protein, grilled choices are usually abundant in Italian restaurants.

Meal # 5- Treat Time

Non-fat frozen yogurt with fruit or a small dish of ice-cream.

That wasn‘t too bad was it? It’s always it’s about the choices you make and finding that seemingly elusive balance.

Are you Ready to Order?

According to statistics, 40% of our monthly food budget is spent at restaurants. Let’s face it, restaurant dining is a treat and a way of life, and there is no reason why you can’t enjoy it and still eat healthy. The real joy of eating out is not to overindulge, but to maybe enjoy a different meal and the pleasure of having someone else cook and clean. This is important, when you’re planning to go out to eat, let’s say for dinner, eat as you normally would (healthy that is) that day. Don’t make the mistake of believing that you can skimp all day and then load up at the restaurant that evening. That’s where the trouble or should I say challenge comes in.

Your Assignment

I’m giving you homework this week, and it’s up to your schedule and budget as to when you want to complete it. Practice ordering a healthy meal at a restaurant. You’re probably thinking piece of cake (angel food), that’s easy. Here’s the catch, don’t hone in on the “healthy or lite’ section of the menu. Those labels can be deceiving. Just because it’s not deep fried doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Some interaction with the wait staff will be necessary.

• Ask how a dish is prepared, many dishes are marinated in oil or cooked in butter.
• Request that it be cooked to your specs.
• Have them hold, the bread, butter, crackers, etc that are brought out before the meal.

Making the Meal

The basic meal should be comprised of a protein, complex/starchy carb, and fibrous veggie. Protein (meat, poultry or fish) should be grilled, baked, broiled. It can also be cooked in lemon or lime juice. If you think you’ll need a little more flavor, scan the menu for a healthy sauce and ask for it to be served on the side. Don’t dunk your meat, etc in the sauce, dip your fork into it, and then the meat. Yes, I’m serious, just the fork. Use this same technique for your salad dressing as well.

Vegetables are often sautéed in oil or butter, have yours steamed or grilled. Or ask that they be sautéed in broth or in a non-stick pan. Boiling is an option, but it tends to rob most of the flavor and nutrients from the vegetable.

Remember the old “have it your way slogan”? You are the customer and they want your business.

The end of yesterday’s piece was positive and negative energy. What good is it to dwell in perpetual doom and gloom? It is so easy to talk yourself into the worse. Every cloud doesn’t mean a thunderstorm and berating yourself for not working out does not burn calories. Practice focusing on positive situations, understand that things will work out. Look for solutions instead of complaining, be more understanding instead of getting angry. Try to look at things from a different perspective, embrace changes and look for opportunities in challenges and dismiss the woe is me attitude. This is a learned behavior, but as you continually change the way you think and see things, you’ll begin to naturally attract more positive situations into your life. You may have heard it before: as you think so shall you be.

During the day observe how you respond to situations, how you react to things you don’t like, or just to situations in general. Focus on the comments you make to friends, colleagues and relatives. Are they positive or negative? Do you always point out the negative? Do you complain or think of the worst? If something goes wrong do you get angry, blame somebody, or have a series of negative thoughts? Or do you focus on a solution, accept responsibility and create the changes that you want? If you find that you have a negative reaction then you’re only creating more negative energy and attracting more negative situations. Start changing how you think. Create positive thoughts and positive beliefs. Focus on finding solutions and you’ll begin attracting more positive situations into your life. Make a list everyday of at least 5 things you are grateful for.

As much as I believe in the law of attraction, and the value of visualization those two are worthless without your belief in yourself and your ability to be motivated to do what you want to do. Indeed that is the key to it all, being motivated to do what you want to do. Case in point; When you were in college you studied, took the exams and prepared for your career path. After graduation you put together a resume, cover letter and started applying for jobs. Along comes the interview process and after one or several you got the job. No one forced you (at least I hope not) but you made deliberate preparations for what you wanted.

When it’s vacation time or Christmas you do the same thing. You plan in anticipation of the event. You often picture yourself with your family or doing the things you want to do, how the tree will look, what clothes you will wear. You get all excited and worked up about it! Approach weight loss and fitness the same way. It’s easy to be motivated to do the things you want to do. Athletes prepare for events the same way; it’s called VMR-visual motor rehearsal. They run the race, hit the ball, or make a slam dunk in their minds and when it’s time to do it in real time-wham, there it is. You can do the same thing in the area of weight loss and fitness. Know I know that right now your subconscious might be saying “umph” or “yeah right”. But this is true. Rehearse eating healthy satisfying foods in healthy portions from the beginning. Don’t see yourself over eating and then correcting for the mistake. Rehearse it the way you want it to be right from the start. Do the same thing with exercise and working out.

Lastly, realize that stress is an inevitable part of life here on planet earth. Prevention and relief of it enable us to enjoy the journey. Do your best to set aside time once a week, for you. Define “me time” as it relates to your lifestyle and budget. Me time is often necessary and sometimes to the exclusion of what others think is best for you. We can give more to others if we first give to ourselves. Don’t lose out on the best life possible by thinking that you can’t have it. That is the quickest way to a self fulfilling prophecy.

Are you ready to lace up those sneaks and get busy? Here’s your fitness plan.

Fitness

Make sure that you exercise no less than 5 times a week. Increase the intensity of the exercise by adding intervals whenever possible. Intervals are shorts burst of activity that are more challenging for at least one minute. On that proverbial energy scale of 1-10 you should be at least an 8 during an interval. Always start with a 5-10 minute warm up before beginning intervals. After the warm up, if you’re walking, jog or walk faster for the interval. On a stationary bike increase the resistance or pedal faster. Cool down for another 5 minutes and then stretch. Interval training is most effective if done for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Progressives resistance training is the second part of the fitness plan. Resistance training whether with bands, free weights, machines or bodyweight is the key to reshaping your body and increasing bone density. Progressive resistance means you will gradually increase the load either by using heavier weights, adding more sets, reps or all three. If you keep doing the same old routine, you won’t see the changes you want. Trust me on this.

Wellness is the third part of the equation. How you think and feel about yourself, your goals and the possibility of reaching them is a telltale sign of what’s to come. Did you know that everything in this world is made up of energy including us. Other people pick up on your energy. If it’s positive you’ll attract positive people into your life. If you have negative energy, you’ll attract negative people and negative situations into your life. Not getting what you want? Chances are you’re sending out the wrong energy. Negative energy attracts negative situations. Positive energy attracts positive situations. This isn’t a bunch of new age mumbo jumbo, this is true stuff. Just what is your energy? Your energy is based on your thoughts and beliefs. Your subconscious mind picks up on your thoughts and beliefs and creates situations that correspond to them. Other people pick up your energy on a subconscious level. Ever felt coldness when someone walked into a room. That’s negative energy or bad vibes.

If you constantly think of the worst, have a woe is me attitude, don’t believe that you can achieve your goals, constantly complain, and regularly put others down, you’ve developed a negative attitude. The situations that you end up attracting based on your negative energy will only make your life miserable and even more difficult for you to achieve your goals and create the changes that you want. At the same time you’ll repel positive people and positive situations. How do you turn things around? Change the way you see things to help change your energy so that you begin to attracting what you want. I think this a good spot to end on today. Check back tomorrow for the last segment. And remember, happy thoughts!!

Before I get into the last five dynamics of the Weigh to Go! eating plan, check out this brief explanation of the glycemic index.

It’s a measure of how quickly you digest carbs and convert them to glucose. Foods with a high GI digest quickly causing a rapid rise and spike in blood sugar while obviously lower GI foods release sugar slower.

Low GI eating reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol levels and elevating the good. It was developed in 1981 by a team led by Dr. David Jenkins from the University of Toronto. They found that starches digested or broken down to sugar enter the bloodstream quickly while fruit and some sweet treats didn’t. Even if weight loss isn’t your goal, you’ll still benefit from eating low GI foods. It controls the fluctuation in blood sugar, which can help control diabetes. Low GI foods keep you satisfied longer and help to burn more fat. Surprisingly you can increase your food intake (with good, fun food) without gaining weight plus control your appetite.

Here are the last 5 dynamics of the Weigh to Go! nutritional plan. Go over part one again and you’ll find that there’s nothing way out or fatalistic about it.

Limit fruits to one a day and no fruit juices. Fruits are good for you no doubt and don’t think I’m suggesting that you only eat one fruit a day for the rest of your life.

Eliminate most processed carbs. Ex, breakfast cereals, Curves bar. Oatmeal is allowed.

This is not a bad idea to adhere to for the long haul. Do you know the effect that all the chemicals and preservatives can have on your health?

One serving of butter a day. Hey, I think that’s pretty generous, and by the way; no margarine, ever.

Read, read, read labels. Avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup and anything with partially or fully hydrogenated oils. Saturated fat content should be less than 20% of the total fat.

This is one of the most important parts of this plan. If you have gotten in at least 3-4 meals (preferably 4) eliminate the low GI carb from the last meal of the day. Our digestion systems handle starchy carbs better early in the day.

That’s nutrition for you, up next fitness.

Who doesn’t want thin thighs in 10 days or to shed unwanted pounds while you sleep, eat all you want and lift only the remote control as exercise. For some people, patience is not a virtue. This group looks to rapid weight loss practices and programs, this is also the group P.T. Barnum was referring to.In the case of VLCD’s (very low calorie diets) they are not for everyone. A very low-calorie diet may allow a severely to moderately overfat person to lose about 3 to 5 pounds per week. For the person looking to shed 30 lbs and under, they’re not the best idea. Why, you ask? Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. People who do low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits. It’s very difficult to be that restrictive for the rest of your life and bottom line, it’s no fun.

One more thing before I rest with the VLCD’s and other rapid weight loss techniques. More often that not weight loss comes from water not fat. Water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So that brings me to impatience and fraudulent claims. Especially those that promise you’ll lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. If you’ve ever been on a weight loss plan you know how challenging it is to just drop the safe and recommended one to two pounds a week.

Speaking of fraud; here are a few of the kookiest claims I’ve heard of.

“Appetite suppressing eyeglasses” are common eyeglasses with colored lenses that claim to project an image to the retina which dampens the desire to eat. Talk about looking through rose colored glasses.

“Magic weight-loss earrings” and devices custom-fitted to your ear that claim to stimulate acupuncture points controlling hunger have not been proven effective. Supposedly, wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body somehow causing the pounds to drop. Though buying a set may not kill you, it’s probably not a wise investment. You might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.

“Slimming Insoles,” an insole worn in each shoe that purportedly causes weight loss through the principle of reflexology. Every time the user takes a step, the insoles are said to massage certain reflex zones that are connected to the digestive system. By stimulating the digestive system, the insoles are supposed to cause the body to burn stored fat.

Then there is the slimming soap. Rumor has it that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare Chinese herbs and seaweed, that emulsify upon application while taking a bath and shed the fat. You mean they won’t work if you take a shower?! A soap that emulsifies excess body fats? Puhleeze!!!! Take care and be well.

Some things bear repeating. There’s been a lot of talk lately about the problems associated with processed food. I think that lots of them are the bane of our existence, but that’s just me. We’re now being told that eating unprocessed and even raw foods can help us be healthier, happier, and live longer, as well as make us look better. That should be a no-brainer. And guys, this is for you also. Having clear skin is not just a “girl” thing.

No doubt, having an effective and consistent fitness plan will transform your body. Having healthy beautiful skin is also a plus. Processed foods can definitely wreak havoc on your skin. All the chemicals and preservatives floating around in them can dull your skin faster than a New York minute. So doesn‘t it stand to reason that if you want to look younger and healthier, you should add more raw foods to your diet?

When food is cooked and processed, it loses vital nutrients. When you eat processed food, you don’t get the nutrients your body needs to function efficiently. This leaves you less healthy, and one of the first places it can show up on is your skin. If your skin cells aren’t properly nourished, they don’t look as good. You’re also more prone to acne and other embarrassing infections; there are lots of adults who wake up with pimples.

Some raw food advocates believe that just cooking your food is too much processing. Raw foods contain live, active enzymes, and aid in digestion which improves your body’s functioning, efficiency and overall health. I’ll say it again; the healthier you are, the healthier your skin is. Raw food can help to reduce wrinkles, age spots, eye bags, even those dreaded adult pimples, leaving your skin beautiful and radiant. (That sounded like a commercial didn’t it?) We all know that when we’re tired, we also tend to look it. Fatigue often brings with it dull skin and a haggard appearance. The right amount and type of digestive enzymes you get from eating raw, live fruits and vegetables helps speed digestion and gives us more energy from our food.

A steady supply of energy works wonders in making you look less tired.

Ok, so we know what food loses through processing, what might be more important to this topic is what is added, to food during processing. Most companies aren’t concerned about keeping you healthy; they’re concerned about selling their product. This means they add chemicals to keep food fresh longer, change its color, change its texture, or even to make you more hungry or thirsty after you eat or drink it. These chemicals can be toxic to your body. They build up in your cells, which does not, make them function properly. Also, if you have skin ailments, your breakouts may be due to an allergic reaction to these chemicals.

Self preservation shouldn’t come from pickling ourselves with a who’s who line up from the periodic table. In order to look good, your skin needs to be healthy. This means proper nourishment and fewer toxins. Before you start declaring your allegiance to all things boxed and prepackaged; I’m not saying YOU should never have them. Just ease back and include more whole, natural foods.

One of the biggest obstacles to staying on track with a fitness program is maintaining motivation. Doing the same old thing dulls the shine of your newly polished program. Keeping your regimen exciting might first be attained by not thinking of it as a regimen. Being open to new ideas is key to long-term success.

If you had to watch the exact same episode of your favorite television show every day for the rest of your life, you would probably be banging your head against the wall by the end of the week. You would change the channel, pick up a book, and do almost anything to avoid the monotony.

Yet, many people feel compelled to follow the same routine, day after day, and consequently fall off the exercise wagon due to sheer boredom and lack of favorable results. Enter the personal trainer. Right about now you may be thinking that a personal trainer is a luxury you just can’t afford. With the economy going down the tubes there are some tough decisions to be made about your personal finances and rightly so. However, consider the things that you think are a necessity. For example, manicures, pedicures, going to the beauty salon, nights out with the girls or guys. Tickets to sporting events, lattes and the likes. Let’s face it fit buddies there are some things that we will pay for no matter what. Why not look at your well-being as an investment. Will season tickets for your favorite team’s home games put you on the road to optimal wellness more than the services of a trainer? I’m surely not telling you what to do, just asking a question.

A personal trainer’s expertise will assist you in analyzing and creating a fitness program that is right for you. Your fitness professional will also keep you motivated and inspired by knowing when it’s time for a change. As in any other profession, not all fitness trainers are created equal. They have different levels of training, education, and skills. Then there’s personality. Here are some points to ponder when choosing a fitness professional.

1. Certification. Make sure your trainer is certified. Certification lets you know that they have the required skills. Most certifying organizations also require that their trainers take continuing education classes so that they are current with new developments and teachings. It is also best to choose a trainer that has a CPR certification or first aid qualifications.

2. Knows how to give the right attention. A competent trainer should know how to provide his or her client with undivided attention during their session. They shouldn’t be chatting it up with other trainers or their clients.

3. A good trainer knows how to stay on track. On track with your development and know when it’s time to make a move when and if progress stalls.

4. Personality plus. The two of you have to vibe. I know I dated myself with that one, but it’s true. You don’t have to have the warm fuzzies all the time, but it helps. Case in point; the trainers on the Biggest Loser. If you can’t handle a Jillian Michael’s in your face type trainer don’t even go there. A gentler, calmer Bob Harper style trainer may be the one you need. You want to be comfortable, and you also want to be respected.

Choose the person who can give you the best services. Then you’ll know that you won’t be bored and you’re likely to get the results you want. One more all important factor and one that I think is the most significant. A personal trainer or any other fitness professional can only do so much. Trainers are not magicians; you have to do the work and not just when you’re in session. You’ll only get out of your program what you put into it.

Some simple gym rules to live by;

Nothing worse than waiting to use a piece of equipment and someone is sitting and yapping on his/her cellphone talking about God-knows-what. If its that important, take it off the floor.

We’ve heard them, they need to grunt and yell to get our attention so we can be impressed. No, I’m not impressed, nor will I be when my workouts are interrupted because you think you’re on the set of “Braveheart”.

I have my own workout to do and it DOES not include cleaning up your assorted weights. Maybe its just me but I really hate when Mr./Ms. “I don’t have time” walks away from the leg press machine with every plate in creation still attached.

Where are we, the gym or the disco bar? deodorant works just fine…..really.

Its the gym, not the Vogue runway fashion express. Its perfectly ok to walk pass these people and go through your own pose down.

There are numerous things many of us would like to see before we leave this world, your jewel set is not one of them. trust me on this.

Yes, it works great for training if you play sports or are in the military…however, if your waist is over 50″ OR people mistake your arms for those little stir sticks they use for coffee, let it go.

 ’nuff said.

Nobody wants to lie in a pool of your funk. Do us a favor and clean up after yourself, and no, the “I’m not sweating” line is NOT an excuse.

• What I used to weigh
• What I weigh now
• What I want to weigh

Just as I thought. First suggestion, get rid of the “what I used to weigh” set. You’re moving forward, no looking back. And by all means if you have that horrible set of ultimate fat clothes, get rid of them first. As for the ones that fit you now; do what you can to make yourself feel and look the best in them. Go back to my post about Pearls in the Produce Isle (9-22-08). Some people fast forward and buy a set or a couple of pieces in the “what I want to weigh” category for motivation. That could be good or bad. Good, if it really motivates you to get going and bad if it’s only wishful thinking. By the way, wishful thinking is not an aerobic activity.

Meet yourself wherever you are right now and get started. I’m all for plans and goals, however a plan with no action is just a daydream. Stop convincing yourself that you don’t have the willpower, money, or time. In most circumstances we have no problem doing what we want to do and willpower is not an issue. For example; when you were in college you studied, took the exams and prepared for your career path. After graduation you put together a resume, cover letter and started applying for jobs. Along comes the interview process and after one or several you got the job. No one forced you (at least I hope not) but you made deliberate preparations for what you wanted. Approach weight loss and fitness the same way.

When it’s vacation time or the holidays you do the same thing. While making plans you‘re excited about what‘s going to take place. You often picture yourself with your family or doing the things you want to do, how the tree will look, what clothes you will wear. Then, you make it happen. Approach weight loss and fitness the same way. It’s easy to be motivated to do the things you want to do. Stop waiting, or should I say weighting, and do what you know needs to be done. Remember there is another way, it’s tried and true and there’s no such thing as failure. Repeat after me, “No more elastic waistbands”!!!

Nowadays many people are very conscious about their own health and fitness. In addition many want to sculpt their bodies to achieve that magazine-cover, picture perfect look. As a result, gyms, health spas, fitness centers are all vying for your dollars. On the other side of the equation home basements and attics have equipment sitting and collecting dust because the glitter wore off the desire.

Let night infomercials hawk exercise machines, weight loss products, and other paraphernalia to improve fitness with the promise of just paying $14.95 for a free 30 day trial. How many have been duped into paying for and keeping equipment they know they’re not going to use and cannot afford. Deep inside where it counts we all know that exercise is not the only way to build the body beautiful. It takes a certain amount of responsibility about our food choices. Being healthy and fit also requires commitment and consistency.

Dietary responsibility is as essential as exercise itself. Healthy eating provides the essential nutrition you need to restore worn-out muscles to prime efficiency. A healthy balanced diet should never be taken for granted. With the popularity of keeping fit, many different opinions, methods, programs and dieting strategies have been formulated by many professionals. Some are effective and legitimate and others aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

The first thing to look at is if this plan/program directs you to give up a whole food group. As in don’t eat any carbs or don’t dare take in any fat. That’s your cue to run like the wind. Neither of those is a balanced approach. Your body needs carbs and it needs fats as well, in moderate and appropriate amounts. You didn’t think this was going to be a free for all did you?

Just as your car needs oil to keep it’s parts lubricated and running smoothly so does your body. Did you know that the primary fuel your brain runs on is carbohydrates? No carbs equates to fuzzy thinking and slow responses. Can you now see why both are so important to your well-being? Where we get it all twisted is in the kind and the amounts of these two energy sources we take in.

Sustainable weight loss can only be achieved on an eating plan that suits your food preferences, lifestyle, medical profile and satiety signals. Most conventional programs can help you shed excess pounds, but only one will help you stay fit and healthy. It’s the one that satisfies you most. Be careful when choosing a program. Make sure it doesn’t leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for healthy body functioning. Don’t eat foods you don’t enjoy and don’t do exercises that you loathe. Doing either is a recipe for disaster. Building the body beautiful from the inside out does’nt have to be a burden and it doesn’t mean a life doomed to carrot sticks and boiled chicken. Be adventurous, be careful and take care and be well.

Let’s face it, I can give you all the tips in the world but that is no guarantee that you will get up and exercise. There will always be something else that is vying for your attention. What is the motivating factor that will get you to get up and move? Here are a few tips to keep you going while you figure out the million dollar answer.

Let go of exhaustion- Exercise can give you more energy. All you have to do is take that first step. After about 15 minutes those feel good hormones should be kicking in. Also look at what you’re eating, it good be your diet that’s causing you to feel sluggish. Cut down on sugar, and fat and drink more water.

Sweat is your friendSome people don’t like to sweat, and some women are trying to make that hair-do last until the next trip to the salon. Wrap your hair and get a good towel. Sweating cools the body down it doesn’t heat it up.

Remember to breathe- If you’re taking an aerobic class, I know it can be annoying to hear the instructor constantly reminding you to breathe, but it’s important. A lot of people tend to hold their breath or don’t inhale deep enough. Oxygen is an important part of the energy equation; your muscles need it to move efficiently not to mention your heart and lungs. Keep this is mind when you’re working out; breathe two counts in and two out .

Hold your weights properly- Don’t grip too hard, simply hold the weight lightly and let your muscles do the actual lifting. Keep the line of your hand, wrist, and forearm straight. Don’t bend your wrist when you’re holding the weight.

Ok, so back to that million dollar question.

Focused breathing exercises can help you relax and relieve the mounds of tension you’ve built up during the day. Today’s lifestyle and current events weigh heavily on us whether we realize it or not. This constant state of tension is often the precursor to other emotional problems including irritability, anger, and depression along with physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches. Relaxation breathing can relieve these symptoms. What it also does is enable you to have a better quality sleep that leaves you feeling rested and rejuvenated. Think about this; you have 20,000 opportunities (breaths each day) to enhance your health and well-being by changing how you breathe.

Many techniques suggest different positions including: the prone position (on your stomach), lying on your back, sitting cross legged, sitting on your feet with your knees facing forward, or standing. The best position is the one that makes you comfortable. If you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to relax no matter how you breathe. You may also try periodically changing positions throughout your breathing exercises; in fact, some techniques recommend it.

Proper technique is next. Naturally we tend to take short shallow breaths. Breathing exercises involve taking longer, deeper, fuller breaths. This changes the percentage of carbon dioxide in our systems, putting us in a more relaxed state. To accomplish this be sure to breathe by pulling your stomach in and out (toward and away from your spine). You should also make sure your shoulders stay relaxed; if the shoulders are moving up and down, your breathing is too shallow. An appropriate deep breath should bring out the stomach, chest, and collar bone.

The appropriate deep breath is very slow. It’s best to allow about 5 to 6 seconds for each inhale and the same for each exhale; however, it’s more important for you to focus on your technique rather than your pace. Breathe in deeply through your nose, and exhale though your mouth. I’ve also read that a common technique is to tighten your throat when you exhale so it sounds as if you’re whispering; still haven’t got the hang of that one.

 Do your best to focus your attention on the breathing. The point of breathing exercises is to clear your mind of stress, not give you a better opportunity to focus on it. In the beginning, the whole process may also seem a little silly. You’re likely to go through your laundry list of things you could be doing instead of counting your breaths. Just try to bring your mind back to the breathing when this happens. The more you do it the easier it will be to focus on your breathing and relaxation rather than the stress in your life.

Visualization is also helpful while you’re breathing deeply. Picture each muscle in your body and focus on it feeling relaxed. Once that part of your body is relaxed, you can move on to another part. Try to picture the stress physically pouring out of your body through your fingers and toes. Again, this may sound a little hokey, but you never know if it will work until you try it.