You know, I'm a big advocate of regular aerobic activity in any fitness and health regimen. But I'm only human, and sometimes my commitment to regular exercise wanes when I get too busy with some other distraction. Recently I started a new job and have been traveling a lot. My schedule is erratic and if I have to entertain a client in the evening, well, exercise is not on my mind when I come back to my hotel room and collapse into bed.

If I have a breakfast meeting the next day or have to get to the airport to catch an early flight, soon I realize a week has gone by without any exercise. Then two weeks. Then three. It's hard! And the longer it's been since you exercised, the harder it is too get back into an aerobic exercise routine.

I Was In Bad Shape

I used to jog every other day for 3 to 5 miles at a clip. On the off days I'd mix in a little Tai Chi, which I've been doing on and off for years. I never felt better and my cardiovascular functions were perfect. So I was shocked last week when I had my annual check up, and my doctor asked me what I had been doing with myself. I had gained ten pounds, my blood pressure was elevated, my cholesterol was high,and my blood sugar also was higher than before. I was a mess! He suggested I get back to a healthier routine. So I decided to get back in to the groove. A New Leaf! (How many times have I turned those over?)

30 Days To Success

I was procrastinating as usual and just couldn't get motivated. But a friend of mine who is a fitness fanatic was urging me to get started. He said to try the "30 Days To Success" program. How it works is that  you set a target of jogging at least 3 times a week. You think of this as a "temporary activity." You do it for a 30-day trial. After 30 days you can quit and won't have to do it anymore.

I think it is human nature that whenever we need to change our daily habits, it seems very hard for us to make a start. We will feel overwhelmed when we think that we need to continue to do this for the rest of our lives. We get discouraged and never make an attempt to start. But if we think of this as only a temporary change, then it will become easier for us to start. Anyway after 30 days we will be able to go back to our normal daily life.

Staying One A Regimen Easier After You've Started One

So what happen is after 30-days of trial, we'll be getting closer to being in a groove again and it will be easier for us to continue to maintain the habit. This is a powerful way to improve our life. It worked for me!

I  think I'm going to try this out with  15 minutes of simple Tai Chi exercises everyday for a 30-day trial.

Good Luck!

P.S. If any of you have any secret ways to "get back into the groove" of your exercise plan, please feel free to comment here and share your tip with our other readers. Thanks.

Technorati Tags: aerobic exercise, cardiovascular, cholesterol, Diabetes, fitness regimen, High Blood Pressure, tai chi

Besides this type of exercise is enjoyable and you can bring along a friend or two to keep you moving. You’ll be surprised to have this much fun and exercise at the same time.

See Your Physician First If You Have Medical Issues

It is a type of activity that uses your large muscles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. A word of warning needs to be stated though before you begin any aerobic activity. Make sure if you have any serious medical issues that you check with a doctor first. It’s better to be safe than to damage your health. If you’ve got the green light for aerobic activity then check out the different types of exercise that’s will get your heart going. Keeping it elevated is the main goal when exercising.

Try To Find Something You Enjoy doing

You’ll find it in a lot of forms of exercise that you might have done at one time, but just stopped doing. Bicycling, walking, dance, swimming or even ice skating are popular forms of aerobic activity that many use to get their muscles pumping, and their heart rate up. Don’t forget to use a warm up and lightly stretch. Before you stop use your cool down period to stretch your muscles. Of course any of these can be done by yourself, but the best part is that you can take along a pal when doing your aerobic activity. It’s a good way to make friends too.

My Passion Was Basketball

Try to do something you enjoy. It won't seem like exercise, but rather fun. I'm too old for it now, but I used to love to play basketball. For several years I belonged to a health club that had a gym with two full-court basketball courts. A regular group of us would meet there three times a week and play either 3-on-3 half court games, or on occasion, 5-on-5 full court games. Man, that was tough. You had to be in shape for any basketball game, but the full-court games were for those of us who were in really good shape. I really loved it. I didn't think of it as exercise at all. Yet it was very intense. So you might feel the same way about tennis or soccer or touch football or hiking or aerobic dancing or bike riding. Problem is some of those are group activities and unless you have a group, you can't play it, or at least as well. Hey, even walking is good aerobic exercise if you do it at a brisk pace. So now I do the treadmill and watch TV. It's pretty painless since you can set the speed and incline to your comfort level. And it's great aerobic exercise!

It's Great For Your Body

By participating in this form of exercise to sustain an elevated heart rate, and flexing your large muscles, you’ll not only feel better, but look great too. The health benefits of aerobic activity are numerous. Blood pressure is lowered, and the arteries and vessels all over your body are invigorated with oxygenated blood. Bad cholesterol is lowered, and your body is trimmed and toned through weight loss with aerobic activity. If diabetes runs in your family, then you’ll get an extra benefit with aerobic activity because it lowers your risk of getting it.

Try To Exercise Every Other Day Minimum

It’s most beneficial if it’s done at least 3 times per week, using several different exercises. The use of different exercises ensures that all muscles are worked, and that you don’t get bored. When doing the exercise make sure to set up sets of all your different forms, and repeat them at least 7 times. Monitor your heart rate with an aerobic activity guideline based on your age and goals. You can get one from your doctor, or anywhere on the Internet.

In a couple of months you’ll see and feel the difference that working out makes in your life. Take the time to build up in your exercise program, but just keep aerobic activity a part of your life. You’ll live longer and happier if you do.

Technorati Tags: aerobic exercise, bad cholesterol, basketball, cardiovascular, Fitness, heakth, healthy heart, treadmill

Like the Atkins diet, it is a low-carb approach to losing weight. But there is a lot more to it. It can help heart patients and diabetics become more healthy and manage their conditions to increase the likelihood of living longer, healthier lives.

Primary Goal Was Health Related

To make this point even more clear, the South Beach Diet was developed by a cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatson, who wanted to devise a diet so his patients could lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way. His primary motive in developing the South Beach Diet was to improve his patients' health, not to sell weight-loss books. Of course, many diabetics and heart patients are overweight, which contributes to their conditions. So changing their eating habits  and getting into a pattern of aerobic exercise is the method he recommends to improve his patients' health, and the weight loss is one of the results of the diet.

I Can Vouch For The South Beach Diet

I personally have gone on the South Beach Diet, as I have Type-2 diabetes and have had high blood pressure for years. It was my cardiologist who told me that if I got my health under control, it would add ten to fifteen years to my life. Since I'm a Baby Boomer, ten or fifteen years was a major portion of my remaining life expectancy. Both my hypertension and blood sugar levels are normal now. I still take medication for each, but a much-reduced dosage. The doctor says if I lost 25 more pounds, I might be able to cut out the medication entirely.

Carbohydrates Convert Into Sugar

The basic approach of the South Beach Diet is get into a regimen of consistent aerobic exercise and to restrict one's sugar and carbohydrate consumption. Sugar has a lot of calories and increases blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates, or starches,  convert into sugar during digestion. Diabetics might not realize it, but it's the carbs that are really keeping their blood sugar levels high. I never realized this until I switched to a new cardiologist. I drank diet soda and used artificial sweeteners, but my borderline Type-2 diabetes became worse. Of course, I wasn't physically active and my weight was at an all-time high. So my cardiologist said a change in my lifestyle and diet was mandatory. No more procrastination. The situation was simple. If I continued the way I was, I might live only another ten years. If I adopted this new direction, I could expect to live twenty-five to thirty more years. It hit me in the face like a ton of bricks. Time for a change! My cardiologist recommended the South Beach Diet. So here I am ready to tell you about it. Which I will do in an upcoming series of posts.

Healthy Weight Loss Tips: Get member support, nutritionists' advice, the doctor's tips, results!

Technorati Tags: Diabetes, Diet, Exercise, Health, High Blood Pressure, south beach diet

Does it seem like there are more health risks these days than there were in the past? Well, the plain and simple truth is, there are. Now, more than ever, people around the globe grapple with various health afflictions.

From cancer, to heart disease, to fatal STDs; it seems like there is no end to the dismal list. One of the greatest health issues these days concerns what we eat.  What are you putting into your body? Depending on your nutritional habits, you could be doing some significant damage. It's no big secret that fats, sugars, and even carbs can bad for us, yet we continue to scarf them down like there's no tomorrow. And it certainly shows in our current society. A large portion of America is overweight. It's time to make some changes. It's definitely time to get informed. The Internet is your ally. Delve into cyberspace now and get information on cholesterol and fat. Find out one of the prime killers of Americans.

Cholesterol Is A Major Contributor To Heart Disease

Did you know that heart disease is one of the major causes of death now days?  People all  across the country are becoming victims as we speak. It's caused to a great degree by their diet. Have you acquired the right information on cholesterol and unsaturated fat? These heart-stoppers should be taken more seriously. Many individuals don't even know how the whole process works. Well, let me give you a quick summary. Your heart is your body's engine. It pumps blood throughout your entire frame. Now, when you consume foods that are high in fat and cholesterol, you're basically infusing this stuff into your bloodstream. Then the blood has to flow back through the heart. However, the fat and cholesterol begins to clog the arteries. You certainly don't want this to happen. Because if your heart can't pump the blood properly, you may not live. Unfortunately this is the reason why there are so many heart related deaths these days. People plainly and simply need more information on cholesterol and fat. It's imperative to understand what it does to the heart.

What Is The Function Of Cholesterol?

A person's liver produces enough cholesterol to perform all its duties within your body. It is an ingredient in cell structure and is required for the creation of certain hormones.  The only other way to get excess cholesterol is by eating animal products, which have produced their own cholesterol that you end up eating. The result? Too much cholesterol in your body, which ends up clogging your arteries and creates problems for your heart.

Two Types Of Cholesterol--"Good" and "Bad"

There are two types of cholesterol--"Good" cholesterol, or HDL, and "Bad" cholesterol, or LDL. There is twice as much of the bad cholesterol in your blood as there is the good type. The bad cholesterol over years clogs your arteries and creates placque build up. This can lead to heart attacks,strokes, arteriorsclerosis, and other life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. You can control the level of LDL through diet and exercise. Plus, there is medication that is prescribed that can help you keep LDL down. Our position at Natural Health Trip, of course, is that the better way to go is by dietary and lifestyle modification rather than by medication. That's our objective. So we'll be advising you on ways to keep yourself healthy through natural methods and to try to keep you from needing medication.

The key to avoiding heart disease and other health afflictions is through knowledge. You have to know and understand what something is and then learn how to prevent it. And we'll help you acquire that information so you can live a longer, higher quality life.

Technorati Tags: arteriosclerosis, cholesterol, clogged arteries, HDL, heart attacks, heart disease, LDL, stroke