What Is Pilates?

Pilates is a body conditioning method that seeks to build strength, coordination, flexibility and endurance without adding any muscle bulk.

Pilates also helps increase the circulation which gets the blood flowing to every cell of your body.

It also helps to sculpt the body as well as strengthen the body’s -powerhouse- or -core-.

People who faithfully do Pilates feel that they are less prone to injury, have better posture and experience better overall health.

Joseph H. Pilates who founded the Pilates method was born in Germany. He was especially frail as a child as he had asthma along with other childhood conditions.

In order to grow stronger and to build up his body, he took up a variety of sports and even became an accomplished athlete. He served as a nurse during the First World War in Great Britain.

It was here that he designed exercise methods as well as equipment for soldiers and other immobilized patients.

Pilates also developed a series of exercises that used a mat which focused on the torso. These exercises were based upon different exercise methods from all over the world including the mind-body formats of Chinese martial arts and yoga.

Joseph Pilates believed that our mental and physical health are all intertwined. His exercise program was designed around principles that support his philosophy.

These include concentration, control, flowing movements, precision and breathing.

There are two basic ways to exercise doing Pilates. You can either focus on mat exercises or you can use a variety of machines to strengthen and tone the body using the principle of resistance.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Beauty and Fitness

Health is wealth. By being physically fit, it can make a person look lean both inside and out.

There is a lot a person can do such jogging or walking  in the morning, playing basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, the best thing to do will be to sign up and workout in a gym.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Physical exercise is beneficial because it helps maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death.  It also makes a person feel happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety. It has also shown to make a person with an active lifestyle live longer than a person who doesn’t.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and make one either gain or lose weight.

A person who has never worked out before should do it gradually. Doing it too much for the first time can make one pull a muscle or have an injury making it worse. Endurance will never be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be good to the person.

Focusing on certain portion in the body can help make it improve. A good example is going to the gym and doing a workout more often in a specific area such as the abs can give one a chest pack.

But beauty is not only about having muscles which is what people can see. It is also about enhancing the beauty within.

Here are some things one can do everyday to stay beautiful and healthy;

Reading books and other reading material more often keeps the mind sharp just like working out keeps the body in shape.

Work no matter what kind it is produces stress. One can reduce this by taking the time out to do something special like lying in a hot tub, shopping or watching a movie. Studies have shown it is reliever and helps one from looking haggardly.

Pollution is something people cannot control given the size of the problem. When one goes out, it is best to put some form of protection such as beauty products that contain antioxidants that protect the skin from damage. There are also other beauty products available and choosing the right one with the help of a dermatologist can help the person.

Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.

For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

Lastly, it is best to always start the day with a positive outlook. Just as studies have shown that exercise makes a person feel happier, smiling produces the same effect. A smile can do a lot and it is contagious in a positive sense. It brightens the day of not only one but others as well.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Fitness for Women – Stay Fit and Healthy!

Here are 10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy:

1.    Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet.

Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.

2.    Drink plenty of water.

Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.

3.    Take Vitamins and Supplements.

Do not forget your Calcium supplement.  Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.

4.    Quit smoking.

If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big “NO” for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.

5.    Incorporate exercises in your daily routine.

Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

6.    Avoid stress.

Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.

7.    Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.

8.    Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile.

Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.

9.    Visit your Gynecologist.

Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature

10.     Safe sex is strongly recommended.

Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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A Life Of Health And Fitness

Health and fitness are topics that are in everybody’s mouths.

What’s the newest fad diet? Does it work? Where can you go for a workout? Are there workouts that guarantee weight loss. These are just some of the questions that people keep asking these days.

But even if it is the fad these days, only a few actually adhere to a healthy lifestyle. Most people will still eat junk and will still fill their plates with fats and carbohydrates. Most would still rather sit on the couch and watch TV than work out at the gym or do some jogging. Old habits, after all, die hard. But starting a healthy lifestyle is not really as impossible as you think it is. In fact, with commitment and discipline, you can actually start walking the road to health and fitness. It will be hard but just imagine the rewards that you will get in return.

People who live healthy will get to enjoy more of their lives, not only in terms of reaching 100 years old but in enjoying each moment of your life because you are illness-free. Often, people who eat right are more capable in performing their tasks at the office and are more able to get advancements in their careers. These guys do not take leaves of absence and when they do, they use it to have fun and unwind and not to recover from a bad illness.

People who eat healthy and work out will also have great bodies and are more physically attractive.

They are more likely to have better sex life and more romantic involvements, which in turn can make them more satisfied with life. These things are chained situations. Start in a positive light and you will end with a positive light too.

But despite the numerous benefits that you get from living a healthy lifestyle, why do people still stick to their old habits. One of the reasons is of course the unwillingness. After all, who would want to quit something that you enjoy doing or eating? Most people will not be willing to part ways with what they have been so used to doing. Just imagine saying goodbye to a comfort food or a hobby that makes you happy, will you do it?

Another reason is perhaps the difficulty. Most people attempt to change their ways for various reasons, health problems, relationship woes, even financial but most of the time they don’t see their plans through. They will try for a week and perhaps continue for a couple of weeks and then go back to their old habits after some time. They do not continue with their plans. One of the main reasons why is the lack of desire. To be successful in combating a bad habit, you need to really want it bad enough. You need to make sure that every temptation will not serve as temptation. Sometimes, will power is not enough for this. You also need the support of the people around you. This is why a lot of the programs right now that are created to help people change have a network of support system that will help their members.

So if you want to live a life of health and fitness, make the change now. There are a lot of benefits to it. You just need to fully commit to it and create your own support system.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Yoga – New Form

After 3 hours my article about “New Form of Yoga” is on Google Top 10.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Instant 10 minute Yoga: New Form of Yoga

Do you drag yourself out of bed on Monday mornings, exhausted before you’ve even begun the week. Or maybe you can’t enjoy your evenings, because work drains you of every ounce of energy.

Don’t worry, you can boost your energy levels and balance your body with a new form of yoga – dynamic yoga.

Its simplicity and almost instantaneous benefits have made it one of the most fashionable alternative exercises of the new Millennium. Normally known for its relaxation benefits, dynamic yoga can boost your energy levels in just 10 minutes.

It includes some of the most basic yoga postures.

You can try each of them individually, or in succession, but none of them should be rushed. However, you should feel the benefits after just ten minutes.

The deep stretches and graceful movements help to unblock energy, improve muscle tone and increase your general stamina. When practised regularly, say enthusiasts, you will experience improved energy levels, greater sexual vitality and better self-discipline. In the long-term, the breathing and body exercises will help detoxify your mind of tension and strain, creating calm and an inner peace.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Weight Training

For those that would like a more vigorous workout plan, weight training is a viable option that can combine building muscle tone and working the cardiovascular system.

Weight training tones your muscles and raises your metabolism, which helps your body burn more calories not only when exercising, but also while you sleep.
Weight training reverses the natural decline in your metabolism, which begins around age 30; therefore this is something to think about for all those who have reached that age.

Working with weights can produce a great deal of energy, and a full workout works almost all of the 650 muscles in your body.

Looking toward long-term benefits, weight training strengthens bones, which can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. This of course is of very big concern amongst women, since osteoporosis afflicts women much more than men. Many women worry that weight training will make them muscular and bulky like a mans; yet you must keep in mind that men and women have different muscular structures, therefore weight training will not develop big muscles on women, just toned muscles.

Not only is weight training a routine that makes you strong, it is a routine that trains the body to build muscle instead of fat, takes stress off key areas of the body such as the lower back, making you less prone to injury in that area.

Since high blood pressure or hypertension is a big concern with those who are obese, it is welcome news that weight training decreases your resting blood pressure. Weight training has also been proven to increase your blood level of HDL cholesterol, which is commonly referred to as good cholesterol.

Overall health is definitely improved through weight training. It is best to start with a plan, which may be joining a gym where you can regularly go to get a full workout, or purchasing a home workout system that uses resistance instead of weights but produces similar results. You must assess what type of person you are, and make the appropriate decision from there. If you like the idea of going out somewhere daily for your workout, welcoming the change of scenery and benefiting from the comradery of others who are also training, then you may want to opt for a gym membership. However, if you know you are the type that enjoys working alone and will not work out unless its in the convenience of your home where you do not have to get dressed and go out, then the home gym system option is for you. Only you can make this assessment of yourself. Some popular home gym systems include CrossBarTM and BowFlexTM. Many quality home workout systems exist, but of course none work when not used, so be sure that you remain focused and dedicated to your plan.

Whatever exercise plan you choose, it is best to exercise first thing in the morning, every morning.

Our bodies were made to be active daily, and when exercise is performed in the morning, people are more successful at exercising consistently. Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible. Consider utilizing music, a book on tape, or watching television during your workout, depending on the type and location of your workout. If you’re a walker for example, you may want to get a good CD player to listen to music or books on tape. If you’re exercising inside, you may want to setup a television set or a stereo so that you can watch or listen while exercising.

Whatever you do, make your exercise experience one you look forward to each day.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Tips for Better Pilates

So that you get the maximum benefits from your Pilates exercises you want to make sure that you are thinking about these tips all the time:

Staying Focuses

• Pilates is made so that your breathing techniques combine with your body moving.  Many of the Qualified Pilates instructors will teach you the ways to keep the rhythm of your breathing in tune with the exercises that you do.

• You will also be told to keep your mind on the muscles and do what you need to do.  Pilate’s main idea is to bring your mind in sync with your body.  This will help you to feel clam and give you a stress free life.

Comfort

• You want to make sure that you wear comfortable attire and remember that Pilates is usually done with no shoes on.  If you start to feel uncomfortable in any way, have pain, or feel stressed out then you need to stop for a while.

Flow

• When you do your Pilates you should avoid any quick motions and jerky movements.  Each time you move you should take it slow and be strong and flexible.

• Joseph Pilates worked with dancers to that the movements would feel more like a dance.

Put your heart into the motion

• A good thing about Pilates is that you will not get sweaty.  You may however choose to do the exercises faster so that you can get your heart rate up and keep moving at all times.

Pilates is mostly about the strength and flexibility in your body.

You may want to also use aerobic exercises like walking quickly or swimming.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Learning the Pilates Method

If you are someone that is new to Pilates, you may not know that it is growing quickly as a form of exercise in the world these days.  Within the U.S. the numbers are reaching an amazing 10.6 million people using it.

The practice of Pilates is gaining speed over the world.

The Pilates form was founded from rehabilitation uses of Joseph Pilates.

The methods that teach us about balancing the body, mind and the soul will help our goals of getting better health.

It does not matter how old you are, the good method of exercise will help you look and feel your best.  No matter what your age is or what type of physical health you are in, the Pilates method will work in your favor.

Pilates will work with the core muscles and build up strength.

It will also help flexibility and the agility in your body.  Pilates can even help to take away back pain and other chronic problems.

Pilates will help to transform the way that your body looks and feels and you will have more method of performing.  Strength is build without adding up the excess build and help you to create a more sleek and toned up body.  You will thin your thighs and even give yourself a nice flat stomach.

Pilates will also teach your body awareness and how to have good posture.

You will be able to move easier and many professional dancers have even found many benefits from Pilates for many years.  Athletes use it for injury prevention in their line of work and celebrities find it great to keep their great figures.

Pilates has acted as a miracle with a lot of great benefits and many advantages.  Pilates is very safe and effective for people.  The equipment is not extreme and very easy to use.  The most important piece of equipment is the floor mat.  Remember no matter what your age is and what type of condition your body is in, Pilates can help you discover the true meaning of a healthier and fit body.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Why aren’t I building muscle

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Have you been going to the gym regularly for months and haven’t been able to put on any serious poundage? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to take a step back and make some plans. Building muscle is not rocket science. There are four key factors that will mean the difference between building muscle or staying skinny. You have to ask yourself these four questions.

Is my diet optimized for building muscle?

It’s time to get out of the “3 meals per day” mentality. If you want to gain (or lose) weight you need to feed your body whole foods, six times per day. This means splitting your large meals up and eating about once every three hours. Not only is this good for your metabolism, but your body will use the foods instead of storing them as fat.

Your six meals per day should consist of mainly complex carbohydrates and protein. You should aim for at least thirty grams of protein per meal. High protein foods include lean meat, chicken, fish, egg whites, cheese and milk products. Complex carbohydrates are found in brown rice, brown bread and potatoes. Stay away from foods high in salt and sugar

Should I be using supplements, and when should I be taking them?

If you can afford supplements you should be using them. The basic three you should be considering are protein, carbs and creatine. Whey protein supplements are the fastest known way to deliver quality protein to your muscles. This makes shakes particularly effective after your workouts, when your body is craving protein for muscle re-growth.

There are three key times that supplements should be taken. First thing in the morning, after your workout and before bed. If your diet is up to scratch you shouldn’t need supplements at any other time. Don’t use supplements to replace meals. Supplements are supplements, not meal replacements.

Am I training hard and not smart?

The biggest mistake the new lifters make is thinking that the more they workout the bigger they’ll get. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Two basic rules you must remember when it comes to weight training. First, quality is better than quantity. Second, compound exercises are the kings of building muscle.

Compound exercises require at least two joint movements. Big compound exercises are the squat, bench press, wide grip pull up and seated row. These movements recruit many more muscles fibers to use to move the weight. This means more muscle groups are worked, the exercise is more challenging and the potential for growth is much greater.

Generally you should be doing three compound exercises for one isolation exercise. For example your back/biceps workout might consist of wide grip pull ups, seated row, bent over row and standing bicep curl. You might think this is not enough work for your biceps? Wrong. Your biceps are worked heavily in all over these exercises; the bicep curl just finishes them off.

The length of any training session should not exceed one hour. And you only need to train one muscle group once per week. This means a split routine should only need to be three days per week. In fact, most professional bodybuilders only train four times per week. Remember, it’s quality not quantity.

Do I get enough rest and recovery time?

When you workout you’re not building your muscles, you’re breaking them down. The reason why you looked “pumped up” when you’re in the gym is because your muscle tissue is swollen and damaged. Your muscles actually grow when you are resting. So in simple terms, no rest equals no muscle growth.

So take it easy when you’re not working out. Ease up on the cardio. And make sure you get plenty of sleep. Sleep is the body’s number one time for building muscle. This is also why it’s important to eat before bed, so your body has the fuel to repair muscle in your sleep.

Simple isn’t it?

So you can see that despite what you read in magazines or on the web about building muscle, it’s surprisingly simple. If you get the four aspects I have mentioned in this article right, you will build muscle. If you’ve got any questions, I’m available on the forum on my site. See links in my bio.

Author: Ute Schaedler, Health, Fitness, Marketing & Publishing. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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