By FitFarms Health and Fitness Editorial

Everyone aims to improve their fitness level and there are many options to do this. One of the classic exercise activities that people choose is aerobics. Like any other workout, the starting and preparation phase is very essential because it allows your body to adjust while doing the exercise.

Jumping into fitness training such as aerobics without preparing your body can lead to setbacks, such as muscle strains or even injuries. In order for your body to adapt the demands of aerobics, you should do warm up before beginning the training and do cooling down subsequently.

When you warm up before performing any workout activities, it allows you cardiovascular system to intensify gradually as it increases the blood flow to your muscles and elevates your body temperature. If properly executed, it will not only condition your body for the whole exercise routine but it also loosens your stiff muscles when doing heavier lifts.

In warming up, choose an activity that uses the same muscles you will use during the exercise. For instance, if you are planning to have skipping rope as an exercise, try skip slowly for about five minutes then gradually increase your skipping abilities. If with injured muscle, stretch the affected side after warming up. Then, hold the stretch for half a minute. Remember to keep it gentle to avoid inflicting pain; sudden or aggressive movements would contribute to another injury.

The importance of cooling down after workout is parallel to warming up. It slows your pace from a workout routine particularly the aerobics routine. Cooling down gradually decreases the temperature of the whole body’s muscles and lessens the chance of acquiring muscle injuries, soreness and stiffness. Also, it enables your heart to return to its beating rate and your breathing returns to normal condition. After exercise, continue the activity by gradually decreasing its intensity for ten minutes. For example, after your 30-minute session of jogging, cool down by reducing your pace then walk.

Stretching is another important aspect of aerobics. Your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching after you cool down. It will not only increase your flexibility, it will also improve your circulation and helps maximize your joints’ range of motion. In stretching, focus on those muscles and joints that your routinely use such as the calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Stretch and hold one side for about half a minute, then do the stretch on the other. You will feel tension while stretching, and if it hurts already, back off the point where pain is not elicited. Remember to relax and breathe freely during the whole stretching.

It can be challenging for those who finds time for a regular aerobic workouts, particularly those who have limited time because of their busy and hectic schedule. If tempted to skip the warm-up and cool-down routine, be creative. One must consider doing it prior to the workout routine to prevent occurrence of injuries while exercising. Keep it in mind that the time you spend preparing for the routine is as important as the routine itself. Help your body adjust the demands of workout. With these, you will surely enjoy aerobics while staying healthy and fit.

About the Author

FitFarms are fitness and weight loss retreat camps based in the UK and the Middle East. FitFarms run women only and man only courses that are designed to kick start a healthier lifestyle. FitFarms Fitness Camp in UK have been voted Best UK Weight Loss Boot Camp by The Sunday Times and awarded No. 1 Weight Loss Camp by Virgin.

It is quite a long list but definitely you have been guilty of consuming one or more of the fattiest foods in the states, right? If you are not sure, then go through the article of Sarah Klein in Health.com entitled “The 50 Fattiest Foods in the States”.

It is really very educational article. It is interesting to know the details of these rich fat foods and hopefully after reading this article, it will dissuade you from eating more such food.

Curious to know more about the “The 50 Fattiest Foods in the States”, read more here.

By Julie Brealy,

Food addiction is an action wherein you can’t stop yourself from eating too much food and you do it repeatedly not realizing the harmful effects it will cause your health. Everyone is craving for food. But for the food addicts, when they aren’t able to eat, they start craving for food. They become physically and emotionally distressed as the cravings go on, until eating is the most distinguished thing for them to do. They are craving for something to eat with no real reason, but to just eat. It may be due to boredom, or they seem something suggestive of food.

Food addiction is detrimental instead of enhancing the life of an individual. It threatens the health of the person, causing malnutrition, obesity and other problems. At the same time, it is persistent. Since food addicts eat too much food, they often eat wrong kinds of food most of the times. A normal person overeats on occasion but a food addict overeats every day. It becomes a part of their daily routine.

The mere reasons why a person has this kind of addiction is: hurt depression, despair, anxiety, fear, hate, and shame. Since food addiction provides an escape to painful feelings, it is an individual’s principle way of coping with the painful feelings that they have.

To determine food addiction, an individual needs to ask themselves these following questions:

• Do you always look for food and eat even if you’re not hungry?
• Do you eat when you feel depressed?
• Do you eat too much even those foods that are harmful to your health?
• Do you eat too much and vomit after taking your meal?
• Do you feel guilty after eating?

If an individual’s answer to these questions is “YES”, then, that person is most likely a food addict.
But, the big question here is how can a food addict break his food addiction?

Here are the following steps on getting rid of food addiction:

Voluntary Maturity
A person needs emotional growth. Start the change from yourself. Other people will not be able to help you if you are not willing to help yourself.

Spiritual Growth
Try attending seminars and retreat. It will help you focus on other things rather than wasting your time from too much eating. It will also help take away the painful feeling that you have which is causing your food addiction.

Going back to the “PAST”
Go back to your past and deal with your unresolved issues. Talk to the person who is very dear to you and who will listen to the grudges you have in your heart. It will not get rid of your addiction but it will help. Keep in mind that when another human being listens to you, doesn’t judge you and loves you, you felt better.

This is your “NOW”
Everything is not just about you past. So, deal with your present. This is your “NOW”. Think positive, there’s a better life waiting for you. Through this you will change.

Practical Approach
Do some physical exercises and the thing is that will make you physically fit and healthy. Focus on the things that you love to do. Every baby step you take, you will feel good about yourself. It will result to self respect.

Walk towards you “FREEDOM” now
For a very long time, you were imprisoned by food addiction. You have been locked. You’re desperate and been deceived by your addiction. But the thing is you’re not really a prisoner. It is all in your mind. You have been unconscious and become used of it. But, there is something in yourself that urged you to change and helped you overcome food addiction. You made it. Continue to value yourself more because you deserve to be free.

About the Author

Julie Brealy is the health manager at FitFarms, No. 1 UK Weight Loss Camp and Fitness Boot Camp. She has been working for over 10 years in the weight loss industry advising companies in the US and the UK. Julie is also an experienced deep tissue massage therapist.