"Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes. "

Here are some funny quotes about exercising! I enjoyed them... I hope you do too!!!

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley

If it weren't for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all. ~Joey Adams

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato

Fitness - if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body. ~Cher

The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions, running down their friends, side-stepping responsibility, and pushing their luck! ~Author Unknown

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. ~Carol Welch

A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs. ~Joan Welsh

The word aerobics came about when the gym instructors got together and said, "If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it jumping up and down." ~Rita Rudner

I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. ~Marsha Doble

A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise. ~A.A. Milne

I get my exercise acting as pallbearer to my friends who exercise. ~Chauncey Depew

I really don't think I need buns of steel. I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon. ~Ellen DeGeneres

It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor. ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

My idea of exercise is a good brisk sit. ~Phyllis Diller

Aerobics: a series of strenuous exercises which help convert fats, sugars, and starches into aches, pains, and cramps. ~Author Unknown

Any workout which does not involve a certain minimum of danger or responsibility does not improve the body - it just wears it out. ~Norman Mailer

Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate. ~Author Unknown

An hour of basketball feels like 15 minutes. An hour on a treadmill feels like a weekend in traffic school. ~David Walters

I consider exercise vulgar. It makes people smell. ~Alec Yuill Thornton

People say that losing weight is no walk in the park. When I hear that I think, yeah, that's the problem. ~Chris Adams

If the poor overweight jogger only knew how far he had to run to work off the calories in a crust of bread he might find it better in terms of pound per mile to go to a massage parlor. ~Christiaan Barnard

I believe that the Good Lord gave us a finite number of heartbeats and I'm damned if I'm going to use up mine running up and down a street. ~Neil Armstrong

If your dog is fat, you're not getting enough exercise. ~Author Unknown

I am pushing sixty. That is enough exercise for me. ~Mark Twain

Exercise is the yuppie version of bulimia. ~Barbara Ehrenreich

Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes. ~Robert M. Hutchins

Gym Classes Should Remain a Part of School Curriculum

The start to a healthy lifestyle and knowledge about your health begins in childhood. Everyone takes a lot of their knowledge and habits from their parents or teachers while growing up. One of the most important parts of development and knowledge involving a healthy lifestyle is gym and health class all through elementary school and high school. Due to the declining funds for public schools, it is coming to question whether gym class is necessary. In my opinion, it is very necessary. The obesity rates in the United States are sky rocketing and only getting worse. In school, kids sit in a desk and don’t get up unless they are switching classes or going to lunch. That is on average 5 hours of just sitting on your butt. This is the only time the kids get fresh air either. My high school had NO WINDOWS. We never knew if it was raining or sunny or snowing. Gym was the only time we got to step out in the fresh air and not have to breathe in the filtered air that came through the dirty vents.

I’ll admit I hated gym class and I did anything to avoid participating. The bare minimum is what I excelled at. Gym class is also embarrassing because you want to look cool and having a volleyball hit you in the face is completely not cool at all. That being said, gym class needs to be changed as well. “After all, according to a MSNBC investigation, researchers have found that the average high school gym class only keeps students physically active for an average of 16 minutes”(publicschoolreview.com) a study was done at Cornell University and it said they do not necessarily believe that gym classes should be banned in public school, arguing, “”We’re not saying schools should get rid of (physical education),” but “there has to be a meaningful change in the curriculum.”

Back to the obesity argument, it needs to be fixed and quickly. An opinion article on bruzzle.com said “Simple- we are a fat nation, and schools need to promote good health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, and obesity is one of the main problems. Exercise is the answer. Thus, schools promote gym class as a means of trying to get kids to exercise.” Yes, some of the exercises and sports are not for everyone. Schools need to have different forms of gym class to meet the needs of different types of students. Some students, for example, are not competitive by nature, and should not be forced to participate in sports that essentially results in them being bullied or humiliated. But exercise is a must, one way or another, so gym stays.

http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/158

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/need-mandatory-physical-education-back-schools.html------

I just wanted to share a fun website with everyone that has to do with fitness, but also talks about celebrities. This is a guilty pleasure of mine.

The famous blogger Perez Hilton is known to be a straight forward blogger that shamelessly makes fun of celebrities and everything they do in their daily lives. He also has other blogs for more specific things such as fitperez.com. This blog has serious articles about diabetes and rising obesity rates among adults, but also talks about how to get fit for your wedding or what celebrities do to get in shape. So if your looking for a guilty pleasure and something fun to look at when your bored!

Cosmopolitan and other magazines are misleading!

The women’s magazine Cosmopolitan can be known as the sex bible or the ultimate magazine for women. Yes, Cosmo has a lot of sex tips and some useful advice about “pleasing your man” but when it comes to giving health and workout advice, Cosmo’s advice should be taken lightly. As I looked through the health and fitness section of the Cosmo Website I continued to laugh to myself the entire time. You hear a lot of the time women complaining that diets arnt working, well I have figured out why, the information they are getting is completely misleading. To think you will ‘Lose 5 pounds in a week’ and tone your body with 30 minute exercises is crazy.

I pulled out a couple of the most ridiculous and false things that I came across and thought I would share them and tell why they are so wrong!

This is what Cosmo said…

The trick: Gulp a Slushie right before exercising on a sweltering day.
How it works: Hot weather means your body has to work harder to move, wearing you out more quickly. But according to new research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, participants who drank a Slushie ran for about 10 minutes longer before feeling the crippling effects of heat (burning face, melting body, heavy feet). At 30 degrees, Slushies are colder than regular ice water, and the mix of sugary water and crushed ice lowers your body temperature before you start running, so you can last longer before getting overheated. Very cool

Why it’s false…

Just think about it for a second, chugging a slushie before running! This one actually made me laugh out loud. This is the worst idea ever, there is a ton of sugar in it, it’s cold and will give you brain freeze, and chugging anything before running will give you major cramps because who wants a ton of liquid in there stomach when running?

What Cosmo said…

STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY

If your regular weight increases several days in a row, it's a red flag letting you know you need to cut back a little or beef up your workouts slightly.

Why its false…

Stepping on scale daily is another really bad thing you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Your weight can fluctuated up to 3 pounds depending on the time of day that you get on the scale, the amount you have eaten or drank, and if you have gone to the rest room recently. This is also very discouraging for most people and that why most give up on a diet. If you want to lose weight you should get on the scale maximum once a week and make sure it is a consistent time of day. This will help you stick to your diet and won’t make you want to cry on a daily basis

What Cosmo said…

EAT A BIG, BALANCED BREAKFAST

An a.m. meal made up mostly of carbs and protein with some fat keeps blood-sugar levels steady and hunger pangs away so you're not susceptible to pigging out come lunch, studies show. Opt for something satisfying for your stomach and taste buds — like egg whites and turkey bacon with whole-wheat toast.

Why it’s false…

From experience and many other studies, you should not eat one big meal a day and not eat for a while after. The best way to eat and diet is to eat a bunch of small meals a day with all the different food groups included. This keeps your metabolism running all day and will speed it up for the future. Cosmo is right in terms of a well balanced breakfast, but it eat an oversize breakfast is wrong.

There were also some sections on how fast food won’t make you fat, which is false, and there were also sections on how to lose 5 pounds in a week. Unless you are significantly overweight, you should not be losing that much weight at one time. This is also discouraging because most people cannot lose that much weight and they give up after a while.

My conclusion is the next time you pick up any magazine or read any website that tells you about fitness and health, stop for a second, think if this is logical or not. Most of the time it is definitely not logical. If you can’t decide if it’s logical or not, look back at this blog and it tells you all the right things to do!

Working out the stress

Feeling a little stressed? Feel like you are drowning and just can't get out of this situation? Well one of the best ways to relieve this stress is to exercise. I am not saying that it will make all of these bad/stressful situations go away, but it will make you a happier person and it allow you to compose yourself and have an easier time dealing with everything. Exercising releases endorphins which is a chemical that makes you happier. You will also feel good about the way you look and feel more energized. These two articles present two different ways of looking at the benefits of exercise. The first tells you what type of exercises you should do and what causes stress in everyday life. The second article gives a scientific look at it. Tells you about the chemicals that are released and mixed.

Stress is both a good thing and a bad thing. Stress is good in terms of productivity and motivation but bad in terms of health. “When the level of stress overwhelms us and exceeds a certain limit, different biological responses are triggered resulting in increased heart rate, headache, elevated blood pressure, insomnia, muscle tension, rashes, ulcers and accelerated breathing, which might lead to life threatening health disorders.” Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress in a healthy way. Doctors often recommend exercise to patients of depression in order to free your mind. You should always do an exercise that you enjoy because if you don’t, you will feel as though it’s a chore and you will not make it a habit.

Some of the causes of stress is poor health. Exercise is something that reverses that. It brings oxygen to the vital organs. It also boosts liver functions, digestive activities, metabolism, intestinal movements and kidney functions.

http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/healthtipsexer_sion.htm

This article addresses the scientific part of exercise relieving stress. “When you exercise, your body produces substances called endorphins. Endorphins are formed within the body to help relieve pain and induce a feeling of well-being and relaxation. Endorphins have a similar chemical structure to morphine. Release of these endorphins can make you fall asleep faster, and may help in the reduction of high blood pressure.” When you get stressed out your body undergoes many chemical changes, some 1500. This is called “fight or flight.” To change your body’s chemical composition is not the only way to alleviate stress.

If you are angry and stressed it is recommended to hit a racquetball, golf ball, or punching bag. That is a good way to “get it out” but the article also says to not do something competitive because it will cause more stress. “During stressful times, muscles contract. During exercise, muscles do work, releasing stored energy and allowing the muscles to return back to their resting state.”

http://training.fitness.com/stress-anxiety-reduction/using-exercise-relieve-stress-15587.html

Real poison in Halloween candy is the SUGAR!!

http://www.healthjackal.com/health/2010/10/29/the-real-poison-in-halloween-candy-sugar/

This article talks about the most sugar filled holiday of the year! Halloween is a lot of fun especially because you get to be anything you want to be, but you must watch the amount of candy you eat! In the past there was major concern with poison being put in Halloween candy and we were taught to look for open wrappers and what to do if we found something like that. But this article is saying the worst thing in Halloween candy is actually the amount of sugar in it. With the rising level of obesity in the country, candy eating must be monitored among children and even yourself. I am guilty of overeating candy but the after effects are not worth it, especially because there is a big chance of a headache and a stomach ache!

Myths about food and dieting... don't believe the lies!

Myth: Eating most of your calories in the evening promotes weight gain.

Fact: No matter when you eat them, you gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn off. However, mindless munching in front of the TV at night can push calorie intake over the top.

Myth: Fat free is calorie free.

Fact: Some people indulge in extra-large servings of fat-free foods, such as cookies, cakes and crackers, without realizing that these foods may contain the same amount or even more calories than regular versions. Get the facts on fat-free foods by checking food labels for the serving size and number of calories per serving. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. However, other low fat or no fat foods may still contain a lot of calories. To make such foods taste better, extra sugar, flour, or starch thickeners are usually added. These ingredients are high in calories and may lead to weight gain.

Myth: Carbohydrates (or sugars) cause weight gain.

Fact: Carbohydrates do not cause weight gain unless they contribute to excess calorie intake. The same holds true for protein and fat. Findings from the National Weight Control Registry show that people who successfully maintain weight loss tend to eat diets that are higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat, in addition to watching their total calorie intake. However, some people who eat a diet that is extremely high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat get hungry sooner, which may trigger overeating.

Myth: Extra protein makes you strong.

Fact: The theory adopted behind this fact is that, you can eat a food with low energy density, such as lettuce, and consume a huge amount for few calories. This belief is true to some extent as lettuce leaves practically do not contain calories. A tablespoon of butter has the same number of calories as 10 cups of leaf lettuce. However, generally they are not eaten alone and most lettuce sauces are high in fat.

Myth: Processed foods are not as nutritious as fresh foods.

Fact: Many processed foods are just as nutritious or in some cases even more nutritious than fresh foods depending on the manner in which they are processed.Frozen vegetables are usually processed within hours of harvest. There is little nutrient loss in the freezing process so frozen vegetables retain their high vitamin and mineral content. In contrast, fresh vegetables are picked and transported to market. It can take days or even weeks before they reach the dinner table and vitamins are gradually lost over time no matter how carefully the vegetables are transported and stored.

Some processed foods, such as breads and breakfast cereals, have vitamins and minerals added for extra nutrition. In fact, the growing interest in health and nutrition has spurred the production of a whole new range of foods with added health and nutritional benefits (called "functional foods") such as fat spreads with added fiber to lower cholesterol.

A website for a man and a website for a woman

Men are from mars and women are from Venus.
this just means that men and women are very different from each other. They do not have the same body structure, same metabolism, or same muscles. So that means men and women shouldn't work out the same and shouldn't follow the same diet. These sites are specifically designed for a man or a woman.

http://www.womenfitness.net/

This site is designed for every type of woman. There are tips on how to lose weight, how to diet, how to work out when pregnant, fitness for models, what can prevent breast cancer, stress relievers, how to strength train, and many more things. They also have a shopping section where you can buy workout clothes(clearly designed for women). There is even a section where you can "ask the experts" people such as nutritionists, physicians, trainers, and even makeup artists. The list of what this website can do will can go on and on.

http://www.gymaddiction.com/tipshints.html

This site is designed for men. Although this site is not as good looking as the womens site, it still has alot of the same valuable information. It mainly focuses on building muscle. It shows you the number of reps to do and for what part of the body. It also tell you what you need to do and when to do it. Diet tips are also given as well as nutrition facts. This is an anti steroids site and all about the natural way to build muscle.


Both of these sites are equally helpful and well rounded. Like I said in an earlier blog, you shouldn't exercise without properly dieting as well. These sites are helpful because they show both.

Susan G. Komen 3 day for the Cure

Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure is a National Philanthropic Trust Project to find a cure for breast cancer. The 3-Day for the cure route cover approximately 15-22 miles each day for three days in a row, totalling approximately 60 miles. All walkers must agree to raise a minimum of $2,300 for the 3-Day for the Cure in order to walk. You can organize teams and raise money and train for the walk together. This organization provides coaches to assist you every step of the journey, helping you challenge yourself and succeed. It is not only good exercise but its for a good cause. They also proved food and beverages to keep you going, as well as rest areas, safety guidelines and medical support. Every night they give you a two person tent to sleep in as well as hot meals.

Reading this you might think that this is either too difficult or too long, but all of this isn't for nothing. "The net proceeds fund breast cancer research, education, and community outreach programs. Since it inception, more than $400 million has been raised." Breast cancer is responsible for a countless number of deaths among both women and men.

There is an upcoming walk here in Philadelphia from October 15-17. If you don't want to walk you can donate your money or support. To learn all the details or donate to the cause the official website is http://the3day.org/site/PageServer?PageServer?pagename=homepage

Basic Workout Tips

Before I started working out I was always intimidated by everything in the gym. I had no clue what everything did or howto work the machine or how long to go on it. I also didn't know if i should be lifting weights and whether or not it would tone me or build muscles, which is not what I wanted. Now that I have seen a personal trainer for 2 years, I everything that I need to about weightless and muscle toning(only for girls). This is some simple starter advice that I have and that has helped me along the way.

To loss weight you must work out 6 days a week

Take one day off because your body needs rest sometimes, even pro athletes take a day off

Do cardio every single day, preferably running on the treadmill, but elliptical is fine too

Lift weights as well but don't do it everyday, do it every other day

work every single muscle group 3 times, such as biceps, triceps, quads, abs, etc.

you can work abs everyday as much as you would like

wear proper footwear or you can really ruin your feet and back

always stretch before and after your workout to warm up and cool down your muscles

if you are not a runner, start off slow and work your way up to it

don't push past muscle failure

if something hurts or doesn't feel right, stop what you are doing

make sure there is alot of protein in your diet

eat 6 small meals a day

These are the basics to working out and losing weight. This is just the beginning. It is best to educate yourself on your body and machines in the gym before working out to prevent injury.

Top 10 reasons why it is good to go to the gym (in no particular order)

1. Gives you more energy

2. Speeds up your metabolism

3. Gets you to make healthier eating choices

4. Gives you a hot body

5. Strengthens your muscles, builds flexibility, and builds stamina

6. Makes you healthier which makes you live longer

7. Maybe you will meet a hot guy or girl there

8. It's a stress reliever and gets your mind off of other things

9. Because you are looking and feeling better, it builds your self esteem and you become more confident

10. Exercising releases endorphins which makes you you happy

healthy obsession?

When I had to decide what I wanted this blog to be about the first thing that came to mind was the gym and being healthy. For the past four years this is all my life has consisted of besides school so it is just natural for me. I talk about it all the time anyway so why not blog about it.

All my life I was always the chubby kid. I know everyone had one time or another gone through that but my time lasted much longer than most. During my sophomore year of high school I decided to change the way i was living my life. My mom put our entire family on a diet and i seemed to be the only one to follow through. The obsessive part about it all did not come about until last summer(2009) when I started to see a personal trainer. I learned everything a person needs to know about healthy eating, exercising, and essentially making it a lifestyle.

I said obsession because that is kind of what it has turned into. Not an unhealthy obsession but a good one... sometimes. I go to the gym 6 days a week and monitor pretty much everything I eat. My worst fear is getting back to those chubby days and not having control over what I look like.

I named this blog The Gym... the Love of My Life because essentially Gym is my boyfriend. Always there for me, always makes me feel good about myself, and I know everything about it. If my main career goal doesn't work out, being a personal trainer is my fall back. I always love sharing my knowledge with people and this is a good way to at least share with some.