Strength Training Not Just For Body Builders

Strength training is not just for body builders; it can provide many benefits to everyday people:

 

Builds muscle: Strength training helps build muscle, which allows one to perform daily tasks more easily. It also reduces the risk of falling or severely injuring yourself. Adding muscle through strength training is especially important as one ages, because, without strength training, our body naturally loses up to ten pounds in muscle mass per decade. Strength training counteracts this effect.

Strengthens the heart: Strength training improves heart function, thereby reducing blood pressure and risk of heart disease.

 

Improves bone density: Studies have shown that strength training can increase bone density, thus reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

 

Burns calories: Strength training not only burns calories while one is working out, it also increases one's base metabolism so more calories are burned throughout the day. This is because lean muscles burn calories even while at rest.

 

Reduces pain: As one builds muscle, pain in certain areas, especially the lower back diminishes.

 

Increases confidence and self-esteem: As one gets healthier through strength training, one feels better. One can take advantage of the increased health and energy to recreational tasks that were difficult before. Also, as one increases muscle tone and loses body fat, physical attractiveness often improves. For many this is a great confidence boost.

 

To enjoy these benefits, You can start by adding a few minutes of strength training twice a week and work up to three times a week. Having a rest period in between workouts is essential to allow muscles to repair themselves.

 

It isn't necessary to go to the gym to perform strength training; it can be done at home with little or even no equipment. Small hand weights, resistance bands, balls or one's own body weight can serve as the needed resistance for a home strength training routine.

Are Headaches a Frequent Problem for You

Headaches, and the more severe migraine, are a frequent problem for many people. Generally headaches are caused by low blood sugar. This can often be remedied by eating more frequently throughout the day. Always try to eat at least three full meals a day. Additionally, people who suffer constantly from headaches might try eating up to six smaller meals a day in order to maintain blood sugar levels constant. 

 Another dietary factor connected with frequent headaches, is protein intake. Recent clinical studies indicate that sufficient protein intake reduces the severity of headaches caused by low blood pressure. In one clinical study, patients on a six-meal-a-day diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates saw a 75 percent improvement in migraines.

 To maintain sufficient levels of protein and thus possibly reduce headaches, avoid highly processed foods and refined flours. These provide high levels of calories but little to no protein. Also seek good sources of protein from foods such as meat, dairy products, soy, legumes, lentils, and some whole grains. The average person is recommended to consume from 50 to 65 grams of protein a day.

Exercising is Good for the Brain as Well as the Body

Of course exercising is good for the body. Less well-known is the fact that it is just as good for the mind! The brain and the body are intricately connected, and exercising the body has tremendous positive effects on the mind. John Ratey, Harvard Psychiatrist and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says that "Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain, in terms of mood, memory and learning." 

 

Exercise works to improve brain function on two levels: on a biochemical level and on a behavioral level. 

 

On a chemical level, exercise--especially aerobic exercise--limits production of adrenaline and cortisol which are linked to stress. It also increases level of endorphins, which produce a feeling of well-being. Combined, these two factors elevate the mood and rejuvenate the mind. This effect has been proven to combat stress and depression in clinical trials.

 

On a behavioral level, exercise can increase one's happiness and mental acuity. As one exercises and sees physical improvement--whether it's in muscle gained, weight lost, or simply in increased performance--they gain a sense of achievement and a boost in their confidence. That effects positively their performance in all aspects of their life.

 

To benefit most from these mental effects of exercise, one should perform some type of aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. It doesn't have to be a vigorous work-out at a gym. One can simply engage in a moderate activity, such as jogging or walking briskly. If possible, break up the work day, in order to remove the effects of stress from the first half of the day and enjoy increased mental efficiency throughout the remainder of the day.