8 New ways to protect your health -- and the planet

Are you contributing to Global Awareness or taking away from it?

Doing the environmentally correct thing can be a challenge. After all, there aren't many of us who actually have the time or enterprise to compost or the spare cash to replace the washer, dryer, or other appliances with the latest energy-efficient models.
Skip the screen-saver. Instead, program your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.

Skip the screen-saver. Instead, program your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.

But here's a convenient truth: Small changes really do make a big difference -- not only for the planet but for your own health -- and may even save you some money. Here, a few to try today.

Take shorter showers

Install a waterproof timer in your shower, and set it to five minutes. Even better: Replace your showerhead with one of the new "low-flow" or "water-saving" models. They're easy to install and available at home-improvement stores. Look for a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less; older showerheads have flow rates of around 5.5 gpm. (And, don't worry, you'll still be able to get the suds out of your hair.)

Why it's good for the Earth: Using a low-flow showerhead, a family of four can conserve almost 15,000 gallons of water per year.

Why it's good for you: Hot water strips skin of its natural oils, so spending less time in the shower can result in better-hydrated skin. Health.com: How to detox your body

Bypass the dry cleaner

Buy fewer clothes labeled "dry-clean only." Also, look for a cleaner that wet-cleans, using nonhazardous solutions and special equipment. (Find out where the service is available in your state.) You can hand-wash many dry-clean-only garments in cold water, too.

Why it's good for the Earth: Perc (short for perchloroethylene), the standard solvent used in conventional dry cleaning, eventually breaks down into other chemicals -- some of which are toxic and may deplete the ozone layer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Why it's good for you: In high doses, perc has been linked with dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and skin irritation
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Go easy on beef

Make it a tuna or salmon burger instead.

Why it's good for the Earth: Red meat production is responsible for about two-and-a-half times more greenhouse-gas emissions than chicken or fish.

Why it's good for you: Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like tuna and salmon, not only are good for your heart (helping lower triglycerides and blood pressure) but can help prevent dry skin, too. Eat fish twice a week. Health.com: 10 easy ways to eat natural

Ditch air fresheners

Indoor air may be up to three times more polluted than the air outdoors, so go fresh the natural way by opening your windows. For a light, citrusy fragrance, place orange peel mixed with sage in small bowls throughout your home.

Why it's good for the Earth: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested 14 air fresheners and found that 12 contained phthalates, chemicals linked to hormone abnormalities, birth defects, and reproductive problems. Even products billed "all-natural" or "unscented" weren't chemical-free. Health.com: DIY air freshener: Spring citrus potpourri

Why it's good for you: In addition to phthalates, the NRDC says, air fresheners may contain allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and cancer-causing chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde.

Buy organic coffee

Besides "Certified Organic," look for "Shade Grown" (a process that preserves more nutrients) and "Fair Trade" (these coffee farmers are paid a fair price, so they don't look for growing shortcuts). Health.com: Organic living with "Bones" star Emily Deschanel

Why it's good for the Earth: Pesticides and fertilizers used in conventional coffee production can harm soil and seep into water supplies.

Why it's good for you: Fewer synthetic agents involved in chemical treatment means a healthier cup of Joe.

Skip the liquid soap

Stick with the bar kind.

Why it's good for the Earth: Many liquid soaps, though convenient, contain triclosan, an antibiotic agent toxic to wildlife.

Why it's good for you: You can easily overdo it with liquid soap, which can dry out your skin and make it susceptible to germs. Plus, antibacterial soaps don't always deliver the germ-killing benefits they promise.
Health Library

Toss that flea collar

Baths are a great way to de-flea your pet sans chemicals. Wash your animal friend's bedding in hot water once a week, too.

Why it's good for the Earth: Pesticides used in flea collars may contain toxic chemicals, including possible carcinogens, that can contaminate water.

Why it's good for you: Many pesticides are designed to obstruct the nervous systems of bugs. But they can also interfere with human hormones over time, says Sarah Janssen, M.D., NRDC environmental-health expert.

Nix the screen saver

Set your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.

Why it's good for the Earth: Animated screen savers consume electricity unnecessarily, says Taylor Grant, executive environmental advisor of the Environmental Media Association.

Why it's good for you: Eco-psychologists say even a small Earth-friendly gesture can have a positive affect on mental health.

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Weight loss Expert, Author, NSA Speaker

P.S. Call for your FREE Nutritional Consultation today 480-212-1947 or visit WWW.MyFitnessElements.com or your FREE Grocery Shopping tips & list Now fax request 623-399-4199

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How fit are you? See how you measure up

(MayoClinic.com) You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But knowing the specifics can help you set fitness goals, monitor your progress and maintain your motivation. Once you know where you're starting from, you can plan where you want to go. And it's easier than you might think! Get started with the simple assessment guidelines below — based on guidelines provided by the President's Challenge, an activity program designed by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
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Gather your tools

Generally, fitness is assessed in four key areas — aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition. To do your assessment, you'll need:

* A watch that can measure seconds or a stopwatch
* A cloth measuring tape
* A yardstick
* Heavy duty tape
* Someone to help you with the flexibility test

You'll also need a pencil or pen and paper to record your scores as you complete each part of the assessment. You can record your scores in a notebook or journal, or save them in a spreadsheet or another electronic format.

Record your fitness levels (PDF file requiring Adobe Reader)
Check your aerobic fitness: Brisk walk

To assess your aerobic fitness, take a brisk one-mile (1.6-kilometer) walk. You can do the walk anywhere — on a trail or track, inside a shopping mall or on a treadmill. Before and after the walk, check and record your pulse in your notebook or journal.

To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist. When you feel your pulse, look at your watch and count the number of beats in 10 seconds. Multiply this number by 6 to get your heart rate per minute.

Let's say you count 15 beats in 10 seconds. Multiply 15 by 6 for a total of 90 beats per minute.

After you've recorded your pulse, note the time on your watch and walk one mile (1.6 kilometers). After you complete the walk, check your watch and record the time it took you to finish — in minutes and seconds — in your notebook or journal. Then check and record your pulse once more.
Measure muscular fitness: Push-ups

Push-ups can help you measure muscular strength. If you're just starting a fitness program, do modified push-ups on your knees. If you're already fit, do classic push-ups. For both types:

* Lie facedown on the floor with your elbows bent and your palms next to your shoulders.
* Keeping your back straight, push up with your arms until your arms are extended.
* Lower your body until your chest touches the floor.
* Push your body upward, returning to the starting position.

Count each time you return to the starting position as one push-up. Do as many push-ups as you can until you need to stop for rest. Record the number of push-ups you complete in your notebook or journal.
Assess your flexibility: Sit-and-reach test

The sit-and-reach test is a simple way to measure the flexibility of the backs of your legs, your hips and your lower back. Here's how:

* Place a yardstick on the floor. Secure it by placing a piece of tape across the yardstick at the 15-inch (38-centimeter) mark.
* Place the soles of your feet even with the mark on the yardstick.
* Ask a helper to place his or her hands on top of your knees to anchor them.
* Reach forward as far as you can, holding the position for two seconds.
* Note the distance you reached.
* Repeat the test two more times.
* Record the best of the three reaches.

Estimate your body composition: Waist circumference and body mass index

With a cloth measuring tape, measure your waist circumference at its smallest point — usually at the level of the navel. Record your waist circumference in inches or centimeters in your notebook or journal.

Then determine your body mass index (BMI) — an indicator of your percentage of body fat — through a BMI table or online calculator. If you'd rather do the math yourself, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply by 703. Or divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. (To determine your height in meters, divide your height in centimeters by 100). Record your BMI with the rest of your scores in your notebook or journal.
Monitor your progress

Now that you know your fitness level, keep track of your progress. Take the same measurements six weeks after you begin your exercise program and periodically afterward. Each time you repeat your assessment, celebrate your progress — and adjust your fitness goals accordingly. Show the results to your doctor or personal trainer for additional guidance.

References:

©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Fitness & Metabolic Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

Why You need to be aware of Cancer risks?

End-of-Life Conversations Lower Costs, Improve Quality of Life

Advanced cancer patients who have end-of-life discussions with their doctors appear to have better quality of life in their final days and pay significantly less for that care, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The research is based on data from the ongoing Coping With Cancer study, a large multi-site study tracking the health of advanced cancer patients and their primary caregivers. It's being funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Cancer Institute, and incorporates work from several research centers, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Yale University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and the University of Texas Southwestern Cancer Centers.

For this study, Harvard researchers at Dana-Farber Institute interviewed 603 patients and found 188 had discussed end-of-life care with their doctors. They found those patients were less likely to use more intensive interventions, and as a result, had lower medical bills. In fact, health costs for patients who had end-of-life conversations with their doctors were estimated to be an average of 36% lower in the last week of life than for patients who didn't talk with their doctors.

There was no difference in survival or in psychological distress between the two groups. However, patients who didn't have end-of-life conversations with their doctors experienced more physical distress in the final week of life, as reported by nurses and caregivers.

"We refer to the end-of-life discussion as the multimillion-dollar conversation because it is associated with shifting costs away from expensive, burdensome, non-curative care, like being on a ventilator in an intensive care unit, to less costly comfort care provided at home or in hospice, which most patients and their families say they would prefer," said Holly G. Prigerson, PhD, of the Center for Psycho-Oncology and Palliative Care Research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an author of the study.

Studies have shown that about one-third of Medicare expenditures in the last year of a person's life are spent in the last month. A high proportion of those costs come from life-sustaining procedures and care, such as ventilator use and resuscitation.

Promoting policies that increase communication between doctors and patients could lead to better quality-of-life and lower costs at the end-of-life for patients with advanced cancer, the researchers conclude.

In another study published in the same issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed data from 158,780 Medicare patients who died in 2001 and found that despite dying of similar causes, black and Hispanic patients appeared to have significantly higher end-of-life costs than white patients. Most of this was due to greater use of life-sustaining care and procedures. The researchers weren’t able to look at the reasons for these differences in the study.

"These reports help shed light on an important issue: differences between certain populations in end-of-life care, including lower rates of hospice use among certain populations," says Otis W. Brawley, MD, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. "But the issue here may not be about race as much as it is about economics and culture. People who do not have adequate access to health care often do not have an ongoing relationship with a specific doctor. Without a regular source of care, there's less opportunity to build a trusting relationship."

More research is needed, he says.

"These are important, intriguing findings, but it's important that other researchers replicate them before we draw further conclusions. Once that's done, we'll need to explore in more detail what factors may contribute and how. But this data clearly supports the need for further research."

For more information about end-of-life issues and concerns, see our document, Nearing the End of Life

Refernces: Amercican Cancer Society

Rebecca Viksnins Snowden


Call Me For Your FREE Wellness & Fit Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 or e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

'How to use Exercise to prevent Heart Disease'

Exercise And Heart Disease

Are you aware cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in the United States. About 57,000,000 Americans have one or more forms of the disease , while some 945,000 people died of CVD last year alone. This year as many as 1.5 million Americans will have a new or reccurent heart attack and about one-third will die as a result. Although there are many types of CVD, the majority of deaths are attributed to coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary artery disease results from a condition called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the process in which deposits of fatty substances, especially LDL chloesterol and triglycerides, chemical agents from cigarettes, or high blood pressure contribute to a gradual narrowing in the opening of the blood vessels. This process takes place over many years and eventually the narrowing is so severe that blood vessels cannot supply the heart with adequate blood flow. Eventually the effected organs will suffer. When atherosclerosis occurs in the coronary arteries it is called coronary artery disease. When the coronaries are unable to meet the heart's demands for oxygen, myocardial ischemia occurs. This condition, known as silent ischemia, is a form of coronary artery disease that is devoid of any symptoms. It is real and can be life threatening.

CAD is considered a lifestyle disease, because of all the contributing factors to its development. It is largely due to those factors that we can control. Hundreds of studies, most notably the Framingham, MA study, have investigated the specific causes of CAD, all which have led to the development of a list of risk factors- both identifiable and non-identifiable. Smoking, high blood pressure, high chloesterol and physical inactivity are considerded by the American Heart Association to be the 4 major causes. It is fortunate then, that CAD is a highly preventable condition and physical activity is recognized as a highly effective strategy for preventing and possibly reversing the atherosclerotic process.

Exercise can help control blood lipid abnormalities, diabetes and obesity. In addition, aerobic exercise adds independent blood pressure lowering effect in certain hypertensive groups. Exercise training results in decreased myocardial oxygen demands for the same relative workload while it provides an increase in myocardial function through maintaining or increasing myocardial oxygen supply. Furthermore, increases in HDL, and decreases in triglycerides provide added protection from CAD risk. Recent studies suggest that people who have been sedentary and are now becoming active and those who are currently physically active showed a decline in CAD risk.
What are you waiting for get Exercising and prevent CAD today!

Have a happy and healthy day!

Yours In health & Fitness,

Natalie Pyles

Medical Exercise Specialists, Fitness & Weight-loss Expert, Author, & Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Fitness Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or480-212-1947 e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com 0r fax 623-399-4199

'How you can implement Exercise as a Natural cure for Low Back Pain'

Exercise And Low Back Pain

Did you know back pain could be considered one of the most insidious of medical conditions by those affected. It seemingly comes out of nowhere, and then strikes like a tornado. It can hit anyone at any time.In fact, 80% of Americans will experience some degree of back pain at one time or another throughout their lives. In actuality, there is little mystery with back pain. It is caused either by lifestyle factors or physical injury and disease. The majority of cases however fall into one of three broad categories:

1. Disc wear problems occur over time; they dry out and degenerate. Poor posture can make them wear out even faster, and they can tear or bulge, irritating the nerves in the back (chronic presentation). A distinction must be made with reference to sciatica. If a person develops leg symptoms with low back pain, it is likely radicular which implicates the nerve root. An orthopedic surgoen would be the best diagnostician in these cases.

2. Sprains and strains can occur from too much bending, twisting, or lifting and from physical activity, accidents, or just an awkward movement (acute presentation).

3. Degenerative conditions which are often part of the aging process or trauma that can cause misalignment or fracture (chronic).

The mysterious pain that seems to strike an otherwise healthy back usually is the result of long-term poor posture, lack of exercise, improper body mechanics and years of sitting. A healthy back is meant to be supported by a system of bones, muscles and ligaments, but when we allow our posture to slouch, we out added stress on the spinal structures. Eventually, the spine takes on an unnatural curve, and back pain, numbness or tingling in the legs may evovle.

Maintenance of the back's three natural curves helps keep your spine properly aligned. Your low back is the the cervical curve. Healthy movement with these three natural curves aligned is the key to preventing injury. Most people suffer pain in their lower back, which includes the lumbar (below waist) and the sacral (above the tailbone) levels of the spine.

In a report from the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) in 1994, the best recommended treatment (non-pharmacological) was physical activity. Instaed of bed rest, the report concluded that most people with acute back pain should exercise. They should practice endurance training such as walking, swimming, or stationary biking for 20-30 minutes daily starting within two weeks of the pain's onset. (Acute refers to a condition lasting less than three months; after that it is chronic). The New England Journal of Medicine published a Finnish study that suggested that as a two days of bed-rest can actually slow recovery from low back pain, due to the deconditioning effect.

I hope you will consider Exercise for low back pain as a way of relief and a preventative approach.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Sincerely Yours In Health & Fitness,

Natalie Pyles

Medical Exercise Specialist, Fitness & Weight-loss expert, Author and Speaker

'How to Sport Confidence in uncertain times'

Now more than ever You need to stay Focused, Disciplined, and Determined do not give in to medicrioty and stay true to Your heart, soul, and game!

Confidence is a universally desired trait. It affects performance, and since confidence is purely a subjective experience controlled by your perception, altering your perception can greatly influence your confidence. Working on your mindset will likely provide far greater results than time spent training or working out in the gym.

Achieving Your Capacity

You can’t achieve more than your capacity. Let’s face it – you can only give 100 percent, and that should always be your aim: getting as close to your capacity as possible. One of the greatest blocks to performing close to your capacity is problems with confidence.

“Playing as best you can is one of the keys to greatness,” according to John Wooden, one of the few basketball coaches who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player as well as a coach.

In an interview with Anthony Robbins, John said, “I don’t get my players to play to win; I get them to perform the best they can.”

Expanding that belief, you can say, if a player is taking a free throw, his attention is best served focused on doing the task at hand and not wasting valuable space in his mind worrying about the effects of the shot.

John Wooden’s teams often beat better opponents because they played to a higher level of their capacity, even though they had a lower capacity as a team. It was this consistency that earned them so many titles.

The same holds true in other sports. Every tennis player can make a great shot. The great ones just make them more often and at the most important times.

Focusing on playing the best you can in each match will give you a greater chance to reach your capacity.

Focus and “The Zone”

The more you can focus single mindedly on the actions required to achieve a task, the more chance you have of achieving it. Anything else coming into your mind is redundant. When a player has this intense focus, he constantly slips into what athletes call “the zone,” the place where everything is effortless, the mind is quiet and magic just happens.

Richard Bandler (co-developer of NLP) in his work discusses some strange occurrences in this altered state of mind referred to as “the zone.” He notes time distortion in tennis players slowing the game down so they have more time to hit the ball.

The quickest way out of “the zone” is to think consciously, which will happen if you lose confidence or have doubts. Removing the fears and doubts and accepting you will give it your best shot will allow you greater opportunity to enter the zone.

Being Fearless

“I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games, and 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed,” said basketball legend Michael Jordan.

This quote shows that Jordan was fearless. He didn’t like losing, but he didn’t fear it. Being fearless meant he was less likely to get taken out of “the zone.”

I worked with a professional tennis player who feared having the second serve returned fast past her. As she threw the ball up into the air, this fear physically manifested itself in her shoulder, causing the muscles to tense up. This in turn caused a self fulfilling prophecy of having a weak second serve. Even thinking about throwing the ball up created tension in this player.

We addressed and resolved the fear using mental/emotional techniques such as NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). (EDITOR’S NOTE: For more on each of these techniques, please see the “related articles” to the right.) After EFT in particular, all the tension this player formerly experienced was released, freeing her physically to make the shot and freeing her mind to focus on the game. I have seen many muscle memory issues from past defeats and missed opportunities, and the actual process of clearing these up is simple when using NLP or EFT.

Each time you clear a fear, it frees up more mental capacity to focus on getting close to 100 percent capacity, which results in improved performance. Realizing that “there is nothing to fear but fear itself” is an important step. A fearless opponent is always a very dangerous opposition, as he will adjust his game until he finds openings.

The great players do not fear making shots. They are the ones who will make big plays on match point or with seconds to play in a grand final. They are willing to take responsibility because they hold no fear.

Release your fears of making mistakes and just focus on what you need to do. Once you accept you have fears and you face them, they transform into a valuable resource for you.

Fear and Choking

Choking refers to losing confidence, especially self confidence, just at the moment when it is needed most and doing poorly as a result (e.g., in sports). Often, the act of choking can completely alter an athlete’s life and/or ruin her career.

There have been many famous instances of choking but few greater examples than Jana Novotna’s defeat in the 1993 Wimbledon singles final to Steffi Graf.

Novotna, who became famous for crying on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent during the trophy presentation that year, had taken a 6–7, 6–1, 4–1, 40-15 lead and, with victory in her grasp, started missing simple shots. One notable shot was an overhead smash that hit the back tarp. Many shots went out by long margins.

Graf, sensing the crumbling of confidence, went on to win the next five games and the tournament. A great player can sniff weakness in an opponent and will rise to the occasion.

Novotna was a classic example of choking. Gripped with fear, she was unable to relax and play her game.

I once worked with an Australian Football League junior who had lost his confidence. When kicking the ball, he kept choking, which had been affecting him for half the season. This all stemmed from one poor kick he wasn’t able to put out of his mind, and therefore, he couldn’t concentrate on the things he needed to do.

Why is it some shots or failed attempts stick in the mind, and we are unable to get over them? I describe this as shadowing. This one (or more) kick, miss or game overshadows all the knowledge of how to play and overshadows the resources the athlete possesses. This is created from a state of mind that is influenced by many factors. The kick means more than just a missed kick. It could mean letting people down, and this adds unhelpful pressure. If this isn’t dealt with, you can play one bad game after another, which will really make an impression on the mind and can affect long term confidence.

Putting the mistake into perspective and moving on is fundamental in every sport. Michael Jordan had mastered this art. Some athletes perform better under pressure, but it is my belief that these athletes develop greater focus, almost needing something to “kick start” them. They do not allow the tension to affect them and their game negatively.

Relaxing the muscles is important. It is the mind that controls the muscles through its perception of events.

Mind Blocks

One amazing way to improve confidence is to remove a block in an athlete’s perception, which is usually tension created from a poor game or mistake.

I regularly see athletes who are stuck thinking about one bad shot. This blocks them from the mental resources of playing at their peak. They are just unable to stop thinking about it.

The bad event is likely to keep playing over and over in the mind’s eye until the player has learned something from it and can move on.

Let’s say a player played really well in nine games and badly in one. You would expect him to have high confidence, wouldn’t you? But it doesn’t always work that way, as the bad game takes on greater meaning than all the good ones combined. This one bad game literally blocks all of the confidence gained from the good games.

What if you were as good as all of your good performances? What if you could focus on the good ones and forget the bad ones and learn from them?

Something magical happens when this memory is resolved and put into perspective. This often happens naturally, but sometimes it can progress for years and can even ruin a career. When the block is removed, the bad game or mistake blends into the background, and the player gains a more balanced perspective and is able to focus on the task at hand.

I believe the great players learn to let things go the moment they happen and just focus in the present moment and the present shot. Athletes like Michael Jordan can just focus on their abilities. They think about what they want to happen and believe they can achieve it, putting mistakes behind them. Even missing so many important shots, Jordan is still one of the most successful athletes of all time.

Great athletes hold no fear and keep doubt at bay. Losing happens and is part of the game. Great athletes do not invest any energy or mind resource in losing. They get straight up and fight again.

Some will say that the great athletes rely on their ability. This is most certainly true, but how many other athletes have we seen with incredible talent but who are not able to apply it or to regularly get near their capacity. It is not just ability. It is applying that ability consistently.

Everyone’s own thoughts are unique, and it is what these thoughts mean to us that can cause problems. Instead of focusing on playing her game one shot at a time, Novotna let her fear control her, and this cost her the title.

Building the Right Frame of Mind

Since we can now see how the way we think about events affects our state of mind, will changing what we think about change our confidence? You bet it will.

Try it yourself. Think about one of the worst games you have ever played. Now take a moment and notice how your body feels. Notice any tension you feel and notice how much confidence you have. Doesn’t feel good, right? Most of you will have felt some residue energy from that memory. To your body and mind, it feels as though it is happening over again.

Now forget about that and think about the best game you ever played. Think about how great it felt. Tune into your body and sense how it feels. How’s your confidence? The chances are this feels much better. In the space of two minutes, you can completely change the way your body feels through thoughts.

I once worked with a professional athlete who was a great passer of the ball, but when he missed a pass, he would lose confidence. To restore it, he would make lots of small passes until his confidence returned. This seemed far too much work, so we used the following technique: whenever he missed, he thought about the best game he had ever had and felt the adrenalin of that rushing through his body. The result was quite startling. He went on to be player of the tournament.

You are free to think what you like, but we get caught in habitual thinking patterns and assume that is the way things work. Once you realize you have control, you are on the path to mastery.

A golfer may address the ball in the same ritualistic way for each shot to get him into the right frame of mind. Other sportsmen will bounce the ball a certain number of times or hit their gloves together. They are looking to activate a pattern.

If you create a ritual associated to confidence - known as an “anchor” in NLP - then you can fire this anchor off each time you need to access that confidence.

Three Easy Steps to Improve Confidence

1. Clear any blocks. When a bad shot or mistake plays on your mind, just accept you made a mistake and focus on the good shots. You can personally use EFT while thinking about the bad shot or mistake, and it will often clear the block there and then. If this doesn’t work, you may need to go a little deeper, and chances are a good EFT practitioner can quickly resolve it.
2. Create an anchor to get you in the right frame of mind. See www.nlpu.com or any of the thousands of other NLP resources available online. This will allow you to start to control the states of mind you require for top performance.
3. Just give it your best shot. When it comes to choking, realize that, whether you win or lose, doing your best is all that counts. You will win a lot of friends and respect giving it your all. You can’t do more than that. Looking back, you can relax in the knowledge that you gave it your best shot.

Confidence is an abstract concept and unique to each individual. But as we continue to understand more of how the mind and perception works, we can improve confidence significantly, which translates to improved performance.

References:

PT on the net
David Charalambous

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com or WWW.MyFitnessElements.com

'How You can Walk for Fitness and Make it count with a pedometer for Lasting Results!'

IF A Giraffe can do it so can You!

* SUMMARY
* Counting your steps with a pedometer can motivate you to keep walking. Here's what to look for in a pedometer and how to set your walking goals.

(MayoClinic.com) Walking paves the way to fitness. But are you taking enough steps? Use a pedometer to find out.

A pedometer is an inexpensive device that tallies your steps — whether you're fitness walking or simply going about your daily activities. A pedometer can be a powerful reminder that every step counts on the path toward better health.
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* Weightloss (Obesity)
* Travel Fitness
* Budget Fitness
* Alternative Exercise
* Cardio Fitness
* Boomer's Health

Choosing a pedometer

Pedometers can be found online and at most retail and fitness stores. Prices vary, but basic models often cost less than $20. When choosing a pedometer, ask yourself these questions:

* Is it easy to use? All pedometers count steps. If that's all you need to know, a basic model might be fine. If you're curious about distance walked, calories burned or other measurements — or you want the ability to upload your walking data or electronically track the numbers — you might prefer a more advanced model.
* Is the display easy to read? Look for a display monitor you can read in different types of lighting, especially if you'll be walking both indoors and outdoors.
* Is it comfortable? Choose a lightweight model that fits on the type of clothing you usually wear.
* Is it sturdy? Look for a sturdy clip and a security strap to hold the pedometer in place.

Remember that a pedometer detects body motion to count your footsteps. Some pedometers may record other movements you make — not just walking — as steps taken. For the most accurate daily tally, you may need to turn your pedometer off when you're not walking.
Setting — and reaching — your goals

A pedometer provides customized feedback on your activity level, as well as a reminder to keep walking. A pedometer can even be the cornerstone of your walking program.

* Establish your baseline steps. Wear your pedometer throughout the day for three consecutive days. Add the total number of steps for each of the three days together and divide by three. This gives you a baseline from which to start setting short- and long-term goals.
* Set short-term goals. Short-term goals might be to add a certain number of steps a day to your routine or to double your baseline steps. It might be easier than you think! Park farther from the door. Use the stairs rather than the elevator. Take short walking breaks during the day.
* Set long-term goals. Long-term goals might be to make 3,000 or more of your daily steps fast steps or to walk 10,000 steps a day.

Whatever your goals, take them one step at a time. Use your pedometer to set and track realistic goals based on your fitness level. The more steps you can accumulate throughout the day, the better.

©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

'Five New ways to boost your Metabolism Now'

"Metabolism" is the name of the bodily system that converts food calories to energy needed to perform various tasks, like pumping oxygen to muscles during a long walk. Many variables contribute to your metabolism, including heredity, gender and age. But you can quicken yours; here's how.
Your metabolism quickens as you exercise and for hours afterward.

Your metabolism quickens as you exercise and for hours afterward.

Here are your Tips enjoy!

Exercise more. When you walk, run, or lift weights, you increase the energy required of your body, which raises your metabolism then, and for hours afterward.

Practice portion control. This helps ensure you don't overload your metabolism with a surplus of unusable energy (that is, food).

Use a food scale or measuring cups to identify proper portions. Or use your hand as a guide. A fist equals a serving of fruit, a cupped hand equals a serving of cereal or grains, two cupped handfuls equal a serving of leafy green vegetables and an open palm equals a serving of meat. CookingLight.com: Exceptional recipes

Eat smaller meals more often. Some experts recommend eating smaller meals throughout the day, known as grazing. "Grazing helps normalize blood sugar levels rather than producing three large spikes, which is what happens eating three meals a day," says Nick Flynn, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.

Determine the amount of calories you need at Mypyramid.gov. Then keep that number in mind as you transition from eating three ordinary-sized meals to five smaller ones. CookingLight.com: We compare similar foods so you can decide which to eat. Have fun and be resourceful!


Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 480-212-1947 or e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com

'How to use All Purpose Push Ups - Part 2'

In Part 1 of this series, we effectively set the stage for building and rebuilding the push up. This article will look at how the push up can be incorporated to help build hypertrophy, strength, power, power/endurance and torso stability.

Push Ups for Stability

1. Slide Board Push Up


The slide board push up increases muscle tension around the shoulder joint by forcing the posterior shoulder muscles to contract by resisting the band pulling the hands together. We have found that many people who cannot perform a normal push up due to shoulder pain can successfully perform this variation, pain free. This exercise demands a slippery surface as the friction created by the normal ground offsets the pull of the band. If you don’t have a slide board, simply use socks on a tile floor.

2. T-Stabilization Push Up




The T-stabilization push up was influenced by the spinal stabilization protocols laid out by educator Stuart McGill. It’s great for developing awareness and stability of the torso and shoulders. The key to performing the T-stabilization push up correctly is to keep the pelvis and shoulders rotating at the same time and at the same rate. This exercise can also be used to assess spinal stability and torsional control.

You can further progress this exercise by bringing the feet together. This reduces the base of support and increases the stabilization demand.

Push Ups for Hypertrophy

When training for hypertrophy, we want 1) high volume and 2) constant muscle tension. Here are two unique push up variations that address these two components and therefore are great for building hypertrophy.

1. Swiss Ball Squeeze Push Ups

Normal Swiss Ball Push Up	Squeeze Push Up

In the above images, notice how the hands are placed lower on the sides of the ball than a normal ball push up. This is a small change that makes the exercise more difficult by forcing the exerciser to squeeze the ball very hard in order to avoid falling and continue the exercise. The squeeze creates a tremendous amount of tension on the pecs, shoulders and triceps. A weight vest and/or elevated foot position can be used for increased overload.

2. The Arko Wheel Push/Fly Up



This exercise is just plain tough! The combination push up/fly really allows you to maximize pec and shoulder recruitment. It should be noted that this movement demands a lot of torso strength and control. A weight vest can be added for overload.

Push Ups for Strength

When it comes to building strength, I have not heard many coaches incorporating the push up. This is most likely because they don’t feel it provides enough overload. In general, I would have to agree. However, there is one style of push up that can humble even the strongest athlete, and that is the one arm push up!

1. The One Arm Push Up



The one arm push up is by far one of the best exercises for developing incredible upper body strength and torso stability, and yet it has basically been forgotten. Because of its difficulty, we use a specific progression (see below) strategy to help our athletes accomplish this movement.

Stage 1 - One Arm Plank

• The one arm plank develops the body awareness and torso control required to perform the one arm push up successfully.
• The goal is to maintain a flat pelvis and avoid rotation at the pelvis and lumbar spine.
• The one arm plank actually has its own mini progression. We start with a wide base of support and gradually progress to a closer base, which requires more torso stability.

Easier	Harder

Stage 2 - Lock Offs

• This exercise builds off of the stability developed in stage one and starts to add some single arm strength. This stage also develops the ability to “lock off” at the top position, hence the name.

Stage 3 - Roll Overs

• Now that a solid foundation of torso stability and lock off strength has been achieved, we can add the roll over push up. The roll over push up can be done in alternating fashion or one side at time.

This exercise teaches correct body positioning and builds the strength required to push out from the bottom of the one arm push up while still allowing some assistance from the other arm. In order to ensure proper strength progression, make sure to gradually use the arm on the side you’re leaning toward (the working side) with increased frequency and the opposite arm (the non working side) less. For example, the below percentages show how to distribute your bodyweight from arm to arm on the roll over push up.

70% - 30%
80% - 20%
90% - 10%

Once you’re able to achieve a 90 to 10 percent weight distribution from both arms for at least six reps, you will be more than ready to start performing the full one arm push up.

2. Feet Elevated Push Up w/Plate

If one arm push ups aren’t your style, then you might want to try this variation. This style push up can actually work to develop hypertrophy or strength depending on the weight, tempo, reps and rest used. Use a heavy enough plate, and your abs will be talking to you as well.

Push Ups for Power Development

One of the popular push up exercises used for improving power is the clap or plyo push up. This exercise is great for developing explosive pushing power. However, the constant pounding on the wrist from the landing is a concern for some athletes like wrestlers and football players. These types of athletes are constantly being thrown down and therefore having to breaking the fall by landing on their wrists in much the same way as the plyo push up. The last thing I want to do as a coach is use an exercise that replicates something an athlete probably does too much of already, especially something that has a high risk versus benefit ratio.

Here is a great alternative to the plyo push up that we have found to be just as effective at developing explosive pushing power while limiting impact on the wrist.

1. Box Jump Push Ups

We prefer to use a closer, shoulder width hand position on this movement as it has more functional carryover to sports like wrestling and football. This exercise can easily be progressed by increasing the height of the box.

2. Swiss Ball Ricochet Push Up

This is one of my all time favorite exercises and another great way to develop explosive power and speed in the upper body. We prefer to do movements like this for timeframes of eight to 15 seconds at max speed. When performing this exercise, be sure to maintain ideal spinal alignment.

Metabolic (Power-Endurance) Push Ups

The concept of metabolic strength training and power endurance is just starting to be explored in the world of performance training. In most sports, athletes are required to continuously explode and repeatedly produce power, sometimes for hundreds of reps.

This type of power endurance will not be developed with traditional (5x5; 3 mins rest) methods and therefore requires specialized protocols. Below are two push up based metabolic protocols we use to ensure our athletes remain explosive and end up being the last one standing when the smoke clears. I recommend establishing a proper technical, strength and power base before utilizing these protocols.

1. 20/20/20 Push Ups

This is a great metabolic circuit that is easy to remember and doesn’t require any additional equipment. We normally use this circuit at the beginning of our power endurance phase. It takes one minute to complete.

• Perform with no rest
• 20 sec push ups
• 20sec push up pause (hold bottom position)
• 20 sec plyo or clapper push ups
• Rest 1-3 min

2. The JC Push Up Circuit

This is an awesome metabolic protocol I learned from my good friend and colleague, Juan Carlos Santana. You’re going to need a medicine ball (MB) for this one.

• Perform as circuit with speed.
• 5-10 MB lock offs on each side
  
  

• 5-10 MB cross over push ups on each side (alternate sides)

• 5-10 MB close grip push ups

• 5-10 MB drop and returns

• Rest one to three minutes.
• We normally start with five reps and progress one rep a week until 10 reps is reached.

Both of the above metabolic protocols can eventually be progressed so that the exerciser can complete two to three rounds without rest.

Hopefully I have provided you with a wide variety of new push up progressions and variations that you can easily integrate into any program. By no means is this an exhaustive list of the limitless possibilities that push up training offers. This is simply a list of my favorite and most commonly used variations. I hope the concepts in this article have given you a new appreciation for the push up and inspire you to be creative in your own training.

References: Nick T.

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

Call Me For Your FREE Consultation Today! 1-800-681-9894 or 480-212-1947 e-mail fitnesselementsassociates@yahoo.com