Burn Fat and Build Muscle

It is a fact of life that our metabolism slows down as we age. Around mid Twenties, on an average a woman gains around 0.7 Kg > say a pound and a half. By the time, she is a half centurion, she may have added up additional – how much – say 20-30-40 pounds. A man slightly more or slightly less based on his own metabolism rate!

Now a deadly combination of :

Ø Hormone changes due to growing up

Ø Loss of muscle and build-up of fat due to lack of exercises and an undisciplined life style

Ø And stress due to family and work pressures

Conspire to reduce considerably our metabolism rate just as we aspire to soar it up.
So which mechanism / machination in our system will keep burning day-by-day accumulating fat?

There is no hard and fast metabolism rate for any individual. The optimum rate for an individual is the one which helps him reduce fat and build muscle. It may have to be tailor-made for each individual based on his/her life style. That means the CHANGE in life style is a MUST if the flab is building up! We need to fire on all our cylinders of a disciplined life style with diet control and mental, physical and spiritual exercises. To burn fat and build muscle!

The inescapable truth is that we can only achieve and sustain optimum metabolism when we eat, exercise, and live under an optimum emotional state. Our frame of mind directly impacts metabolism to such a degree that what we think and feel profoundly influences how we digest a meal. Metabolic power is not only about what you eat, but who you are when you're eating."…………..Marc David.

Body's Miracle Workers

By the time we realize that we had a cut or a bruise, white blood cells called neutrophils sprint to the site to fight off infection. Right there and then almost at the same time, a classic phenomenon comes to pass whereby monocytes (other blood cells) transform themselves into macrophages (Scavengers). Their job is to surround the dead tissues and gobble them up. That controls inflammation if any.

By the time we realize that we have a hair-line fracture due to a twist or a fall, bone cells called osteoblasts power themselves into a slow but steady action to join the rough edges back together.  And cell damage caused by fatigue, ache or any illness – even cancer – is no big deal for millions of such microscopic miracle workers in our immune system to repair such damage and bring the body and mind back to healthy working energy level.

The gestation period for the body’s self healing process may be a day or a week or a month or more based on the strength and/or weakness of our immune system, as also the nature of injury, sickness and/or damage done.

But for all these things to happen on their own automatically, we have to optimize our immune system – body’s own self-healing system - which is designed to defend us against millions of bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites that would love to invade our body.

How can two people who live in the same house and when exposed to the same flu virus – one will get sick and the other will not? Whether or not we become ill after exposure to the virus depends on how well our immune system works. The virus itself doesn’t give us the flu – it is a weakened immune system that doesn’t combat the virus and kill it that gives us the flu. The key is a healthy, robust immune system.

Here are some simple ways to strengthen our immunity.

1. REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY.

When we become stressed or anxious, our immune system takes a fall. This is due to the release of cortisol – the bad stress hormone. It is important to manage our stress level, which can be done simply through relaxation techniques (yoga, breathing exercises, etc.) Going to bed early and getting the proper amount of sleep is very important in maintaining immune system health. During this rest period, the tissue repair work keeps going on smoothly and silently.

2. EAT NUTRITIOUS FOODS, REMAINING 10% HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

Make sure your diet offers many vegetables and fruits, as they provide essential vitamins, specially vitamin C, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals to help enhance our immunity. Avoid processed foods.

3. EXERCISE MODERATELY.

Aerobic exercise – such as walking, biking or swimming - can boost the immune system. To best support healthy immune function, exercise should be moderate (not excessive) and regular (time to get into a routine).

4. ENHANCE IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH A NATURAL SOURCE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN.

Colostrum, which is naturally high in Immunoglobulin G (IgG), is the only supplement that provides the body’s vital immune components that protect against harmful pathogens in the environment including bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins.

5. DECREASE INFLAMMATION THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

How do our body tissues become inflamed in the first place? Sometimes inflammation is a response to injury, yet many times inflammation results in the body’s tissues as a result of our intestinal lining letting in “bad and toxic” substances. Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract lining is where up to 90% of all disease enters our body. We all have varying degrees of damage to this lining from consuming substances such as antibiotics, soft drinks, pain medications, food preservatives and alcohol. To reduce future inflammation, we can protect the GI tract by avoiding these substances that injure it, as well as supplementing our diet with colostrum daily to help heal this GI lining.

What is this DOMS?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

 

DOMS typically is a phenomenon of muscle pain, soreness, stiffness or swelling that is felt due to microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers within 12-48 hours after exercise or sports activities. It is caused by lactic acid buildup during exercise. However, since lactic acid disperses fairly rapidly, it subsides pretty early – say within 2-3 days.

 

The amount of tearing or soreness depends on how hard and how long we exercise and what type of exercise we do. Any movement we aren't used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contractions (movements that cause muscle to forcefully contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness. Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, lowering weights and the downward motion of squats and push-ups. This has been shown to be the result of more muscle cell damage than is seen with typical concentric contractions after exercises on a level ground, in which a muscle successfully shortens during contraction against a load.

 

This muscle pain is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build. There are conflicting observations that perpetual muscular soreness assures muscle growth as opposed to reports also of stagnation through overtraining.

 

This is markedly different than the acute pain of muscle strains and sprains that is felt as an abrupt, specific and sudden pain that occurs during activity and often causes swelling or bruising.

 

Normally soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment. If not, perform some easy low-impact aerobic exercise to increase blood flow. Gentle massaging the affected muscles may alleviate DOMS by approximately 30%. Yoga still better. Avoid vigorous exercise to allow the soreness to subside thoroughly. Contrast showers as a treatment, alternating between cold and hot water help increase circulation and ease DOMS.

 

TIPS FOR PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE:

 

1)    Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.

2)    Cool Down with gentle stretching after exercise.

3)    Follow the Ten Percent Rule. When beginning a new activity start gradually and build up your time and intensity no more than ten percent per week.

4)    Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise and the amount of time that you exercise.

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…No, Doms Is Not A Doom's Day...

 

Fitness Basically Is Not A Dirty Word. It's Just A Program To Characterize  A Good Life, To Keep Fit To Stay In Shape

 

Not To Allow Muscles To Grow Soft And Weak

Strengthen Immune System

Strengthen Immune System

Before Dinner, swim a while. After Dinner, walk a mile!

WALKING - SWIMMING - EXERCISE

Increases good cholesterol, Reduces bad cholesterol. Strengthens immune system

President Franklyn Roosevelt who had lost use of his legs from polio was able to build upper body strength from daily swimming the white house pool. That helped him easily from wheelchair to wheel.

John Kennedy who suffered from chronic back pains also benefited from swimming in the W H Pool coz warm water soothed his back.

Jimmy Carter ran regularly 7 Kms a day.

General Ford worked with weights- an activity Ronald Reagan used to keep in shape.

Theodore Roosevelt used to take his cabinet colleagues on long exhausting hikes. He trained 3 times a week with 2 Japanese wrestlers.

Harry Truman walked 3 Kms every morning at hundred and 20 steps a minute.

John Adams walked by the light of the moon or stars 6 Kms, returning home in time to see sunrise from eastern chamber of White House.

No wonder, the Presidents had lasting staying power!

Ten Marvels of a Mile

Walking a Mile or Two, Simple Daily Free-arm Exercises and Yogic Deep Breathing will bring you windfalls like this :

1. Well shaped body

2. Strengthened immune system

3. More good, Less bad cholesterol

4. Plaque-free arteries

5. Erect posture

6. Normal Blood Pressure

7. Flight of fatigue

8. Fading Body fat

9. Brimful of energy

10. Improved self esteem

You will never pardon yourself for allowing your muscles to grow soft and weak.