6 Healthy Benefits of Yoga For Your Body And Mind

Yoga is an exercise technique that also works remarkably well to achieve mental and emotional harmony and helps the mind work in synchronization with the body. How often do we find that we are unable to perform our daily activities properly and in a satisfying manner because the confusions and conflicts in our mind weigh so heavily upon us?

Image via WikipediStress is the number one culprit affecting all parts of our physical, endocrinal and emotional system. Yoga can help relieve stress and balance all of these systems to work in harmony as they should. And at the physical level, yoga and its cleansing practices have proven to be extremely effective for various disorders.

Listed below are just some of the benefits of yoga.

1: Yoga is known to increase flexibility. Yoga has postures that work all the different joints of the body, including those joints that are not acted upon with regular exercise routines.Putting these joint through their full range of motion on a regular basis increases blood flow, leading to more flexibility and less stiffness and pain.

2: Yoga also increases the lubrication of joints, ligament and tendons. The well-researched yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body, further adding to flexibility while improving joint health.

3: Yoga also massages all organs of the body. Yoga is one the few (if not the only) exercise forms that can work on your internal organs in a thorough manner, including those that rarely get externally stimulated during our daily lives. This increases blood flow and improves function throughout our bodies.

4: Yoga acts in a wholesome manner on the entire body. This stimulation and massage of the organs and muscles in turn benefits us by keeping our bodies in top working order, thus helping to prevent disease and illness.

5: Yoga offers a complete detoxification of the body. Because it gently stretches the muscles and joints as well as massaging the various organs, yoga ensures the optimum blood supply to various parts of the body. This helps in the flushing out of toxins from every nook and cranny of your body as well as providing needed nourishment. This leads to benefits such as delayed aging ,increased energy, and a more healthy and peaceful life.

Image via Wikipedia6: And let's not forget, yoga is also an excellent way to tone your muscles! During a yoga workout, muscles are stretched, strengthened, and challenged, leading to a stronger, more toned and healthy body, with less pain and less susceptibility to injury.

But these enormous physical benefits are just the physical effects of this powerful practice. Yoga also helps to harmonize the mind with the body, similar to meditation, but with a more tangible physical result as well.

This in turn creates a remarkable calmness and a positive outlook, which also has tremendous benefits on the physical health of the body. Both your body and mind can reap great benefits through the regular practice of yoga.

Video - 10-Minute Pilates Full Body Workout

Here is a fun 10-minute Pilates workout that will work out your whole body, with some great ab moves as well. The young, fun instructor keeps the pace moving, but it is a beginner-level workout so shouldn't be too strenuous for most, and it will help you develop the core muscles you will need to attempt more advanced Pilates moves. Of course you will want to check with your doctor first if you have any doubts, or any existing conditions that may pose a problem.

Enjoy!

POP Pilates: Body Slimming Workout (Full 10 min) Pilates Video
www.blogilates.com This Pilates workout video reveals Lady Gaga's rockin' ab routine! Also, lots of toning and slimming moves to make you look and feel like a dancer. Cassey Ho is a fun Pilates Instructor who loves mixing up her moves to upbeat pop m...


Some Of Our Favorite Pilates Workouts:
   

How to Get Started with Pilates Classes

One of the best parts about Pilates is that it is good for just about anyone whether you are someone that likes to sit around or a health nut. 

In fact Pilates has gained a lot of attention these days and there are many new classes available at all kinds of gyms and fitness centers. Most of these classes are done with a mat.

Image via WikipediaThere are also some Pilates instructors that offer private classes. They may be bought either one class at a time or in blocks.  These classes are more likely to combine mat and machine work.  If your health club has Pilates machines there for your use, make certain that you get supervision from a qualified Pilates instructor before using. Just like anything, there are good and bad ways of doing things.  Pilates exercises need to be done the right way in order to gain maximum benefit and avoid injury.  As with any type of exercise, you can hurt yourself especially if you have a health condition or do not know the right way to do something.

Be aware that some gyms think that if they send their personal trainer to a weekend course, they are qualified to begin teaching Pilates.  This is not true and can lead to injuries.

Image via WikipediaYou want to have an instructor that is certified by a group that provides rigorous training.  This type of program should consist of several hundred hours of being instructed in Pilates only. Instructors need to have the education to be able to know how to modify the exercises so that a new person can learn them well and not hurt themselves.

Don't be afraid to try out a few different classes with different instructors until you find one that is both certified and has a teaching style that makes you feel comfortable - everyone learns in different ways. Finding a good Pilates class is a great way to get started with this fun and effective type of exercise.

The History of Pilates

You've probably heard of Pilates, as it has become an extremely popular form of exercise in the past several years, but you may not know where Pilates comes from - I didn't even know all of this until recently, and I've been doing Pilates for years!

Image by rozic via FlickrHere is a brief background, that will give you some really interesting insight into this unique and wonderful exercise method.

The Pilates method was invented by Joseph Pilates during WWI to improve the rehabilitation for veterans returning home. Joseph Pilates believed that both mental and physical health is important to everyone.

He said that specific precise body motions could control and reform an injured soldier.  The movements were used by veterans to regain their health and give strength by stretching and stabilizing the main muscles in the body.

Joseph Pilates was a legend in physical fitness and was born in Germany in 1880.  When he was a child he was small and weak.  He was fascinated with physical fitness, and the ways in which it could make him strong and more attractive.

He then became an accomplished skier, boxer and gymnast.  In 1926 he and his wife opened their first studio in New York City.  Many of their first clients were from a dancing background, which explains why so many of the movements are targeted to increase length and flexibility of the muscles. 
Joseph designed the Pilates Principles to help move the whole body into proper alignment, using centering, concentration, control and precision.  Not only does the Pilates method help the muscles but it helps breathing too.

Image via WikipediaPilates believed that his method used the mind to control the muscles in the body.  This program focuses on the core postural muscles that keep the body well balanced. These are essential muscles that provide support for the spine, and in turn support to the whole body.  Pilates educated many in awareness of breathing and the alignment of the spine, as well as how to strengthen the muscles in the torso.

The popularity of the Pilates method has grown by leaps and bounds. By 2005 eleven million people were using Pilates every day, and there are over 14,000 Pilates instructors in the U.S. today. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for more on how you can use this fun and effective exercise form to accomplish your own fitness goals!

Related Articles on Pilates:

• What is Pilates? (emlhealth.wordpress.com)
• 4 Ways Pilates Makes Everything Better (fitsugar.com)
• Ball Workouts - On the Ball Pilates for Beginners (nhlnewfunwaystoexercise.blogspot.com)
• Video - Beginner Pilates Exercise with Exercise Ball (nhlnewfunwaystoexercise.blogspot.com)

Video - 10-Minute Cardio Kickboxing Workout

Here is a short 10-minute workout, suitable for beginners to intermediate kickboxers. Combining kickboxing with aerobics moves gives you a great workout in just 10 minutes (includes warmup and cool down). If this is too difficult or fast for you to start with, be sure to pay attention to her suggestions for modifications - make your movements smaller, don't lift your knees as high, or lower the intensity/speed of your movements. Then ramp it up as you feel comfortable.

This is an instructional video, so she gets right to it - so grab your athletic shoes, and get ready to follow along - in just 10 minutes, you'll get a great little workout in!

10-Minute Cardio Kickboxing Workout
From www.sparkpeople.com, a 10-minute cardio kickboxing routine with our own Coach Nicole! Suitable for people of all fitness levels. This routine will help you burn calories and lose weight. Work out with this video anywhere, without equipment! For ...


Find More Fun Kickboxing Workouts Here:
   

Kickbox Core Cross Train Workout

If you want a fun and challenging kickboxing workout you can do at home, you may want to try Kickbox - Core Cross Train with Patricia Moreno.


The Kickbox Core Cross Train DVD program is a highly rated home kickboxing fitness program. It provides all of the benefits of a kickboxing class, but in the privacy of your living room. It’s a challenge for beginners and expert alike. Patricia Moreno is also praised for her clear instruction that is easy to follow. Patricia has been featured on mainstream media including Good Morning America and Allure Magazine.

The Kickbox Core Cross Train DVD includes four workout segments. Each segment targets a different section. The targeted areas included: Punches, Core Energizer, Power Kicks and Ultimate Kickboxing. This provides a comprehensive workout routine that is fun and fast paced, and works all your different muscle groups without any weight lifting or grueling reps.

To get started with this kickboxing program you need nothing more than the willingness to dive in and get ready to sweat. No special equipment is needed. If you’re looking for a new and fun way to get in shape and lose weight, consider adding kickboxing to your fitness routine. It’s an empowering and effective way to get in shape.

You can grab your copy here for less than half the price of a 1-Month gym membership! Or check out a couple of the other popular kickbox training DVDs below:
   

Fun Workout Idea: Kickboxing for Fitness

If you’re looking for a new type of workout, why not consider kickboxing? Kickboxing offers an intense cardio workout. It also strengthens and tones your muscles from head to toe. It’s a full body workout that provides great weight loss benefits. Plus it really helps let off some steam, so it feels great!

Image via WikipediaJust What is Kickboxing?

Kickboxing is a stand up form of martial arts that involves kicking and punching. It’s often taught as a form of self defense. There are competitive kickboxing organizations. However, you can also find kickboxing classes at your local gym and fitness club. It’s a fun, sweaty and powerful way to get in shape.

A basic kickboxing class involves an instructor playing music and calling out sequences. For example, right kick, right kick, left punch. You’ll generally punch a punching bag however you may also work in teams and kick and punch a pad held by your partner. And sometimes you will do more cardio-based workouts which don't involve a bag.

Kickboxing At Home

If you prefer the convenience and privacy of a home-based workout you can also enjoy the heart pounding benefits of kickboxing in your own home. And you don’t need a punching bag to enjoy the workout and the results.

Image via WikipediaA home workout involves punching, kicking and power moves. It’s a great stand alone fitness program. Kickboxing provides endurance, cardio and strength training benefits. It also provides flexibility and fat burning benefits.

When working out at home, do wear proper footwear. You want to be able to jump, spin and kick with confidence. Simple athletic shoes or cross training shoes will be more than sufficient.

Be sure to check back Thursday for a great kickboxing workout you can do at home!

Video - Advanced Interval Training Workout

Here is an example of a kick-butt interval training workout which only takes a few minutes. Keep in mind this is an ADVANCED workout, so some of the moves are pretty tough. You shouldn't try this if you're not ready for these moves, and you should always consult with your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.

Advanced Interval Training Workout
www.workoutmuse.com Check out this advanced interval training workout powered by Workout Muse. For more killer interval workout music, please click the link below www.workoutmuse.com


Click Here for a Fun, Effective Interval Training Program You Can Do From Home...

Get A Flatter Stomach In Just 15 Minutes?

This is an interesting new weight-loss system I thought some of you might be interested in. I haven't tried it yet, myself, but it definitely sounds like something worth looking into.

If you're like most of us, you've probably had trouble keeping the weight off lately..., especially since the holidays!

Perhaps your excess 'baggage' is all over, or maybe just in certain areas - like your belly?

-And like anything else you're still struggling with, you might suspect that there is something out there that could help that you just don't know about yet...

..so I know you're going to be happy to hear more about this unusual story:

Michigan couple stumbles onto an easy flat stomach trick... <--- Click Here

The facts are, a formerly overweight Michigan couple lost over 101 pounds in just a few months by stumbling on this 1 odd technique that can burn flab for up to 3 days from just 15 minutes of moving...

...yeah, it DOES sound amazing!

And you can see them tell their story in their short presentation below:

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Here are the other important facts from this unique story you may want to know before watching the presentation:

1. They did it by enjoying delicious foods several times a day, every day, almost never hungry a minute...

2. They DID NOT do one minute of 'cardio', but still lowered their resting heart rate and re-captured that near boundless energy like a spry teenager...

3. He also lost nearly 10 inches of stomach flab, and she dropped 8 dress sizes, going from a 12 to a 4...

4. They did this all while doing almost the exact opposite of what most fitness experts have been teaching us for years...

You're going to learn everything you need to know in the presentation (including their inspiring before & after pics) at this website:

Unusual tips and unique tricks that fight stomach fat... <--- Click Here

You also learn the 5 biggest mistakes you've probably been making trying to fight this flab, among all the tricky little details of their fascinating, life-changing discovery.

Just click here to learn more about this inspiring story....

Note: Results not typical. Your weight loss may be more or less than the experience related above, depending on your own efforts, body type, goals, and other factors. You should consult your doctor or healthcare practitioner before beginning any new exercise or weight loss program.

Losing Weight with Bodyweight Interval Training

Here is a great article on how to get a great interval training workout, using just your own bodyweight. Interval training is one of the best ways to lose weight quickly, and keep it off, as it challenges your body in a natural way, without overworking certain muscles while neglecting others, and at a pace that raises your metabolism.

Bodyweight Interval Training
By Yuri Elkaim

Interval training is great way of obtaining the highest success out of your workouts. It's a method in which you go into short yet high-intensity exercise periods which in turn alternate with recovery periods where your body gets to rest before the intensity is repeated all the while aiding you in burning more calories, increasing your speed, strength, endurance and the list could go on as well.

When in comes to working out and doing exercises using intervals, it is important to keep in mind that interval training is not exclusively targeted towards cardio exercises. Using intervals while involving yourself a variety of workout methods is always beneficial to your body. It has greatly valuable benefits when incorporated into your workouts, allowing and enabling you to propel forward to that next level.

Doing intervals while working with weights which is basically like a circuit training workout is always valuable. It allows your muscles to work hard and recover all the while assisting with your strength building. When doing body weight workouts such as push-ups, squats, lunges, pull-ups, etc. using the interval protocol by doing 30 seconds going hard then 30 seconds letting the body rest can definitely help you with results. It evenly balances out the intensity needed to sweat it out as well as the recovery needed so that the body can do it again and again while only getting stronger.

Approaching it from a cardio standpoint, running stairs and jumping rope are also terrific ways of involving intervals into your workout. When running up the stairs your body is going strong then the run back down allows your body to rest and cool down. Jumping rope is fantastic too, you can jump at a high intensity for about 10 seconds then let your body recover for 30 and repeat this over and over. Running on high knees, outdoors or on treadmills, ellipticals or jumping jacks, and any cardio machine while incorporating interval workouts can only serve you as an advantage.

I would highly suggest incorporating this type of method into anyone's workout regime because it simply allows you to move forward reach greater heights and evolve physically and mentally due to the discipline involved when reaching those intense exercise periods.

Fitness and Fat Loss Expert, Yuri Elkaim, is the strength & conditioning coach for the men's soccer program at the University of Toronto and helps thousands of busy health conscious individuals burn fat and get fit by using athletic workouts. You can get a FREE fat burning interval training workout by visiting www.MyFitterU.com today!

10 Minute Trainer: Fitness DVD Workout for Busy People

Here is a new workout I might have mentioned a while back, but I thought I'd post a full review of it, now that I've had a chance to spend some time using it. It really gives you a great workout in just 10 minutes - I feel tired and sweaty and out of breath at the end of every one, and it only takes 10 minutes to work your entire body.

Since we really need more than 10 minutes of exercise, though, I would recommend doing several, spaced throughout the day whenever you have 10 minutes. It's pretty easy to get a really good amount of exercise in, and spreading it out over the day will give you more of an "interval" effect, which has been shown to burn fat much more quickly than 1 long workout, as it keeps your metabolism high.

Here is more info on this very fun exercise program:

10 Minute Trainer: Tony Horton’s Workout for Busy People Fitness Program

Having trouble finding the time to work out? Turn to Tony Horton’s 10-Minute Training system, a series of ultra-efficient workouts designed to tone and trim your body in just 10 minutes per day. Hosted by personal trainer Tony Horton, the workouts take a unique approach to fitness. Instead of starting with your cardio and then working your different body parts one at a time like most long workouts, Horton stacks them, so you get your fat-burning cardio, total-body toning and sculpting, and ab workouts at the same time. The breakthrough Super Stacking Technique–which employs resistance bands for maximum efficiency–is like multitasking for your muscles.

The full program consists of:

• A series of efficient workouts designed to tone body in 10 minutes per day
• Stacks your fat-burning cardio, total-body toning, and ab exercises into one routine
• Includes easy-to-follow eating plan that helps you lose weight and tone body
• Comes with pro-grade resistance bands with Comfort Flex handles
• Customized workout calendar, bonus abs routine, and on-the-go workout cards

To further boost your workouts, Horton has added an easy-to-follow eating plan that helps you lose weight and tone your body from head to toe. The 10-Minute Training system is ideal for everyone from busy moms and dads to CEOs to traveling business professionals.

The 10-Minute Training System consists of four individual workouts and a host of associated training tools.

10-Minute Training Contents:

• Total Body DVD: This workout walks you through just 10 moves in 10 minutes, but works your entire body from head to toe.
• Lower Body DVD: So long, saddlebags. This workout’s 10 effective moves will slim your thighs and lift your buns in less time than it takes to check your e-mail.
• Cardio DVD: No complicated dance moves here. These simple kicking, lunging, and punching moves get you in the fat-burning zone fast.
• Yoga Flex DVD: This total-body stretch routine delivers long, lean muscles and leaves you feeling energized.
• Resistance band kit and cardio belt: Maximize the power of super stacking with Tony Horton’s pro-grade resistance bands, which include Comfort Flex handles. Tony’s power cardio belt adds even more resistance, so you burn even more fat and calories.
• Customized workout calendar: Tony Horton’s rotation calendar helps you plan more workouts around your busy schedule. Start with one 10-minute workout and add even more for faster results.
• Tony Horton’s 10-Minute Meals: Tony shares his tips and recipes for putting together nutritious, tasty, low-calorie meals and snacks in less than 10 minutes.
• Rapid results guidebook: An easy-to-follow exercise and diet plan that gives you efficient results.
• 24/7 online support: Chat live with Tony and get to know an interactive online community that will help you succeed.
• Bonus abs routine: Kiss your spare tire or muffin top goodbye with this ab routine. These moves work your lower and upper abs and obliques to uncover that six-pack in no time.
• On-the-go workout cards: These handy workout cards fit into your pocket or purse so you can work out anytime, anywhere, even if there’s no DVD player available.
• 10-Day lean jean plan: Tony’s eating and exercise plan, tape measure, and tracking journal will supercharge your results and have you shopping for skinny jeans in just 10 days.

Click Here For A Great Deal On 10-Minute Trainer

How To Get Fit 10 Minutes At A Time

Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you're like most people, you don't always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.

Image via WikipediaYou can still exercise--you just need to sneak in the equivalent in resourceful ways. "The idea is to keep moving," says fitness expert Ann Grandjean, EdD. "Get a cordless phone or put a long cord on your regular phone, and walk when you talk. Find whatever works for you and just move. Park half a mile from the mall and walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Those little, itty-bitty things add up."

Every Stolen Moment Adds Up

Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after 5 months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.

In a landmark study conducted at the University of Virginia, exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser, PhD, asked men and women to complete 15 10-minute exercise routines a week. After just 21 days, the volunteers' aerobic fitness was equal to that of people 10 to 15 years younger. Their strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility were equal to those of people up to 20 years their junior.

In yet another study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore found that for improving health and fitness in inactive adults, many short bursts of activity are as effective as longer, structured workouts. "It would be useful for people to get out of the all-or-nothing mind-set that unless they exercise for 30 minutes, they're wasting their time," says Gaesser.

Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, says Harold Taylor, time management expert and owner of Harold Taylor Time Consultants in Toronto, who has written extensively on the subject. "Skipping exercise altogether is 'de-motivational'--you feel depressed and guilty," Taylor says. "If you skip it, you tend to figure, 'What's the use? I can't keep up with it anyway.' Yet as long as you make some effort each day, that motivates you onward. Success breeds success."

Working short bursts of exercise into your daily routine can help you get your full hour of exercise every day, often without even realizing it. Be sure to visit this blog regularly for 10-minute exercise tips and ideas, and you can also find more fun ways to exercise here.

How to Overcome the Weight-Loss Plateau

Welcome back, and Happy New Year!  I know that for many, exercise and especially weight-loss top the list of New Year's Resolutions. Of course, fitness and health are year-round issues, and exercise should be as well - which is why we are devoted to bringing you fun exercise tips and ideas throughout the year!

Image via WikipediaToday we are discussing how to get over that "plateau" that seems to occur from time to time, jeopardizing your weight loss goals - this can really do a number on your motivation to stick to your exercise plan, so it's important to learn some ways to get through these periods.

Here’s a little bit of geography. A plateau is a flat area of land. It has no peaks or valleys and even small changes in elevation are met with more leveling off flat areas.

Plateaus are used to describe what happens when your weight-loss program seems to hit a brick wall. You are continuing with your program but the scale doesn’t seem to want to budge. It can strike a devastating blow to dieters who once saw great losses with the program they are following.

Don’t lose heart. Plateaus occur in just about everyone’s weight-loss journey at one time or another. But, one key to overcoming them is to be prepared for when they come. Knowing what to do next can save you from throwing in the towel altogether.

Why Plateaus Occur

The body is a machine. You feed it and it uses that fuel to go about its daily processes. When given the right foods, it will burn fat stores for energy. More energy out and less food intake equals a lower body weight for you.

When you first begin an exercise or dieting program, there is a caloric deficit because you are changing something. Either there is a decrease in food intake or you have a greater calorie output through exercise. In response to exercise, the body burns more calories because you are doing something new with it. The muscles are confused and need to catch up. This is good.

Image via WikipediaOver time, however, the body can get used to the routine. If you are exercising, you may notice that you are no longer huffing and puffing when you perform a certain exercise. The body is predicting your routine and getting bored. It only burns the minimum calories needed which means that you are not getting as much of a benefit as you once were.

Jumping Off That Plateau

Now that you know how you came to encounter the plateau, it’s time to jump off of it. Here are some suggestions to do that.

* Change your fitness routine – Physical trainers recommend changing your fitness routine every four to six weeks. You don’t have to change your entire routine, just add to it. If you are doing only cardio workouts, add some weight training to break it up and confuse those muscles into burning more fat. (Interval training is a GREAT way to break through the plateau, as you are constantly changing both activity and intensity.)

* Check your diet – As we get more confident in our eating habits, sometimes we relax them. The portion size may be creeping up or we are eating out more. Use a food diary to see what changes, if any, have occurred that could be adding more calories to your day.

* Supplementation – It may be time to boost your results with some supplements. Check with a nutritionist to see which would be helpful for metabolism or appetite suppression.

Plateaus don’t have to derail your weight-loss program. Learn to recognize them and jump off as soon as you encounter them.