Exercise Benefits and Tips

Why should I exercise regularly?

1. Countless health benefits:
1. Good for your heart
2. Prevents osteoporosis
3. Lowers High Blood Pressure
4. Prevents Colds
5. Reduces the severity of asthma (just start a lot smaller than other people and increase a lot slower too!)
6. Reduces diabetic complications
7. Promotes a healthy pregnancy
8. Plays a role in preventing cancer
9. Promotes brain health
10. Helps prevent strokes
11. Helps manage arthritis
12. Helps prevent back pain
2. To loose weight
3. To de-stress
4. Has anti-ageing effects
5. Improves sleeping patterns
6. Good for the mind and soul (combats depression)
7. Improves oxygen and nutrient supply to all cells in your body.
8. Improves muscle strength, joint structure and joint function
9. Boosts energy levels
10. It can improve your physical relationship with your spouse (see how well I kept it PG13?)

(Sources: http://www.health24.com/fitness/Getting_started/16-474,31214.asp, http://www.nutristrategy.com/health.htm, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676 )

What is the right exercise for you?

You can do a great quiz over here:

http://just-for-mom.quiz.kaboose.com/27-what-exercise-is-right-for-you

My result was to do outdoor exercises.  So as a thought for myself, running, walking or cycling would be good options for me.  Running and walking cost the least amount of money.  I’m going to focus on running in my life.

What is the best time of day for exercise?

I read this in a magazine a couple of years ago, and I’ll never forget it:

Morning:	Cardio exercises (running, walking, cycling etc.)
Late Morning to Midday:	Co-ordination and balance exercises (Yoga, Dance etc.)
Afternoon:	Team sports
Early Evening:	Strength Training

Tips for sticking to an exercise routine:

1. Get exercise clothes you are proud to wear.
2. Schedule it into your calendar as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself.
3. Start slowly – do less than you feel you are capable of doing for the first few days and build from there.
4. Get your family and friends involved in your fitness.
5. Allow yourself to slow down if you feel you are not coping, but never give up completely.
6. Set goals that you think are just out of your reach.
7. Have fun with it.
8. Make it a routine… remember it takes 30 days to make something a routine.
9. Always exercise on the first day of the week.  If you miss the first day you will miss the rest of the week.
10. Reward yourself regularly

(Sources: http://happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2008/05/11-tips-for-sti/, http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=73, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fitness/HQ01543 )

How to wake up early…

You know the saying “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, happy and wise” ?   Why don’t more people apply it to their lives?  I’m reminded of the classic advert where the son walks into the house in the early hours of the morning.  His father is sitting on the sofa and says “Morning Son”, the boy walks past on his way to his bedroom and replies “Night Dad”.

So here are some quick tips on training yourself to get up early:

1. Wind down before bed.  If you are relaxed before going to sleep, you will go to sleep quicker and also sleep better.
2. Get enough sleep.  Most humans need 8-9 hours of sleep.  Try not to sleep more than 9 hours though because it may make you more sleepy.  Some people don’t sleep as much as others.  Figure out how much you need and sleep for that amount of time.
3. Avoid caffeine drinks at night.  Caffeine keeps you awake, so even if you can sleep with Caffeine in your system the sleep won’t be as sound. 
4. Get an alarm clock and put it out of reach.  This is a classic example.  I know somebody who has a really loud alarm clock and it is next to the kettle in the kitchen.  I heard of somebody else who put it in her cupboard with her slippers and gown.  Make sure you get out of bed to turn it off.
5. Avoid the screen.  Don’t use anything with a “white” light (like a TV or computer screen) before bed.  A human body is set to feel tired in a red/yellow light, white light keeps you awake.  Use natural lighting around your house too.

Dog Training: Become the Alpha

As many of you know, I have a puppy and her name is Zoey.  She is an English Cocker Spaniel in black.  At the time of writing this she was almost 4 months old, and had started developing quite an attitude.  I have been doing some research on how to establish the Alpha Role in the pack.

I found an amazing website with the information.  Here is the link:

Dog Breed Info Center: Establishing and Keeping Alpha Position

I’m going to place a basic summary of the page below (some Do’s and Don’ts)  You will have to go to the page to get the details of How’s and Why’s.

1. DO: Lead the walk when you walk your dog.
2. DON’T: Allow the dog to eat before all humans have eaten
3. DON’T: Feed the dog scraps during a human meal
4. DO: Feed the dog on schedule
5. DON’T: Allow the dog to walk in front of you anywhere
6. DO: ignore the dog for a few minutes upon entering a room
7. DO: make the dog work for any thing from you (even affection) a simple command like “Sit” is better than nothing.
8. DON’T: Lie on the floor when the dog is around – always remain taller than the dog even when playing.
9. DO: Always greet newcomers before the dog and make sure newcomers greet you first – the dog is the last to get attention.
10. DON’T: Walk around the dog.  Step over or force dog to move.
11. DON’T: Hug the dog when you are still establishing pack position.
12. DON’T: Look away from a dog once eye contact has been established, the dog must look away first.
13. DON’T: Allow the dog to sleep on your bed.
14. DON’T: Allow the dog to mouth or bite anyone – even during playtime.
15. DO: Only give attention when you want to give dog attention.
16. DO: Start and end the games played with the dog.
17. DON’T: Allow dominant dogs to lie on any furniture.
18. DON’T: Play tug-of-war – if you loose you loose power over your dog.
19. DO: Teach the ‘Drop’ command as one of the first commands.
20. DO: Reinforce that everything belongs to the human, the dog has no possessions.
21. DON’T: Allow the dog to pull on the leash.
22. DO: Make the dog wait for the food dish until you say it is OK to eat.
23. DON’T: Allow small dogs or puppies to be picked up whenever they want to be picked up.
24. DON’T: Leave a dog unsupervised with anyone who cannot maintain leadership over the dog.
25. DO: Make your dog lie down and stay regularly.
26. DO: Avoid “weak” emotions such as fear, anxiety, harshness or nervousness – dogs sense these.

At the time of writing this, I have been attempting to follow these rules for only 24 hours and I cannot believe the change in Zoey.  Even now she is sleeping quietly on her blanket beside me and she has been well behaved all day.