Sites and Resources for Fitness and Nutrition Health

The purpose of this blog is to give you health advice that will enrich your life through a healthy lifestyle. Through trial and error I hope to enlighten each individual to find their health niche. I firmly believe that to be healthy, what works for some may not work for others. For example, although I will envy the health benefits of yoga, yoga is not my cup of tea. I tried it, so I'm not just blowing smoke!

I put together some health sites and resources that can help you find interesting ways to stay healthy in all aspects of overall wellness. Some I may have given in the past but they deserve at least a look to see if something interests you.

The National Institute of Health is a government site that actually has some interesting information. This site is a good resource for living healthy and well through informative articles and links to a bevy of information on the topics.

Very Well is another resource that covers a bevy of health topics that are informative and cover a wide variety of topics including mind and spirit.

FitWatch has free fitness and nutrition trackers.

When it comes to nutrition Eat Right can fill you in a nutrition and eating right. I believe http://whfoods.com/ would compliment Eat Right.

If you don't know the number of calories in your food check out Calorie Counter.

For weight loss exersises and nutrition try My Fitness Pal.

Livestrong lives up to its name and has powerful articles about exercise, health and nutrition.

SparkPeople is a site that just might keep you healthy for a lifetime.

If your looking for video workouts Sworkit has both a free and premium programs.

For The Health Of Money

I was torn by whether to write this post here or in my financial blog. This is about how staying healthy can help out your wallet's health, too. Here are ways to get healthy on the cheap. According to the article, the one thing exercise can't fix is weight loss. I have been saying that for years, because your caloric intake on food is what will help you lose weight. Exercise will help you tone up. I started seeing weight loss when I finally started eating healthier.


To those who don't understand the implication of that statement, it means that your eating habits determine your weight. I always worked out throughout my life. Weight loss wasn't easily achieved no matter what I did. Once I started eating healthier, over time I lost 85 pounds!


Although I believe that paying for a gym membership keeps me motivated, I hope to save the $150 a year membership. That is relatively cheap as far as memberships go, and I do get my moneys worth. I'm hoping to start using Isometric training into my routine and eventually wean myself off the gym. More information here.


Of course there are other ways to get your exercise without a gym. More ideas for no gym workouts just keep on coming. The bottom line is that whether or not you belong to a gym, as long as you are exercising, you are doing your overall health a lot of good. With good health comes less illnesses, less doctor's visits, longevity, well being, etc., all that help out your finances.

Fitness Resources

The results are in and weights are more effective than cardio when it comes to stomach fat. My personal opinion is that weights should be in all exercise routines throughout our lifetime, even if we have to drop some of the weight we lift as we get older.


Walker Tracker is a program that can help you track your steps and develop a walking program. It also lets you join challenges to motivate yourself. Both for businesses and individuals.


Hot Cal allows you to track your fitness and calorie progress. It uses interactive charts and graphs.


HeiaHeia is a fun way to keep fit by tracking your progress and getting encouragement from your friends.


FitnessSyncer synchronizes all your fitness apps in one place. It also offers its own notebook to cover data that isn't covered in your apps.


FitLink is a fitness community with a variety of resources along with the help of likeminded individuals.


Ask The Trainer has exercise videos, a fitness library and nutrition information.


Your one stop fitness portal should be ABC-Of-Fitness. Other sites with fitness resources to help you get motivated to exercise are The Daily Burn, Workouts For You, and iTRAIN.

Staying Motivated To Exercise

If you made a resolution to get in shape, my hope for you is to stay motivated and reach for that goal. The benefits you get from  exercise may surprise you. Still too many people have the good intention to exercise, but begin to lose it at some point. Some sign up for a gym membership and others buy their own equipment. Both eventually start to gather dust.


Usually what happens is that you do too much from the start. You know you overdid it, if you are sore and no longer look forward to exercising. Fitness is a skill and it takes knowledge and motivation.


If you want my opinion, I'd say save your money, for the most part, until you are sure you can stay motivated. Gyms are hopping with people signing a contract for a 1-3 year membership, that will prove costly to get out of before the term. See about monthly contracts that may be a few dollars more, but will save you in the long run. Always make sure you can have at least one complimentary workout, before committing to anything.


Home equipment can be costly, but save you from a gym membership in the long run. The problem with home gyms is that they take away the motivation to the point that you start procrastinating and end up not using the equipment.


If you haven't thought about it, think kettlebells for strength and core. A pull up bar will tone the arms and the back. Both are inexpensive and very effective. Climb stairs, buy or rent a bike, walk, run, jog, do yoga, pushups, etc., any activity counts as long as you stay motivated. Start slow and take one baby step at a time. 


Make sure you consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program.


In closing, don't stop trying even if you lose your motivation for whatever reason.

Health Jornal 16

This first journal of this year is highly informational on fitness and nutrition issues. Health also involves mental health and winter is known to cause Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD).  In the future this blog will talk more on your overall health including mental health.

Yo-Yo Dieting is a revolving health trap that can wreck more havoc to your health than keeping the weight. The tips are useful as a guide to end the cycle.

When it comes to Powerhouse Vegetables I'm pretty much ahead of my time. I've always enjoyed vegetables and learned to appreciate even the most dreaded ones.

I also am ahead of the Powerful Superfoods game. I consume some daily and some occasionally.

Heart Healthy Foods can keep the ticker ticking. Along with exercise, nutrition plays a role in keeping the heart beating healthy.

It seems you can Train Your Brain to crave healthy foods.

Still The Best, the Mediterranean Diet is the most beneficial on so many levels.

All about Whole Grains can be an informative introduction on the confusing "whole" products.

Nutrient Shortfalls are a way of life in our daily diets.

If your New Year's Resolution was to lose weight, why not Get Paid To Lose Weight?

If you are exercising and losing muscle, even though you may think you're doing everything right, you could be making Mistakes Costing You Muscle Tone.

Morning is the best time to exercise. There are Tricks To Make Morning Workouts Easier for those considering it.

Health Means Fitness

If I was going to pick one thing that contributes the most to a healthy lifestyle it would have to be exercise and fitness. Exercise has the power to regulate us if we overeat and can also do a lot for our mental health. So when it comes to overall health, exercise is its foundation.




Start by becoming an exercise addict. Now is the time to discipline yourself and get motivated to move for at least a half an hour daily. Workouts are best first thing in the morning, but anytime is acceptable.


Know the foods and drinks to avoid before your workout.


Start keeping track of your fitness by writing it down. An online fitness tracker is a useful online tool that offers health, nutrition and fitness training.


You should always change your routine from time to time to avoid a fitness plateau. Here are some suggestions to break through a plateau.


Start the year off right when it comes to fitness. Making exercising fun may make you want to move.


Happy Healthy New Year! 2015

Time For Resolutions

Don't look now, but New Years and the resolutions are just around the corner. The gym gets full and it becomes an onslaught for those who resolved to exercise and get in shape. Now there is nothing wrong with that, but many are doomed to fail and by April the gym is almost empty again.


A way to succeed is to develop a powerful mindset that will help you stick to and achieve your goals. The important thing is not to quit completely trying to achieve your goal. No matter how many times you fall off the horse, always get back on until it becomes part of your lifestyle.


Here are more secrets to stay fit for life.

Health Journal 14

For every hour you sit, get up and move for 5 minutes. That should be a new rule of thumb to reverse arterial damage, just for starters. Problems from sitting for long periods can affect other parts of the body. Consider the toll from sitting on your lower back. I just went and got my mail and walked up 15 flights of stairs and I still go workout regularly.




In case you haven't noticed, or are in complete denial, the Holidays are at our door...again! It's a time to indulge, live unhealthy, gain weight, and try to reconcile with the culminating New Year's resolution to get healthy again. There really is nothing wrong with overindulging as long as it doesn't interfere with putting in your 'healthy' time. Start by watching your portion control. Next continue to exercise. Tips can be found here and here.


While I'm at it, I would like to draw your attention on TOO MUCH of a good thing when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes too much healthy can have an opposite affect. Although I try to live as healthy as possible, my true success comes from occasionally crossing over to the unhealthy lifestyle. The key is to always return to a healthy routine IMMEDIATELY! I'll have the occasionally ice cream or cake, but next day I'll hit the gym and eat healthier.


Nutrition and activity play a part in preventing cancer. Speaking of nutrition, I have increased the days that I go meatless. My record is 7 days straight without meat.


How to maximize your grocery budget while still eating healthy sounds like a needed plan!

The Workout Manual

It's time to fine tune your workouts. Here are 3 tips to get better results from your workouts. Changing your routine every two weeks will definitely give you the best results.


Get the most from your cardio workout. I would recommend one form of cardio daily, even if it is a brief run.


Still having trouble getting motivated to go to the gym or exercise? Perhaps you should develop these habits.


You need to get at least 120 minutes of exercise a week to reap a lifetime of benefits. The key to exercise is movement. Strive for 10000 steps a day at the very least.


We all have been in an exercise rut from time to time. The important thing is to climb out of that rut and get back into an exercise routine.


Pressed for time? Workout in 15 minutes.


There comes a time to categorize your workouts. Let me explain what I am talking about. Are you targeting weight loss, muscle building, endurance, strength, etc.? At my age it is all about maintenance. I've arrived as far as I'll go. I'm at maintaining what I got. My routine is mostly strength and core strength.


If you want to lose weight quickly, try these exercises, that can also work the strength, endurance and core.


To be continued...

Health Journal 13

Health, wellness, long life, etc., are a few topics that will show up in this month's journal.  Like with anything else in life, knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you apply, the better your health. I figure that if I write thousands of entries, and one sentence changes a life, then my mission is accomplished!




Your health and wellness questions and concerns can be answered at WebMD's Healthy Living A-Z. Find out what ails you or how to improve your health with the variety of topics. As with anything else that has to do with health, always consult your health care provider.


WebMD has the secrets to a long life. All I have to say is that although most of them are a way of life for me, I do fall short in some areas. I'll take a healthy life for as long as I live!




Some of the best health topics can be found on PBS. I particularly liked the summer treats for my generation.


`Should you avoid the Dirty Dozen that aren't organic? Should you substitute them for the Clean 15, thus missing out on potential benefits? Not so fast, because it's safe to eat the conventional Dirty Dozen!


Healthy, unhealthy, healthy, unhealthy...it seems that a food that has been on both sides of the debate is now deemed healthy. New research sheds new life on coconut oil.


I'm starting to spend less time at the gym, because I am doing a routine of exercises that give me the maximum benefits. I'm what has now been defined as a minimalist.


Even if you don't buy organic, eating healthy can be expensive due to waste. Most foods spoil within days and the cost can be overwhelming. Now there are ways to keep the food from going bad too soon.

To Gym or Not To Gym

Although I've used gyms from time to time in my life, I've been working out steadily at a gym for over 8 years now. In this time I've switched gyms 3 times and have seen patterns among them. For instance you are bound to meet these people at the gym eventually. Sad but true!




For me, gym has become a motivator, because I go at least three times a week to get my money's worth. I did just leave a gym and opted for a 'cheaper' gym. You get what you pay for as weights are dumbbells and limited free weights and machines galore. Still it will save me over $300 a year so I'll make the best of it for now.


I will consider investing in a home gym. Although this may save me some real money, I feel my motivation would suffer. I tend to workout at home on rare occasions. But motivation may be my savings. That will be a decision in the future, since I can buy equipment I will need for $400.


Whichever decision about where to train, learn the basic training rules and make your fitness regimen work for you.

Workout Smarts

Do you want to cut out wasted time on getting fit? Then learn 8 moves to keep you fit. For women there are workouts for specific body types. For men there are training guides.


Most of us can use all the tips on fitness that we can get.


There are no more excuses to working out no matter where we find ourselves. The trick is to take the 'short-cuts' and 'lazy' out of it. Working out at work, for instance, just got easier.


No matter what our age, strength training is an essential regiment to our wellbeing. Learn about the benefits and  equipment in a strength training user guide.


When it comes to working out, safety should be a given. The proper execution of beneficial exercises and knowing the exercises that do more harm or are useless will help you reap the rewards. I've had to eliminate exercises, and also change my execution because I was doing it wrong. Here are exercises that can do more harm than good.

Gyms and Workouts

I went from a 30 minute to a close to 60 minute workout at the gym. At this point I am evolving and have added more exercises while eliminating a few. Since I have more time, due to my schedule, to spend in the gym, I tend to take my time. I hope to eventually spend no more than 45 minutes on my entire workout.


Most people have limited time at the gym, so it pays to know the ways to save time. I always workout in the morning, but maybe I should workout at night after work. Learn ways to supercharge your gym workout. Number 23 is what I was talking about.


The experts weigh in on getting the most from your exercise routines. The important thing is to develop a routine that works for you. Here's how to build your own exercise routine.


A good fitness resource site can be found here. It can generate a workout based on your workout level(beginner or advance) and time you want to spend exercising.


If you like learning and watching ways to do different workouts, here are free workout sites.

That's Life!

When we are young we see ourselves as indestructible. We know it all by the age of 18. We really have no perception of what the future holds and come to the conclusion that we will not see old age. I'm talking about my generation which still holds true in today's world.




Nowadays you hear how people are healthier at 30 than they were at 20, and healthier at 40 than they were at 30, and healthier at 50 than at 40, and you get the picture. My question would be when did you find your "real" fountain of youth? When did you wake up to the fact that you can live a better life with a healthier lifestyle if you just change your ways?




That time is when your body started healing itself!




The real thing you can't change about your life is heredity. What you inherited from your parents, grandparents and so on, that you have no control over. Diseases, longevity, addictions, are a few that come to mind. I, for example, being from the Mediterranean region, have inherited thalassemia. The sad part is that my doctor didn't find this until my late 40s and I had it all my life. This may be a future topic!




So yes, I am healthier today than I was 10 years ago and I have overcome some major obstacles that have set the path for my overall health. I quit smoking, started eating better and getting into shape, and I've also maintained my body.


 


There are ways to live healthy and add years to your life. Since you can't really change the heredity part, there are other ways to live long and have good health!



A factor that might not be considered when it comes to all aspects of our lives are our hormones. Some may need a  hormonal reset to start seeing benefits in the whole body.

Prepare For Summer

For those seasonal health fanatics that want to be in shape for the summer, now is the time to start. Although I keep in pretty good shape year round, I can still stand to lose a few extra pounds and exercise more.




The best place to start is by detoxing your body. Detox doesn't have to involve elaborate detox diets to rid toxins from your body. The simple ones are more effective and can help with the overall detox of the entire body.




The next step is to develop an exercise routine that will involve aerobics, strength, endurance and calorie burning. Weight loss is a combination of all of the above!


If you are having a hard time building muscle, maybe you're making one of these mistakes that are slowing down your progress. Come to find out that not all plateaus are created equal. Depending on your fitness goals, you can now breakthrough a fitness plateau.


Although fitness is the priority to getting summer healthy, nutrition plays a role, too. Before going crazy with organic only foods, know the myths. Aside from that summer health, we should prepare for our lifetime through our diet and lifestyle.


As I have been advocating since the beginning, everyone must find a median to suit their lifestyle to become healthy. It must be something they can live with and will stick to and can't only be to get healthy-"er" when it suits us. Summer is coming and we all want to be in great shape and optimal health. When we finally achieve our "ZEN" this will come easy to us year round.

Getting The Most From Workouts

I try to talk to the common man in a way they can relate to. I talk to the couch potato, the weekend warrior, the gym fly, the many people from the unhealthiest to the healthiest. I give you a sort of bottom line to health from research, personal experience and the knowledge of my years.


The verb factor of health is exercise. We all need an active verb in our lives because we can not become sedentary or our health takes a nose-dive.


At the very minimum one's activity must include 10000 steps a day which equals approximately 5 miles. Remember people's height and length can vary the distance of their steps. Overall the 10000 steps, whether a giant or a little person, is the minimum you can possibly do for your health.


Regardless of your exercise level, whether you're a beginner or a veteran, you can never know everything about fitness and exercise. Times are a changing" in everything from technology to cooking. You can never know it all and nobody is an island.


At the gym, I would do exercises that I would later find were ineffective and possibly dangerous, especially on machines. I wrote about these before in this blog, and today I am still being enlightened.


Here are ways to get the most of your workouts.

Health Journal 7

In this edition, exercise takes the front row. With winter in full swing, it is easy to become sedentary and lazy. It's the season for excuses. I am already noticing a drop in gym attendance as it is easy to do your routine uninterrupted. While I'm talking about it, maybe we should catch up on our health club etiquette.


Here are fitness mistakes you should avoid.


I'm leaning toward doing more kettlebell workouts. It is easier to handle and grip than traditional weights, plus kettlebells give a great core workout. More can be found here.


If you use a treadmill, here are ways to improve your workout.


Pilates is an easy way to strengthen and tone your body.


Make sure you know your fitness myths. Even I was surprised because I found a couple of myths I actually believed to be true.


If you need help establishing a fitness program, start here.

Changing Your Routine

Getting too relaxed with your exercise routine can not only get boring, but can also put your health goals on hold. It's easy to reach a plateau when your exercise becomes routine. Some believe to maintain the maximum benefit you should change your routine daily or every couple of weeks. Still there are others that believe and make valid points that you really should not change your routine.


I think that it depends where you are and where you are going. If you need to lose weight because you are overweight, and are at a stand still, then by all means change your routine. If you want to build more muscle and are under 50, then by all means change your routine.


At some point it is more about maintaining what you got rather than taking it up a notch. You run the risk of overtraining and tearing up your muscles, if you keep uping the ante, you can do more harm than good.

Health Journal 6

It's the Holiday Season and many of us are going to indulge and/or over-indulge in the splurge of the festivities. Stress is a given, and diets and exercise are put on hold. It is during this period that some reach the point of no return as they gain weight and become lethargic and unmotivated. Indulging in the festivities doesn't have to be a lost battle, if done right!

A big destroyer is alcohol consumption. We all know that alcohol will be consumed, but do yourself a favor and drink a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages and never consume alcohol on an empty stomach.

Stress can be overwhelming during this time, so here are ways to de-stress. You can also find tips here.

Make it a point to incorporate any activity that will help burn the most calories. Try to incorporate a fitness plan in between your daily routines. Yes, there are ways to stay fit during the holidays. An important part of staying fit during this period is to avoid excuses!

Nutrition is just as important as exercise and it pays to know how to time meals and exercise for the most benefits. Another way to benefit from exercises is to do them correctly.

Although it is impossible to avoid foods during this time, limiting or eliminating refined foods and processed meats. Get to also know the 49 worst foods for your diet. Then again it may be easier to learn the art of healthy holiday eating!

Fitness and Motivation

When it comes to exercising, I can't say enough. It is a requirement if one is pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Moving helps us maintain our weight and benefits our overall health, particularly the heart. Exercise has other surprising benefits.

Starting an exercise regiment can be a challenge for those unprepared. When you're starting out, begin by finding the right exercise program for you. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help or use a personal trainer. They're free with most gym memberships. You should always remember to warm up before you start exercising.

Keep a journal and keep track of your fitness exercises and routines. This will give you an idea of what works. Make sure you consult your doctor before beginning any exercise routine. Start slow and don't just jump in, otherwise you might get discouraged.

Exercises don't have to be hard and some are so easy, a couch potato can do them. There are even ways to exercise at work. If you are lacking in motivation, maybe you should consider buddying up!

Interval exercise, where you alternate bursts of intensive effort with more relaxed ones, can benefit your weight, heart and lungs.

Our overall health relies on exercise as being part of the formula. There is no magic formula to avoid this aspect. We should strive to engage in some form of activity each and everyday.