What's Your Exercise Personality?

Photo taken by E. OpongBrown

Just like people are classified as having type A or type B personalities, you can categorize people when it comes to exercise. According to Fitness: Theory and Practice, by Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, there are four groups:

1. Type A. Advanced: this person is the most fit and committed when it comes to exercise and workout . You can even say that this individual LOVES to exercise so much that, he/she will workout everyday. This person like to exercise at a high intensity and is the one in the class shouting "wohooo," or count along with the instructor and says "yes," when the instructor says, "how about one more set?" while other students groan.
2. Type B. Intermediate: this type would rather workout three to four days a week at a moderate to high intensity level compared to a type A. This personality listens to his/her body and chooses to rather than have to exercise. 
3. Type C. Beginner: this is the gym newbie. Ready to exercise and needs to feel comfortable. 
4. Type D. Everybody else: this type is the non-exerciser. He/she is able to exercise but due to lack of time or motivation.

What is your fitness type? When I was younger, I was a type A. I worked out everyday, hated it if I missed a day and my friends told me I was addicted to exercise. As I mature, I've become a type B. I do a variety of exercises such as Zumba, Spinning or Bootcamp at different intensity levels because I don't want to burn out. I take at least one day off because I don't want to overtrain or get injured. This is especially important since I'm training to run a half marathon. I've burned out before, lost complete motivation and didn't have the desire to step my foot into a gym. That changed when I started putting on weight (hahaha). 

A type A, B, or C, find your comfort zone and make an effort to exercise. If you're a type D, get a doctor's permission so that you can begin an exercise program. Here's to your health. 

Just Say No to Fad Diets!

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The Cabbage Soup Diet. The Atkins Diet. The South Beach Diet. The Grapefruit Diet. The HCG Diet. The list goes on and on. Fad diets come and go and get more extreme but will you even shed weight on them? Yes, but I believe in the old fashioned method of losing weight; eating a well balanced diet and exercising.

In basic nutrition, we need water, fats, carbohydrates, protein, minerals and vitamins. In my opinion, fad diets don't provide a balanced nutrition. If it is your goal to lose weight, talk with your physician to help you find the right path. It's been tried and true that monitoring caloric intake and exercising to burn fat will help shed the pounds.

The latest fad is the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin diet, best known as the HCG diet and it blows my mind. I've never given it a thought but recently someone asked my opinion of it. HCG is a hormone produced by pregnant women to help grow the placenta which provides nutrition to the fetus, eliminates waste and respiratory gases.

In order to lose weight, HCG dieters consume only 500 calories and get injections of the hormone. These dieters can lose about one to three pounds per day. What I know for sure is that this isn't healthy. It's better to shed about that much weight in a month but not in a day.

The healthiest way to lose weight requires hard work and it's slow and steady. Fad diets are quick fixes. Who can live on only 500 calories for a lifetime? I can't even imagine the emotional and physical tole. I know that I'll be cranky if I had to starve myself in order to lose weight. And chances are, I'd lose friends in addition to the pounds.

If fad diets worked, the first fad diet would have been the last. Say no to fad diets, and to the best of your ability, eat healthy and exercise and the weight will come off. Here's to your health!



 

I Believe I can Run 13.1 Miles

This week marks the beginning of a 12 week training program for me to get in shape to run my first half marathon; the Marine Corps Historic Half in May. I include running in my exercise routine but I've never run a marathon and I'm nervous and excited. I'm nervous because I don't know what running 13.1 miles feels like. On the other hand, I'm excited because running a half marathon is my fitness goal.

I'm using an official training program with a weekly plan to help me because as Mark Will-Weber once said, "running is real and relatively simple…but it ain't easy." I'm going to use this as a road map to help me build endurance so that on race day, I can make it to the finish line. 

Well, in the next weeks, I'll share my training experiences. What fitness goal are you working on these days? Here's to your health.

Let Down Your Hair with Shea Moisture

When I buy food other than fruit and vegetables, I always look for natural or organic products or with very few ingredients. If the list of ingredients is long and I can't pronounce most of them, I don't buy it. These days, I'm applying the same principle to the products I use on my hair. This is particularly important to me since I've stopped getting my hair chemically straightened with a relaxer.

After I cut off all of the chemically treated hair, my goal was to use natural or organic shampoos, conditioners, and creams on my hair. In my research, I discovered that not all products contain natural ingredients even though they're advertised as so. I have found some products I really like for my daughters and me.

Since I use Shea Moisture's bath line, I decided to try their hair care line. The price is very affordable at $9.99 compared to other organic/natural products. Shea Moisture is sold at Target and drug stores such as Walgreens. All their products smell delicious and don't contain ingredients such as mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, or animal ingredients.

My favorite is the Deep Treatment Masque and it kills two birds with one stone. After I wash my hair, I use it as a deep conditioner and after rinsing out my hair and adding leave-in-conditioner, and use the masque as a hair dress. My kinky hair feels moist, nourished, soft and easy to comb. 

I've also used the Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Souffle, Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Conditioning Milk. These smell fantastic and are great for styling, gives the hair shine and moisturizes. Not all hair products will work on everyone's hair but Shea Moisture is great and works on mine. 

If you're looking for all natural organic products for your body or hair, try the Shea Moisture line. Here is to your hair health!  

Oh Yes, There're Vegetables in My Smoothie

I like making and drinking smoothies. I get creative with many fruits but I have the most fun adding vegetables into them. I do my best to get in the right amount of servings but I don't always meet them with every meal. Adding vegetables to the smoothie helps me reach my daily allowance or consume more in one glass.

When I make a smoothie, I add Kale, Broccoli, or Spinach and I don't taste it at all. Here's an example of a smoothie I make:

• 1 cup milk (I use So Delicious® Coconut Milk Beverage)
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (I use FAGE)
• Handful of frozen mixed fruit
• Handful of Kale/Spinach/Broccoli or any vegetable
• 2 tablespoon ground Flaxseed (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• Honey to taste

I blend all the items together in a blender until liquid. I add more milk to a consistency that I like if it's too thick. I don't know the amount of calories in this smoothie but know it's very nutritious, contains good fats, it's filling and high in fiber.

I make smoothies anytime of the day as a meal replacement especially after exercising. It's a great way to replenish water and energy. Do you make smoothies or buy smoothies from your favorite smoothie stand? Share your favorite and here is to your health. 

Take a Day Off. Your Body will Thank You.

Busa Beach, Ghana
by Here is to Your Health

Am I the only one that feels guilty about missing a day from the gym? I hope not. I feel guilty if I take more than two days off and I often push through fatigue and not listen to my body.

I'm doing my best to give myself permission to take more than a day off especially when I mentally feel that I need it. I come up with reasons why I should go to the gym rather than take a break. There's the I'm going to gain weight if I don't go, to I'll feel better when I get there.

Yes, there are days I feel better when I get through a workout, but there are times I feel slow, as if I have 50 pound weights chained to my ankles. On the days I feel like that, I shouldn't have exercised. I also know I won't gain weight from taking a day off to rest my body. Duh!

According to the CDC, adults should get at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week. I get about 600 minutes and one day off to rest. I keep a strict exercise schedule and taking more than a day of is not easy for me but I know it will help prevent a burn out. Would you believe that as I write, I'm thinking about doing Just Dance on Wii? The day off will help me recover mentally and physically and allow me to work better and harder the next time I go to the gym.

Even elite athletes take a day off so why not me? Here is to your health.

   

Exercise with Caution

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     This time of the year, the gym is crowded with new exercisers but I wonder how many of them spoke with their doctor before beginning a fitness program. Exercise does the body good but it's important to follow your doctor's guidelines especially if you have medical challenges.

Earlier this week, a man joined my spinning class and within less than five minutes, the instructor was checking up on him. He was on the floor next to his bike and he didn't look good and not long after the instructor spoke with him, she walked out to get help. I went to his side so that he wouldn't feel alone. While I moved the bike so that he'll have more room, his body started spasming and I thought he was having a seizure. I yelled out in the gym for a doctor or a nurse. This was a scary experience for me because I'd never seen anyone have a medical emergency in a gym. I assume that everyone is healthy enough to be there.

The man was alert and able to answer questions. Through the chat, I learned that he wasn't having a seizure but the movements were the result of a surgically implanted artificial pacemaker shocking his heart back into rhythm. A pacemaker is a battery operated device that sends electrical currents to make the heart contract. After I walked away, I wondered if he had the all clear from his doctor to workout.

Although exercise is beneficial to an individual's optimal health and recovery, people with some of the following health challenges should get cleared by their medical doctor before exercising:

• Heart disease: depending on the heart condition, your doctor may tell you to not workout or go on casual walks. What your cardiologist will tell you varies and it's very important to follow the guidelines set for you.
• High blood pressure: exercise has helped many people I know lower their blood pressure.
• Diabetes: if your doctor tells you to exercise, it is important to pay attention to your blood sugar level.
• Pregnancy: as long as your pregnancy isn't high risk, your doctor may tell you to exercise but stay within a particular heart rate range. I exercised during both of my pregnancies especially my second. I taught step aerobics, worked out on my own time and lifted weights. My goal was to workout to 40 weeks and I accomplished it. I made sure to watch the intensity level through out my pregnancy. For instance, I ran till I was about three or four months pregnant and I started walking. Also, when I was teaching step aerobics, I used three risers but by the end of my pregnancy, I used none. 
• Lung conditions such as asthma: exercise leaves you breathless and even more so if you have a lung condition. 

Exercise is beneficial to everyone but it has to be safe. I hope that man is okay and here is to your health.