The commencement of the New Year is marked by a new resolution that you would get enrolled in a gym, follow a fitness routine with renewed vigor and go all out to be in shape. Now it is almost a month since you took that vow. Are you still following it?

You are up to your neck with the children homework, pressure of work at the office; with no time to exercise. As expected, for Mike Littrel, president and CEO of X3 Sports gyms in Atlanta, the workload is at its maximum in the first month of every New Year.

“The month of January is a time when people start things afresh. After the end of the holidays, they plan and reset their affairs,” he said. And for many people, joining a gym is part of their new goal.
“But their enthusiasm tapers off in between twenty-one days,” Littrel revealed. “It normally takes four weeks to make it a way of life. But people’s motivation wanes before that.”

So, why is that people are unable to sustain their fitness routine? “Can’t see any appreciable result,’’ – is the common explanation.

We inquired fitness experts about the possible causes behind this and the ways to make fitness routine sustainable.

You follow the fitness routine but don’t change your dietary regimen

“Although many people join the gym, they do not change their diet,” said Jordan Yuan, trainer of ‘Twilight’ actor Taylor Launter. When they do not see any appreciable result in twenty days, their enthusiasm drops. “Diet plays an important role in any exercise regimen,” Yuan said.

So, take only low-calorie, nutritious diets like cottage cheese or apple. The market is flooded with junk food, advertised to be health-foods. Yuan also advises to keep away from processed foods.

Eat moderately

Eating fads are of no help. More so, when they totally exclude a particular food groups like fat or carbs. The diet should be such that it can be adopted regularly. You don’t have to shun foods of your choice altogether and can enjoy your favorite pizza or the tasty food from a Chinese restaurant sometimes. You have to enjoy fitness routine and don’t confine yourself to aerobics only.

Enjoy your fitness routine

“You have to enjoy your workouts,” said Tracie Rogers, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. “If you find it boring, insipid or even scaring, then you should try different types of workouts and settle for the one that you enjoy most.” A lot of workout options are available at gyms. You may inquire friends or try different options like spin, kickboxing, sports league and Zumba.

“You need not join a big gym. Many people believe it is not their cup of tea and are scared of joining. Boutique and small joints can also do your job,” Rogers advised.

Don’t be conscious of the time you are spending in the gym. If you are, then it seems you are not motivated enough. “The one hour you spend in the gym should be viewed as something that is exclusively meant for you. The rest of your time in the day is for other commitments.

The place of your workouts can also be an occasion of social gathering, where you interact with your friends. “So, try to be in a group of friends who have the same goal. Their support and guidance often is the key to success.”

According to Yuan, a fitness trainer, who owns Jordan’s Virtual Fit Club in Valencia, California people often report that all their workouts on the tread mill or elliptical machines are of no use. “People just go through the motion while doing their workouts in an exercise machine. It doesn’t produce any discernible result and no wonder they discontinue it,” he said.

“People, especially women concentrate too much on cardio and do not give importance to building up the muscle strength,” he further elaborated. He advises his client to undergo resistance trainings thrice in a week.

In fact, the 2008 Activity Guidelines for Americans published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children should do exercises to strengthen their muscles thrice in a week while grown-up people can do it at least twice in a week. Strength training promotes the building up of muscle mass while burning up the calories and decreases fat.

You aim to achieve too much from your fitness routine

A change in the fitness routine doesn’t mean exercising everyday. “You need not have to overwhelm yourself with too stiff a goal.” Following a rigorous exercise routine, along with a disciplined diet is simply not possible for everybody. Before long, the pressure of work and other affairs take hold you and you are back to your old ways.

“Try to exercise in moderate doses – may be couple of days in a week, instead of being a couch potato,” Littrel said. You should aim for what you are capable. Monitoring your progress is very important. So, take your pictures at periodic intervals to assess your progress.

Don’t treat your fitness routine like chores, you have to enjoy it to stay on it so you can see the results.

People often don’t know what causes high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, but it is the most common cardiovascular ailment. People suffering from high blood pressure generally come to know about it during routine checkup.

Blood pressure means the pressure or force that the blood exerts on the walls of the arteries as it flows through the body. Just like the water on the hose or the air on the tire, the blood also exerts some pressure on the arteries. So, when the pressure to too much, it can damage the arteries which can result in a heart stroke or other cardiac ailments.

High blood pressure is known to be the prime reason of cardiac attack and stroke. As many as 73 million of people suffer from hypertension only in the US.

Measurement of Blood Pressure

The blood pressure expressed through couple of numbers. The higher number is referred as the systolic pressure. It denotes the pressure on the walls of the arteries when the heart pumps the blood. The lower number is known as the diastolic pressure that represents the pressure on the arteries when the heart rests in between the pumping.

During the birth, the normal blood pressure of the child is 90/60. In case of a healthy adult, the normal blood pressure is 120/80. Don’t be alarmed if it shows a high value if you measure it immediately after playing a game of badminton or delivering a fiery speech. The blood pressure in our body keeps changing depending upon our physical and emotional state.

The normal blood pressure may also vary with each person. It also varies in different body parts. High blood pressure makes the heart overwork and thus puts pressure on it. Apart from damaging the blood vessel, it can affect the eye, kidneys and brain.

If a person’s blood pressure shows the reading of 140/90 or higher twice, then it can said that the person suffers from hypertension. Reading of 200/120 or higher warrants immediate treatment. But for persons with diabetes, even a reading of 130/80 necessitates immediate medical attention as diabetic persons are more prone to cardiac ailments.

Medical researches recognize 120/80 as threshold limit of high blood pressure. A slightly higher reading than this is known as pre-hypertension. This condition can lead to the damage arteries, brain, kidneys and heart. Hence, such people need proper medical treatment.

Notwithstanding this constant danger, many people are not aware of their condition. Hypertension is also known as the ‘silent killer’ due to the fact it does not really manifest in the form of some early symptoms, even though it can cause serious damage to the different organs in the body. When not treated, hypertension can result in cardiac attack, vision problem, kidney failures and strokes, which can sometimes prove to be fatal.

It can even result in heart failure. People suffering from this may have difficulty in breathing. Unusually high pressure in the range of diastolic of 130 or a systolic pressure of more than 200 is known as malignant hypertension. The condition of people suffering from this can worsen rapidly and can damage the organs. Hence, such people need immediate medical treatment.

But with proper care and attention, hypertension can be kept under control. The first thing you should do it keep a tab on your blood pressure at regular intervals.

Who are prone to suffer from hypertension?

The following groups of people are more prone to be affected by high blood pressure:

• Black people
• Are obese
• Are over the age of 55
• Lead a sedentary lifestyle
• Indulge in excessive drinking
• Smoke a lot
• Take a diet high in sodium and saturated fats
• Take medications like decongestants, NSAIDS and cocaine regularly

What Causes High Blood Pressure

Essential hypertension

In the case of 95 percent of people, suffering from hypertension in the U.S., the reasons for the ailment can’t be established. Such cases of hypertension are known as essential hypertension.

Although the causes of essential hypertension are yet to be fully understood, there are certain guiding factors. Hypertension is hereditary in nature and men are more likely suffer from it than the women. The chance of black people developing it is twice than that of white people. Black women suffer most from it after the age of 65.

Large intake of salt causes high blood pressure

It is also linked to the food we eat and the lifestyle we lead. A high salt intake is known to cause it. That is why high incidence of hypertension is reported in cases of people living in the northern island in Japan, who have the highest per capita intake of salt. On the other hand, people with little salt intake generally do not suffer from it.

Most of the people suffering from hypertension are ‘salt sensitive’, which means a small amount of salt more than the body needs, can accentuate the blood pressure. Diabetes, anxiety, obesity, consumption of alcohol, lack of exercise and inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium also causes high blood pressure.

Secondary hypertension

If the reason behind the hypertension can be established, then it is termed as secondary hypertension. Kidney diseases are known to be the main cause of this. Other reasons can be tumors and secretion of too much by the adrenal glands. Pregnancy, birth control pills and some other medications also causes high blood pressure.

“It is a fact that people, who successfully quit the habit of smoking often end up putting on around ten pounds of weight,’ says Trina Ita, Quitline, counseling supervisor for the American Cancer Society.

This phenomenon can be related to two things:

• Quitting smoking prompts you to overeat. Your craving for foods may increase as you would be able to taste and savor foods, especially the sweet ones. You would also want to chew something else, in place of smoking.
• “Nicotine is known to increase the metabolism in the body. Hence, you may put on weight due to a decrease in metabolism after the cessation of smoking,” reveals Lirio Covey, PhD, director of the smoking cessation program at Columbia University in New York.

Ways to quit smoking without weight gain:

Do your workouts
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to keep weight gain at bay, while stopping the habit of smoking.

“In fact, your exercise regimen, whether it is walking or jogging would be fruitful and enjoyable after quitting smoking,” observes Covey. So, go ahead through the rigors of your workouts.

Smokers, after quitting the habit, often find it difficult to come to terms with the nervous energy. Different studies point out that exercising during the phase of quitting the habit, goes a long way both in terms of quitting the habit and fighting weight gain. In fact, by that their chances of quitting smoking effectively go up by 200 percent.

Other factors associated with quitting smoking:

Apart from exercise and a well-balanced diet, you can also be free from gaining those extra pounds through the following ways –

• Chucking out a road map – “Planning in advance is the key to success. Many people, who intend to quit smoking even go for an exercise and diet program beforehand, so that by the time they quit smoking, they are at an advantageous position, as far as weight gain is concerned,” explains Covey.
• Chew only healthy things as a replacement to smoking. It may be Tic Tac, sugar-free candies, a carrot or even a nicotine gum. It would help you in quitting the habit, while keeping any additional calorie build-up.
• Try to take as much water as possible. It would not only keep your urge to smoke at bay, but would also give a fillip to the metabolism of the body.

This original article is presented to you by MyHealthToday.com © 2010

Although many people successfully follow the prescribed diet regimen like Jenny Craig, The Zone and the South Beach, these diet plans often do not effectively address the unique eating habits of families, personal preferences and their physical activities.

Hence, it is important to follow a diet plan, specially designed to your own personal needs in place of just curtailing your cookies intake. You can design your personal diet plan to shed your extra kilos in the following ways:

Your Ideal Diet

The effectiveness of every diet plan lies in its suitability for adopting it for a longer period of time. Hence, choose your dietary regimen that is most ideal for your pallets, as also to your habits. Here, you will find the ways and methods to discover your effective personal diet plan. Fortunately, you need not follow a strict dietary regimen that consists of insipid meals or an aggressive workouts program, in order to shed weights. Minor adjustments in your diet plan to curb some calories and increase in nutrition will do.

Joy Bauer, MS, RD, author of Your Inner Skinny: Four Steps to Thin Forever says, “It is established that any diet plan that lowers the calorie consumption would surely lead to weight loss, irrespective of its carbohydrate, protein or fat content.”

But there is a catch. You can’t maintain the weight loss, if you do not adapt an eating and exercise habit that goes with your diet and lifestyle.

Personal diet plan

You should do some self-assessment before embarking on a dietary regimen. Heather K. Jones, RD, co-author of ‘What’s Your Diet Type? Use the Power of Your Personality to Discover Your Best Way to Lose Weight’, says in this regard, “Personal habits play an important part in the success of any dietary plan. This is the reason why some changes in the lifestyles effectively lead to weight loss for some people, while it fails miserably in case of many others.”

He further elaborates, “People, who have successfully shed weights have invariably done it by finding out the most diet plan that suits to their personal habits. In other words, it is a case-specific approach that gives success.”

Six queries that you should answer

Bauer and Jones have suggested these six queries that one ask in order to make a sensible self-assessment.

• Count the number of meals you take in a day. Then allocate the total permissible amount of calories in a day to each of the meals.
• If you do not have much time or detest preparing meals at home, then you should learn to simplify the preparation of healthy and fresh foods.
• Arrange the kind of support you need to succeed. May be you need the support of your buddies, who are also be fighting weight loss, to keep you in the right track This is most important during the phase when the initial zest begins to go away.
• If you love eating out, then take care to take into account the calorie counts of those foods.
• If you pamper yourself with small, yet special treats every day, then always keep 100 calories in your dietary plan for those helpings of cookies, candies or bars.
• Your exercise regimen should be realistic. Experts believe that half an hour of moderate activities like walking will do. But this varies from person to person. Hence, consult your physician to find the right amount of exercise for you.

Keep tab of the calories

In order to succeed in achieving weight loss, you should burn the amount of calories you take. Hence, following a daily calorie budget is the key to the success. This depends on your sex, age, the amount of daily physical activities you undertake and of course the periodic weight loss you intend to achieve.

Once you have decided the amount of calorie you should take – then select the foods that are to be included in your diet plan. Bauer suggests that whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains; low-fat dairy foods are the most ideal foods.

The MyPyramid.gov website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives a blueprint of a healthy diet plan. You can easily calculate the number of servings and the food and oil content you should take, can be determined from any of the five food groups, as per your calorie level to achieve the weight loss.

How to determine your daily diet regimen

After determining the number of servings you need from each of the food groups, you have to assimilate them in order to prepare the palatable meals and satiating snacks to avoid any possibility of falling for some other delicious foods. The keys to success is as follows:

• Eating small meals at regular intervals is important, as it would keep the hunger at bay. So, have meals at least thrice a day.
• Having a combination of protein and fiber in your meals and snacks would help you to stay fuller for a longer period. While you can find the protein in milk and meat, the whole grains, fruits, legumes and vegetable contain plenty of fiber. You can enjoy an apple, or a boiled egg with whole grain than a soda cracker that has the same amount of calorie with low fiber and no protein.
• Save up calories: Go for the ingredients that have the lowest amount of calories amongst each food group. Choose one percent reduced-fat-milk in lieu of full-fat, while selecting 93 percent ground beef in place of 85 percent. Similarly, choose light popcorn and avoid the buttered ones.

Remember, although the food plan is for weight control, it important that you take the right amount of each food. People generally avoid sumptuous helpings of carrot but consume more of the red meat, pasta and other delicacies.

In case you are unsure regarding the right amount of servings, then fill up your kitchen with measuring cups, small weighing machine and measuring spoons in order to determine the right portion of your food at home.

If you think it is too much for you, then get to know the correct sizes by comparing them other articles in your home. It may be the light bulb, basket ball or even the playing cards. In this context, it is important to imbibe and develop the skill to gauge the size and amount of food through your eyes, for you wouldn’t be taking all your meals at home.

Hope Warshaw, MS, RD, author of Eat Out, Eat Right says in this regard, “Americans generally have around six meals in a week outside the home. And admit it; the restaurants serve foods that contain high doses of sugar and fat with less of vegetables, whole grains, fruits and low-fat dairy than what you normally eat at your homes.”

This is not to suggest that people who dine out are in a hopeless position, as far as dieting is concerned. But, it is better to curtail the dinner engagements. It is also sensible to take your home-cooked foods to work or you even have them while on the road in stead of approaching the nearest restaurant nearby. And kill those extra calories by maintaining regular physical activities.

Take the help of published materials or websites of where you love to dine, to have an idea about the amount of calorie, the foods you take there contain. Only go for dishes that would help you in curtailing the calorie consumption like vegetables, grilled meat and fish made with little extra oil and low-fat salad.

This original article is presented to you by MyHealthToday.com © 2010

You would end up gaining five pounds of weight just by eating 200 calories foods other than your normal diet you need by January. Come to think of it – small helpings of gravy fudge or pecan pie are sufficient to make you obese.

During the winter holidays, you are particularly prone to consume those foods rich in fat and low in nutrients. This is the time when you find reasons to forego your workouts even though you take lots of sugar. So, in order to take control of your binge, the winter holidays are the ideal time to come to terms with it.

Taking high amount of sugar with little exercise make the body sluggish. Your body also gets less sunlight exposure during winter. Due to this, there is a decrease in serotonin. It is the chemical in your brain that regulates the mental make-up, sleep and appetite. Its reduction may also lead to depression.

Eating small meals that have complex, starchy vegetables in frequent intervals increases the level of serotonin. In order to check the blood sugar, having small amount of foods rich in protein thrice a day, helps. For instance, you may take two eggs whites in the breakfast, turkeys during the day and small helpings of grilled fish for supper.

High endorphin level helps to adjust to stress. Since regular exercise enhances endorphin levels, do not make excuses to avoid your workouts. The other diet tips that you should follow during the holidays are follows -

• Exercises like walking, running and hiking during the holidays, at least for an hour is necessary, as it enhances the level of endorphin in the body, apart from burning the calories.
• Do not avoid fat totally. Moderate amount of fat intake would prevent overeating. Normally 35 – 65 grams of it in a day is enough for the purpose.
• Do not forgo your meals as it may drive you to overeat.
• Shunning your choicest of dishes does not help. You may take them but in moderate amount.
• Do not keep your trigger foods or comfort foods in your house. Their proximity would tempt you to consume them.
• Your meals should be in proportion with your day’s physical activities.
• Having a drink or protein shake before going to a party is a smart way to avoid overeating. Increase your water-intake during the day as well.
• During holiday festivities, make a conscious decision to stay away from the buffet table.
• Alcoholic beverages are high calorie drinks. Hence, take only beer or champagne spritzer.
• Whether you are a man or woman, elevate your moods through manicure or pedicure, if you feel depressed.
• Having a full stomach would prevent you from going for cookie breaks during shopping.
• Stick to a benchmark as far as satiating your sweet tooth is concerned. Limiting it to two desserts at 250 calories each in a week is an ideal way to do it.
• Don’t view the holidays as the time for eating anything or everything.
• Avoid foods rich in fat and calorie during feasts. Go for baked sweet potatoes, wild rice stuffing, whole-grain rolls and angel-fool cake with fruit.
• While visiting families and friends, you may keep your own cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, deli meats etc. in their refrigerator and have them when your are hungry.
• In order to curb your tendency to overeat, plan well in advance about your possible menu during the dinner.
• If you are really serious about being in shape during the vacation, wear your tight fitting jeans. You may even tie a ribbon or string around the waist under the dress, which you make you conscious of the bulge of your tummy.
• If your host cajoles and pleads to eat more, try to eat to taste all the foods offered, but only in modest amount. Select foods rich in fiber and less with calories.
• You may have your sumptuous meals during the main holiday feast. If you overeat on that day, stick to your plan the next day.
• Meditate at least for some time everyday by taking deep breaths to distress your body and mind.

Happy Holidays!

This original article is presented to you by MyHealthToday.com © 2010