4 Ways To Exercise Outside of The Gym - You Don't Always Need The Gym!

Just because you do not work out in the gym, it doesn't mean that you can't get a great workout. In fact, you may be more motivated to workout outside of the gym!

The truth is, you can miss the gym and still get a good workout elsewhere. Maybe we've been brainwashed into thinking the gym is the only place we will see results, but if you think about logically, those exercises can be done anywhere.

So if you are not a gym enthusiast, or if you are not going to be able to make it to the gym for a while, then try these other great ways to get your exercise in.

Take the stairs - Stairs works both your cardio and give you a built-in strength training bonus. The great thing about stairs is they are always there. They are in your house, work, and even at the mall. Try taking the stairs two at a time, or lunging your way up a flight of stairs, for a better lower body workout.

Want a great start to a stair routine? Take the stairs up normally, and then come back down. Then walk up the stairs sideways, and then come back down. Walk up the stairs with the other side, and then run back down. Lunge your way up the stairs next, and then run back down. Take the stairs up two at a time, and then come back down. Add whatever you like to this routine and you will feel the burn after just a few minutes of doing this.

Fitness Video Games - Video games aren't just for kids anymore. No matter what your age or fitness level there is a game that can help you burn it up. Most fitness games are made by trainers who know what you need to do to get a good workout, and they can increase the intensity every time you pop in the game. I prefer aerobics mixed with strength training. You can use free weights while following along with the trainer on the game. It's fun and get the same workout you would get at the gym. Maybe even better because you are free to dance in between sets!

Watch TV and workout - When the new line up of TV shows comes out it may be hard to get your butt off the couch and out to exercise. So keep watching your shows, but make the most of it by exercising as well. You can buy a step up bench and some free weights, and do an hour of steps ups during two comedies. You will hardly know you are working out, and you will get the benefit of exercise while staying in touch with what happened on your favorite show.

Move your workout outside - Whether you go hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, or canoeing, you can get a great workout outside and get a boost of happiness at the same time. Being in nature is calming and allows you to live in the moment. For strength training you can head to the park and use the equipment there to do push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and anything else you can think up. Lunge down one block then run down the next. If you are into yoga, there is no better place to do it then beside a river or lake. Outside workouts are fun and you will naturally want to get moving when you get outside.

Mental and Physical Benefits of Losing Weight

While we try to tell ourselves that being overweight is okay - it's really not. . Extra weight can cause a lot of problems for us both physically and mentally, and everyone should be striving to reach a healthy weight for those very reasons. If you need more motivation then just fitting into your old jeans, then read the following benefits of losing weight and see if you get some inspiration to get you started on your journey.

Mental Benefits

Just seeing the numbers on the scale going down can have huge mental benefits. Your outlook on yourself stems from your mind, and not your eyes. Even if you are the skinniest person in the world, your mind makes the ultimate decision as to whether that is true or not to you. So going down in number can make your mind look at yourself in a whole new way and motivate you to keep going.

Your self-esteem starts to rise up once your body weight goes down. You feel better about your body and the way others view you. I personally have been held back from going out with friends when I was overweight due to not wanting them to see me like that. Once you lose the weight a new zest for life starts to come into play and you view yourself as this go-getter who is achieving goals and capable of great things. You want to show off your new self to everyone you know. You also start enjoying outings no matter where you go.

When you start to make healthier choices with your food and exercise you also start to make healthier choices in other areas of your life. You stop 'accepting' where you are, and you start living the life you were meant to live. You look after your happiness in all areas of your life, and start to search out new ways to achieve that happiness. When you start losing weight you have one less thing to worry about, and you can focus on fixing other issues in your life, and regain a passion to make it the best life possible.

Physical Benefits

Once the weight starts to come off you can feel the physical benefits. Of course there are some benefits that you don't feel, but are still just as important. Some of the physical benefits are:

1. Reduced risk for disease like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes
2. Reduced blood pressure
3. Relieves weight off of joints which equals less pain
4. Allows you to be more mobile
5. Gives you your breath back during daily activities
6. Helps with sleep problems like apnea
7. Lowers your cholesterol level

There are other benefits as well, such as playing with your kids or pets, enjoy nature without looking through exhausted eyes, and feeling darn good about yourself when you fit into some sexy clothes. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to lose the weight, remember that the weight loss is full of benefits and void of any drawbacks. It's a win-win situation.

6 Benefits of Cold Showers – Why Should You Crank Up The Cold Water?

If you've ever watched the people in the polar bear club who run into the freezing water for a moment or two, and then run back into the safety of their warm shelter - you will recognize the spark for life it gives them while they do so. While they do it for many different reasons, there are many benefits of the cold water that they may or may not be aware of, and you don't have to join their club to reap the benefits for yourself! You can instead jump into a cold shower.

Here are some benefits to take that cold shower in the morning instead of the hot one.

Improved Circulation - When you immerse yourself in a cold shower your blood has to rush to the organs to keep them warm. This is in contrast to the normal routine of warm water, which causes the blood to move towards the skin. If you mix up the two you are stimulating the circulatory system in a way that doesn't normally happen, and this is argued as a way to keep yourself healthier and younger looking as a healthy circulation aids in recovery from stresses on the body.

Strengthens the Mucous Membranes - Your mucous membranes, such as the ones in your mouth and nose, manufacture slimy fluid called mucus, which is what protects those membranes and keeps them moist. The cold water strengthens these membranes, which means your chances of colds and other mucous issues drops down drastically.

Increases Energy - Skip the energy drink to get you going in the morning and take a cold shower instead. The cold water will get your heart pumping and your mind going better than anything else will. If you weren't awake and ready to go before you stepped into the shower, you will be when you come out.

Nourishes Skin and Hair For Natural Health - Cold water doesn't dry out your skin and hair like hot water does. It also helps keep your pores tight which will give you healthier looking skin. If you find yourself having to lather on the lotion and re-condition your hair after your showers, then you may want to give the cold trick a try.
Boosts Your Immunity - There have been studies done that show the support of cold water therapy produces a stronger immune system. The reasoning is that the immune system releases more white blood cells, due to increased metabolic rate, when the body has to warm itself up.

Reduces Chance Of Infertility - Guys, if you are trying to get your wife pregnant then this may be of interest to you. The testes hang outside of the body for a good reason. The sperm do not like the heat of body temperature and don't 'do well' in that environment. If you are constantly exposing them to hot bathes and showers, then you can decrease the amount of sperm you have and how much they move around. This results in decreasing your chances of producing a baby.


Help With Weight Loss Success – Cold water is said to increase your metabolic rate because your body has to burn through some calories to warm itself up. A higher metabolic rate is associated with faster weight loss. Because your metabolism is a natural calorie burning process, it stands to reasons that an increase in metabolic rate will help you in your efforts to reduce weight.

Simple life changes, like cold showers, can result in a healthier life. There are many ways to cure your ailments and have a healthier life with simple home remedies.

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Your Heartburn

Heartburn is that burning feeling that you get in your stomach or chest that can be not only uncomfortable but painful as well. This occurs when the acid from your stomach backs up into your esophagus, which causes the sensitive tissues to become irritated. There are many things that cause heartburn, but there are some natural ways of relieving your heartburn symptoms.

1. A few herbs you can try is aloe vera juice, ginger, marshmallow, and fennel as they all act as a buffer to stop heartburn.

2. When you feel heartburn coming on try drinking a large glass of water as this often helps relieve it.

3. Adjust your eating habits by eating more raw vegetables in your diet. Also, try chewing your food at least 30 times before you swallow it. This helps make the food more digestible once it hits your stomach and helps your digestive system do its job properly.

4. Juice a raw potato, in a juicer, and mix it with an equal amount of water. You should drink it right after juicing and repeat this process about 3 times a day.

5. Take 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water during your meals. Avoid other liquids with your meals as well.

6. Pineapple and Papaya are great natural aids for digestion. They may help with your heartburn.

7. Sit up after eating instead of laying down. When you lay down you will find that heartburn increases, because when you lay down the stomach acid will sit in your esophagus longer.

8. If you smoke, quit. Smokers experience heartburn more than non-smokers.

9. If you are overweight, then try losing weight. Start eating less food at your meals and throughout the day. Start eating healthier choices of food as well. This will have an immediate effect on your weight loss.

10. Avoid carbonated beverages, spicy food, processed food, fried food, and highly seasoned food. All of these can trigger a case of heartburn and seem to be one of the main causes of heartburn.

11. Avoid foods that trigger your personal heartburn. Even, if they are not in the common list of foods that trigger heartburn but always seem to start your heartburn, avoid them - or try alternative choices to them.

12. Use gravity to your advantage and raise your head at night time if you experience heartburn while you sleep. You can use a wedge under your back or raise the head of the bed up.

13. Avoid exercise that causes you to have your head below your chest. Certain yoga poses can do this, as well as crunches.

Use these natural ideas to help lessen your heartburn and relieve the symptoms. If you want a natural cure for heartburn, instead of just a way to cover up the symptoms, then click here and learn how to get rid of your heartburn for good.

Reduce your risk for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With These Prevention Techniques

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is damaged. If you use your hands and fingers a lot in your job then you have a risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome. With more and more people having to use computers for their daily tasks, this risk is increasing and we are seeing carpal tunnel syndrome more and more. Other people at risk are assembly line workers, construction workers, musicians, and bookkeepers to name a few.

There are ways you can minimize your chances of getting this though, and they should be strongly taken into consideration if you are at high risk.

• If you are using a computer then use a chair with arm rests. This will keep your wrists from having to flex too much.
  
  
• Change up the routine of your wrist and hand movement. One repetitive motion can cause an injury quicker.
  
  
• Hang around the water cooler and take some breaks. Allowing your wrists to rest is important to their health.
  
  
• If you have to pick up objects or handle objects frequently, then use your whole hand instead of just your fingers when gripping an object.
  
  
• At a computer, keep your elbows bent. This will reduce the amount of pressure on your wrists to type.
  
  
• Readjust your computer screen to be below your line of sight and a couple feet away from you.
  
  
• Shake out the tension in your hands and wrists every so often and do a little stretch. Just as it is important to give your body a stretch, your wrists deserve one as well.
  
  
• You can slowly rotate your wrists as you would your neck when stretching. This will allow circulation to restore itself as well as improve your wrists posture.
  
  
• Do resistance training. Put a rubber band around your fingers and push against the resistance it creates.
  
  
• Try other stretching exercises that will not only help your fingers and wrists but feel good as well. You can put your arm on the table and pull back the fingertips of that hand for a nice stretch. This should be held for a few seconds and then you can repeat the other side. You can also put your palms face down on the table and lean forward to give your wrists and fingers a stretch.

The more you practice these prevention techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome the less chance you will have of suffering from it.

Note: If you already have carpal tunnel sydrome then learn how to reverse and even eliminate it from a professional massage therapist at Carpal Tunnel Master