April 2013 – Page 3 – Irene Pastore Fitness.com

Weight Loss Motivation

April 7, 2013

Americans Are Over Fed

If you’re a typical American, you don’t have a problem with starvation. You have problem with eating too much, and overdosing on calories.

Before you know it, you don’t want to look in the mirror. Just buy another XXL tee shirt and baggy pants, to cover up the excess fat.

Excess Fat Is A Walking Time Bomb

You know that the excess fat is making you into a walking time bomb for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, low backache, hip, knee and lumbar dysfunction.

There are hundreds of people like you who don’t want to carry around excess fat, but don’t know how to start losing unwanted pounds, or just can’t find the motivation to get started.

Hundreds Of People Have Lost Weight

When you click on this link, it will take you to a website where you can read hundreds of weight loss success stories from real people, like yourself. All the stories are different.

Breaking Points

On this list are typical reasons people begin a weight loss program in earnest. Read through the breaking points, to help yourself find the motivation to drop excess fat.

Tired all the time. No energy to care for children.
At 24, my doctor told me I had liver disease, and that I’d need a liver transplant.
At 30 I was taking blood pressure medication, and dealing with alot of anxiety and stress. I wanted to feel better, and was terrified of developing heart disease and diabetes.
At 54, I weighed 315 pounds, and sleeping 18 hours a day.
My business failed because of the way I looked.
I knew I was a high risk for diabetes. I didn’t want it to happen to me.
I took full responsibility for weighing 500 pounds, and decided it was time to take it off.
After looking at photographs of myself, I decided to make changes in my weight.
I suffered from backaches, had problems walking up stairs, and reaching down to tie my shoe laces.
I got out-of-breath trying to reach down to put on my socks. It was time for a change.
I weighed more than 475 pounds from compulsive eating at all-you-can-eat fast food restaurants, and no exercise. I wanted to live to see my grandson grow up.
At 34 I weighed 433 pounds. I took a pool exercise class with 60 year-old women, and couldn’t keep up. I could barely move. I was considering using a mobility chair.
I was obese when I got married, and was embarrassed by the photographs.
I was inspired by co-workers who lost weight.
Photographs of myself made me cringe.
In the Christmas party photos, I looked like I had 15 chins.
I was made fun of in high school because of my obesity.

Get Motivated

Read about 382 Weight Loss Stories, and get inspired.

Stuffing Your Feet Into Sky High Shoes

April 6, 2013

My grandma’s sister was a fashion maven, who admitted that she disfigured her feet by wearing high heels. When I was old enough to notice, I asked her why her feet came to a point, her big toe lay on top of her second toe, and why she walked funny. She said her feet were messed up and ugly, from squeezing them into tight fitting high heels.

high-heel-sandals2 — BUNIONS IN PROGRESS

She made me promise I wouldn’t wear bad shoes, unless I wanted my feet to look just like hers.

The Cruel Shoes

Fashion heels don’t have much to do with common sense. Steve Martin’s, “The Cruel Shoes,” is the story of Anna, who visits a shoe store, and gladly buys a pair of foot nightmares, that make her feet bleed. The premise isn’t really exaggerated. Most women buy heels based on emotional appeal, rather than foot health.

The Worst Shoes For Your Feet

While it may not overcome the powerful effects of advertising, WebMD, has a slide show to educate women. It’s called, “The Worst Shoes For Your Feet.” Incase you’re considering reconstructing your shoe wardrobe, here’s some inspiration to help you downsize the height of your heels.

High Heel Health Conditions & Injuries

Hammer toes
Corns
Ingrown toenails
Driving accidents
Calluses
Low back pain
Numbness
Achilles tendon damage (Morton’s Neuroma)
Bunions
Pump Bump (enlargement of the heel bone)
Sciatica
Blisters
Ankle injury
Leg pain
Osteoarthritis of the knee
Trip and fall accidents

The Armadillo Shoe

While I’m at it, I may as well comment on the Armadillo Shoe, because things like this have a way of influencing street wear. The late fashion designer, Alexander McQueen, came up with a risky 10 inch runway shoe, called the Armadillo. Some models refused to wear them.

The phrase, “to die for”, would be apt, when wearing shoes like this, or a facsimile. Toppling over, and hitting your head isn’t too far fetched. Fanciful shoes are the realm of art, rather than practical footwear.

Be kind to your feet. They affect the way you walk, and feel. Fashion shoes are beautiful in the box, but aren’t doing your two feet any favors. Corns, bunions, hammertoes, and ingrown toe nails aren’t lovely to look at. Healthy feet won’t embarrass you, when removing your shoes. You’ll never have to apologize for your corns.

Hang Onto Your Teeth

April 5, 2013

PREVENTING TOOTH LOSS

Being fit includes taking care of your teeth. If you don’t, it may affect your overall health, and you might wind up losing your teeth.

When you lose teeth, they have to be replaced with artificial prostheses such as dental implants, or bridges, unless you don’t mind not being able to chew your food. Dental prostheses are very expensive. Preventive care saves money by avoiding tooth loss.

Practicing preventive care starts at home with brushing and flossing, and goes a long way to saving your teeth, and your overall health. Brushing and flossing are equally important.

Floss after you eat to remove food particles between your teeth. The longer you wait, the more bacteria will grow between your teeth. The bacteria forms plaque. Plaque hardens and eventually forms tartar. Tartar has to be removed by a dental hygienist using dental tools to do a thorough job. If tartar isn’t removed you’ll wind up with gum disease. Gum disease leads to tooth loss.

POOR ORAL HEALTH AND DISEASE

Poor oral health can cause serious illness, such as endocarditis (infection inside the heart valve), premature birth and low birth weight, diabetes, hiv/aids, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and stroke.

ARTICLES ON DENTAL HEALTH

Mayo Clinic: Oral health – A Window To Your Overall Health.

ABC News: Man Dies From Toothache – Couldn’t Afford Meds.

JADA: Poor Oral Health Linked With Coronary Heart Disease.

CDC: Preventing Cavities, Gum Disease, Tooth Loss, and Oral Cancers.

New York Times: Paying For Dental Implants.

Exercise of the Month: April 2013

April 3, 2013

ABS ON THE BALL

Level: Advanced

Style: Core Stabilization

Equipment: Exercise Ball, Exercise Mat, Athletic Shoes (optional).

Muscles Worked: Abs

How To Perform Abs On The Ball

Get onto all fours with wrists under shoulders, and knees under hips. Slide the ball under your abdomen.
Slowly move into a downward plank position and roll the ball under your legs, as shown in Starting Position.
Slowly pull your tailbone upward toward the ceiling, until your body forms a V, as shown in Finish Position.
Return to Start Position and repeat for 10-12 repetitions, or fewer depending on tolerance.

Modifications

Place the ball under your thighs, instead of your legs. Placing the ball closer to your feet, makes the exercise more difficult.

Correct Technique

Move slowly throughout.
Avoid shaking.
If you experience discomfort, or pains in your wrists, stop the exercise.
The exercise can be performed with, or without wearing athletic shoes.

Cautions

Do not perform this exercise if you lack shoulder, abdominal, or forearm strength.
Do not perform this exercise if you are a beginner, if you’re in a hurry, or showing off in front of friends. Injuries aren’t worth it.
Use the correct size exercise ball.

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