Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Sleep Like A Beauty, Awake Refreshed

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Have you ever noticed a correlation between sleep and losing weight? Many people, especially women, are so busy, that they don’t get a good night’s sleep. Doctors have revealed that a good night’s sleep plays a big part in weight control. According to experts, there is a critical link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Americans are sleeping less than ever and are getting bigger than ever. People who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. Studies show that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, can be disrupted by a lack of sleep.

Sleep like a beauty and awake rejuvenated and refreshed. Getting your beauty sleep is not just a phrase. When a woman doesn’t get enough rest, it starts to show in her face. Continuous sleep deprivation will cause lines in the face to deepen, bags and dark circles under the eyes and over all inflammation that causes the face to look as if it has aged.

A woman’s body requires rest. Rest and sleep provide an opportunity for the body to cleanse, repair, and rejuvenate on a deep cellular level. Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your body needs this rest in order to work with the nutrients that you have been feeding it. Since your cells actually produce more protein while you are sleeping, this down time allows them to repair and rejuvenate.

When your body is in need of sleep, it goes into a state of stress. The body’s functions are put on high alert and that causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones such as cortisol. An increase in blood pressure intensifies your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, make it harder for you to sleep. Stress causes an overproduction of cortisol, the hormone responsible for a fat belly.

Eating a stable diet that includes healthy proteins, lots of vegetables and fruits and drinking plenty of water each day will help your body maintain a proper balance of activity and rest. Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise each day helps to regulate the body’s internal clock, allowing you to rest better and be more energized when you are awake.

Be Honest With Your Doctor

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It may come as no surprise, but many women and men lie to their doctor about their aches and pains. People are afraid of being judged about their habits and behaviors. Unfortunately, when you aren’t completely honest with your doctor, they can’t properly advise you about your health and may not be able to diagnose your illnesses. Since the doctor is only seeing you for a short appointment, he or she really needs your help in determining your health.

Tell your doctor about all of the aches and pains that have given you concern since your last visit. Some of these might not be important, but sometimes little aches and pains can be indications of bigger problems. No matter, how embarrassed you are about different habits, the doctor needs to know if you are smoking, drinking excessively or using illegal drugs.

Your doctor needs to know other things about you, too. How regular and severe your periods are, and whether you have had any changes in your bowel movements, too. Your doctor will want to know how much over-the-counter medication you take on a regular basis, to help when prescribing other medicines. Tell your doctor how you deal with pain, whether you need to take something right away or if you are able to manage your pain without medicine.

Talk to your doctor about your weight management concerns, too. Discuss your diet and ask for advice on nutritious foods to eat. Fad diets that claim outrageous results can sound good but are very misleading. Consult with your doctor about the best diets that deliver consistent, healthy results. Remember weight loss isn’t effective unless you can make lifestyle changes that keep your weight under control. If the diet is too restrictive, it’s probably not something you want to adhere to for the rest of your life.

Discuss your workout program with your doctor. He or she will be happy to hear you are exercising regularly. Be honest with your doctor and be open to discussion. Many doctors are fit and healthy and are very excited to discuss fitness goals. Your doctor may even have some suggestions for exercises that you can add to your current workout plan.

Tell your doctor if you are concerned about any health issues you have encountered while exercising. For instance, if you have experienced heart palpitations during exercise, be sure to let your doctor know. Remember to bring along your fitness journal to guide you in your discussions. You only have a short time to spend with your doctor, so be sure you get the best benefits coming to you.

Your Health Is More Valuable Than Wealth

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It is health that is real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver. –Mahatma Gandhi

Many people strive to attain wealth at the expense of their own health. They mistakenly believe that their health will not fail them, that there is plenty of time to take care of the body. They chase after gold and silver without considering the priceless gift of health that they are trampling upon in their foolish fight for wealth. Sadly for most of these people, they never appreciate their health until it is gone.

The truth is that the best investment you can make is in your health. The amount of time you spend exercising will have enormous benefits. I promise you will never regret the time you spend engaged in physical activity. You may often dread working out, but rarely do you feel like you wasted your time after a good workout. More often than not, we feel so good after vigorous exercise that all we can think about is how amazing we feel.

Exercise and fitness are an important part of a healthy body but so is your diet. Especially for managing your weight, your diet is the foundation for losing weight and keeping those pounds off. You may need to make changes in your lifestyle, learn some new ways to cook old favorites, or cut back on your portion size, to reach the weight that is healthiest for you. Keep in mind when you give up old habits, that your reward is a healthy slim body that will be easy to manage for many years to come. Remember the old saying, “a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.”

Your health is more valuable than anything you can buy. Protect your health, be good to your body and treat it with respect. The payback is tremendous and cannot be purchased with gold or silver. More important than wealth, health will bring you happiness and contentment for the rest of your life.

Breastfeeding, Dieting And Exercise

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Women, who are breastfeeding, need an average of 500 extra calories per day to supply the nutrients needed for themselves and their newborn baby. It’s important to eat regularly when you breastfeed and to make sure you get the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs for to sustain you and feed the baby. Follow doctor’s guidelines when it comes to dieting while breastfeeding.

Be sure to eat regularly.
I suggest eating at least every 3 hours, stopping about 3 hours before bedtime. Eat small meals that are easy to digest, as sometimes constipation becomes a problem following delivery. With so much to do for the baby, it will be helpful to plan your meals in advance to you can ensure you have time to eat a healthy meal.

Be sure to eat healthy.
Your daily meals should include leafy greens, fruits and vegetables as well as a protein at every meal. Be sure to add whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal and whole grain bread.

Get the clearance from the Doc and start exercising ASAP.
Before you begin exercising after having a baby, get the approval from your doctor that you are healthy enough to participate in a women’s fitness program. Once you get the okay, get started exercising right away.

Now, I know that many mothers are reluctant to leave their babies with a sitter or in a nursery. The good news is that it’s possible to get plenty of exercise in and around your home. Enjoy the fresh air when the weather is nice and put baby in a stroller then go for a nice long walk or jog to get the aerobic exercise your body needs to burn fat. Alternate with strength training exercises, including weights for a complete women’s fitness program that will get you back in shape and provide a multitude of benefits to your health.

Exercise is essential to all women, especially new mothers. Not only for the physical benefits of losing weight and getting in shape, but for the psychological advantages that fitness provides. The release of endorphins that are prevalent during and after exercise can help to discourage depression that sometimes follows pregnancy.

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day for at least six days a week. The seventh day should be one of rest, which is critical to your health and well-being.

A Sexy Smile Can Transform Your Face

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A warm smile can melt an iceberg. There is something sexy about pretty teeth, especially when a woman smiles. A subtle invitation that indicates friendliness, most public speakers will tell you that they seek out a smiling face in a crowd to relieve stage fright.
When a sincere smile shows off healthy shiny white teeth, the smile becomes an adornment for the entire face.

On the contrary, dingy or decayed teeth can hinder the look of the smile. Decayed teeth can lead to many health problems from bacteria and abscess and should be treated as soon as possible. Dingy teeth may show improved results with whiteners, either over the counter brands or having it done at your dentist’s office. It’s even possible to get your teeth whitened at the mall.

However, there is such a thing as too white of a smile. If people start putting on their sunglasses as soon as you walk into the room, chances are you have gone overboard on the whitening process. If this happens, you can drink tea, eat some berries or other colorful fruit or vegetable to tone down the brightness of a too white smile.

Excessive whitening can cause over sensitivity to the teeth and surrounding gum tissue. Your dentist may recommend that you use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth before and after your whitening process. A fluoride toothpaste may be used too, to help protect the teeth from decay.

A sexy smile is more than just an adornment for your face, though. Healthy teeth and gums can protect your heart and overall health. The same bacteria that cause plaque in the teeth is responsible for plaque build-up in the arteries too. It is believed that proper dental care can help to protect your body at one of the earliest sources of bacterial infection—your mouth.