Losing weight is hard: the dieting, the hours at the gym and the guilty pieces of cake. The reason many people find it to be so hard to drop even just 5 pounds is the monotony that comes with dieting and exercising—treadmills just aren’t the exciting.

If you are one of theses people, maybe all you need is a new way to exercise. Why not try rock climbing? Climbing is a full body exercise that not only helps your burn those extra calories, but also gets you outside. Climbing combines a leg, arm, and core workout into one activity. In addition, climbing is group activity so you wont get lonely like you might at the gym. All in all, climbing can be a great option for many people trying to drop those excess pounds.

cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo shared by Susanica

However, rock climbing is a little more involved than an hour on the treadmill and requires more preparation. So before you start planning a trip, get yourself educated about the safety precautions necessary to have a safe and fun trip. Many rock climbing locales offer beginners classes. So check out some of the local climbing areas and see what the visitor centers have to offer.

Given the heights reached and the risk of a fall, rock climbing can be a scary sport to learn. It is best for beginners to learn in an indoor enviroment on a rock climbing wall. This controlled enviroment will allow you to learn the skills and techniques of rock climbing with minimal risk of a fall. You will be able to get used to being up high, rapelling, trusting the belayer, and learning how to fall properly. By learning from an instructor on a climbing wall you will be confident and ready when you attempt your first outdoor climb.

An added benefit of rock climbing is the wide variety of routes and locations available. While a treadmill offers a monotonous workout for mile after mile, rock climbing presents a new challenge to the climber each time they go out and climb. As you get better at climbing it is easy to up the difficulty of the climb so you can keep challenging yourself. Climbing might be just what you need to break out of your workout rut and get your weightloss plan back on track!

About: JustRopes.com is the online leader in climbing ropes. Founded in 2004, JustRopes.com aims to provide the widest selection of ropes available online. JustRopes offers all the major brands for the lowest prices and garuntees that all ropes are of the highest quality.

cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo shared by foshydog

A lot of the time it can seem hard to find the time you need to keep yourself healthy. We are often being told that, if we want to live a long life, we need to have regular exercise.

A lot of people may not want to do this of course, they may say that, at the moment they have ‘too much work’ or the like, and will put it off for the future. I know I have done this – I’ve said that when I manage to get on top of my work I’ll find the time to really get in shape, but it seems there is never enough time for this.

If you constantly put it off, you will never find the time to get the exercise you need, so it is a matter of simply finding the time now, simply by combining as many things as possible. A lot of people may, for example, start riding a bike to work instead of taking the car – this means that you will be getting exercise that you need on the way to work, while saving money in the process. This is not the only way of doing it however.

Exercising with your Children

If you have children, they will no doubt take up a lot of your time as well. However consider this – “every problem is a solution in disguise”. If you have something that takes up a lot of your time, such as managing the kids or keeping them entertained, combine this with getting exercise.

To do this, simply get your kids to work-out with you. Obviously it is not a matter of taking them down to the gym and making them run on treadmills, but if you can play with your children in a way which will get them a lot of exercise, you will be getting exercise too. This can mean that you will be saving a lot of time, while getting exercise for you and your kids.

This then means that you won’t have to find extra time in the day for a personal workout, simply because you will be getting it during play time. If you’re anything like me then saving time here will be a load off your mind, and will give you the opportunity to really get fit while having a good time with your kids.

Eating Healthily

Obviously you can extend this to everything that you do with your children. This is really a good way to go, simply because you will be able to associate only positive things with the thought of your children. If when you look at your kids your first thought is ‘how can I help keep them healthy’, you are doing it right.

Consider other ways of keeping your kids, and yourself, healthy. Such as:

• Playing with them every day in cardiovascular exercises
• Eating healthy foods with them, such as heavy metal detox foods
• Turn simple things such as walking to school into a game to keep them entertained

These and many more things will really allow you to make both yours and your kids’ lives far better, as it is important that both of you are kept healthy.

This is simply because your kids are growing, and any problems here will only affect them in later life. They are also dependent on you, and so require you to stay in good shape as well as setting a good example – if they can see that you prioritize staying healthy over other things, and then they will start to act in a similar manner, which will only help both you and them in the long run.

Tracy Martin is a young mum of three, currently finding ways to keep her kids entertained and interested in staying fit. From playing football to going dancing, she’s found many different ways to keep her kids healthy. Whether it’s going running or looking for where to buy Chlorella, it’s revolutionized the way her family acts and stays fit in the long run.

cc licensed ( BY ND ) flickr photo shared by Wootang01

Ok, 2012 has come and so have the New Year’s resolutions.  Have you stuck to any of those resolutions to date?  Are you thinner?  Did you stick with that exercise program you promised yourself you would? Are you feeling great and getting back into shape?

It is so difficult to make changes for the better when life is just so busy and the kids need new shoes, work is challenging and you are just exhausted when you get home from work.  

But, there are some things you should consider, if you’re not in the best shape, or having weight issues.  These things can cause further health problems that might keep you from doing the things you love, not to mention highly expensive when we are talking medical costs.

Best to decide to make changes now, and here are some tips to bring to your attention that you are basically out of shape – and if these changes are really necessary or if you’re on target:

1. Overweight:

This is blatantly obvious – and being overweight like a big percentage of the population is unhealthy.  Not sure you’re overweight?  It is a sure thing when your favorite jeans don’t fit anymore, and if you do manage to get them on, the belly fat is hanging over.  Sure sign you’re getting out of shape.

There are hundreds of diet plans to choose from, and they can cost you big bucks – but the best plan is to cut calories and start exercising more.  Eat half of what you’ve been eating – period.  Eat more fruits and veggies and lay off the chips and ice cream completely.  If you don’t have the energy to exercise, start with some brisk walking.

Walking can be the easiest way to get yourself started on the path to a good exercise routine, its fun, easy and you can walk anywhere.

2. Short of breath:

Ok so you are trying to get somewhere in a hurry, and the faster you move, the more out of breath you become.  Sure sign you’re out of shape.

Start walking more – and instead of taking the elevator or escalator, take the stairs.  This will start you on the journey of getting in shape, because as soon as you start climbing those stairs, without becoming winded – you’re on the road to getting in shape!  Don’t stop there though – the stairs are just a starting point!

3. Heart rate:

Remember those stairs?  Well, if your heart starts beating out of your chest, you can pretty much rest assured – you’re out of shape.

Take it slow – because you don’t want to overwork that heart muscle just yet, but start some aerobic exercise, or strenuous hiking – or you can go back to the stairs.  It’s likely you’ll get back to a normal heart rate in no time.

4. No energy?

Do you find that when you get home from work, you’re done?  You can’t find the energy to take your dog for a walk or play with the kids…. You’re definitely out of shape.

Getting back into an exercise routine will cure that within weeks.  Even if its only 15 minutes a day, start walking, running, tread milling, hiking, anything to get yourself active and before you know it, you’ll have excess energy and will most likely be getting back into shape.

5. Feeling lethargic and tired?

This is a sure sign you are out of shape.  Exercise releases endorphins and getting plenty of rest will help as well.  So, get back to exercise on a regular basis and get those endorphins flowing – they cause a natural high and there is no way to remain lethargic after taking on those stairs for a few weeks.

6. Depression:

Depression, although it is known to be a chemical imbalance in the brain, and can be brought on by life struggles, it can be beat, according to the latest study and book, The Depression Cure, by Stephen Ilardi – who has proven that beating depression can be accomplished by a series of steps, exercise being a major one.

According to Ilardi:  “There are now over a hundred published studies documenting the antidepressant effects of exercise. Activities as varied as walking, biking, jogging, and weight lifting have all been found to be effective.”

Being out in nature, in the sunlight is another way to bring that mood back into joyous.

If you are continuously thinking about food, find yourself with very low energy and are tired a lot, it’s time to look into an exercise program, and a healthier eating diet.

Your body will thank you for it – and your mind will be thrilled.

Kristy Ramirez is a fitness fanatic and freelance writer for the free-to-use life insurance comparison website Life Insurance Finder.

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by kevin dooley

Are you wondering if need a fitness assessment? It all depends on how active or inactive you are in your life. Being fit is very important for our bodies because exercise helps the blood to flow in the body and helps to fight against illnesses and some diseases.

To know if you need a fitness assessment, see how many of these reasons apply to you. If you realize that you might need a fitness assessment, contact your doctor or physician to see what you need to do to get healthier and in shape.

(1) If you have had any muscle spasms lately, then your flexibility is weak. You may have tight or weak muscles that need to get stronger.

(2) Is your resting heart rate below 60? If so, your body is not working hard enough while at a resting state. It should be between 60 – 80 beats per minute.

(3) Do you have a history of diseases or illnesses? If so, that is even more reason to get a fitness test. If you are fit, then your body can help fight against some of these diseases or illnesses.

(4) Do you have good or bad eating habits? Bad eating habits can cause fat and high cholesterol and / or blood pressure.

(5) Have you had your body measurements taken recently? If not, you should. A fitness assessment will do this so that you can see how healthy your body is.

(6) Do you know your body composition? This tells you how much body fat and lean mass you have. It is very important to see if you have extra fat that can cause harm to your body.

(7) Have you tried to lose weight or get in shape, but haven’t succeeded? A fitness assessment will help you get motivated and achieve your goals. This is an important mental test.

(8) Have you experienced low back pain? If you have, then a postural assessment will be done. Good posture is important for our bodies and health.

(9) Do you know what your basal metabolic rate is? This rate tells you what your daily calorie intake should be based on your age, gender, weight and height.

(10) How ready are you for physical activity? If you are not sure, than a fitness assessment will do all of the above and let you know how physically fit or unfit your body.

And you? What are your fitness assessments?

Michelle Wagner writes for the elliptical machines blog, her personal blog that shares best home fitness practices and elliptical reviews.

Fitness is important, not just when you’re into sports or a professional player, but also because it’s an essential aspect of a healthy life. When you’re not fit, you have trouble moving around efficiently and going about your daily routine without succumbing to fatigue even though you haven’t exerted yourself.

The trouble with getting fit however is that most people associate it with hours of exercise; they either don’t have the time or they’re not inclined to sweat it out just for the sake of fitness. What people don’t understand is that fitness comes to those who are smart and know how to take every possible shortcut to get there. So if you’re looking for fitness, here are five smart ways to achieve it:

• Power workouts work: It’s a myth that you have to spend hours doing intensive training if you want to get fit; those hour-long and longer workout sessions are for those who’re involved in professional sports or too obsessed with exercise. For the rest of us, it’s enough to spend as little as 10 minutes, three times a day spaced at random intervals, doing squats, lunges, stretches, or any other workout you can get done with little or no equipment. The other option is interval training – work out for just 15 or 20 minutes, but make every minute count. Instead of exercising at the same pace the entire time, sprint for 30 seconds, walk for next one minute. Repeat this cycle for as long as you can, and watch your weight go down and your endurance go up. It works with any kind of cardio exercise where you can vary the pace.
• Do what is convenient: Most people fail to exercise because they cannot wake up early enough to work their workout into the start of the day. And because they don’t consider any other time suitable for exercise, they neglect it altogether. If you want to get fit, work out at your convenience. Exercise when it’s convenient for you, not according to preconceived notions and times.
• Watch what you eat: If you work out, you’re bound to eat more whether you’re hungry or not; this is because your mind tricks you into believing that since you’re now working off the calories, you’re entitled to eat more of them. Resist this temptation because it’s the shortest way to gain weight even when you’re exercising regularly.
• Boost your level of activeness: This requires conscious effort at first, and after a while, it becomes a habit. When you move around constantly without staying sedentary for long periods of time, you boost your metabolism and contribute to faster weight loss and higher fitness. Get up and walk every half hour if your job requires that you stay seated; take the stairs instead of the elevator; park your car further away so you have to walk a longer distance; avoid taking your car if you’re going just a few blocks away – there are so many things you can do to become more active.
• Give up your excesses: And finally, if you want to become really fit, give up smoking and drinking too often; while the occasional drink does no harm, smoking and alcoholism drain your body of nutrients and leave you feeling and looking older than you are. So kick those habits first before you start your journey to fitness.

This guest post is contributed by Paul Hench, he writes on the topic of masters in public health. He welcomes your comments at his email id: paul.23hench@gmail.com.

Many people worry about losing weight before they go on vacation and to a certain extent I understand this. Why on earth wouldn’t people want to shed a couple of pounds so they can fit into last year’s bikini? The problem comes when people take things further and actually watch what they do and eat when they are on vacation and there are both positives and negatives to this.

The Postives To Keeping In Shape On Vacation

The first major reason for keeping fit when you are away is the fact that all of your hard work would not have been for nothing. More often than not you will find that when you are on vacation you put the weight that you lost through dieting and exercise in the run up to the trip, back on again. This is a bit disheartening which is why people still continue to watch what they are doing when they are on vacation.

The easiest way to keep in shape is to swim in the pool after each meal as this is going to work off the food you have just eaten in no time at all. The great thing about swimming is that it works pretty much every muscle in the body. When I am on vacation this is the tactic I use to try and keep in shape.

Why You Should Just Let Your Hair Down

There is a reason people go on vacation and it is to wind down and relax! Don’t worry about what you are eating as you can always cut back down again when you arrive home. Vacation is all about trying new things so explore the foods that the country you are in has to offer. If the country has some of the worlds best ice-cream then feel free eat it! I tend to visit the buffet restaurants when I am in places like the US (love the US btw) and I just eat pretty much everything because I am on vacation and it is acceptable!

In reality I think the best option is to take a bit both and have your vacation in this way, this is what I tend to do and it works out fine. Eat as much as you like but don’t go too mad and perhaps go for a swim every now and again to assist in the process. Using this method you will find you will not only have a fantastic time but will come back feeling good too!

Ryan is an SEO working for a company that deal with holidays in Devon , they will be offering out kids under 10 stay free in August Bank Holiday. You can follow him on Twitter @ ryanogs.

If you’re weighing yourself and are motivated by your results, keep up the good work. However, if you’re determined to get fit and constantly weighing yourself is “harshing” your motivation, stop. It isn’t helping.

Reality shows like “The Biggest Loser” may be fun to watch but drive home the motivational concept of “pounds lost” as the primary progress metric. There are others; e.g., clothing size, social reactions, and performance increases. So, why only focus on pounds lost?

As a still hip, post-college kid, I stumbled upon the philosophy of “stop weighing yourself” when I started riding a track bike for fun and accidentally lost 40 pounds. I remember I had just watched my brother compete in the Little 500 (a single speed bike race held in Bloomgington, Indiana, that is the subject of the movie “Breaking Away”) and was so moved by the event and his performance that I got on Ebay right after the finish and bought an old Schwinn. Nine months and about 2000 miles of riding later, none of my clothes fit, and people who hadn’t seen me for awhile freaked out at my slim appearance. Until I hurt my knee and was told by my doctor that I was a full 40 pounds lighter than my last visit, weight loss hadn’t even registered with me. Scary, huh?

My somewhat dramatic weight loss was a few years ago. Today, I’m still managing to keep the weight off through a combination of diet (vegetarian) and continual motivation in the form of personal training. Adam, my first fitness pupil, weighed about 260 lbs when we started. He wasn’t morbidly obese but had a pretty sizable gut. During his first five months we didn’t look at the scale once and only used clothing size, social reactions, and performance increases to gauge his progress; e.g. new jeans, cat calls, ability to bench 100 pounds. About six months into his routine, Adam got on a scale at a new gym and discovered he had lost 40 pounds! Awesome, right? Commitment and sustained effort had been the keys, not motivation from the constant tracking of numeric metrics.

The most recent pupil, Danielle, is experiencing similar results from similar motivation techniques. She’s more excited about being able to run three miles than losing a few pounds. She’s also getting married next year so she’s super pumped about having tone arms and legs. Oh, she’s also a woman so she’s totally against scales. Right, ladies? wink

Anyway, keeping track of your weight loss through numeric metrics can be motivating. However, it’s not for me, Adam, or Danielle and therefore not for everyone. At “Phil’s School of Hipster Fitness,” we don’t care about scales or weight. We care about fitting into our skinny hipster jeans.

Philip Golobish is a triathlete and personal trainer to nerds, hipsters, and musicians. When he’s not getting fit, he moonlights as an eccentric sports marketer that promotes golf stuff like Augusta hotels and horse stuff like the Kentucky Derby. Feel free to contact him about anything at pgolobish at gmail dot com.

How many exercise myths do you still believe in? This cool quiz contest over at eFitilogy.com will help you find out!

Not only will it make you a smarter person (the quiz is hard but you will be amazed at what you will find out) but it also gives you the chance to win one of the ~$1400 prizes:

	1st prize: $1,399-worth: E30R Tunturi Recumbent Bike
	2nd prize: $1,299-worth: E30 Upright Bike
	3rd prize: $379-worth: Power Blocks Classic 5-45lbs Adjustable Dumbbell Set

The quiz is located here: eFITology Exercise Mythbuster Quiz Contest

Now here are some details:

• Contest expires March 10th, 2010;
• Contest is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry.

Let me know how you did in the comments!

There are many arguments and counter-arguments over the uses of steroids. When someone mentions the word “Steroids,” what immediately comes to our minds are the images of muscular and hot bodies that are sculpted to look like Greek statues. The fact is that steroids are not just drugs that give you lean muscular mass and more athletic prowess; steroids can also be found in many medicines used to treat osteoporosis, weight loss, breast cancer, and in anti-inflammatory painkillers (Cortisone).

In fact, small doses of steroids can be even found in medicines as simple as harmless cough syrups. However, there are types of steroids that bodybuilders and athletes use, which are called anabolic androgenic steroids. It is this type of steroids that are often abused by people to gain faster results, and this over-use can land them in serious health troubles. 

These anabolic steroids are prescribed by doctors for boys that have problems during puberty like underdevelopment of male sexual characteristics. Anabolic steroids are given to these boys to increase the levels of the testosterone hormone, which is responsible for muscle growth and masculine features. Since, testosterone plays a pivotal rule in the development of muscles, sex drive and energy, bodybuilders and athletes abuse steroids to increase testosterone levels, thereby, achieving faster muscular growth and increased athletic performance  (the abuse of steroids like any other drug abuse may cause serious health issues and one may even end up getting into a drug rehab).

There is a huge debate in the athletic and bodybuilding circuits as well as within the medical communities regarding the advantages and disadvantage of steroid use and abuse. To evaluate whether using steroids is right or wrong, we have to study the cons and pros of steroid usage before coming to a conclusion. The following is a list of the pros and cons of steroids:

Pros

• Increased and faster muscle growth
• A leaner, muscular body that looks like it has been sculpted.
• Increased sex drive and energy.
• Increase in athletic prowess due to better muscle mass and higher energy levels.
• A new found confidence in self arising out of the gain in looks and vigor.

Cons

Like any other drug abuse, using steroids may cause serious after-effects:

Common for Men and Women

• Increased risk of muscle tears, tendon injuries and nose bleeds.
• Muscle cramps and aching joints
• Bad breath.
• Hair loss and acne.
• Insomnia
• Infertility
• Increase in risk of liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. Increased risk of cancer.
• Mania, depression and Psychosis.

Men

• Decrease in the size of the testicles, and increase in risk of prostate cancer.
• Growth of breasts (Gynecomastia).

Women

• Increase in risk of osteoporosis, and cervical and endometrial cancer.
• Increase in the size of the clitoris.
• Increase in male characteristics like facial and body hair, and increase in the deepening and hoarsening of the voice. Decrease in the size of the breasts.
• Uterine atrophy and Amenorrhea.

The cons of steroid abuse far outnumber the pros, and this is why all athletic and bodybuilding organizations and governments prohibit the use of steroids without doctors’ advice. Systematic training with proper diet will ensure positive results that are long lasting and devoid of side effects. At the end of it all, what is the use of gaining an unfair advantage over others at the cost of reducing your life span every time you use steroids? The money and glory do not stay long, and you will only have a malfunctioning body in the later stages of life.

I figured that was a great idea to start this way listing most fun ways to keep fit because that’s the point of this resource: to show you how to enjoy your workouts and healthy life style.

So here we go: only those ways you will enjoy!

1. Dance! I simply love dancing and I believe that’s a best workout ever invented. It is fun to learn new dance styles weekly or monthly to never get bored and I guess I need to list some cool ways to find new dancing tutorials online (good plan!).
2. Go gardening! You get double benefit here: fresh air and exercise. And besides, you make this planet better by caring for its plants (OK, 3 benefits already);
3. Go hiking: workout, plenty of fresh (traffic-free) air and new beautiful places every day – can’t wait when I have my vacation already!
4. Try shell collecting: if you are with your significant one, this one is also romantic!
5. Simply walk more. A good way to turn this one into fun is to take your camera with you and find new places daily where you think you can get amazing photos: urban scenes, people, nature, etc.
6. Start traveling! Do you know that skiing, for example, is one of the greatest workouts you could ever dream of? Try  ski holidays for example and you are sure to see your general health and mood improve greatly after that experience.

There are many more of course but why not start with the simplest and most enjoyable ones? So no excuse for waiting any longer – just start your new fit life today!

Am I motivating? I hope I am

Post image by cmaccubbin