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The Fitness and Health Report
Information for a Healthy Life

February 6, 2001
Issue 19

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IN THIS ISSUE:

- What is Mind-Body Fitness?
- Make Your Walking Program A Real Fat-Burner

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What is Mind-Body Fitness?
By Therese Iknoian, M.S.

To some people, fitness is just about the body. And that in fact is what all the old practices were all about: your body. Tone it, trim it, tighten it, pinch it, make it hurt, zone out. Kick high, run hard, pump iron.

These days, fitness is taking on a whole different meaning.

Being fit still includes fitness of your body. Yes, indeed. We aren't going to leave that out. But forget the zone-out part that I mentioned above. Now, bring your mind along for the ride. Ask it to join you as you mindfully work through a routine. Suddenly your fitness practice becomes holistic . and it can leave you feeling a whole lot better inside and outside.

Types of Mindful Fitness

I interrupt three different levels of mind-body fitness practices. Certainly, you'll see other classifications, but here is the simplest classification:

* Toning - Ok, so you go to yoga class, but you're just there to work your butt and stretch your thighs. Still, it feels good, and you're addicted, although it's likely not too mindful.

* Relaxation - A mindful routine becomes a great excuse to take a break from your crazy life, breathe fully, and relax. But as soon as you're done, you dive back in to the everyday crazies.

* Lifestyle - Tai chi isn't, for example, just about deep breathing or balance techniques. It - or any other method you try - is about the way you move through your life, the food you eat, how you interact with others, and the clothes you wear. The routine affects you every minute of the day.

You don't have to get all "hippy-like," sit in the cross-legged Lotus position all day, and "oohmm out" (as I've heard some people put it) to do a mindful practice. You can still shop in the market down the street and work the same job. So don't be frightened of these practices meaning you must change your religious beliefs, lifestyle, or friends.

Process, Not Goal

You will still get fit and be fit, although getting fit and strong won't necessarily be the spoken goal of these practices, but rather what happens along the way. In fact, there is no true goal. These practices are all about process and enjoying the moment.

For an activity to truly have mindful and internal benefits, research has found three components usually must exist:

1. Breathing - Keeping it full and conscious during all movement.

2. Muscle use - Using your muscles in some way actively, rather than just sitting.

3. Contemplation - Not zoning out, but focusing mindfully on each movement the entire time.

In addition, it seems that activity fits this bill best if it is not highly aerobic or intense, but stays in the low-to-moderate range of not more than about 70-75 percent of your heart rate maximum (estimate that by subtracting your age from 220, if you're a man, and from 226, if you're a woman).

Traditional Becomes Mindful

There's yet another way to start incorporating mind-body practices into your life, especially if you're not ready to give up hard runs or brisk walks: Make it a part of that activity.

* You could start your session - for example before your walk or run on the treadmill - with a few minutes of Qigong (that's a Chinese art to get you in touch with your energy), Tai Chi Chuan (a moving mediation, Asian-style), or a simple deep-breathing or centering activity.

* You could add a few minutes to your cool-downs or post-workout. For example, a couple of times through a Yoga Sun Salutation (a great stretch) or some Pilates exercises (think focused ab and torso toning).

Sound good? Tired of sizing up your thighs and weighing in? Then maybe it's time to try a more mindful practice, or even practice your normal routine more mindfully.

Therese Iknoian, M.S., is an exercise physiologist, former ranked race walker, and published free-lance health & fitness writer. In addition to being an expert on walking with books and audiotapes, she just released her latest book, "Mind-Body Fitness For Dummies." To learn more go to http://www.totalfitnessnetwork.com.

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Make Your Walking Program A Real Fat-Burner
by Greg Landry, M.S.

A good walking program is the basis for successful weight loss for many people - and it can be for you too. Here are a few steps you can take (no pun intended) to develop your own fat-burning walking program;

1. Find ways to make your walking enjoyable, by listening to music, books on tape, or teaching tapes. Or, some people prefer to just enjoy nature and life around them, and the time to think, pray, or just let their mind wander. The more you enjoy your walks, the more likely you are to walk consistently.

2. Make it a DAILY habit - just like brushing your teeth. Walking daily makes you a much better "fat-burner" than if you are walking two to three days a week. And, most people that make the switch will tell you that it's easier to walk every day. You don't have to think about whether it's a walk day or not and get geared up for it - you just do it every day and your body gets used to it. It soon becomes a normal part of your day and you begin to look forward to it.

3. Incorporate "intervals" into three or four of your walks each week. Intervals are brief periods (about one minute) of more intense exercise mixed into your walking sessions. For example, you would do a one minute interval of faster walking about every five minutes throughout your exercise session.

Here's how it will look; you'll start with your normal three to five minute warm-up and then five minutes into your walk you do your first interval, one minute of faster walking (or perhaps jogging). At the end of that minute you should be "winded" and ready to slow down. You'll slow down to your normal walking speed for the next four minutes and then your fifth minute is another one minute interval. This pattern continues throughout your exercise session.

Intervals increase your aerobic fitness level by "pushing the envelope." While doing your interval you cross the anaerobic threshold into anaerobic metabolism, forcing your body to become conditioned to more intense exercise and making it a better fat burner.

Intervals increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR), causing you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day, and intervals can make your exercise less monotonous and help the time pass more quickly.

4. Train for a 5K or 10K walk in your area. Training for an event like this is very motivating and gives you a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

5. If you're not weight training, walk with light (one to two pound) hand weights two to three days per week. Swing your arms and also use a variety of arm movements while walking to tone your upper body muscles and further increase your basal metabolic rate.

6. If at all possible, do your walking first thing in the morning. Over 90% of people who walk *consistently*, walk first thing in the morning. If YOU want to walk consistently, odds are in your favor if you hop to it early.

7. If you're really in a hurry to get the fat-burning machine cranked-up, add a short, leisurely walk to your regimen a few evenings each week. Many people like to take a conversational walk with a spouse, friend, or child after dinner.

8. Look for situations throughout your day when you can do a little more walking. Welcome the opportunity to walk a little extra during your daily activities. For example, when safe to do so, park way out in the parking lot of Wal Mart or your grocery store and hike to the store.

9. Make one day a week your "easy day." Make this a very leisurely walk. Enjoy the sights and sounds around you and appreciate how good your walks are starting to feel as you lose weight and tone your muscles.

10. Keep a record of your walking. There's something very motivating about seeing your walking accomplishments and paper. Record the date and time-of-day of your walk, and the distance and/or time you walked. Keep a running total of the miles or minutes you've walked. Also, record your thoughts or feelings for that particular walk.

By taking these steps you're making this time each day a special time to take care of yourself. Make that a priority in your life and don't let anyone or anything keep you from that time. Walking every day will have a positive impact on all aspects of your life, including your weight and fitness level!

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, offers free weight loss and fitness newsletters and articles, and the "Metabolism Challenge" at his site http://www.Landry.com

copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.

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