- Exercises and Adult Bodies - by Karl knopf Ed. D

Clinically speaking, we begin to age from the moment of conception. As we approach our middle years, if our bodies are not well cared for, the effects of normal aging begin to become apparent. Various organs and systems begin to display deterioration. The effects of this deterioration present themselves as heart disease, arthritis, elevated blood pressure and low back problems to name a few. Other changes that occur include decreases in hormone production and elasticity begins to diminish in muscles, skin and blood vessels. Many of these adverse effects of aging can be reversed or slowed with the intervention of a proper and regular exercise routine. No matter how well one maintains oneself, the physiological process of aging will take its toll. Exercise does not stop the biological clock, but it can slow it considerably. Proper exercise is imperative in maximizing
physiological capacity.
Most researchers believe that the maximum life span in humans is slightly over 110 years. This life span has remained unchanged for 300 years in spite of tremendous advances in public health. Scientists suggest that we should not experience a steady decline in health starting in our 30s, but rather live successfully into our 80s before bodily systems start to break down.

Average life expectancy in the United States has increased dramatically in this century, from about 47 years in 1900 to about 75 years in 1990. This increase is mostly due to improvements in sanitation, the discovery of antibiotics, and advancements in medical care; but as scientists make headway against chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, some think it can be extended even further.

Maximum human life span seems to be another matter. There is no evidence that it has changed in thousands of years despite fabled fountains of youth and biblical tales of long-lived patriarchs. However, the dream of extending life span has shifted from legend to laboratory in recent years as more gerontologists than ever are exploring the genes, cells and organs involved in the aging process. With each passing day they uncover more secrets to healthy living and longevity. Physical activity is one of them.

According to a study done at Stanford University, longtime runners live longer lives and have less pain, disability and disease than their sedentary peers. The longtime runners in this study were leaner, needed less medication and had fewer joint problems than non-runners of the same age. This evidence is proof positive that living an active life is beneficial.

The past surgeon general has estimated that close to 85% of our most dreaded diseases could be prevented with appropriate lifestyle changes, including a good diet and regular exercise. Healthy lifestyles behaviors and sensible exercise would not only prevent disease and untimely death but would improve the quality of one’s life! No one wants to just survive; everyone wants to live fully. Regular exercise will foster that goal!

Being Sedentary Can Be Hazardous To Your Health

The following list includes information and facts regarding the adverse effects associated with physical inactivity.

Inactivity and poor diet cause at least 300,000 deaths a year in the United States.

Adults who are less active are at greater risk of dying of heart disease and developing diabetes, colon cancer and high blood pressure.

More than 60% of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity.

Approximately 40% of U.S. adults are not active at all.

Physical inactivity is more common among women than men, African American and Hispanic adults than whites, older than younger adults, and the less affluent than more affluent individuals.

Social support from family and friends is consistently and positively related to regular physical activity.

Inactivity increases with age. By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity.

People with disabilities are less likely to engage in regular moderate physical activity than people with no physical disabilities, yet they have similar needs to promote health and prevent lifestyle-related diseases.
For any matter related to Fitness please email to DavidSilva@DSFitness.com or visit us at www.DSFitness.com

-HEART RATE: RESTING, TRAINING, WHERE SHOULD IT BE?

What should be my Training Heart Rate? Is my Resting Heart Rate too High?

The heart begins working before you were born and continues to work until your death. It works faster and less efficiently when you give it little to do than it does when you make more demands on it. It is a remarkable engine, deserves major attention and it is directly affected by your physical condition. Both anaerobically and aerobically conditioned individuals who exercise regularly will have a resting heart rate of about 60 beats per minute or less. Someone who is not in a good physical condition, a person who does not exercise may have a resting rate of about 80 or more. Women tend to have a slightly higher heart rate than men, as do children. Obesity, stress and many other factors can, of course, speed your heart rate up considerably, even though you may appear to be in great condition.

Resting Heart is the number of times the heart beats in one minute - 72 beats per minute for the average adult.
Just as an example, suppose that you were at complete rest for a full 24 hours, a comparison might go something like this:
Sixty beats per minute, times 60 minutes, equals 3,600 beats per hour. Times 24 hours, equals 86,400 beats per day.
Eighty beats per minute, times 60 minutes, equals 4,800 beats per hour. Times 24 hours, equals 115,200 beats per day.
Even at complete rest, a deconditioned person who does not exercise his heart forces it to beat nearly 30,000 times more during every day of his life. But no one is at complete rest 24 hours a day, and for ordinary activity, like getting up from a chair, walking across the room, and climbing a flight of stairs, the deconditioned heart would beat proportionately faster than a conditioned heart for the same activity.
Conditioned hearts, as they grow larger and stronger, can beat more slowly because they are pumping more blood with each stroke. Almost of all of the great distance runners have had low heart rates. Some of them are reported to have a resting rate of 32 beats per minute.
To determine resting heart rate, sit still for five minutes in front of a clock, then take the pulse and count the beats for a full 60 seconds. If the heart rate is at 80 beats or above, then your health is not likely in good condition.
Maximum heart rate is the highest rate at which an individual is capable, you can estimate it subtracting your age from 220. Ex. 220 - 35 = 185 (maximum heart rate)
Training also reduces maximum heart rates, which is just as important. Healthy hearts will peak, without strain, at 190 beats per minute or less, while poorly conditioned hearts may go as high as 220 beats or more during exhausting activity, which is dangerously high depending on the age of the subject.
Finally, training can condition the heart not only to reduce its maximum rate, but also strengthen it so that it can hold near-maximum rates for longer periods before fatigue sets in.
What should be my Training Heart Rate?
Exercise intensity is a very important recommendation in Fitness. The prescribed level of intensity must be sufficient to overload the cardiovascular system, but not so severe that it overtaxes any of the systems of the body. For the apparently healthy individual who wants to develop and maintain an adequate level of cardiorespiratory fitness I recommend 55% to 85% of the person's VO2max.
There are different techniques for monitoring levels of exercise intensity. The most common used methods are target heart rate (THR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and metabolic equivalent units (METS). I think THR is the easiest one to figure out quickly, just by using the following formula: THR range = maximal HR x 0.70 and 0.85 - where 70% and 85% of maximal heart rate is equal to approximately 60% and 80% of functional capacity VO2 max.
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- THE 5 RULES OF PERFORMANCE NUTRTION

There are some simple truths about eating and exercise that have been overlooked by most of people. They should be applied to everyone, sedentary or active, young or old, in or out of shape.
Rule number 1: Always EAT AT LEAST 5 TIMES A DAY. Two or three meals are simply not enough. It is permissible to regard two of these meals as "snacks," provided they contain sufficient calories to get you to your next meal, and they are comprised of the appropriate ratio of macro nutrients as described in Rule Two. Your blood sugar and insulin levels will be controlled (and thus your energy level), you will get protein in small amounts throughout the day to support growth and recovery, and (most important) body fat will not be stored, but instead mobilized as an energy source. By providing your body with a consistent and frequent supply of just the right number of calories, its need to store fat is reduced.
Rule Number 2: In planning each of your daily meals (or snacks), a caloric ratio of approximately 1PART FAT, 2 PARTS PROTEIN, and 3 PARTS CARBOHYDRATES is a good place to begin. However, as you will see in Rule Number 3, this is just an estimate for average people. Depending on the intensity of your training level or daily routine, you may need more or less carbohydrates for energy. For the most part, choose low glycemic index carbohydrates, which are converted to blood sugar slowly so you can control your insulin levels. Remember, carbohydrates are your body's preferred energy fuel source, although fats work well too, particularly during aerobic training (provided the ratio of fats, protein and carbohydrates is kept within the recommended "zone").
Just remember that Carbs and Protein have 5 calories per gram, while Fat has 9 calories per gram.
Rule Number 3: When you sit down to eat, ask yourself, "What am I going to be doing for the next three hours of day or nigth?" If you nap, eat fewer carbohydrate foods; if you plan to train, eat more carbohydrates. In other words, ADJUST YOUR CARBOHYDRATES UP OR DOWN depending upon anticipated energy output. Remember, your pre-workout carbohydrates should be low glycemic.
Rule Number 4: You cannot lose fat quickly and efficiently unless you are in a negative calorie balance: taking in fewer calories than you are burning. Neither can you gain weight quickly and efficiently unless you are in a positive calorie balance: taking in more calories than you would need to maintain your current weight. So you must ALTERNATE PERIODS of negative caloric balance with periods of positive calorie balance. It does not matter if you are trying to lose total body weight, stay at the same weight or gain weight. This alteration will readjust your BMR upward, making it easier to keep fat off, support recovery and lean tissue building through insulin and glucagon control.
Rule Number 5: It is almost impossible to get all of the nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and active from food alone, particularly if you are on a diet. Therefore, it is important to SUPPLEMENT your diet with vitamins, minerals and other carefully selected substances to ensure maximum progress toward your fitness, health, muscle-building and fat-loss goals.
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- OVERTRAINING - IT'S AS BAD AS NOT TRAINING AT ALL.

Overtraining is the main reason most of the people in the gyms or health clubs look like they have never stepped into any workout facility before in their life. Its the reason most people don't see the gains they want, and give up after trying "so hard". It's what you should pay attention and AVOID to not just become one of them. It's the number one in "Weight Loss failures".
It isn't hard to identify the source of the "beginners logic" that produces this approach - an outsider looking in assumes that shaping an athletic or muscle body is all about how much time you put in at the gym. When the average person encounters an impressive physique he will say, "Man, I bet he/she spend a lot of hours at the gym, every day."
The truth is that DIET, TRAINING and REST are all critically important to improve and maintain your body in a healthy good shape. What you should say when you encounter an impressive physique is, "Man, he/she works out, eats well AND provides the body with sufficient rest."
It is not easy to convince someone who is excited about training that he/she can over train. Give an enthusiastic beginner a workout schedule of 1 to 1.5 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week, and he/she has the tendency to assume that you are being conservative, that you simply don't realize how determined he/she is and how hard he/she is willing to work. Usually they think that if doubling or tripling the schedule the results will come in the same proportion.
Body shaping does not work that way. You must understand the importance of rest to the muscle building process and the importance of rest to re-energize the body in order to exercise it again and actively participate on the burning fat process.
Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) or "Burn out" can be very dangerous, it is when the body becomes overwhelmed by the demands being placed on it. It's clinically recognized condition characterized by feelings of fatigue and depression, increased cortisol levels (stress hormone that breaks down muscle tissue) and decreased blood-glutamine, testosterone and DHEA levels among other indicators. Over training occurs when the body incurs more damage than it has the opportunity to repair and rebuild.
If you do not allow the body the opportunity to adequately repair its condition by enough rest, you will begin overtraining. OTS is a progressive condition. If you continue to train beyond the body's repair capabilities you will progress into an increased state of OTS.
Common signs of overtraining are getting sick and getting colds more often then normal, feeling tired all the time, muscle and eyelid twitches and decreases on achieving their fitness goals as weight loss or muscle response.
If you are experiencing any or of the above symptoms talk to a professional in the field, and probably you will be advised to slow down on your schedule on even to take a week off.
Then come up with a new workout schedule and routine that will NOT cause you to over train, consequently you will feel away better and the results will appears in a more healthy and pleasurable way.
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-STABILITY: WHEN PERFORMING A PHYSICAL EXERCISE.

Maintaining a stable (balanced) body is necessary to ensure safety during exercise execution. Stability also helps produce the desired results when using free weights. With machine weights, when you assume the necessary position, abdominal contracted, flat feet on the floor, there is little need to balance your body as you execute the exercise. (This is based on the premise that the machines allow you to do the exercise correctly.)For example, when doing an overhead press the muscles of the legs and trunk must contract to hold you in place. The trunk must be rigid to provide a stable base for effective contraction of the shoulder muscles. If not, any change in the balance of the weights overhead may make you lose your balance, which in turn could cause injury, especially if you lose control of the weights. The basic principles of stability are simple: The larger your base of support, the greater your stability. This is why you should most often assume a position with the feet approximately shoulder width or wider. Standing with your feet together results in a very small support base, which will not give you the foundation needed for stability when doing heavy lifts, especially overhead lifts.Another way of increasing stability is to bend your knees in order to lower your center of gravity (where your weight is concentrated). The lower your body is, the more stable you become. For example, in order to prevent lower body movement and keep the spine vertical during shoulder (upper body) twisting, it is important that you bend your knees to stabilize the lower body and hips. This will keep the spine from falling out of alignment and limit the movement to the shoulders. The bent-knee position also helps to prevent knee injuries. Foot placement also plays an important role. If your feet are parallel and shoulder-width apart, the weight should be close to you or overhead. This is the preferred stance in most exercises because you have good stability in a left to right direction. In a stride position (e.g., cable overhead triceps press) you can better balance the weight in a forward-backward direction. When lying on a bench, always place the feet on the floor. This increases sideward stability. Keeping the feet on the bench creates an unstable position — especially when you use heavy weights and/or a barbell. It becomes even more important to keep the feet on the floor when doing explosive or throwing actions.
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-BRAZIL,3 x ARGENTINA,1 - 2010 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Brazil & Argentina, Soccer World Cup Qualifier - Luis Fabiano struck twice as Brazil stunned arch-rivals Argentina 3-1 away in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday to reach the 2010 finals.
The defeat, after defender Luisao had put Brazil ahead in the 24th minute, left Argentina's chances of reaching the finals in South Africa hanging by a thread.
Midfielder Jesus Datolo replied for Argentina.
Five-times world champions Brazil lead the South American group with 30 points. They are more than nine points ahead of fifth and sixth-placed Colombia and Ecuador with three games remaining.
The top four qualify automatically while the team finishing fifth goes into a playoff against the fourth-placed team in the CONCACAF region. Argentina remain in fourth place, eight points behind Brazil, and also behind Chile and Paraguay.
It was 16 years to the day that a 5-0 drubbing by Colombia had twice world champions Argentina needing to win a playoff to reach the 1994 finals in the U.S.
Sections of the home crowd chanted Brazil coach Dunga's name in the closing minutes to protest against the impotent tactics of Diego Maradona's Argentina.
"Until the 24th minute, Brazil hadn't even got (to our box). We were very bad on the aerial balls and we paid dearly for that," Maradona told a news conference.
Brazil playmaker Kaka, who came out on top in his duel with Lionel Messi, told Brazilian TV: "Today is a marvellous day, giving this squad added value by guaranteeing our qualification here in Argentina.
"With all the climate that was created (around this match), the team were very intelligent on the pitch."
Brazil's first-half goals came against the run of play as they made their few chances pay while Argentina squandered the lion's share of possession.
From Brazil's kickoff, Argentina won the ball and forced a corner when Carlos Tevez went for a low right cross to the near post and goalkeeper Julio Cesar turned the ball over the goal-line.
Argentina went on to dictate play and Messi came close with a left-footed free kick but despite some penetrating moves the Brazil defence managed to prevent their finishing touch.
HIT COLD
Brazil then hit Argentina cold with their first chance when unmarked defender Luisao, the tallest man on the pitch, was allowed to meet Elano's free kick from the right with a header to the far post that beat the diving Mariano Andujar.
Brazil's next real chance also went in after Andujar failed to hold a shot resulting from a Kaka cross from the left, allowing Luis Fabiano to touch the ball home just past the half hour.
Argentina then created a good chance with Julio Cesar saving a shot from Tevez at the near post and Messi's effort from the rebound being cleared off the line.
Maradona made one change at halftime, bringing on striker Sergio Aguero for winger Maxi Rodriguez, but Argentina's tactics of trying to short-pass their way through the middle of the packed Brazil defence remained unchanged.
When Argentina did score it was with a surprise shot from outside the box by Datolo, his second goal in two internationals after getting the third in the 3-2 friendly win in Russia last month.
But with Argentina pressing for an equalizer, Brazil made sure of victory two minutes later when Luis Fabiano brilliantly touched the ball over Andujar to finish off a quick counter-attack.
Substitute Diego Milito failed to put away a good chance for Argentina when he gave Julio Cesar time to come out and block his shot after being set up by Messi.

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- FEEL - THE MAJOR FITNESS COMPONENT

FEEL

The major component of my personal training philosophy can best summarized by the word "Feel".

Walk into any gym in the world and you will see someone slinging a barbell around, performing a curl without the faintest idea of what he is doing. He is just trying to have as much weight as possible, grunting and groaning, giving himself a hernia trying to get the weight up. Basically the whole point of working out is "muscular contraction",. That's the secret. "If you don't feel the muscle, you can't grow the muscle. "Feeling the contraction is one of the most important aspects of training. That's why I instruct my beginning clients to perform rehearsal workouts (using extremely light weights, perfect slow motion form and high reps) to open up the muscle-mind pathways and foster and awareness of muscle-contraction point. You must avoid thinking of weights as either heavy or light. Heavy versus light is a false dichotomy that leaves many trainers feeling dismissive and that cause them to adopt a program lacking in at least one important respect - "properly applied, every poundage has a use."If you think heavy weight training is the only way to work with muscles, you are dead wrong. In fact, periods of light weight training along with moderate and heavy workouts can help bring about dramatic changes in your physique. Light training can be tough, physically as well as mentally. The key to developing the mind-muscle link is focus. To pick up a 25 pound dumbbell and do a concentration curl is easy, yet it is entirely different thing to pick up same 25 pounds and keeping your arm in the optional plane of motion and not cheating, force the biceps to work hard through the entire range of motion and make each rep a powerful peak contraction. Always remember: Balance, Variety, and Feel with the techniques and supervision I will be giving you is the way to get there: "The most proportional and perfectly shape of your body."
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- VARIETY - AN IMPORTANT FITNESS COMPONENT

VARIETY

First of all, variety refers to the need to incorporate other things into our lives besides working out, our mental processes need more than one kind of stimulation.

Now, in the gym, variety applies in a couple of other ways. First, exercises themselves should be substituted for each other frequently.

The body thrives on change and diversity. Typically, it takes all about three workouts for the body to become totally familiar with the routine, so those who incorporate liberal substitutions will progress far faster.

Motivation to keep going to the gym and keep training with vision and enthusiasm is vital. If or perform the same old routine week after week, month after month, you have nothing to look forward to.

Every exercise we perform hits the body in a different aspect to every muscle group. By changing an angle of a bench, or steering our weight through a different arc, you can stimulate new areas into growth. A whole new see of fibers are stimulated when you change the order and the selection of exercises. It's when your don't change things around that you develop the basic body, the king that power lifters have - good bulk but very little symmetry or separation.

Over the years I've developed an armory of exercises for each body part, tried and tested movements that I consider to be of the best quality. These are, literally hundreds of weight training exercises, but our personal armory should consist of three or four exercises for each day. So the next time you work on that areas will make a new selection. Sometimes only angles change, an other times the exercises will change drastically.

Training with the same exercises for weeks, months, you are depriving our muscles of being hit from a large variety of angles.

I also stress the variety in talking about the number of reps. For the most part, we will training with a range of 6 to 24 reps, but keep in mind that stretching and contracting are more important than heaving or bouncing.
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- BALANCE: one of the main Fitness components

Working out is just a slice of life, after all, there are other pursuits, pastimes and such. I believe if a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well. The following are three main components to my training philosophy, they are going to be very helpfull during the training days. Here goes the first one:

BALANCE

To reach our goals we need balance on almost everything in this life.

Here, lets talk about what refers to physique itself. How your arms compare to your chest? Are you legs undeveloped in relation to your torso? It is common for beginners especially when they train by themselves, to ignore the legs and just train the upper body and arms. Lets face it, leg work is tough, squating up and down with a weight on our back is okay for the first four reps, but the last ones are really hard. When you have an underdeveloped area, or a body part that is not responding well to training you have to put more thought into building up that area. I always say that we have to fall in love with our weak area, dwelling on it to such an extent that we build a whole new motivation to bring it up to par. Merely performing a couple of extra exercises for an undeveloped body part will not get the job done. Some decades ago body symmetry and proportion didn't figure highly. The main concerns were to be big and cut resulting in a freaky look with thirty five inch thighs and shoulders looking like mountains. Maximum size can still be desired, but so too is symmetry. I will train in line that gives you what the human body should look like. I train my clients in a balanced fashion to achieve a balanced physique.

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- ARGENTINA x BRAZIL - SATURDAY! WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

It can be a good one!

Argentina faces Brazil for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifier on September, 05, 2009
Diego Maradona says that he is not contemplating defeat ahead of his Argentina side facing arch-rivals Brazil in next month's pivotal 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifier. With four games to go in the South American Zone, Argentina are lying fourth in the last automatic qualifying spot for South Africa, with 22 points, five behind leaders Brazil. Chile and Paraguay are in second and third respectively. Despite that precarious position, Maradona was in positive mood today, telling a press conference in Rosario where the 5 September tie is being held: "I'm only thinking of victory, I'm not considering defeat. "Honours were shared with a goalless draw in the two countries' first meeting on the road to South Africa in Belo Horizonte in June last year. However, this time Maradona believes the outcome will be different. "We're hungrier than Brazil," insisted the Argentine football legend, who this month was forced to dismiss reports linking him to the manager's job at English Premier League side Portsmouth. Maradona, who took over as Argentina boss in November 2008, spoke in reverential terms of Dunga's Brazilian side, which in June successfully defended their FIFA Confederations Cup title. "The entire Brazil team makes me scared, " he admitted. "They have a fantastic side but the best players must be Kaka and Robinho. I have the utmost respect for Carlos Dunga, he organises things very well." He concluded by issuing a rallying cry to his team who had to come from behind to edge Russia 3-2 in a warm-up to the Brazil clash last week in Moscow. "We are all Argentinians and we're going to be coming up against our biggest rivals. We have to remain united, otherwise Brazil can do us great harm." After Brazil, Argentina face another awkward assignment against the Paraguayans on 9 September, with the two-time world champions' remaining two qualifiers against bottom-of-the-table Peru and sixth-placed Uruguay in October.
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- JUMP ROPE.. DO IT ANYWAYS.

You can Jump Rope as a warm up, when cooling down or just make a whole workout of it. Just do it. It burns up to 1,000 calories per hour. It tones your entire body - arms, legs, trunk, butt, calves and back. It's easy to learn, you probably did it in your childhood, comes back naturally, even if you have never done it before you will get it just in a few practicing times. It improves your game, whether you golf, swim, ski, or play tennis. It's totally cheap and portable. Looks cool...check out those boxers at the gym who know what they're doing. Can be a solo or group workout. It's gender neutral, family friendly, give your kids a rope too! Can be a blast! Make up some jump rope tricks, and have fun with it.
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- GOOD POSTURE IS NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

Good posture is important to health. It is needed to keep the organs in place and to allow them to work efficiently and effectively.

Posture affects how you walk, run, jump, lift weights, and execute other skills. For example, if you have rounded shoulders, your arms may be slightly in front of your body instead of hanging alongside your body. As a result, you may find that instead of lifting the arms sideways directly overhead, you are lifting them up and in front of the body. This changes the muscular movement and the movement pathway.

When you have good posture, your muscles are in balance and your body is symmetrical.
Good posture makes you feel good. Because of its many benefits, such as ease of movement, good balance of muscle strength and flexibility, proper positioning of the spine and proper functioning of the internal organs, your body “feels” good and you therefore feel good.
To evaluate your posture, stand with your back against a wall. Your heels, backs of calves, buttocks, upper back and head should comfortably touch the wall. If you must strain to make all points of contact, then you probably have some deviations.
The relative strength and flexibility of the spinal muscles play a role in the alignment of the trunk and pelvis. When there are imbalances, three abnormal conditions can result: lordosis, scoliosis and kyphosis.
The key to having a well-aligned and balanced body is to proportionally develop the muscles (agonists) on one side of the joint with the muscles on the other side of the joint (antagonists). Only in this way will the muscles keep your joints in the natural state and not allow any deviations to occur.
-The spine is the keystone of body structure. It must support the weight of your body.

-Intradiscal pressure when seated is up to 11 times greater than lying down, since sitting is inescapable for most of us, the best advice is to limit time spent sitting as much as possible, and design your workplace according to correct ergonomics.
Your feet must be sufficiently strong to keep your body equally balanced and your shins in line with the feet, head, trunk and upper extremities.
Pelvic asymmetry results in a deviance of symmetrical action in the lower trunk muscles because of the torque in the pelvis and the compensatory curvature and torque of the spinal column.
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- ENERGY! HOW DO WE GET THEM...

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We need energy to maintain the many chemical and physical activities of the body, all energy comes from the sun. Plants use this solar energy to perform chemical reactions to form carbohydrates, fats and protein. Humans, like animals, consume plants and other animals to obtain the energy required to maintain cellular activities. These cellular activities known as metabolism are maintained under homeostatic controls. These many chemical reactions occurring in our bodies must be regulated to maintain a balance between the trillions of cells in our body.

Metabolism can be defined as all of the chemical processes that occur in the body.

The food you eat can either be burned to liberate energy, converted into bodyweight, or excreted.

The calories coming from protein are used for maintenance, repair, and growth of new tissues and organs.

Calories from carbohydrates are used for energy.

Calories from conventional sources of a fat are prone to be stored as fat since it already has the same molecular structure as body fat.

Energy metabolism is a series of chemical reactions that result in the breakdown of foodstuffs (carbohydrate, fat, protein) by which energy is produced, used, and given off as heat.
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EXERCISES AND METABOLIC RESPONSES

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Exercises and Metabolic Responses:

Exercise will stimulate a series of metabolic responses that affect the body’s anatomy, physiology, and biochemical makeup.

Here are some of the changes that are stimulated by endurance exercise:

-Decreased body fat
-Decreased resting heart rate
-Increased muscle glycogen storage capacity
-Increased muscle mitochondria density
-Increased resting ATP content in muscles
-Increased resting CP content in muscles
-Increased resting creatine in muscles
-Increased aerobic enzymes
-Increased slow twitch muscle fiber %
-Decreased fast twitch muscle fiber %
-Decreased muscle size, when compared to strength training
-Increased cardiac output
-Increased Krebs cycle enzymes
-Increased capillaries
The magnitude of these changes is driven primarily by whether the exercise is anaerobic or aerobic. The type and duration of exercise will physically stimulate muscles to develop more fast or slow twitch muscle fibers, and in turn dictate the primary energy mix used. High intensity exercise stimulates fast twitch muscle fiber development, while low intensity exercise results in slow twitch muscle fiber development. There are also a series of hormonal changes that occur on an overall basis during exercise and non-exercising periods. These changes also are benefited and facilitated with a nutrient profile that matches the type of metabolic flux.
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- ARGENTINA x BRAZIL: Sep/05/09 - World Cup

Argentina faces Brazil for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualiefier on September, 05, 2009

Diego Maradona says that he is not contemplating defeat ahead of his Argentina side facing arch-rivals Brazil in next month's pivotal 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifier.
With four games to go in the South American Zone, Argentina are lying fourth in the last automatic qualifying spot for South Africa, with 22 points, five behind leaders Brazil. Chile and Paraguay are in second and third respectively.
Despite that precarious position, Maradona was in positive mood today, telling a press conference in Rosario where the 5 September tie is being held: "I'm only thinking of victory, I'm not considering defeat."
Honours were shared with a goalless draw in the two countries' first meeting on the road to South Africa in Belo Horizonte in June last year. However, this time Maradona believes the outcome will be different.
"We're hungrier than Brazil," insisted the Argentine football legend, who this month was forced to dismiss reports linking him to the manager's job at English Premier League side Portsmouth. Maradona, who took over as Argentina boss in November 2008, spoke in reverential terms of Dunga's Brazilian side, which in June successfully defended their FIFA Confederations Cup title.
"The entire Brazil team makes me scared," he admitted. "They have a fantastic side but the best players must be Kaka and Robinho. I have the utmost respect for Carlos Dunga, he organises things very well."
He concluded by issuing a rallying cry to his team who had to come from behind to edge Russia 3-2 in a warm-up to the Brazil clash last week in Moscow. "We are all Argentinians and we're going to be coming up against our biggest rivals. We have to remain united, otherwise Brazil can do us great harm."
After Brazil, Argentina face another awkward assignment against the Paraguayans on 9 September, with the two-time world champions' remaining two qualifiers against bottom-of-the-table Peru and sixth-placed Uruguay in October.
For more info email us at DavidSilva@DSFintess.com or go to http://www.dsfitness.com/

- WORKOUT PLAN TO SUCESS

Often, the hardest part of getting into shape is taking the first step. Here are some simple steps to help begin your journey.

To make physical improvements, you need to work your body harder than usual. This is referred to as the overload principle. As your body becomes more conditioned, you need to increase the frequency, intensity, or time of your workouts in order to continue improving your fitness level.

- Frequency: how often you exercise. For beginners, consider starting with 2-3 sessions per week (cardiovascular + weight lifting)

- Intensity: How hard you exercise. For example, the pace you walk or run, the amount of weight you lift, or your heart rate count.

- Time: How long you perform an activity. "Time" can also refer to the number of sets or repetitions you perform in weight training.

- Exercise Component:

1-Aerobic ExerciseAerobic exercise increases the health and function of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. For maximum effectiveness, aerobic exercise needs to be rhythmic, continuous and involve the large muscle groups (primarily located in the lower part of your body) walking, jogging, cycling, aerobic dance, and stair climbing are examples of activities that use large muscle groups. Activities combining upper and lower body movements such as cross country skiing, rowing, and swimming can lead to even higher levels of aerobic capacity.

2- Strength TrainingStrength training is the process with progressively heavier resistance to build or retain muscle. Unless you perform regular strength exercise, you will lose up to one-half pound of muscle every year of life after age 25. Muscle is a very active tissue with high-energy requirements, even when you are asleep, your muscles are responsible for over 25% of your calorie use. An increase in muscle tissue causes a corresponding increase in the number of calories your body will burn, even at rest.

3- FlexibilityFlexibility is a critical element of an exercise program but it is often overlooked. Stretching is important for a number of reasons: increases blood supply and nutrients to the joints, increases neuromuscular coordination, reduces soreness, improves balance, decreases risk of low back pain, and reduces stress in muscles.

Outdoor Activities: Outdoor activities abound during all four seasons. Sample the variety of activities available to you. For example, take a hike to enjoy the fall colors (which doesn't happen much down here in Florida), learn to cross-country ski when Old Man Winter visits (once more Floridians get taste it somewhere else), walk among the flowers in the Spring, or dive into swimming during the months of Summer (in Florida it can be practiced almost all year around).

Determining Your Starting Point: To achieve cardiovascular benefits, the American College of Sport Medicine (ASCM) recommends exercising 3-5 times per week (frequency), with a training heart rate of 60-85 percent of your maximum (intensity) for 30 to 60 minutes (time).To attain muscular fitness benefits, the ACSM recommends weight training 2-4 days peer week (frequency) performing one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions (time) of different exercises at approximately 70-85 percent of your one repetition maximum (intensity)

Staying Motivated: Only one-third of those who begin an exercise program are still exercising by the end of their first year. The good news is that with some strategizing and planning, you can beat the dropout odds and make a successful transition to a lifestyle that incorporates exercise. Schedule Your Workouts:Exercise must be a priority in order to establish it as a lifestyle practice. Make time for your workouts and schedule them on your daily calendar or planner.

Toss Your Scale: Ask yourself" How often has stepping on the scale in the morning ruined my day?" If you answer is "often," consider whether or not you should give that little machine such power over you. The fact is that exercise should not revolve around a number on scale. Exercise should be about making a commitment to your health and well being, weight loss is a natural side effect of that commitment.

Dress the Part: Wear comfortable clothes appropriate for exercising, they will help you feel like working out. Put your exercise wear in a bag and set it beside the door the night before, when it is time to head out the door, all you have to do is grab your bag on the way out.

Entertain Yourself: Enjoy performing the exercises, feel the muscles doing the work, ask your trainer what muscles are responsible for a specific range of motion as primaries and stabilizers.

Evaluate your Progress: It is a good idea to test your fitness level when you start and re-evaluate yourself every 5 or 6 months. Getting a body composition test is another great way to chart your progress and can be done every four to six months when on a continuous exercise program.

If you have any question related to Fitness: E-mail Us at:DavidSilva@DSFitness.com

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- WEIGHT LOSS TOOLS

Weight Loss needs planned work. A planned work is accomplished using tools. There are many aids to weight loss and key factors that make up the tools for weight loss.

The key factors in a weight loss are a regular exercise routine and a nutrition program. No weight loss program without these two key factors will have any effect on the weight reduction plans of a client. Other weight loss tools are in reality weight loss aids. These weight loss tools come in the form of weight loss trackers, goal settings, exercises programs and calorie counters. These are important in a weight loss routine because they give the measurements that provide the motivation to the client. There are also food plans with the nutritional content of each item of food to help the client to know what to eat and what food to avoid while in the losing weight program.

Any question question related to weight loss or any other fitness matter, please email to DavidSilva@DSfitness.com

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- MUSCLES - THE SHAPE OF YOUR BODY.

Muscles: Do we really need them?
Yes. Definitely - yes, for some very important reasons.


Look Thinner
Muscles will make you look thinner. It's true!
Muscle takes up less space than far does, so pound for pound, if you have more muscle than someone who weights the same as you, you can be at least two sizes smaller.

Eat More Without Getting Fat
Muscles allow you to eat more food without getting fat because muscle is the only body material that is active. Muscle actually "scintillates" (the muscle fibers vibrate ever so slightly, rather than lie stagnant like bone and fat), and it does so twenty-four hours a day - even when you are sitting in a chair or sleeping in you r bed.
The fact is, once you put muscle on your body, you will burn an additional 20 to 30 calories an hour at least!

Beat The Aging Process
Every year after the age of twenty-five, muscles atrophy a small amount. No one knows exactly how much - but experts say it is about 5 to 10 percent a year. If you do nothing to prevent this normal muscle attrition, in ten years from now, your body shape will have significantly changed. By working with weights, you can put back the muscle that you lost every year after twenty-five (especially if you know what you are doing)- and then some!

Strong Bones
When you work with weights, you are not only putting stress on the muscles, you are putting stress on the bone as well, and you are making the bone stronger and thicker as you make the muscle stronger and bigger.
This should be great news to everyone over thirty, especially women, who are losing bone tissue to the point of danger and possibly osteoporosis.

Be Strong and Sexy!Finally, muscle is sexy! It makes you feel sensual and sexy. You don't want to look flabby, so you need muscles. It puts curves and definition in all the right places. And for women, don't worry - you won't end up looking like the female "Arnold". You can have a firm, toned and feminine body - all at the same time!
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- WELL BALANCED DIET

I’ve been practicing sports since I was five, and ardent practitioner of physical fitness since I was a teenager. I’ve learned over the years how to gain muscle, how to lose bodyfat and how to alter my body size and shape almost at will. This knowledge came in handy so many times, I remember sometime ago, I was hurt by bicycle accident, injured for almost six months, when I was recovered sufficiently to exercise, I combined a reduced-calorie – but well balanced – diet with regular exercise sessions, and those unwanted pounds quickly were gone away.
That’s the real secret to keeping in shape. You don’t need any special pills, “new” diets, surgeries, etc.
You need exactly what I just mentioned: a program based on equal parts of exercise, proper nutrition, logic and discipline. Take it seriously, once for all.
The first step required to control your bodyweight begins and ends with what you put into your mouth. When you eat or drink more calories than you consume by exercising you gain weight, however when you intake less calories than you spend exercising you lose weight.
It becomes very clear, losing or gaining weight is equal to the difference between eating/drinking and exercising, calories wise.

Since there are 3,500 calories in a pound of bodyfat, this means that if you want to lose two pounds in one week, you’ll have to achieve a negative calorie balance at the week’s end of 7,000 calories. In other words, your energy expenditure at the end of the week has to exceed your caloric input by 7,000 calories.
Remember, the less bodyfat that you have in proportion to your lean muscle mass, the easier it is to lose the remaining unwanted fat because it takes more energy to nourish and maintain muscle than it does fat.

And the way to raise the amount of calories burned is consequently exercising regularly, and the way to lower the amount of intake of calories is controlling your nutrition. And if you eat within the confines of your needs once your weight is normal, your weight remains stable. The most important aspect regarding nutrition, however, is that you make sure that you are consuming well balanced diet towards to your goals to lose or gain weight (lean mass).

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Well Balanced Diet
In addition to calories, each food contains nutrients – six grouping of bodybuilding ingredients that are absolutely essential for life. Remember that no one food contains all of the nutrients that your body requires to function optimally. Since every nutrient has a specific function in your body, a combination of nutrients is needed to make up a well-balanced diet. If you consume a nutritionally poor diet, you will eventually become ill. The actual nutritional needs vary among individuals but every individual requires adequate portions of the following six nutrients:

Protein:
Proteins have been called the fundamental building blocks of life. Proteins are composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. Protein is necessary to build and repair body tissue, but some proteins are better than others for this purpose. A complete protein contains the essential amino acids in the most useful proportions and will best build and repair tissue. The best proportioned proteins are found in such food as egg white, milk, meat, fish and poultry. Plant protein are not as complete – these are found in grains, legumes (such as beans and peas) and nuts. You will have to eat large quantities of this plant food in order to supply the body with usable protein. For those of you who prefer to get major part of your protein from a non-meat source, I would recommend complementary food combining, in which you consume foods that complement, or complete, one another in terms of amino-acid balance.
Protein is composed of amino acids, which are your body’s building blocks.
(For more information on food combinations get a copy of “Diet for Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe.)

Carbohydrate: http://www.blogger.com/WWW.DSFITNESS.COM
Carbohydrate foods are the major source of calories. They make up 50 percent to 60 percent of the American Diet. They are easily digested and constitute the cheapest form of food energy. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They exist as complex sugars and starches, which are converted through digestion to simpler sugars that the body can utilize for energy. Carbohydrates include cellulose, which is important for roughage in the digestion tract. All carbohydrates eventually become glucose, a simple sugar that travels through the bloodstream and serves as a source of energy for the body tissues. Important carbohydrates are sugars, starches, syrups and honey. Carbohydrates are major constituents of vegetables, fruits, breads and cereals.

Fats:
Fats are compounds of fatty acids and glycerol – another complex structure of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen – insoluble in water. The different fats in various foods help give the food its particular flavor and texture. Fats are especially important because they produce more concentrated energy – almost 2-1/2 times as much per gram as protein or carbohydrates. They have higher satiety value in that they take longer to digest than other nutrients and therefore keep us from experiencing hunger for longer periods of time. Fat also carry the fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E and k. Vegetable oil, butter and margarine are the concentrated fats. Most meats and salad dressings, along with eggs, milk mayonnaise and nuts, have considerable fat along with protein and/or carbohydrates.

Minerals:
Minerals are found in foods mixed or combined with proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Calcium and phosphorus give rigidity to the bones and teeth. Milk is a good source of both. Minerals are also needed for normal blood clotting and proper functioning of the nervous system. Iron is essential in the diet because lack of it can produce anemia, leaving us tired and listless. Meat and enriched bread are good sources of iron. Other minerals are essential to help maintain a normal acid-base balance in the body and other important functions.

Vitamins:
Vitamins are complex organic compounds found in the foods we eat. They perform specific vital functions in the cells and tissues of the body. Called accessory food factors, they are needed for normal health, including good eyesight, strong teeth and bones, freedom from infection and disease, normal functioning of the nervous system, tissues respiration and other functions.

Water: http://www.blogger.com/WWW.DSFITNESS.COM
Water is essential to life. It is a necessary constituent of digestive juices and of every cell of the body. Around 2/3 of the body weight is water. It is a major component of blood, lymph and other secretions of the body, and helps regulate the body temperature. As a carrier, it aids digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion. Moisture is necessary for the function of every organ of the body. Most foods contain a large percentage of water. You can live longer without food than you can without water.
Water is everywhere in our body, make sure your drinking water has the highest degree of purity, you can get unnumerous different kind of contamination.


Given the importance of these nutrients, choosing your foods wisely is obviously important. Because you might sacrifice or compromise your nutritional needs, it would be foolish to cut out foods from your diet merely for the sake of cutting on calories. If you are to win the losing game safely and for any reasonable length of time, you must eat a balanced – but calorie-reduced – diet.
I can hear the question: “But how do I know if I’m consuming a well-balanced diet?”
The answer is that you can take several steps to ensure that you’re eating properly. One of the easiest and most practical is simply to eat foods selected from the following each of these four basic food groups:

The Milk Group (including milk, cheese and yogurt)
Most of the body’s calcium comes from milk and milk products. Calcium builds bones and teeth and helps the muscles, heart and nerves function properly. Foods on this group provide the body with significant amounts of protein, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin A and other important nutrients.
The Meat Group (including meat, poultry, fish, eggs)
This group provides the body with protein, which is essential for strength and for maintaining and repairing body tissue. Young people need protein to grow. It also helps form the red blood cells and antibodies you need to fight infection. Foods in this group also provide the body with iron, thiamin (vitamin B), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and niacin. Among other sources of protein are peanut butter, lima beans and soybeans.
The vegetable and Fruit Group
Dark green and yellow vegetables and apples, pears, and bananas provide various vitamins, minerals and fiber. Citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, green peppers and broccoli provide Vitamin C.
The Bread and Cereal Group
Food in this group, especially those made from enriched or restored whole grain, provide the body with a large amount of iron, niacin, the B vitamins and carbohydrates. These high-carbohydrates foods provide energy, and many have significant amounts of fiber, which is also vital for your health.
******************** more is coming about eating diets.
For any question related to Fitness/Nutrition e-mail us at:
DavidSilva@DSFitness.com

- ESTONIA 0 x BRAZIL 1 / WORLD CUP 2010

Brazil edged Estonia in an keenly-contested friendly in Tallinn on the evening of August, 12th.

Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano grabbed the only goal in a match which marked the first-ever meeting between the two sides.

The visitors were expected to score a hatful against their unfancied opponents but, despite bossing proceedings for long periods, Dunga's troops only came away with Luis Fabiano's 43rd-minute strike to show for their efforts.

The hosts gave a good account of themselves against the five-time world champions and might have taken the lead midway through the opening half, when Konstantin Vassiljev drew a smart stop from Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

However, a solid performance by the home side was soured when Dmitri Kruglov was given his marching orders five minutes from full-time.

Both sides are back in 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ qualifying action on 5 September, when Brazil take on arch-rivals Argentina in the South American Zone and Estonia meet Turkey in European Zone, Group 5.

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- EXERCISE INTENSITY x WEIGHT LOSS

THE MOST FREQUENT QUESTION I GET FROM CLIENTS & FRIENDS:

- Will I burn more fat if I exercise longer at a lower intensity?

+ The most important focus in exercise and fat weight control is not the percentage of exercise energy coming from fat but the total energy cost, or how many calories are burned during the activity. The faster you walk, step or run, for example, the more calories you use per minute. However, high-intensity exercise is difficult to sustain if you are just beginning or returning to exercise, so you may not exercise very long at this level. It is safer, and more practical, to start out at a lower intensity and work your way up gradually. Checking your heart rate you can maintain it on what we call "fat burning zone".

- If am not going to work out hard and often, is exercise a waste of time?

+ This kind of thinking keeps a lot of people from maintaining or even starting an exercise program. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or lifting light weight for as little as 2 hours a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

- If I exercise long and hard enough, will I get the results I want?

+ Yes. In reality, genetics plays an important role in how people respond to exercise. Studies have shown a wide variation in how different exercisers respond to the same training program. Your development of strength, speed and endurance may be very different from that of other people you know.

- Is exercise one sure way to lose all the weight I desire?

+ As with all responses to exercise, weight gain or loss is impacted by many factors, including dietary intake and genetics. All individuals will not lose the same amount of weight on the same exercise program. It is possible to be active and overweight. However, although exercise alone cannot guarantee your ideal weight, regular physical activity is one of the most important factors for successful healthy weight management.

- If I want to lose weight, should I stay away from strength training because of bulking up?

+ Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscles mass and decrease body fat percentage.

- If I am overweight, should I starting doing cardiovascular exercises first and then after losing some weight going to a strength program (lifting)?

+No. You should start combining both (cardiovascular & strength training) at the very beginning, for the reason mentioned before.

- Are overweight people unlike to benefit much from exercise?

+ Studies show that obese people who participate in regular exercise program have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than sedentary individuals, regardless of weight. Both men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their health with modest increases in activity.

For any other question, or anything related to Fitness, e-mail to DavidSilva@DSFitness.com
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