Friday, December 21, 2012

Weight Loss Benefits from Team Sports


For people who aim to lose weight, gaining athletic abilities such as physical agility, stamina, and strength (Oh, and don't forget the ripped body) are factors that motivate them to keep working hard to get in the best physical shape of their life. Recreational sports help improve a person’s fitness level and as a result they acquire a healthy mind and body. No wonder athletes, amateur or professional, are all in great physical shape because they are constantly exercising and burning calories during their games.

Recreational sports have been taught to children as young as six years of age at school during their PE class. Being part of a team not only develops and strengthens your social skills; it also teaches you to build up persistence, self-discipline, and learn to deal with failure and disappointments. Apart from social and psychological benefits, recreational sports greatly play a big role in teaching you to give importance to you physical health by watching what you eat and knowing the difference between nutritious foods versus junk.

Although participating in a team sport may seem intimidating at firs due to the other individuals whom you will encounter, but after a few games, you will gradually get the hang of it as the adrenaline starts kicking in; your heart starts pumping and you will be on your way to getting one great workout.

A few examples of recreational team sports that you can participate in to enjoy and assist in your weight loss journey are:

     Volleyball
     Basketball
     Soccer
     Football
     Water Polo

These team sports require constant motion and boost aerobic capacity and improve cardiovascular health. They are considered to be high intensity workouts that will enable you to burn a whole lot of calories and build more muscle mass in a shorter period of time. The more you participate in these sports, the more pounds you will shed and you will start seeing positive results in your body.

The best part about team sports is unlike exercising at the gym; you will not become bored and have to keep pressuring yourself to keep working out because the game itself will keep you entertained. Time is not measured once you are taking pleasure in your favorite sport and at the same time building strength and stamina and most importantly, burning calories and excess fats.

Even though sports are generally intended to be leisure activities, you can turn any sport that you enjoy and include it in your exercise repertoire because it can help you burn more calories than any other activities. Team sports are an enjoyable way to make friends, have fun, and further increase your weight loss and get in the best shape of your life.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

3 Health Benefits of Adding More Fiber In Your Diet



“Eat your veggies." is a common and most overused phrase that our parents would often tell us while eating our meal. As a young adolescent, we would often get annoyed of that constant reminder. We would complain and nod in agreement even though we had no idea why eating fruits and vegetables were that important, but little did we know that our parents were right.

Increasing your intake of fiber daily, this includes: fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain, are very beneficial and highly recommended, according to health experts. They say that fiber not only helps in weightmanagement and weight loss, but it also improves a normal bowel movement, and lowers your risk of developing certain diseases.

Weight Management

If you are trying to lose weight and eat more healthy, gradually adding high-fiber foods in your snacks and meals will help you to eat less and give you the feeling of being full for a longer period of time, thus decreasing overeating. Foods rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables provide fewer calories and at the same time satisfy one’s hunger. Fitness and health experts always include fiber-rich foods when creating a nutritional guideline for their clients and patients because they know that these foods are the key elements to the bettering of one’s health.

Improvement of Normal Bowel Movement

Constipation is the infrequent or painful releasing of bodily wastes. This health condition can be prevented by eating more fruits and vegetables and other foods rich in fiber. Fiber absorbs large amounts of water; which increases the size and weight of a stool and makes it easier to pass through the bowels. When you don’t consume high-fiber foods, your chances of constipation will increase, which could progress into bowel obstruction and cause further health problems. 

Lower Your Risk of Developing Certain Diseases

Health diseases are the results of an unhealthy lifestyle and a diet rich in saturated fat and cholesterol. More and more people are at high risk for diseases because of their lack of exercise and the lack of fiber in their diet. A few of the health problems that people are developing include: diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. A proper diet and an addition of fiber in every meal of the day can lower your risk in attaining these life threatening diseases.

Including the required amount of fiber in your diet can really benefit your health in the long run. This should become a daily habit for the purpose of conditioning one’s body to start enjoying foods that are healthy, full of nutrients, and full of fiber. Although shifting to eating whole grain foods may take some getting used to, but it is better to prioritize your health and wellness rather than put it at risk.