Sunday, December 2, 2007

Obesity Costs


Obesity is a disease that is quite different from any other disease in our world. The obesity epidemic throughout the United States is distinctive in that the decisions of each individual can influence the outcome. It is the individual’s fault for their disease. Other diseases such as cancer are not due to decisions they previously made. Now, obviously, a person who is obese did not desire to become the way they are, but it could have been prevented. While there is surely a medical or genetic component to obesity, there's no way the biological makeup of
Americans has changed that much in a half-century. Much of the increase in the nation's weight must be attributed to ordinary folks who lack the self-control to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Besides the obvious disadvantages of being over weight such as appearance, self consciousness, and health issues, there is one more significant drawback that you may not have thought of. This disadvantage does not only affect the individual that is obese, but also the rest of society. Obesity imposes a major fiscal dent on society. Due to the health problems created by being overweight, annual medical costs for obese individuals are approximately $1,000 more than for people with normal weight. A 2004 study by the Research Triangle Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that almost half of all obesity-related health-care costs are paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. In 2002, the obese enrolled in Medicare accounted for a quarter of total spending, up from 9 percent in 1987. This health burden is paid for by everyone. Due to the fact that people who do not control their weight impose cost on those who do, there has been talk about imposing a fat tax. There is already a similar tax on junk food that has been implemented by governments in 17 states.
It is said that it has come to this point, but unfortunately it has. It is affecting individuals of every age. There has be be something done, but what is correct to implement is still in the workings.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

How to get the yearned for 6-pack?

There are many things that are contributed in obtaining a great stomach. The first step is to build muscle. This is done by various abdominal exercises. The second step is by eating healthy foods. Even if you do hundreds of crunches a day, but then go to fast food restaurants, you will not see the results you want. You might have a 6-pack, but it is under the built up fat from the greasy food.
There are multitude of abdominal workouts available. Many can be easily accessed through the internet. This is a cheap and easy way to obtain a variety of abdominal exercises not just the traditional crunch.
(photo credit: http://www.tias.com/stores/hacs/pictures/290768a.jpg)

Here are a few abdominal exercises that can be modified depending on your personal training level:
1.) Crunch- Lie down with hands crossed over the chest or behind the head and feet on the floor, knees bent. Contract the abs and lift the head and shoulders off the floor, bringing the rib cage towards the lower belly. Lower slowly back to start and repeat. This can be made more advanced by adding an exercise ball, as well as twisting sideways.




2.) Reverse Crunches- Lie on your back with knees bent to 90 degrees, shins parallel to the floor. Contract the abs and lower the feet towards the floor, keeping the knees bent. Rotating the pelvis up and bring the knees back towards the ribcage. Don't let your back arch.
3.) Ball Squeeze & Lift- Lie on right side with ball between shins, squeezing it to hold it in place. Keep hips stacked and abs tight to stabilize your body. Squeeze inner thighs and contract the waist and hip muscles to lift the ball in the air. Lower and repeat for 10-12 reps and then switch sides. Do 1 set and work up to 2-3 sets over time.
4.)Plank- Begin on the forearms and knees and then lift up until you're on your elbows and toes, back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abs to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air. Hold for as long as you can with perfect form.
5.) Bicycle- Lie on the floor with knees bent and hand behind the head. Lift the shoulder blades off the ground and straighten left leg out while bringing the left elbow towards the right knee. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion.
(photo credit: http://www.deniseaustin.com/images/getfit/exercises/bicycle.gif)

6.)Oblique Crossover Crunches- Lie on your back and cross the left foot over the right knee. Lift the shoulder blades off the floor and twist to the left, bringing the right shoulder towards the left knee. Lower back down and repeat for all reps before switching sides.
These are just a limited amount of abdominal exercises. More can be found through the links posted to different abdominal workouts.

Kickboxing

A great way to workout is by joining a class at your local gym. I suggest kickboxing classes. I used to regularly attend these classes and loved it. You meet people that you normally would not encounter with your daily routine and once you have accomplished a class, your body feels worn out, but you feel great. These classes are not for out of shape people. They are fairly challenging so you should be moderately in shape.
First let me tell a little background information about kickboxing. Kickboxing is a total body workout that increases your stamina, flexibility, and strength. The class usually last about one hour, but it goes by fast due to the dance mixed

music playing in the background. Kickboxing, although it dates back to 2,000 years ago in Asia, it is a relatively modern sport. Competitive kickboxing began in the 1970s when American karate experts arranged competitions that allowed full-contact kicks and punches that had been banned in karate. Currently though, one popular form of kickboxing is aerobic or cardiovascular kickboxing. This combines elements of boxing and martial arts to provide overall physical conditioning and toning. Cardio-kickboxing does not involve physical contact though. Its purpose is to benefit the body. Classes are usually comprised of 10 to 15 minutes of warm-ups, which may include stretching and traditional exercises such as jumping jacks and push-ups, followed by a 30-minute kickboxing session that includes movements such as knee strikes, kicks, and punches. After this, at least 5 minutes should be devoted to cooling down, followed by about 10 minutes of stretching and muscle conditioning. Stretching is really important because you can strain muscles. Slow, proper stretching helps relax muscles and prevent injury.
Besides keeping your body fit, kickboxing has other benefits. According to a study by the ACE, you can burn anywhere from 350 to 450 calories an hour with kickboxing! Kickboxing also reduces and relieves stress. It is a rigorous workout comprised of controlled punching and kicking. No wonder it is great at relieving feelings of frustration and anger. Practicing kickboxing moves can also help to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance. You also learn a little self defense.