Stress Relaxation Techniques

We all live through stress, some more than others.  There are many things that cause stress in our lives:

• Losing your job
• Death
• Divorce
• Marriage
• Pregnancy
• Buying a house
• Christmas

This list is by no means exhaustive – something that may be stressful for you, may not be stressful for someone else.  For example, I’m a workaholic and when I’m at work even though I’m stressed out, I can deal with it.  Put me on vacation and I’m stressed to the point that I can’t handle it.  I need something to do.

The list is endless of what causes stress in our lives.  But learning to deal with stress, and finding good stress relaxation techniques will help you cope with the day-to-day events that lead to stress.

Some people are also more vulnerable to stress than others.  For example your personality type plays a role in reaction to stress.  People who drive themselves hard and are impatient (sometimes called Type A personalities) may be more at risk for stress-related physical problems.  Certain occupations, such as law enforcement or air traffic control, are clearly more stressful than others. In addition, people with a personal or family history of mental illness may be affected more by stress.

How can you tell you are stressed out?

There are some simple signs that can point to stress:

These are all signs of stress.

Now that we’ve scared you – how can we care and find stress relaxation techniques?

TARP Method to Dealing with Stress

TARP or TUNE IN, ANALYZE, RESPOND and PREVENT is one technique to deal with stress.  There are several other methods, I’ll share this one today and one that I use that I’ve found great success with.

When we’re talking about the TARP method, what we want to do is:

• T is for “Tune in” – Get into the habit of noticing early signs of stress.
• A is for “Analyze” – Think about the source or causes of your stress.
• R is for “Respond” – Deal with the cause of your stress, and its effects on you.
• P is for “Prevent” – Develop good stress-reduction habits for a healthier lifestyle.

What does tuning in mean?  Simple – this is coming to the realization that you have stress.  This is noticing the body aches, and pains – some of the tell tale physical signs that you are stressed.  Another common body pain is griding teeth or a sore jaw from grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.  Once you’ve identified that you have stress – 25% of the job is done and you are on your way to relieve the stress.

Next is to analyze what is causing the stress so that you can better deal with it.  Stressors are internal, and external.

External stressors are things and events outside your body that can make you feel threatened or out of control. For example:

• Physical irritants like noise, pollution, heat, or humidity
• Work demands or conditions
• Frightening events, like narrowly escaping a traffic accident
• Social or family demands, changes, or problems

Internal stressors result from one’s own attitudes and thinking patterns. For example:

• Do you always talk to yourself with words like “should, must, and ought?”
• Do you feel like a failure if you are late, or if things don’t go as planned?
• Do you have “me last” syndrome, feeling you have to look after everyone else’s needs before you think of your own?
• Do you feel worthless unless everyone likes you all the time?
• Are you guilty of “awful-izing,” which means always expecting the worst? For example, if family members are late, do you often imagine they are injured or dead?

One way to identify the stressors in your life is to keep a diary of your days events.  This will help you identify what is stressing you out, what the trigger is and how your body is reacting to the stress.  You cannot always remove the stress from your life (try removing kids from the equation – can’t do that!) but you can learn to find effective strategies and techniques to deal with it.

When we talk about responding to stress, we’re talking about things you can do quickly and easily.  These include breathing – taking deep breaths to let oxygen into your body and flow through it.  It allows you to clear your mind and to “take a breather”.

Why not take a time out?  If you can, this will help melt the stress.  Simple time out techniques are:

• Stop the activity (or the conversation) that was causing you stress.
• If you can move away, go to another room, or go for a short walk.
• If you can’t move away, count to 10 silently before you speak again.

We teach our kids about time outs, we are the ones that should in fact be using them.

One technique which helps me significantly is muscle relaxation techniques to reduce stress.

• Lie on the floor or on a firm bed, or sit in a chair that has good head support.
• Close your eyes and breathe deeply two or three times.
• Next, tighten up the muscles of different parts of your body in turn; keep them tight while you count silently to five; then let go and imagine the tension going out as you relax and smooth the muscles.
• Start with your face. Squint your eyes, tighten your teeth and jaw, and wrinkle your forehead. Feel the tension while you count silently to five, and then let go of it. Feel the warmth of relaxation coming to your face.
• Next, pull your shoulders up until they nearly touch your ears. Feel the tension while you count silently to five. Then let go.
• Now progress through the rest of your body, tightening muscles while you count slowly to five, then letting the tension go. Start with your stomach and chest muscles, then your lower abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. Finish with your lower legs, curling up your toes and tightening calf muscles to feel the tension in your foot, ankle, calves, and knee.
• When you have finished, notice the tension and release in all your muscles. Breathe deeply a few times, and feel relaxed, refreshed, and comfortable.

I feel relaxed already from the stress of describing how to deal with stress!

Another technique that I use that helps me, and that I can use throughout the day is listening to music.  But not just any music.  I find that the sound of nature helps me relax so my iPod is loaded with several different nature sounds that I repeat quietly in the background:

• Sound of waves hitting rocks
• Sound of waterfalls
• Sound of rain
• Tropical paradise sounds – birds etc.,

I’ve found that this really helps me unwind either at work, or when I’m getting ready to sleep at night.

Finally the last point is prevent.  Yes this is very hard and you may not be able to prevent the stress but what you will be able to do is use the stress relaxation techniques to help you better deal with the stress.

The best way to prevent the stress, is to not have stress – but since that’s not possible you need to use stress relaxation techniques:

• Relaxation or time for yourself
• Regular exercise will help relieve stress and help you better manage it
• Eating right – junk food will not help you combat stress
• Avoid chemicals – that is drugs, and alcohol – it will only make matters worse and may actually work to increase the level of stress you are having to deal with
• Don’t smoke – smoking has its own list of health problems
• Caffeine – another “chemical” to deal with stress, once you’re off the high, what next?

Hopefully making use of the TARP method and a few of the stress relaxation techniques mentioned here will help you deal with stress and keep it under control.

If you have a favorite stress relaxation technique, feel free to share it with us here!

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Best Buy Elliptical Trainer Reviews

Regardless of the fitness equipment you purchase to help you lose weight, you should do some research to ensure you are buying what you need and are getting the best options, and value for your dollar.

We’ve prepared 10 of the best buy elliptical trainers for you.  We’ll be presenting each post over the next few days until all 10 are available.

These are the best buys out there, at the lowest price – we’ve searched dozens of online retailers to find you the best of the best.  The posts below will be updated automatically daily.  Check back often!

The elliptical trainers that we’ll be reviewing are…

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Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Horizon Fitness EX-57 Elliptical Trainer

Rating: List Price: $899.00 Sale Price: $499.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

Bring the gym into your home and enjoy an efficient, high-caliber workout with the Horizon EX-57 elliptical trainer, which works your legs as well as your upper body. Perfect for rigorous training routines, the EX-57 offers an eight-level electronic resistance system, along with a heavy 14-pound flywheel that maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering a smooth, quiet operation. More significantly from a user perspective, it offers nine goal-oriented programs. You can choose one of three different goals (time, distance, and calories) and one of three terrains (manual, reverse train, and hills). The crisp LCD screen, meanwhile, offers key workout feedback, helping you develop an effective training regimen.

Horizon employs a heavy-duty flywheel that provides continuous velocity, so as your feet move the pedals, the flywheel's momentum carries you through the complete motion. As a result, the trainer feels very natural and not at all choppy. Plus, the flywheel is extremely quiet, making the trainer ideal for home use. Horizon also applies a magnetic brake to the flywheel, creating more consistent resistance during a workout. And the instep-stacked flywheel design--where the flywheel sits above the pedals rather than in line with them--delivers a lower step-on height for easy access, along with a stride length that's longer, more natural, and more versatile regardless of the user, workout type, and fitness level. As an added benefit, the unit is smaller and shorter than other ellipticals, so it fits in almost any room, including low-ceiling basements.

Horizon's Ergoflow elliptical geometry is built around your body, not the machine's components. The distance between the pedals have also been narrowed to create a more natural walking motion, and the pivoting footpad imitates how your foot's position changes as you move forward. And a more natural, ergonomic movement means less stress on your knees, hips, and lowers back, so you enjoy longer workouts and faster results.

Elliptical Trainer Features:

• Resistance: Electronic
• Resistance range: 1 to 8 resistance levels
• Flywheel: 14.3-pound flywheel for fluid, quiet motion
• Step-on height: 9.8 inches
• Stride length: 18 inches
• Pedal spacing: 2.8 inches
• Screen: Non-backlit LCD (2.4 x 4.8 inches)
• Programs: 9
• Program type: Choose 1 of 3 different goals (time, distance, calories) and 1 of 3 terrains (manual, reverse train, and hills)
• Weight capacity: 275 pounds
• Dimensions: 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D)
• Weight: 163 pounds
• Warranties: Lifetime on frame; 20 years on brake; 1 year on parts and labor

About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.

Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Many elliptical trainers include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.

About Horizon Fitness
Horizon is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. The company is committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Horizon's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing undergoes a testing phase, and 10 percent of Horizon's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.

Details

• Elliptical trainer with 8 electronic resistance levels and heavy-duty 14.3-pound flywheel
• 9 goal-based program options; extra-low 9.1-inch step-on height
• Non-backlit LCD display; 18-inch stride length; 275-pound capacity
• Efficient flywheel maintains pedal and arm momentum while offering smooth, quiet operation
• Measures 29 x 67 x 55 inches (W x H x D); 20-year warranty on brake

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Physical Activity For The Physically Challenged Or Disabled

Losing weight is one part of the equation when trying to maintain a healthy and fit body, but what do you do if you are physically challenged?  Perhaps you’ve got arthritis or some other problem with prevents you from exercising and getting enough activity to help keep your body mobile?

People with lower back problems also fit into this category, since one wrong move could land the individual in bed for several days or even longer.  Care needs to be taken.

The first thing to remember is that before starting any exercise program, speak to your doctor to find out what you can and can’t do or what they recommend.  Alternatively you should speak to a registered fitness trainer (also known as Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer) to find out what types of exercises you can and cannot do.  They can work with your doctor to ensure you get the right level of activity for the challenges you face.

We all have different abilities, different strengths and weaknesses, different levels of activity, different needs, different interests, etc.  As fitness professionals, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to provide a much needed and appreciated service to millions of people (with and without disabilities) by becoming trained, knowledgeable and willing to adapt activities to address society’s differences, regardless of the existence of medical diagnoses.

An excellent article that talks more about this topic can be found here:

• Meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines – A Call to Fitness Professionals

For more information about physical activity for people with disabilities, go to www.ncpad.org.

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Treadmill Buyers Guide

You’ve decided you want to become more fit, you want to lose weight – but heading out to the gym isn’t what you want to do and going outside isn’t always convenient – so you’ve decided to buy a treadmill and need help. Welcome to our Treadmill Buyers Guide where we’ll show you exactly how to buy a treadmill.

Although we’ve talked about a few reasons to buy a treadmill, think about it again. Why are you thinking about buying a treadmill? Treadmills are very popular exercise machines and are the #1 selling fitness machines for several reason. #1 – they work and #2 – it’s a natural motion, walking.

Fitness fad come and go, but the treadmill has been around and always sells well. Go into any fitness stores and you’ll see more treadmills than any other type of fitness equipment. See where people are clustered? Around the treadmills. They are the top selling fitness products for a reason – they work.

Depending on what your reasons are for buying a treadmill, will determine how much to spend. We’ve put together a questionnaire for you that we used when buying our first, and now second treadmill.

How Much Should You Spend?

Like anything else, you should not start shopping for a treadmill until you know how much you want to spend and what features you would like to have. If you go shopping without a budget you could quickly find yourself spending thousands more than you wanted or needed to on a treadmill. If you buy on features alone, you could be missing the most important parts of the treadmill to concentrate on such as the motor and tread.

What is your budget? What are your limits on spending? If you you equate a $3,000 treadmill to a used vehicle – don’t budget this much. Determine what the maximum you want to spend and then stick to it.

Depending on how you will use your treadmill, and how much it will be used will determine the amount you should spend and the type of treadmill to purchase. for example, if you’re only going to be walking but will be using it every day for 1 hour then you want to spend a little more on one – but if you’ll use it only a few hours per month for walking then you can probably spend a little less.

Spending too little to try and save money will only cause frustration when your treadmill breaks down after 6-months of use.

If you plan on using it for walking, and running – then you need something that will hold up to that level of use. Treadmills used in fitness clubs can run into the tens of thousands of dollars for that reason – they hold up very well.

If you want one with full programmability, like the gyms use, be prepared to pay more. The electronics is what drives the price of the equipment up – but it’s not only that, that is only one component of the total cost of a treadmill.

You need to determine who will be using it, and where you will place it. Will two or more people be using it? Consider spending more since it will be used more often. How much do they weigh? Will it be used more then 30 minutes per day, ever day? How big is the unit? Where will you put it? A 10×10 room may not be enough space if you plan on purchasing a commercial quality treadmill that is big, and heavy.

We spoke to a salesperson at a local fitness depot and he had this advice for us:

At one time the price of the product was a good way to determine quality, but today the price of component parts and the efficiency of the factories have improved to the point where you could overpay if you choose a model from a small inefficient factory when compared with a large, highly automated factory. There are many $1,000 treadmills today that use the exact same motor that you can find in some $3,000 machines. Only a few years ago you needed to pay $2000 to get a decent quality machine. Eventhough we carry some treadmills under $600, it isn’t possible to get a good quality machine for that price range – as many as we sell, 50% need to be serviced within a few months and 50% are returned within 30-days for the next step-up in quality.

Brand names are not always the best buy, and I shouldn’t say this – but you don’t need to go into a fitness shop (like mine) to buy a treadmill.

If you want to compare quality levels by price ranges, I can provide this to you:

Under $400 – not worth the money. We sell them because people ask for them, but those people quickly stop using the machine because it doesn’t do what they want it to do. Next would be the $400 to $700 range – again, not the best quality but people ask for them. Once you get into the $700 to $1000 range you’re starting to get much better quality and a treadmill that you will use for several years. If you can afford it the next set of treadmills to consider are in the $1000+ range, typically in increments of $400 – $500.

What To Consider

Weight – how much do the individuals who will be using the treadmill weigh?  If they are heavy – you should spend more otherwise you will have problems with the treadmill breaking down.  If the heaviest user is 350 lbs, expect to pay between $1,000 and $1,499 on a treadmill to support them and everyone else under that weight.

Time – how much will it be used?  The more you use it, the more stress you put on the components and the more you should be spending.

People – how many people will be using it?  As with time and weight, the more that use it the better quality you should be looking for.

Treadmill Doctor has this to say about three important components of your treadmill:

POWER
The transfer of power should feel smooth. You should not hear the motor having to really work to keep the pace. You should not have a great lag when you step on the belt. Don’t worry much with horse power ratings.

Right now, HP ratings are so convoluted, you can’t believe the rating. Some people or websites will tell you to look at motor horsepower or if they really think they know what they are doing you will be told to look for continuous duty horsepower.

The truth is there is no accepted standard for rating treadmill motors and so continuous duty to one company is different than another company. We have seen treadmill motors hardly the size of a can of soda rated at 2.5 HP while motors that are 5 times the size rated at 1.5 HP.

This is one area where it takes someone who really knows what they are doing to help you figure it out and that’s why our power ratings on our reviews may not correspond with a company’s printed literature. Simply said, we pull the motor out of the treadmill, study it, and determine if a company is trying to monkey around with the rating. Then we tell you about it in the online ratings.

WALKING BELT
The belt should not be any larger than necessary and stay away from overly thick belts. Oversize and thick belts are now the rage but most people only need 18” of width and 52” of length. Some runners need more room but the more belt surface area you have, the harder the power system has to work to keep it all going.

Belts that are too thick hold in heat which increases electrical consumption and wears out key components faster. The added weight of the belt also puts more stress on the roller bearings. Additionally, the added heat wears out the belt quicker. Find a belt size on which you are comfortable and don’t be lured by the big, cushioned belts…they are unnecessary in most cases and you will pay more in the long run.

NOISE
An overly noisy treadmill points to poor engineering or poor components and in some cases poor assembly. All treadmills make noise but a reasonably quiet machine generally means less friction and wear on the treadmill. On the flip side, a dead silent treadmill does not necessarily mean that it is perfect.

Some manufacturers have used steel surrounded motor areas and others have used foam to absorb noise, so make sure you know the construction before you judge a treadmill by its noise but generally, the noise a treadmill generates is a good indicator of the machine’s quality. Plus, when you don’t wake up the neighborhood with your morning workouts, it makes for friendlier neighbors.

Treadmill Options

There are a lot of cool options when it comes to treadmills:

• MP3 and iPod docks
• LCD screens with DVD players
• Fans
• Programming
• Heart Rate Control
• Folding

Before you fall for all the gimmicks think about what you need.  Why spend hundreds extra on the options like MP3 and iPod docks, LCD screens and fans when you could take that money and put it towards a high-end treadmill that you’ll get years of use out of?  Besides – if any of those parts breakdown you’ll have to pay to have it repaired or replaced unless you’ve purchased an extended warranty on the treadmill.  Our opinion – don’t add the bells ‘n whistles, put the money towards a high quality treadmill instead.

Treadmill Selection Checklist

Circle the answer that bests fits.  You may want to print this post out or bookmark it and refer back to it if you’re shopping online for your treadmill.

1. Why are you buying a treadmill?
   1. I want to walk on my treadmill to lose weight, have light aerobic activity, or to rehabilitate.
   2. I want to jog on my treadmill for cardiovascular health and training.
   3. I want to run on my treadmill for regular exercise or cross-training.
   4. I am planning to use my treadmill for serious training such as a marathon.
2. What is your experience with treadmills in the past?
   1. I have never used a treadmill.
   2. I have only used a treadmill on one or a few occasions.
   3. I have used a treadmill on and off over time.
   4. I have used a treadmill regularly
3. Who will be using your new treadmill?
   1. I will be the only person using my treadmill.
   2. I, along with one other person, will be using my treadmill.
   3. I, along with two other people, will be using my treadmill.
   4. Several different people will be using my treadmill on a regular basis.
4. How long per day will your treadmill be operated?
   1. My treadmill will be used less than an hour per day.
   2. My treadmill will be used for more than 1 hour but less than 90 minutes per day.
   3. My treadmill will be used for more than 90 minutes but less than 2 hours per day.
   4. My treadmill will be used for over 2 hours per day.
5. How much do the people weigh that will use the treadmill? (we know this is a touchy subject, but we won’t know your answers unless you fax it to us!)
   1. No one who uses my treadmill will weigh over 200 lbs.
   2. At least one person who uses my treadmill will weigh over 200 lbs.
   3. At least one person who uses my treadmill will weigh over 250 lbs.
   4. At least one person who uses my treadmill will weigh over 300 lbs.

Assign the following point values for each answer: For every (a) you circled, give yourself 1 point. For every (b) you circled, give yourself 2 points. For every (c) you circled, give yourself 3 points. For every (d) you circled, give yourself 4 points.

Now, let’s fill out the following form using your survey information.

For instance, if you answered (d) on Question 2, your form would look like this: Question 2- 4 points x 3= 12

Question 1_____ points x 2=_____
Question 2_____ points x 3=_____
Question 3_____ points x 2=_____
Question 4_____ points x 4=_____
Question 5_____ points x 3=_____

Now, let’s total up the points and place your total here_____________ .

Compare your point total to the chart below and it will give you which price range you should consider as a minimum quality level for your new treadmill.

Point Total Price Range
14 Points $399 and Under
15 to 22 Points $400 to $699
23 to 30 Points $700 to $999
31 to 34 Points $1,000 to $1,499
35 to 38 Points $1,500 to $1,999
39 to 42 Points $2,000 to $2,499
43 to 45 Points $2,500 to $2,999
46 to 48 Points $3,000 to $3,499
49 to 51 Points $3,500 to $3,999
52 or More Points $4,000 or More

Best Treadmills For Home

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Best Rated Fitness Equipment For Weight Loss

Most recently we took a look at 10 pieces of fitness and exercise equipment that provided the best value for the dollar, the lowest overall price and the highest quality.  You can read the posts by clicking “Treadmills Best Exercise Equipment For Weight Loss“.  When you read the post you’ll see that Schwinn received one of our TOP PICKS for treadmills and two TOP PICKS for elliptical trainers.

Schwinn® is an American icon, and a leading brand of bicycles, recreation products, and home and commercial fitness equipment. The brand is on the forefront of advances in fitness technology, and has been an indispensable player in revolutionizing bicycling and fitness around the world. Schwinn® knows that who we are is in direct relation to where we came from… and the vision of our founders.

The Schwinn story begins over 100 years ago, in 1895 where Ignaz Schwinn and partner Adolph Arnold incorporate “Arnold, Schwinn & Company”. The company is founded in Chicago.  Lets fast forward to 1995 where Schwinn partners with fitness guru Johnny Goldberg (Johnny G) to develop the Johnny G Spinner bike. Schwinn also offers its expertise in developing a worldwide network of Spinning instructors, facilities and distributors.

Jumping ahead a few more years to 2006 where innovation again takes hold with the year-end launches of the smaller-footprint 430 Elliptical machine, and the step-through 231 Recumbent bike. Early consumer feedback has been terrific, with more to come.

Something you may not know is that Schwinn is part of the Nautilus family which includes the Bowflex brand.  So while one of our top picks for treadmills was Bowflex, you’re getting Nautilus quality.

There are several pages worth of Success Stories from purchasers of Schwinn products…

The statements below are from actual Schwinn Fitness users. Once you’ve had a chance to try Schwinn Fitness products for yourself, we invite you to share your experience with us, as well. For now, you can read these real testimonials from real people.

My husband and I bought the 430 Elliptical three months ago and already we are seeing fantastic results. He works out in the morning and I work out in the evening. This machine can take a beating since he is a little hefty. Anyhow, great work Schwinn. If you’re on the edge about this machine, get it, you will absolutely love it.

Jenn M.

Clinton, NJ

• Schwinn 840 Treadmill
• Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill
• Schwinn 420 Elliptical Trainer
• Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer

 The best place to purchase these products, at the best prices is through Amazon:

Schwinn 840 Treadmill Average Rating: 10 total customer reviews...

Bowflex Series 7 Treadmill Average Rating: 206 total customer reviews...

Schwinn 420 Elliptical Trainer Average Rating: 72 total customer reviews...

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer Average Rating: 472 total customer reviews...

Technorati Tags: best equipment to lose weight, best fitness equipment, top weight loss exercise equipment

Sole F63 Treadmill

Sole F63 Treadmill

Rating: List Price: $1,899.99 Sale Price: $999.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping

Product Description

You will enjoy working out from the comfort of home with this Sole F63 treadmill. Intuitive features include speed and incline adjustments on the handrails, built-in cooling fans, and a convenient blue backlit LCD display that allows you to keep track of your progress. The built-in audio system lets you work out to your favorite music.

Details

• Selected as a "Best Buy" from a leading consumer magazine
• Features a 2.5 horsepower motor and lift-assist to easily fold
• Includes grip pulse monitoring and a heart rate chest strap; six standard programs and two heart rate programs; speed range is 1-10 miles per hour
• LCD display tracks your speed, incline, time, distance traveled, calories, pulse, and pace
• 325-pound maximum weight capacity; measures 33 by 75 by 58 inches (W x L x H) when assembled; folds to 68 by 43 inches (H x D)

Technorati Tags: f63, fitness, running, Sole Treadmills, treadmill

Feeling Swell? What Causes Gas And Bloating And How To Cure It!

This post was written by Rene Simard, a regular reader and visitor to Lose Weight Feel Great.  Rene is a mom of two wonderful kids, Andre a 8-year old boy and Julie a 12-year old girl.  Rene lives in the United Kingdom.

Don’t you hate it?  Your bloated.  Again. 

Your tummy is stretched beyond what it was when you were pregnant.  You feel puffy, and uncomfortable and are biting at anyone that crosses your path.  No, it’s not PMS (maybe it could be) but all you want is to be left along and perhaps curl up and sleep it off.  While bloating happen to men, and women it seems to affect women more than men.  Bloating can be characterized by distended stomach, and puffy skin to a tender abdomen.  Ouch!  It is any wonder why women can be so cranky?  According to experts, you know doctors and such, bloating is caused by excess gas or blockage (yeech) and swelling of the belly caused by fluid retention.

For men, a quick trip to the washroom (or not) and a few explosive (and generally very rude) noises and they’re done with it – usually.  But for women, well we have our dignity to keep and unless we’re in deep seclusion (and even then few women will ever do it) we may “let it rip” – don’t snicker ladies, you know you do it!

But what causes gas and bloating anyways?  Is it strictly hormones?  Is it the food we eat?  Can stress cause or contribute to gas and bloating?  What about medications?

The answer is no, yes, yes, yes and yes.  If you are counting there is an extra yes in there.  Let me explain.

There are several causes of bloating.  The first is food intolerance.  Many people have certain foods that will not sit well with them, the most common are foods like cheese, breads, vegetables and even acidic foods like oranges, grapefruit or juices like orange juice.  Other foods that may cause intolerance are wheat or gluten, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol and citrus fruits. 

Food intolerance can cause excess amounts of gas to be produced in the gut as a reaction to the food – for example, I get a reaction to ketchup or tomatoes – it tends to swell my tongue so I keep away from it.  Bloating could also be caused by other serious underlying issues such as fluid build up in the gut, constipation or even an undiagnosed pregnancy (yes, that can happen). 

If you’ve found that it’s certain foods that cause gas and bloating – it’s best to try avoiding them.  Within a few weeks of not having those foods you should see your body get back to normal.  You should never cut out foods entirely, especially if they are important to good health and nutrition so it’s always best to work with your doctor so that the both of you can determine the best course of action.

The next cause of gas and bloating is dehydration.  Yes that’s right – not getting enough water into your body.  Not getting enough fluid can actually lead to fluid retention and bloating.  Fluid retention can be made worse by eating salty foods and other diuretic drinks like caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks and fruit juice which encourage the cells to suck water in which of cousre leads to bloating.  How do you combat dehydration and bloating?  Drink lots of water.  Eight to ten glasses a day.  There ladies, now you have yet another reason to drink water – not just to lose weight but to combat bloating.

Third up is IBS or irritable bowel syndrome.  Nasty. It affects millions of people and can lead to a painful, bloated stomach as well as other symptoms like wind, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, constipation, heartburn and nausea.  In people with IBS, bloating is due to excess wind trapped in the abdomen because of a blockage or over-production of gas.

Some ways to tread IBS include changes to the diet to to include more fibre (wholegrains, fruit and vegetables) and cutting out any foods which might be triggering symptoms.  Some foods which may cause problems are spicy and fatty foods, cheese, citrus fruit, green vegetables, onions and leeks, beans, lentils, chocolate and other high sugar foods, fruit juice, alcohol, milk, red meat, coffee and refined carbohydrates.

For some people, peppermint tea has relieve symptoms in some cases.  Again you should speak to your doctor.

PMS – guys, you can stop reading now.  Women – keep going… some women experience bloating due to fluid retention at some point in their menstrual cycle. For most women this is because of higher levels of the sex hormone progesterone.  For women atleast in these caes, sometimes fluid retention is not confined to the abdomen and breasts but can also affect the face, ankles and hands.  Caffeine, wheat and salt are all diuretics, which trigger the cells to hang on to fluid, so cutting back on them can help reduce fluid retention.  As well as not adding salt to meals, and cutting back on processed foods which are high in salt.  Stick to eating lots of fruit and vegetables which contain fluid-reducing potassium.

Finally something called candida can also cause gas and bloating.  Not something that I understand well but something that the National Candida Society does:

Candida is a yeast which grows naturally in our bodies but in some people certain factors – like stress, hormone imbalances and over use of antibiotics – can lead to overgrowth which can cause a range of symptoms including tiredness, headaches, digestive problems and bloating.The good news, says Christine Tomlinson of the National Candida Society, is that diet and supplements work to alleviate symptoms in over half the people affected. A diet to combat candida is based on reducing sugar which effectively starves it, halting growth. Dairy products and wheat may be reduced or cut out completely.In addition, anti-fungal drugs (or herbs) are taken to kill the overgrowth and acidophilus supplements given to re-populate the gut with ‘friendly’ bacteria. If the condition is longstanding, it might be necessary to take some multivitamin or mineral supplements to build up the body’s immune system.For more information on practitioners, treatments and tests contact the National Candida Society on www.candida-society.org.uk

Some medications also cause gas and bloating, in fact too much antibiotics may also cause gas and bloating as can some blood pressure medications.  If the reasons for your gas and bloating are caused by medications, speak to your doctor to see if there are alternative medications available or if there are other ways to control, reduce or eliminate the problem.

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