Benefits of walking..

Walking for fitness can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. For example, you can:
Reduce your risk of a heart attack. Walking keeps your heart healthy by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). A regular walking program also reduces your risk of developing high blood pressure, a factor that also contributes to heart disease.
Manage your blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, walking may reduce it.
Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you're a woman, overweight and at a high risk of diabetes, walking can improve your body's ability to process sugar (glucose tolerance).
Manage your diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, taking part in a regular walking program can improve your body's ability to process sugar, lower your blood sugar, reduce your risk of heart disease and help you live longer.
Manage your weight. Walking burns calories, which can help you manage your weight. For example, middle-aged women who walk more than 10,000 steps a day have lower levels of body fat than do women who are less active.
Manage stress and boost your spirits. Going for a brisk walk is a great way to reduce stress. Regular walking also can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
Stay strong and active. As you get older, walking for physical fitness can prevent falls, help you stay mobile and maintain your independence.
Prepare yourself before you go walking
Take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters on your feet or muscle pain.
Wear walking shoes and comfortable, protective clothing
Before you set out, be sure to select comfortable footwear. Also dress in loosefitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.
Warm up
Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm. Warming up your muscles reduces your risk of injury.
Stretch
After warming up, stretch your muscles for about five minutes before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch, lower back flexion stretch and chest stretch.
To help ensure your success: Start slow and easy
If you're a seasoned walker, keep doing what you're doing. If you've been inactive and tire easily, it's best to start slow and easy. At first, walk only as far as or as fast as you find comfortable. If you can walk for only a few minutes, let that be your starting point. For example, you might try short daily sessions of three to five minutes and slowly build up to 15 minutes twice a week. Then, over several weeks' time, you can gradually work your way up to 30 minutes of walking five days each week.
Use proper technique to avoid injury and setbacks
Walking is a great exercise because it's so simple to do. But if your posture is poor or your movements exaggerated, you increase your risk of injury.
Measure the intensity of your workout
As you walk, measure the intensity. Knowing your level allows you to increase the intensity to maximize your workout or slow down to avoid overdoing it. You have these options:
Keep track of your progress
Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration. Just think how good you'll feel when you see how many miles you've walked each week, month or year.
Record these numbers in a walking journal you create for yourself or log them in a spreadsheet on your computer. Another option is to use an electronic device to calculate time and distance for you. Options include:
High-tech devices. Devices that use GPS satellite technology cost more than pedometers do, but they can track the total and current distance you walk, and even calculate your speed or pace. You may have to program these devices. Some allow you to download stored data to your computer as a way of keeping track of your progress. You wear these high-tech devices on your wrist or attached to your waistband, shoe or arm.
Cool down after each walking session
To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches.
Stay motivated: Set goals, have fun and stay in the game
Starting a walking program takes initiative. Sticking with it takes commitment. But when you think of the potential health benefits, it's well worth your effort. Over time you'll likely feel more invigorated. To stay motivated: Set performance goals. People who stick with a new behavior for six months usually make it a habit.
Make it fun. If you don't like walking alone, invite your spouse, partner, friend or neighbor to join you. You might also join a health club and use a treadmill.
Vary your routine. Plan several different walking routes for variety. But if you're walking alone, be sure to tell someone which route you're taking.
Sometimes things happen to keep you from sticking to a regular walking program. Don't be too hard on yourself when this happens.
You don't have to let a few days off sabotage your plan to reach a higher level of fitness and improved health. Follow these tips to get back in the game:
Think positively. Don't let negative self-talk, such as "I'm a failure," get in the way of starting again. Shrug it off as a temporary break in your walking program.
Re-evaluate your goals. If your goal is to walk two hours a day 365 days a year, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Set realistic goals for yourself, such as 30 minutes five days a week.
Get going. Build walking into your schedule today. Just do it. Walk for 10 minutes on your lunch break.
Continually plan. If you're taking a trip or working overtime, think of strategies for incorporating short walks into your day to keep your plan on track.
Office exercise: How to burn calories while you work

Weight of person and calories burned

(one-hour duration).
160 pounds (73 kilograms) 200 pounds (91 kilograms) 240 pounds (109 kilograms)
Aerobics, high impact 511 637 763
Aerobics, low impact 365 455 545
Aerobics, water 292 364 436
Backpacking 511 637 763
Basketball game 584 728 872
Bicycling, < 10 mph, leisure 292 364 436
Bowling 219 273 327
Canoeing 256 319 382
Dancing, ballroom 219 273 327
Football, touch, flag, 584 728 872
Golfing, carrying clubs 329 410 491
Hiking 438 546 654
Ice skating 511 637 763
Jogging, 5 mph 584 728 872
Racquetball, casual, 511 637 763
Rollerblading 913 1,138 1,363
Rope jumping 730 910 1,090
Rowing, stationary 511 637 763
Running, 8 mph 986 1,229 1,472
Skiing, cross-country 511 637 763
Skiing, downhill 365 455 545
Skiing, water 438 546 654
Softball or baseball 365 455 545
Stair treadmill 657 819 981
Swimming, laps 511 637 763
Tae kwon do 730 910 1,090
Tai chi 292 364 436
Tennis, singles 584 728 872
Volleyball 292 364 436
Walking, 2 mph 183 228 273
Walking, 3.5 mph 277 346 414
Weightlifting, free weight, 219 273 327

Benefits of regular physical activity

Need motivation to exercise? Here are seven ways exercise can improve your life — starting today!
Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise.
The merits of exercise — from preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem — are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out seven specific ways exercise can improve your life.
1. Exercise improves your mood.
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise might be the ticket.
Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
And there's more. Regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.
Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.
This one's a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.
4. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular exercise can leave you breathing easier.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep.
Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.
A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And, you guessed it, exercise is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The timing is up to you — but if you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.
6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.
Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue.
Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older.
7. Exercise can be — gasp — fun!
Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!
Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!

Secret of my Health

Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. So, if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. You can do this by becoming more physically active or by eating less.
You didn't put on extra weight overnight so it is equally unrealistic to take it off quickly. Record a goal that you can reach in one month that is 4 to 8 pounds less than you weigh now. Set a goal you know you can achieve.
Here are some very simple changes that you can start today that will greatly improve your chances of weight loss success:
Eliminate Red Meat
If foods like burgers are basic to your current diet, cutting out red meat can go a long way in helping you make healthier meal choices. Build your meals around fish or poultry.

Cut out fried foods
Grill, bake, roast, broil or boil your food. This also means doing without French Fries and snack foods like Potato Strings, Chips,...

Start with a soup or a salad
By starting dinner with a soup or salad, you will curb your hunger, which will in turn help you keep portion sizes in check and prevent you from overeating.

Stop Cola consumption
For every 20 ounces of Coca-Cola you drink, you're consuming 250 calories. If you're trying to consume around 1500 calories a day in order to lose weight, you can blow your entire calorie budget on soda!

Drink water
Reach for the goalf of eight glasses a day. Even if you don't drink eight, you're drinking more than usual.

Best to know your Health

Body Fat Percentage Categories
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32%+ 25%+


If you are unable to use our Body Fat Calculator, or if you are interested in how your Body Fat Percentage is calculated, this page has the mathematical Body Fat Formula.
The best time to use this formula, is in the morning. Your body weight and waist measurements are the most accurate just after you wake up from 7-8 hours of sleep.
The formula below will not calculate your exact body fat percentage. The most accurate way is underwater weighing, but this formula should give you a consistent measurement you can use as a guideline so you can determine if you're losing body fat and/or muscle.

Body Fat Formula For Women
Factor 1 (Total body weight x 0.732) + 8.987
Factor 2 Wrist measurement (at fullest point) / 3.140
Factor 3 Waist measurement (at naval) x 0.157
Factor 4 Hip measurement (at fullest point) x 0.249
Factor 5 Forearm measurement (at fullest point) x 0.434
Lean Body Mass Factor 1 + Factor 2 - Factor 3 - Factor 4 + Factor 5
Body Fat Weight Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass
Body Fat Percentage (Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight

Body Fat Formula For Men
Factor 1 (Total body weight x 1.082) + 94.42
Factor 2 Waist measurement x 4.15
Lean Body Mass Factor 1 - Factor 2
Body Fat Weight Total bodyweight - Lean Body Mass
Body Fat Percentage (Body Fat Weight x 100) / total bodyweight



Waist to Hip Ratio Chart
Male Female Health Risk Based Solely on WHR
0.95 or below 0.80 or below Low Risk
0.96 to 1.0 0.81 to 0.85 Moderate Risk
1.0+ 0.85+ High Risk

One Minute Reprimands

The One Minute Reprimand works well when you:
1. Tell people beforehand that you are going to let them know how they are doing and
in no uncertain terms.
the first half of the reprimand:
2. Reprimand people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did wrong—be specific.
4. Tell people how you feel about what they did wrong—and in no uncertain terms.
5. Stop for a few seconds of uncomfortable silence to let them feel how you feel.
the second half of the reprimand:
6. Shake hands, or touch them in a way that lets them know you are honestly on their
side.
7. Remind them how much you value them.
8. Reaffirm that you think well of them but not of their performance in this situation.
9. Realize that when the reprimand is over, it’s over.

One Minute Praisings:

 

The One Minute Praising works well when you:

1. Tell people up front that you are going to let them know how they are doing.
2. Praise people immediately.
3. Tell people what they did right—be specific.
4. Tell people how good you feel about what they did right, and how it helps the
organization and the other people who work there.
5. Stop for a moment of silence to let them “feel” how good you feel.
6. Encourage them to do more of the same.
7. Shake hands or touch people in a way that makes it clear that you support their
success in the organization.

One Minute Goal

 

One Minute Goal Setting is simply:
1. Agree on your goals.
2. See what good behavior looks like.
3. Write out each of your goals on a single sheet of paper using less than 250 words.
4. Read and re-read each goal, which requires only a minute or so each time
you do it.
5. Take a minute every once in a while out of your day to look at your performance,
and
6. See whether or not your behavior matches your goal.

Manager

The One Minute ManagerWHEN the young man arrived at the manager’s office, he found him standing and
looking out of the window. When the young man coughed, the manager turned and
smiled. He invited the young man to sit down and asked, “What can I do for you?”
The young man said, “I’d like to ask you some questions about how you manage
people.”
The manager willingly said, “Fire away.”
“Well, to begin with, do you hold regularly scheduled meetings with your
subordinates?”
“Yes, I do—once a week on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 11:00. That’s why I couldn’t
see you then,” responded the manager.
“What do you do at those meetings?” probed the young man.
“I listen while my people review and analyze what they accomplished last week, the
problems they had, and what still needs to be accomplished. Then we develop plans and
strategies for the next week.”
“Are the decisions made at those meetings binding on both you and your people?”
questioned the young man.
“Of course they are,” insisted the manager. “What would be the point of having the
meeting if they weren’t?”
“Then you are a participative manager, aren’t you?” asked the young man.
“On the contrary,” insisted the manager, “I don’t believe in participating in any of my
people’s decision-making.”
“Then what is the purpose of your meetings?”
“I already told you that,” he said. “Please, young man, do not ask me to repeat myself.
It is a waste of my time and yours.
“We’re here to get results,” the manager continued. “The purpose of this organization
is efficiency. By being organized we are a great deal more productive.”
“Oh, so you’re aware of the need for productivity. Then you’re more results-oriented
than people-oriented,” the young man suggested.
“No!” the manager resounded, startling his visitor. “I hear that all too often.” He got to
his feet and began to walk about. “How on earth can I get results if it’s not through
people? I care about people and results. They go hand in hand.
“Here, young man, look at this.” The manager handed his visitor a plaque. “I keep it
on my desk to remind me of a practical truth.”