The Info Treasure Trove

Here’s what to do if you want to wear that slinky black dress,
and stay sane:

1. Make sure that you’re not being neurotic and overly body
conscious.

Meditate. Try to catch yourself naked unawares in a full length
mirror. Find out your ideal height-weight ratio. Get some
amateur photos taken of yourself in casual clothes. Try to be
detached and objective.

Overweight is sometimes a state of mind instead of body. What
trauma or childhood inadequacy causes you to see yourself as fat
and undesirable, when medically you’re normal, or just a little
full figured?

If you are definitely a fatty:

2. Meditate. Try to home in on the reason you are overweight.

Is it genetic; are your family ‘big-boned’? If not, what need
are you trying to fill by stuffing yourself; are you anxious,
insecure, do you have family or money or sexual troubles? If so
deal with THEM and your need to eat will be easier to beat.

Eating is pleasurable; we get a rush of blood sugar which makes
us temporarily feel good, and having a full stomach makes us
feel sleepy and calmed down. Are you going for the effect rather
than the nourishment?

3. Change your diet.

Eat simpler, less processed, less over-prepared and overcooked
food.

Get back to the basics. Substitute fruit for candies, wholemeal
bread and boiled potatoes for potato chips, lean steak for
burgers, water instead of fizzy drinks.

Eat a grape or a piece of orange instead of a candy; you get a
better ‘buzz’, and it’s healthier for you. Another benefit of
eating whole, natural food is you fill up quickly, while eating
less. The horror of junk food is that it’s got loads of fats and
sugars in it while not being physically substantial; you can eat
ounces of fat in seconds.

Basically, if a chimp wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t eat it.
Yes, I KNOW a chimp could probably get hooked on junk food. All
right, try this; if an athlete preparing for a track meeting
wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t.

Have three meals a day only. Have a proper breakfast; people
tend to skip this and then have snacks later to keep themselves
going. This is folly.

NO snacks in between; let your belly growl. You’re going to
train it to need less. It will protest, as it’s used to being
big, but it will adjust in time.

Stay away from people and places which remind you of your old
treats. Try not to let on you’re dieting; your ‘friends’ will
try to get you off it, or tempt you for fun.

4. Take more exercise.

You can do light exercise, or better yet work it into your daily
routine.

Don’t walk when you can run, don’t run where you could cycle,
leave the car in the garage. Do more household chores the hard
way. Take the stairs instead of the lift.

If your work or chores involve exercise it’s easy to get your
subconscious to go along with it. It seems less of a trial, and
you’re killing two birds with one stone.

Exercise for it’s own sake is hard; part of us can see no
immediate gain to doing it, and puts up mental and emotional
barriers.

Clean your house, jog to the shops, dig the garden, explore your
locale on foot.

Exercise at home. Do push ups, pull ups, sit-ups, use a couple
of chairs as dumb-bells. It’s a bother and an expense to go to a
gym; set up your own routine at home, and stick to it five days
out of every seven.

5. Do not take special medications or diet foods if you can help
it.

Diet medications are usually amphetamine or stimulant-based;
they perk you up, so you don’t feel depressed or hungry.
Soldiers use amphetamines in war; they keep you keen, and you
don’t feel hungry. The trouble is you become physically addicted
to them, instead of food, and you’re worse off in the end. They
rot your body and your mind, and you have exchanged one fixation
for another, more urgent one.

Eating food supplements will take off the pounds; you’ll lose a
few pounds to begin with in ANY diet anyway. However, what will
happen when you stop eating this expensive food substitute?
Unless your will power is engaged, you’ll revert to your old
habits.

Losing weight involves an act of WILL. If you’re the sort of
person who diets for a bit and then ‘rewards’ yourself with a
cream cake, WHO are you trying to fool? Your subconscious, your
friends? You won’t fool the bathroom scales, or that dress
you’re trying to get into.

Perhaps part of you would like to be slim, especially on public
occasions. The other, deeper, part wants to gorge itself on
WHATever it likes, WHENever it likes. Eating is lovely, isn’t
it? It may be your one consolation in an otherwise miserable
life.

To fix your weight, fix the other problems in your life, then
staying off the snacks will be much easier.

This involves finding out what vocation you have in life. What
do you REALLY want to do? If it’s nothing, then that’s fine.
Once you acknowledge this, you’ll find your peace of mind
improves, and your craving for food will be less.

Otherwise find some activity you can devote yourself to, that
engages your whole being.

Eating is often a recreation; find a nobler one.

Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com

Strength training dominates most athletes’ fitness and
conditioning programs through out the year. In particular,
volleyball players are well-known to have one of the highest
levels of strength training dedication. These elite athletes
realize the benefits of a proper periodized strength training
program.

Volleyball pushes players to the extreme. Each athlete is
expected to excel in explosive movements, vertical jumps, power
hitting and intense serves. The position rotation in volleyball
signifies the definite need for comprehensive players. Being a
great blocker is a huge plus, but volleyball thrives off of
all-around spectacular athletes. Strength training is a massive
component to any elite athlete.

Strength training for volleyball requires the knowledge of
periodization. Periodization means changing one or more
variables within your strength training program on a regular and
consistent basis. These variables can include the exercise, the
frequency of lifting, the intensity of lifting, or the method of
lifting.

Volleyball players, as well as most other athletes, work on a
yearly periodization schedule. They break their year down into 4
distinct segments or cycles. Each new segment means they should
change their strength training program to match that cycle’s
goals.

The four segments can be broken down into the off-season, the
pre-season, the in-season, and the post-season. Each season has
unique goals and a unique strength training program. Athletes
allow time for resting, building strength and building sport
specific functions before the start of the official game season.

The off-season’s goal is to build power and strength. The
off-season utilizes power exercises and higher weights to
increase muscle size and strength. Typically, the strength
training program is most intense during the off-season. Athletes
invest a lot of time to their basic fitness foundation.

The pre-season focuses on actual sport specific functions.
Squatting, jumping, lateral stepping, hitting and spiking are
all common volleyball movements. The pre-season volleyball
strength training routine is less intense than the off-season.
The goal is to maintain that strength and power, but to perfect
sport specific movements. Most of the routine is dedicated to
mock volleyball games and drills.

The in-season purely focuses on maintaining the off and
pre-season’s goals. The off-season built power and the
pre-season put that power to use. Athletes enjoy the fruits of
their labor during the in-season. The spike that flies past the
opponent’s head and drills into the floor is proof that strength
training for volleyball works.

The post-season’s goals are about relaxation and repair. This is
a time of year that includes low intensity workouts. The goal is
to allow the body to heal after grueling months of high
intensity workouts. These few weeks of rest and low intensity
strength training and cardio bring the entire training year to a
close. The post-season delivers a skilled and healed athlete to
begin the off-season strength and power building again.

Off-season ~ Pre-season ~ In-season ~ Post-season ~ Repeat

Regardless of the season, a few things remain constant.
Volleyball players should always perform one or more exercises
for each muscle group. Each exercise should be performed through
a full ROM (range of motion), and each strength training routine
should steer towards sport specific movements.

Strength training for volleyball players is an essential and
organic component of their fitness and conditioning program.
Strength training delivers the edge that all athletes need to
succeed. Periodization is necessary in all strength training
programs. Volleyball and other sports have taught us the
importance of a proper fitness routine based on specific goals.

The costs for cosmetic surgery vary greatly throughout the
United States. A number of factors contribute to these cost
differences including the type of cosmetic surgery procedure
performed, the level of complexity presented by the patient (in
other words, how much work is needed), the location, and the
surgeon’s individual fees. It is entirely feasible that two
individuals visiting the same surgeon for a consultation on a
procedure will be quoted two different prices. This is due to
the fact that each individual presents a unique challenge to the
doctor. Some surgeries require more work than others, even if
the two individuals are seeking the same procedure. For this
reason, it is nearly impossible for a doctor to quote a patient
a set price for a procedure until he has had a chance to examine
the patient in person.

Many health insurance companies will not cover the costs of
cosmetic surgery, especially if the procedure is an elective
one. There are a few circumstances under which your insurance
may pick up a portion, perhaps even all, of your surgical bills.
For example, many insurance companies will pay for rhinoplasty,
which is a nose job, if the procedure is necessary to reduce a
blockage that is unduly restricting a patient’s breathing. To
determine if your cosmetic surgery is covered by your insurance
plan, contact your health insurance provider. Keep in mind that
even if the procedure is covered, you may be responsible for a
deductible or co-payment.

The national average, as of December 2005, of a number of
cosmetic surgeries is detailed below. As discussed above, the
actual cost of your surgery will vary based on the extent of
work needed, the surgeon’s geographical location, and the
surgeon’s individual fees. In the United States, New York has
the highest costs for plastic surgery. On the opposite end of
the spectrum is Florida and Texas, which offer the most
affordable procedures in the nation. The national averages
listed below do not include anesthesiology costs, operating room
charges, or related expenses.

Procedure Cost Breast implants $3,043 Breast lift $3,503 Chin
augmentation $1,488 Ear surgery $2,168 Eyelid surgery $2,544
Facelift $5,007 Laser hair removal $360 per treatment Laser skin
resurfacing $2,243 Liposuction $2,049 per area treated
Microdermabrasion $136 per treatment Rhinoplasty $2,947 Tummy
tuck $4,205

Due to the high costs of most cosmetic surgery procedures, most
surgeons now offer a variety of payment options to patients.
These may include cash, personal checks, and credit card
payments. A number of surgeons also now offer plastic surgery
financing plans. Financing plans allow patients to spread the
cost of the surgery over an extended period of time, so that
patients are not forced to pay for the entire surgery upfront.

If you are considering plastic surgery, talk to local surgeons
to set up a consultation and inquire about specific pricing and
financial options available to you.

Today, we have many Americans who are obsessed with health, and
yet we are a nation of obese individuals. Obesity in this
country has reached epidemic proportions, and we have more
available than at any other time in history to help us control
our weight. What is the problem? Why do we still have health
issues, when we have some many health facilities available?

There are facilities that cater to the young, the old, the male,
the female. There are 24 hour facilities, facilities that offer
daycare, individualized programs, youth programs, organized
classes, and fitness assessments.

It would seem with all these choices, that Americans would not
have any problem controlling their weight, their health or their
overall wellness. Many fitness centers offer the new client an
opportunity for an initial assessment, personalized training
plans, and continued consultation services, free with their
membership.

If you happen to be a mother, with small children, many of the
fitness facilities offer built in daycare facilities. You are
free to exercise, while your children play in a supervised and
safe setting. If you also happen to feel uncomfortable
exercising in mixed company, there are fitness centers that
offer men only or women only exercise times. If not designated
times, often they have segregated facilities.

What about Pilates, aerobics and other forms of organized and
instructed toning and cardiovascular health? Most fitness
facilities have that covered also. Upon joining a gym or center
you are usually provided a schedule of classes that are being
taught, and the times that they are taught. Then once each
month, you will receive a newsletter and calendar that provides
updated information about facility changes, class offerings and
any other points of interest.

There is just simply no reason that a person could not locate a
fitness that suits his or her needs and become a part of the
health movement. Cost is usually not an issue, either. Today,
many companies offer free memberships for their employees in an
effort to cut medical expense and lost time due to sickness and
injuries. On the average, a healthy employee costs an employer
$1000 dollars less each year, than the coworker who does not
participate in health and fitness programs. That simply takes
medical costs into consideration. What about lost productivity
due to illness or injury?

If you find that your company doesn’t offer such a plan, the
monthly expenditure for a membership to the gym, should more
than pay for itself in the course of your attaining a level of
increased health. You should see a decrease in your medical
bills, and over the counter health needs, simply because your
body is in a better position to fight off germs and bacteria.

Fitness centers and gyms across this country open each day, to
provide persons form all walks of life, a better chance at
health; to afford each person the opportunity to work toward
overall wellness and a fit and conditioned body. It is up to
each individual to take advantage of that opportunity.