Sunday, August 21, 2011

Experience A Healthy Life With Yoga And Pilates

By Adriana Noton


One way a person can promote better health for both the mind and body is to practice yoga and pilates on a regular basis. There is a powerful connection that links the mind and body and these forms of exercise focus on that connection. Strengthening that connection leads to an overall sense of health and well-being.

If there is one thing a human should focus on controlling to ensure their optimum health, it is their body weight. Having a body mass index over 25 will increase the risk factor for many dangerous conditions. Making a habit of doing regular exercise and eating a nutrient-rich diet is the only way to control body weight. Fresh, unprocessed foods pack the most nutritional punch. Eating a variety of healthy foods at each meal will give the body the right balance it needs to function optimally.

Not only does regular exercise help regulate body weight, but it also is a great way to blow off steam. Exercise is a healthy alternative to other methods of self-soothing. Poor choices include taking drugs, excessively drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and eating junk food.

Some people have too much stress. This puts them at risk of being overweight. When the body reacts to stressors, it releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is like a defense mechanism for humans. Unfortunately, cortisol is linked to excessive stomach fat deposits. These are very dangerous and raise a number of health concerns. Exercise is the best way to fight stress and prevent too much cortisol in the body.

This is why it's so important to work out regularly. In addition to working out the body, these forms of exercise work out the brain! The overall result of focusing on mental and physical health is a body that functions efficiently.

Another great benefit of leading a healthy lifestyle and choosing to do these workouts is the feeling of confidence that comes with having a great-looking body! When a person is confident, they are more willing to go out and try new things and experience all that life has to offer. When a person is ashamed of their appearance, they may try to hide it, passing up opportunities that may have otherwise enriched their life.

It's essential to incorporate the two different types of exercise in order to achieve the fullest health benefits. Strength training is needed to build up the amount of muscle a body has. A body works to it's maximum capabilities when it has better muscle tone. Cardiovascular workouts are necessary for burning calories and are what typically will help with stress management.

Strength training is often stereotyped as something only body builders need to do. This is far from true. It's essential for every person no matter what age to maintain lean muscle mass.

One of the best ways to increase lean muscle mass is to practice yoga and pilates. These forms of exercise use the resistance of one's own body weight to condition the muscles. They both also focus on utilizing the middle of the body, the belly area also known as the core, to execute each movement. The stronger and more defined a person's core is, the more efficiently they will be able to work out. This leads to better overall health.




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