Articles by Ainsley Laing on ArticleSnatch.com

The Gym Grunting Controversy

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A large well known fitness facility company has a “no grunting” policy. Last year, they made news in the U.S. when they called the police to escort a member out of the gym for grunting. What’s the deal with that? Ok, ok. Aside from being drama queens and a bit annoying, what are these grunters really doing wrong? And how does the gym staff decide what is a grunt and what’s just normal exhalation of air upon exertion? Do they hire “Grunt Monitors”? I can see it now in Grunt Monitor Training: “Ok grunt monitors, a grunt is considered a legitimate grunt when it sounds like “uuuoooohhhgg” but is not a grunt when it sounds like “ugh”.” I mean, honestly – doesn’t this seem pretty silly? Of course, there’s the deeper more philosophical question: is there a difference between a snort and a grunt? What if you drop a weight on your toe and scream “ouch”. Do you get expelled for that? And what are the exact procedures for expulsion from the gym for grunting? Is a member issued a grunt warning first? Maybe two grunt warnings?** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional engineer and mom. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

The Focusing Illusion

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0400

A win on the lottery is not the key to enduring happiness, according to researchers in the UK and US who study what makes people happy. Apparently, after the initial euphoria wears off, people return to the same level of happiness they had before the lottery win. There's much speculation among the researchers as to why. Have you ever heard the term "focusing illusion"? It basically boils down to the idea that when people think about or fantasize about a major life change, we tend to exaggerate the effect the change will have on our happiness. We imagine it will be either far better or far worse than what actually happens after the dust settles from the change. Has this happened to you? Have you ever worked toward buying something, say a nice car? First you say to yourself, "boy, I would love to have that car". After a while, you make a decision to save to buy the car. Your thoughts change to "when I have my new car...things will be great!" You save and the day comes to buy the car.** End Summary**

The Longevity Diet?

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Have you heard of the Longevity Diet or Calorie Restriction Diet? It's been in and out of nutrition news for many years, the theory and related research starting in the 1930s. The concept is that by eating less total calories and ensuring that the calories we do eat are highly nutritious, we can extend our life span. So what's the science behind this? No one knows exactly, but the research is growing, and so are the numbers of people trying it out. In the 1930s, researchers studying growth patterns and food deprivation in mice noticed that adult mice that were underfed lived much longer than their well fed counterparts. Since then, there have been studies done on different animals, including primates, with basically the same results: those animals that were fed much fewer "high quality" calories lived longer and had better overall health. Do you remember Biosphere 2? It was the project where they built a sealed, self-contained facility in Arizona and people lived there for 2 years. Well, the food production part of the experiment didn't go so well yet the participants stayed anyway.** End Summary**

Pets and Stress

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

My mother used to say "you can always trust a person who has animal hair on them". As a kid, I often pondered what this statement means. Are people who care for animals more trustworthy? Kinder? Gentler? Well, a recent scientific study says that people who own pets are less stressed. Maybe not more trustworthy, but less stress WOULD indicate greater wellness. An idea worth considering. The study examined the cardiovascular reactivity when exposed to psychological stress of 240 married couples, half of whom owned a pet. The researchers exposed the people to stressful situations (mental arithmetic problems and stuff like that) in a variety of social support conditions: alone, with pet or friend (friend present for non-pet owners), with spouse, with spouse and pet/friend. They found that the people with the pets had much lower rise in heart rate under such conditions; better than with their spouse or friends. This evidence the healing help pets provide has been anecdotal for years. Hospitals, retirement homes and other caring facilities have used pets to help promote wellness with a lot of success. So it's no surprise, especially where children are involved.** End Summary**

Is it Perfume or Poison?

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Here's the scenario: you are on an elevator. The elevator stops and in walks someone with WAY too much cologne on and the smell overpowers you. Your sinuses start to hurt and you get a bit sick to your stomach. The smell of the cologne stays with you, in your hair, clothes and nose for quite a while after â hence the sick feeling does too. Yuk. It's hard not to think how inconsiderate this person is. It's not just the smell that is inconsiderate. Have you ever thought about the chemicals that are used in fragrances? Many of them are not good for you to breathe or to put on your body! This week Time Magazine did an article on air fresheners and how many brands have been removed from the market due to high levels of phthalates. Phthalates are estrogenic in nature, which is believed to contribute to certain cancers. Phthalates are used to dissolve and carry fragrances and soften plastics, sealants and similar compounds. They are commonly found in cosmetics, paint, nail polish and plastics. This peaked my interest on fragrances in general â so, as usual, I did some research.** End Summary**

Lifestyle Behaviors and the Risk of Death

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

According to the Center for Disease Control in the United States, the life expectancy for American men is 75 (74.5) and women is 80 (79.9). The top killers for men and top killers for women are pretty similar. Here's the list. You may be surprised: For American Men, the top 8 causes of death over a lifetime are: No. 1 - Heart disease. No. 2 - Cancer . No. 3 - Accidents (unintentional injuries). No. 4 - Stroke . No. 5 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). No. 6 - Diabetes. No. 7 - Pneumonia and influenza . No. 8 - Suicide For American Women, the top 8 causes of death over a lifetime are: No. 1 - Heart disease . No. 2 - Cancer . No. 3 - Stroke . No. 4 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). No. 5 - Alzheimer's disease. No. 6 - Diabetes . No. 7 - Accidents . No. 8 - Pneumonia and influenza It's important to note that these "killers" are over a lifetime, and that the major causes of death shift within certain age groups. If you are a woman in your 20s, accidents are your biggest risk factor for death.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

The Many Disguises of Mono Sodium Glutamate

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The other day, I got an email from an American guy who lives in Malaysia. He was saying that cooking with mono sodium glutamate (MSG) is a real health problem to Malaysians and that he "doesn't allow it in his house". MSG, so what's the big deal? It's the stuff used in large quantities in Chinese/Southeast Asian food, right? Wrong. It's everywhere in almost all processed foods! You see, it was derived from seaweed in Japan in the 1930s and very quickly became popular in United States as a food additive. As long ago as the 1970s, manufacturers promised to take it out of baby food because of suspected problems â no kidding. Consumers long ago became savvy to MSG listed as an ingredient on food labels and stopped buying things with MSG. So guess what? Manufacturers just renamed the stuff. Here are some of the ingredient names in food that are "cover names" for MSG: Broth, Casein or Caseinate, Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Yeast ,Autolyzed Yeast ,Yeast Extract, Hydrolyzed Protein, Natural Flavors MSG is one of the most popular food additives in food in the US. Fast food chains and restaurants use a lot of it.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Sugar Feeds Cancer?

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Is there a link between sugar consumption and cancer? Seventy years ago, Otto Warburg won a Nobel Prize for his discovery of glucose as the fuel that grows cancer cells. In other words, sugar feeds cancer. Ok, this makes sense. All of our body's tissues use glucose for fuel. First, some boring stuff. A few new studies have followed along these lines and have associated sugar consumption with several types of cancer: A study done on women in Mexico linked high carbohydrate diets with breast cancer. The same link was made by a study done on American women. A small study at University of Southern California identified a significant increase in risk for small bowel cancer in people who consumed the most sugar in coffee, tea and non-diet sodas. (Not the purpose of the study. It was chance finding). A Harvard School of Public Health study demonstrated that a diet high in simple carbohydrate foods such as white rice, white bread and white potatoes increased risk of pancreatic cancer in overweight and sedentary women. Besides cigarette smoking, this is the first risk factor identified with pancreatic cancer. Colorectal cancer risk has been linked to higher insulin levels, as well.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Accepting Responsibility is Powerful!

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Food for Thought: We are powerless to change behaviors we don't take responsibility for. When we shift blame or make excuses we give away our personal power â the power to make a difference. It's very important for self growth to be open to suggestion, criticism and change. This is a given. Getting to the point of seeking change requires that we first accept that we and we alone are responsible for our own situation. We are where we are now in our lives because of our past and present behavior. Psychologists tell us that people who don't take personal responsibility for their behavior run the risk of being: 1. Overly dependent on others for recognition, approval, affirmation, and acceptance. 2. Chronically hostile, angry, or depressed over how unfairly you have been or are being treated. 3. Fearful about ever taking a risk or making a decision. Overwhelmed by disabling fears. 4. Unsuccessful at the enterprises you take on in life. Unsuccessful in personal relationships. 5. Emotionally or physically unhealthy. 6. Addicted to unhealthy substances, such as the abuse of alcohol, drugs, food, or unhealthy behavior such as excessive gambling, shopping, sex, smoking, work, etc. 7.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Slim People at Risk for Fat Related Health Problems?

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Do you assume that because someone is thin that they are also fit? Well, hold on to your hat, researchers are saying that many thin people have the same heart disease risk and type 2 diabetes risk as obese people. In fact, they say that some thin people are at higher risk than sumo wrestlers! The reason? Intra-abdominal fat. According to Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College London, "being thin deosn't aurtomatically mean you're not fat". It's what's inside that makes a difference to your health. Internal fat surrounding vital organs such as the heart and liver can be as dangerous as the fat that you see. Since 1994, Dr. Bell and his collegues have been mapping the fat stores of people to show where people store fat. They have scanned and recorded more than 800 people. When most people gain weight, the fat is subcutaneous and we see it. We have known for years that a person who gains fat around the middle of their body is at increased risk for heart disease etc., but this was viewed as an obesity related issue. Now, it's clear that even thin people are at risk.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Rising Blood Sugar and Pre-Diabetes

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

I don't usually like to talk about myself. Ok, that's a lie. But, I recently had an experience with my own health that I thought might be of interest. Like most folks, every year or so I go to the doctor for a check up. So a couple of weeks back I fasted for 12 hours and went early in the morning for my blood work. Not fun. The test isn't bad, but I am grumpy without coffee in the morning. The doctor gave me a shopping list of tests that I can have and I chose. It's the most comprehensive set of tests I have ever had and the results of them were quite enlightening. Here's some background. I am a 48 year old, pre-menopausal woman, slim build, very physically active and lifetime vegetarian (ovo-lacto). A doctor's dream patient. As you might expect, my cholesterol readings have always been great â which is to be expected for a fit pre-menopausal woman (estrogen has beneficial effects on cholesterol). However, a few years ago, my tests showed that my blood sugar readings were "high" normal hovering around 100 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/L).** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Itâs Not Just What You Eat, Its How You Cook It

Wed, 16 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

If you are really serious about healthy nutrition, it's time to reconsider not just what you are eating, but also how you are cooking the food. More and more studies are showing that grilling, frying and broiling (especially flame-broiling) meat products produces toxins known as Advanced Glycation End-Products, known as AGEs. The highest amounts of these toxins are found in fried chicken and broiled or grilled meats. So what? Here's whatâ¦ AGEs accumulate in the body over time. Older people naturally have higher levels than younger ones, but when a younger person eats a diet high in these compounds they too have high levels. A new study at Mount Sinai School of Medicine that supports a previous study by the National Institute on Aging, found that the levels of AGEs in a person's body were determined by direct dietary intake of them rather than the number of calories, fats or sugars they ingest. In other words, eating fried, grilled and broiled meats raises the levels of AGEs. AGEs were previously known to be associated with diabetes and insulin imbalance; but there's more. High levels of AGE's cause oxidative damage which increases inflammatory processes and inhibit synthesis of nitric oxide.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Your Lifestyle Changes and Your Family

Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Jane Doe is turning forty next month. Her husband, John, and she are healthy and keep regular exercise as part of their lives. They both feel that they eat right and are happy with their bodies. Jane has an office job and teaches fitness classes part-time. John also has a desk job and is a member of a running club. Jane feels good about herself, but wonders why her fitness routine and healthy diet have not yielded the results she expects. So, in anticipation of being a "forty something", she decides to revamp her exercise and eating to really transform her body. She studies up on new fitness/nutrition science, talks to other fitness instructors and nutritionists, comes up with a plan for herself and implements it. Although her new plan is not particularly difficult, it does require that she be more disciplined in her eating habits, eating schedules and the way she works out. After her research, she realizes that truly attaining the body transformation that she wants requires more than just doing what she has done year after year. In fact, it's yielding diminishing returns!** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Words Do Hurt. Stop Bullying from Affecting Your Health

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

-The man who quits his job because of harassment. - The woman whose husband stays out late at night repeatedly and tells her he is entitled to do what he wants. - The child whose parent tells him often "you are lazy". What do these people have in common? All of them have relationships with bullies. Bullies can be anywhere, at work, at school, on the road (road rage), in the mall or in the family. Whether you are a bully yourself, a target of a bully or even a witness, abusive behavior can you make you sick! When thinking about the term bully, most people think of the kid on the playground who threatens to hit you if you don't give up your lunch money. This is your typical overt or garden variety of bully. When you were a kid, how did you feel about these bullies? Anxious? Afraid? Angry? Avoidant? Victimized? What happens to the schoolyard bullies as adults? If they aren't in prison, they are in our workplace or on the street, basically anywhere. Most people around them recognize the negative behavior and they usually pay the price for it pretty fast.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Dating Again After 20 Years â An Internet Fairytale

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Just imagine for a moment that you and your spouse have split up after a very long marriage. You did not envision this change. You are shocked with the intensity and weight of your own emotions â a painful combination of grief, anger, fear, humiliation, disbelief, sadness, failure, disappointment and others. You spend hundreds of hours, reading about how to win your spouse back, getting counseling to help with your grief, journaling, making lists of what you did wrong and trying to talk with your spouse about "fixing" things. Meanwhile, your spouse treats you like someone with a highly contagious fatal disease and looks at you as if you smell like cow manure. Little by little you wake up to the fact that your life has changed. It's a done deal. There's no going back. You begin to see that by resisting change, you haven't noticed the opportunities opening up before you. This awakening flows over you like warm sunshine. The heavy feelings of fear and loss are replaced by the lightness of freedom and optimism. Suddenly, the future looks brighter and the present feels sweet. With new perspective, you change your behavior.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Taking Charge of Your Own Healthcare

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

I am American by birth, culture and nationality, but I haven't lived there for 19 years. In 1988, chasing adventure and work, I left the states. Since then, I have lived all over the world moving every few years. Currently, I live in Singapore. As an "expat"(person who chooses to live outside their home country), life has its challenges. One of which is that one has to be very diligent in taking charge of the healthcare needs of oneself and family. All in all, I have had very good luck with the docs I have seen over the years. Of course, except for having a baby, I haven't developed any medical conditions requiring care â just the odd flu or injury etc. It has been my experience that physicians the world over are a learned and caring group. The problems seem to arise because of communication (or lack there of). Many doctors have been taught to diagnose and treat, but not explain to the patient the details of their condition. So it's up to the patient to be informed enough to ask.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Not All Carbohydrates are Created Equal

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

"You might as well eat the box. IT has more nutrition than the cereal inside". These are the words of my mother every morning when I was a kid. Of course, that was the 1960s which was the real beginning of the popularity of pre-prepared convenience foods. Nutrition science was more geared toward preventing beri beri than promoting health and longevity. Nutrition science has come a long way since then and provides you new tools as the Glycemic Index (GI) and the Glycemic Load (GL) What is the Glycemic Index (GI)? The Glycemic Index is a ranking of foods based on how they affect blood glucose (sugar) levels. Since protein and fat don't really impact blood glucose, it's really an index of the rate that carbohydrates are broken down in the gut and enter the bloodstream. The higher the GI number, the faster it goes into the blood. Eating high GI foods triggers an insulin mechanism which causes the body to store fat. For most of us, eating a lot of high GI foods causes an increase in fat storage. Most beans, whole grains and non-starchy vegetables have a low glycemic index; while sugars, foods made from refined flour (eg.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Every Body is Beautiful

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Do you have moments where you say "WOW! Life is truly wonderful!"? This morning started out as most others. I was having my workout. My child left for school and my partner spent a few minutes entertaining me (he is a funny guy), before leaving for his workplace. As I started moving to the music, this sudden feeling of joy and thankfulness came over me like a warm blanket. A truly inspiring moment of great awareness. After finishing the morning workout, I surfed the web for forums on gratitude to see what people were talking about. Many of the writings were about being thankful for what we do have rather than focusing on what we don't as an important feature of optimism and success. There was one particularly interesting discussion on being thankful for our bodies and what the body can do. Spiritual leaders and psychologists alike tell us that "gratitude" is a very important part of emotional health, spiritual wellness and good relationships. As kids, we learn to thank people for doing nice things for us and we learn about being thankful for the material things, people, victories, challenges and situations that we have.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Neuro-Linguistic Programming for Fitness?

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Last week, an old friend of mine (who I have known for almost 30 years), was telling me about how he feels about the current state of his life. He used the term "empty contentment". "Empty contentment". Wow, how do those words make you feel? To me, the phrase is very emotionally provocative. So many feelings: sadness, wonder, sympathyâ¦ But here's a thought: the term evokes my emotions based on my own frame of reference and not my friend's. In other words, maybe for him feeling "empty contentment" with his life is good. For me, feeling "empty contentment" seems bad. In the last year or so, there has been a lot of talk in self help and wellness media about Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Have you heard of it? My reaction to my friend's comment led me to do some more reading on this topic. It's pretty interesting stuff. A definition of NLP I came across is: "the common processes we experience to experience reality". In other words, reality is processed by our 5 senses and nervous system into experience. Our experience is then given meaning by language and non-verbal communication.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

The Myth of the Work Life Balance

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Isn't balancing work and life tough? I mean really! Even if you feel like you have the greatest balanced life possible â sometimes it just gets to be too much. You know what I mean? Let's break this down: there are 24 hours in a day. 7 days in a week. That's 168 hours per week. We sleep 8 hours per day. So that's 56 hours per week. That gives us 112 useable hours in the week. Out of those 112 hours: (note much of this is "guessimation" for illustration purposes only) Eating: 2 hours per day Driving in car: 1 hour per day Exercise: 1 hour per day Personal Hygiene: 30 minutes per day Children's attention/homework: 2 hours per day Cleaning Up Home and Work: 1 hour per day Connecting to friends: 30 minutes per day Work: 8 hours per day 16:00 busy hours per day or 112 hours per week. Hey, it's balancedâ¦NOT! That's because, it's very rare to have an exacting day like the above. There's doctor's appointments, extra time at work, shopping, meal preparation/acquisition, traffic jams, etc. The list can and does go on and on.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Fitness as a Metaphor for Life

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As I was reflecting the other day on my life up to now, it occurred to me that the process of getting fit is a metaphor for living a full life. Stay with me hereâ¦. To get fit one needs to 1) decide to do it, 2) decide how to do it (plan) 3) do it and 4) re-evaluate from time to time. Simple â and is pretty much the way we conduct our lives in general. So let's look at this more closely. Decide to Do It Whatever you do, from improving your relationships, getting better at your job to getting fit, the first step is to decide to do it. But that by itself isn't always so easy. Why? Because wanting to do something isn't the same as doing it! How often have you heard "I was going to do that" or "if only I had more time", you got the idea. Hope won't give you a strong heart or big muscles! Blaming others or life situations (not enough time, my wife won't let me, my dog ate my workout clothes, etc.) also won't increase muscle mass.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Wellness and Making Good Choices

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

What do you think of when someone says the word wellness? What does it mean to you? Out of curiosity, I looked up "definition of wellness" on the web and a bunch of different results came up! Many of them referred to being physically, medically or mentally well. My favorite definition of wellness comes from the National Wellness Association of Singapore â "wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence". An active processâ¦. To me, wellness represents the integration of physical, mental/emotional and spiritual fitness. A healthy mind and a healthy body so to speak. Throughout our lives, all these components change constantly because of new experiences and learning along with the body changesâ¦especially as we enter middle age and beyond. Do you know anyone who in midlife has become depressed or suddenly changed their behavior to what seems like a crazy destruction of all aspects of their life? We often refer to this sort of behavior as midlife crisis. Everyone has changes in priorities, lifestyles etc. in midlife, but why do some seem to really go to extremes? Psychologists tell us that very few people truly experience classic midlife crisis.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Type D Personality?

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

We have all heard of Type A personality types, but have you heard about Type D, or distress, personality? There was an observation made by, Johan Denollet, a Belgian psychologist, of cardiac patients a while back. Denollet noticed that some patients with extensive cardiac problems were optimistic and went through rehabilitation enthusiastically, while others, who had only mild problems were more pessimistic and did not follow rehabilitation activities well. Denollet was interested in the why of this. Out of his work came a 14 question survey designed to determine whether a person has something he termed "distress" personality. His survey identifies overall stress in terms of states of "negative affectivity" (worry, irritability and gloom) and social inhibition (reticence and social inhibition) and it has been surprisingly helpful in predicting cardiovascular health â in particular hypertension and coronary heart disease. And those studied who had existing heart disease and high distress scores were less responsive to treatment and were more likely to die prematurely. This idea of psychosocial factors playing a role in illness is not new, but it is finding its way more and more into mainstream health habits and healthcare.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Are You Fitâ¦Emotionally?

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

This week, I was surfing the web for ideas for fitness articles and something really caught my attention. It was an article on emotional fitness by Dr.Mathew Anderson called "Fat and Emotional Fitness". What is emotional fitness? Well, it's really about our ability to recognize what each of our emotions are telling us, as well as being comfortable with all of our emotions and those of others. Dr. Anderson's premise is that emotional fitness is an important factor in weight control because so many of us eat, not only when we are hungry, but also when we do not recognize our emotions for what they are. The following "checklist" is excerpted from "Fat and Emotional Fitness": An Emotionally Fit Person... 1. Knows how she/he feels at any given moment and can give that feeling a name. Such as angry, sad, happy, frustrated, joyful, excited, afraid and hurt. 2. Can and does communicate those feelings to at least one other person daily. 3. Can "be with" her/his intense feelings without having to act them out.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

The Vitamin D Debates Continue

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

I was doing some research on a topic that my brother-in-law, an MD who works in university research, mentioned to me over the holidays. Every time I see this guy, he always gives me ideas! I came across a startling introduction to an article written by John Cannell which I thought I would steal: What rat poison is safer than water? The answer is â¦ Vitamin D. Turns out, there's a lot of new research on this vitamin and, as my brother in law said, the research is indicating that many of us need much more of this vitamin than we are getting. Apparently, vitamin D plays a role in the prevention of much more than just bone loss. Receptors for vitamin D are found in most of the cells of the body. It has been shown to contribute to a healthy immune system, muscle strength and hormone production. The major function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones.** End Summary**

About the Author:
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com

Articles by Ainsley Laing on ArticleSnatch.com

The Gym Grunting Controversy

The Focusing Illusion

The Longevity Diet?

Pets and Stress

Is it Perfume or Poison?

Lifestyle Behaviors and the Risk of Death

The Many Disguises of Mono Sodium Glutamate

Sugar Feeds Cancer?

Accepting Responsibility is Powerful!

Slim People at Risk for Fat Related Health Problems?

Rising Blood Sugar and Pre-Diabetes

Itâs Not Just What You Eat, Its How You Cook It

Your Lifestyle Changes and Your Family

Words Do Hurt. Stop Bullying from Affecting Your Health

Dating Again After 20 Years â An Internet Fairytale

Taking Charge of Your Own Healthcare

Not All Carbohydrates are Created Equal

Every Body is Beautiful

Neuro-Linguistic Programming for Fitness?

The Myth of the Work Life Balance

Fitness as a Metaphor for Life

Wellness and Making Good Choices

Type D Personality?

Are You Fitâ¦Emotionally?

The Vitamin D Debates Continue

Itâs Not Just What You Eat, Its How You Cook It

Dating Again After 20 Years â An Internet Fairytale

Are You Fitâ¦Emotionally?