That's Fit

It's no wonder we're always hearing horror stories about young women starving themselves in efforts to look like so many emaciated celebrities -- our minds seem to actually be complicit in that health crime.

A new study in the American Journal of Public Health sheds some interesting light on self-image and how our perceived health plays a role in our actual health. Researchers surveyed over 150,000 adults to answer questions about their current weight, their ideal weight, and how often they felt unhealthy. Researchers found that the less happy people were with their size, the less healthy they felt -- irrespective of how much they actually weighed.

So, it would seem that thinking you're out of shape can actually play a role in feeling out of shape, even if you're weight tells a different tale. You may not look like this person or that person, but that doesn't mean that you're too fat or too skinny or too anything. Listen to the people around you -- and not the glamorized, celebrity-obsessed media -- when they tell you that you look great, because chances are you do.

Alex Lenkei, a 61-year-old hypnotist, opted against using any traditional anesthetic for his recent surgery, choosing instead to send himself into a hypnotic trance for the duration of the surgery.

He was able to hear the cracking of his bones and the surgeon asking for a saw -- he could even hear the surgeon "hammering away at the bone" with a hammer and chisel. He could feel the doctor "pulling and manipulating" him, but felt no pain.

Much of the medical community is quite interested in this, as studies have shown that using less anesthetic can reduce the time patients spend in the hospital and speed healing. Additionally, many patients are nervous about using an anesthetic, and while they might not opt for using hypnosis only, it might help to calm them and allow a lower dose of anesthetic to be used.

I'm sure you've heard plenty of times that push-ups are one of the best exercises you can do (if you didn't already know that, you can read about it here, here, and here). But, according to The Earth Times, push-ups are also "The New Fitness Nirvana."

According to Ted Skup, the new Dalai Lama of fitness (the article's words, not mine), push-ups are fast becoming the workout of choice for those looking to harmonize mind, body, and spirit. He calls his push-up routine "Horizontal Jogging" and wrote his book, Death, Taxes, and Push-ups after officially completing ten million push-ups himself. As a new Dalai and spiritual leader, he has decided to take on the fitness industry by showing people that they can achieve enlightenment (and a hot body) without paying a yogi $2500.

Personally, I think push-ups are a great exercise, but I think yoga has it's place too -- I'm having a hard time understanding how the two forms of exercise compete. I suppose I'll have to watch for the book and find out for myself.

Overall fitness is about more than just your body, and although being physically fit will certainly help you do better at work (more energy, more confidence) focusing on your mental fitness will give you an even bigger boost. Better yet, why not strive for both? Here are some easy ideas for sharpening your mind (and body):



Get your dance on (or your kick)
Exercise is great for both your physical and mental health, but when it comes to getting more brain power not all exercises are created equal. The more complex the exercise the more stimulating and beneficial it is for your mind, so things like dance or martial arts classes are the way to go.

Our brains hold a lot of secrets that not everyone totally understands. But that's the exciting thing about some of its mysteries! Here's a list of 10 interesting elements involving the human mind that are not fully explained.

For example, have you ever heard the term "phantom limb?" This references the sensation amputees can relate to when they lose a body part. Specifically, it means they can still feel their missing attachments. A startling number of amputees are estimated to feel itching, pressure and even pain -- on in regards to limbs that don't exist. Why is this? They think it's because the brain is hard wired to function as a whole body, so it acts like a blue-print.

Another "mystery" is the understanding of laughter. Researchers can't quite pin down why people laugh! For instance, why would some people laugh at slap stick humor while others get a rise out of horror movies? They know three areas of the brain are involved with laughing, but the cause underlying this whole effect is still unknown! Check out the rest of the tidbits here.

As the end of the year quickly approaches us, many of us will be resolving to work on our bodies in 2008. But working our mind is just as important--after all, can you imagine what life would be like if you lost it? The key to aging well not only lies in your physical state--it lies in your mental capacity too. So make sure you work your mind too.

Here are some suggestions:

• Use it or you'll lose it. Work on your mental strength by taking on new tasks. Take up a new hobby, sign up for a class or commit to doing a crossword or sudoku puzzle each night. Watching a new TV show or movie doesn't count.
  
• Rest. You need your rest -- make sure you're getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night, and when you feel tired, take some downtime.
  
• Find a way to limit stress. Research shows that stress hormones hinder the function or parts of the brain associated with learning and memory. But this isn't a permanent state -- drop your stress levels and you brain will return to normal.

Yogis seem to a separate group of people -- calm, sensitive, new-agey vegetarian types who wear hemp and shop at health food stores and rescue bugs rather than killing them. But yoga takes all types, and it can benefit you.

Yes, even you, Mr. Sports buff. According to this article from Glee Magazine, Yoga is the type of activity that many people are getting involved in, even pro athletes. And why not? With 18 different styles of yoga, there's sure to be a type that suits anyone. And it has a number of great benefits -- like improving your balance, your flexibility, your strength and your mood.

So what's stopping you from becoming a yogi?

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I'm not so good about stretching. I don't stretch for the sake of stretching. I don't stretch for relaxation. I typically don't stretch before a workout. Basically, I don't stretch. But I should. There's no doubt it would help my occasional shin splints. It can also do so much more.

Stretching can loosen my tight ligaments and muscles. It can prevent injury and soothe pain. It can limber my overall body and put me in a more positive frame of mind. Stretching is simple. Yet, for me, it's so hard to accomplish.

Some organizations are offering morning stretching to help employees kick of their days in the right direction. I propose you make stretching a priority early in your days too. If you'll do it, I'll do it too.

Before you flex that body of yours, be sure to stretch correctly so you don't hurt yourself. Stretch slowly and carefully to the point of light tension, not pain, and hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Avoid bouncing during the stretch too.

OK, time to get started. Click here for eight simple stretches to start off the day.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

So I've got this loose skin on my tummy. I thank my little boys for this curse I can't seem to whittle away. My two whopper guys barreled into the world weighing 10 pounds, nine ounces and 10 pounds, two ounces and no matter how hard I work out or how well I eat, this baby fat just hangs on tight. It's gotten better over the years -- all four and a half of them -- but still, sometimes I wish just a little bit for a tummy tuck to erase my bothersome birthing battle scar.

Would I really follow through with a tummy tuck if money were no object? I'm not sure. That's why I asked my doctor today for his opinion on this surgery. "I think it's a bad idea," he told me. Sure, it's an option, he said. And it would probably clean up my problem pretty neatly. But it's surgery. And while tummy tucks have gotten less and less invasive -- they can be performed in a doctor's office without general anesthesia -- the procedure requires an incision from hip to hip to ensure a tidy final product. And any surgery can cause problems. Infection, mistakes, difficult recoveries, and scarring are just a few worst-case scenarios. These are the very things that cause me to stray from such a seductive surgery.

A flat tummy would undoubtedly lift my spirits. But a surgery-gone-wrong could permanently crush them. So I think I'll rely on good old-fashioned hard work as I try to fix my flab. What would you do?

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I'm getting the hang of this mind-over-matter thing. You know, that ideal state that is so hard to master at times -- like when I'm running and the urge to quit is so strong. I'd stop in my tracks in an instant if it weren't for finding that right frame of mind that allows me to push on through. Sometimes I don't find that perfect place. Lately, though, I've been doing pretty good -- when it comes to candy anyway.

A big bowl of Halloween candy sits in my kitchen pantry at this very moment. It's a combination of the junk my two little boys begged off our neighbors during trick-or-treat on Wednesday, and it's ooey, gooey, and oh so sweet. There's a little bit of everything in that gigantic orange bowl. There's chocolate, lollipops, chewy candy, hard candy, and lots of sugary gum. And I promise you, despite the temptation that will flutter through my brain on occasion, not one piece of that stuff will pass through my lips. I've been eating Halloween candy every year for as long as I can remember but this year, I just won't do it. It's a mind-over-matter thing.

I haven't eaten sweets since May. The longer I go without indulging, the easier it gets. It's become my personal challenge. Staying away from sugar makes me feel like I'm winning a challenge. And I guess I am. I'm winning a personal health match, and I don't want to get knocked out the game. If I stay focused -- and keep memories of sugar-induced headaches alive -- I won't cave in. The candy is merely matter. My mind is so much more than that. Yours is too. Put it to work and you'll see just how much you can overcome.

Want more brain power? Who doesn't! But who knew it could be as simple as using your other hand to control your computer mouse?

By switching your mouse and mouse pad to the other side you'll be forcing yourself to use your non-dominant hand, which means all the information will go through your brain in a different way and the neurological connections between the two halves of your brain will get stronger. Research has shown that ambidextrous people have (on average) 10% more nerve fibers joining the two halves of their brain together.

I don't know about you, but my brain can use all the help I can give it -- more fibers and stronger connections? Yes, lets do that!

For tips and hints on how to make the switch check this out.

Yesterday, I published a post citing the fact that 95 percent of those who successfully lose weight somehow go on to regain the unwanted pounds within a few years. Now I've happened upon this statistic: 50 percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first three to six months.

Hey, it happens. I know. In my combined 37 years on this planet, I've cycled in and out of exercise programs more times than I care to count. And while I seem to be doing OK right now -- I do something fitness-related every day -- there's just no telling what might throw me off my course. That's why I always try to remember why I exercise.

I exercise for energy -- even when I'm tired, I force myself to do something. Inevitably, I feel recharged when I'm done. I exercise for strength -- I want strong bones, strong muscles, arms powerful enough to hoist my littlest growing boy into the air on occasion. I exercise for a lean body -- I've seen results, and I don't want to lose them. I exercise for a healthier heart -- my low resting heart rate always tips off my doctors that I'm challenging myself aerobically. I exercise for peace of mind -- I need to escape the madness of my family unit now and then, and I always feel invigorated when I return home. I exercise to boost my mood, ease my worries, diminish my stress, refocus my thoughts, recharge my spirit, and perhaps most important: To keep breast cancer from paying me a return visit. Recent research links five weekly hours of strenuous exercise to a pretty significant cut in breast cancer risk. That's reason enough for me to keep huffing and puffing.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Got a life list? It's a type of list that spells out a bunch of things you want to accomplish before you die. I don't have one. There's nothing huge and monumental I want to take on before my time comes to an end. I'm not a skydiving, mountain-scaling kind of gal. I've already traveled to more countries than I care to count, and I'm pretty much living the life I want right now. But some people like to plan ahead for bigger and better days -- check out 43things.com for a peek at some life lists -- and I applaud them for it.

If you don't have a life list and want to create one, begin with healthy lifestyle goals. Pick things that focus on the development of your body, mind, and spirit. You'll find that setting goals, and checking them off one by one, is a great motivator.

Try making three columns. Start small, with maybe three to five goals for each category. For your body, you might want to reduce your sugar intake. For your mind, consider meditation. For your spirit, attend a private yoga lesson. When you complete these goals, scratch them off the list. Add more if you'd like. If you prefer the look of a finished list, wait until you've mastered everything and then begin again.

Here's to life lists -- and accomplishing all you set out to do.

The world is a big place and it seems like we get news items and magazine articles all the time about which nations are the healthiest or most-fulfilled. If you've ever wondered about how people in different locations around the globe stay fit and happy, this piece is pretty fun and interesting.

It includes tips and secrets from people as near and far as Florida, Mexico, South Africa, Ireland, Japan, England and France on how to maintain a healthy mind and body. I don't imagine these people are experts or anything but sometimes it's nice to take advice from people based on personal experience.

Some of the secrets doled out include doing a water fast once every couple of weeks (Japan), get ting outside and walking as much as possible (Ireland) and breathing to lower stress (South Africa). If you're interested in all of the tips and the perceived benefits then read the piece in full.

Have you got any health or wellness tips you can share?

Carbs might be bad for your waistline, but it's thought that they might be good for you're brain, or at least that's what this article seems to say. In a study involving people who followed a high-fat/low-carb plan and those who followed a high-carb/low-fat plan, those in the latter group were the ones who showed improvement to their cognitive processing when given a series of tests.

But other than that, researchers found few other differences between the two groups -- their moods were about the same, and members from both groups were still losing weight.

What do you think of these findings? Me, I'm surprised that mood wasn't more of a factor -- I've heard of low-carb diets causing massive mood swings.