Walking poles work a variety of muscles. Walking poles target your arms, chest, shoulders and upper back muscles through a full range of motion when you walk.Using walking poles adds intensity to your aerobic workout, which can help you burn more calories. The arm movement also directly works on balance and stability. Walking poles also help to take stress off your lower back, knees and hips. Most Walking poles tend to have rubber tips that grab the ground and wrist straps that secure the poles to your arms. You can also find sturdier walking poles for hiking, which are also known as trekking poles.

Your guide to find your perfect walking shoe.

Walking shoes that are comfortable and fit your feet can help prevent injuries, blisters and even calluses. Walking shoes that fit properly can also help you stick with your walking program and even take your walking to the next level.

Tips to find the right walking shoe:

• Size and Shape of the Walking Shoe: Feet come in all shapes and sizes. To avoid walking shoe problems be sure to consider the shape and size of your feet when buying a pair of walking shoes. Walking shoes that are too narrow or too wide can lead to painful blisters and calluses.

Exercising with arthritis. Improve your stiffness and pain from arthritis.

You may be under the impression that exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness from arthritis, that’s not the case. The lack of exercise actually can make your joints feel more painful and stiff. This happens because keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is crucial to maintaining support for your bones. Not exercising weakens those supporting muscles, making your bones more prone to breaking.

Why exercise is essential.

Exercise can help you improve your health and fitness level without hurting or straining your joints. Along with your current arthritis treatment program, exercise can:

Strength training may ease chronic neck and shoulder pain, a problem that is increasingly common as people spend more time on computers a new research suggests. Neck and shoulder pain commonly stems from the upper trapezius muscle, which spans the upper back and shoulders, and helps move the neck. Continuly performing monotonous tasks, such as computer operations, can cause the muscle to become tight and tender which can lead to pain.

A recent study showed findings that being merely moderately fit  can lower the risk of having a stroke. Stroke is the nation’s third-leading cause of death. It occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or bursts. Physical activity can help prevent blood clots and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Most people can reach a moderatly fit level by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, five times a week

A recent study done in Philadelphia showed that  senior women experienced measurable improvements in their walking speed and balance after a nine-week yoga program . They also gained a centimeter in height, on average.

“The only explanation may be that they are standing more upright, not so much crouching,” study chief Dr. Jinsup Song of Temple University told Reuters Health. Song presented the findings April 4 at the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society’s Annual Meeting.

Healthy Eating Tip #1: Plan Your Meals In Advance Ahead

Make sure to plan your meals ahead of time to avoid a last-minute  take-out meal from a local fast food joint.

Healthy Eating Tip #2: Make A Healthy List For Your Shopping Needs.

Create a healthy shopping list and stick to it when you go to the store. This can help you stay on track and stear clear of that dreaded candy isle. Be sure to add plenty of fresh veggies and fruit to your list. Start your shopping on the fresh produce side of the store, this can help you fill up your cart with plenty of healthy items.

The Wall Push Up is an excellent Upper Body Exercise. When done correctly, the wall push up can build a strong upper body. Wall Push Ups are done to build muscle and strength in the chest and triceps. Wall Push Ups are a great modified version of traditional floor push ups.

Wall Push Up Directons:

1. Start standing straight up with your feet about 2-4 feet from a wall.

2. Lean you upper body forward and place your hands on the wall with slightly bent elbows.

3. Push your body back to starting position using your hands.

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 inch) pre-baked whole wheat pizza crust (use plain crust if you can’t find whole wheat crust)
1/2 cup pesto
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 can chopped black olives, drained
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Spread the pesto sauce on pizza crust. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, red onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) released its world-wide fitness trends survey for 2008.Below are the results. Check out #6!!

1.Educated and experienced Fitness Professionals

2.Children and Obesity

3.Personal Training

4.Strength Training

5.Core Training

6.Programs for Older Adults . Try FIT Seniors

7.Pilates

8.Functional Fitness

9.Stability Ball Training

10.Yoga