Tag: Hips

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

How To Track Your Bodyfat Percentage


You may have already heard that tracking your bodyfat percentage is one of the best ways to track your weight loss progress, as this way you can be certain that you are losing fat and not water or muscle.

There are several methods available for you to ascertain your bodyfat percentage; some can be done at home, while others require you to spend money and use big equipment. Here are some of the most effective:

Best Ways to Track Bodyfat Percentage

US Navy Bodyfat Measurement

US Navy Bodyfat Measurement

Skin Fold Calipers – You can purchase these calipers, pinch the fat on your body, and place the pinched area in between two calipers to measure your body fat percentage. This method is pretty dependable and repeatable; however if you are more than 40 pounds overweight, you may not be able to use this caliper method since the pinched fat may not be able to fit between the calipers.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) – A BIA scale sends tiny electrical currents through the body and records the resistance that the body offers to this current. This resistance is then used to determine the percentage of body fat in the person’s body. This is the simplest way to measure your body fat, and the scales are usually not too expensive. However, the accuracy of this method is questionable and it also depends on how well your body is hydrated when you step on the scale.

The US Navy Method – This means using body measurements to determine body fat percentage. This is the cheapest way to get your body fat measurement, since all you need is a body tape measure or a cloth measuring tape. For men, you measure the waist, neck, and height; for women, the measurements taken are of the hips, neck, and height. While this is an easy at-home method that anyone can use, its accuracy is highly questionable.

Hydrostatic Weighing and DEXA Scans – Hydrostatic weighing is the traditional gold standard of determining one’s body fat percentage, where the person is submerged in a special type of water tank. The DEXA scan, however, is somewhat of a ”new gold standardâ?, where the person just lies down and the scanner determines the amount and distribution of fat in the body. Both these methods are generally not practical, since hydrostatic weighing is uncomfortable and both these methods cost around $150 to $300 every time you perform them, which is quite pricey.

In a nutshell, there are the many different methods you can use to track your body fat. However, for daily or weekly measurements at home, there are only three methods you can use, as detailed above.


Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Fitness
Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Eliminate Pain with these 3 Keys to Promoting Joint Health




As people grow older, they frequently complain that they have problems with joint pain, hip pain, back pain, neck pain, and other types of pain. They then go on to blame their pain solely on the fact that they are getting older. Sure their body may have been through a lot, but that does not mean that the pain cannot be prevented or fixed.

To fix anything in life, you just have to take the right steps.

Exercise for Joint Health

You know your body needs physical activity on a regular basis. You do not have to go climb a mountain or run an ultra-marathon, you just have to do things that challenge your current fitness abilities.

Exercise is important for maintaining a healthy body weight, keeping muscle tissue strong, and also for promoting joint health. When you exercise, the bones in your joints and the muscles around your joints are strengthened.  It is important to have strong muscles surrounding your joints because they help support the joint. If the muscles are weak, unnecessary stress is placed on the joints. This can cause pain and increase the risk of injury.

Mobility Work to Eliminate Pain

Your mobility is basically how well your joints and soft tissues are able to move.

Every day, your body endures a variety of stresses and strains. Over time little things add up, causing soft tissue and joint restrictions. When your joints and soft tissues are not healthy, they are not able to move fluidly through a normal range of motion, causing pain and discomfort.

The pain and problems associated with these restrictions can be avoided and corrected. You just need to practice moving your body through the motions.

Here are two things you can do to improve your mobility

Stretching: Both static and dynamic stretching are beneficial to the soft tissues in your hip. If you need a stretch to try for your hips, get in to a full squat position.

Here’s how to do a full squat:

  • Stand up straight.
  • Place your heels so that they are positioned below your shoulders.
  • Slowly push your hips down and back, like you are going to sit in a chair (focus on dropping your hips and your knees will automatically bend).
  • As you squat down, you will need to lean your torso forward in order to keep your center of gravity over your feet.
  • Go down until you reach the end of your range of motion and hold that position for a little while.

Squat Tips:

  • Keep your chest up and put your arms in front for balance.
  • When you go to stand up, push your hips back so you do not place unnecessary stress on your knees.

Rotational exercises: These exercises are particularly helpful if you have hip joint pain. They can be used to move each of your joints and their supporting tissues through their complete range of motion. Here is another one you can try for your hips…

 Front to Back Leg Swing:

  • Stand up straight.
  • Lift one foot off of the ground and balance on one foot.
  • Swing the leg that is not in contact with the floor back behind yourself, then swing it in front of yourself.
  • Repeat this motion several times, and then switch legs.

Leg Swing Tips:

  • Use your arms to balance, and hold onto something if you need to.

Eat Properly

Food is essentially a drug.  Due to this simple fact, you can either use food to help yourself or to hurt yourself.  When it comes to keeping your joints functioning well, it is important that you eat foods that contain fatty acids and anti-oxidants. Both anti-oxidants and fatty acids help to reduce inflammation. When you reduce inflammation, you also speed up the healing process which will help relieve joint pain.

In addition to eating foods that help reduce inflammation, you should also eat in a way that helps prevent inflammation in the first place. I am taking about eating to control your body weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight ensures that additional stresses are not placed on your joints. In the long run, this will help reduce the wear and tear caused by daily activities.

Bonus: Drink lots of Water

Other benefits of water have been stated before here on Fitness Tips for Life, here is another one to add to the collection. Drinking lots of water promotes joint health be ensuring that the muscle tissue around your joints have the proper fluids to function smoothly. It also helps the cartilage in your joints to perform optimally.

 

About the Author:

Dave is a trainer who focuses on sustainable methods of training. He maintains a personal website about hip pain, which can be found here.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Back Pain
  • Related Blogs on Fitness
Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Is Running Healthy?





Is running healthy? There are many reasons why people start running. Some run in order to become fit or lose weight. Others like the challenge of competing in a race. Running is one of the best cardio activities and provides many health benefits.

I know that we all know someone that hurt their knees or hips running but really these drawbacks to the sport are usually due to just using poor form Ask any of these people that have hurt themselves is running healthy and they will tell you that is certainly is.

Why is Running Healthy

Running makes you healthy and fit. It is a great way to strengthen your cardiovascular system and keep your heart and lungs healthy. It reduces your risk of having a heart attack. When combined with a healthy diet, running can help normalize your blood pressure and lower your cholesterol level. It also improves your immune system so you don’t get sick easily. To get the best cardio benefits, run at least 30 minutes a day for four or five days a week.

Running helps you lose weight. When you run, your body burns a lot of calories. Running is an excellent cardiovascular exercise and helps you shed excess weight. It also builds lean muscles and boosts your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories.

Is Running Healthy

Is Running Healthy

Running give you more energy. When you’re feeling tired or physically drained, a good cardio activity like running can give your energy level a boost. This may seem counter-intuitive but if you feel sluggish after sitting at your desk all day, running will give you back your energy. Running in the morning can also improve your energy level during the day.

Running relieves stress. One of the best reasons to run for health is to remove stress and even mild depression. Running lowers your stress levels. It provides a sense of accomplishment and makes you feel good inside. Studies show that people who exercise regularly are generally happier than those who don’t.

Running improves your mood. When you run, your body releases endorphins. These are hormones that make you feel good and provide a sense of euphoria, commonly called “runner’s high.”

Running keeps you young. High impact activities like running help you prevent bone and muscle loss as you age. Running is a physically demanding exercise and will allow your bones and muscles to grow stronger. It is better than an anti-aging product or procedure. Cardio exercise improves blood circulation and gives a healthy, youthful glow to your skin. Staying young is one of the top reasons to run for health.

Running is cheap. Many forms of exercise for health reasons require expensive equipment and/or a gym membership. Running, on the other hand, is one of the cheapest forms of working out. All you need is a pair of running shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt.

These are all great reasons to start running or to continue running. This is a great sport that will help you improve your health and fitness and make you proud of how you are getting better all the time.