(ARA) - Many of us make grandiose New Year's resolutions that we mean to follow through on and never do. Sometimes we might know that what we're doing isn't sustainable over a year, and other times, we underestimate exactly what we need to stick to a resolution. You often need more than just will power to really see results, especially when it comes to the popular resolution to get fit.
If you're embarking on a journey to find a fitter, healthier version of yourself, start with these tips that will keep you from putting limits on what you can achieve.
Exercise anywhere
Even when you've fallen into a good, steady routine in your everyday life, fitting trips to the gym and other workouts in when you leave the home base can be difficult. It's very easy to be tempted to cut yourself some slack and ignore exercising, but you'll regret that decision sooner rather than later.
Luckily, technology makes it easy to bring your workout along with you. With workout programs like iTrain, your exercise regimen is as mobile as you are - you can easily download workouts and carry them with you everywhere, on your MP3 player. So whether you're in New York or London, you really can work out, just the way you want to.
Exercise any way
There's no one best way to work out - you need to know what's best for you. Many people need to keep things fresh to maintain their interest in exercising, and they need to look for different kinds of activities that will help them along the road to fitness. By using online resources for exercise, you're expanding your repertoire. Not only will you stay interested, you can also work different parts of your body. There are a wide variety of programs on iTrain, ranging from their iSculpt Ballet program, which uses ballet techniques to create long, lean muscles, to cardio programs that focus on heart healthiness while helping you create a toned body.
Exercise anytime
There are some days when you've got to do a shorter workout and others when you can go on as long as you'd like. Downloadable fitness workouts range in length - you can pack your MP3 player with everything from 20-minute workouts to 60-minute sessions - so you can have the right workout for any situation.
Of course, "time" means the long term, too. Don't box yourself in to a time limit like three or six months - take all the time you need to achieve your desired results. To make things more streamlined, you can pay one flat fee for a year of unlimited downloads on iTrain. While they also offer plans that let you download programs a la carte or three at a time. Either way, once you pay the fee, the workouts are yours to keep, so you can go back to them time and again.
Exercise at any level
Whether you just want to get healthier or are shooting for sculpting your body into Hollywood shape, with dedication and the right tools, you can achieve your goals. It's important to have good support, which you can often find with a personal trainer - but that can be an unrealistic expense for many people. Online programs offer some of the most valuable benefits of a personal trainer at a fraction of the cost. Celebrity trainers provide the instruction on workout MP3s from iTrain, and you can also e-mail the company to ask for customized routines. If you feel limited in what you can achieve, search out solutions on the Web or at the gym, and you'll be able to make good on your New Year's resolution.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - You might not think you have anything in common with the world-class athletes competing in this year's Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, but if you're seeing a chiropractor for aches and pains from shoveling snow, training for a local marathon or lifting your grandchild, you're more alike than you think.
Doctors of chiropractic play an important role in helping Olympic athletes prepare for competition and recover from injuries. Their visibility on the U.S. Olympic Committee's (USOC) medical staff has increased steadily over the years.
"We're taking five chiropractors [to the Olympic Games this year] and that just shows how far chiropractic has come since the first chiropractor joined the Olympic medical staff in 1980," says Dr. Michael Reed, a doctor of chiropractic who serves as a USOC medical director. "It has a lot to do with the requests of the athletes - they recognize the benefits of chiropractic in helping their bodies perform at peak condition."
"There is an increasing demand for the expert care of doctors of chiropractic by athletes of all levels," confirms Dr. Rick McMichael, president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). "But chiropractic's unique, drug-free approach can also help members of the general public enhance their health and wellness.
"In addition to the use of spinal manipulation and other manual therapies, DCs offer patients exercise and dietary recommendations, ergonomic tips and rehabilitative procedures - a full package of conservative, non-surgical interventions," he adds.
Surprisingly, treating a non-athlete with aches and pains is very similar to treating an Olympian, says Dr. Ted Forcum of Beaverton, Ore., president of the ACA's Sports Council. Dr. Forcum served on the USOC medical team in 2008.
"[As with Olympic and professional athletes,] it's important to ask patients what their goals for treatment are," Forcum says. "Is their goal just to be out of pain, or is their goal to function at a higher level? In most cases, chiropractors treat elite athletes to help optimize performance, not to treat an injury."
Athletes understand the importance of maintaining balance in their bodies and full range of motion in their muscles and joints. These are just some of the benefits of chiropractic care that enable them to perform at optimal levels.
With the rise in popularity of complementary and alternative medicine and today's emphasis on going green, many also appreciate the option for care that is drug-free. Chiropractic offers a natural approach to back pain, neck pain, headaches and the myriad aches and strains that result from leading an active life. To begin your road to good health, you'll find a wide range of health tips on the American Chiropractic Association Web site at www.acatoday.org/healthtips.
Even if you aren't training for a marathon or on your way to the Olympic Games, you might discover that a chiropractor can assist you in strengthening your muscles or joints, alleviating your headache or preventing your knees from aching. For more information about chiropractic or to find a chiropractor near you, visit the ACA's Web site, www.acatoday.org.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - Many of us make grandiose New Year's resolutions that we mean to follow through on and never do. Sometimes we might know that what we're doing isn't sustainable over a year, and other times, we underestimate exactly what we need to stick to a resolution. You often need more than just will power to really see results, especially when it comes to the popular resolution to get fit.
If you're embarking on a journey to find a fitter, healthier version of yourself, start with these tips that will keep you from putting limits on what you can achieve.
Exercise anywhere
Even when you've fallen into a good, steady routine in your everyday life, fitting trips to the gym and other workouts in when you leave the home base can be difficult. It's very easy to be tempted to cut yourself some slack and ignore exercising, but you'll regret that decision sooner rather than later.
Luckily, technology makes it easy to bring your workout along with you. With workout programs like iTrain, your exercise regimen is as mobile as you are - you can easily download workouts and carry them with you everywhere, on your MP3 player. So whether you're in New York or London, you really can work out, just the way you want to.
Exercise any way
There's no one best way to work out - you need to know what's best for you. Many people need to keep things fresh to maintain their interest in exercising, and they need to look for different kinds of activities that will help them along the road to fitness. By using online resources for exercise, you're expanding your repertoire. Not only will you stay interested, you can also work different parts of your body. There are a wide variety of programs on iTrain, ranging from their iSculpt Ballet program, which uses ballet techniques to create long, lean muscles, to cardio programs that focus on heart healthiness while helping you create a toned body.
Exercise anytime
There are some days when you've got to do a shorter workout and others when you can go on as long as you'd like. Downloadable fitness workouts range in length - you can pack your MP3 player with everything from 20-minute workouts to 60-minute sessions - so you can have the right workout for any situation.
Of course, "time" means the long term, too. Don't box yourself in to a time limit like three or six months - take all the time you need to achieve your desired results. To make things more streamlined, you can pay one flat fee for a year of unlimited downloads on iTrain. While they also offer plans that let you download programs a la carte or three at a time. Either way, once you pay the fee, the workouts are yours to keep, so you can go back to them time and again.
Exercise at any level
Whether you just want to get healthier or are shooting for sculpting your body into Hollywood shape, with dedication and the right tools, you can achieve your goals. It's important to have good support, which you can often find with a personal trainer - but that can be an unrealistic expense for many people. Online programs offer some of the most valuable benefits of a personal trainer at a fraction of the cost. Celebrity trainers provide the instruction on workout MP3s from iTrain, and you can also e-mail the company to ask for customized routines. If you feel limited in what you can achieve, search out solutions on the Web or at the gym, and you'll be able to make good on your New Year's resolution.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - There is nothing easy about trying to plan a family vacation. Besides the challenge of figuring out where to go, there is the ever-present concern of finding age-appropriate activities for the entire family.
A classic activity that has stood the test of time around the country - and sometimes can be forgotten during the vacation planning process - is miniature golf. While for some it may not be the sole reason for choosing a destination, it is an activity that never fails to please once travelers arrive at their vacation spot.
Many of the country's top miniature golf courses were originally built in tourist destination areas such as Myrtle Beach, S.C., which is considered the unofficial "Miniature Golf Capitol of the World."
There are as many as 50 courses on Myrtle Beach's Grand Strand, which is located on the southeast coastline of sunny South Carolina, and with more than 14 million tourists visiting each year, the facilities are always busy.
"Mini golf is great no matter your age, athletic ability or golf skills," says Bob Detwiler of the popular Hawaiian Village course in Myrtle Beach, "It's a perfect way to spend an afternoon or evening, and may even spark some friendly competition during your family vacation."
A versatile and diverting activity for any age, miniature golf is perfect for multi-generational travel groups, family gatherings, and even couples. Its affordability adds value to the vacation and is great entertainment for everyone.
Nearly all of the Myrtle Beach area's mini golf courses are meticulously landscaped and adorned with tropical plants and flowers throughout warm-weather months. But it's each course's unique theme that sets them apart from mini golf courses found anywhere else. From man-eating dinosaurs and 40-foot tall lava-spewing volcanoes, to high seas adventures aboard pirate ships, the area's mini golf courses offer a variety of options in ultra-thematic environments.
Some vacationers have even come to enjoy mini golf so much that they've taken up the activity as a competitive sport. Each year Myrtle Beach's Hawaiian Village plays host to the Masters National ProMiniGolf Championship in October when a slew of top mini golfers compete for the green jacket of ProMiniGolf.
"People are very intrigued by mini golf; there is a clear connection between the sport and happy memories associated with it," notes Detwiler. "More than 80 people participate in the Masters every year not only because it is competitive, but also because it's simply enjoyable and amusing for all who play."
For more information on the mini golf possibilities or to request a visitor's guide in Myrtle Beach, go to www.visitmyrtlebeach.com or call (888) Myrtle-1.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
