We all know that talking about loosing weight and doing it are two entirely different things. We plan a diet and begin. Missing are some of the foods we enjoy and then we notice that we start to lose energy. At first we lose a few pounds. But soon our metabolism declines and we stop loosing. Then we get discouraged and quit the plan. Isn’t that the way it works?
Loosing weight is a matter of calories in and calories out. When you burn more than you consume, you will lose weight and you will continue to lose as long as you continue to burn more than you consume. Don’t we see that clearly on the reality series: “The biggest looser”?
So the solution to loosing weight is to find a physical activity that you enjoy, is fun, and will be pleased to continue. A few years ago I had a sedentary high stress job – no activity, high goals, business meals and cocktail parties. Over the years the pounds accumulated until I finally recognized I needed to do something.
At the time we were living north of Detroit. I enjoyed tennis and bike riding, but I was not doing either. So I joined a tennis league and arranged to play on Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. On days I was not playing tennis I rode my bike in our subdivision for an hour before dinner. I did not change my diet and I made a point of not eating more. The riding was relaxing. It took my mind off the stress of the day and helped me relax. In a matter of six months I lost 40 pounds.
I did it. You can do it. It is a matter of finding a physical activity that you enjoy and the will to do it regularly. Write down on a piece of paper: “What activities do you like to do?” --- walking, gardening, swimming, biking, mowing the lawn with a push mower, tennis, golf (no cart), the gym, the “Y”, line dancing, jogging, etc. Plan to do it at least five days a week for an hour. Remember calories in, calories out.
If you want to exercise indoors in the privacy of your home inside instead of outdoors in public, there are excellent machines available. On-line you can find very good prices. I like ellipticals and exercise bikes over treadmills because they are easier for the joints. Likewise, I prefer walking or biking over jogging for the same reason.
Article by
Will Keeney
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Keep Your Skin Beautiful
People notice when your skin is smooth and radiant. It says something about you. I am seventy, but people continually tell me that I look fifteen years younger than I am. Over the years I have discovered ways to keep my skin looking young and healthy.
I never smoked. If you smoke, get professional help and stop now. If is apparent that smoking will age you and injure your skin. The chemicals absorbed through your lungs from smoke decrease the flow of blood by narrowing the tiny blood vessels in your skin. This deprives the skin of oxygen and vitamin A, which is crucial to healthy skin. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin, which are the fibers that keep your skin strong and elastic. Smoking also significantly increases your chance of cancer and cardio vascular disease. Cessation of smoking may not be easy. So enlist the help of a physician who can prescribe aides to help you break this nasty habit.
As a teenager, I worked as a lifeguard. My fair skin was damaged and now I have need for semi-annual checks for skin cancer. I learned my lesson. Now I never go outside into the sun to work, play, swim or boat without applying high quality sun protection. There are such wonderful products on the market today. Generously apply water resistant protection every two hours. Your radiant tan will be a complement to your complexion.
Use common sense when you bathe. Hot showers or baths day after day strip your skin of important oils. It would be wise to decrease the temperature and to spend less time in the shower or bath. Use gentle cleaners, which contain moisturizers instead of strong scented soaps. When you shave, use a moisturizing shaving cream or gel, which allows the razor to glide over your skin. A blunt razor used with no cream or gel damages the skin removing essential oils, leaving cuts and nicks. After you bathe, shower and/or shave, dry your self by patting your skin rather than rubbing hard. The gentle patting allows some of the essential oils to remain on you skin.
Fad diets are damaging to the quality of you skin. Your body was designed to regularly receive a balance of protein, carbohydrates (particularly fresh fruits and vegetables) and fats. Along with those food items comes a supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which are essential for good health and healthy skin. If you live in a cold climate and have periods of the year when your body is exposed to very little natural sunshine, vitamin supplements are a good choice. Healthy skin requires vitamins A, D3, and C.
The modern world is a fast paced world and with smart-phones, computers and ibooks getting faster. With the fast pace come stress. Some stress is good; it brings us to action. But too much stress damages our health and wellbeing. It damages the skin as well by changing the chemical balance of a healthy body. Adrenalin levels are raised when we experience acute stress or even chronic stress. When the adrenalin is flowing, it prevents other chemicals and hormones from flowing. (The old "fight or flight syndrome). Find ways to decrease your stress - (a daily exercise program, ten minutes of deep breathing when stressed, a relaxing hobby, yoga, a hour or two when you get totally immersed in something other than what causes the stress --- if necessary, discuss stress reduction with your physician). Your body and your family will thank you.
Article by
Will Keeney
I never smoked. If you smoke, get professional help and stop now. If is apparent that smoking will age you and injure your skin. The chemicals absorbed through your lungs from smoke decrease the flow of blood by narrowing the tiny blood vessels in your skin. This deprives the skin of oxygen and vitamin A, which is crucial to healthy skin. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin, which are the fibers that keep your skin strong and elastic. Smoking also significantly increases your chance of cancer and cardio vascular disease. Cessation of smoking may not be easy. So enlist the help of a physician who can prescribe aides to help you break this nasty habit.
As a teenager, I worked as a lifeguard. My fair skin was damaged and now I have need for semi-annual checks for skin cancer. I learned my lesson. Now I never go outside into the sun to work, play, swim or boat without applying high quality sun protection. There are such wonderful products on the market today. Generously apply water resistant protection every two hours. Your radiant tan will be a complement to your complexion.
Use common sense when you bathe. Hot showers or baths day after day strip your skin of important oils. It would be wise to decrease the temperature and to spend less time in the shower or bath. Use gentle cleaners, which contain moisturizers instead of strong scented soaps. When you shave, use a moisturizing shaving cream or gel, which allows the razor to glide over your skin. A blunt razor used with no cream or gel damages the skin removing essential oils, leaving cuts and nicks. After you bathe, shower and/or shave, dry your self by patting your skin rather than rubbing hard. The gentle patting allows some of the essential oils to remain on you skin.
Fad diets are damaging to the quality of you skin. Your body was designed to regularly receive a balance of protein, carbohydrates (particularly fresh fruits and vegetables) and fats. Along with those food items comes a supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which are essential for good health and healthy skin. If you live in a cold climate and have periods of the year when your body is exposed to very little natural sunshine, vitamin supplements are a good choice. Healthy skin requires vitamins A, D3, and C.
The modern world is a fast paced world and with smart-phones, computers and ibooks getting faster. With the fast pace come stress. Some stress is good; it brings us to action. But too much stress damages our health and wellbeing. It damages the skin as well by changing the chemical balance of a healthy body. Adrenalin levels are raised when we experience acute stress or even chronic stress. When the adrenalin is flowing, it prevents other chemicals and hormones from flowing. (The old "fight or flight syndrome). Find ways to decrease your stress - (a daily exercise program, ten minutes of deep breathing when stressed, a relaxing hobby, yoga, a hour or two when you get totally immersed in something other than what causes the stress --- if necessary, discuss stress reduction with your physician). Your body and your family will thank you.
Article by
Will Keeney
Properly Washing Your Hair
The way you wash your hair affects how healthy your hair is. Washing your hair improperly can actually damage your hair.
An important fact: every strand of hair is a living cell coming a single follicle. When you wash your hair, you don’t want to break the strands, chemically damage the hair or the roots and clean the dirt and oil from the follicles.
When washing your hair, gently comb all of the tangles out before wetting it. The brushing not only clears the tangles, but it massages your scalp. Be patient and gently. You don’t want to break the hair. One might think that wet hair is easier to untangle. It is not. Wet hair knots tighter that dry hair increasing the chances you will break strands as you brush.
After brushing out the tangles, thoroughly wet your hair using warm water. You want every strand wet from the tip to the follicle root. Warm water opens the hair follicles making it easier to reach the oil and dirt. When it comes time to rinse, use cool water to help close the follicles the warm water opened. Rinse not just one, but enough to be certain that you have taken away all of the product that you have used.
When you apply the shampoo for washing, make sure that you can spread it evenly across the entire head getting the full length of every strand. Start by applying shampoo to the palm of your hand, add a little water and then spread it evenly. While you are washing, don’t forget to wash your scalp. You would be amazed how much oil and dirt can build there. Washing your scalp also helps to moisturize your scalp. If necessary, repeat the process. Remember the purpose of shampooing is not just cleaning you hair and scalp, but also to treat it and build strength in you hair and hair follicles. After each washing rinse thoroughly with cool water.
If you apply conditioning, the same principles apply. Start by applying conditioning to the palm of your hand, add a little water and then spread it evenly. Gently work it in and give it time to penetrate the strands. And then rinse thoroughly to remove the excess chemicals.
Consistent proper care will lead to vibrant beautiful hair.
Article by
Will Keeney
Friday, February 11, 2011
Improving Your Lacrosse Skills
Mat Ward, a three time All-American Lacrosse player at the university of Virginia, says that playing wall ball is one of the best ways to improve your skills. He says for him the skills did not come quickly. He had to work at it. He remembers that it took him “a month or two” to just learn to cradle the ball. So his advice is stay with it. Practice daily giving an hour or more to it if you can.
Once you can run, stop, turn and reverse direction with out loosing the lacrosse ball start drills to increase your accuracy. Start as far as your field or at least fifty yards from the wall by scooping the ball from the ground. Charge the wall dodging, turning, changing direction until you get ten twenty yards from the wall, and take your shot --- over hand, side arm or under arm, same for the off hand. Place a target on the wall. Keeping practicing on that spot until you can hit it nine out of ten times. Then move the target. Cover all locations of the goal. Then catch the ricochet.
Practice catching ricochets – high, low, in the middle, right, left, straight at you, anywhere a lacrosse teammate might throw it. Practice catching bounces --- in every possible location. Pay more attention to the off hand. We usually have better coordination in the strong hand. So pay attention to the off hand.
Change the distance between you and the wall when catching ricochets. Start twenty - fifteen yards away. When you handle that well, move forward five yards, etc. It is a great exercise for improving your reaction time.
Ward says, “Patience is the key. It won’t come easy, and it didn’t come easy for me. It took me … months to get the hang of it, but once I did, my skills started to improve dramatically.”
Article by
Will Keeney
If you coach beginner through intermediate boys or girls lacrosse, I have found that PlaySports TV’s has a collection of training videos.
Once you can run, stop, turn and reverse direction with out loosing the lacrosse ball start drills to increase your accuracy. Start as far as your field or at least fifty yards from the wall by scooping the ball from the ground. Charge the wall dodging, turning, changing direction until you get ten twenty yards from the wall, and take your shot --- over hand, side arm or under arm, same for the off hand. Place a target on the wall. Keeping practicing on that spot until you can hit it nine out of ten times. Then move the target. Cover all locations of the goal. Then catch the ricochet.
Practice catching ricochets – high, low, in the middle, right, left, straight at you, anywhere a lacrosse teammate might throw it. Practice catching bounces --- in every possible location. Pay more attention to the off hand. We usually have better coordination in the strong hand. So pay attention to the off hand.
Change the distance between you and the wall when catching ricochets. Start twenty - fifteen yards away. When you handle that well, move forward five yards, etc. It is a great exercise for improving your reaction time.
Ward says, “Patience is the key. It won’t come easy, and it didn’t come easy for me. It took me … months to get the hang of it, but once I did, my skills started to improve dramatically.”
Article by
Will Keeney
If you coach beginner through intermediate boys or girls lacrosse, I have found that PlaySports TV’s has a collection of training videos.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Lacrosse, Fastest Growing Sport in U.S.
Lacrosse, a combination of hockey, soccer, rugby and basketball, is a fast-paced, full of action exhilarating sport. Long sprints with abrupt starts and stops, precision throws and dodges are just a routine part of both men's and women's lacrosse. The diverse action what makes it the fastest growing sport in the United States. Today's lacrosse is played with ten players per side on a field 60 yards wide and 110 yards long. Generally, but not necessarily, the women's field is larger, 120 by 70 yards.
Like hockey the object of the game is to send the ball through the goal posts of the opposing team. After the starting face off, teams move the ball by throwing it and/or running with it. Quickness is a desired skill. So is accurate passing and catching with the lacrosse stick head (a "basket" on the head of the lacrosse stick). Hands are not allowed to touch the ball. The lacrosse stick must be used to move the ball. Men's lacrosse involves a lot of body contact --- pushing, shoving, hitting the opponent's lacrosse stick, maneuvering to get the ball. The rules are different for women's lacrosse and it is a quick passing running game with less body contact.
Today lacrosse is played by professional leagues, colleges, high schools, amateur clubs, youth clubs and pewee clubs. A recent count names over 600 colleges and 2,000 high school programs. Not all of these are a varsity sport; some a cub sports. But there is a movement growing to increase the number of varsity programs. In 2009 more fans watched the National Lacrosse finals than the NCAAB finals.
About the author
Will Keeney owns www.slingshotlax.com
Like hockey the object of the game is to send the ball through the goal posts of the opposing team. After the starting face off, teams move the ball by throwing it and/or running with it. Quickness is a desired skill. So is accurate passing and catching with the lacrosse stick head (a "basket" on the head of the lacrosse stick). Hands are not allowed to touch the ball. The lacrosse stick must be used to move the ball. Men's lacrosse involves a lot of body contact --- pushing, shoving, hitting the opponent's lacrosse stick, maneuvering to get the ball. The rules are different for women's lacrosse and it is a quick passing running game with less body contact.
Today lacrosse is played by professional leagues, colleges, high schools, amateur clubs, youth clubs and pewee clubs. A recent count names over 600 colleges and 2,000 high school programs. Not all of these are a varsity sport; some a cub sports. But there is a movement growing to increase the number of varsity programs. In 2009 more fans watched the National Lacrosse finals than the NCAAB finals.
About the author
Will Keeney owns www.slingshotlax.com
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Valentines, Express Love and Well-Being
There is magic in the story as to how holidays and customs get established. Often times the true story is not known. Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14th celebrating love and affection between companions. The day is named after one or more martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD.
The Early Medieval document, Legenda Aurea, states the St. Valentine of Rome, a priest in the church there, was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. On the night before his execution Valentine healed the blind daughter of a particularly kind jailer. At the same time he left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.”
The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love is in Parliament of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. (modern translation: “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird comes there to choose his mate.”) Chaucer wrote the poem to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. Shakespeare wrote of St. Valentine’s Day in Hamlet Act IV in 1600-01. John Donne used the legend of the marriage of the birds as the starting pint of his piece celebrating the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of James I or England and Frederick V, Elector Palatine. In 1797, a British publisher published The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, containing many suggested sentimental verses for young lovers to pen to their love. Factory produced paper Valentines became popular in the early 19th century. An industry was born. In the United States the first commercial Valentines were produced and sold in 1847 by Esther Howland of Worchester, MA. A custom was established. It was estimated that about 15 million Valentine’s were sent in the United States in 2010.
The holiday began with St. Valentine, who facing death, wanted to extend to the blind jailor’s daughter a gift of love and wellbeing.
Above all else, I want the same for the ones I love — that they know love and possess wellness. I am sure you do too. So among the card giving, the roses and the bon-bons, I suggest that you mutually give a gift that when used can produce a healthier body, perhaps a longer life and increased years to share with the one you love. Vow to each other that you love is so deep that you want them to join you in health eating and a regular exercise program.
The Early Medieval document, Legenda Aurea, states the St. Valentine of Rome, a priest in the church there, was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. On the night before his execution Valentine healed the blind daughter of a particularly kind jailer. At the same time he left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine.”
The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love is in Parliament of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. (modern translation: “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird comes there to choose his mate.”) Chaucer wrote the poem to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. Shakespeare wrote of St. Valentine’s Day in Hamlet Act IV in 1600-01. John Donne used the legend of the marriage of the birds as the starting pint of his piece celebrating the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of James I or England and Frederick V, Elector Palatine. In 1797, a British publisher published The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, containing many suggested sentimental verses for young lovers to pen to their love. Factory produced paper Valentines became popular in the early 19th century. An industry was born. In the United States the first commercial Valentines were produced and sold in 1847 by Esther Howland of Worchester, MA. A custom was established. It was estimated that about 15 million Valentine’s were sent in the United States in 2010.
The holiday began with St. Valentine, who facing death, wanted to extend to the blind jailor’s daughter a gift of love and wellbeing.
Above all else, I want the same for the ones I love — that they know love and possess wellness. I am sure you do too. So among the card giving, the roses and the bon-bons, I suggest that you mutually give a gift that when used can produce a healthier body, perhaps a longer life and increased years to share with the one you love. Vow to each other that you love is so deep that you want them to join you in health eating and a regular exercise program.
Article by Will Keeney,
Monday, January 17, 2011
Your New Year’s Fitness Resolutions
It is an American tradition to make New Year’s resolutions, but it is oh so hard to keep them. Getting into shape or loosing weight are common resolution that appear on many of our lists as to what we are going to do in the new year. Some people will be successful, but many will not. Why?
There are many reasons to the why. A common one is that we are totally unrealistic with the goals that we set. A goal that is too high or beyond achievement is not realistic at all. We will get discouraged and quit. An example would be to say you will loose one hundred pounds this year. The chances of that happening are probably a million to one. A realistic goal is to say you want to loose a pound a week. That is realistic and achievable. Fad diets are not a good way to loose weight. The sensible way is to eat four small meals a day for a total of 1800 calories for a woman and 2100 for a man. The four small meals tricks your body and maintains your metabolism. Your body knows when you skip a meal or severely skimp on a meal and adjusts (i.e., slows) your metabolic rate. This you do not want; you want a normal or accelerated rate. The four small meals also prevents you from feeling starved and wanting to binge.
Another example of an unrealistic goal is to say you will walk/run a hundred miles a week. A realistic goal is to say you will improve your walking/running endurance by five percent a week. So if you are able to walk a mile a day five days a week (5 miles), a realistic goal would be to increase your distance by 5% a week (week 1 – 5 miles; week 2 – 5.25 miles; week 3 – 5.5125 miles; week 4 – 5.7881 miles, etc increasing by 5% each week). It may not be practical to measure these calculations, so get in your car and measure a tenth of a mile. Is it five houses, a block, half a block --- you get the idea. Or buy a treadmill for your home. There are a lot of nice ones on the market. While exercising you can read a book or watch TV.
The four small meals, each between 450 – 525 calories depending on your gender, should be eaten around 8 AM, Noon, 4 PM and 8 PM. At a minimum this will maintain your normal metabolism and prevent you from being hungry when you go to bed. Your walking/running routine should be at the same time each day, preferably in the morning before a meal. The exercise will raise you metabolism not only when you are involved in it, but also for many hours afterwards.
If you belong to a fitness club or the “Y”, three days a week get involved in an exercise class. It is a social event. You will make friends. And your new friends can become a part of your “coaching” team offering compliments and encouragement. On the two alternate days, walk or run. I recommend walking because there is less impact on your joints. What is important is the distance you cover. You burn about the same amount of calories no matter whether it is walking or running. It is the distance that is important. If you use an exercise machine you have in your home, I recommend an elliptical trainer. There is little impact on your joints and many will get your legs and arms moving. An alternative to the elliptical trainer is a recumbent exercise bike.
Don’t weigh yourself every day. Don’t record your distance every day. Instead make a chart and record your weight and distance walked/run every week or two weeks. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results, which becomes a reward for “well done.”
I believe you can do it. Believe in yourself and hold yourself accountable. Don’t be discouraged if you back slide. Just restart where you are and keep your eye on the goal.
There are many reasons to the why. A common one is that we are totally unrealistic with the goals that we set. A goal that is too high or beyond achievement is not realistic at all. We will get discouraged and quit. An example would be to say you will loose one hundred pounds this year. The chances of that happening are probably a million to one. A realistic goal is to say you want to loose a pound a week. That is realistic and achievable. Fad diets are not a good way to loose weight. The sensible way is to eat four small meals a day for a total of 1800 calories for a woman and 2100 for a man. The four small meals tricks your body and maintains your metabolism. Your body knows when you skip a meal or severely skimp on a meal and adjusts (i.e., slows) your metabolic rate. This you do not want; you want a normal or accelerated rate. The four small meals also prevents you from feeling starved and wanting to binge.
Another example of an unrealistic goal is to say you will walk/run a hundred miles a week. A realistic goal is to say you will improve your walking/running endurance by five percent a week. So if you are able to walk a mile a day five days a week (5 miles), a realistic goal would be to increase your distance by 5% a week (week 1 – 5 miles; week 2 – 5.25 miles; week 3 – 5.5125 miles; week 4 – 5.7881 miles, etc increasing by 5% each week). It may not be practical to measure these calculations, so get in your car and measure a tenth of a mile. Is it five houses, a block, half a block --- you get the idea. Or buy a treadmill for your home. There are a lot of nice ones on the market. While exercising you can read a book or watch TV.
The four small meals, each between 450 – 525 calories depending on your gender, should be eaten around 8 AM, Noon, 4 PM and 8 PM. At a minimum this will maintain your normal metabolism and prevent you from being hungry when you go to bed. Your walking/running routine should be at the same time each day, preferably in the morning before a meal. The exercise will raise you metabolism not only when you are involved in it, but also for many hours afterwards.
If you belong to a fitness club or the “Y”, three days a week get involved in an exercise class. It is a social event. You will make friends. And your new friends can become a part of your “coaching” team offering compliments and encouragement. On the two alternate days, walk or run. I recommend walking because there is less impact on your joints. What is important is the distance you cover. You burn about the same amount of calories no matter whether it is walking or running. It is the distance that is important. If you use an exercise machine you have in your home, I recommend an elliptical trainer. There is little impact on your joints and many will get your legs and arms moving. An alternative to the elliptical trainer is a recumbent exercise bike.
Don’t weigh yourself every day. Don’t record your distance every day. Instead make a chart and record your weight and distance walked/run every week or two weeks. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results, which becomes a reward for “well done.”
I believe you can do it. Believe in yourself and hold yourself accountable. Don’t be discouraged if you back slide. Just restart where you are and keep your eye on the goal.
Article by
Will Keeney
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