The Katdance Fitness News
September 2007
Table of Contents
Now Available!
Katie's DVD
Strengthen & Stretch
Announcing an Intuitive Eating Teleclass Are you tired of dieting? Could you use a different strategy for dealing with food? Call 410-757-8830 or CLICK HERE for more info.
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Dear Friend
Happy Fall to all of you! I trust that you are exercising regularly, or if not, that you are taking action to get yourself into a fitness regime that will leave you smiling by the time the Holidays roll around. Right now, September, and October are both excellent months to begin a 12 week program. To help with the weight management portion, I am offering a tele-seminar in Intuitive Eating to begin October 17th. For details, and to register for the FREE intro class to be given next Wed., Oct. 4th, click on the following link: Registration Form. Lastly, before you leave this newsletter, do glance at the exercise pictures for directions on how to execute the Single Leg Squat and Reach!
Best of health,
Katie Katz
The Bad News
Body Image, or the way we think and feel about our body, exerts a strong influence on our self-confidence and quality of life. In fact, some studies have shown a link between a negative body image and depression, according to Barbara Brehm, Ed. D., professor of exercise and sports studies at Smith College.
Body Image includes not only physical appearance, but also judgment of what we see. We often compare ourselves to the bodies we see in the media, and whether or not we can meet those standards. Some of us place a great deal of importance on our physical appearance, and if we do not meet our expectations, we develop a negative body image, which negatively affects our self-esteem.
While it is normal to be concerned about our weight and how we look, spending a great deal of time worrying about our appearance can cause stress, anxiety, and depression. and even prevent us from enjoying our life. In extreme cases, this worry can lead to harmful behaviors including eating disorders and drug abuse.
The Good News
Participation in physical activity may improve our body image. This improvement is not limited to enhancing our physical appearance by losing inches or improving muscle tone. Studies show that people who participate in regular exercise may begin to appreciate their bodies in new ways. They may feel stronger, and more confident, or be proud of themselves for sticking to their exercise programs. In addition, people who exercise regularly may feel less stressed and more energetic, ultimately leading to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
How Can You Improve Your Body Image?
Researchers have found several behaviors associated with body image resilience, or the ability to feel good about our appearance despite falling short of society’s standards of perfection. Consider adopting some of these behaviors:
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Instead of focusing on how much happier you would be if you looked different, focus on developing a
healthier lifestyle to look and feel your best. Try to appreciate all your body can do. -
Exercise for positive reasons – to reduce stress, anxiety and depression; to increase energy levels, sleep better and feel stronger. Find activities you enjoy, and relish your body’s strength, power, health and vitality.
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Make peace with your genes. If you need to lose weight to be healthier, set realistic goals, and get professional help in developing an action plan.
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Develop your personal style. Carrying yourself with confidence and good posture has a lot to do with your body image and impression of yourself. Wear clothes that you love, that are comfortable, and that make you look and feel good.
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Cultivate effective strategies for coping with stress. Develop friendships that make you feel good about yourself! Recognize that health and fitness are means to an end: a life well lived!!
Appreciate who you are and what you do everyday, and you will have a healthier outlook on both yourself and your life.
With all of the great benefits of exercise: improved health, strength, energy, body image; here is just one more to add to the list. Exercise makes you smarter! Yes, it is true. Recent studies have revealed that people who exercised for six months showed an increase in the amount of specific kinds of brain tissue which allow you to process and store more information more effectively.
Kirk Erickson, Ph.D., a scientist at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology of the University of Illinois, used brain scans on subjects who were asked to walk three days a week for 45 minutes. When compared to a control group who were given non-aerobic stretching exercises, the walking group had experienced a 2% growth in the prefrontal lobe, the site of higher-level functions, such as goal-planning and multi-tasking. This growth was the result of the production and release of chemicals in the brain triggered by exercise. The most important of these chemicals is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which contributes to the cellular components of memory and the production of new neurons in the hippocampus (which regulates emotion and learning).
BDNF also helps build new veins, capillaries and arteries in the brain, increasing blood flow, which allows neurons to function more effectively, which in turn makes them larger and stronger.
Exercise has even been shown to have a positive effect on troublesome brain disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease because exercise actually protects your brain. As we age, we start to lose brain tissue. Research done on adults, ages 58 to 78, demonstrated that athletic older adults had denser brain tissue than their inactive counterparts, suggesting that their workouts, in effect, had preserved their brains.
How much exercise do you need to do to increase cells and safeguard your brain? According to the research, not much! Recommendations range from 8-12 minutes/day at 60 percent maximum heart rate, to a brisk 45-minute walk 3 days a week.
So, the next time you are thinking about skipping that workout, just remember that the workout is strengthening your brain, too!
Excerpt from Sound Body Sounder Mind:
May/June 2007, ACE Fitness Matters.
Single Leg Squat and Reach:
(Works Buttocks, legs, hips, back, arms, balance and core)
Grasp a dumbbell (3-8 lbs) in one hand and place another dumbbell about 12 inches away on the floor.
Stand on one foot and contract your abdominals and buttocks muscles to keep your hips even.
Place dumbbell in the hand opposite of the foot you are standing on and bend arm to 90 degrees.
Slowly, bend your standing leg into a squat position by bending knee and pushing body weight into your buttocks (behind you).
At the same time, reach forward with the dumbbell and tap the dumbbell on the floor. Do not allow raised foot in back to touch the floor.
Pull in abdominal muscles tight and return to starting position.
Repeat 10 times, then reverse.
To make this exercise more challenging, perform a deeper squat and make the movements super slow!
Enjoy!
For more info about Katdance Fitness by Phone, email: katiekatz@verizon.net,Or call 410-757-8830
©2007 Katdance Fitness
