Benefits of Sports Nutrition

Whether you go to live sporting events or watch them on TV, these sports talents look so healthy and vibrant. But what is their secret to having vibrant bodies? Most people can agree that it takes some exercising and healthy eating.

What are the benefits of sports nutrition?

As many sports-oriented people know, one of the requirements of sports nutrition is having a substantial amount of nutrients to boost up your energy while doing many sports activities. Sports people’s energy level decreases much faster than the average person does; therefore additional nutrients are needed.

If you are an athlete and/or sports-oriented, then you will lose a massive amount of fluids during the period of exertion and as a result, dehydration often occurs. You may also experience being very tired and thirsty, which may be impossible (or almost impossible) to perform physically. If you are unable to perform physically, then it may have a negative impact on your daily activities.

In the world of sports nutrition, your diet should be based on variations, as in age, size, fitness level, and the type of sport that is being performed. Before going on any type of diet, as with anything else, if you are involved in sports, you should consult the doctor about the type of foods that should be consumed.

Over time, when you visit a fitness club and perform a workout, massive amounts of fluid are lost. For example, when you are sweating quite a bit, you will lose the water that was in the body. This is the reason that water plays a very essential role in sports nutrition. Water makes up approximately sixty percent of body weight.

Since the body cannot produce or collect a large amount of water, fluids must be replaced that was lost during the workout or practicing session, which usually exceeds the typical eight glasses of water a day. Otherwise, the body will become dehydrated.

You should maintain a diet that is well proportioned and well-balanced. The proper blending nutrients should include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats play a pivotal role in terms of energy and sports performance. Many people know that carbohydrates are the most important nutrient, which makes up approximately sixty to seventy percent of the calories that are in the body. A few examples of foods with carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, breads, and cereals.

Protein is another important part of sports nutrition. This nutrient gives nearly a minimum amount of fifteen to twenty percent of everyday energy, which is also for muscle and tissue building. Foods that contain proteins are dairy products, eggs, poultry, beans, nuts, among other foods.

If you decide to participate in sports-related activities, in addition to exercising, you should consider the regimen that comes with sports. These include drinking a large quantity of water, which is the most important and have a proper diet, as in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. (In terms of drinks, Gatorade will also work) With the proper regimen, you are more likely to become healthier, better sports performers, and more likely a happier life.

Had any benefits with sports nutrition? Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments in the comments box.

Next posting: Preventing Those Sore Muscles When Exercising

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.
~Henry Ward Beecher

Integral Yoga: The Basics

When I first started out doing yoga, I thought of it as being a very broad term that referred to meditation of the body. How wrong was I? Partially right and partially wrong! There are many different aspects of yoga. One of them is Integral Yoga.

What are the basics of Integral Yoga?

Integral Yoga is the process of the unity of every part of you having connection with the Divine. This process also involves the transmutation of every harsh element into a state of harmony of greater divinity, being existent, and consciousness.

With the exception of the paths of the Natya Yoga, the greater portion of yoga focuses on a single perspective of the Being. It also focuses on the liberation state or transcendence.

The purpose of Integral Yoga is for you to make changes to the whole Being. Due to this transition, there fare several elements of your physical, mental, vital, psychic, spiritual makeup, and the meaning of your transformation. These transformations are more detailed in Sri Aurobindo, who was a Bengali philosopher.

Integral Yoga has two parts: a spiritual realization of God and Transcendence, or Enlightenment and Transformation of the Inner and Outer Nature. As a result of these two actions, you are fit enough to embody a divine consciousness, and becoming a part of divine work.

In this type of yoga, it involves these faculties: physical, vital, and mental.

Physical: From the physical perspective,this is not rejected. However, it must be changed and become spiritual through the Integral Yoga practice. This is a necessity not only to transform physical habits and your conscious, but also plunge into the subconscient of lower Unconsciousness. In this category, this is where the source of many programs lay dormant.

Vital: Vital focused more on the various conditions,as in desires, dislikes, likes, and emotions that tells your motives and actions. In the case of Integral Yoga, it is imperative to change from self-centered desires and revolts to make a complete change for yoga.

Mental: This refers to the concepts of the mind as well as cognitive. If you do not focus on the negative aspects of different subject matters in your life, then your way of thinking can be converted into the Divine. This also includes understanding and aspiration.

In addition to the faculties of the Integral Yoga, it also includes three different Beings: Outer, Inner, and Psychic.

The Outer Being talks about the superficial and the limitations of the existence of physical, mental, and vital. Our everyday experiences during our lifetime are also the focus of this Being. In Integral Yoga, this being goes deeper besides on the conscious level to the Inner Being, which focuses more on the spiritual realization.

Like the Outer Being, the Inner Being’s main perspectives are on physical, vital, and mental. However, the conscious level is larger and more subtle. Also, the realization is very important for any achievement of this realization to become higher.

The objective of Integral Yoga is to move in the inward direction in order to learn about the Psychic Being. The Psychic Being can allow a huge transformation in the Outer Nature. This in not all to this Being. It is also the pivotal part of the process, which is ongoing in life, as in allowing us to connect with our inner spirit, or Divine Essence.

To make a very long story short, Integral Yoga is a very comprehensive type of yoga. As with any other aspects of the yoga practice, it takes perseverance and patience to become very successful.

If you practice Integral Yoga, what is your experience? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

Next posting: Common Myths about Yoga

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
-Confucius

Is Laughing a Cure for Our Daily Dilemmas?

Everybody heard that the best type of medicine is laughter. Well, it is true! As we see it, it makes us feel really vibrant, as in lowering blood pressure and the relaxation of muscles. Laughing has many positive benefits with the human body. But how come?

Not many of us heard of the laughter therapy for patients. The purpose of this type of therapy is for patients to reduce the everyday stress. Not only laughing is calming to the mind, body, and soul, but it also makes room for positive and clearer thoughts. It is also beneficial in having a functional relationship with other people. Of course, this therapy is contagious due to laughter (in a good way!). The good thing about laughter: no medication is needed!

In terms of the circulatory system, laughing does the heart good. It boosts circulation and improves oxygen and nutrient distribution to tissues all over the body. Having a sense of humor is good because it reduces blood pressure. According to a study, women benefit more from having humor than men. It’s so contagious that the heart is strengthened each time a person laughs.

Who would have ever thought that laughing helps the immune system? Almost nobody! Laughing boosts the activity and number of natural killer cells that attack these cells that are infected and various types of cancerous and cells that have tumors. In addition, it helps the T-cells, which remains inactive until an event triggers them. Surprisingly, it works!

Respiratory issues in our bodies are one of the most problematic areas because it deals with the breathing process. Once again, laughter to the rescue! Many of us that suffer from asthma (fortunately, I do not suffer from asthma) and head colds on a regular basis can also gain relief from laughter. In this case, it increases the immunoglobulin A concentration, which is present in our saliva. It also exercises the lungs for the diaphragm as well as releasing more air from the lungs. As a result, it clears out the lungs. It is also good for emphysema sufferers and people with sinus problems. Since I do suffer with sinus problems, I found that laughing releases the pressure from my sinus area.

The body part is very essential to the entire body. That is the muscle. What can laughing do for the muscles? Well, when people are “in stitches,” this gives the muscles a break from working to overexertion. Also, laughter therapy allows the muscles to relax after it begins to become less active. Therefore, when we make a hearty laugh, our muscles are winding down for a thorough relaxation!

So, if anyone feels down and out about the everyday issues that take place in our lives, then just take a visit to the Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory, or even watch any comedy shows. Trust me, you will feel much better. Just let out that laugh! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Do you have a great experience with laughter? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Next posting: Integral Yoga: The Basics

Self-Esteem and Its Impact on You and Society

Growing up is the most crucial times of our lives. There are so many different ups and downs, especially during those awkward adolescent years–a time when our bodies and minds go through so many changes. The staple of our lives, self-esteem, plays a vital role in our lives. Society also shapes our self-esteem.

The issue of self-esteem usually shapes our childhood, which will lead on into our adult lives. What is self-esteem? Basically, it is how we perceive ourselves and what do we think of self-worth and values.

There is no such thing as “in-between” self-esteem. It is either a positive or a negative self-esteem. This may seem like common sense, but unfortunately, there are so many of us in the world that cannot distinguish between the two.

Having a positive self-esteem is very essential. It lets us have positive thoughts about ourselves and whatever we decide to do. It also gives us the opportunity to have respect for ourselves, although mistakes will be made occasionally. If we have respect for ourselves, then other people will be more likely have a high regard for us.

In addition to having respect for ourselves, a positive self-esteem plays a significant role in making good life choices, for the most part, which involves the mind and body. With this type of self-esteem, we are aware that we have the intelligence to make our own decisions. As a person that had so many negative experiences and influences that took place during some of my life, having a positive self-esteem keeps me grounded. It lets me be the person that I am meant to be.

Unfortunately, there are so many of us that suffer from having a negative self-esteem, which does have a negative impact on your life, such as not feeling worthy. With a negative self-esteem, we do not have a positive perspective on ourselves. Instead of building up our self-esteem, we have the tendency to beat up ourselves over insignificant mistakes or even criticizing ourselves in a negative light.

I hear so many people that have a negative perspective on themselves. For example, there was this lady that I know who thought she was too fat. In fact, she was the complete opposite of being overweight. She had a very petite body. One day, she asked me did she look fat. I told her that she was not fat and that she was fine the way she was. I guess she needed my validation.

In the mass media, there are so many images that are flashed in our faces constantly, as in fashion ads and television. They know that we are very influenced by the images of models and celebrities that are seen on a daily basis, especially teen girls and young women. We want to emulate them. Unfortunately, many celebrities represent a portion of the real world. In fact, many of them look very unrealistic, in terms of image. As a result, we begin to develop a negative self-esteem. The media tells us that we should look a certain way in society, which is unfair because we all have our distinctive look.

But there are many ways that we can reverse our negative self-esteem. We can focus on the activities that we enjoy doing–in my case, I enjoy writing and cooking (whenever I have time to cook). In other words, we should give ourselves positive compliments on a daily basis. This is also very pivotal in building up a positive self-esteem: be surrounded by positive people. With these suggestions, we will be on the road to recovery from negative thoughts.

What type of an impact has self-esteem have (or had) on your daily life? Share your thoughts on this subject in the comments section.

Next posting: Is Laughter a Cure for Our Daily Dilemma?

“Change yourself and fortune will change with you.” ~Portuguese proverb

Spiritual Growth: What Is It?

 

On some occasions, many people who believe in God say that they are religious, but in reality, he/she may be spiritual. It is very easy to get religion and spirituality confused. But I am not here to talk about religion vs. spirituality–I am here to talk about spiritual growth.

What is the meaning of spiritual growth? To answer this question, it really depends on who you are talking to. Spiritual growth is generally having faith in God and having connections with the spirit. Unlike religion, where there is a belief system, spiritual growth is about making sacrifices, as in letting go of misleading concepts, whether it is a minor sacrifice or a major sacrifice. During your spiritual growth, your awareness level is more likely to be enhanced as well as letting go of all your negative thoughts and beliefs.This will allow your inner self to become more focused on positive perspectives in your life.

When you are experiencing spiritual growth, your beliefs begin to shift in a positive direction. Example of these may be having inner peace with yourself, finding out who you really are, having more confidence and in your inner self than in previous times.

The good news is that you can experience spiritual growth. The key ingredients that is required for this enlightening is that you have strong will power and planning your day on the good foot. This way, you can be working on repairing your inner self, which will lead to peace in your wonderful and precious life.

Having spiritual growth is the devotion and conviction to the highest power on the ladder. In “The Concept of Spirituality in Nursing Theories Different Views and Extent to Focus,” D.S. Martsolf and J.R. Mickley highlighted the following areas in referenced to spirituality:

1. Meaning: This is in reference to the significance of life. It is also making sense of situations and deriving purpose.
2. Value: This includes beliefs, standards, and ethics that an individual cherishes.
3. Transcendence: Transcendence refers to the experience, awareness, and appreciation of a “transcendent dimension” to life beyond self.
4. Connecting: This is due to the increase of awareness of a connection that deals with self, others, God, the spirit, Divinity, and Nature.
5. Becoming: This is the unfolding of life that is called upon reflection and experience, including a sense of who you “are” and how you know.

Throughout the entire world, there are so many different faiths that spiritual growth can be expressed in different forms. These different faiths have a few core elements in common: discipline, spirit, and belief, just to name a few.

What is your experience with spiritual growth? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section.

Next posting: Self-Esteem and Its Impact on You and Society

“Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.”
-Albert Einstein

How to Bring Motivation to Yourself in Four Ways

Almost everyone knows that being motivated uplifts the mind, right? That’s very good, but trying to stay motivated is another story. The reason for that is because we are always hearing negative thoughts from other people who may not be very motivated. We all feel very doubtful at times (some of us more than others). There are usually a few reasons that we may lose that thing called motivation: lack of confidence, lack of direction, and no focal point. But there is good news: there are several ways in which we can stay motivated without being tempted by negative feelings and/or thoughts.

The point in understanding your thoughts and how they have such a huge impact, whether it is positive or negative, is a matter of how it is interpreted. This is done by learning to bring about those motivating (or not-so-motivating) thoughts into fruition and how it has an impact on your emotion. Like many people, I had struggled with trying to stay motivated due to the fact that I was surrounded by people, including some family members that kept negative thoughts on a constant basis. As a result, it caused me to have negative emotions about different topic, just to make a long story short. (I am much better with staying motivated to date!) You do not want these negative thoughts to take over your life.

The following are the four methods to get going on the motivation train (that’s what I like to call it):

1. Make up your mind about what you want.  The main thing that you should do is to set goals, of course, realistic goals. Without these goals, you will not have a clear sense of which direction to steer. You want to break these goals down into small chunks, just to make your life and motivation path much smoother and simpler. For example, do you want to exercise more? Want to get that new car next year? These are a couple of examples of setting realistic goals.
2. Track down your goal progress. Keeping a journal or any type of notebook is essential in tracking your goal progress. This is another tool to keep you motivated–this way you can see how far you are going in terms of accomplishing and achieving your desired goal(s). Viewing your journal can be used as a reminder of what action(s) that you need to tackle to become successful.
3. Make a mental note to yourself that you have the drive to achieve these goals. Making a mental note that you want to achieve these goals will bring about more purpose in what you are trying to accomplish and why. This is simply a reminder. Trust me, when you accomplish these goals, you will feel much better about this motivation thing.
4. Let it become a habitual thing (in a good and healthy way!) Once those goals are achieved and become a success, keep it going! For example, if you want to begin practicing yoga on a regular basis (that is one of my goals), keep making those habitual goals. When it becomes a habitual thing, guess what? It will be second-nature, as in brushing your teeth or taking a shower. When you make goals and stay at it, you will be less likely to procrastinate that someone that do not set goals.

It can be very hard to stay motivated if you do not have any goal setting points. But by setting these goals and becoming successful at them will keep you on track for staying motivated and on top of your desired goals.

What motivates you? What keeps you from being motivated? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.

Next posting: What is Really Spiritual Growth?