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Eliminating excuses is the first step on the path to physical fitness. This may be easier said than done...oops, that is also an excuse! We all have the same 24 hours in a day, and the body we were born with. Yet, people vary greatly in terms of fitness level. Why is that? Because the physically fit don't let lame excuses interfere with their commitment to their health.

Don't let the usual excuses keep you from starting, and sticking with, a reasonable exercise regimen:

1. "The gym is too far away/there isn't gas in the car/my cute workout clothes are dirty...{blah, blah, blah}"

Having your own exercise equipment, in your own domain, removes this line of reasoning. Forget commuting and work out at home. Not being willing or able to go somewhere doesn't have to get in your way.

2. "I don't have time to work out."

working out will increase your energy, which will actually give you more time in your day, not less. And if you choose your exercises to give the most efficient workout, then 30 minutes, 3 times a week should be quite beneficial. That is possible by choosing fitness equipment that offers a variety of exercises, like the Bowflex Treadclimber, or a home gym that has multiple stations.

If you can't spare 30 minutes, 3 times a week for your own health, what on earth do you have time for?

3. "It hurts."

Exercise should never hurt -- ever. Instead of giving up on exercise altogether, do low-impact activities. One way to ease stress on your knees and feet, for example, is to work out in water. Also, some exercise machines provide a similar effect. The Bowflex climber has "dual-treadles" that come up to meet your feet, which some say feels like walking in water.

It is important to always consult with a health care professional before starting any exercise routine, to ensure the activities you choose are appropriate. After all, the point is to get healthier, not injure yourself.

4. "working out is boring."

No one said you had to do the same exercise over and over, until you're bored. Change it up a bit. Vary your routine to include your exercise machine three times a week, a brisk walk or jog twice a week, and swimming or yoga another once or twice a week. Your exercise equipment can also keep you from getting bored by enabling numerous different exercises (see #2).

5. "I'm too old to get in shape."

This might be the conclusion you draw if your exercise equipment doesn't offer you adjustable settings, to match the intensity to your current fitness level. That can lead to feelings of discouragement and keep you from wanting to continue. The Bowflex Treadclimber has adjustable settings and speeds, to customize your workout. After about six weeks, you'll probably feel younger, not older!

6. "It's not possible to look that good {as in before/after pictures or the bodies featured in commercials}."

No one can guarantee how you will look, at a higher level of fitness. But if you're getting healthier and have a good chance of looking a lot better, isn't it worth doing it anyway? Optimum health is the goal, better looks are a pleasant side effect. Think of it that way, and you won't feel so down when a six-pack doesn't appear in a week.

7. "But I don't need to lose any weight."

weight loss is only one element to getting in better shape. There's also: getting stronger, increasing energy and stamina, better posture, staving off "old age", and reducing your risk of certain illnesses. Also, your weight may be redistributed in a more attractive way. Then there's the best reason to work out: fun! If you enjoy your workout, you'll do it more often, and will get more and more fit.

Excuses can be a way of postponing things you know you need to do. So eliminate them, one at a time!

kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/bowflex and other sites around the internet.

posted by 83212  # 11:31 PM 0 comments

most of us pop into our local drug store from time to time and pick up some form of over-the-counter medication for a simple everyday illness or ailment, but have you ever sat down and read the accompanying information leaflet tucked inside the box? If you have then you will know that the list of risks is generally very long and often contains some very serious conditions that would require immediate hospitalization.

The problem of course is that we live in a society in which lawyers lurk around every corner just waiting to pounce and manufacturers of everything from a pair of socks to life-saving medicines have to cover themselves against being dragged into court.

This also applies of course to the manufacturers of gastric banding systems and to bariatric surgeons. So, faced with upcoming lap band surgery they will naturally have to present you with a long list of possible complications so that, in the event that you are unlucky enough to come across one of them, they will be able to say, "Well, we did warn you".

Any form of surgery carries risks and when you are considerably overweight then these risks do increase. But just how serious are the risks and what in reality is the likelihood that you will succumb to them?

weight loss surgery is undoubtedly getting safer everyday but, nevertheless, traditional forms of gastric bypass surgery do carry some significant risks and does from time to time result in death. Thankfully this is becoming rare, but it does still happen. However, when we turn to lap band surgery we see that this risk is considerably reduced and many people would say that your risk is no worse than that of being run over by a bus.

lap band surgery has only been approved for use in the United States since 2001 and so it is still a little early to talk in terms of long-term risks but, as far as short-term risks are concerned, the evidence is very encouraging.

In initial US studies there have been no cases of death directly associated with lap band surgery and the risks of major complications, such as stomach perforation, have also been very low, at under one percent.

lap band surgery is however far from a minor procedure and most patients will run into some sort of complication either during, or more often following surgery. Indeed, it is currently estimated that nearly ninety percent of patients will run into a problem of some description. However, in the vast majority of cases these problems are wholly treatable and often quite short-lived.

Common problems include such things as nausea and vomiting, regurgitation, slippage or deflation of the lap band and obstruction of the stoma (a blockage of the newly created stomach outlet). In some cases these problems can be cleared with careful control of the patient's diet or with medication, while in others the solution is to simply remove the band; something which is fortunately possible in this form of weight loss surgery which is totally reversible.

Just like the patient's information sheet in your pack of over-the-counter pills we could produce a huge list of complications here, together with all their accompanying statistics, but this would really miss the point.

You buy and take your over-the-counter medication because you want to feel better and because you know that, in many cases, if you don't treat your ailment it won't get better by itself and will probably end up making you feel a whole lot worse than you do now. Yes, of course there are risks, but they are really not that high and you are more than willing to take the chance to get better.

lap band surgery is no different. Your obesity makes you feel lousy and you know only too well that if you do not treat it things are only going to get worse and obesity will end up being just one of a whole host of health problems you are facing. And yes, it is probably going to be something of an uphill struggle and it will probably make you sick at your stomach and give you gas, but is that really such a high price to pay to get your old self back again and to hopefully give yourself many more years of a happy, fulfilled and healthy life?

Talk to your doctor and weigh up the risks, but put them into perspective and weigh them against the benefits which can be very considerable indeed.

GastricBypassFacts.info is a substantial resource center providing information on all aspects of gastric bypass surgery and includes a number of articles covering such things as lap band surgery.

posted by 83212  # 5:08 PM 0 comments

Although there was a delay in delivering the number of xbox 360s that consumers demanded for the 2005 holiday season, microsoft is expected to manufacture over 2 million of the gaming consoles in the first quarter of 2006. It's estimated that about 1 million xbox 360s made it to stores in time for the holidays, so there's a pent-up demand for the console. In addition, reported bugs and cooling problems will likely be worked out in the near future.

The xbox isn't the only consumer electronic hitting the news these days. At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, a number of manufacturers of cell phones will be honored with innovation awards. For example, Firefly mobile will be honored for their "mobile phone for mobile Kids," which is specifically designed for tweens. In addition, Auvi Technologies will be presented an award for their innovative PHIP100 VoIP-enabled cordless speakerphone with a built-in webcam.

CES will also honor a number of innovative computer manufacturers, including Hewlett Packard. HP has two products, the media Center Photosmart PC and the Pavillion desktop PC, which combine computing with cutting edge digital entertainment features. logitech will be accorded the 2006 best of Innovations award for its customizable computer mouse, which allows the user to change the mouse's weight and balance.

Consumer electronics continue to be integrated into car design and sold as after market features. Audivox, for example, offers dual dvd players that offer backseat passengers a choice in which dvd they each watch, while Panasonic has an in-dash dvd monitor and receiver. Manufacturers are also producing after market products to integrate MP3 players and iPods into a vehicle's sound system. As a result, drivers and passengers no longer have to rely on a CD to bring their favorite tunes on the road.

Although many developers of video games seem to be waiting until the next generation of gaming consoles saturate the market, a few recent titles are noteworthy. psychonauts is a hit, and for the role-playing crowd, Jade Empire is the video game du jour for the xbox. In portable gaming, the Sony PSP comes out on top with Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, while the nintendo DS offers Mario Kart.

On the whole, consumer electronics continue to improve in reliability and performance, while becoming increasingly affordable. In all respects, 2006 looks like it will be a stellar year for everything from video gaming systems to cell phones.

posted by 83212  # 5:25 AM 0 comments