Understanding the differences between men and women in long distance running
It’s a fact. Men and women simply have different morphology. Most runners will have a training plan to clock in the distance in order to achieve their goal of be it a 5km or an ultra marathon. While we are determined to cross the finish line with our personal best time, it would help to get to know your body better so you can reach the maximum potential of your given anatomy. In order to optimise your training and improve your performance, I’ve compiled a few differences that will create a better understanding of the differences between men and women.
Physiological gender differences & implications for training and performance
Before boys and girls hit puberty, their body structures are similar in terms of body weight, height, length of their legs and upper-arm circumference. During puberty, development occurs and boys will start to develop larger shoulders while girls start to develop larger and wider hips. Due to the smaller shoulder size of women, this poses a disadvantage for women to develop upper-body strength, limiting their body strength on the upper-body in comparison to men throughout adulthood. Women’s narrow shoulders compared to men’sare also generally shorter and women are naturally born with larger pelvis width-to-height ratio and shoulder-to-hip ratio than men.
“We some times hear the term pear-shaped being used to describe a woman’s shape, but the basic truth thata woman has wider hipsis specifically for the purpose of child bearing. Notice that most professional female runners tend to have smaller and narrower hips, so it’s their natural born physique that also aids them towards excelling in distance running”.
The Q Angle (or Quadriceps Angle)
The anatomical and biomechanical features are disparate between men and women. Women have a larger pelvis because they are designed to carry the child. This larger pelvis combined to a shorter femur lead to a different Q angle at which the quadriceps muscle – from the pointiest position of the pelvis, scientifically known as the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine – meets the kneecap (or patella), compared to the line connecting the ligament attaching the patella to the shin. The angle between these two lines forms the Q angle.
Males have a Q angle between 8 and 15 degrees while females have a Q angle between 12 and 19 degrees.
SOURCE:PHYSIOPEDIA,Q ANGLE
How does this difference influence the running?
Women, as they have a broader angle, are more subjected to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries while exerting themselves. The Q-angle dissimilarity refers to a difference of knee alignment as well. In short, men are anatomically better designed than women for running. The space for ACL movement is more limited by women than in men, putting the ACL in a critical position as it can easily get pinched and lead to rupture of the ligament, especially while stretching or twisting. However, when you practise how to train properly, you will lower the risks of getting injuredmale or female.
In summary,
A larger Q-angle puts women at a mechanical disadvantage when running.
Wider hips and a large Q-angle put the femur at an angle when the foot is on the ground.
Elite female runnershave narrower hips, which closely resemble male runners. Research has also shown that the hip width of very good female runners is similar to that of both athletic and even non-athletic males.
Women’s anatomy also affects their stride mechanics. Research has shown that female runners take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed. Although it’s interesting that the combination of stride rate and stride length differs between female and male runners, it’s not completely clear why women take shorter strides.
Obvious reason is that women are generally shorter than men and have shorter legs, hence the shorter strides. (misconception among runners)
Research has also shown that taller runners don’t take longer strides than shorter runners. Stride length is more a product of hip extension and how much force your muscles produce as you push off the ground.
Therefore, something else must cause female runners to take shorter strides than male runners when running at the same speed
Differences in body weight and body composition
Muscular differences
Muscle mass is on average 35% of the total mass of a man against 28% in women. Moreover, women have more “fat” than men. The fat of a woman averaged 20% against 13% in a man.
Women have a smaller muscle than men
Women can’t produce much muscle as much as men
Men are able to sprint faster than women
Knowing that muscle activity is the cause of energy expenditure during exercise, and the woman has less ability to produce energy and therefore less strength and endurance.
Cardio muscular distinctions
The heart
The heart is a cardio muscular muscle that enables oxygen through blood stream to be pumped to your muscles.The female heart is smaller. While it weighs 118 grams on average in women, men’s hearts weighin at about 178 grams on average. Training improves the heart skills in both women and men. This enhancement is however limited in women.
Maximum Heart Rate is the maximum number of beats the heart can achieve in the space of a minute. This value is unique to each individual and it also changes with age and gender.
The Maximum Heart Rate is thus higher in women than in men. On average, a woman will reach 174 beats per minute against 169 beats per minute. Women’s hearts beat faster because the volume of blood ejected by the heart is lower than men’s.
However, a smaller heart doesn’t mean men are better at running marathon. Even though you first impressions turn into men’s advantages, women are still in the run!
VO2max: maximal oxygen consumption
Femaleshave less blood than males. This could be explained first by the period women experience every month, but that isn’t the only factor. The blood plays an important role while running. Indeed, the vital oxygen you need to make your muscles work is transported through blood.
VO2max is the maximum capacity to store, transport and use oxygen during aerobic exercise. In other words, this is the maximum volume of oxygen consumed during exercise. Your muscles and oxygen are necessary to produce the required energy for training. The more your VO2 max is, the more your body is able to use oxygen to produce energy.
The VO2max on average for male is45-50 ml/min/kg and 35-40 ml /min/kg for women.
Men have an average of 13.6 to 17.5 grams of haemoglobin per decalitre in their blood. Women have 12.0 to 15.5 grams per decalitre.
Women therefore have less capacity to store and transport oxygen, a difference that translates both during tests of strength or resistance during endurance events.
A more advantageous metabolism in women
Carbohydrate (or glucose) is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. These stores represent the prime source of energy but they are limited. Indeed, the muscles can store about 400 grams of glycogen and the liver 100 grams.
After running out of this energy, a runners’bodywill seek another source of energy through the fat. You store fat all over your body, especially beneath the skin and around internal organs. An important note is that proteins are generally not used as the main resource of energy, except in extreme circumstances.
Men will use glycogen as the energy used while running whereas women can easily usefat and less carbohydrate at a given intensity of exercise. Men will need to recharge their hydrocarbon stocks to fuel their running capacity. It takes about 30 minutes to hydrocarbon/sugar to reach your bloodstream.
As a conclusion, women need to approach their training and racing differently than men to optimise their unique characteristics.
More than that, hormones in both males and females differ in amounts and in the effect that they have in the body. Indeed, for women, the best time to run is during the Follicular Phase, which is during your sixth to 15th day after your period. The differences occur in muscles and metabolism as well.
Being aware of these differences means is also a way to realise that your needs are different, that is why tailoring your diet and your training is necessary.
Women, you may be physiologically weaker, but you are still champions J
Alissa Laurent, a Canadian runnerwon the Canadian Death Race in 2015 and ended 90 minutes before the second winner, a man.
In short, women are scientifically better distance runners than men. So go ahead and with safe and consistent training, you can outrun the boys!
Pregnant ladies shouldn’t exercise because it could affect the baby’s health.
Is that a fallacy or just a cultural belief? So should pregnant women just restor lay down all day?!There’s been no evidence to say that women should stay still while carrying a child. Scientific progress has allowed us to better understand the human anatomy and in fact, there’s more evidence to show that remaining active is good for your health and your baby’s health as well.
Whether you are an athlete or not, it is fine to partake in sport while pregnant as long as you take some precautions. Your running distance will depend on your sports background.
First on the precautions list – before starting or keeping on exercising, it is highly recommended to checkwith your doctorbefore you proceed with any activities.
I’m pregnant…
A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. So a common practise is to divide it into three trimesters:
During the first trimester your body doesn’t considerably change. The weight you gain isn’t too high so you won’t experience backaches… yet. However, you may experience other symptoms that are part and parcel of the usual “pregnancy pack” such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, food cravings or aversions, mood swings, constipation, frequent urination, and other unpleasant side effects. These may affect your daily schedule.
When pregnant, your body may also suffer from a lack of vital nutrients. That is why many advocate additional prenatal vitamins to supplement your body’s needs.
What kind of vitamins?
Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-type vitamin that helps from preventing neural tube defects.Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. That is why if you intend to be pregnant or if you are, make sure you have the daily right amount of acid folic.Youneed at least 400mcg/day before conceiving and600mcg/day during pregnancy according to USA standards.
Iron is important because it is a necessary component for the production of haemoglobin, which enables the transportation of oxygen in your body. But beyond this primary function, it is essential throughout the 9 months.
For you: During pregnancy, your body works more intensely and many organs (uterus and kidneys in particular) are working at full capacity. This increased activity requires more blood volume.
For your baby: Iron is essential not only to ensure proper development of the baby, but also for pregnancy-related organs such as the placenta or the umbilical cord. If iron stores are missing, you run the risk of giving birth to a premature or a low weightbaby.
Vitamin Ccombined with a daily intake of iron increase the absorption of the latter.
Fibre and fluids: During pregnancy, hormones cause a slowing of the digestive system. Fibre and liquids like water will lower the risks of constipation. Remember that being well hydrated is important for your health and your baby’s health. Dehydration can decrease the blood flow to the uterus, which may lead to premature contractions.
Vitamin D and Calcium: Your needs in Vitamin D and calcium will increase, as they are necessary to the development of the baby. Otherwise the baby might draw on your stores living you in short supply. A recent study has shown that vitamin D rate by the mom influences the baby’s strength later in life.
The first trimester is when the baby’s major organs are forming, and overheating’s a real issue. If a woman’s core temperature gets too high, it could cause problems with the baby. So during hot weather, better run early morning hours or in the evening when it is cooler.
During the second trimester&third trimester,the recommendations for the first trimester remain to be followed. What you can add to your schedule is Kegel exercises. Certainly, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, being overweight and so on, can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to help you prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems.
Indeed, the weight of the baby, or childbirth later on has probably weakened your pelvic floor muscles. That is why Kegels are not only important during pregnancy but throughout your life after having a baby.
How to do Kegel exercises
To get started:
Find the right muscles.To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
Perfect your technique.Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus.For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day.Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you can carry on running. However, consider running shorterdistancesand decrease in the duration and intensity as your due date approaches. You can slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Postural changes – Muscles imbalances
Your body will experience many changes while pregnant. Indeed, your hips have probably tilted forward (Lower CrossedSyndrome – LCS, also know as distal or pelvic crossed syndrome) and your shoulders are probably rounded (Upper Crossed Syndrome – UCS, also known as proximal or shoulder girdle crossed syndrome).
This misalignment is the source of pain you might be suffering. Indeed, certain muscles becoming tightened, while other muscles become lengthened and inhibited in order to stabilize the body, and to adaptto the growing foetus and uterus.
Returning to sport after giving birth takes time and it’s always a good idea to see your good doctor before engaging in any form of sport.
After childbirth, like any major operation or hospitalisation, it’s advisable to rest, get plenty of sleep and simply recuperate. This includes NO heavy lifting nor intensive movement of the body especially in first three to six weeks. You can, however, work on your pelvic-floor exercises and walk. Take it easy; and allow your body the chance to recover.
Once past the 6-week postnatal check-up, you can then consider starting with low impact exercises.
By the 16th week, most women have been able to resume their previous sport activities. Listen to your body as you might feel tired due to the lack of sleep, breastfeeding.
Run during the coolest hours of the daylight, early mornings or in the evening, as your body temperature gets higher while pregnant.
Don’t run a marathon while pregnant. You could put your health and the baby’s health in danger.
Never run to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. If you feel tired, don’t push yourself, and just take a break.
Wear a heart rate monitor to help limit excessive speed and effort.
As your due date approaches, slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, while you can still run when pregnant, take some precautions and listen to your body. If you are not sure, discuss it with your doctor.
Running while pregnant is good; it improves your sleep quality, prevents you from gaining excessive weight, lessens back pains, and reduces delivery complications and time spent in labour. However, don’t exceed your capacity and don’t raise the bar too high.
Pemenuhan nutrisi tubuh dapat dilakukan dengan mengonsumsi makanan dan suplemen. Namun, keduanya memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi tubuh dengan cara yang berbeda. Makanan memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi bersama dengan berbagai komponen lainnya, sedangkan suplemen menyajikan nutrisi spesifik bergantung dengan jenis suplemen.
Dari segi nutrisi, perbedaan mendasar antara makanan dan suplemen adalah komposisi nutrisi yang terdapat dalam keduanya. Yang termasuk komposisi nutrisi adalah vitamin, mineral, bahan herbal, asam amino, dan komponen lainnya yang ditemukan dalam konsumsi pada umumnya seperti enzim. Suplemen adalah suatu produk yang dikonsumsi lewat mulut yang memiliki satu atau lebih komposisi nutrisi. Namun, suplemen bukanlah untuk mengganti makanan atau bahan makanan. Pada makanan kemasan terdapat label informasi nilai gizi, sedang suplemen memiliki label informasi komposisi suplemen.
Plus minus suplemen vs makanan dalam memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi
Karena keduanya memiliki cara yang berbeda dalam memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi tubuh, keduanya memiliki kelebihan dan kekurangannya masing-masing.
Makanan
Plus – Kandungan nutrisi makanan memiliki kombinasi yang lebih banyak dan memiliki fungsi yang lebih baik dibandingkan dengan suplemen. Hal ini disebabkan karena makanan utuh mengandung berbagai campuran nutrisi, disertai dengan substansi lainnya yang membantu dalam menjaga kesehatan, seperti serat, antioksidan, dan zat kimia tumbuhan (phytochemicals). Kandungan nutrisi yang diperoleh dari makanan utuh tidak hanya berfungsi dalam pertumbuhan, memperbaiki sel yang rusak, menyediakan energi, dan imunitas, tetapi juga berfungsi sebagai komponen yang mengurangi risiko penyakit. Terlebih beberapa nutrisi seperti kalsium pada makanan utuh lebih mudah diserap tubuh dibandingkan yang bersumber dari suplemen.
Minus – Kandungan nutrisi seimbang dari bermacam sumber pada makanan utuh tidak selalu dapat memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi tubuh. Dalam beberapa kondisi tertentu, tubuh kita membutuhkan jumlah nutrisi spesifik yang lebih dari yang lainnya. Misalnya saat menjalani kehamilan atau mengalami perdarahan berlebih saat menstruasi, tubuh memerlukan asupan zat besi yang lebih banyak dibandingkan asupan yang diperoleh hanya bersumber dari makanan. Makanan utuh juga belum tentu dapat memenuhi jumlah nutrisi dengan batas kecukupan minimal seperti pada wanita hamil yang memerlukan 400 mikrogram folat dan vitamin B untuk memenuhi kebutuhan perkembangan bayi. Terlebih lagi jika seseorang sedang menjalani diet dan menghindari jenis makanan tertentu, maka makanan yang ia konsumsi kemungkinan memiliki kekurangan nutrisi yang penting tubuh.
Suplemen
Plus – Kelebihan utama dari suplemen berkaitan dengan memenuhi asupan nutrisi yang tidak dapat dipenuhi oleh makanan utuh. Suplemen juga dapat membantu dalam pemenuhan kebutuhan nutrisi spesifik yang diperlukan oleh seseorang dengan kondisi kesehatan tertentu. Misalnya, suplementasi protein untuk meningkatkan berat badan dan membantu pertumbuhan tinggi badan pada anak dengan pertumbuhan terlambat.
Minus – Konsumsi suplemen dapat berbahaya jika seseorang tidak memiliki kebutuhan akan nutrisi tertentu sehingga dapat menyebabkan pola asupan nutrisi berlebih yang dapat menyebabkan efek toksik bagi kesehatan. Misalnya kelebihan vitamin D dapat merusak ginjal atau konsumsi minyak ikan berlebih dapat memicu penyakitstroke disertai dengan perdarahan.
Beberapa suplemen memiliki efek samping setelah pemakaian, terlebih lagi apabila dikonsumsi pada seseorang dengan kondisi status kesehatan tertentu atau dikonsumsi bersamaan dengan obat tertentu. Selain itu, banyak dari efek samping asupan nutrisi dari suplemen terhadap ibu hamil dan anak-anak yang belum diketahui. Maka jika seseorang memerlukan suplemen nutrisi tertentu dengan dosis tinggi sebaiknya dikonsumsi dibawah pengawasan tenaga kesehatan profesional.
Konsumsi makanan terlebih dahulu, lalu konsumsi suplemen jika diperlukan
Meskipun suplemen dapat memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi yang kurang, namun suplemen tidak dapat menggantikan manfaat dari konsumsi makanan utuh. Kebutuhan nutrisi akan lebih baik dipenuhi dengan mengonsumsi makanan utuh, karena dalam makanan utuh terdapat banyak serat dan zat kimia tumbuhan lainnya yang dapat bersinergi dengan nutrisi makanan, sehingga dapat meningkatkan kualitas kesehatan seseorang.
Yang perlu dipertimbangkan sebelum mengonsumsi suplemen
Sebelum Anda memutuskan untuk mengonsumsi suplemen, sebaiknya Anda mempertimbangkan hal berikut:
Jika Anda ingin memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi, pertimbangkan makanan bergizi terlebih dahulu. Ikutilah pedoman gizi seimbang untuk memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi tubuh Anda.
Perhatikan kelompok nutrisi apa yang mungkin Anda lewatkan dan pahami bagaimana cara pemenuhannya.
Konsumsi multivitamin masih lebih baik dibandingkan konsumsi suplemen nutrisi spesifik. Pilihlah multivitamin yang memenuhi kebutuhan nutrisi harian.
Jika Anda merasa kebiasaan pola makan Anda tidak sehat atau tidak mencukupi nutrisi, konsumsi suplemen bukanlah jawabannya. Nutrisi tetap harus diperoleh dari makanan yang sehat.
Patuhilah aturan konsumsi suplemen, terutama batas asupan maksimal. Konsumsi nutrisi yang melebihi kebutuhan akan menyebabkan gejala keracunan dengan mudah
Makna olahraga menurut ensiklopedia Indonesia adalah gerak badan yang dilakukan oleh satu orang atau lebih yang merupakan regu atau rombongan. Sedangkan dalam Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (1980) yaitu ikut serta dalam aktivitas fisik untuk mendapatkan kesenangan, dan aktivitas khusus seperti berburu atau dalam olahraga pertandingan (athletic games di Amerika Serikat).Menurut Toto Mucholik olahraga di definsikan sebagai proses sistematik yang berupa segala kegiatan atau usaha yang dapat mendorong mengembangkan dan membina potensi-potensi jasmaniah dan rohaniah seseorang sebagai perorangan atau anggota masyarakat dalam bentuk permainan, perlombaan, pertandingan, dan prestasi puncak dalam pembentukan manusia Indonesia seutuhnya yang berkualitas bedasarkan pancasila. Dari pendapat diatas dapat disimpulkan bahwa olahraga adalah proses sistematis dan terprogram yang dilakukan guna mencapai kesejahteraan jasmani, rohani dan sosial yang diaplikasikan dalam berbagai aktivitas permainan, perlombaan maupun pertandingan. Oleh karena itu olahraga harusnya menjadi sebuah kebutuhan yang sangat penting bagi kehidupan manusia karena mengingat manfaat yang sangat besar bagi tubuh manusia. Adapun ruang lingkup olahraga itu sendiri terbagi atas 3 jenis yang setiap jenisnya mempunyai tujuannya masing-masing:
Olahraga Pendidikan
Olahraga yang dilaksanakan sebagai bagian proses pendidikan teratur dan berkelanjutan, untuk memperoleh pengetahuan, kepribadian, ketrampilan, kesehatan dan kebugaran jasmani.
Olahraga Rekreasi
Olahraga yang dilakukan oleh masyarakat dengan kegemaran dan kemampuan yang tumbuh dan berkembang sesuai dengan kondisi dan nilai budaya masyarakat setempat untuk kesehatan, kebugaran dan kegembiraan.
Olahraga Prestasi Olahraga yang membina dan mengembangkan olahraga (atlet) secara terencana,berjenjang dan berkelanjutan melalui kompetisi untuk mencapai prestasi dengan dukungan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi keolahragaan. Jadi olahraga merupakan sebuah aktivitas yang terukur untuk mengembangkan atau memperbaiki kualitas hidup manusia agar lebih bugar serta produktif dalam menjalankan hidupnya.
Olahraga juga merupakan sebuah barometer bagi kemajuan suatu bangsa, dengan prestasi olahraga yang baik tentunya akan menjadi sebuah kebanggan bagi suatu bangsa oleh karena itu Penciptaan kualitas SDM dalam bidang olahraga seharusnya dimulai sejak dini, karena merupakan cikal bakal generasi penerus bangsa, sehingga harus dipersiapkan sedini mungkin agar dapat tercapainya sebuah perkembangan dan prestasi yang optimal. Pada usia kanak-kanak misalnya anak cenderung melakukan sebuah aktivitas-aktivitas jasmani walaupun itu masih terlihat sangat sederhana contohnya seperti bermain yang didalam bermain tersebut melibatkan aktivitas-aktivitas jasmani seperti berjalan,berlari, melompat dan meloncat tanpa mereka sadari aktivitas tersebut menunjukan seberapa baik kualitas pertumbuhan gerak jasmani mereka karena setiap anak mempunyai kualitas gerak yang berbeda-beda sesuai dengan usia dan pertumbuhan mereka untuk itu selaku orang tua dan guru penjas khususnya harus jeli melihat perkembangan gerak anak tersebut, sehingga mulai dari sedini mungkin, anak sudah mulai diperkenalkan sedikit demi sedikit dengan beberapa cabang olahraga yang nantinya akan mereka pilih sesuai dengan minat dan bakatnya. Dalam hal ini juga anak tidak dapat dipaksakan dalam memilih cabang olahraga yang mereka senangi, untuk itu selaku orang tua, guru dan pelatih hendaknya memberikan kebebasan kepada anak-anak untuk memilih cabang olahraga yang diminatinya kelak serta tidak membatasi kebebasan gerak anak tersebut untuk selalu beraktivitas dan berkreativitas, karena pada dasarnya masa kanak-kanak adalah masa dimana anak tersebut mencoba mengeksplorasi gerak serta pengetahuan mereka.
Hakekat anak usia dini
Anak usia dini merupakan individu yang berbeda, unik dan memiliki karakteristik tersendiri sesuai dengan tahapan usianya. Maka usia dini merupakan masa keemasan dimana stimulasi seluruh aspek pengembangan berperan penting untuk tugas perkembangan selanjutnya masa awal kehidupan anak merupakan masa terpenting dalam rentang kehidupan seorang anak. Usia dini merupakan usia dimana anak mulai mengenal diri dan lingkungan di sekitarnya oleh karena itu pada masa ini anak harus diberi berbagai stimulus atau rangsangan agar tumbuh kembangnya menjadi baik. Stimulus tersebut dapat berupa pendidikan dengan pendidikan anak-anak menjadi lebih terarah khususnya dalam hal bermain anak akan diarahkan oleh guru atau pembimbing untuk melakukan aktivitas-aktivitas yang bermanfaat bagi perkembangan fisik dan mentalnya. Pendidikan usia dini merupakan suatu upaya pembinaan yang ditujukan kepada anak sejak lahir sampai dengan usia 6 tahun yang dilakukan melalui pemberian rangsangan pendidikan untuk membantu pertumbuhan dan perkembangan jasmani dan rohani anak sebagai persiapan untuk hidup dan dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan lingkungannya serta memiliki kesiapan untuk memasuki pendidikan lebih lanjut.
Karakteristik Anak Usia dini
Anak usia dini memiliki karakteristik yang khas, baik secara fisik, psikis, sosial, moral dan sebagainya. Masa kanak-kanak juga masa yang paling penting untuk sepanjang usia hidupnya. Sebab masa kanak-kanak adalah masa pembentukan pondasi dan masa kepribadian yang akan menentukan pengalaman anak selanjutnya. Sedemikian pentingnya usia tersebut maka memahami karakteristik anak usia dini menjadi mutlak adanya bila ingin memiliki generasi yang mampu mengembangkan diri secara optimal. Pengalaman yang dialami anak pada usia dini akan berpengaruh kuat terhadap kehidupan selanjutnya. Pengalaman tersebut akan bertahan lama. Bahkan tidak dapat terhapuskan, walaupun bisa hanya tertutupi. Bila suatu saat ada stimulasi yang memancing pengalaman hidup yang pernah dialami maka efek tersebut akan muncul kembali walau dalam bentuk yang berbeda. Beberapa hal menjadi alasan pentingnya memahami karakteristik anak usia dini. Sebagian dari alasan tersebut dapat diuraikan sebagaimana berikut :
Usia dini merupakan usia yang paling penting dalam tahap perkembangan manusia, sebab usia tersebut merupakan periode diletakkannya dasar struktur kepribadian yang dibangun untuk sepanjang hidupnya. Oleh karena itu perlu pendidikan dan pelayanan yang tepat.
Pengalaman awal sangat penting, sebab dasar awal cenderung bertahan dan akan mempengaruhi sikap dan perilaku anak sepanjang hidupnya, disamping itu dasar awal akan cepat berkembang menjadi kebiasaan. Oleh karena itu perlu pemberian pengalaman awal yang positif.
Perkembangan fisik dan mental mengalami kecepatan yang luar biasa, dibanding dengan sepanjang usianya. Bahkan usia 0 – 8 tahun mengalami 80% perkembangan otak dibanding sesudahnya. Oleh karena itu perlu stimulasi fisik dan mental.
Peranan olahraga bagi usia dini
Budaya hidup sehat dengan olaharaga tentunya harus menjadi sebuah life style ataupun gaya hidup bagi setiap individu dalam segala usia tidak terkecuali usia dini. untuk menerapkan budaya hidup sehat dengan berolahraga tentunya harus dimulai dari keluarga khususnya orang tua dengan mengajak anak sedini mungkin untuk berolahraga sehingga anak nantinya akan terbiasa melakukan aktivitas jasmani yang dilakukan oleh orang tuanya, karena apabila anak mempunyai gerak yang cukup tentunya perkembangan motoriknya akan menjadi baik dan terhindar dari obesitas dan segala macam penyakit. Pada saat sekarang ini terlihat bahwa partisipasi anak usia dini dalam bidang olahraga semakin besar ini terbukti telah banyak dibukanaya club-club olahraga atau sekolah-sekolah sepak bola bagi anak sekolah dasar. dalam institusi pendidikan pun semakin diperhatikan sarana dan prasarana kompetisi olahraga, bahkan sampai dengan kompetisi olahraga usia dini tingkat nasional, keterlibatan atlit-atlit usia dini ini juga tidak terlepas dari keterlibatan orang dewasa sebagai pelatih, Pembina maupun orang tua atlet oleh karena itu pelatihan olahraga usia dini harus dilakukan secara terus menerus dan terprogram agar dapat terciptanya atlet-atlet usia dini yang potensial, olahraga juga mempunyai peran yang sangat penting bagi anak usia dini khususnya bagi tumbuh dan kembang anak agar menjadi optimal baik dari segi fisik, mental dan emosionalnya. Untuk itu tulisan ini akan membahas secara spesifik tentang peranan olahraga bagi anak usia dini. Dari aspek fisik olahraga bagi anak usia dini merupakan hal yang sangat berperan penting dalam tumbuh kembang nya secara jasmani. Aktivitas fisik yang tepat akan memacu tumbuh kembang anak secara optimal tapi itu bukan berarti anak harus melakukan senam jasmani setiap hari seperti hal nya orang dewasa, olahraga bagi anak terutama anak balita tidak harus dalam bentuk gerakan terstruktur, seperti senam jasmani, barai gym, atau bulutangkis. Kegiatan seperti bersepeda, bermain lompat tali dan berlari-larian itu sudah merupakan latihan jasmani bagi anak dan mendukung anak untuk mengeksplorasi gerak agar menjadi lebih baik. Olahraga untuk anak sarat dampak positif seperti disebut dibawah ini.
Kesehatan
Dengan berolahraga dapat mengurangi resiko berbagai penyakit khususnya yang berkaitan dengan obesitas. Berbagai penelitian menunjukkan, obesitas pada anak-anak meningkatkan risiko terjadinya penyakit degeneratif, seperti jantung, stroke, dan diabetes, pada usia yang lebih muda. Belum termasuk lebih mudah terkena infeksi dan risiko kanker.
Kebugaran
Olahraga yang dilakukan sesuai takaran akan membuat anak bugar sehingga ia bisa lebih aktif dan produktif.
Pertumbuhan
Kombinasi olahraga dan diet yang tepat sangat bermanfaat untuk pertumbuhan anak karena merangsang tubuh untuk mengaktifkan hormon pertumbuhan. Sehingga anak bisa mencapai potensi maksimal yang dimilikinya.
Perkembangan
Olahraga membantu meningkatkan perkembangan fungsional semua panca indra. Karena saat berolahraga anak-anak dilatih untuk bisa memahami perintah, aturan main, kerja sama, mencari solusi, dan mencapai tujuan.
Kecerdasan
Olahraga bagi anak dapat menstimulasi perkembangan otak mereka, dengan aktivitas jasmani yang teratur dapat membuat koordinasi kerja otak yang semakin bagus sehingga anak mudah menyerap informasi yang diberikan, dampak lainnya pula adalah anak mempunyai sikap percaya diri yang baik dan ketrampilan sosialnya menjadi lebih baik.
Psikologis
Pada masa kanak-kanak, anak selalu ingin mencari pengakuan akan kemampuannya pada orang dewasa, dalam melakukan aktivitas olahraga pujian yang diberikan keanak akan memberikan dampak positiv bagi anak dan akan memberikan dampak psikologis yang baik untuk anak antara lain seperti perasaan percaya diri, gembira, harga diri, pengalaman merasakan mencapai tujuan dan pengakuan dari teman-teman sebaya akan kemampuannya. Oleh karena itu olahraga sangat berperan penting bagi anak usia dini untuk mengembangkan aspek sosial,emosional dan kejiwaannya untuk membentuk karakternya sejak usia dini.
Tak banyak orang tau apa itu buah aprikot, buah Aprikot memiliki bahasa latin “plum Armenia”. Buah ini adalah salah satu spesies dari subgenus Prem. Dari mana asal muasal tanaman ini sulit dipastikan karena telah di budidayakan sejak zaman dahulu kala. Tetapi kemungkinan besar tanaman ini berasal dari sebelah utara dan barat daratan Cina atau Asia Tengah, bisa juga berasal dari Korea ataupun Jepang. Buah Aprikot ini dapat dikonsumsi secara langsung atau dikeringkan untuk dimakan sebagai buah kering. Buah ini juga cukup nikmat untuk dibuat minuman seperti : jus, selai dan jelly. Berdasarkan sumber dari USDA Nutrient database terdapat beberapa kandungan dalam buah aprikot diantaranya : Energi, Gula, Diet serat, Karbohidrat, Lemak, protein, Beta karoten, vitamin A equiv, Vitamin C dan besi.
Besarnya nutrisi dalam buah aprikot sangat baik untuk dikonsumsi. Dalam satu buah aprikot dengan berat sekitar 40 gram, dapat mengandung 17 kalori, 4 gram karbohidrat, 0,5 gram protein, 3 gram gula, 1 gram serat makanan, 1 gram lemak, dan tanpa kolesterol. Kadar vitamin A pada aprikot adalah 914,20 IU dengan jumlah beta karoten 544,95 mcg, 3 mcg folat, dan 1,2 mcg vitamin K. Buah ini memiliki tingkat tinggi kalium yaitu sekitar 104 mg, 3 mg magnesium, dan 7 mg fosfor. Selain itu, aprikot juga memiliki tingkat lycopene tinggi.
Manfaat buah satu ini sangat luar biasa, berikut penulis paparka ringkasan Manfaat Super, Buah Aprikot bagi Kesehatan yang perlu anda ketahui :
Mencegah Kanker dan Penyakit Jantung
Kandungan antioksidan yang tinggi pada buah aprikot seperti Vitamin C dan lycopene sangat baik untuk mencegah penyakit yang cukup berbahaya yaitu Kanker dan jantung. Kandungan antidioksidan sangat berguna untuk mematikan sel-sel yang menyebabkan penyakit kanker.
Memperlancar Buang Air Besar
Kandungan serat yang tinggi pada buah Aprikot sangat baik dan dibutuhkan untuk memperlancar buah air besar. Bagi anda yang mengalami permasalah atau kesulita buang air besar, maka konsumsilah buah aprikat secara rutin setiap hari.
Menjaga Kesehatan Mata
Mata adalah organ vital yang sangat penting bagi manusia, oleh karena itu menjaga kesehatanya merupakan hal perlu dan penting sekali. Dalam hal ini, buah aprikot memiliki kandungan beta karoten yang sangat bermanfaat untuk menjaga kesehatan mata, terutama berguna dalam mencegah degenerasi makula.
Mengobati Anemia
Buah aprikot memiliki kandungan mineral seperti zat besi dan tembaga yang membantu memproduksi hemoglobin. Sehingga dapat mengatasi dan membantu meregenerasi sel darah merah.
Menjaga Kulit
Manfaat selanjutnya adalah minyak yang terkandung didalam buah aprikot mampu mengobati kudis dan juga penyakit kulit eksim. Selain itu juga sangat efektif untuk merawat kulit agar lebih sehat. Bagi anda yang ingin senantiasa menjaga kesehatan kulitnya salah satunya dapat mengonsumsi buah jenis satu ini secara rutin setiap hari.
Mengatasi Demam
Di dalam buah aprikot terkandung vitamin, mineral, kalori dan air yang dapat mendetoksifikasi tubuh. Sehingga sangat cocok dikonsumsi bagi anda yang sedang mengalami penyakit demam.
Selain memiliki manfaat super bagi kesehatan, ternyata buah Aprikot juga dapat merugikan kesehatan yaitu pada bagian bijinya. Karena bagian biji buah aprikot ini mengandung sejumlah konsentrat unsur kimia yang dapat mengakibatkan ketidakseimbangan dalam proses tubuh. Untuk itu sebaiknya Anda berhati-hati dalam mengkonsumsi buah ini, jangan sampai biji dari buah Aprikot ini termakan. Semoga bermanfaat. (One)
According to research conducted at Harvard University, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is officially one of the top 10 causes of death in America, claiming the lives of up to 96,000 people each year. Out of the 12 dietary, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors examined in the study, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency ranked as the sixth highest killer of Americans. (1) These deaths are considered preventable since getting enough omega 3-fatty acids in your diet can ward off this now common cause of death, and fish oil benefits omega-3 intake as a potent omega-3 source.
The fish oil benefits include decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke while also helping reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain, arthritis and chronic skin ailments like eczema. (2) Fish oil intake has also been associated with aiding the body in weight loss, fertility, pregnancy and increased energy. Prescription fish oil has even been approved by the FDA to lower unhealthy high triglyceride levels. (3)
Most of the fish oil benefits are because it’s one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. While fish oil benefits are numerous, there are some false claims on how to use this incredible supplement, but in this article I go over the proven scientific evidence to demonstrate the true benefits of fish oil.
What Is Fish Oil?
Fish oil comes from the tissues of oily fish. The best sources are cold-water, fatty fish. When it comes to human consumption of fish oil, you can get it from fish themselves or from a fish oil supplement.
Fish oil is a concentrated source of omega-3 fats, which are also called ω-3 fatty acids or n-3 fatty acids. To get more scientific, omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. Our bodies are able to make most of the fats we need need, but that’s not true for omega-3 fatty acids. When it comes to these essential fats, we need to get them from omega-3 foods or supplements.
Fish oil contains two very important omega-3 PUFAs. I’m talking about docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are sometimes called the marine omega-3s because they mainly come from fish. Some of the best fish to eat to obtain fish oil from in your diet include wild-caught salmon, herring, white fish, sardines and anchovies.
Top 13 Fish Oil Benefits
There are so many fish oil benefits. These are just some of the top scientifically proven fish oil benefits I want to make you aware of.
1. ADHD
Many members of the medical community, like myself, believe that suboptimal levels of omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to symptoms of ADHD and related developmental problems as well as many other mental health problems over one’s lifetime. (4)
A 2012 study involved children from 6 to 12 years of age with ADHD who were being treated with methylphenidate and standard behavior therapy for more than six months. The parents of these children reported no improvement in behavior and academic learning using these standard treatments. The researchers randomly gave some of the children an omega-3 and omega-6 supplement or a placebo. They found “statistically significant improvement” for the omega group in the following categories: restlessness, aggressiveness, completing work and academic performance. (5)
Another study found that increasing omega-3 intake, specifically DHA, may improve literacy and behavior in children with ADHD. (6) Fish oil is believed to work via its effects on brain function, which makes sense when you consider that 60 percent of the brain is composed of fats. (7)
2. Alzheimer’s Disease
For several years now, the fish oil and Alzheimer’s disease connection has been studied with consistent results. The essential fatty acids vital for brain function that are found in fish oil can not only slow cognitive decline, but can help prevent brain atrophy in older adults. A study published in the FASEB Journal looked at the health effects of four- to 17-month supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. The findings once again confirm the potential for fish oil to be used as a weapon to fend off the onset of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. (8)
Another study conducted by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital examined the relationship between fish oil supplementation and indicators of cognitive decline. The subjects of the study were older adults: 229 cognitively normal individuals, 397 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 193 patients with Alzheimer’s disease. They were assessed with neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging every six months while taking fish oil supplements. The study found that the adults taking fish oil (who had not yet developed Alzheimer’s and did not have genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s known as APOE ε4) experienced significantly less cognitive decline and brain shrinkage than adults not taking fish oil. (9)
3. Anxiety
The European Journal of Neuroscience published a study in 2013 showing that fish oilreversed all anxiety-like and depression-like behavior changes induced in rats. This is an interesting study because it stresses the importance of supplementing with fish oil at “critical periods of brain development.” (10) This is exactly why I recommend giving fish oil to our kids from early on to help them so they won’t develop anxiety or depression later in life.
4. Arthritis
An 18-month study was published in 2014 that evaluated how borage seed oil — rich in GLA — and fish oil rich fared against each other in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It was discovered that all three groups (one taking fish oil, one taking borage oil and one taking a combination of the two) “exhibited significant reductions” in disease activity, and no therapy outperformed the others. For all three, “meaningful clinical responses” were the same after nine months. (11)
This is great news for both fish and borage oil when it comes to arthritis patients, but it’s critical to emphasize that the results were the same because taking too many supplements is simply a waste of money.
Another study also showed that omega-3 fish oil supplements worked just as well asNSAIDs in reducing arthritic pain and are a safer alternative to NSAIDs. (12)
5. Cancer
Scientific studies have found that fish oil can help to prevent and kill various cancers, including colon, prostate and breast. (13) Not only has research proven that it makes conventional cancer drugs more effective, but it’s also an effective stand-alone therapy innatural cancer treatment.
A scientific review published in 2013 looked at omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and prostate cancer prevention. Researchers concluded that there’s a great deal of evidence suggesting that omega-3s have antiproliferative effects – which means they inhibit cancer cell growth – in cancer cell lines, animal models and humans. In addition, the “direct effects on cancer cells” and indirect anti-inflammatory effects on the immune system fighting the cancer likely contribute to the ability of omega-3 fatty acids to inhibit tumor growth. (14)
A group out of India conducted a study published in Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology based on the premise that “fish oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been preferred to chemosensitize tumor cells to anti-cancer drugs.” The study found that using 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) to treat colorectal cancer along with fish oil increased the survival rate in carcinogen-treated animals. Researchers also found that the fish oil ameliorated hematologic depression, along with gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal toxicity caused by the 5-FU. (15)
A scientific review in 2014 evaluated study findings on omega-3 intake in relation to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women. The review found that EPA and DHA, as well as ALA, can differentially inhibit breast tumor development. According to this review, there is solid evidence to support the use of omega-3s as “a nutritional intervention in the treatment of breast cancer to enhance conventional therapeutics, or potentially lowering effective doses.” (16) Additionally, a 2016 study found that “very high fish consumption in early adulthood to midlife may be associated with decreased risk of breast cancer.” (17)
Fish oil also looks to be helpful for another type of cancer experienced by women: endometrial cancer. A scientific study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that “long chain omega-3 intake associated with reduced endometrial cancer risk only in normal-weight women.” (18)
6. Cardiovascular Disease
According to the Cardiovascular Research Institute in Maastricht in Netherlands, “Epidemiological studies show that replacing fat with carbohydrates may even be worse [than the Western-type high-fat diet] and that various polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) have beneficial rather than detrimental effects on CVD (cardiovascular disease) outcome.” This includes fish-oil fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties, which can help prevent and reverse a plethora of cardiovascular diseases. (19)
Studies have also found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are associated with improved survival rates for heart attack victims. A study published in the medical journalCirculation found that people who took a high dose of fish oil each for six months following the occurrence of a heart attack actually improved their hearts’ overall functioning and also reduced biomarkers of systemic inflammation. (20)
7. Depression
We’ve already seen that fish oil can help with depression-like symptomsin rats, but what about people? A study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience evaluated the effects of fish oil supplementation on prefrontal metabolite concentrations in adolescents with major depressive disorder. Researchers found that there was a 40 percent decrease in major depression disorder symptoms in addition to marked improvements in amino acid and nutrition content in the brain, specifically, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. (21)
8. Diabetes
A study published in Brain Research shows how far-reaching fish oil can be for people with diabetes. Researches found that fish oil can help reduce the risk of diabetics from developing cognitive deficit because it protects the hippocampus cells from being destroyed. The study also showed that fish oil could help reduce oxidative stress, which plays a central role in the development of diabetes complications, both microvascular and cardiovascular. (22)
Another recent study shows that fatty fish consumption can cut the risk of eye-diabetes complications. The researches tracked the seafood consumption of about 3,600 diabetic men and women between the ages of 55 and 80 for nearly five years. The researchers found that people who regularly consumed 500 milligrams each day of omega-3 fatty acid in their diets (equal to two servings of fatty fish per week) were 48 percent less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than those who consumed less. (23)
Combined, this shows consuming fish oil benefits diabetics and that fish oil sources should be included as part of a diabetic diet plan.
9. Eye Disorders
There’s more good news when it comes to fish oil and eye health, and it’s just not just for diabetic this time. Fish oil has been shown to reverse age-related eye disorders. In March 2014, French researchers evaluated 290 patients with age-relatedmacular degeneration (AMD), and they discovered that dietary oil fish and seafood intake were significantly lower in AMD patients. Due to the high EPA and DHA levels in fish oil, it was concluded that this kind of nutritional intervention could especially benefit those at high risk for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. (24)
A higher intake of polyunsaturated fats like those found in fish and fish oils have also been linked to reduced levels of cortical cataracts.
10. Immune System Function
An animal study revealed that when the antioxidant astaxanthin is combined with fish oil, the immune-boosting power is multiplied. The researchers believe that the results of this study are definitely applicable to human health. They conclude that the study reinforces the health-promoting effects of habitual fish consumption. (25)
Salmon is a fish that naturally contains both fish oil and astaxanthin. I also recommending buying a fish oil supplement that contains astaxanthin.
11.Skin and Hair
The health benefits of fish oil can be incredible for the body’s largest organ, the skin. This source of essential fats improves the health and beauty of human skin in several ways. Fish oil benefits and nourishes the skin with fats and contributes fat-soluble vitamins that help skin maintain a smooth, elastic texture. There is also evidence that fish oil prevents wrinkles and works against the aging process.
The deficiency of EPA and DHA in diet contributes to skin conditions, such as dandruff,thinning hair, eczema and psoriasis, as well as age spots and sun spots. Without the essential fatty acids, too much moisture leaves the skin. The truth is your internal health can appear on your skin, and taking fish oil internally as a supplement may be as good as or better than applying conventional moisturizers.
In one study, individuals taking fish oil equivalent to 1.8 grams of EPA had a significant reduction in symptoms of eczema after 12 weeks. Researchers believe that these effects may be due to fish oil’s ability to reduce leukotriene B4, an inflammatory substance that plays a role in eczema. (26)
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, fish oil can aid in preventing or slowing heart disease, which is especially great for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis sufferers who are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. (27) When it comes to using fish oil supplements for the alleviation of psoriasis symptoms, studies have been mixed with some showing improvement but others showing no effect. If you suffer from psoriasis, you may want to try a fish oil supplement, or else I highly recommend that you make sure to have fish rich in omega-3s regularly.
One of the biggest reasons fish oil leads to healthier skin is definitely the fact that it can reduce inflammation. Research has shown that fish oil supplements can even reduce sun-induced inflammation and provide sunburn relief. “The sunburn response is markedly reduced by dietary fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.” (28)
12. Fertility and Pregnancy
Recent studies have shown that the consumption of fish oil (or, more specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) can improve fertility in both men and women. DHA, which is a byproduct of omega-3 fatty acids, plays a key role in the mobility of sperm and health of sperm in men. Low blood levels of DHA have been linked to decreased fertility. Animal studies have found that the DHA in fish is vital to changing dysfunctional round-headed sperm into strong swimmers with cone-shaped heads packed with egg-opening proteins. (29)
Fish oil has also been shown to increase fertility in women by reducing inflammation,balancing hormones and regulating their cycles. Also, fish oil has been found effective in treating conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, which can cause infertility.
Fish oil is also extremely beneficial for pregnant women and their children. Throughoutpregnancy and also while breastfeeding, a woman’s omega-3 needs are even higher than usual. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most U.S. women are deficient in EPA and especially DHA going into pregnancy and get even more depleted during pregnancy, as the placenta supplies the fetus with DHA from the mother’s tissue. Omega-3 DHA is a critical building block of the fetal brain, eyes and nervous system. Once the baby is born, omega-3s continue to be vital to healthy brain development and immune function. (30)
Omega-3 fatty acids also seem to reduce the chance of premature delivery. (31) EPA and DHA intake can help support healthy labor and delivery outcomes. This omega-3 duo also helps normalize mood and overall well-being in the mother after giving birth.
13. Weight Loss
Australian researchers published results of a study examining the effects of fish oil onweight loss in combination with diet and exercise in the May 2007 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The results show that a combination of fish oil supplements and regular exercise can reduce body fat while also improving heart and metabolic health. The fish supplementation group had lowered triglycerides, increased HDL cholesterol and improved blood flow. Overall, adding fish oil to a current exercise program (and a overall healthy lifestyle) looks like it can decrease body fat as well as cardiovascular disease risk. (32)
Another small study had all volunteers consume the same exact control diet and substituted fish oil for visible fats (things like butter and cream). The volunteers consumed six grams of fish oil each day for three weeks. They found that body fat mass decreased with the intake of fish oil. The researchers conclude that dietary fish oil reduces body fat and stimulates the use of fatty acids for the production of energy in healthy adults. (33)
If you’ve been wondering, “What does fish oil do?” hopefully you now have a better idea of the very large array of possible fish oil benefits!
Fish Oil Nutritional Background
The main nutritional value of fish oil is its high fatty acid content. As I just mentioned, fish oil benefits come from the fact that it’s rich in the omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA and EPA.
Wondering about the specifics of fish oil nutrition? One teaspoon (four grams) of fish oil from sardines, for example, contains approximately: (34)
40.6 calories
4.5 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat)
0 milligrams sodium
0 grams fiber
0 grams sugar
0 grams protein
14.9 international units vitamin D (4 percent DV)
1,084 milligrams omega-3 fatty acids (DV varies by age and gender)
90.6 milligrams omega-6 fatty acids (DV varies by age and gender)
Nutritional information varies by product and fish source. Check supplement labeling for specific details.
Omega-3 Deficiency Side Effects
Many of Americans’ health problems can be traced back to having an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats aren’t necessarily bad for you, but if they’re consumed in large amounts without omega-3s they cause inflammation, which leads to chronic illness.
Today, the average American has a 20:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, when a healthy ratio is more ideally around 2:1. Put in other numerical terms, the typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. (35) This shows just how deficient most of us are and why supplementing with fish oil is so beneficial.
The biggest cause of omega-3 deficiency is the overconsumption of foods high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 comes from things like fried foods, fast foods and boxed foods that contain vegetables oils like soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil. When you consume too much omega-6, it can decrease your body’s ability to metabolize healthy omega-3 fatty acids. (36)
Research has shown that having a lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of many common chronic diseases. Getting enough omega-3, which means having a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6, has been shown in hundreds of studies to possibly provide benefits to many inflammatory diseases, including: (37)
It’s also important to know that even though certain other foods like flaxseeds and grass-fed beef contain omega-3 fats, those omegas are ALA and not EPA/DHA like what’s found in fish oil. According to the medical research, there are far more health benefits in fish oil (EPA/DHA) than flax oil (ALA) for most people.
It’s also important to note that omega-6 fatty acids aren’t bad for you. In fact, if your diet contains too many omega-3 fatty acids, your immune system wouldn’t work very well. It’s all about the balance of these two essential fatty acids.
How to Take Fish Oil Supplements
Your best way to achieve a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 is by getting your fish oil from wild-caught fish like salmon. However, I still think it is beneficial for some to supplement with a high quality omega 3 fish oil or cold liver oil. Plus, cold water fish are frequently contaminated with mercury and pesticide residues, making it very difficult to safely achieve recommended levels.
Therefore, supplementing your diet with pure anti-oxidant rich fish oil can be one of the best ways to get your omega 3s. The types of fish which are most commonly used in fish oil supplements are salmon, cod liver, mackerel, sardines, halibut, pollock and herring.
Currently, there isn’t a set standard recommendation for how many omega-3s we need each day, but suggestions range from a fish oil dosage of 500 to 1,000 milligrams daily depending on whom you ask. How easy is it to get these recommended amounts? To give you an idea, there are more than 500 milligrams of total omega-3s in one can of tuna fish and one small serving of wild-caught salmon.
When taking fish oil, more is not always better. Remember that you want it to stay in a balanced ratio with omega-6 fats. For most people, I recommend a 1,000-milligram dose of fish oil daily as a good amount and the most scientifically studied dosage. I highly recommend not taking more than that unless directed to under the supervision of a doctor.
Also, not all fish oils are created equal. Most fish oils are highly processed and can oxidize easily because omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated, have a low heat threshold and can easily go rancid. For that reason, you want to buy a fish oil in triglyceride form that also contains antioxidants to preserve them like astaxanthin or essential oils.
To improve the health of your heart, brain, skin, hair, body and much, much more, consider adding fish oil to your daily supplement regime or consume wild-caught fish daily. If you’re adverse to fish oil pills, make sure to get at least two servings of fatty fish each week to fulfill your omega-3 needs and provide your body with fish oil benefits. This is a recommendation also encouraged by the American Heart Association. (38)
Does Fish Oil Cause Prostate Cancer?!
Back in 2013, a study came out that made a lot of people concerned about fish oil supplements and cancer. The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed that men who consume the largest amount of fish oil had a 71 percent higher risk of high-grade prostate cancer and a 43 percent increase in all types of prostate cancer. The study was conducted on 2,227 men, of which 38 percent of the men already had prostate cancer. (39)
According to researcher Theodore Brasky from the Ohio State University Medical Center, “These fish oil supplements in which some men getting mega, mega doses… in our opinion that is probably a little bit dangerous.” (40)
What is a “mega dose”? The American Heart Association considers taking up to three grams of fish oil per day “safe.” It advises that “patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules should do so only under a physician’s care.” (41) Most physicians would say that taking 2+ grams (or 2,000+ milligrams) daily is a mega dose.
So do I think you should stop taking your fish oil immediately because of this study? No. But should you take a look at how much fish oil you take and what brand you take? Yes, definitely.
The reason why fish oil could increase a man’s risk of prostate cancer is IMBALANCE. Like I said earlier, omega-6 fatty acids aren’t bad for you. In fact, if your diet contains too many omega-3 fatty acids, your immune system wouldn’t work very well because omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are meant to work in a system of checks and balances. Omega-3 fatty acids suppress inflammation, and omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation, which actually supports your body’s natural system of defense like activating your white blood cells.
So, if you consume too many omega-3 fats (EPA/DHA) you can actually weaken your immune system, which would encourage rather than ward off cancer. So I take this study to be a very good example of why more is not more when it comes to supplements, and you should be cautious not to overdo it with fish oil or any other supplement.
Fish Oil Side Effects, Interactions and Precautions
If you’re not able to get enough fish oil benefits through your diet, fish oil supplements can be a good option. Fish oil side effects can include belching, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, loose stools, rash and nosebleeds, but in my experience, taking a high-quality fish oil supplement can reduce the likelihood of any unwanted side effects. It’s also a good idea to take fish oil with meals to reduce side effects.
Before taking fish oil, you should speak with your doctor if you currently take any medication or have any ongoing health concerns. You should also speak to your doctor before taking fish oil if you have a known fish or shellfish allergy.
If you have a bleeding disorder, bruise easily or take blood-thinning medications, you should use fish oil supplements with extra caution since large doses of omega-3 fatty acids can increase bleeding risk. This bleeding risk also applies to people with no history of bleeding disorders or current medication usage. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should only use fish oil supplements under your doctor’s supervision. Individuals with type 2 diabetes can experience increases in fasting blood sugar levels while taking fish oil supplements.
My estimate is that close to 90 percent of fish oils on the market today may contain mercury and pesticide residues plus hydrogenated oils. Of course, this is my opinion based on my own research from visiting different manufacturing plants, interviewing companies, and studying the research and the listed ingredients of typical fish oils. I would stay away from ALL fish oils that do not have antioxidants like astaxanthin, which help stabilize the oil from going rancid. I always look for astaxanthin as part of any high-quality fish oil supplement.
To avoid fish oil supplements containing mercury or other harmful contaminants, purchase supplements from a reputable source that clearly tests for these health-hazardous contaminants in its products. These tests should be ideally conducted by a third-party, and a certificate of analysis should indicate the levels of purity from environmental toxins.
Final Thoughts on Fish Oil Benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our health, but our bodies cannot make them so we must get them from diet. If diet is not enough to meet our needs, then a high-quality fish oil supplement is the next best option.
The best fish oil supplement always ones manufactured under strict standards with thorough testing for health-hazardous contaminants like mercury.
Post-supplementation “fish burps” can be avoided by consuming fish oil with food.
Fish oils can be used as prevention to health problems as well as a treatment.
Scientific studies have and continue to back up all of the incredible fish oil benefits ranging from eczema and fertility to heart disease and many types of cancer.
have your back. I really do. I sift through all the nonsense out there so you don’t go down the wrong path, waste your valuable time, and/or become injured.
Today is no exception. I will address the issue of vibration exercise as it pertains to body fat reduction. I consider this one of the biggest wastes of time in my relatively long-life, but you need to know the truth so YOU don’t waste your time with this bunk.
It has been proposed that vibration exercise (VbX), which evokes muscular work and elevates metabolic rate, could be a potential method for weight reduction. It has been marketed as an exercise modality that requires little time and physical exertion while providing the benefits of increased force, power, balance, flexibility, and weight loss, thus the appeal to people seeking simple exercise. The popular press has purported that VbX is quick, convenient, and ten minutes of VbX is equivalent to one hour of traditional exercise and a new weight-loss and body toning workout.
Here we go again: another step in the wrong direction in our quick-fix, take-the-path-of-least- resistance, and swallow-a-magic-pill society.
Studies have shown that muscle activation was elicited but the energy demand in response to VbX was quite low. Exhaustive VbX was reported to produce a metabolic demand of 23 ml/kg/min compared to 44 ml/kg/min from an exhaustive cycle test. Different vibration frequencies were tested with varying amplitudes and loads, but only small increases in metabolic rate were reported.
Based on their findings, they concluded it was indirectly calculated that a VbX session of 26Hz for 3 continuous minutes would only incur a loss of ~10.7g fat/hr. Following a 24-week program of VbX, no observed differences were found in body composition and following 12 months of VbX the time to reach peak O2 was significantly higher in conventional exercise compared to VbX.
One study showed the percentage of body fat decreased by 3.2% after eight months after VbX in comparison to resistance and control groups that performed no aerobic conditioning.
Only one study reported that VbX was able to burn extra calories, but could not reduce overall body fat and another reported vibration was not a suitable option to reduce body weight, as the metabolic cost of a ‘standard’ vibration session is equivalent to burning only 10g/hr.
It is equivocal whether the increase in energy turnover can be accounted for by an increase in muscle activation caused by neural potentiation, which has been based on spinal reflexes.However, to date, no direct measures of muscle have been made to verify that VbX acts solely through a reflex potentiation causing a change in muscle length that increases oxygen uptake.
Cardinale and Bosco suggested that vibration causes small and rapid changes in muscle length by eliciting reflex muscle activity in an attempt to damp the mechanical vibration, where various researchers have speculated the muscle activation is similar to that of the tonic vibration reflex.
The research study compilation concluded the evidence clearly suggests that VbX can increase whole and local oxygen uptake; however, with additional load, high vibration frequency and/or amplitude it cannot match the demands of conventional aerobic exercise. Therefore, it is questionable when a VbX program is solely used for the purpose of reducing body fat without considering dietary and aerobic conditioning guidelines.
Enough already. Let’s cut to the bottom line.
Attempting to shed body fat by relying solely on a device that vibrates and shakes your arms, torso, tush and wheels is beyond lame. It has been know for the longest time that to reduce body fat stores – particularly the hard-to-get-at adipose storage sites – a negative calorie balance (fewer calories going in/greater energy expenditure going out) must occur. The only practical way to do this is by monitoring your food consumption and performing high energy-demand exercise, which vibration exercise is not.
Shake fat away? How about this better advice:
Determine your daily calorie needs based on your activity level. Here is a fairly accurate daily calorie calculator.
Make sure your total daily calorie intake does not surpass your needs. Create a calorie deficit!
Take the time-proven approach of five to six feedings/day, fresh vegetables & fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, protein at each feeding, and plenty of water.
Exercise sensibly. Include a strength training routine (you need muscle – it is metabolically active!), high-intensity intervals, circuits, 15 minutes all-out on the Versa-Climber, or anything that is demanding (walking at 3.5 miles/hour for 45 minutes on a treadmill does not count).
Shake this: it takes disciplined eating and sensible exercise to tap into adipose fat stores, not an expensive vibrating device.
Sepatu atau sandal adalah aksesoris yang tidak bisa dilepaskan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Tapi tak ada salahnya untuk melepaskan aksesoris itu, karena ada manfaat kesehatan yang didapat dari berjalan dengan telanjang kaki.
Umumnya sepatu dan sandal yang digunakan secara terus menerus bisa mempengaruhi bentuk kaki manusia atau menimbulkan cedera. Karena itu cobalah untuk sesekali berjalan dengan menggunakan telanjang kaki.
Dalam filsafat kuno diketahui bahwa jumlah energi kekuatan hidup (chi) yang diserap oleh tubuh akan lebih banyak jika berjalan tanpa alas kaki. Secara tidak sadar kondisi ini akan meningkatkan vitalitas, kemampuan tubuh untuk melakukan banyak kerjaan, menyehatkan sistem pernapasan dan berpikir dengan jelas.
Berikut ini beberapa keuntungan atau manfaat kesehatan yang bisa dilakukan dengan berjalan tanpa menggunakan alas kaki, seperti dikutip dari Lifemojo, Sabtu (13/8/2011) yaitu:
Pada musim panas, berjalan tanpa alas kaki bisa menjadi efek pendinginan bagi tubuh jika dilakuakn di atas rumput hijau saat pagi hari.
Berjalan tanpa alas kaki bisa meningkatkan fungsi sirkulasi karena mengaktifkan ootot-otot di kaki yang nantinya membantu memompa darah kembali ke jantung.
Mencegah terjadinya pengumpulan darah di kaki, mengurangi stres pada sistem kardiovaskular secara menyeluruh dan mengurangi tekanan darah serta masalah pada pembuluh darah vena.
Berjalan tanpa alas kaki memberikan efek relaksasi pada kaki yang lelah.
Membantu meluruskan jari-jari kaki, mencegah perubahan bentuk kaki (deformitas), mencegah masalah pada kaki datar serta meningkatkan kekuatan fleksor.
Memberikan kesempatan untuk membangun kontak langsung dengan alam sehingga menghilangkan ketegangan pikiran akibat tekanan sehari-hari, tubuh menjadi rileks, meremajakan pikiran serta meningkatkan energi tubuh.
Meski memiliki banyak manfaat bagi kesehatan, tapi masyarakat sebaiknya melakukan kegiatan ini dengan cermat dan hati-hati agar tetap aman dan tidak menimbulkan masalah atau cedera.
Ada beberapa tips agar bisa dilakukan jika ingin berjalan kaki tanpa menggunakan alas dengan aman yaitu:
Selalu waspada mengenai jalan yang akan dilewati
Hindari jalan-jalan yang berpotensi bahaya seperti banyak percabangan pohon, ada pecahan kaca, paku atau berisiko terdapat limbah industri
Saat pulang, maka segera cuci kaki dengan menggunakan sabun dan air mengalir untuk membersihkan kaki dari kotoran yang menempel serta memastikan bahwa tidak ada serangga yang masih menempel di kulit.
(CNN) — Terry Chiplin didn’t need a Harvard study to tell him what he’s known for years.
“Barefoot running, for me, is a lot less painful than wearing running shoes,” said the 55-year-old Brit, who competed in high school in thin-soled leather shoes and would run shoeless whenever he could.
After taking a break in early adulthood from the sport, Chiplin returned to it by buying a fancy pair of running shoes.
“I’d come home with blisters, my feet killing me,” he said. “So one day, I just said to myself, ‘Who cares what anybody thinks? I’m putting sole to earth.’ ”
Chiplin now teaches running and outdoor fitness in Estes Park, Colorado, and does it shoeless as often as possible.
He’s among many runners on blogs and list-servs who’ve been debating new studies about the most efficient running form. Should you go barefoot? Land heel-first or on the balls of your feet? Are those fancy shoes hurting more than helping you?
The study stirring the most buzz was led by Harvard evolutionary biologist Dr. Daniel Lieberman.
It’s the first to compare how much impact the body takes when a runner is wearing shoes or is barefoot. Using high-speed video, the study revealed barefoot runners strike with their forefoot and suffer less jarring to their bodies. When you’re barefoot, you’re going to land with the portion of your foot that is most springy. And think of the barefoot run as a game of hot potato — if you know you have rocks and glass on that surface, you’re going to move more carefully and pick your feet up quicker.
Shoe wearers strike with their heel and deliver a shock to their overall body that is two to three times their body weight. Lieberman’s test subjects were Kenyan runners who had spent their lives running barefoot and the Harvard track team, which runs in shoes.
“Runners are responding because they are always interested in the latest science of their sport, and they have a personal reaction to being told that their shoes are going to be taken away,” said D. Leif Rustvold, a Portland, Oregon, runner with a masters in anthropological biology who works for a health care provider.
Though he switched to barefooting a few years ago and saw an improvement in his efficiency, he predicts barefooting will remain a practice of a minority.
Runners are concerned first about injuries, and barefoot running can seem, at first, like it’s going to lead to injury,” he said. “Besides, we’ve been wearing shoes for years. No one is going to roll that back.”
The other study, focusing on walking form, comes from University of Utah biology professor David Carrier.
Carrier is well-known among distance runners for trying to run down a herd of antelope a few years ago to prove that humans were built to run great distances, their survival dependent on their ability to persistence hunt.
He found that while humans have evolved to run great distances, we’ve also evolved to become more efficient walkers than our ape ancestors by doing the very thing Lieberman’s study warns against — landing heel first. His test subjects were volunteers who were triathletes, runners and soccer players.
Most mammals — dogs, cats, raccoons — walk and run around on the balls of their feet, the study says. Few species land on their heel: bears, humans and great apes — chimps, gorillas, orangutans.
“Our study shows that the heel-down posture increases the economy of walking but not the economy of running,” says Carrier. “You consume more energy when you walk on the balls of your feet or your toes than when you walk heels first.”
So, run on your forefeet and walk on your heels?
“It can be complicated, but I don’t think what Lieberman concluded and what our study found conflicts at all with each other,” Carrier told CNN. “If anything it shows how complex our feet are, and how much we’re learning about the mechanics of movement.”
Lieberman said his study is not meant to be an argument for barefoot running.
“I’m afraid people have misunderstood me,” he said. “I’m not in the business of telling people what to do, what shoes to wear or whether to wear shoes at all.”
Amanda Musacchio, 35, of Wheaton, Illinois, is a member of one of the biggest running list-servs in the country. She and many other runners have interpreted the story as a round-about way to cheer barefoot running.
Musacchio wore thin-soled shoes when she was a sprinter in high school without injury. But when she started running longer distances in adulthood, she thought wearing a heavy-cushioned shoe would help. Instead, she racked up injuries. So she went bare again.
“I started barefoot running five minutes at a time,” she said. “I feel almost as good now as when I did 20 years ago when I was a sprinter. My feet seem to remember how to land properly, on my forefoot, and that improved form has changed my running tremendously.”
Among the skeptics is self-described “proud shoe wearer” runner Spurgeon Hendrick, who regularly hits the trails outside Atlanta, Georgia, for long runs.
He points out that Lieberman’s study was partly sponsored by Vibram USA, information that is clearly disclosed on every page. The company makes Vibram 5 Fingers, a thin latex shoe with individual toes that mimics barefoot running. The shoe has sold like hot cakes this past year after they and Lieberman’s work were featured in the 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run.”
“I couldn’t run barefooted, or in Vibrams, even if I wanted to,” Hendrick said. “I stub my toes on roots and rocks too much, and at my age, I don’t have time to wait on a broken toe to heal.”
Lieberman is adamant that Vibram sponsorship had nothing to do with the outcome of the study, which was also funded by the American School of Prehistoric Research, the Goelet Fund and Harvard University.
But many runners are saying that apart from the nitpicking about whether the studies are on the money is one basic lesson: Be more aware of your unique movement.
“I think it’s very hard, if not impossible, to change body mechanics,” said Dr. Perry Julien, a podiatrist who has treated Olympic runners and serves as the co-medical director of the world’s biggest 10K, the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race. “And people who try, or try too quickly and without care, are going to wind up in my office.”
If you’re a walker, being more conscious of how your feet hit the ground may make you more efficient. If you’re a 200-pound guy who hits the treadmill a couple times a week, barefoot running might not be worth the work necessary to build up the calf and Achilles strength to prevent injury, he said.
Stress fractures, tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, a hard-to-heal tissue inflammation that feels like needles driven into your foot, are likely to result for runners who dash out the gate barefoot without gradually working up to it.
The podiatrist pointed out that there are many examples of people who heel strike without problems, most famously Joan Benoit.
Benoit won the first women’s Olympics marathon in 1984, the same era of the record-breaking South African Zola Budd, who ran barefoot.
Do your days fly by? Is it difficult to make time for a trip to the gym?
You’re in the right place.
These are the 50 best resources for free online workouts that make is easy for you to exercise at home. Whether you have just a few minutes for a quick core workout, or if you’d like to join a month-long daily yoga challenge, there is something in here for you.
There are a LOT of exercise videos online, especially on Youtube, but the ones that made this list are the very best when it comes to teaching you how to exercise at home. These workouts require little to no equipment and are taught by excellent fitness instructors who know their stuff.
So take a look through this amazing list and find the perfect fitness instructor who can help you get a great workout done at home.
Use These 50 Free Workout Resources To Exercise At Home
Daniel and Kelli are the husband and wife team behind Fitness Blender, a site that offers a huge selection of full-length video workouts of all different types. Here you will find fat-burning workouts, kickboxing routines, total body strength training, workouts for boosting metabolism, stretching sequences, and more.
This resource offers wonderful online fitness classes that everybody can easily do at home. Sweaty Betty provides yoga workouts, HIIT routines, and many other types for you to try. No matter whether you have experience doing fitness classes or are a complete beginner, Sweaty Betty has something that will get you working at an appropriate level.
Do you want to do bodyweight workouts at home? Craig Ballentyne of Turbulence Training provides a wonderful collection of no-equipment bodyweight workouts designed to help you burn fat and get lean. These instructional videos are mostly short ones (i.e. under 10 minutes) and can be used to create your own home workouts.
Jessica Smith TV shares a unique collection of videos with 7 minute, 10 minute and 30 minute workouts. She offers a really great variety of workout styles – Some focus on fat burning, others on cardio conditioning, workouts for beginners, kickboxing workouts and more. Jessica is an energetic instructor that will motivate you to join her.
Do Yoga with Me is one of my personal favourites. Many of their classes are filmed outdoors in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. The level of instruction is top-notch and there are videos that focus on pretty much every part of the body (e.g. hips, hamstrings, back, etc.), so you can target the area that you need to work on most.
I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention my own workouts that are available here at Make Your Body Work. Every single workout will challenge your entire body and will include elements of cardio, strength, and core conditioning. The uniqueness of these workouts are the “difficulty levels” that provide up to 4 distinct options for every single move. This makes each workout very accessible for newbies, yet challenging for super-fit users.
Karena and Katrina lead the workouts at Tone it Up. Their routines are aimed at helping you shed excess weight and transform your body through simple strengthening exercises. Their website provides specific workouts for arms, legs, abs, cardio, etc. and have attracted followers from around the world.
Adriene Mishler is a yogi with purpose. She wants to use her instructional classes to help people live life better. As she puts it, “Yoga offers up a way for us to see a world that is working for you instead of against you.” Try the following class when you’re feeling in a bad mood. (I tried it…and felt better afterwards!)
Spark People shares short videos for all different types of workouts. There are several categories – Abs, Cardio, Yoga and Pilates, as well as others that diver into healthy cooking and eating ideas. These workouts are great when you are pinched for time. Choose a 10-12 minute routine and squeeze in some activity where you normally would have skipped it altogether.
Enjoy doing yoga workouts with your favourite trainers such as Jillian Michaels, Jane Fonda, Billy Blanks Jr., Tara Stiles and many others. This channel might offer the best variety of any out there – It even includes meditations with Deepak Chopra (maybe a good way to relax AFTER your workout!)
Livestrong Woman is a video channel featuring professional fitness instructor, Natalie Jill. In addition to Natalie’s resistance training instructional videos, you will also find great yoga beginners videos taught by Tara Stiles. As an extra bonus, this channel also includes some great videos that discus healthy eating tips and recipes.
Diet Health is YouTube channel that shares great workout videos and simple health tips that can help you change your lifestyle and improve your overall health. Their workouts are mostly quick ones (under 10 minutes) and are led by experienced personal trainers.
Natalie Jill is a very popular fitness trainer who you will see guest starring on some of the other sites and channels found in this list. Her best videos can be found on her personal fitness blog which shares workouts for weight loss, exercise ball routines, jump rope workouts, booty belt workouts, body weight exercises and more. Natalie also shares great healthy recipes and useful nutrition tips on her site.
Yoga Journal is a wonderful YouTube channel worth following if you want to do yoga at home. Highly experienced yoga teachers will show you how to do poses for the most relaxation, flexibility, and strength benefits. These short videos can be done whenever you have a few minutes to spare during your day.
CafeMom Studios is a very popular YouTube channel that helps moms build their body back after pregnancy and childbirth. CafeMom Studios offers postnatal workout videos for cardio, pain-reduction, circuit training, and yoga exercises for strength and flexibility.
Anyone looking for yoga, Pilates, and gentle muscle strengthening workouts will love eFit30. These full-length (i.e. 20-40 minute) classes are perfect for days when you want to be active but don’t feel like making the trip to your gym.
Sarah is a well-known health and fitness blogger has made “enabling your passion for healthy living” her mission. She shares a lot of quick and simple core workouts, cardio routines, flexibility workouts, and more on her blog. Sarah is fun, energetic, and really likeable, which makes following along with her workouts quite easy.
Cassey Ho is is the energetic fitness instructor behind Blogilates. She shares a lot of videos with quick and fun bodyweight workouts that you can do at home in just a few minutes. Her workouts are themed for different objectives such as the “Swimsuit Slim-Down” series that you can see below.
Bodyrock.tv is one of the forerunners in online fitness. This popular health and exercise blog is dedicated to weight loss, fitness, beauty, food, love and relationships. “Bodyrockers” find daily workouts that are either laid out with descriptions and pictures, or that are instructed in video format. All of the workouts can be done at home with minimal equipment.
GymRa offers a excellent range of video workouts that are divided into different categories – 5 to 15 minutes workouts for beginners, abs workouts, dumbbell workouts, no-equipment workouts, total body routines and yoga sessions. There is really something for everyone at Gymra.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra is happy to share her yoga expertise on the Good Health 24by7 YouTube channel. Enjoy doing full-length yoga asanas, or simply learn proper form and technique from her quick tutorial videos.
Workouts provided on the Live Strong YouTube video channel will definitely help you improve your strength, flexibility and fitness. Celebrity trainer, Nicky Holender instructs most of the workouts you’ll find here. He knows his stuff and tailors these workouts for busy people who want a quick exercise fix.
Caroline Jordan Fitness is a great choice for quick core, flexibility, strength, and yoga videos. Caroline’s demonstrations are excellent and her instructions of each more are very clear. This is a good place to learn the basics of some foundational workout moves.
Rebekah Borucki provides people with an amazing collection of short workouts for weight loss and toning. Her focus really is on time-saving exercise, so she employs lots of interval training and HIIT series to make your workouts as efficient as possible.
Steady Health has a large collection of workout videos that include specific routines for pregnant women, office workers, those who are rehabilitating after injury, and for people who just need a little relaxation.
Pop Sugar is a popular fitness and beauty blog that offers just about anything you could want in a health blog. On the website you will find lots of workouts broken down with great written instructions and pictures. On the Pop Sugar Fitness Youtube channel you can enjoy a great range of quick workouts led by some fitness industry superstars.
Enjoy doing easy step aerobics and fitness cardio workouts led by super-stepper, Jenny Ford. Jenny does a great job of making step classes doable for beginners (like me) who might not be the most co-ordinated! You can certainly tell she loves what she does – Check out one of her free video classes.
Amanda Russell is a former Olympic-hopeful runner who suffered a career-ending injury before she got to compete at the world’s biggest stage. Now she has devoted her career to helping others safely stay in shape with workouts that can be done at home.
Tara Stiles is a yoga guru whose video classes will help you become strong, energized, and more flexible at the same time. Tara’s unique movement system is approachable for anyone. Be sure to try her 7-minute morning yoga routine (below) – it’s fantastic!
This is another excellent Youtube channel that is worth checking out, especially if you are new to yoga. It offers a series of six videos, each just 10 minutes long, which teach introductory yoga poses that most people would find quite approachable.
Lauren Hefez is a personal trainer and Pilates and barre instructor. She has a great fitness blog that includes recipes, product reviews, and of course there are workouts in there too! She does a great job of specifying workouts for target areas like your abs, arms and back, butt and legs, and other combinations.
Sadie Lincoln is an experienced fitness trainer and founder of Barre3. Barre workouts are based on a traditional ballet style of training that uses a bar (of course!). Sadie has taken this foundation and developed a unique training program that perfectly combines yoga, pilates, dance and bodyweight workouts.
Enjoy using Cosmo Body’s videos that include easy-to-follow full-length strength, dance, and cardio workouts. Astrid Swan, celebrity personal trainer, also provides many quickie workouts (10 minutes and less) that give you an express option when you’re crunched for time.
XHIT has put together an impressive library of video workouts that are free to use on their blog or Youtube Channel. Their followers, called “X-hitters”, enjoy the efficiency of their workouts (always under 20 minutes), as well as their exercise-specific instructional videos that teach just one or two moves in greater detail.
Yoga Online is the Youtube channel for Yogasync.tv and it is a great place to find home workouts for new yogis. If you have just started doing yoga, you will find it interesting to watch videos with breathing techniques, and instructions for mastering key yoga poses.
Movee is the place to go if you’re looking for quick, dance-based workouts that will get you sweating. It also provides videos with yoga workouts for beginners, pilates workouts for beginners, perfect leg workouts, easy back exercises, body stretches and amazing healthy raw food recipes.
The Body Project specializes in high-intensity fat-burning workouts that can be done from home. Their workouts have some creative moves that are fun and effective. The low-impact cardio workout found below is a great place to start.
Emily Skye has a Youtube channel complete with dozens of exercise tutorial videos that are mostly 1 minute or less. She has put together some interesting movement combinations that you can assemble into your own full-length home workout.
The eHowFitness YouTube channel provides specific workout ideas and health tips from leading fitness experts and popular celebrity trainers. Videos provided here focus on weight loss, breathing exercises, water workouts, stretching exercises and even workouts for kids. They also have niche exercise videos like this one for expectant mothers.
Leslie of Fightmaster Yoga teaches hatha yoga for beginners, yoga for energy, yoga for reducing stress, meditation yoga, yoga workouts for strength, yoga for office workers…in other words, she offers a BIG selection of yoga classes! She is a knowledgeable instructor and is an excellent communicator, which makes her classes especially easy for beginners to follow.
PsycheTruth is a holistic health channel on Youtube that discusses exercise, weight-loss, massage, pain relief, and many other health-related topics. Included are some amazing yoga sequences including this “10 days of flexibility” series that is worth checking out.
Do You Yoga offers amazing yoga video “challenges” for everybody. Providing a little more structure via their courses (a number of which are completely free), Do You Yoga can help you create a habit of daily yoga!
Sean Vigue is a really inspiring fitness trainer who Pilates, strength, cardio, weight-loss, core training, and yoga workouts on his Youtube channel. He also throws in some “fun” stuff like this 1-minute burpee challenge. (It only takes 1 minute…try it!)
Method Yoga explains their approach best: “Method Yoga offers the student a processes of development and transformation by uniting methodologies of old and new so one begins to experience true liberation, wholeness and actualization which is the definition and purpose of “yoga”. It’s hard to pass on that!
Upside-Down Pilates shares videos that will help you realize the many health benefits of Pilates. These aren’t “let’s get sweaty” types of workout – Instead, they are more suited for improving the way your body moves by training your pelvis, hips, knees, arms and shoulders for proper function.
Brittany, a certified Pilates instructor, created Fine Tune Pilates as a way to help people rediscover their bodies and to learn how they actually move throughout the day. Her gentle classes are a nice workout, without any of the pounding on the joints that come with some high-intensity exercise styles.
Amber Karnes offers “judgment-free” yoga classes that are perfect for beginners and for those with “big bodies” who might not feel comfortable with traditional yoga poses. Amber has used yoga to help her embrace her own body and she is an excellent teacher to help you do the same.
Susan’s Youtube channel has lots of workout instructional videos and tips, but none are better than her 30-Day Ab Challenge. These are quick but challenging core workouts that offer you something different each day for an entire month!
My Free Yoga is pretty much exactly as it sounds – if offers free yoga classes for you to enjoy! It is a little different than other yoga options on this list in that it is really a hub for yoga instructors to post their free yoga class videos. The video library is huge and you can search for classes that focus on your specific problem areas. For example, there is a category for those suffering from hip issues and another for those experiencing back pain.
Coach Joshua Kozak is the trainer behind HASFit, which gets its name because “every Heart and Soul deserves to be Fit!” These workouts are based primarily in bodyweight training, so they are nice for at-home or when travelling. Coach Kozak has prepared some unique workouts such as one specifically for seniors and a series for teenage weight-loss.
