Stamina: 5 Ways to Increase It And Go That Extra Mile!

 

Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight … oh, that’s enough! 

You want to do more reps on that gym equipment, run the extra mile, or steps on that walk, but you just don’t have the strength. Your exercise and workouts may be suffering — because you lack stamina.

The truth is it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a number of ways to improve your stamina and do so without adding more complication to your life. The right blend of actions can go a long way in improving your stamina and your overall quality of life as a result.

Too Tired to Feel the Burn

If your exercise plan is fizzling out, who can blame you? Life is physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding. And after a hard day of working, caring for children, and navigating through your life, your workout might not last as long as you wish it would. To work out at your highest level, you need sleep and some stress-free down time–and many of us don’t get enough of either!

Endurance and Fat Burning

Research has shown that the human body doesn’t start burning fat until about 30 minutes into a cardio workout—so if you’re working out for 45 minutes, only the last 15 are really helping improve your heart. Also, once you’ve been routinely exercising for a while, your body gets accustomed to your workout. If it’s a breeze, it’s not testing your stamina enough to help you maintain your healthy physique and to continue to burn fat.

How to Last Longer

Fortunately, there are some alternative techniques and strategies you can use to increase your stamina in the gym:

• Use this herb: While many herbs that claim to boost your performance and enhance your stamina in the gym,  Golden Root is often the herbal supplement of choice for people who want to increase their stamina in every area of life. This herb is an adaptogen, which means it can help rebalance your body and solve a huge variety of problems. Some people even use Golden Root as an aphrodisiac. You can buy this supplement at any health food store or online vitamin outlet.
• Picture success: Using a visualization of something encouraging can help you push past the natural end of your endurance. If you are not the best at conjuring up your imagination, consider using a picture that is posted in the gym or one you put on your cell phone. It might be a place you want to be, a body you wish you had, or a hot gentleman you’d like to date. Use whatever fuels your fire. When you feel like stopping your workout, become inspired to keep going a bit longer by getting a glimpse of what success could look like.
• Speak up: Another tip to getting yourself to go above and beyond your normal workout is to use affirmations. Say things like, “Every minute I spend running, I feel healthier and happier.” You can personalize your own affirmations, but be sure they emphasize how great the workout feels and what positive things it is doing for your body. Keep affirmations in the present tense. “When I am at the gym, I feel my best.” “I am succeeding at weight loss.” “I am fully capable of improving my physical performance.” Say your affirmations several times a day—not just in the gym.
• Boost your qi: Your qi, or life energy, is the natural energy that flows through your body. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses qi to balance the body, heal organs, and increase general feelings of happiness and calm. But you can also harness the power of your qi to give you extra energy for your workout. One of the best ways to focus yourqi is to meditate. The act of focusing on the energy in the body itself may increase your level of qi. Breathe deeply and calmly with your eyes closed for 10 minutes before your exercise. Try to visualize inhaling energy and light into your second chakra—the energy center that’s two inches below your belly button—for a few minutes before you hit the gym.
• Eat right: Your diet is a good place to look if you find yourself feeling drained after your workout. In order to have the energy you need for optimum performance at the gym, you will need a balanced diet of lean proteins, healthy fats, fruits and veggies, and whole grains. An extremely limited diet can do more harm than good; lack of carbs can leave you feeling foggy-headed and craving sugar, persuading you to leave your workout and head for the donut shop instead! Try choosing healthy versions of your favorites: Lean, organic beef; multi-grain bread; and extra virginolive oil can be part of any healthy diet. Munch on a piece of fruit on the way to the gym, to give you some quality carbohydrates that can be burned off quickly for an immediate energy boost. Be sure your daily diet includes high-quality, lean protein like eggs, beans, or fish.

That Extra Mile

… twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one!

It’s a great feeling to meet your goal, especially when you were considering pooping out just a few minutes earlier! Use these strategies to improve your stamina, so you can get the most from your workout by staying on task until you’ve met your goals. Then, don’t forget: When you’ve accomplished what you set out to do, bump your goals a little higher!

Stress Relievers: 25 Ways to Reduce Stress

Stress Relievers: 25 Ways to Reduce Stress


Stress Relievers For All Types of People
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., Updated October 27, 2011

We all experience stress from time to time. When stress gets to be too much, it can take a toll on our health and wellbeing. That's why effective stress relievers are essential in restoring inner peace and physical health. Here is a growing list of stress relievers that can help you feel less affected by stress in your life.


# Guided Imagery
Practicing guided imagery is a fun and simple way to take a break from stress, clarify what you want, and build optimism. It's a relatively quick pathway to mental peace.

# Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis provides a simple and relaxing route to changing habits, relaxing your body, altering your thought patterns, and more. Because all of these can be stress relievers, self-hypnosis is well worth the effort.

# Autogenics
Autogenics allows you to change your physiology with your mind, and reverse your stress response easily.

# Journaling
Journaling can be used in several different ways, all of which can relieve stress. Because journaling is proven by research to bring several health benefits in addition to stress relief, this stress reliever is highly recommended.

# Meditation
Meditation brings short-term stress relief as well as lasting stress management benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try--each one is unique and brings its own appeal.

# PMR
Progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR, is a technique that allows you to relax all of the muscles in your body, group by group. Beginning sessions take several minutes, and allow you to feel physically and emotionally relaxed when done. With practice, you can achieve full-body relaxation within seconds.

# Yoga
Yoga incorporates breathing exercises, meditation, and light exercise. One session brings initial stress relief, and continued practice brings greater resilience to stress. It's one of the more potent stress relievers.

# Breathing

Breathing exercises provide convenient and simple stress relief in that they can be used anytime, anywhere, and they work quickly.

# Playing Games
Enjoying a good game with a group of friends, or playing something relaxing online can take your mind off of your stressors, and can lead to a more relaxed state. Games are stress relievers that work well because people enjoy them enough to use them regularly.

# Sex
Within a healthy relationship, sex can be a fantastic stress reliever, as it incorporates several other stress relief ingredients--breathing, touch, social connection, and a few others--and brings a rush of endorphins and other beneficial chemicals with orgasm. It's another one of the more "fun" stress relievers that can also be quite effective.

# Laughter
The physical act of laughing releases tension and brings positive physiological changes. Finding ways to work more laughter into your day can be an effective route to stress relief.

# Biofeedback
While biofeedback requires some special equipment, this stress relief technique can allow you to become more aware of and consciously alter the physiological changes that come with stress. By using your mind to relax your body, you can relax your mind to a greater degree as well, creating a positive feedback loop.

# Music Therapy
Music can alter your physiology in ways that help you to relieve stress. It's an enjoyable, passive route to stress relief. Formal music therapy sessions can help with a variety of stress-related issues.

# Take a Walk
Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever that can work in minutes. Taking a walk allows you to enjoy a change in scenery, which can get you into a different frame of mind, and brings the benefits of exercise as well. Learn about the other benefits of walking as a stress reliever.

# Plant a Garden
Getting outside and enjoying the scenery is just one of the ways that gardening can contribute to stress relief. Read about the other stress reliever benefits of planting a garden.

# Time Management
Honing your time management skills can allow you to minimize the stressors that you experience, and better manage the ones you can't avoid. When you are able to complete everything on your "to do" list without the stress of rushing or forgetting, your whole life feels easier.

# Listen To Music
Finding a music therapist isn't the only way music can help as a stress reliever. Creating playlists for various moods (a cathartic mix for when you want to process feelings, an upbeat mix for when you need more energy, etc.) can help you to relieve stress passively, enjoyably, and conveniently.

# Eat a Balanced Diet
A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress. A healthy diet can bring greater physical and emotional wellness. Find some simple go-to meals and snacks, and feel less stressed in your daily life.

# Learn Assertive Communication Skills
Relationships can be great stress relievers. Knowing how to keep your relationships healthy through effective communication is one of the best investments of time and energy for stress relief.

# Enjoy Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy has proven benefits for stress relief--it can help you to become energized, more relaxed, or more present.

# Reduce Caffeine Intake
Consuming caffeine too late in the day can affect sleep quality, which impacts stress levels. Consuming too much caffeine in general can make you more emotionally reactive to stress. Learn how much caffeine is too much.

# Drink in Moderation
Speaking of knowing limits, maintaining careful limits with alcohol is particularly important. One glass of red wine at the end of the day can bring relaxation, but too much alcohol can obviously bring a host of other problems.

# Don’t Procrastinate
Putting off a stressful or labor-intensive project can only increase the stress you experience. Learn how to stop procrastination can allow you to get done what you need to do, without the added stress of rushing for a deadline.

# Drink Green Tea
Sitting with a glass of green tea and planning for the day ahead, or reflecting on the day behind (remember--decaf at night!) can provide you with a nice break and a taste of peace. You'll experience the health benefits of green tea as well.

# Sign Up For The Free Weekly Newsletter For Ongoing Stress Relief Support!
Receive two newsletters twice a week on stress and stress relief, and find simple and effective ways to relieve stress at a pace you can handle easily. You'll also stay up-to-date on stress research, find ways to connect with other readers, and get stress management information on topics that matter most to you.
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/stressrelievers.htm

Office Exercise

Stress? Exercise is a great stress buster !

Exercise is a great stress buster