There is an ongoing perception that you have to feel pain in order to reap the gains of exercise.  It implies that those who avoid pain will never reach as far as those who endure the pain.  This can be no further from the truth.

You shouldn’t be exercising at a level of pain.  Although resistance training can be intense which can cause you to feel some level of discomfort, pain is not necessary.  The discomfort is ok.

If you are exercising and you working so hard that you feel like passing out; you are putting yourself at risk for injuries or burnout.  The pain is also a way of the your body warning you that it is exhausted or that if you go any further you might cause damage.

When you exercise, you should exercise smarter not harder.  You don’t have to kill yourself.  The road to achievement does not necessarily run through hard ship.

As always, consult with your trainer to distinguish between what is acceptable pain and discomfort from what is unacceptable pain that could cause injury.

Until next week, I wish you good Spiritual and Physical Health

Jonelle Richardson

Health and Fitness Expert

Usually when one enters the gym for the first time, they are encouraged to weigh themselves and take bodily measurements to assist them in gauging future progress.  The reasoning behind this, is just that, to gauge future progress and progress should not solely be based on whether or not one has lost or gained weight.  You should not gauge weekly or monthly progress on how much weight you have lost.

As time passes, a person becomes more and more healthier because they have been exercising.  The exercising helps to reduce certain types of risks that are not measured by weight.

• It reduces the risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer
• Helps to prevent heart disease and stroke

So even though you might not being seeing a difference in weight improvements are still being made.  You might even notice that your body tone has changed because the exercise has made you leaner.

Just remember, don’t get stuck in the school of thought that weight and the loosing of it is the be all and end all deciding factor of progress.

Until next week, I wish you good Spiritual and Physical Health

Jonelle Richardson

Health and Fitness Expert

Your body requires different dietary nutrients in order to function properly.  Some can be manufactured by the body whilst others cannot.  Essential Minerals are the nutrients found in the earth which cannot be made by the body and they need to be consumed through your diet or dietary supplements.

Certain Minerals are required in larger quantities in the body and they are:

Calcium – is needed for muscle, heart and digestive system health, builds bone,    supports synthesis and function of blood cells.  It is found in dairy products, canned fish with bones, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Chlorine – is needed for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and is found in table salt.

Sodium – is needed for regulating the body’s fluid balance and it is found in sea vegatables, milk and spinach.

Magnesium – is needed to maintain healthy bones, maintain a health heart and release energy and absorb nutrients.  It is found in nuts, soy beans and cocoa mass.

Potassium – is needed for correct cell functions, regulating body fluid, regulating nerves, heart beat and blood pressure It is found in potato skins, legumes, tomatos and bananas.

Phosphorus – is a component of bones, cells, in energy processing and many other functions.  It is found in red meat, dairy foods, fish, poultry, bread, rice and oats.

Other minerals are only needed in minute amounts in the body and they are:

Zinc – is essential for normal growth and development, health reproduductive system and fertility, health skin and a strong immune system.  It is found in wheatgerm, seeds, quorn, nuts and beef steak.

Iron – is required for many proteins and enzymes, notably hemoglobin to prevent anemia.  It is found in red meat, leafy green vegatables, fish, eggs, dried fruits, beans, whoal grains and enriched grains.

Manganese – protects against free radicals and helps break down fats.

Copper – is required for collagen production and absorption of iron.

Iodine – is needed for prodction of thyroid hormones and metabolism regulation

Selenium – is important for normal growth, fertility, thyroid action, healthy skin and hair.  It is found in nuts, dried mushrooms, fish and lamb’s kidney/liver.

It is recommended that minerals are best supplied by ingesting specific foods which have them naturally present or added through processes.  Minerals can also be found in dietary supplements.  Either way, the importance of minerals and their intake is to support the biochemical reactions of metabolism and the maintenance of optimal health.

Consult your doctor to see whether or not you have any deficiencies in these minerals, they are essential to bodily functions so its important to know what you need and what is essential for you to have in terms of your everyday functioning.

Until next week, I wish you good Spirtitual and Physical health

Jonelle Richardson

Health and Fitness Expert