How to Give Large Dogs Injections with No Assistance
Giving injections to big dogs can be a major hassle, so here are guidelines for giving injections to large dogs without assistance.
I had been giving injections to a large dog for several weeks, and that’s been plenty of time for me to figure out some tricks to make this task as easy as possible. (more…)
Walking vs. Napping for Mid-Afternoon Energy Recharge
If you had to choose between walking and napping to re-energize, which should it be? Forget the power nap; do the power WALK. Everything points to the walking.
“Walking is generally considered the better choice of activity when looking to recharge in the mid-afternoon,” says Supriya Rao, MD, a quadruple board-certified physician with Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants.
“Research has found that a 15 minute walk can be more beneficial than a 10 minute nap to improve alertness and reduce fatigue.
“Walking increases blood circulation, oxygen levels, and endorphin levels to boost the body’s energy.
“Due to the physical movement of walking, it requires more mental engagement than napping, making it a better choice for those looking to recharge their energy levels.”
Let’s say that you feel lethargic and sluggish, and maybe drowsy, as lunchtime at work approaches.
You decide to forego eating and just nap at your desk for 45 minutes.
Your twin in a parallel universe feels the same way but decides to take a brisk walk outdoors.
You nap for 45 minutes, and for much of that you are asleep, and your timer awakens you. How do you feel?
I once worked a job where a man named Steve almost always used lunch time to nap at his desk, arms folded atop it, head buried in arms.
At the end of lunchtime he looked drained and groggy, not re-energized and perky.
Listless employees who had spent some of their lunch break walking outside always returned appearing refreshed.
So how do you feel after that 45 minute nap?
More rejuvenated than your twin who walked for that time?
The walker’s heart will become elevated and pump more blood throughout the body.
The napper’s heart rate and metabolism will slow down. The body will stiffen, being still for 45 minutes, whereas walking will loosen up joints and muscles.
Quite literally, walking will wake you up. Napping will put you to sleep.
After a walk — even for just 15 or 10 minutes — you will feel more ready to jump through some hoops. After a nap, even for 15 minutes, that’s the last thing you’ll want to think about.
With napping, some people get carried away. If the napping is done at home, that 15 minute snooze may eventually turn into a 30 minute nap.
That then becomes 45 minutes. Over time, the person is now taking naps lasting an hour.
On days off from work, one can get into the habit of taking two-hour naps in the middle of the day despite sleeping overnight for eight hours.
Two hours then becomes three. When this person retires, he might by then have developed such a strong napping habit that he sleeps 2-3 hours every afternoon or early evening, despite averaging eight hours of sleep per night.
Too much sleep, and napping gets included in this, is linked to heart disease, diabetes and increased mortality.
Heart disease and diabetes can cause oversleeping.
Researchers do not know which comes first here. Does a disease process (that someone might not even be aware of that’s occurring in their body) cause sleepiness during the day?
Or does the bad habit of excessive napping lead to a disease process?
Obstructive sleep apnea, which many people have yet don’t know it, typically causes daytime drowsiness that’s not remedied with napping.
Some prescription drugs can cause drowsiness as well.
If you can’t get through the day or evening without a nap, it’s important to see a doctor for a thorough checkup.
However, it could also be that you’ve “trained” your body to expect lengthy naps every day, and thus, you feel that your body “needs” them.
Replace some of that napping with a brisk walk and see what happens.
When it comes to napping vs. walking, only one of these improves cardiorespiratory function, bone health, lowers blood pressure and helps keep the body from getting stiff: brisk walking.
Dr. Rao is board certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine. She is managing director of Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants, and director of Medical Weight Loss at Lowell General Hospital. She also runs the motility program, which focuses on disorders of the esophagus, irritable bowel syndrome and anorectal disorders.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Brocreative
Cut-Off Age When Kids Should No Longer Be Forced to Hug
If you make your kids hug people against their will, you’ll want to know at what age you should stop doing this.
Parents who force their children to “give hugs” at some point will stop this.
The decision is often not based on that child’s choice.
Rather, the parent one day decides the child is too old to be ordered to give or receive hugging on command.
At what age is it still okay to make your child give or receive hugs against their will?
The circumstance may be predictable, such as a visit to an aunt and uncle.
The event may also be unexpected, such as the kindness of a stranger.
The irony is that, despite knowing the child doesn’t like to hug on command, the parent one day decides to stop enforcing this rule, as though there’s a magic cut-off age.
The title of this article is meant to be flippant.
That’s because nobody in their right mind would keep making kids hug people when they don’t want to.
“I agree that children should never be forced to hug someone, but I am going to say that they should never be forced to give a hug to a parent either,” says Dr. Tia Kern-Butler, a licensed psychologist for over 20 years who treats a broad range of issues including relationship problems and behavioral issues of children and adolescents.
“Affection and physical touch is never something that should be forced or coerced,” continues Dr. Kern-Butler.
“Children need to be given permission to have control over their personal space which includes their body and how they share it.”
Is it about the children or the parents?
I once saw a reality TV show in which quintuplets, about age nine, were taken on a tour of a bakery factory.
At the end, when the kids were given treats by the owner, their mother made them give the owner a hug!
One night argue that this was scripted by the director, but that doesn’t matter, because the kids were visibly reluctant to do this.
Often, the order to give a hug is over a circumstance that is not “hug-worthy,” and giving a tour of a bakery is one of those circumstances.
Their mother didn’t want to hug the owner, yet she was just as much a part of the tour!
If those kids had been 13, would she have ordered them to give the hug?
Though it was all on camera, and for all we know, rehearsed several times, this scene certainly depicted what many parents would have done under similar circumstances.
The Bizarre Circumstance of Forced Hugs
- The event is not hug-worthy.
- The parent herself never hugs.
- The kids are usually under age 10.
- The child who’s forced to give a hug is a girl more often than a boy.
- The parent who forces the hug is, by far, more often the mother than the father.
Is it really about teaching kids to show gratitude and respect?
Teaching children to be gracious, appreciative or respectful does not require ordering them to give hugs to strangers or to relatives.
For whose benefit is the forced hugging?
- Your child’s? Come on, you know this isn’t true.
- YOURS? Hmmm, we’re on to something.
Parents feel that if they don’t order their child to give a hug, the targeted recipient will feel slighted!
Or, the parent will think that the targeted recipient — even someone they just met — will think she’s a bad mother for not telling her child to “give that nice man a hug for fixing your bicycle.”
Hey moms, what if “that nice man” changed your flat tire?
Would you hug him? Not likely. At most you’d shake his hand. So why do you force your kids to give hugs as a thank-you? Sleep on this.
So it all comes down to a self-serving reason for the parent, who places the feelings of the recipient ahead of the child’s!
Another reason might be control. The parent likes being in charge, but overdoes it by ordering hugs and disregarding the child’s feelings.
Ironically, it’s almost universal that such a parent will quit ordering hugs once the child reaches a certain age – or maybe height, perhaps – a height closing in on the mother’s, for instance.
Or maybe it’s a change in behavior of the child. For example, a girl has lost her interest in stuffed animals and Star Wars figurines, and now talks about boys, makeup and fashion.
The parent then no longer forces the hugs, even though the parent may not consciously be aware of just why the rule no longer stands.
In Conclusion…
Stop forcing your children, regardless of their age, to give or receive hugs from anyone they don’t want touching them.
It’s really a simple formula, and will teach your kids that they have ownership of their bodies, not to mention increasing their respect for you!
Currently in private practice Dr. Kern-Butler spent 10 years as the lead child and adolescent psychologist with Winter Haven Hospital and served as the mental health liaison for the Children’s Advocacy Center for 14 years.
Professionalpsychologyofpinellas.com/about-me
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Easy Cure for Feeling too Fat to Go to the Health Club
Feeling too fat to step inside a gym?
I have solutions to this conundrum that afflicts so many overweight people. Use my approaches and you will never be afraid to set foot inside a gym ever again. (more…)
Over 65? Cardio Exercise or Weight Training?
Are you over age 65 and wondering which is better for your body: cardio exercise or weight training?
Does it even make a difference if you’re over 65 when it comes to these two categories of exercises?
“Cardio exercise and weight training have distinct purposes and should be pursued in tandem,” says Monica Charlton, a senior exercise specialist and certified Silver Sneakers/personal trainer out of New Orleans.
“Cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart and muscles, burns calories, boosts mood, and reduces stiffness and arthritic pain,” continues Charlton.
“Strength training improves bone health and maintains muscle mass. It also improves balance, posture and coordination.
“For best results, elderly folks should engage in both types of exercise.”
You should to both types of exercise. However, for the sake of argument, what if you had to choose either aerobics or strength training?
Lifting weights wins, hands down.
A sedentary older person will usually have difficulty with cardio exercise beyond casual paced walking, gentle low impact aerobics or a pedaling-type machine.
It will be quite a while before they can advance to walking hills, jogging and more intense aerobics like a standard step class.
But they need to just stick with it, and make sure that their primary care physician is aware of a new exercise venture.
Lifting Weights for the Elderly Is More User Friendly
Though strength training may seem “intimidating” to some older novices, it may also seem very user-friendly to other novices — at least when compared to aerobic exercise which may leave an elderly person out of breath after only a few minutes.
- Strength training can be done immediately
- Strength increases will come quickly with proper instruction and adherence to correct form and technique.
- Strength training can be done in a seated position as well.
Lifting weights, far more than cardio, will increase bone density–and this is very important to anyone over 65.
Cardio workouts have their virtues, but they won’t do anything for bone density in the upper body, whereas there are countless upper body weightlifting moves that will drive up bone density.
Leg workouts with weights (e.g., squats, leg press, deadlift) will strengthen the hip and knee joints.
These motions mimic those of everyday living. Every time an older person struggles to get out of a car or chair, this is very similar to the joint motions required of a squat or leg press.
By performing careful squatting routines and leg presses at a gym, the senior person will become much more efficient at everyday tasks such as rising out of a chair.
Older people carry groceries and garbage, and may want to scoop up small grandchildren.
Upper body weightlifting routines will improve their ability to handle these tasks.
Aerobic workouts will give older people more stamina to do things like housework, shopping and sightseeing.
Something Very Interesting About Weight Training for Senior Adults
Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images
Again, the 65+ person should do BOTH weights and cardio. But for those who are “intimidated” by the idea strength training, there’s a very intriguing phenomenon you need to be aware of.
It’s that of people who are clearly at least 70 who can barely walk, yet kick butt on weightlifting equipment.
If you have difficulty walking, do not assume you can’t use leg strength training machines.
I’ve also witnessed old-age people limping around the gym yet working out with big dumbbells while seated.
The Takeaway
• Do both aerobic exercise and strength training.
• Make sure your doctor clears you for specific exercises. For example, if you’ve had knee replacements, you may be told to avoid the leg extension machine.
• Ask a trainer at the gym to teach you correct form, even for seemingly simple moves like seated biceps curls.
Monica Charlton’s personal training services include fitness/body composition assessments, nutrition planning, running programs and customized programs for clients with disabilities or injuries, as well as older and mainstream clients.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Top image: Freepik.com.
How Manly Can a Woman Look if She Lifts Weights for Fitness?
If a woman lifts weights for fitness only, not for competitive bodybuilding, just how manly might her muscles end up looking?
This is about the typical woman who trains with weights, rather than a woman who wants to compete in bodybuilding contests.
A woman who lifts weights will look no more manly than will a man who DOESN’T lift weights look like a woman!
In a world that we live in today where we feel like we are being judged left and right, many of us want to make sure we’re looking pretty close to our best.
That is why fitness can be so important in someone’s life!
While people in general can maintain that healthy figure with a good diet and simple exercise such as running on a treadmill, there are also ways to change your shape for the better such as weightlifting.
Unfortunately, there is a common misconception by many females that they will begin to look too manly if they begin lifting weights.
Shutterstock/AXL
Why is this? Well, one reason is they may make a simple online search for “female bodybuilders” and only see pictures of the “enhanced” ones.
What I mean by “enhanced” are the female bodybuilders that supplement with testosterone, which obviously is not legal to use.
By seeing these pictures, someone would think that they may turn into that if they begin lifting weights.
Now, being a bodybuilder and open minded person myself, I see nothing wrong with looking like that.
However, I also know that many females would rather keep their more feminine look as much as possible and not wish to carry that much muscle.
When it comes down to it, there is virtually no way that you can begin to look overly manly when lifting weights and trying to build lean, fat-burning muscle.
Men on average have 10 times the testosterone as women, yet even THEY must bust their butts in the gym to pack on muscle.
Watch these men work out. They are straining, sometimes loudly grunting.
It takes a long time for males to start looking big; for females, it is going to be even harder!
Putting on muscle for a female will also only make you look leaner and better.
Since muscle takes up less space than fat, you will look leaner at 120 lbs with some muscle than you would at 120 lbs with hardly any muscle!
Did you also know that resistance workouts are great for the immune system?
Strength training boosts immune function by enhancing overall physical health and promoting efficient immune responses.
Consistent strength exercises increase the production of immune cells and improve circulation, allowing the body to better detect and fight off infections.
Additionally, strength training helps reduce inflammation and lowers the risk of chronic diseases, which can otherwise weaken the immune system.
Now that you realize how beneficial weight training can be, you can now go out and start reaching your goals!
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained clients of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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Top image: Shutterstock/Artem Furman
How Much Weight Must a Woman Lift to Look Like a Man?
How many pounds must a woman lift before it starts making her look like a man? (more…)
Can Smokers Do High Intensity Interval Training Safely?
Is it safe for smokers to do HIIT forms of exercise?
There are smokers out there who are wondering if it’s okay to do HIIT, due to its hardship on the cardiovascular system. (more…)
HIIT on a Treadmill for Melting Thigh and Belly Fat
No thinking required: Just follow these various HIIT treadmill programs and watch that fat drip off your thighs, belly and elsewhere.
These high intensity interval training workouts are designed to smoke off body fat like never before.
These treadmill HIIT workouts are not for the squeamish, nor are they for people who don’t think it’s cheating to hold onto the treadmill!
These fat-burning HIIT workouts will work only if you pump your arms or, at least, allow them to move naturally and freely in synch with your lower body.
Remember, if you were outdoors exhausting yourself with high intensity interval training, you wouldn’t be grabbing onto anything, so use that same logic when exercising on a treadmill.
HIIT treadmill workout No. 1.
This will really burn fat. Set treadmill to 15 percent incline. Do eight, 30-second “sprints” at the following speeds: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 9, and 8 mph.
Shutterstock/Microgen
In between is a 2-3 minute rest-walk at a slow pace and no incline.
HIIT treadmill workout No. 2.
For ultimate fat burning, set the incline at 15 percent.
Do six, 15-second bunny hops, feet leaving tread surface at the same time and coming back down at the same time, at the following speeds: 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5, and 5 mph.
In between is 1-2 minutes of a slow walk with no incline.
Do not hold onto the rails while hopping, or you’ll cancel out the effect of the exercise.
High intensity interval workout for the treadmill No. 3.
This will rip off fat. For machines that go up to 10 mph, do eight, 30-second sprints at zero incline at the following speeds: 8, 9, 10 mph; then at 2 percent incline, 10, then at 3, 4, 5 & 6 percent incline, 10. In between walk a few minutes slowly.
If your treadmill goes up to 12 mph, do eight, 20-second sprints at zero incline at 10, 11, 12 & 12 mph.
Then at 3 percent incline, 12 mph, then at 4, 5 and 6 percent incline, 12 mph. In between walk a few minutes slowly.
For treadmills that go up to 15 mph, use no incline (unless you’re a beast) and do a HIIT workout consisting of eight, 30-second sprints at the following speeds: 12, 12.5, 13, 13.5, 14, 14.5, 15 & 14 mph. In between walk slowly 3-4 minutes.
Before beginning any of these high intensity interval training stints on a treadmill, warm up 10-15 minutes, and upon conclusion of the HIIT sessions, warm down 5-7 minutes.
Stretch afterward for five minutes, then drink lots of water, which you should also sip throughout the workout if possible without discomfort.
Some people find it awkward to remember to drink water during a hard workout.
If that’s you, then that’s okay; just make sure that you make up for any lost sweat by hydrating after the workout.
Water may be easier to drink if you put a lemon wedge in it.
High intensity interval training has been proven by much research to be superior to paced movement for burning fat, whether it’s done on a treadmill, bike or other pedaling machine, stepper, etc.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Best Fat Burning Aerobic Exercises for Obese Women & Men
Some cardio forms of exercise are better at fat-burning, even if you’re obese, than are others.
Avoid the mistake of doing cardio the wrong way that won’t burn off much fat. (more…)
