I know you want to get into better shape. I know you’re tired of being embarrassed to wear summer clothes. But you can’t go from where you are to looking like a fitness model or bodybuilder instantly. Gradual change is the only viable choice, no matter how frustrated you are.

This is an especially frustrating idea for guys to deal with. It’s our nature to dive head first into something new, damn the torpedoes and full steam ahead and all that. We sit in front of a computer all week at the office, then foolishly expect to be able to beat our teenager at basketball on the weekend. We have a hard time accepting that we’re not high school athletes anymore.

That said, we should look at this realistically. You don’t look the way you want, or you wouldn’t be reading this. The reason you don’t have the body you want is because of the way you live your life. If you want to make major changes in your physique, you’re going to have to make some pretty significant changes in your life. It’s going to take a lot to go from where you are now to looking like you could be on the cover of a fitness magazine. But there are two problems with making the transition all at once.

The first is killing yourself. If you are really out of shape, you could kill yourself trying to change too fast. That’s why you should see a doctor before starting a major workout program. If you try to go from your sedentary lifestyle & unhealthy eating habits to major workouts and eating like a fitness model in one leap, your body is going to freak  out. Too much change too fast is too hard on your body. Your body needs a chance to adjust to new exercise and eating patterns. You’ll get ill or hurt yourself.

If you switch all at
once, your head is going to freak out too. You’ll find it hard to do the full exercise program, and your stomach will demand its daily extra-cheese pizza. You won’t see any results right away, and you’ll give up in disgust.

Finally, if you make all the changes at once and succeed in avoiding a physical or mental breakdown, you’ll be missing something else. You won’t know what works for you. Are the dietary changes working, or was your new diet useless with great results from the workouts? Would you get better results from making more dietary changes or working out more? There’s no way to know.

None of this would be a big deal if you could jump right into a program that let you get fit without having to adjust anything. But that’s rare. Most of the time, you need to make adjustments as you go along to keep the progress coming. You can’t tell which things to adjust if you went crazy and changed your entire lifestyle at one.

Gradual change is a better way. By changing one thing at a time, for example skipping the milkshake at lunch, you can start moving in the right direction without too much stress. Your body can easily adapt to small changes. You won’t freak out and quit because it is too hard. Instead, you will have your first small success under your belt and be ready to move on to greater fitness.

So there’s the secret to success. Change gradually for the best results. You won’t get there as fast as you would if you could dive in head first and change everything at once, but if that worked, you would already have the body you want, right?

Tags: build muscle and lose fat, fat loss, fitness, get fit at last

Because of the different influences in massage therapy, there are numerous variations in techniques, but all these various techniques, still provide the same health benefits. The Swedish and Ayurvedic massage both have very different origins and styles, but they still contribute a lot to attain a healthy and relaxed body.

With so many various forms of massage therapy programs available today, it has made it difficult for individuals to select which one is for them.

The Swedish Massage, which is also known as the classic or traditional massage is the most common massage therapy method and is ordinarily preferred by the majority of individuals. It is characterized by long and flowing strokes which relax muscles, improve joint flexibility and help in better circulation.

The first stroke is known as effleurage, involves long, gliding strokes from the neck down to the base of the spine, or from the shoulder down to the fingertips. It is also done on the limbs with all strokes directed toward the heart to aid blood and lymphatic flow. The therapist uses their whole hand or a thumb pad. This technique is done for familiarisation of the person’s body

Next is petrissage, this consists of the gentle lifting of muscles, then rolling and squeezing them, while applying a gentle pressure. This assists to enhance deeper circulation, it also increases circulation which in turn eliminates toxins from muscle and nerve tissue.

Friction, the third technique and the most forceful one is characterized by deep circular movements using fingertips applied near bony areas and joints and it relaxes the muscle fiber which enhances flexibility in muscles and joints.

After friction, another technique called tapotement is done. Tapotement is a series of quick forceful movements made by striking or tapping the muscles with the hand. It can be applied with a closed fist, fingertips and the edge of the hand. It releases tension and relieves muscle cramps.

Lastly, the therapist uses vibration or shaking that entails the pressing of hands on the back or limbs and shaking in a rapid motion for a few moments. It improves circulation and muscle contraction and is advantageous to individuals with low-back pain.

On the other hand, Ayurvedic massage originated from India and its purpose is to create harmony and balance within the person and it aids in the removal of toxins and rejuvenation of the body. It was not practiced publicly until Indian practitioners decided to roam around and give muscle, joint and back massages

Ayurvedic massage is based on a specific system that includes the knowledge of Ayurvedic and Greek systems of medicine which is focused on Ayurvedic doshas and marmas or pressure points. Muslim massage techniques were also adapted in this system.

Ayurvedic massage techniques uses specific oils that suit your dosha and depends on your being. Another one is the Abhyanga-Garshana which comprises of skin brushing followed by an oil massage, Udwarthanam which is a slimming massage that uses herbal powders and the Ayurvedic foot massage which is a deep massage where the therapist uses his feet.

Now you have sufficient knowledge on both Swedish and Ayurvedic massage, it is up to you to choose between the two which best suits your style of relaxation. Remember both massages have special qualities and techniques, the selecting part can be a little difficult though, so if you are still undecided why not try both?

Would you like to learn more about Massage Therapy Benefits or Swedish Massage Therapy. Then visit this popular website, that provides more free information to help you relax and de-stress with its Massage Therapy Tips.

Tags: Ayurvedic foot massage, Ayurvedic massage, fitness, Health, massage therapy, Swedish Massage, therapist