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Exercise Not Something You Can Do All At Once

More than 3 million people will join fitness clubs in January. On top of the 30 million who already have memberships, that’s a lot of people at the gym. If you are a newcomer to the gym scene or working out at home, take a look at the following tips to get the results you want.

Pace yourself. Don’t try to overcome years of neglect in the first week. If you overdo it, you risk injury and you may not want to continue. Instead, focus on doing some things consistently and shoot for three to four days a week instead of seven.

Follow a holistic workout. A common mistake people new to working out make is to train only one half of their bodies. Typically, men don’t train their legs and women neglect their upper bodies. To get the most benefit, you should try to work all the major muscle groups of the body.

Clean up after yourself. Observe common courtesy: If you use weights and dumbbells, put them away when you are finished with them. When you are done exercising on a machine, wipe up any sweat. If you bring a bottle of water, throw it in the trash when it’s empty.

 – Adapted from Newsday

The Impact of Technology On Our Lives

Fax machines, cellular phones, computers, the Internet, technology touches almost everyone’s life in one way or another.  What effect has it had? The most obvious is the ability to transmit information quickly and inexpensively.

One of the benefits of this is convenience. Both parties involved do not have to available at the same time. Additionally, you can find up-to-the-minute information on world events via the Internet. However, all this information at the touch of a button comes with a price.

Information overload creates stress. Between e-mails, instant messaging, voice mail and faxes, there is too much information to process. Technology changes almost daily, competition has gone global and you are expected to produce better and faster.

Furthermore, with the economic future uncertain and the availability of technology, employees are finding it difficult to disconnect from work. Before the technological explosion, the lines between work and leisure time were clearer. Now, even when people go on vacation, they take their cell phones and laptop computers with them. They are always connected, always on.

E-mail, while it keeps us connected and is less expensive than a phone call and faster than traditional mail, comes with its own set of issues. Without the facial expressions, body language and vocal cues found in face-to-face communication, e-mails could be misinterpreted creating misunderstandings. In addition, some people may say things in an e-mail they would not say in person.

Cellular phones can save a person in a crisis. Earthquake victims have used them to call for help when trapped under the rubble. During the World Trade Center attack, people used them to say good-bye and to let loved ones know what was happening. However, your risk of crashing your vehicle increases when using a cell phone while driving.

Then there is the whole privacy issue. Employers may monitor your e-mail. Your medical history, buying history etc., is available on the Internet if you know how to find it.

As with just about anything, there are advantages and disadvantages to technology. Educate yourself on the potential pitfalls and make sure technology is working for you.