Diet and exercise. You hear on TV, in magazines, from friends and family, and from your doctor. You hear it all the time. If you want to lose weight or just lead a healthy life, you need to combine diet and exercise. Well, the reason you hear it all the time is because it’s absolutely true. It’s important to do a lot of things to stay healthy, but the most important steps for good healthy weight loss are diet and exercise.

You may think, “Just why do I need diet AND exercise, isn’t one enough?” Well, it might be, but think about it this way. What would happen if a boxer went into the ring with one hand tied behind his back? If he’s really good, he may still win, but he’s definitely at a disadvantage. Most of us aren’t pro’s at dieting or exercising. You should take all the steps possible to give yourself the best chance at success.

If your goal is weight loss, you’d have to cut out 3,500 calories from your diet to lose a pound. That’s 500 calories per day. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you actually put it into practice, it’s harder than you think. Plus, eating less can make some people’s metabolism slow down so they still don’t lose weight. In comparison, jogging at a moderate pace can burn 740 calories per hour! Plus, working out builds muscle mass and burns up more calories while you’re just sitting around.

So, if exercise is so effective, why not just work out and skip the dieting? Well, dieting isn’t just about eating less food; it’s also about eating the right foods. If you get the proper nutrients, your body will work better and your exercising will be more efficient. You’ll feel stronger, and be able to work out longer.

When starting a diet and exercise plan, remember to start with small steps. Tell yourself that you’ll work out 3 days a week, or eat fruit instead of a fatty snack once a day. Be sure to concentrate on what you are accomplishing and not focus so much on what you’re not. If you do more gradually, you’re sure to be lean and healthy in no time.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under the age of 15 should not engage in weight lifting, power lifting or bodybuilding.

Due to the fact that lifting weights builds body mass that, as we all know, is a great calorie burner and causes weight loss, it is not recommended for children. Teens 15 years and older can certainly engage in this type of training, however, they should be trained by professionals who know how to use weights and how to properly instruct others to use them as well.

Instead of lifting weights, children can certainly do strength training exercises which are just as valuable and which will not only keep them strong and healthy, but also strengthen their bones and keep their hearts healthy as they grow.

Studies have shown that any type of weight training for kids is simply not necessary, but that strengthening exercise can be just as effective. Exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, leg stretches and other exercises or physical activity that strengthen a child’s muscles will suffice. In fact, children achieve the same results on their own by participating in activities at a local park which include: climbing the monkey bars, jungle gyms, slides, swings and seesaws.

Let’s take a toddler, for example, who may try to pick up a container of juice out of the refrigerator, or carry dad’s briefcase – they are in constant motion and all the time using their strength to pick up just about anything. This is as far as lifting weights can go, right?

Although children sometimes do not realize their own strength, the very fact that they are children and engage in all types of activities ensures they are strengthening their bodies every day. Moreover, if at some point in time they want to begin weight training as teens, then they can seek a professional to train them properly.

Until then, let children be children and try as they might, forego any serious weight lifting exercise until they are physically and mentally ready for the challenge.

One of the two main ways to helping keep your child healthy is exercise. Many kids today are so immersed in TV and video games; it’s no wonder exercise is not a part of their daily routine. Since obesity has become a pandemic in our society, especially among children, it’s important to establish an exercise program early on so that kids will not view exercise as something they dislike, but rather something they enjoy.

Here are 10 kid friendly exercise ideas to help you incorporate physical activity into your child’s daily routine.

* Bike riding - Whether with family or friends, this is one activity most kids love to engage in either at your local park or around the neighborhood.

* Sports - Does your child belong to a sports team? Whether it is baseball, football, soccer or football, ensure they have signed up for after school sports activities.

* Walking the dog - Exercise can be as simple as walking the family dog or a neighbor’s pet after school or after dinner.

* Chores - Whether it’s helping with chores inside the home, or cleaning up the back yard, this is a great way to engage kids in exercise.

* Family walks - A 30-45 minute walk after dinner with the entire family is not only wonderful exercise for the kids, but the entire family as well.

* Shoot some hoops - The entire family can play a game of basketball after dinner each night. Spending an hour exercising after dinner is also great for the digestive system.

* Indoor exercise - Do you have a home gym or an area set aside for exercise? Utilize an exercise DVD that you and your kids can participate in at a certain time during the day.

* A daily walk with your kids is another activity encompassing fresh air and exercise. Whether it’s a trip to the local supermarket, pharmacy, or walking around the neighborhood, this routine is perhaps the best way to keep your kids active.

* Jogging - At a specific time each day, take your kids to the park and use the local track to begin a jogging routine. Utilize musical accompaniment with an MP3 player or iPod to keep up the pace.

* Handball - This is a great activity for kids. You can utilize the park area and play a few games. This is wonderful for younger kids to learn hand/eye coordination as well.

No matter what the exercise, it’s important to teach your kids to engage in some form of daily activity to strength their bodies and keep them active both mentally and physically. This is important especially during the winter months when cold weather tends to keep children indoors more.

Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. When fully engaged in an exercise program your body releases endorphins in your brain, which induces a natural high and dissipates the stress, leaving you feeling energized and relaxed.

It doesn’t matter what form of exercise you choose, the point is that any type of exercise will achieve the same results. Whether its walking, running, stretching, aerobics or yoga. Your body becomes completely relaxed and able to cope with whatever it is that caused the stress in the first place.

Moreover, exercise is essential for your cardiovascular system. It improves your overall health and along with a diet regimen, can help you maintain a balance within.

Walking for 20 minutes every other day, biking in the park, engaging in aerobic exercises either at home or at the gym are the clear cut solutions to relieving stress.

For example, if you are a working mom or dad, walk during your lunch hour every day for 20 minutes before lunch. Sometimes fatigue sets in during the early afternoon and this is a great way to become energized for the rest of the workday.

If you are working on a project and cannot take a lunch break, take a five minute break and do some stretch exercise in the office. Sitting all day in front of a computer is not healthy. It can cause leg cramps, shoulder and back problems, neck cramps and clots. Getting up and moving around is essential. Stretching will help relieve the stress that causes these symptoms, and you will be able to finish out the day in a calmer and more relaxed state.

One can always tell when stress is taking its toll. The body tenses up, muscle aches begin, and irritability becomes your unwanted friend. Exercise, no matter what form, not only makes you feel good but also relaxes the body and frees up the mind to be able to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

Men workout for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to lose weight, sculpt their bodies, add muscle, or increase physical activity. While there is a wide variety of exercise equipment for use at the gym or home, the bottom line is unless the equipment and/or free form workouts are appropriately applied, the results will be insufficient.

In order to burn calories and increase muscle mass, it is recommended that the following weightlifting exercises are implemented: shoulder, chest, and leg press, as well as squats. In addition, experts advise men to adhere to the following formats:

* Concentrate on form

* Use multi-joint movements

* Master the technique

* Begin warmup sets

* Allow each muscle to do its own work

* Limit the number of sets

* 10-minute cool down

* Allow up to 10 days rest between workouts

* Perform cardio workouts after weight-training exercises

* Keep a record of your progress

* Alternate use of equipment

* Work different muscle groups every session

* Consume up to 3,000 in calories a week

Whether you exercise on your own or use a personal trainer, begin slowly and work up to a comfort level before advancing to the next phase. It is advisable to begin training on the large muscles first, then moving on to the smaller muscles as the energy required for them is less. In addition, to avoid injury the best advice is to become in tune with the messages your body is emitting. If you are tired, stop; if your back is not straight; stop. These latter elements are important to your workout regimen.

Finally, stretching before a workout to warm your body and stretching after to cool down are two important elements to remember. In addition, stretching will diminish any chance of injury during a workout.