The fact that you are interested in reading this article tells me you have been exercising regularly and are ready for more. Congratulations on making fitness a regular part of your life First, take a moment to be proud of your accomplishments thus far. You are in the minority if you are exercising 3 or more days per week. Don't forget to reward your efforts with something you enjoy.
Now that you have improved your fitness, endurance and health, you want to be sure to maintain your new healthful habits for a lifetime as well as continue to make improvements.
Below are some suggestions to continue to improve or maintain your fitness program. Exercise must be engaged in on an ongoing basis in order to see improvements or maintain the fitness level you have acquired. Decide what your commitments are and plan for the next phase of your fitness.
1.Get Strong - Now that you have built a solid endurance base with your fitness program, consider incorporating strength training into your routine. Strength training can be done 2 - 3 times weekly using a total body routine. Strength training should be done on alternating days. You can use a variety of modalities for resistance such as your body weight, dumbbells, fitness tubing, balls or machines. Create a routine working from largest to smallest muscle group. If you need help with a routine, seek out the advice of a personal trainer.
2.Try something new - Since you have a cardiovascular foundation, it will be easier for you to transition into other cardiovascular based activities. You may always have wanted to try kick boxing, studio cycling, step aerobics or rowing. You are at an advantage trying some thing new because you already have a solid foundation.
3.Sign up for a lesson - A series of lessons in an activity such as Karate, line dancing or yoga can keep you in shape. Signing up for a program that is 6 weeks in length or longer, helps you to keep your commitments and develop other area's of fitness including agility, balance and coordination.
4.Become an athlete - Consider a sport like tennis or swimming or racquet ball. Your body will learn new movement patterns with each activity and take your fitness to a new level. These activities incorporate things like speed, agility and balance that are not needed in riding a stationary bike or using an elliptical trainer.
5.Join a club. There are cycling, running and hiking clubs for starters. Having the guidance and commitment of a group helps to keep you on track and motivated.
6.Enjoy the great outdoors - Going to a track and walking, jogging, running and sprinting laps are very productive. You can also incorporate the stadium stairs (think Rocky Balboa) to drive your heart rate up. Find rail trails to run on and paths to hike on. You can also look for parks with walking paths and exercise stations. Universities can also be a beautiful place for challenging walks.
7.Enlist - Outdoor boot camps are all the rage. Boot camps typically consist of walking / running along with strength training, yoga, kick boxing, obstacle courses, games, sport drills, hikes and more. This is a wonderful combination of many of the alternatives available to you. You will be at an advantage starting boot camp with 20 weeks of walking under your belt.
8.Build up your intensity - The more fit you become, the harder you can work and the shorter your workouts can be. Push your physical limits by working towards the upper range of your heart rate range for several minutes during your workout. This will push your performance abilities allowing you to work at higher levels and not needing to work as long.
9.Become a Video Queen (or King) - There are lots of wonderful exercise options available on DVD. You can try out videos first by renting them at your local video store or library. Find the ones you like and consider them for purchase. You can swap video's with friends or trade them online. The trick is to find an instructor and workout you enjoy and will engage in regularly. Stick to newer videos as some of the older ones may be outdated regarding safe and effective exercises and routines. Choose at least 3 different video's to choose from in order to have variety in your workouts.
10.Make it a family affair. Choose activities the whole family can enjoy. For example, mom may choose taking a self defense class. Next day might pick swim lessons then let the children choose something they are interested in that everyone can take a lesson in together. Many towns and community centers will offer lessons for families to take together.
11.Always be dressed to move. You never know when the opportunity may arise to go for a quick jog. If you find yourself with time to kill, instead of sitting around and waiting, you'll be ready to get your heart rate up if your sneakers are on or in the car.
12.Hire a personal trainer. Personal trainers are no longer for the rich and famous. Personal training can be affordable for anyone - especially when it is offered in small groups. Having a personal trainer will give you the most benefit in the least amount of time. Even if you see a trainer once a month for the accountability, it's worth it knowing an expert is checking in on you. And, personal trainers make it fun! (link to personal training locator)
13.Get fit online - as you have come to discover, working out and getting informed on the web can be fun and results producing. The accountability and professional support of a virtual fitness pro can keep you on track and empowered with new ideas as well as keep you safe based upon your needs.
14.Circuit train - With minimal equipment, you can set up exercise stations alternating cardio activities with strength training activities. This will keep your heart rate up so that you can get both the aerobic and anaerobic (strength) benefits. A sample circuit might include: jump rope, bicep curls, and jumping jacks, push-ups, jogging in place, squats, mini-trampoline and dips. Repeating the circuit up to three times is guaranteed to boost your metabolism in less than 30 minutes. This is a fun, engaging and fantastic way to get fit.
15.Use your lunch hour for exercising - Time is sometimes a factor when it comes to maintaining an exercise program. Reserve 30 minutes mid day for a high intensity workout. It will refresh you for the second half of the day, and is known to boost brain power. With less time left for eating, it's also more likely that you will eat less. Most corporations offer employees some form of fitness benefits so take advantage of them.
16.Play with the kids - If you notice what happens after a meal, the adults sit around the table and the kids get up and engage in something physical. Instead of watching them, participate in bike riding, inline skating, a game of Frisbee, trampoline jumping or swimming. Adding activity to your lifestyle is a good compliment to your formal exercise program. Besides, you may even have some fun, and your kids will think you are cool!
17.Three ten-minute cardiovascular segments - If you are finding your time for exercise is crunched, three ten minute bouts of exercise are as good for your health as one 30-minute continuous session. Take several opportunities throughout the day to go for a brisk walk or jog in place.
18. Multi-task. At many health clubs today, the worldwide web is available on the screens in front of your treadmill or stair climber, so members don't have to be out of touch while getting healthy. They can download e-mail or surf while burning calories. At home you can ride a stationary bike while catching up on reading, or perform a lower body workout during your favorite sitcom.
19.Use the gym - If you have a gym membership, take full advantage of your fitness center's amenities. They are there for your convenience. For example, rent lockers so you don't have to lug around your personal gear or miss a workout because you forgot your sneakers. Use the club's towel service and on your way out, grab a healthful smoothie for a quick, easy meal. Participate in classes, and take advantage of trainer's demonstrations and seminars. Health clubs have also made it convenient for you to find nutritionists, massage therapists, chiropractors and physical therapists under one roof, so you can take care of several needs in one place. If you are there for one appointment, you can engage in an exercise session in the same visit.
20.Pick "Big Bang for Your Buck" Exercises: All exercises are not equal and you want to perform exercises that give you the most mileage meaning they work the most muscles in the least amount of time. Exercise professionals call these multi-joint exercises. For example, a leg workout that emphasizes multi-joint exercises such as squats and deadlifts can hit all of the major muscle groups of the lower body compared to working each individually.
21.Take a short break. If you are going to the gym, the outdoors or your basement for your workouts, you may need a full week of no formal exercise to recover, renew and refresh your spirit. Take up to 7 days off (no more than twice a year) from your regular routine and go for a leisurely walk, roller blade, swim and enjoy fun active activities that are not structured.
22.Schedule an active vacation- Having a future date in mind for an active vacation will help to keep you on track with your workouts. Knowing you will need to perform physically - maybe with your family members or a group will keep your determination levels at an all time high - especially if some of those activities are done in a bathing suit. Plan your workouts backwards from your trip and stick to the training schedule. You won't want to miss a workout. Vacations may include a combination of hiking, mountain biking, trail running, white water rafting, cycling, rowing, swimming and so on. The possibilities are unlimited.
Remember that in order to sustain regular and intense exercise, you must fuel your body. Pre and Post workout meals and replacing lost vitamins and minerals are key to your results and health.
Those are 22 ideas to freshen up your exercise routine. Exercise should not necessarily feel routine or you risk getting bored and stopping. Engage in activities you enjoy. Be adventurous and try something new. Think back to what you enjoyed as a child and you can reinvent your fitness and your life.
No doubt it's impractical to try to 'cure' stress in the sense of eliminating all occurrences. But there are several practical short-term and effective long-term strategies for minimizing it and its effects.
Most individuals under stress will let it build, ignoring it for too long. They cite the need to get a work project completed, or view their situation as unchangeable. "That's life," many will say. But no form of ill-effect is inevitable, nor is it necessary or wise to passively accept one.
The first step is always to increase awareness in two directions - outward and inward. Be conscious of your internal state and evaluate it as realistically as possible. Be objective about external circumstances. When you recognize a circumstance as legitimately worrisome, reacting with concern and a degree of stress is normal and healthy. Unreasonable fear and obsession are not.
Then, take a moment to breath - literally. One of the most common reactions to stress is tension, usually muscle tension. The neck muscles will stiffen and breathing will often be more shallow. Focus on this, check for it and, if present, consciously loosen up neck muscles with a gentle side to side motion of your head. Take a deep breath or two.
Yoga and other psycho-physical exercises can help mitigate stress factors. Getting 8 hours of quality sleep is paramount when living under stressful conditions, etc.
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Studies show that Valerian Root may/can mitigate the effects of stress. Valerian Root, found in MYSLEEP is listed on the pharmacopoeia of 23 countries around the world as a mild tranquilizer.
Something as simple and old-fashioned as a walk in the park can be helpful. It's not simply an old wives tale that fresh air and sunshine can be relaxing. It's also true that moderate exercise helps relieve many of the accompanying physical symptoms of stress.
Playing music of certain types is helpful. Seeing a comedy on TV or at the movies is beneficial. Laughter is a great mood lifter. A creative activity can be helpful, especially if there is some accompanying physical activity. It could be as simple as making a birdhouse or as advanced as painting or sculpture.
A talk with a sympathetic friend could be useful, but it's a good idea not to spend too much time talking about the circumstances causing stress or the stress itself. A good airing is beneficial, but too many times it's an excuse to obsess over the problem. Some people are too much inclined to seek out only those who will reinforce negative evaluations.
Just keep in mind that these are all techniques to help relieve symptoms, they don't address the underlying causes. As such, they are only one (albeit important) component in curing stress. For that, more in-depth action is needed.
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The following article was written by Kelli Calabrese, Exercise Physiologist and 20 year fitness industry leader. The fitness advice given is a guideline for women to follow for weight management.
It's estimated that $4 billion is spent a year in the pursuit of weight loss, yet the epidemic is continuing to grow. Americans are consuming more calories than ever before, but certainly aren't compensating with increased physical activity.
The prevalence of fast food outlets, vending machines, the huge increase in portion sizes at restaurants and the many hours spent in front of a computer and watching television are all contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Genetics
At the turn of the 20th century, an estimated 10 percent of the population was overweight. By 1960, about 24 percent of the adult population was overweight. Today more than 33 percent of adults are overweight. It is, therefore, unlikely that genetics cause obesity.
Genetics are theorized to predispose certain individuals to weight gain when challenged by a positive energy balance. However, genetics don't cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. A positive or negative energy balance is the ultimate cause of weight gain or loss. More and more evidence is point to the fact that we can express the positive side of our genes and over come nature with nurture meaning than anyone can maintain a healthy body weight and become fit.
The importance of exercise in fat loss and especially in weight maintenance cannot be stressed enough. Sedentary individuals may burn only a few hundred calories over their resting energy expenditure. For the average Joe, this may be about 2,000 calories a day. On the other hand, top athletes like ultra endurance cyclist Lance Armstrong, may burn up to 8,000 calories on an average training day. Not I'm not suggesting anyone train like Lance, however, according to the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine, everyone should be participating in daily physical activity including cardiovascular conditioning and strength training 2 - 3 times weekly.
Diet or Exercise... or Diet AND Exercise?
Inactivity is one of the major causes of weight gain. With no exercise, individuals are destined to lose muscle and gain fat with age. When looking at subjects who just engage in cardio without dieting, they can expect to lose fat but have little to no effect on muscle.
Those who only strength train with no dietary changes have little effect on their scale weight, but increase lean muscle. Those who just diet without exercising can expect to lose fat and lose muscle. The good news is that those who diet and exercise can expect to lose fat and gain muscle. At one year follow-ups, diet plus exercise groups tended to be the superior program for sustained weight maintenance.
Low-fat to moderate-fat eating is of importance if exercise is to have an optimal impact on fat stores. Cardio helps promote a negative caloric balance. Strength training can benefit dieters by preserving lean mass and a high metabolic rate, creating a negative caloric balance.
Aerobic exercise does not preserve metabolic rate when combined with a very low calorie diet. Strength training results in preservation of muscle and weight loss when combined with a very low calorie diet.
Overall, the results of available studies suggest a weight loss/fat loss benefit of combining diet and exercise. Resistance exercise is encouraged as it generally increases or at least prevents loss of fat-free mass, which it is a major determinant of metabolic rate.
There are no short cuts to weight loss. Muscle gain, fat loss and weight maintenance are all possible through a combination of strength, cardio and diet. There is no magic ratio of carbs, protein and fat for optimal weight loss. Recent evidence suggests that the traditional recommendation of a high carbohydrate low fat diet may not be the best choice for everyone.
Proper food choices, serving sizes and a long-term commitment to incorporating exercise and healthy eating into your lifestyle are still the best guidelines to follow. Falling prey to the newest fad diet book and weight loss supplement claims -- or using prescription drugs for weight loss instead of choosing exercise and a healthy diet -- will potentially increase your risk of disease, cause frustrating and potentially harmful fluctuations in weight and postpone your journey to optimal health.
4 Ten Minute Fat Burning Heart Healthy Routines
No Time to Exercise? Everyone has 10 minutes they can steel through the day. Studies prove several ten minute bouts of exercise throughout the day are equally as beneficial for your health and calorie burning as one longer continuous session. If you spend your day at a desk, take ten minutes out of every 2 hours to get up, get moving and get closer to a body you can be proud of. You will return to your desk refreshed, with more mental clarity and a renewed sense to continue working knowing you are closer to reaching your fitness goals. Giving your metabolism a boost several times through the day, adds up to more fat burning.
The 4 following 10 minute workouts can easily fit into your day, can help burn off your meals, and most importantly you'll have fun getting fit.
Climb your way to fitness - Start out with two trips up and down a flight of stairs. For your next two trips, pick up the pace going up the stairs, and walk down at a moderate pace. For trips five and six, take giant steps by placing your foot on every other step. Walk down at a moderate pace. The seventh and eighth trip you should vigorously pump your arms (ie. Rocky) as you climb. Than walk down slowly. If necessary, hold on to the railing when descending the steps, especially towards the end of the 10 minutes as your legs are feeling fatigued and there is more blood pumping to your working muscles than to your head. Finally for the last two minutes, perform quick steps up and down on the bottom step (ie. football drill). Your heart will be pounding. Expect to break a sweat on your brow and feel great. Your heart rate will stay elevated for a period of time following your stair climbing and therefore your metabolism will stay kicked in longer.
Million Dollar Boxing Body - Stand up in your office or anywhere you have a few feet of space around you. For the first minute, step side to side with your hands up as if to protect your face. For the second minute, make the side step a little deeper so that you are squatting at the mid point. For minutes three through five, plant your feet and work on repeating 16 of each of the following punches with each arm; cross punch, jab and upper cut. For minutes six and seven alternate 16 kicks to the front with 16 kicks to the side and 16 kicks to the back. Arms are protecting your face. For minutes eight and nine, shift your weight from side to side and shadow box using any combination of punches that feel good to you. For the tenth minute stagger your legs and shift your weight front and back (alternating feet every ten seconds) as you throw jabs.
Jump for Fitness - You can use a rope or simply pretend. Start out with the standard jump with feet together for 1 minute. For minute two, jump side to side. Minute three jump front and back. Minute four, jump on the corners of an imaginary square. Minute five, alternate hopping on the right foot then left. Minute six jump so that the rope is going to go under your feet twice in one jump (or pretend). Minute seven hop on the right foot for 10 jumps then the left and continue to alternate. Minute eight, go for speed, jumping as quickly as you are comfortable. Minute nine, spin the rope backwards and finally for the tenth minute, jump alternating your feet together and apart as if doing a jumping jack with your feet as you spin the rope.
Speed Play - Begin by walking and after a minute or two, accelerate until you have reached your peak speed, then slow down until you feel recovered. When you are ready, repeat another bout of accelerating. Continue to play with your speed for a total of ten minutes getting in 3 - 5 exercise bursts. This activity helps you to get in tune with your body and pay attention to how you (and your heart rate) are feeling.
It may take time to work up to performing some of these exercises for the whole 10 minutes. If you can make it for up to 4 minutes, or even one minute, be pleased you made the effort and try for a little longer next time until you build up to 10 minutes several times a day. You can choose to do all 4 routines once a day for variety. Or choose a routine to be repeated several times a day, then switch the routines daily or weekly.
It's important to drink water after each exercise bout. If it's been several hours since your last meal, you should also consider a meal or a meal replacement drink.
Exercise is one of the very best things you can do for heart health, anti-aging, detoxifying, boosting metabolism and fat burning. Make a conscious effort to plan for several short bursts of exercise throughout the day. Short exercise bursts help to improve heart rate variability which is the greatest predictor of health. Take 10 . . . you are worth it!
Anyone interested in fitness wants to have great looking abs - firm, rippled and well-toned, along with a trim waist. All those are achievable, but beware accepting any myths about flat stomachs and spot reduction around the waist.
As you exercise, you consume energy measured in calories. When you consume enough to deplete the available energy, and enough to reduce the sugars that convert easily, the body goes after stored energy. That stored energy is largely in the form of fat deposits in adipose tissue. Remember that nutrition is an important part of any exercise program. Different online stores offer wide ranges of nutritional products to help you maintain strength and endurance such as Whey Protein for muscle repair, maintenance and growth.
But that process takes place non-selectively. You don't get to choose which fat deposits the body converts. That means, you can't 'spot reduce' by working on your abs. The effect is still achievable, but doing abdominal exercises alone doesn't target that fat.
When you focus on the abs, you will build strength in that area, by increasing the muscle mass in those muscles. That's helpful for a number of reasons. It keeps a firm, strong layer of muscle which helps keep the stomach and other internal organs well inside the plane defined by your hips. You get a nice trim, flat look.
Abdominal exercises help in another way, too. Since the abdominals are large muscles, they consume a proportionately larger percentage of energy than, say, your jaw muscles. That means that as you work them, they have to be supplied with more energy to move through the range of the exercise. That burns many calories, resulting in weight loss and fat reduction.
The effect is also limited by genetics and age. Some people store more fat around the middle more readily than others. Gender, obviously, makes a difference as well.
Many women in their 40s will naturally develop a pouch in the lower abdomen as their hormones change. Many men will naturally develop 'love handles' at the side, since they store fat in adipose tissue there more readily in their 40s than they did in their 20s.
In order to achieve the desired effect you have to approach muscle fatigue. There's no need to perform a hundred crunches to accomplish that. Done correctly, 20 reps is enough. You don't even have to go to the gym. You can do pelvic tilts while sitting in a chair in the office.
But for best effect, warm up and try the following:
Lie on your back, with your knees raised and cross your arms across your chest. Then lift your shoulders off the floor and hold for 30 seconds. You can feel the effect on your abs already. To make the exercise more difficult, put your hands at the side of your head. Don't use your hands to lift your head, just keep them still. For maximum effort, put your hands above your head, then perform the same shoulder lift and hold, focusing on the abs.
Feel the burn. Repeat daily for 10 minutes or twenty reps, in a few weeks, you'll see definite results.
These are tips for beginners, those who are not into the advance stages of ab exercises. For those who are in advanced stages, check out FitnessVip's Youtube channel to learn more.
Women, to put it bluntly, are biologically different from men. Those differences imply some guidelines for diet, exercise and health matters in general.
Women, for example, naturally have a higher percentage of body fat than men, 27% on average compared to 15% for a fit individual. That single number alone is helpful information if one of your weight loss or exercise goals is fat reduction. Any woman trying to reduce her percentage should take into account this natural difference, since it can help avoid guilt and provide a realistic goal.
Women experience hormonal changes that differ considerably from that of men as they age. Even young women can have irregularities in menstrual cycle and other physiological changes as a result. This can be seen more clearly by looking at some extreme cases, for example.
Women in concentration camps in WWII frequently discontinued having regular menstrual cycles, as a result of the effects of starvation. Highly trained female athletes also often experience similar changes, as a result of ultra-low body fat and other causes.
The ill effects of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) can be reduced by stabilizing blood sugar levels, regulating fat intake and other dietary changes. For example, mood swings can be smoothed out to a degree by higher amounts of soluble fiber, which helps produce a slower rise in blood sugar. Apples, oats and beans are good sources.
Combining fat with protein and carbohydrate intake in a balanced way will help slow the rise in blood sugar from the carbohydrate consumption. Ice cream may be a comfort food but the effect is short-lived and doesn't provide the balance needed. Instead, increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. Bananas are a good choice, along with walnuts.
Women are more prone to arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions. Certain previously unsuspected food allergies can worsen the symptoms. Testing is essential, but at the same time a healthy diet will help. Rice beverages can be substituted for those sensitive to cows milk, there are wheat-free breads on the market that are still whole grain and peanuts may need to be avoided for some.
For example some women who suffer from rheumatic symptoms will find they are allergic to wheat. A gluten-free diet will help lessen that problem. This includes finding substitutes for ordinary cereal, standard bread, pasta and other foods made from wheat flour.
During the years of menopause, as cycles become less regular and large hormonal changes are occurring, diet can help lessen the severity of any discomfort. Lowering sodium intake is helpful. Substitutes include herbs, garlic or lemon juice for flavoring. Each individual is different, though, and you should consult a physician for proper amounts.
Menopausal women are likely to benefit from reducing saturated fats, beyond that of younger women or males. Since estrogen levels are declining, HDL cholesterol (the beneficial type) will tend to fall and LDL cholesterol (the potentially harmful type) will rise.
One result is that, though men in general have a higher risk of heart attack as they age, during this time a woman's risk is equal to those of men of similar age. Reducing saturated and trans fat can help reduce those risks.
Moderate wine consumption is beneficial. It provides anti-oxidants and other helpful compounds and is generally lower in calories than many alternatives. Lowering caffeine can help reduce loss of calcium, which is more needed as women age.
What constitutes a proper diet varies somewhat by gender and age, so investigate what is right for your particular circumstances. Knowledge is the key to health.
Being flexible - having well lubricated joints and stretchable muscles - is one of the best ways to reduce the prospect of injury and give you the basis for a wide variety of workout routines.
Your overall goal is to attain good range of motion, while gradually extending that range to a degree appropriate to your fitness level and body type. There are several different ways to accomplish that goal, and you should use at least a few of them before every workout. MyNutritionStore.com offers the following proprietary products as additional sources Joint Science for Joint Health and Whey Science for muscle development, repair and growth.
Warm-ups are fundamental. Cold muscles are much more likely to tear and lead to stretched or torn cartilage and other harmful results. Warm-ups and stretches help produce the fluid that lubricates the joints, and it helps the muscles become more elastic. Those both lead to safer, higher performance workouts. Ten to fifteen minutes is the minimum for most people. This can be done by low-impact jogging in place, simple stretches and other techniques.
Static stretching, for example, is the old-fashioned stretch and hold for 30 seconds. This should be done with the arms, trunk, legs and neck. Dynamic stretching and ballistic stretching involve more active, bouncing-style or weight-assisted stretching, sometimes with extra force applied. Both types are helpful.
Some dynamic stretches involve holding the arms out to the side, then swinging them back and forth across front of the body, repeating for 30 seconds. Another technique involves using a short bar across the neck, lying on the shoulders. Place your hands on the bar, then bend slowly left, then right, moving the head toward the outer edge of the foot.
Abdominal muscles can be prepared by lying backwards on a large rubber ball. Push back slowly and raise the arms above your head. Repeat 10 times. Loosen your hamstrings by lying on your back, and raising one outstretched leg using a large towel wrapped around the foot. Grab the ends and pull up slowly. Switch legs, then repeat for 10 reps.
A full back stretch is accomplished by lying on your back and bringing both knees to the chest, hands clasped behind the knees. Roll forward until your feet hit the floor, then roll back until the head touches. Do 10 rolls.
Groin stretches can be done safely by using a large rubber ball. Place one knee on the ball and slowly rotate the ball a few inches away from your body. Move the ball back toward your body, then switch legs. Do 10 movements.
Both the legs and back muscles can get a good warm-up stretch by doing toe taps. Stand up straight, feet apart about shoulder width. Lean forward, touching the big toe on one foot with the opposite hand - left hand to right foot, and vice-versa. Those with lower back problems should consult a trainer or physician before attempting these.
For maximum flexibility, stretching routines should be carried out at least a few times per week. This will help maximize the range of motion and decrease the potential for injury.
