Best of Exercise Tips
Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level
Old thinking was to work out in
a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show
that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness
level, especially if you're new at working out.You can also use these Medifast Coupons to save you money while you work out
Park and Walk
Whenever you have a task, park
your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the
mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use
every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to
better fitness.
Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed
in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your
mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you'll
never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to
wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.
Exercise Frequency
Guidelines recommend getting at
least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. This is
generally aerobic exercise, though vigorous gardening or housework can
also qualify. Some weight training is also recommended for your overall
exercise plan. Try to do some exercise every day. If you want to use
aerobic exercise to control blood pressure or insulin resistance, you
should do some at least every other day. If you want to lose weight, 60
minutes a day is recommended. That 30 minutes is a minimum.
Core Exercises
Core exercises refer to
exercises that target the abdominal and low back areas. You will find
some exercise for the glutes will help, too, as these areas function
together. Pilates exercise specializes in the core, but some
traditional strength exercises like crunches and back extensions also
are effective. You can work these areas every other day. Start with one
set of crunches, an exercise for the oblique abs, and an easy back
extension, if you are out of shape or recovering from surgery. Increase
difficulty slowly. If you're in good shape, start at an appropriate
level. Remember, you will not see abdominal definition unless you have
a low percentage of body fat, but it's important to have strong abs
anyway.
Calorie Burning
If you see that a given aerobic
exercise burns a certain amount of calories, e.g., running a mile burns
100 calories, be aware that the number is usually based on a 70 kg (154
lb) man. If you weigh more than that you will burn more calories for
the same aerobic activity, and if you are lighter you will burn fewer
calories.
Aerobic and Strength Training
Weight training and stretching
exercises go hand in hand. It is not true that weight training makes
you inflexible, as long as you use full range of motion and do muscle
stretching.
In contrast, aerobic training,
like running, can make your muscles tight, so aerobic athletes need to
stretch even more than other athletes.
Exercise and Cholesterol
Exercise can help improve your
cholesterol levels, even if you donīt lose weight. Exercise raises your
level of beneficial HDL cholesterol. This has been proven for aerobic
exercise, and may be true of strength training as well.
Beginner Fitness on a Budget
Fitness doesn't have to be
expensive. Ultimately, any money you spend on a serious, committed
fitness routine will come back to you tenfold in health, fitness
benefits, happiness, fewer sick days at work, more energy, and better
quality of life. But, if you're you're on a tight budget, never fear.
A fitness exercise band such as
the B-Lines Resistance Band is relatively inexpensive, as are hand
weights. An exercise ball can also help you achieve fitness without
asking you to rip into your savings. And, let us not forget the endless
natural terrain that Mother Nature provides for us to run on!
12-minute Fitness Test
To get a good idea of your
fitness level before starting an exercise program, try running or
walking for 12 minutes and see what kind of distance you can cover. If
you cover a mile or more youīre in decent shape. You should feel good
about where you are. Start your exercise program at a more vigorous
level if you do well. Don't feel bad if you don't get close to a mile.
Most beginners can't. You just have to start out at a pace that is
comfortable for you and increase it as your fitness improves.
Diet and Weight Training
No fat, no muscle gain. Sumo
wrestlers in Japan know this. (So does Hilary Swank, who had to eat 210
grams of carbs per day while weight training for “Million Dollar
Baby”).
Before embarking on a weight
training routine, adjust your diet. Try infusing your diet with
flaxseed oil, high in fat (Omega-3 fatty acids), and also egg whites,
which are high in protein. Drinking protein shakes can also give you
energy during your weight training program.
You might not need to eat quite
as demanding a diet, depending on how demanding your strength training
exercise is. But as Suzanne Somers has said, fat is not the enemy. This
is doubly true if you're doing strength training. “Eat your greens,”
Mom's sage advice, holds true for a weight training diet as well.
You'll need to add nutritional supplements, particularly if a
high-protein diet (or egg whites) doesn't agree with you).
Cardio or Aerobic?
Cardiovascular (cardio) exercise
refers to exercise that strengthens the cardiovascular system. Aerobic
just means in the presence of oxygen, and aerobic exercise refers to
exercise that lasts long enough to require oxygen. The same type of
exercise satisfies both of these qualifications, and the terms cardio
and aerobic exercise are used interchangeably. Aerobic/cardio exercise
uses large muscles, usually the legs, in a rhythmic fashion. Examples
are running, walking, bicycling, swimming, cross-country skiing,
rowing, skating, and machines such as stair steppers and elliptical
trainers.
Exercise and Diabetes
Fitness helps your blood sugar!
If you have a family history of diabetes, or other risk factors, itīs
time to get moving. A recent study showed women who exercised
moderately or vigorously in a fitness program more than four times per
week had half the risk of developing diabetes, and even lesser levels
of exercise provided some protection. Other research shows exercise
helps men avoid diabetes as well.
