You are here: Home / Archives for Exercise

Fitness Beginners to-do List

To be honest, we really aren’t true beginners at this whole fitness thing. For the majority of us, physical education was part of our schooling, and served as our formal introduction to exercise.

In our grade school youth, this typically consisted of a round of stretching, some calisthenics and aerobics, followed by some type of game or sporting activity.

Fast forward a few years into adulthood. For the person that falls out of the regular exercise routine, picking up a physically fit lifestyle can feel like those gym class days when we first learned the proper way to do push-ups, sit-ups and how to touch our toes without bending the knees.

So, if you’re hitting the gym for the first time in a long time, and need a few, basic refresher notes to get you there, here’s a to-do list for the fitness beginner.

  • Stretch that body. You want to give each muscle group that you’ll be exercising at least thirty (30) seconds of stretch time. Most gyms have charts and diagrams on the proper way to stretch, so don’t be afraid to look those up. Some gyms even have a machine that will assist in the process.
  • Do a warm-up routine before hitting the heavy stuff. A few laps around a track, a few minutes on a treadmill or bike will get that heart pumping and blood flowing. Plus, it gets those muscles tuned up for what lies ahead.
  • Pace yourself. In the early stages of your return to fitness, going too hard too quickly invites exhaustion and possible injury. By keeping a steady, even pace, you will be able to build stamina and work out longer each time you head out.
  • Cool downs are vital. By doing post-workout stretching, you will help your body to recover and heal quickly.

Those are just some of the basics to getting into the fitness lifestyle.

Filed Under: Exercise Tagged With: , ,

Fitness on a Budget

Between gym memberships, clothes and shoes, weights, and personal trainers; the costs of executing your fitness plan can get expensive. Fortunately, a budget conscious person can keep those expenditures down while still staying in shape.

Just as your fitness regimen requires some thought, exercising the budget takes some planning and extra leg work to keep from overworking your wallet.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you maintain a fatter bank account while trimming down that waistline:

  • Begin with a budget – You exercise with a plan, so spend on your fitness with a plan. Budgets don’t have to be scary. They’re just a way for you to know ahead of time how much money you have available to spend before actually swiping that debit card.
  • A gym membership isn’t required – It’s easy to assume that the only way to get into shape is by joining a gym. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of the exercise machines used in gyms today were born out of old-school exercise routines. Substitute the treadmill with the local high school track. Replace the cycle machine with a real bicycle. Who needs a stair machine when you can run the stairs at your school football stadium?
  • Look for sales on exercise equipment – Buying your own weights may have an immediate expense, but will pay off in the long term verses renting the gym’s equipment. Plus, timing your purchases to coincide with sales will help you get good fitness equipment at less cost.
  • Sales are common for clothes and shoes – Be honest that you don’t need the best attire to live healthy. Sales for clothing and shoes are common, so look for them at your local retailers.

These are just a few tips to keep your wallet in shape while you get into shape.

Filed Under: Exercise Tagged With: , ,

Exercising During Pregnancy

A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy, and regular exercise can be beneficial for expectant mothers. If you don’t have complications that keep your from exercising while you are pregnant, you can reap the following benefits:

  • Better posture and backache relief.
  • Less constipation.
  • Better sleep.
  • An easier labor and delivery.

A healthy expectant mother can perform about 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity every week, without risking premature delivery, miscarriage or a low birth weight for the baby. Of course, be sure to talk to your doctor about starting an exercise routine. If you already exercise, then you should consult with your doctor to determine if your current regimen will need to be modified during your pregnancy.

Among the exercises you may want to try are swimming, yoga, Pilates and walking. Pregnant women should exercise in an air-conditioned area during the hottest part of the day — typically between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.). During the second and third trimester, avoid exercises that would require you to lie flat on your back. You should also avoid exercises that incorporate a lot of leaping or bouncing. If you were an active runner before your pregnancy, you may be able to continue during your pregnancy — just talk to your doctor as you may need to make some modifications.

If you’re new to exercise, start off slowly. Wear loose-fitting clothing and wear a supportive bra during your workouts. Be sure to drink lots of water, and if you’re dealing with morning sickness or dizziness, take it easy and don’t exercise.

Filed Under: Exercise, Health Tagged With: , ,

Fitness for Kids

It’s important to get regular exercise — this is true for children and teens as well as adults. Parents may find it hard to get their kids away from the TV or computer and engaged in physical activity. However, by making exercise a part of a child’s routine at a young age, parents can help keep their kids healthy.

Toddlers are busy by nature, as they have learned to walk and run and are eager to move around. Take your 2- or 3-year old on regular walks, and trips to local parks to use playground equipment, kick a ball or play games like “ring around the rosy.”

Preschoolers (age 4 and 5) can skip, hop and run. They are learning how to do somersaults and love to throw and catch. This is a great time to learn to ride a bike, take a dance class to increase coordination skills, or take swimming lessons.

Kids between the ages of 6 and 12 should be given more time for free play. This means allowing them to participate in unstructured activities like playing tag in the summer or building a snowman in the backyard during the winter months. This is a good age to work some exercise into your family’s everyday routine — try a walk after dinner.

Your teenager needs at least an hour of physical activity everyday. A teenager can participate in pretty much any physical activity they’d like. Weight training can be good for teens (under the supervision of a certified trainer) because it helps reduce the risk of sports-related injuries.

Give your teen the freedom to choose an activity that she enjoys, because the teen years are about developing independence and starting to make decisions. Consider getting a teen membership at a gym so that they can workout before or after school.

Filed Under: Exercise Tagged With: , ,

Weight Training for Better Bones

For women, weight training is a great way to prevent the bone loss that is caused by osteoporosis. Also, when you strength train, you build up your muscles — this makes your balance better and reduces the risk of falls that can cause fractures or broken bones.

Weight training can give you more energy as you get older. By the time a woman is 70, she has lost about half her muscle mass. This loss of muscle mass contributes to fatigue, but weight training can add muscle mass, thus giving you energy throughout your “golden years.”

When embarking on a weight training program for osteoporosis, focus on your hip and back. That’s because those are the areas most prone to fractures. Exercises that are ideal include hip flexion and hip extension. Try sitting on a chair and lifting your knees in a “marching” motion. Do this exercise with a 5-pound weight on each ankle.

You should always start a new exercise regimen with the assistance of a trainer and after consulting with your doctor. Two to three times a week is an ideal frequency for weight training; be sure to do one exercise for each of your major muscle groups. To reduce the risk of injury, lift weights slowly, and keep your abdominal, or core muscles tight — this protects your spine. If you have spinal osteoporosis, you shouldn’t lift more than 20 pounds. If you have osteoporosis in your hips, just be mindful of your balance so that you don’t run the risk of a hip fracture from a fall.

Filed Under: Exercise, Health Tagged With: ,
Newer Posts »